Collins leaves Cap for D-II job Jim Collins accepted the head coaching position at Division II Saginaw Valley State on Friday, Dec. 28, after 11 years as head coach at Capital. "This is one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make as the last 11 years at Capital University have been an outstanding experience," Collins said. "During those years, I had the opportunity to do what I love and do it in an environment surrounded by great people. ... I cannot thank enough Roger Welsh, the man who gave me the opportunity of a lifetime, our coaching staff, who are my closest friends, and most of all, the outstanding student athletes who put on the Crusader uniform and did their absolute best all the time." In each of the last three seasons, the Crusaders advanced to NCAA playoffs, where each season they lost to the eventual national champion. The highlight of the playoff run came in the 2006 season, when Collins led Capital to its first-ever 9-1 regular season and the first postseason football games on campus in 36 years. In the quarterfinals, the Crusaders suffered a 17-14 loss at No. 1 ranked and eventual national champion Mount Union. Capital finished the 2006 season with an 11-2 record and its highest-ever ranking at No. 3 in the nation. Collins led Capital to seven consecutive winning seasons, while his enthusiasm, attitude and strong work ethic are evident throughout the program, but particularly in the offense, for which he served as coordinator. Collins' teams have rewritten the school record books, setting more than 40 records. Saginaw Valley State was 8-3 this past season. "We are extremely excited to have Jim Collins take over our football program," said SVSU athletic director Mike Watson. "Jim has a tireless work ethic and an enthusiastic attitude. We believe very strongly that under his leadership, SVSU football will not only compete for conference titles, but also for national titles." | |||
| Permalink | Dec 28, 2007 | |||
In all, 2007 was a blast
ATN's Year in Review It was an unexpected ending to the 2007 season, to be sure. But as Keith McMillan notes in the beginning of his year-end wrapup, perhaps we should have expected it to be that way. How else could one end a season which started with a 21-point comeback by Mississippi College on opening night, in a game which ended up to be only the second-most unlikely ending to a Millsaps game this season? Relive the amazing endings, great games, great plays and outstanding stats in Around the Nation's 2007 in Review, Part 1. And in a season where ticket-buyers certainly got their bang for the buck, which bangs echo the longest? All that and more as we begin Around the Nation's 2007 in Review. | |||
| Permalink | Dec 25, 2007 | |||
Drake hires Wabash head coach
Wabash head coach Chris Creighton is leaving to take the head coaching job at Drake, Drake confirmed Saturday. “This was a really hard decision to make,” Creighton said. “These last seven years at Wabash have been the best years of my life, both on the field and off the field.” Creighton was 63-15 over seven seasons coaching the Little Giants, after leading Ottawa (Kan.) to the NAIA postseason twice as a head coach. His Wabash teams made the Division III playoffs three times, including advancing to the national quarterfinals this season. Creighton was named the North Coast Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2002, 2005, and 2007. He was the AFCA District II Coach of the Year in 2002. “Chris Creighton’s arrival at Wabash came at the time when the College was entering a new conference,” said dean of students Tom Bambrey. “He ushered in a new and successful era for Wabash football. It’s been a very special run.” Drake is a Division I (Football Championship Subdivision) non-scholarship institution. The Bulldogs were 6-5 this past season, including a 20-7 win against UW-Platteville (2-8). | |||
| Permalink | Dec 21, 2007 | |||
Stagg ratings outdo D-I, II games The 35th annual Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl garnered a 1.54 rating on ESPN for its broadcast on Saturday, Dec. 15, significantly higher than the 2006 game and marginally higher than the other two NCAA football championship games, each played the same weekend. The Division II championship game, played on ESPN2 earlier on Saturday afternoon, had a 1.25 rating, while the Division I championship game (formerly known as I-AA), received a 1.51 rating in prime time the previous night. The game outdrew the 1.3 rating achieved by Stagg Bowl XXVI on ESPN (Rowan vs. Mount Union, 1998), as well as the string of games aired on ESPN2 in the intervening seasons. A 1.54 rating equates to 1.42 million households. | |||
| Permalink | Dec 21, 2007 | |||
Allan promoted off Chiefs' practice squad Former Whitworth tight end Michael Allan was promoted off the practice squad and signed a three-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. Allan, who was a seventh-round draft pick of the franchise, was the first Division III player drafted by the NFL since Ryan Hoag was taken with the final pick of the 2003 draft. If he plays, he could be the fourth Division III alumnus to make his NFL debut this season, following UW-Whitewater's Derek Stanley, who returned six kicks for the St. Louis Rams this past weekend; Coe's Fred Jackson, running back and return man for the Buffalo Bills; and Ohio Northern's Jason Trusnik, who plays special teams for the New York Jets. | |||
| Permalink | Dec 20, 2007 | |||
Luther hires UW-La Crosse assistant Joe Thompson, Luther athletic director, has named Mike Durnin the college’s new head football coach. Durnin, defensive coordinator at UW-La Crosse for the past seven years, succeeds Paul Hefty, who served as coach for six years and resigned in November to pursue interests outside of football. Durnin will assume his duties at Luther immediately. During his time at UW-La Crosse, the Eagles produced an overall record of 48-26, capturing three Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships and making four NCAA Division III playoff appearances. Durnin began his coaching career at Minnesota State-Mankato (1981-83) as a graduate assistant, coaching both wide receivers and defensive backs. He then served as defensive coordinator at Yankton until the school closed in 1984. Durnin next spent seven years at Puget Sound (1985-92), where he served as the defensive coordinator the first four years and offensive coordinator the final three seasons. Prior to his stint at UW-La Crosse, he was the recruiting coordinator at Illinois State (1992-94) and also coached running backs, quarterbacks, and kickers. From 1994 until he joined the Eagles football staff in 2001, he was in private business. Durnin is a 1981 graduate of UW-La Crosse, where he played quarterback and still holds the school record for touchdown passes in a single game with six. He also holds a bachelor of science degree from La Crosse and a master of arts degree from Mankato, both in physical education. “I am truly excited to serve Luther College as head football coach,” commented Durnin. “The sky's the limit for this program. There is an excellent nucleus of players committed to winning, along with great support starting with President Richard Torgerson and Joe Thompson, athletic director. I am excited about meeting individually with the team, and I will be starting my recruiting for Luther College immediately.” “We are proud to have Mike serve as our head football coach at Luther College,” stated Thompson. “He has accumulated a wealth of successful coaching experience, has been a wonderful mentor to student-athletes, and embraces the NCAA III philosophy. Mike has tremendous ability, integrity, and experience, and we are excited that he has elected to become a part of the Luther College community.” | |||
| Permalink | Dec 19, 2007 | |||
Vote for 15-lateral play as best ever The Trinity (Texas) 15-lateral game-winning play at Millsaps has been nominated as one of the best sports highlights of all time in ESPN's Greatest Highlight contest. Readers are asked to vote for 10 plays out of the initial list of 100. The plays are listed chronologically. Trinity's miracle finish is at the bottom of the list. Voting runs until Jan. 11, 2008. | |||
| Permalink | Dec 18, 2007 | |||
Stanley makes NFL debut Former UW-Whitewater wide receiver Derek Stanley made his NFL debut for the St. Louis Rams on Sunday, returning six kickoffs for 121 yards in the team's 33-14 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Stanley, a seventh-round pick of the Rams in the NFL draft this past April, was one of two Division III draftees and is the third Division III alumnus to make his NFL debut this season. He was activated off the team's practice squad for this week's game. He follows Ohio Northern's Jason Trusnik (New York Jets), who made two special teams tackles Sunday in the team's loss to New England, and Coe's Fred Jackson (Buffalo Bills), who caught three passes for 36 yards and had seven carries for 16 more in a loss to Cleveland. Division III's other draftee, Whitworth tight end Michael Allan, is on the practice squad with the Kansas City Chiefs. | |||
| Permalink | Dec 16, 2007 | |||
New faces hoist trophy
UW-Whitewater scored first in each of the previous two meetings against Mount Union in the Stagg Bowl. But in this instance, the Warhawks built a 17-0 lead and held on to win 31-21. The victory, the first for UW-Whitewater in Salem, meant the Warhawks showed Mount Union was not unbeatable, writes Ryan Tipps. And every time Mount Union loses, says Keith McMillan, it proves they're human, as does the Purple Raiders' emotions in defeat. Photo gallery. Mount Union cut the lead to three twice as Nate Kmic scored three touchdowns. But Justin Beaver and the 22 other Warhawks seniors would not be denied. Beaver rushed for 253 yards and a score against a Purple Raiders defense that gave up less than 25 yards per game all season. Danny Jones' second 1-yard touchdown plunge of the game put the game away, 31-21. D3football.com also announced its All-American teams on game day in Salem. Following the game, D3football.com announced its final awards: Justin Beaver was named Offensive Player of the Year, Mary Hardin-Baylor linebacker Jerrell Freeman was named Defensive Player of the Year and UW-Whitewater's Lance Leipold was named Coach of the Year. | |||
| Permalink | Dec 15, 2007 | |||
St. John Fisher asst. takes Utica job Utica athletic director Jim Spartano Friday named Blaise Faggiano head coach. Faggiano spent the past nine seasons as defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at St. John Fisher. He replaces Mike Kemp, who left the Pioneers in midseason with a 17-50 lifetime record. "Utica College is excited to welcome Blaise into our family, and we believe he is the great fit to guide our program into the future," says Spartano. "His success within the Empire 8 Conference speaks for itself, and his ties throughout New York state will surely help for a smooth transition to Utica College." Faggiano graduated from Ithaca, where he was a member of the football team and helped guide the Bombers to a Division III national championship in 1991. After earning his undergraduate degree in 1993, he accepted a graduate assistant coaching position at SUNY-Albany, where he earned a master's degree in liberal arts. Faggiano returned to Ithaca in 1995, and was part of a coaching staff that led the Bombers to postseason appearances in three out of four seasons. He has played a major role in St. John Fisher's recent success, guiding the Cardinals to the national quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III playoffs in each of the past two seasons. "I have always aspired to be a head coach at the Division III level, and I am eager to join the Utica College family," says Faggiano. "Through the interview process I was pleased to find that Utica College has similar goals and values to that of St. John Fisher. I am excited about the talent that we currently have in the football program at Utica, and I look forward to working with the local section III high school football coaches to continue to help this program grow in the years to come." UC closed out the 2007 season by posting a program-record 70 points and finishing with a 3-7 overall record. | |||
| Permalink | Dec 15, 2007 | |||
UWW gives Stagg a wow factor By Ryan Tipps D3football.com SALEM -- One of the first words out of Ryan Ogrizovich’s mouth was “wow.” That was his summation of UW-Whitewater’s 31-21 Stagg Bowl victory Saturday, as the rain taunted those in Salem Stadium, combining with a chill that lasted throughout the day and night. And, Ogrizovich said, it never even entered his team’s mind that Mount Union was unbeatable, as so many had been alluding to. “We were feeling really confident that we could play with them this year,” the defensive end and first-team All-American said. “We weren’t thinking blowout. … We just played the best ball we could.” And it was that kind of defensive play that held MUC’s stars in check. Pierre Garcon gained just 30 yards receiving. Nate Kmic averaged 4 yards per carry, down from almost 6.5 per carry during the rest of the year. UW-W also made a goal line stand that kept MUC scoreless through the first quarter. “To get a stop like that is definitely a confidence-builder,” coach Lance Leipold said after the game. “It was a great stand, and one (of the kinds) that we’ve been talking about to be physical. From then on, the Warhawk faithful – animated and boisterous – had few moments of silence. On both sides of the ball, UW-W zeroed in on MUC’s strengths, doing what was needed to neutralize the Purple Raider dynasty. “Our goal was to come out early and be physical, and I think we did that,” Leipold said. “We played aggressively. We thought we’d make it a four-quarter game. We needed to do that.” Liepold, a rookie head coach, said he had never seen Mount Union play firsthand prior to Saturday night. But he finessed his team, a team laden with 23 seniors, into a national championship, which occurred in the presence of retired head coach Bob Berezowitz. Berezowitz, whose team fell the past two years to Mount Union, paced the sidelines, sharing his team’s ups and downs. “If you look a little bit on last year’s game and this year’s game,” Leipold said, “we didn’t allow big plays. Yeah, we turned it over a little bit, but there weren’t the explosive plays by them.” The same success was shining through on offense, as well. Aside from three fumbles that put a kink in Whitewater’s offensive momentum, there were very few down moments for UWW – in part thanks to Stagg Bowl most valuable player Justin Beaver. Beaver, who gained 256 yards, found the end zone only once, but he was crucial in setting up at least two other scores. And after the Warhawks’ first seven points early in the first quarter, UWW never gave up the lead. His total is even more impressive after Leipold revealed that Beaver had played the past five or six weeks with a fractured rib. “That just shows once again the kind of competitor (Beaver is) and the heart and everything he gives to this football team,” Leipold said. Despite the praise from his coach, Beaver was quick to put the spotlight on those around him. “I’ve been saying that our O-line is the heart of our team, at least on offense,” the running back said. “Today they really stepped up.” The offensive line was crucial to breaking open a hole for transfer quarterback Danny Jones, leading him into the end zone in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter, essentially sealing the victory. As the touchdown was clear and rightfully unchallenged, Whitewater fans erupted in celebration. But the tone on the Mount Union side was punctuated by the actions of a young fan standing off the back of the end zone, repeatedly calling for “review, review, review.” Tears dripped down his cheeks, surprising visible amid the resurgent rain. Nearby, slumped shoulders dominated the far sidelines – a proud, typically dominating Mount Union team being handed its first defeat of the season. On the other side of the field, the Warhawks coop grew louder, swallowing the stadium in cheer and celebration. Leipold said just after the game that things really hadn’t sunk in, but he and his team overcame their growing pains together to reach the season pinnacle. The players “believed in themselves. They had a lot of confidence. As I’ve said all along, it was kind of a blending more than anything else. They had to get used to a new coach and a new offensive coordinator. A couple different things did change on how we do things, but you have the work ethic and the desire, and, of course, the athleticism was there all along.” | |||
| Permalink | Dec 15, 2007 | |||
Mount's reign washed out
By Keith McMillan D3football.com SALEM -- As the rain fell at Stagg Bowl XXXV Saturday, the reign fell. With a 164-4 record and eight national championships in nine Stagg Bowl appearances since the start of the 1996 season, and with a chance for their third three-peat in that span, Mount Union has firmly established itself as the standard by which other Division III teams are measured. Toss in the 1993 championship, and the Purple Raiders (14-1) were questing for their 10th win in Salem. Year after year, Mount Union is expected to win. It’s almost a ho-hum end to the season when they do. Although coach Larry Kehres and their players say, win or lose, they don’t take the Stagg Bowl experience for granted, and certainly don’t assume that they will win, that attitude is very much present outside the program. For those who forget that Mount Union builds its team much like other Division III programs do, with undersized but hard-working student-athletes, any loss comes as a shocker. But those inside both the Mount Union and UW-Whitewater programs felt the teams had been evenly matched the past two Stagg Bowls, with Mount Union seizing the opportunities and pulling away in the second half. Saturday, it was the Warhawks who seized opportunities, finished drives and came up with the big plays, particularly a first-quarter goal-line stand. “Statistically, they were close games,” Kehres said from the Purple Raiders’ locker room after the game. “All three of them were similar, but we were the team this time that didn’t take advantage of chances to score. With 212 yards in the first half, you’d like to have a touchdown there or some field goals.” Instead, UW-Whitewater (14-1) built a 10-0 halftime lead – the first time Mount Union was scoreless at the half of a game in at least the past 17 seasons – and went ahead 17-0 on its first drive of the third quarter. Mount Union responded by twice cutting the Warhawks’ lead to three points, at 17-14 and 24-21. Safety Matt Kostenik said he “thought the momentum swung back our way” at 17-14, following an eight-play, 19-yard drive with 3:53 left in the third quarter. Quarterback Greg Micheli echoed those thoughts, referring to then, and when Nate Kmic’s 4-yard touchdown run, his third of the game, brought the game to 24-21 with 3:34 left. “We knew we were in a good position, but you never think you are in a for-sure position," Micheli said. Instead, Justin Beaver and Whitewater’s offense put forth perhaps their best effort of the day, scoring once more with 1:33 left to provide the final 31-21 margin. “[Whitewater] played the best game tonight,” Kehres said. “They definitely deserved to be champions.” The Purple Raiders, who fumbled six times and lost three in the wet conditions, felt they let an opportunity get away, just as Whitewater felt after the past two Stagg Bowls. “We played very well in spots,” Kehres said, “but we made a few too many mistakes. There were a couple bounces of the football that got away from us and cost us the victory.” Micheli said the Warhawks did a great job disguising their defense so he couldn’t get a good read on what he was looking at, although he was still 19-for-32 for 245 yards and a late interception. Kehres credited Whitewater’s play covering Pierre Garcon, who’d gone over 100 yards receiving and scored two TDs in each of the past two Stagg Bowls. “They did a good job on Pierre, they rolled their coverages to him and played short with their corner with a safety over the top … We had to turn some other directions and look for plays from some of our other guys, and they made big plays.” Mount Union outgained the Warhawks 445-410. Kmic admitted the weather was a factor, but also acknowledged Whitewater’s efforts to strip the ball. In the end, though, the Purple Raiders accepted that they were outplayed. Given that seven seniors started on offense and eight more started on defense, and a 16th senior starter was on special teams, and it was a class that had an opportunity to go down as perhaps the best in school history. The loss hurts, but it hardly darkens the legacy of a senior class that won two championships, lost only three games and produced seven D3football.com All-Americans in 2007 alone. This season in particular was phenomenal, as Mount Union averaged a 54-5 win prior to the Stagg Bowl, and at one point posted seven shutouts in an eight-game stretch, with only a Heidelberg second-quarter field goal keeping it from being eight in a row. Moved into the East bracket for the playoffs, the Purple Raiders dominated the best that region had to offer. Still, it’ll be hard for the Mount Union seniors to find solace in all they accomplished anytime soon, while Saturday’s loss still stings. “It’ll be a long bus ride home,” safety Matt Kostelnik said. Though the Purple Raiders uncharacteristically lost their cool a couple of times, they were generally as classy in defeat as they often are in victory. “If you make football worthwhile,” Kehres said, “you have to use it for lessons. I think the challenge is 'Don’t pout, don’t mope.' Will it mean [the seniors] don’t come back and see me? Can we maintain a great relationship even though we lost your last game?” Though excitement ripples throughout the division each time Mount Union loses, those performances, and the emotions accompanying them, remind the rest of us that the Purple Raiders are human. | |||
| Permalink | Dec 15, 2007 | |||
Freeman, Beaver, Leipold take top honors Mary Hardin-Baylor running back Jerrell Freeman was named D3football.com Defensive Player of the Year, UW-Whitewater running back Justin Beaver was named the D3football.com 2007 Offensive Player of the Year and Lance Leipold of UW-Whitewater was named Coach of the Year as D3football.com announced its 2007 All-American team at the Stagg Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 15. One hundred slots were selected: 11 starters on offense and defense plus three special teamers on each of four teams. It's the ninth annual D3football.com All-American team. Freeman was selected as a first-team linebacker for the second consecutive year, while Beaver was a first-team running back for the third year in a row. Cornell, Middlebury, North Carolina Wesleyan, Olivet, St. Olaf, Tri-State and Waynesburg each had a player selected for the first time. That brings the number of schools to have a D3football.com All-American to 175 in the nine-year history of the awards. | |||
| Permalink | Dec 15, 2007 | |||
Predicting in purple
Although Mount Union will be in white and UW-Whitewater will be in black, purple will be the color of the day Saturday in Salem for Stagg Bowl XXXV. The Triple-Take team throws out its final set of predictions for the 2007 season, and as is our annual Stagg Bowl custom since 1999, we have invited other Division III fans and experts covering each team to participate. Does anyone pick UW-Whitewater? OK, does anyone who isn't a Whitewater fan pick them? Read on and find out in this week's Triple-Take, the Stagg Bowl predictions. Coming up Saturday, pregame show at 2 p.m. ET, kickoff shortly after 4 with D3football.com audio broadcasters on NCAASports.com. Plus, we've had coverage all week leading up to Saturday's game. Just a reminder, if you've missed it. • UW-Whitewater running back Justin Beaver spoke about the emotional rollercoasters in his life in a Road to Salem feature. • Beaver accepted the Gagliardi Trophy on Thursday night. Check out the photos and photo galleries of the stadium's new look and each team's practice. • Safety Matt Kostelnik is one of the faces of the Purple Raider defense. He talks about how the unit's experience pays off in a Road to Salem feature. • Get to know the ins and outs of each team on the field as we give you a coach's perspective on attacking the Mount Union 4-2-5 and battling the interior of the Warhawks' defense as well as unsung players from each team in our Stagg Bowl scouting report • How did we get here? Get Pat Coleman and Keith McMillan's take in the ATN Podcast | |||
| Permalink | Dec 14, 2007 | |||
Beaver finds happiness in turmoil Special to D3football.com After what Justin Beaver has fought through in his lifetime, running with a bull’s-eye on his back and being chased by a couple of defenders isn’t much of a problem. Beaver, UW-Whitewater’s record-setting running back, will be presented the Gagliardi Trophy as Division III’s best football player on Thursday in Salem, Va. Two days later, he’ll lead the Warhawks into the championship game in hopes of toppling the Mount Union dynasty. All of that is impressive. So are his 6,335 career rushing yards, which rank second in Division III history and top the school and WIAC lists, and his school-record 43 touchdowns. He’s a three-time all-American and three-time Gagliardi finalist. With even a modest performance on Saturday, he’ll pass former Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne (6,397 career yards) for 10th place on the all-divisions rushing list. He’s equally impressive off the field. The dean’s list student boasts a 3.55 grade-point average and is a second-team academic all-American. Whitewater coach Lance Leipold can’t talk about Beaver’s on-field exploits without talking about his character. Same for Mount Union coach Larry Kehres. What’s most impressive, though, is how Beaver has gotten to this lofty point. He’s lived with his paternal grandparents since he was 3 months old. His father died in an altercation at a bar during Beaver’s junior year at Palmyra-Eagle High School in Palmyra, Wis. “What some people would call a rough family life, I say I’m grateful for,” Beaver said this week. “I was born into a family where my mother and father were pretty young, and that made me stronger. I had them there at certain times and not there at certain times. And when they weren’t there, I’ve had a great group of grandparents that stepped in to raise me. “Most people would look at it like I had a rough childhood, but it made me grow up faster and be stronger.” Beaver is quick to compliment his friends and family, particularly grandparents Donald and Joanna Beaver, who watch all of the Warhawks’ games and are departing Thursday to watch Saturday’s Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl. “I guess we did a good job raising him,” Joanna Beaver said with a laugh. “He’s been a very easy child to raise, and he’s a good role model for other people, other students.” “It’s putting the right people around me,” Beaver said. “I have a lot of great friends who put me in line when I needed to put me in line. I have some great family and even a couple of old girlfriends. When you start to drift, they’ve been there.”
“In my short time with Justin, the thing that really sticks out, the things most people see as adversity, he sees as another challenge that motivates him to succeed. When some people get down and pack it in, he uses it as motivation. Whether it’s his personal life or an injury, you see the drive that comes about him and the look in his eyes that he’s ready to take it on.” Leipold was hired in January to replace the retired Bob Berezowitz. So, Leipold got to know Beaver the person long before he got to watch Beaver live on the football field. “I had about eight months with Justin before even seeing him play,” Leipold said. “What Justin brings off the field, he’s had to overcome considerable obstacles in his personal life with the passing of his father and so forth. When adversity strikes or injuries, that just pushes that young man even more. He handles challenges or bumps in the road that most people sometimes don’t bounce back from. “He brings the same attitude in practice that he brings to the weight room and the classroom. He’s, when you talk about a D-III student-athlete, he’s the prototype of what you’re looking for. He has great respect from his teammates, and he jumps in to help with recruits. I don’t know how you ever replace a guy like that. He’s the heart and soul of this program.” Beaver has been the driving force to Whitewater’s third consecutive run to the national championship game. In 2005, Beaver set a Division III single-season record with 2,420 rushing yards and added 24 touchdowns. He rushed 30 times for 125 yards and a touchdown in the title game, but the Warhawks lost to Mount Union 35-28. Last season, Beaver missed five games with a broken collarbone, but got back in time for the playoffs and finished with 1,369 yards and four TDs. Facing Mount Union again for the championship, Beaver was held to 87 yards on 23 carries in a 35-16 loss. This season, powered by the veteran offensive line of junior left tackle Mike Sherman and a group of seniors — left guard Brady Ramseier, center Brent Allen, right guard Don Anstett and right tackle Cal Schmidt — Beaver has rushed for 2,206 yards and 14 touchdowns. During a second-round victory over North Central, he passed Carey Bender of Coe (6,125 yards, 1991-94) for second place on the Division III rushing list. “He’s a tremendous football player,” Kehres said. “Last year, bouncing back that quickly from a broken collarbone and leading his team through the playoffs the way he did, and then have another marvelous season (this year), I really admire him. He’s one of the role-model types of student-athletes that all of us coaching in Division III admire. He’s an outstanding student and outstanding young man.” He’s a modest young man, too. Several times, Beaver was asked to talk about what it meant to win the Gagliardi Award. Each time, he deflected the credit to his teammates, friends and family. “This one, to me, is not a personal award. It’s definitely a community award,” he said. “It’s definitely a reward for all the people who have been involved in Warhawk football in the past — forever.” Finally, asked if he could perhaps give himself a little praise, he did. “I guess at this point, I can do that, because it’s one of the last times in my career to do that,” Beaver said. “The biggest thing I take out of this whole thing, if I could put it in two words, is hard work. I definitely had people push me to work hard, but I’ve had to do it, also. That’s one of the things I will give myself credit for.” Not surprisingly, with the Warhawks in the midst of another playoff run, Beaver hasn’t had time to reflect on what he’s accomplished during a brilliant career. Nor has he thought much about this being his final collegiate game. “It hasn’t hit me completely yet,” Beaver said. “It’s kind of hit me, but it will hit me a lot more when the game is over, win or lose.” Faced with the daunting challenge of again facing a Mount Union squad that has been too good the last two years, Beaver speaks of this team’s heart. A turning point in this season was a 26-16 loss at Division II St. Cloud State. The Warhawks doomed themselves with four turnovers, “but a lot of great things came out of the game,” Beaver said. “We were down and there were a couple of minutes left, but we never gave up. To see the guys care so much just kind of propelled us.” Then there was the game against UW-La Crosse two weeks later. With Beaver sidelined by leg cramps, the Warhawks rallied from a 28-10 deficit in the fourth quarter to beat their archrivals 35-28. “Without those emotional rollercoasters, you can’t really be happy,” Beaver said, a statement that speaks volumes about his life. Beaver and Co. face another rollercoaster on Saturday against college football’s version of John Wooden’s UCLA basketball juggernaut. The Purple Raiders have won 37 games in a row, the longest current winning streak in any division, and are seeking their 10th national title since 1993. Beaver, however, sees no reason why he and the 22 other Whitewater seniors can’t walk out of Salem Stadium with the championship trophy. After what he’s been through, would you bet against him? “It’s important to me, but it’s so important to everyone around this program,” he said. “It’s how anyone would want to go out. There’s a lot of guys on this team who want to go out with a win. We’ve seen the guys go out with a loss and how much it hurt, and we don’t want to go out that way.” | |||
| Permalink | Dec 13, 2007 | |||
Weight of the world Gagliardi Trophy winner and UW-Whitewater running back Justin Beaver has carried more than the football. He's carried a 3.55 grade point average, the hopes of a program on his shoulders, and the weight of a tumultuous personal life. "Without those emotional rollercoasters, you can’t really be happy," Beaver said this week. And it's been a heck of a ride for the No. 2 all-time leading rusher in Division III history, as he and second-ranked UW-Whitewater get set to take on No. 1 Mount Union for the third consecutive season on Saturday in Salem, Va., in Stagg Bowl XXXV. But just like the Warhawks' season appeared to have a turning point after a September loss to Division II St. Cloud State, Beaver's life did as well. Whom does he credit for keeping him in line? Does he regret his turbulent childhood? Soft-spoken and modest off the field, yet powerful on it, Beaver speaks volumes. More in our Road to Salem feature, the last one of the 2007 season.
| |||
| Permalink | Dec 13, 2007 | |||
Mount defense a veteran crew By Clyde Hughes D3football.com When your football team is scoring 54.1 points a game and averaging 548.3 yards in total offense for the season, it’s easy to get caught up in those numbers and only think about offense. The scary thing about the Mount Union Purple Raiders this season has been that the defense has put up nearly as many impressive numbers as the offense. When Mount Union (14-0) takes on UW-Whitewater (13-1) Saturday for the Division III championship for the third consecutive year, the defense will be counted on to help the Purple Raiders get off to their accustomed quick start. Mount Union’s decorated safety Matt Kostelnik is one of the guys who can talk about the Purple Raiders 4-2-5 defense that has managed to keep teams off balanced and mostly out of the end zone for most of its games this season. Kostelnik, a second-team All-American last year, has 58 tackles this season, two interceptions and has blocked two punts. As a team, the Purple Raiders are holding opponents to 156.9 yards offensively per game (24.2 yards rushing) while giving up 5.2 points a contest. Against playoff competition, the defense has yielded 12.3 points a game while the offense is scoring 53.8 points a game. Kostelnik said the gaudy numbers has a lot to do with experience and becoming more comfortable with Mount Union’s defensive scheme. “A number of us have been playing for three years and we’ve been to two championships,” Kostelnik said. “We all know what we have to do and how to get things done. We’re use to counting on each other. We’ve been coached really well and I think it comes down to experience.” Kostelnik said players like defensive lineman Pat McCullough, the Purple Raiders leading tackler, Tony DeRiggi, and Matt Rees, have logged a lot of time in the Mount Union lineup over the past three years. He said that experience tends to spread throughout the entire defense. “With our experience, it’s easier to pick up on things a little quicker on what the other teams are doing,” Kostelnik said. “We watch film about two to three hours a day. We have a motto '11 as 1' and we enjoy playing as a group. I don’t think things feel different from the past two years.” Kostelnik credits Mount Union’s defensive coaches and players mastering the 4-2-5 defense with the current defensive numbers. The Purple Raiders set a new Division III record for fewest points allowed in the regular season, 24 in 10 games. That number includes seven shutouts. “The safeties are constantly moving around and constantly giving different looks and blitzing from a lot of different angles,” Kostelnik said. “It kind of keeps you guessing. In the 4-2-5, you can come from any angle. Sometimes it looks like a 4-4 defense and other times it looks like a 5-2. There’s a lot of different things you can do.” Kostelnik said because Mount Union has so many who have played the defense for the past three years, coaches have given them to ability to adjust assignments to fit what opposing offenses are doing. “(The experience) gives us more freedom to change up things and tell the coaches what we see out there and what we think we ought to do to get it done, instead of (coaches) just telling us what we have to do after each series,” Kostelnik said. “You get a better perspective because we give more input series after series.” Kostelnik said, though, UW-Whitewater will be Mount Union’s stiffest test of the season. He said the Purple Raiders will be challenged to stop tailback Justin Beaver, whose career rushing totals (6,335 yards in four years) ranks second all-time in Division III. He said Mount Union’s last two wins in championship games against Whitewater won’t matter when the teams step on the field this Saturday. “Whitewater has a great team and great players,” Kostelnik said. “They are strong, fast, with a great offensive line, a great runner and new skill guys. The quarterback looks like a great runner and he’s got a great arm. “They know what to expect from us and know what works against us. We’ll have our work cut out for us this weekend.” | |||
| Permalink | Dec 12, 2007 | |||
Defense still key for MUC Mount Union's offense rolls up numbers like you wouldn't believe. And even though the shutout streak is in the rear view mirror, the defense has performed lights-out all season long. That's due in no small part to some experienced starters, including safety Matt Kostelnik, who made his mark in Stagg Bowl XXXIV with a blocked punt that was returned for a touchdown against UW-Whitewater in the Purple Raiders' 35-16 victory. Learn about the Purple Raider defense and how its veterans get things done in a Road to Salem feature by Clyde Hughes.
| |||
| Permalink | Dec 12, 2007 | |||
Scouting the Raiders, Warhawks One of the benefits of the shuffled Division III football playoff bracket this season is that some new teams have gotten an up-close-and-personal look at each other. In the case of 2007, Capital is the glue that ties UW-Whitewater and Mount Union together. Mount Union beat Capital 37-0 in Week 9. After a Capital quarterback change, UW-Whitewater beat the Crusaders 34-14 in Week 12. Having prepared to face both teams and having coached against them means Capital coach Jim Collins has seen them live and several times on video, while D3football.com staffers have seen both teams as well. We picked his brain for his thoughts on each team and combined them with others’ to break down each team in this weekend’s Stagg Bowl. Be prepared for a very physical game on Saturday afternoon. When UW-Whitewater has the ball Mount Union’s goal: The Purple Raiders should try to eliminate Justin Beaver (2,206 rushing yards) from the game and put the game solely in Danny Jones’ hands. Jones (55% completions, 2,348 yards, 368 rushing yards) is capable, but Beaver is their three-time All-American for a reason. They should try to force that issue. UW-Whitewater’s goal: Keep Mount Union off balance with a heavy dose of the run game. Beaver is really impressive. Mix up the run game with play-action and get the quarterback out of the pocket with the option to run or pass. The other option is to nickel and dime the Purple Raiders defense, take what you can get, move the chains and run the clock to keep the Mount Union offense off the field. Going play-action out of the pocket could really hurt. UW-Whitewater’s unsung player: They use tight end Nick Slupski (23 catches, 260 yards, two touchdowns) effectively, keeping him in on delay patterns and sending him out late. He’s not Pete Schmitt (All-American, invited to Redskins camp) but he’s pretty darn good. Mount Union’s unsung player: Cornerback Jonah Wilson (10 passes broken up, two interceptions) could have a big game if UW-Whitewater is forced into a passing mode. He made good plays down the stretch, including last week against Bethel. When Mount Union has the ball UW-Whitewater’s goal: Get in the face of the Purple Raiders receivers and rough them up a little bit, while hoping the defensive line and outside linebackers can take care of the run the way they did last year. Keep Greg Micheli (74% completions, 34 TDs, five interceptions, 398 rushing yards) in the pocket – they don’t want him running around on them. If they can get their pass rush with the front four filling the passing lanes and getting in Micheli’s face that would be effective. The secondary was impressive with four seniors, all starters. Their safeties and linebackers are tall and tough to throw over. They don’t have the team speed but they have the knack for creating turnovers, using a couple of different looks. They showed zone but switched to man, showed blitz but backed someone off the line, forced quick throws. Disguising coverage is their key to creating turnovers. Mount Union’s goal: Try to take advantage of team speed and get to the outside on UW-Whitewater rather than fighting the interior defensive line. Try to attack the perimeter downfield with Pierre Garcon (63 catches, 925 yards, 14 TDs) and the rest. Look at what Bryson Davis (40-777-8) has done the past couple of weeks. They should be able to run because they have a great offensive line and great team speed on offense. Whitewater’s team speed is good but not what Mount Union’s is. UW-Whitewater’s unsung player: Cornerback Gabe Schultz (16 passes broken up, five and a half tackles for loss) makes plays. He’s just 5-5 but makes up for it with toughness. He can get up in the air and has a great vertical. If they throw the football he may be able to shut someone down. Mount Union’s unsung player: Justin Wray is the playmaker nobody has heard about. He’s got great speed and is capable of blowing this wide open. As a senior, this is the last game he’ll ever play, so there’s a sense of urgency. On any team other than Mount Union and UW-Whitewater he’d be the best player on the team. Special teams Mount Union’s unsung player: People are probably aware of the season that kicker Mike Zimmerman has going. He’s perfect on extra points, 97-for-97, and 16-for-20 on field goals with a long of 37. But the defense is the key – Matt Kostelnik continues to block punts, with two this year, and the Purple Raiders have blocked five for the season. UW-Whitewater’s unsung player: Long snapper Luke Nelson. Capital put times on him and he has the timing to long snap in the NFL. It might be tough for Mount Union to block punts on him. Capital was able to get pressure on punts this season but not against UW-Whitewater. Matchup problems Mount Union: They have great defensive tackles in Nick Parr and Patrick McCullough. You can deal with everyone else as in you know they’re going to be great but at least you can prepare for them. You can’t prepare for these guys. The guards matched up against them are going to be a great thing to watch. UW-Whitewater: Linebackers Jace Rindahl (6-3, 230), Tristan Borzick (6-1, 241) and A.J. Raebel (6-5, 240). They’re huge, physical and run well. -- Compiled by Pat Coleman | |||
| Permalink | Dec 11, 2007 | |||
Scouting the Stagg As we prepare for the kickoff of Stagg Bowl XXXV at 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon in Salem, Va., let's take the time to get to know the teams a little better. Mount Union and UW-Whitewater should be plenty familiar with each other from their meetings the previous two seasons, and their coaching staffs have undoubtedly already done what we're doing now, which is scouting the opposition. Because of the bracket shuffling, Capital played both Mount Union and UW-Whitewater and is the only team to have done so this season. So we went to the source and asked Capital coach Jim Collins for his breakdown of each team. We then combined those observations with our own in-person takes on each team to deliver a report on each team. So who are the unsung players for each team in the battle for the Walnut and Bronze, in each phase of the game? What should Mount Union try to do defensively against UW-Whitewater and vice versa? What are the goals when the Purple Raiders have the ball? Get ready for Stagg Bowl XXXV by scouting the Purple Raiders and Warhawks.
| |||
| Permalink | Dec 11, 2007 | |||
Third time the charm? ATN's take Alright, it's the last chance for someone to knock the Purple Raiders off their mount, and if anyone is going to keep Division III's powerhouse from a third three-peat, it'll have to be UW-Whitewater. And although the Warhawks have failed in their last two chances, this isn't the same Whitewater team. Might they actually be better despite the graduations and coaching change? Keith McMillan and Pat Coleman detail what's new and what's not in this week's ATN podcast. As always, you can click here to load the podcast page in iTunes or you can also receive this and any of our future Around the Nation podcasts automatically by subscribing to this RSS feed: http://www.d3football.com/dailydose/?feed=podcast Plus, check out our photo galleries: Mary Hardin-Baylor at UW-Whitewater | Bethel at Mount Union
| |||
| Permalink | Dec 10, 2007 | |||
Beaver wins Gagliardi Trophy Justin Beaver, running back for UW-Whitewater, has been named as the 15th recipient of the Gagliardi Trophy. Beaver will be honored at a banquet this Thursday at the Salem Civic Center. Beaver’s record-setting performance on the football field combined with his strong academic record and active involvement in his community set him above a very impressive group of candidates, including fellow region finalists Derek Blanchard (Mount Union), Drew Smith (Hampden-Sydney) and Jason Boltus (Hartwick). Beaver surpassed the UWW and conference career rushing record by 1,000 yards and was named a D3football.com All-American following his sophomore and junior seasons. Scroll down for Monday morning's ATN podcast and check out Saturday's game coverage as well.
| |||
| Permalink | Dec 10, 2007 | |||
All purple, all over again That will be the look in Salem once again as the Purple Raiders of Mount Union advance to their 11th Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl and UW-Whitewater joins them for the third year in a row. Mount Union routed Bethel 62-14 in the Division III football national semifinals, while UW-Whitewater survived Mary Hardin-Baylor 16-7. UW-Whitewater held a 13-7 lead for most of the second half, before adding a 34-yard field goal with 2:31 left, finishing a drive fueled by a long run by quarterback Danny Jones. He finished with 87 yards rushing. Justin Beaver was held to 60 yards on 28 carries. Photo gallery. Bethel fumbled inside its own 20 and skied a bad snap over the head of its punter to lead to two easy Mount Union scores. The Purple Raiders rolled up a 41-0 lead on the Royals at the half and ran away to the victory. Scoreboard. "I certainly don't think we got Bethel's best performance today," said Mount Union quarterback Greg Micheli. "We did a good job of keeping the pressure on offensively and defensively." Team USA won the Aztec Bowl, defeating Mexico 37-19, with Dubuque quarterback Jemar Jackson winning the USA's game MVP award. The 2007 D3football.com All-Region teams were announced on Friday. All-Americans will be announced in Salem on the Stagg Bowl pregame show.
| |||
| Permalink | Dec 8, 2007 | |||
Award season begins From a record number of nominations, voters have selected the D3football.com All-Region teams for 2007. Sports Information Directors from each conference and D3football.com staff voted for a first team, second team and third team for each of the NCAA's four Division III football regions. The D3football.com All-Region teams. Congratulations to the regions' Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Coach of the Year. East: Jason Boltus, QB, Hartwick; Joe King, DT, New Jersey; Eric Hamilton, New Jersey. North: Nate Kmic, RB, Mount Union; Pat McCullough, DT, Mount Union; Mike Hallett, Heidelberg. South: Jake Allen, WR, Mississippi College; Jerrell Freeman, LB, Mary Hardin-Baylor; Mike Donnelly, Muhlenberg. West: Justin Beaver, RB, UW-Whitewater; Ryan Ogrizovich, DT, UW-Whitewater; Steve Johnson, Bethel.
| |||
| Permalink | Dec 7, 2007 | |||
Gagliardi cuts to final four Jostens today announced the four region finalists for the 15th Annual Gagliardi Trophy. The trophy, presented on December 13 in Salem, Virginia recognizes the outstanding Division III football student athlete who best exemplifies performance on the field, in the classroom and in his community. The trophy is named in honor of John Gagliardi, Saint John’s head football coach since 1953 and the coach with the most wins in college football history with 452 victories. The award is determined by a 33-member National Selection Committee. For the first time, fans were invited to participate through a voting process set up on D3football.com. More than 27,000 fans voted for this year’s candidates. The four region finalists are: East Region - Jason Boltus, Sr., Quarterback, Hartwick North Region - Derek Blanchard, Sr., Left Guard, Mount Union South Region - Drew Smith, Sr., Wide Receiver, Hampden-Sydney West Region - Justin Beaver, Sr., Running Back, UW-Whitewater The National Winner will be announced on Monday, December 10th and the recipient will be presented with the trophy on Thursday evening at the Salem Civic Center. | |||
| Permalink | Dec 6, 2007 | |||
Blanchard at head of his own class By Clyde Hughes D3football.com No one knows if Mount Union’s mountain at left guard, Derek Blanchard, will become the first offensive lineman to win Division III’s heralded Gagliardi Trophy, but Blanchard said given a choice, he would love another national championship first. As the Purple Raiders prepared for the national semifinals against Bethel, Blanchard (6-2, 298), the lone offensive line among the 10 finalists for the award, said sharing a national championship with the rest of his team, even for a third consecutive year, would be an award like no other. “(Winning another national championship) is extremely important to me and our senior class,” Blanchard said. “Any individual awards are great, but no one’s above the team and the team comes first. Another national championship is on top of the list.” If there were ever an offensive lineman worthy of such praise, it would have to be Blanchard. The Lake Zurick, Ill., native is a four-year starter for the Purple Raiders. He chose Mount Union after looking at such places like Division I-AA Illinois State and Division II power Grand Valley State. He’s a returning first-team All-American who this year set the record for consecutive games started at Mount Union. Mount Union coach Larry Kehres said Blanchard’s presence often dictates Mount Union’s offense and where it decides to go with the football. This year, the Purple Raiders are averaging more than 50 points per game. “It’s unusual that we would plan our offense around an offensive lineman but we do,” Kehres said. “We use certain formations and certain runs based on his ability to block his spot where he’s aligned and his ability to move and block. There’s no doubt that if you study our offense, we do things because of Derek Blanchard.” Blanchard likes to share the praise with the other players on the offensive line with him -- center Eric Safran, right guard Tim Reash, and tackles Josh Henniger and Geoff Dartt. He said no one person can make an offensive line unit work without the other four members. “All five of us have to be on the same page,” Blanchard said. “I’m up for this award but I’m nothing without the four guys that I play onside with. We play five as one. Playing along great players like those guys really helps me with some of the plays I’m called on for run one-on-one blocking and screen passes. Playing alongside those guys really helps out.” One of the beneficiaries of Blanchard’s play is quarterback Greg Micheli. Micheli was a part-time player last year and took over the full-time duties this season. He said he can appreciate Blanchard’s presence in the trenches. “Whenever you’ve got a guy who has started for four years, you know he’s going to be a great leader and a great person to build around in terms of the offensive line,” Micheli said. “As far as the quarterback is concerned, you know he’s going to always have those other guys ready to play. “They all know their assignments and do a great job. Everyone on the offensive line is great in their own respect, but having someone with that kind of experience I think he can help them a lot. He makes that entire unit better with his experience.” Blanchard was a starter the last time Mount Union didn’t win a national championship, back in 2004, when the Purple Raiders lost 38-35 in the semifinals against Mary Hardin-Baylor. Josh Welch hit Walter Sharp with a 24-yard touchdown pass with 48 seconds left, as Mary Hardin-Baylor came back from two touchdowns down to win in Alliance. “I think a lot of kids sometimes, not so much our senior class, don’t know what it’s like to lose a football game and not winning a national championship,” Blanchard said. “Being able to play in that semifinal game when we lost, I know how much that hurt and I never want to feel it again. It gives me more of an appreciation of where we’re going, and our team goals. I’ve enjoyed the Stagg experience the last two years.” Whether he picks up the coveted Gagliardi Trophy while there or not, Blanchard said he knows where he wants to go -- and that road leads to Salem. | |||
| Permalink | Dec 6, 2007 | |||
Bethel's big man up front If the offensive lines take center stage in Alliance, Ohio, on Saturday, then Bethel's Tommy Davis will be front and center. Davis has seen the playoff highs and lows as a Royal, as well as an emotional defeat at St. John's on the day John Gagliardi won his record 409th game. He got matched up against an All-American in the 2003 playoffs, a game Bethel lost. Lessons learned, however, for both Davis and the Royals, who picked up the program's first three playoff wins ever in reaching the semifinal trip to Mount Union. Adam Johnson talks with Davis in a Road to Salem feature. No offensive lineman has ever won the Gagliardi Trophy. We won't know for a while yet if Mount Union left guard Derek Blanchard is going to be able to make history in that regard, though he was named one of four region finalists on Thursday. What we might not know is how much Purple Raider coach Larry Kehres game plans around his senior lineman. And what Blanchard knows, more than most Purple Raiders, is what it's like to not win the national title, as he started the last time Mount Union lost a playoff game, to Mary Hardin-Baylor in 2004. Learn more about Blanchard in a Road to Salem feature by Clyde Hughes. Don't forget the week's earlier feature stories on Mary Hardin-Baylor and UW-Whitewater.
| |||
| Permalink | Dec 6, 2007 | |||
Royal center has put in his time By Adam Johnson D3football.com ST. PAUL -- If it’s true that good things come to those who wait, Bethel senior center Tommy Davis is ready. The fifth-year senior, and back-to-back All-MIAC honoree, has ridden the roller coaster of Bethel football the past five years and hopes there are two rides left. As a true freshman, Davis’s strength and size landed him in the starting lineup. That was a successful 9-2 season for the Royals but included the emotional defeat in Collegeville that netted St. John’s coach John Gagliardi his NCAA record 409th victory. It also provided Davis with his first taste of playoff action in a road game against Wartburg. “That was kind of a shock to me,” said Davis reminiscing. “But it was a really good learning experience.” Davis drew Wartburg’s All-America defensive lineman Vince King that year and had his hands full all game. King tallied 14 tackles, three for loss and two and a half sacks in a 21-7 defeat. It was Davis’s first taste of the playoffs but far from his last. In 2004, the Royals struggled to a 6-4 season as they looked for a quarterback to replace the MIAC all-time leading passer Scott Kirchoff. He suffered on the sidelines in 2005 watching his team struggle through a 5-5 season—a failure by Bethel’s standard’s. Davis had suffered a torn ACL on the second series of the second game of the year against Central at home. “That was really tough,” Davis said. “I had worked really hard expecting to have a great year.” With past failures and misfortunes behind him, Davis is now the focal point on one of the best offensive lines in the country. The Royals front five have allowed just eight sacks through 13 games. They didn’t allow a sack in the MIAC championship game against St. John’s who boasts All-MIAC defensive linemen Nick Gunderson and Mike Schumacher. “We just have awesome chemistry,” Davis said. “A lot of our communication isn’t even spoken.” It is Davis and his fellow linemen, Chris Luedemann, Mike Ervin, Brad Dahlman and John Scrabek, who go unnoticed when sports fans read about freshman Logan Flannery and his 1,283 yards and 13 touchdowns. They are the guys who make it possible for quarterback Ben Wetzell to pass as well as he runs in claiming the league MVP award. “He has an intensity that sets him apart,” said Wetzell. “He flips a switch when he gets on the field.” Wetzell has had Tommy Davis as his center since he arrived at Bethel. “He’s the heart of that line,” said Wetzell. And he was the heart on Saturday in a 27-13 victory over Central. The line did not allow a sack for the fourth consecutive game and blasted open holes for Flannery and fellow backs Dusty Wahl and Jared Bangs to the tune of 303 yards and two touchdowns. This year’s outcome against Central all but eliminated that fateful play in 2005 that cost Davis his season. “It was really fun to play against them and win,” said Davis. Now the Royals face Mount Union and the offensive line will essentially be looking in the mirror when they take on the Purple Raiders defensive line -- experienced veterans who have established themselves as some of the best linemen in the country. The Purple Raiders line has tallied 43 sacks on the season and gave up only 122 yards rushing on the season -- 181 yards less than what Bethel churned out last week. This game will be the stiffest challenge the Royals have faced this season and possibly ever. “It’s going be a challenge,” Davis admits. “But we’re going to play our kind of football.” | |||
| Permalink | Dec 6, 2007 | |||
Lyco's Girardi retires
Frank Girardi has announced his retirement as Lycoming's football coach. During his 36 seasons, Girardi compiled a career record of 257-97-4, which ranks 15th on the NCAA’s all-time winningest coaches list, regardless of division. Girardi ranked fifth in wins among active NCAA coaches and second among active Division III coaches. He led Lycoming to 13 Middle Atlantic Conference championships and 11 appearances in the NCAA playoffs, including trips to the Stagg Bowl in 1990 and 1997. In all, the Warriors have tallied a winning record in 29 of Girardi’s 36 seasons. "It wasn't a question of whether I could do it anymore, but whether I could do it to the highest level I set for myself," said Girardi of his decision. "If not, I wouldn't be true to myself or the program. That's when I made the decision to retire." One of Girardi’s finest coaching moments came in the final game of the 2005 season when he became the 17th coach in NCAA history to reach 250 wins. The 17-10 overtime win against longtime rival Susquehanna capped an exciting campaign in which the Warriors rallied from a 1-4 start to finish with a five-game winning streak and a 6-4 record. Girardi is a member of the Pennsylvania State Sports Hall of Fame and a 12-time MAC coach of the year. After playing at Williamsport HS and West Chester, in 1969, Girardi became an assistant at Lycoming under Budd Whitehill. Three years later, he took over the reins as head coach of a Warrior program that had gone 14-34 since its last winning season in 1965. During Girardi’s first three seasons, Lycoming went 2-6, 2-6 and 3-6. In his fourth season, the Warriors recorded a mark of 6-2 and went on to have 29 consecutive winning campaigns.
| |||
| Permalink | Dec 5, 2007 | |||
California boy thriving at UWW By Joel Badzinski Special to D3football.com When Danny Jones transferred from Cal Lutheran to UW-Whitewater for his senior year, he was happy to let someone else have the title of Big Man on Campus. Jones simply wanted to earn the Warhawks' starting quarterback job, win a lot of games, and have a shot at an NCAA Division III national championship. Check, check, and check. Jones and the second-ranked Warhawks (12-1) host fourth-ranked Mary Hardin-Baylor (12-1) in a national semifinal game noon Saturday at Perkins Stadium in Whitewater, Wis. "It's all starting to come together at the end," Jones said. "This is a really exciting time for us right now. It definitely has been everything I wanted it to be." Jones was a three-year starter for Cal Lutheran. From 2004-06, he passed for 5,923 yards, 51 touchdowns and 19 interceptions with 417 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. The Kingsmen went 20-7 during that time but finished second twice and third once in the SCIAC, missing the playoffs. Jones, 22, said the thought of leaving Cal Lutheran never crossed his mind until then-head coach Scott Squires announced in late January that he was leaving the program to become special teams coordinator of the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos. "He and I had a close relationship," Jones said. "If he wouldn't have left, I wouldn't have gone anywhere. When he left, there were a lot of question marks. Football has been a big part of my life and I wanted to go out and win games and go through the playoffs and at that point, Cal Lu was struggling to get a coach. We didn't have spring ball and I wasn't sure where it was going." Cal Lutheran hired Ben McEnroe to replace Squires in mid-April. But by that time, Jones, who grew up in Pleasanton, Calif., had decided to head east — or Midwest, to be exact. Jones said he chose Whitewater because of its national profile, and because he knew the Warhawks would have an opening for a quarterback with the graduation of two-time WIAC Player of the Year Justin Jacobs. "I had watched (Whitewater) the last two years (on television) in the Stagg Bowl," Jones said. "Then, I had no idea I'd be here. I kept thinking, ‘God, how lucky are those guys to be there.' I e-mailed (Whitewater) and went through the NCAA stuff and made my decision. "It was not easy, believe me. I have a lot of close friends at Cal Lu and they understand and respect my decision. They know my love for the game." It didn't take long for Jones to make friends when he moved to Whitewater last summer. In fact, Warhawks two-time All-America running back Justin Beaver — aka Big Man on Campus — extended an invitation to stay with him and wide receiver Mitch Moore until school started. From there, it was up to Jones to prove himself. Since first-year head coach Lance Leipold had offered no guarantees of a starting job or even playing time, Jones had to win the job over senior Brian Ryczkowski and sophomore Jeff Donovan in preseason camp. Jones knew he was up against not only Ryczkowski and Donovan, but the legacy of Jacobs. It was a situation offensive coordinator Jim Zebrowski could relate to. Zebrowski was replacing Stan Zwiefel, architect of the Warhawks' zone offense. "It was a learning curve there for a while," Zebrowski said. "He felt pretty comfortable with his own abilities and it helped being able to bounce stuff off him after he became the starter. We were coming in not rebuilding the offense but having to blend it in with what I'd done (at Lakeland). We had ups and downs, I did and Danny did, and that made us closer and we got it figured out as the season went along." Jones' coming-out party as the Warhawks' quarterback came on Sept. 29, four games into the season. UW-Whitewater headed into the showdown against rival UW-La Crosse with a 2-1 record, including a loss to Division II St. Cloud State, while the Eagles were 2-0 and had opened with a blowout win on the road against Hardin-Simmons. Trailing 28-10 through three quarters, White |
News
D3sports.com
Network
Network
News
Columns
Awards
Other departments
Coaches and SIDs
Interactive
Your support helps keep this site operating
