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, Whitewater rode a wave of momentum to score 25 unanswered points and win 35-28. Like his team, Jones started slow and got rolling late. He didn't complete a pass in the first quarter and was 3-for-11 with an interception at halftime, and finished 16-for-30 with 204 yards and a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown passes. Jones and the Whitewater offense had to do their part without Beaver, who left the game in the third quarter with leg cramps. "I definitely think that game kind of proved to my teammates ... that this guy can play a little bit," Jones said. "Obviously, it wasn't just me. We needed everyone to pull through when Justin was on the sidelines. It felt great after that game. It showed some of the things I could do under pressure." The Warhawks have won nine straight games since the comeback at La Crosse, including three playoff victories by a margin of 140-49. Jones has contributed by playing to his strengths within Whitewater's system. He has started all 13 games and has passed for 2,222 yards, 21 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Jones has also rushed 125 times for 284 yards and eight touchdowns. "They knew I was kind of a runner," Jones said. "Not run-first, pass-second, but if there's a lane I'm going to take it. Our O-line has had to adjust from (Jacobs), who was in the pocket, and I'm sure they get frustrated sometimes. But we've put in some quarterback draws and some play-action boots in and it gives teams another thing to worry about." Zebrowski said it took some time for him to blend Jones' quarterback style into the playbook, which, of course, features Beaver running behind Whitewater's talented offensive line. "We had to slowly say, ‘We have to use what he can do with his feet,'" Zebrowski said. "We didn't use it as much at first, as we could have or should have. I'd say 50 to 75 percent of his runs are designed. Stuff that looks like a scramble is designed and if something's not open he's going to boot out and run it. What he can do it take a poor play and turn it into a positive play those four or five times a game." Not even the four inches of snow that fell on Perkins Stadium during the Warhawks' 47-7 national quarterfinal win over Wabash on Dec. 1 affected Jones. "I'm fine with it," said Jones, whose California roots have earned him nicknames like "Sunshine" and "Laguna Beach" among his teammates. "I tell people if I didn't think I could play in the cold, I wouldn't be here. I was a little nervous before the game Saturday, it was a blizzard the whole time, but I had a blast." Jones won't get a break from the weather on Saturday — the forecast calls for 23 degrees and light snow — although it could be warmer for the Stagg Bowl on Dec. 15 in Salem, Va. To Jones, getting there is all that matters. "Little by little, I'm trying to enjoy this, being my last year and being a senior, and it's great," he said. "I do not regret this decision at all. I'm so happy I came here. I'm not done yet. I haven't reached my goal; I'd like to win a few more games and then I'll reflect back." Joel Badzinski writes for the La Crosse (Wis.) Tribune | |||
| Permalink | Dec 5, 2007 | |||
Surfin' to the semis This past summer, Danny Jones made the most high-profile decision to transfer in Division III since Pierre Garcon went from Norwich to Mount Union before the 2005 season. Today, Cal Lutheran seems a long way away for the senior, as Jones has gotten what he wanted -- a chance to play Division III football at a higher level. How has Jones changed the Warhawks? And how have the Warhawks changed him? Find out in a Road to Salem feature.
| |||
| Permalink | Dec 5, 2007 | |||
Kalamazoo hires alum as coach Jamie Zorbo has been named head football coach at Kalamazoo. He is the 25th head football coach in school history and a 2000 graduate of the college. Zorbo assumes his new responsibilities on Dec. 11, replacing Terrance Brooks, who resigned after compiling a 7-21 record in three seasons. “I am excited to be back at my alma mater,” Zorbo said. “I love Kalamazoo College and believe in the educational program, the football program, and the direction of the athletic department. I’m glad to be back home.” Kalamazoo athletic director Kristen Smith said, “I am pleased that Coach Zorbo has accepted the head coaching position. His passion for and knowledge of this program and the college will help us move forward quickly to bring in a strong recruiting class. “As a former scholar-athlete and coach, Coach Zorbo understands the academic and athletic expectations of Kalamazoo College,” she added. “Coach Zorbo was an exceptional coach in his previous position here. His experience at DePauw polished his skills, and he returns to the College prepared to lead this program.” Kalamazoo president Eileen B. Wilson-Oyelaran said, “We are excited about Coach Zorbo’s return to campus. Kalamazoo College is strongly committed to the football program and our student-athletes, and Coach Zorbo’s passion and drive will carry this program forward.” Zorbo first came to Kalamazoo as a student in 1996. He was a four-year letter winner for the Hornets as a defensive end, earning All-MIAA (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association) second team honors in 1999 with 24 tackles and three sacks. He graduated in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. Following graduation, Zorbo remained at Kalamazoo as an assistant coach for six seasons while working on a master’s in business administration degree at Western Michigan, which he completed in 2004. The Hornets had an overall record of 26-32 over those six seasons, including four straight .500-plus seasons from 2000-03. Zorbo coached the defensive line from 2000-03. He was promoted to defensive coordinator, recruiting coordinator and defensive backs coach in 2004 and 2005. As defensive coordinator, Zorbo had six players named to All-MIAA first, second or coaches’ honorable mention teams, including NCAA Division III’s leading tackler and MIAA Defensive MVP in 2004 (Jeremy Vanisacker). As defensive line coach, Zorbo coached four players to All-MIAA second or coaches’ honorable mention teams. Zorbo became an assistant coach at DePauw in 2006. He coached the linebackers for two seasons, and most recently was the assistant defensive coordinator, special teams coordinator, and strength and conditioning coach. In two seasons, Zorbo coached five linebackers who received All-SCAC second team or honorable mention honors. DePauw finished 6-4 in 2006 and 8-2 in 2007. “I look forward to hitting the ground running,” Zorbo said. “Our No. 1 priority right now is recruiting and attracting exceptional student-athletes to our great campus. We want to take the program to a new level and I believe we can do that.” | |||
| Permalink | Dec 5, 2007 | |||
UMHB offense evolves around veteran Welch By Ryan Tipps D3football.com I believe in the theory of evolution. No, this isn't as controversial a statement as it sounds -- at least not in this context. In 2004, after an injury in the first round of the playoffs sidelined Mary Hardin-Baylor's starting quarterback, freshman Josh Welch was tasked to take over as the team's man under center. The rest of the story that year has become a familiar one: UMHB dispatched Hardin-Simmons, who had dealt the Crusaders their only regular-season loss. On the road during the semifinals, Welch lofted a touchdown pass to Walter Sharp in the final minute of play to beat Mount Union. Then the Crusaders finished the season in Salem, Va., just eight points from a national championship. Three years later, that same quarterback has led his teams on a return trip to the semifinals, again squaring off against a team that has become a familiar name in the championship circle. To be sure, there appears to be almost a science as to how his career has played out. "I think being a part of a program like this has helped me to focus," said Welch, now in his senior year. "The goals, the things we want to achieve, start to sink in. ... I've evolved as a player by having a better concept of our offense and what we're trying to do (on the field)." Welch, said initially stepping into the starting role for the Crusaders in 2004 was "not a real big deal to me." He already logged significant playing time, and "felt pretty comfortable with the offense and with the guys I was playing with. It wasn't a big change for me. We had some good athletes around me, and I had confidence in them and confidence that I could make decisions." In 2004, the Crusaders, which have always favored the running game, tallied 5,131 yards on the ground and 2,376 yards passing. This year tells a similar story. At least one notable injury no doubt has fueled continued emphasis on the running backs as the team stands at 4,878 yards rushing and 1,803 yards passing. But no matter how defenses interpret UMHB's numbers, the goal for the team from Belton, Texas, is move the ball methodically on opponents. And it's Welch's level-headedness and assertiveness that has helped keep the Crusader offense fine-tuned. "My biggest strength as a player," he said, "is probably being composed, just keeping the offense in tempo and keeping us in a good place with the line of scrimmage. ... "I just need to keep everybody in line, get the ball to the athletes and let them do what they do." The 5-11 quarterback grew up with football as a prominent backdrop. He is the son of a successful high school coach in his hometown of Copperas Cove, Texas, something that was sure to have rubbed off on him as he transitioned into a key role on one of Division III's elite teams. Part of Welch's character is that "he thinks a lot like a coach. Even though he's majoring in business, he has a coach's mind," said UMHB coach Pete Fredenburg. "He understands the value of the offensive line and understands the value of being an unselfish player." Though Fredenburg attests that Welch has long been a stable, adept leader on the football field, he also points out one crucial sign of maturity. "He has been a more vocal leader this year, it being his senior year," coach said. However, "I think he's always shown a great work ethic and all of the intangible qualities you need to have to be a successful quarterback," said Fredenburg, who is quick to mention that football has touched Welch's life ever since he was old enough to remember. But fresher memories of the team's first meeting against UW-Whitewater and thoughts of this weekend's rematch have been taking hold -- both with Welch and Fredenburg. The regular season matchup in late October, which was one of the most anticipated nonconference games of the season, left UMHB on the low end of a 41-14 defeat. But there could be a precedent lurking nearby. In Welch's first year, the Crusaders bounced back in the playoffs after a lopsided midseason defeat at the hands of conference rival Hardin-Simmons. It's safe to assume that there are many in Texas hoping for a similar turn of events this year. "We learned (after the first Whitewater game) that we don't have to go out and win the ball game in the first half or even in the first quarter," Welch said, his Texas accent punctuating his sentences. "We just have to go out and play the football game that we're used to playing. Play within ourselves." The Crusaders have poured it on since that regular-season loss, outscoring opponents 285-60. Notably, those figures include three playoff teams. Since Oct. 27, "We've become a better football team, and we get better every week," Welch said. "We're a lot more confident in the team (now) than we were then." Fredenburg seems to indicate a hard-nosed game is in store on Saturday, where the line of scrimmage and strength will be critical. "I don't think either one of us is going to change (our style of play) much," coach said. "I think Whitewater has gained a lot of confidence in the quarterback they have. ... I think the Whitewater coaches have more confidence in him now, and he's doing some things that show he's really talented." And a physical game is what might suit Fredenburg, who says his team is healthy and excited to be heading to Wisconsin this weekend. It's also hard for Welch to hide his anticipation. "It's very exciting knowing that there are only four teams left -- and we're one of the four," he said. "We're excited to be here, but at the same time, being this close, we don't want to stop here, either. "We're ready to win one more." | |||
| Permalink | Dec 5, 2007 | |||
Survive and evolve
In 2004, Josh Welch came off the bench midseason as a freshman and ended up leading Mary Hardin-Baylor on a long playoff run, ending within a few plays of a national championship. Now as a senior, Welch hasn't changed the Mary Hardin-Baylor offense so much, but he has as a person. What is different about him now? Hear from Welch and coach Pete Fredenburg about that, and what they learned from October's drubbing in Wisconsin, in a Road to Salem feature. This past summer, Danny Jones made the most high-profile decision to transfer in Division III since Pierre Garcon went from Norwich to Mount Union before the 2005 season. Of course, to get to the national semifinals, you have to be prepared to play in cold climates in December. And Jones came through for the Warhawks with flying colors, throwing four touchdown passes in the win against Wabash. How has Jones changed the Warhawks? And how have the Warhawks changed him? Find out in a Road to Salem feature.
| |||
| Permalink | Dec 5, 2007 | |||
News
D3sports.com
Network
Network
News
Columns
Awards
Other departments
Coaches and SIDs
Interactive
Your support helps keep this site operating
