Union
Dutchmen
2009 Preview
2009 Preview
| 2008 Record 5-4 .556 Overall 4-3 .571 Conference Location: Schenectady, NY Head Coach: John Audino (Notre Dame '75) Stadium (cap.): Frank Bailey (5000) Conference: LL Region: East 2009 Schedule |
For the 17th straight season, the Union football team produced a winning season in 2008. The Dutchmen, year in and year out, are a consistent force in the Liberty League and nationally in NCAA Division III. After snapping a streak of three straight post-season tournament appearances, the Dutchmen have a veteran squad looking to make it back to the playoffs in the 2009 campaign.
Head Coach John Audino, who has never had a losing season in those 17 seasons guiding the Dutchmen, brings 43 lettermen and 23 starters back this fall. Last season’s squad was 5-4 overall, but two of the losses came in the final minutes and the two defeats came by a total margin of only seven points. A look at the 2009 Dutchmen features many 9names familiar to Union football fans.
The offensive outlook is a positive one, with nine returning starters and experience in the backfield and on the line. Sophomore quarterback Andrew Connolly emerged in his rookie season and developed to the tune of 1,504 yards and 15 touchdowns in nine games. He tied the Union single game record with five TDs against Merchant Marine. This year, the coaches will give him more responsibility and more free reign with the keys to the offense. Backup Mitch Pfeiffer had a good spring and knows the offense.
Junior Chris Coney was 12th in the nation in rushing last year, and led the league in scoring. The unanimous Liberty League First Team All Star had 1,283 yards and 18 TDs. He posted the fifth and sixth highest single game yard totals in Union annals with 244 at Susquehanna and 243 at Hobart. Coney has become more of a complete player, as he is dangerous inside and outside with his acceleration. Fullback Kyle Holmes is a good all around player with experience, and Isaiah Carpenter impressed on the junior varsity squad in 2008. Tim Mogan and Kevin Valenti are also in the mix.
Connolly will have many comfortable and familiar targets in which to toss to this fall. The leading wide receivers are returning, including captain Charles Kaliades, who was injured for a better part of the year. He is a big play receiver. Captain Jared Gourrier moved from the QB spot and led the squad with 29 catches and 460 yards. His six TDs tied Justin Gallo for the team’s receiving lead. Gallo became a key factor later in the season and wound up with 534 yards. The coaches are high on this former junior college All-American. Mike Concannon racked up 161 yards and is a well rounded, solid receiver who became a starter in his junior season. He is a threat on the outside. Connor Gallo and Chris Vasquez make this unit one of the deepest receiving corps in Audino’s storied Union career.
The offensive line is loaded with experience and talent, featuring pre-season All-American guard Colin Berry. The league first team all star had a great year and topped it off with a fantastic off season. He also was selected to the D3Football.com All East Region Team last year, helping Union runners to an average of over 177 rushing yards a game. Tim Furcillo and Mark Herrington also return. Furcillo is a consistent and versatile performer who can play three positions up front. Herrington is a hard nosed guy with a defensive mentality on the offensive front. Dan Smith and Dom Centurioni join Andrew Cassin and Jeff Coombs in a battle for playing time and the open right tackle and center jobs.
Entering the pre-season camp, the tight end position was literally up in the air, and a toss up. Two solid tight ends are gone from last season, and thus, this will be the one offensive area that is inexperienced. Players to watch who could emerge in the role include Dave Carson and Alex Scheier. Sean Gannon is a converted offensive lineman and is an excellent blocker. #Eric Zavadsky# has a lot of potential to help in this area as well.
On the defensive side of the ball, 10 starters are back for a squad that did a great job of defending spread offenses as well as improving throughout the year. The coaches were impressed with how the defensive players kept their poise and made big plays during many offensive shootouts later in the season.
Union, which has been multiple in each of the last two season, is playing more with five defensive backs. The staff feels good about what they players are doing defensively and looks forward to continued improvement in the 2009 season.
Virtually everyone is back on the defensive line, and key players who were injured last fall are back at full strength. Captain Sean Conerly had a good off season and is a big time player who will provide stability. Now healthy, he is considered one of the better linemen in the Liberty League, quite an honor considering the talented defensive stars in the league. Danton Brewington has natural strength, and along with Peter Haviland-Eduah and Conerly, provides Union with an exceptional three man rotation. Haviland-Eduah, who had 31 tackles last season, is also back to full health and returns to a starting role. Kevin Quillinan is a strong player and his intensity is an asset to the line. Chris Paine’s added weight will help him throughout the grueling season. The defensive end unit is deep. Captain Tim Romano posted 7.5 tackles for losses for 33 yards and also had a team high 4.5 sacks in his finest season. Charles Hovsepian led the Dutchmen with eight tackles for losses and had 33 tackles including three sacks. Both players are very similar in skills and styles. Chris Gross and Joe Grassia are strong players coming off great off seasons in the weight room, and Grassia moved over from the fullback position.
Senior linebacker John Peters is the leading returning tackler for the Dutchmen. An Academic All-American candidate, Peters had 75 tackles, including 48 primary last season. John DeLuca also returns as a key starter and comes off a season that featured 60 tackles. Steve Modliszewski is slotted for the middle, and AJ Rocchio and Matt Santa Barbara will see time in the middle as well. Richard Sixto, Jr. is a good cover guy and Andrew Trochanowski is a solid player who has improved each year. There is a reason why the staff feels confident and excited about the linebacker corps.
Three starters are back in the Union secondary. Chris Brolley has been a consistent starter in each of the last two seasons and is a good leader. He returns at corner after a season that produced five pass deflections, two interceptions and 29 tackles. #Eric Baxter# joined Brolley for the team lead in pass deflections, and led all players in the secondary with 45 tackles. A transfer from Lafayette, Baxter continued his improvement as he learned Union’s system. Other players to keep an eye on who can contribute this season include Anthony Cassese, John Campbell, Jafar Johnson and Jonathan Stidd. Cassese is deceptively fast, and Campbell moved to corner from receiver. Johnson is an excellent athlete with size, speed and strength and Stidd is a physical player.
Union’s staff will look to work on many newcomers and veterans placed into new roles on the special teams. The return specialists make people miss and can make the big plays. The coverage teams were good but the coaches will look for improvement in the kicking area, specifically field goals and extra points.
Jared Gourrier, Chris Coney, JP Sticco and Chris Brolley are expected to get the nods on the kick return unit. In the punt return area, Cam Johnson, Brolley and Gourrier figure into play. Johnson had a team best 15 punt returns with 143 yards last season.
Zach Epley did a nice job as the kick off leader with his strong leg, and the coaches expect big things from him. Justin Gallo will be transitioned into the kicking game as the Dutchmen will look for a steady and reliable newcomer to take over the field goal and extra point duties. Last year, Union lost games in the final minutes with misses so the staff will work extremely hard to develop a kicker to provide consistency.
One look at the schedule will show that Union has put together one of the most difficult and challenging schedules in many years. There is no bye week this year, it will be 10 straight games with quality opponents. The non league portion of the scheduled features Ithaca, a pre-season #10 ranked program by D3Football.com, to open the season. The September 12 matchup will undoubtedly be one of the most important Division III games in the nation on that date. Salisbury, a team receiving consideration in the national polls. Muhlenberg is a perennial playoff contender each season.
RPI and Hobart are at Frank Bailey Field this season. The Engineers have won the “Dutchman Shoes Trophy” for three straight years so the Union seniors will look to bring the trophy to Union for the first time in their careers. Hobart entered the season ranked #15 in the poll and Rochester, which ended a long losing streak with a late second win over Union, has a lot of returnees. St. Lawrence is improved and Merchant Marine’s win over RPI showed the league balance. Susquehanna’s explosive offense has helped this program make an impact in a short time in the league.