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2003 Season Preview

     Mount Union College enters the 2003 campaign having completed eight straight unbeaten regular seasons.  The Purple Raiders have not lost a regular season contest since 1994.  They have not lost a game, period, since the 1999 playoffs.

     The Purple and White have lost only once in its last 97 games played.  They have currently won 42 consecutive games, following a NCAA record 54-game winning streak.  If the Raiders reach the national semifinals this year, without a loss, they would play that afternoon to break their own win streak.  What has been done under Head Coach Larry Kehres and his coaching staff in the small town of Alliance, Ohio is simply amazing.

     Mount Union enters the 2003 football season winners of 11 consecutive Ohio Athletic Conference championships (14 overall) and three consecutive national championships (seven overall).

     Conference rivals would like to think it is rebuilding time for the Purple Raiders.  That losing guys such as running back Dan Pugh (Division III Player of the Year), quarterback Rob Adamson, wide receiver Derrick Leach, tight end Josh Liddell, offensive linemen Justin Coston and John Gliha, fullback Vince Ilacqua, defensive linemen Matt Campbell, Chris Carter and Jeff Knoblauch, linebackers Stan Watson, Justin Burton, Josh Church and Mark Brace, cornerbacks Chris Kern and Matt Sotcan and safety Dustin Blake, among others, is just too much to overcome.

     Those that argue the reign is over are in the midst of wishful thinking.  Mount Union has proven it doesn't rebuild, it reloads.  It's not the football team that has re-written the record books, it's the football program.  The junior varsity squad has gone unbeaten as long as the varsity has.  This is a program that recruits well every year and has the best coaching staff in all of Division III football.

     The Purple Raiders were deeply talented in 2002.  Lots of guys saw considerable playing time and gained valuable experience.  It is expected 44 letterwinners, including seven offensive and four defensive starters return this season.  In addition, every season there are a number of sophomores that break into the lineup and emerge as players and this year will be no different.  Among those from last year's freshman class that should see considerable playing time in 2003 are wide receiver Scott Casto (5-10, 167, Uniontown/Green), running back Aaron Robinson (5-11, 185, Buffalo, NY) and defensive back Ross Watson (6-1, 173, Canfield/Austintown Fitch), younger brother of Stan.

     Mount Union ranked first in scoring offense (46.7 ppg), third in total offense (498.2 ypg) and eighth in rushing offense (260.7 ypg) in the nation a year ago.  This year's offense will go as far as the offensive line takes it.  Most times, that will probably be the endzone.  The men up front represent the strength of this season's team and as a unit they will be hard for opponents to deal with.  Returning starters include seniors Larry Kinnard (6-7, 308), from Alliance, First-Team All-OAC and First-Team HP All-American; George Momirovic (6-6, 303), from East Canton; Bob Bradley (6-6, 298), Second-Team All-OAC; and Brent Miller (6-2, 268), First-Team All-OAC.  Also expected to see playing time are seniors Josh Lahmers (6-0, 265); Dusty Sanna (6-2, 245), Dusty Wilson (6-4, 327); and junior Derek McIntosh (6-4, 277).

     If that isn't enough to open the running game, senior Brian Miller, one of the conference's best blocking backs, returns at fullback for the Raiders.  Miller averaged three yards per rush and 12 yards per catch when called upon, scoring one touchdown.  But mainly he will be used to help spring the tailback.  Two juniors, Rick Ciccone and Jeff Strauch, will share that position.  Each had similar numbers last year, combining for 713 yards and 10 touchdowns when spelling Pugh in the backfield.  Sophomore Aaron Robinson led the junior varsity in rushing last season and should also get some carries.

     We will likely see a quarterback duo this year.  Senior Jesse Burghardt and junior Zac Bruney are both terrific scramblers and equally dangerous with their legs as well as their arms.  Bruney saw more action last year, completing 42 of 65 passes for 626 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions.  He added two rushing scores and averaged 4.8 yards per carry.  Burghardt, from Lake, completed 17 of 22 passes for 267 yards, two touchdowns with no interceptions.  He averaged 8.3 yards per carry and scored two rushing touchdowns.  Two other quarterbacks that should see playing time are junior Robert McDavid and sophomore Randy Mason.

     Mount Union will have a very good group of receivers again in 2003 led by senior Randell Knapp, First-Team All-OAC, who had more than 1000 receiving yards a year ago.  Knapp emerged as a big play receiver, averaging over 18 yards per catch with 11 touchdown grabs.  Also returning is senior Nick Sirianni, who played through injury last year but still recorded over 300 receiving yards and four touchdowns.  Junior Drew Hanley will head into camp as the favorite to replace Liddell at tight end while junior Jason Cavell had numerous playing opportunities as a wideout.  Others that will play a part in the Raider passing game include seniors John Healy, Caleb Chappelear and Aaron Bubonics and sophomore Scott Casto.

     Defensively, there are big shoes to fill at defensive end, linebacker and cornerback, but this group will be solid with guys stepping in that have notched a lot of playing time in the past.  The Purple Raiders finished ninth in total defense (237.5 ypg) and 11th in scoring defense (12.9 ppg) nationally a year ago.  Don Montgomery's defenses are always well prepared, play with passion and hit you on every play.  And this year's squad will be no exception.

     The interior defensive line will be strong with Second-Team All-OAC senior Antoine Dillard (63 tackles, 10 tfl, 4 sacks), and junior Josh Ludwig (50 tackles, 10 tfl, 5 sacks) at the tackle spots.  Ludwig stepped into a starting role when Knoblauch was injured in the Capital game and was a player.  Senior Jason McElhaney (32 tackles, 3 tfl, 2 sacks) will fill one end spot while junior Johnny Josef (24 tackles, 3 tfl) will battle for a spot on the other side.  Also expected to see playing time along the defensive line are seniors Robert VanDyke (8 tackles, 4 tfl, 1 sack), Karl Jackson (4 tackles, 2 tfl, 1 sack), Donte Rhodes (4 tackles) and Rob Conroy (4 tackles), juniors Buddy Wolf (9 tackles, 1 tfl, 1 sack) and Brian Boucher (4 tackles), sophomore Sam Vucelich (3 tackles), and others.

     The linebackers were a very senior oriented group in 2002 with the lone returning starter junior Shaun Spisak (62 tackles, 4 tfl, 2 sacks).  Spisak missed a couple games due to injury last year after missing most of 2001 as well.  It is important that he stays healthy to lead this group from the inside linebacker spot.  Senior Anthony Frate (16 tackles), juniors Joe Culler (8 tackles), Dave Knestaut (7 tackles, 2 tfl), Scott Kyser (4 tackles, 1 tfl) and Ron DeJulio (4 tackles), among others, will fight for playing time.

     Senior cornerback Mike Miller, a Honorable Mention All-OAC selection in 2001, returns to the lineup after missing all of last season due to injury.  Miller, who recorded 46 tackles and two interceptions two years ago, dented the lineup as a freshman, something that is very hard to do at Mount Union.  Senior Honorable Mention All-OAC, Matt Caponi (48 tackles, 2 int) returns at free safety, while a handful of guys worked into the lineup last year will battle for starting spots.  They include seniors Jamie Allman (25 tackles), Tom Underdahl (9 tackles) and Keith Spivey (4 tackles), juniors Jamoni Robinson (21 tackles) and Jesse Clum (19 tackles, 1 int) and sophomore Ross Watson (10 tackles), to name a few.

     The Purple Raiders special teams again were one of the best units in the nation last year, finishing second in kick returns (26.3 ypr) and allowing exactly zero punt return yards the entire season.  Chad Teague will again handle the place kicking duties.  The junior nailed 75 of 80 extra point attempts and 10 of 14 field goal tries last year.  Burghardt will again handle punting chores.  He averaged 30.3 yards per punt a year ago, sending 10 of 24 punts inside the 20-yard line.  He did not have a punt blocked.

     Head Coach Larry Kehres returns for his 18th season at Mount Union College.  Kehres has an overall record of 192-17-3 (.913) and has been named Division III National Coach of the Year seven times ('93, '96, '97, '98, '00, ‘01, '02) as voted by the American Football Coaches Association.

     It should be another exciting season in the friendly confines of Mount Union Stadium this fall, and let's see if the campaign can't end with another pleasant road trip to visit all our nice friends in Salem, Virginia.

                                                                                         Ric Brienza