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2007 Season Preview |
| One for the other thumb? - The 2007 Mount Union Football Preview For decades after the Pittsburgh Steelers won their
fourth NFL title, their fans focused on winning “one for the thumb” in reference
to having an entire hand full of championship rings. Heading
into 2007, the Once again leading the charge is Head Coach Larry Kehres, whose record since taking the head coaching reigns from mentor Ken Wable in 1986 is beyond remarkable at 246-20-3, which equates to a 92.0% winning percentage. And even more unbelievable are the Raider records since the start of the 1992 season:
No wonder the
Purple Raiders are entrenched in the mindset of Division III football fans across the
nation as the King’s of Division III football. And
Mount Union’s impressive 35-16 win over Wis-Whitewater in the 2006 Stagg Bowl did
nothing to dispel that mindset. Those fans and
media members that took the time to study the 2006 Raider Stagg Bowl roster will
understand exactly why hope springs eternal in
Not since the Bill Borchert and Jason Hall led Raiders of 1997 has Coach Kehres had
so much experienced talent returning from a defending championship team. And similar to 1997, the Raiders look to defend
their title with the majority of their starters returning from a squad that statistically
dominated Division III the year prior. In
2006, the Raiders finished their 15-0 campaign with the #1 ranked offense in both total
yardage (489 ypg) and scoring (43.9 ppg), and the #2 ranked defense in both yardage (186
ypg) and scoring (8.5 ppg). Most importantly,
the Raiders return true “game-changers” across the board to lead The Raider “O” As has become a trademark of Larry Kehres’ offenses, the Raiders were extremely balanced offensively in 2006 with the second ranked rushing offense in the nation at 292 yards per game and the top ranked passing offense with a 171 passing efficiency rating. And not only are the Purple & White balanced statistically, they often do so with the same personnel in the huddle due to the exceptional versatility of their players. From one play to the next the offense can switch from a power running game behind a blocking fullback to a five receiver shotgun set. All with the same 11 guys in the huddle. It’s this flexibility that makes the Raider offense difficult to defense as it eliminates the opposing coaches from determining play calling tendencies based on personnel changes. Headlining the glut of
returning offensive talent (seven starters from the ’06 Stagg Bowl) is a pair of
playmakers in wide receiver Pierre Garcon and tailback Nate Kmic that first made a name
for themselves in 2005 as newcomers to When the 2005 season
began, there were huge questions surrounding the offense in regards to finding The Mount Union Dynasty was built on pass-happy offenses centered on the strong arms of Gagliardi Award winning quarterbacks Jim Ballard (1993) and Bill Borchert (1997) throwing to a great stable of receivers like Ed Bubonics (First-Team All-American), Rob Atwood (First-team All-American), Kevin Knestrick (Third-Team All-American), Brian Tyla (First-Team All-OAC) and Reiko Gollate (Mount Union single season touchdown reception record holder). Later Raider offenses became more balanced between the ground and air attacks, but MTU still excelled at the wide receiver position with the likes of Adam Marino (First-Team All-American and Mount Union record holder for career receptions, yards and touchdowns). In two short seasons as the focal point of a very potent Raider passing attack, Pierre Garcon has totaled 2,408 receiving yards and 33 touchdowns. Now he returns for his senior season with a chance to firmly entrench his name amongst the Raider all-time greats. If Garcon can repeat his 2006 touchdown totals (17), he’ll finish his career crushing Adam Marino’s OAC career record of 40 touchdown receptions.
For evidence, one only needs to review Kmic’s Stagg Bowl record 95-yard touchdown run in which Garcon blocked multiple Whitewater players to spring him the distance. It’s also not uncommon on most running plays to find Garcon and the opposing defensive back tangled on the ground 20+ yards away from the ball carrier at the whistle. In Garcon’s mind, it looks like every running play is an opportunity to physically punish the defender. The last Raider we can remember with the same kind of mean streak when it comes to blocking tenacity was First-Team All-American Jason Gerber in 2000. But Gerber was a left tackle where that kind of play is expected, not a wide receiver where many players only put forth exceptional effort when the play is designed to come to them. Nate Kmic Since bursting on to the
scene in the 2005 playoffs filling in for the injured Aaron Robinson at tailback, the The Purple & White faithful’s first exposure to Kmic’s exceptional ability was his 361 yard explosion in the second round of the 2005 playoffs versus Augustana. After which, you could hear discussions amongst the fans that went something like “Who is this kid? He reminds me a lot of Chuck Moore.” Which was soon followed by a tempered response like “Yeah, but it’s only one game. Let’s see if he can keep it up.” After earning the 2005 Stagg Bowl MVP with a 95-yard touchdown gallop from the same spot on the field as Chuck Moore had four years earlier, and then backing that up with a 2006 season where he led all of Division III in rushing with 2,365 yards and earned Offensive Player of the Year honors from D3Football.com, it’s clear that Kmic has more than “kept it up.” Any knowledgeable Raider
fan would agree that Chuck Moore was the greatest tailback in the rich history of Mount
Union Football, displaying great vision and field awareness which led to an uncanny knack
of always making the right cut at the right time with enough speed to go the distance. Comparing official NCAA
statistics between Moore and Kmic can’t be done since the NCAA didn’t count
playoff contests when Further comparing the
production between Moore and Kmic reveals that Nate is on pace to break Chuck’s OAC
career record for yard’s per carry. Between
1998 and 2001 Greg Micheli After playing much of the
2006 regular season and first four rounds of the playoffs as a part time option-style
running “change of pace” quarterback to Mike Jorris, many fans worried about the
Raider passing offense with Micheli pulling trigger. Leading
to this worry was the lack of a passing offense with Micheli under center in the playoff
games versus Based on these three
games, much of the talk leading up to the ’06 Stagg Bowl centered on whether
Jorris’ injured elbow would allow him to play well, and if not, would the Raider
rushing attack be enough to carry the offensive load.
However in hindsight, those fears were completely unfounded as it’s apparent
that Against a very stout Whitewater defense on the biggest of Division III stages, Kehres showed immense confidence in his young gunslinger when he took the wraps off of the playbook and unveiled a wide open passing attack with Micheli at signal caller. The aerial attack completely crossed up the Warhawks defense as they had clearly been expecting Mount Union to run the ball exclusively with Micheli in the huddle. Micheli validated Kehres’ confidence in him by turning an absolutely flawless performance on the way to earning the 2006 Stagg Bowl MVP trophy. So flawless in fact that he broke the Stagg Bowl record for completion percentage (81.8%) in completing 18 of 22 passes for 202 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions, as well as rushing for another 42 yards and one score. The book on Greg since he
arrived on the Offensive Line One constant over the
last decade has been the depth and quality of the Mount Union offensive line and 2007
looks to be no different. Especially under the
experienced and intense leadership of Coach Keith Wakefield who is taking over the
offensive line in 2007 after working with the linebackers last year.
Coach Wakefield also has the benefit of having two premier returnees to build around in senior First-Team All-American Derek Blanchard (6-1, 310) at left guard and senior Second-Team All-American Eric Safran (6-3, 290) at center. In addition, senior Tim Reash (6-1, 284) is returning to the starting lineup at right guard. Reash played very well last year filling in for the injured Geoff Dartt and that was never more evident than in the Stagg Bowl where he spent much of the game making Ryan Kleppe, the D3Football.com Defensive Player of the Year, a non-factor. After hearing all week about how unblockable Kleppe was and how he would dominate the line of scrimmage, the final stat line showed only one solo tackle and one sack for the All-American defensive tackle. Also expected to return this season are seniors Josh Henniger (6-3, 280) at left tackle and Dartt (6-4, 284) at right tackle, both of whom began the 2006 season in the starting lineup but were lost due to season ending injuries early in 2006. Though Henniger and Dartt
may have lost the year experience-wise and can’t be considered the same as a true
returning starter, they were good enough to win the starting position in the ’06
summer camp and With three Stagg Bowl starters returning and two more linemen returning from the 2006 season opening lineup, the Raiders should once again take the field in 2007 with one of the premier offensive lines in all of Division III. Wide Receiver / Tight End The passing game is well set with six of the top eight pass catchers back from last year, headlined by All-American Pierre Garcon. The losses are Anthony Antonucci, a Second-Team All-OAC selection at tight end and the Raiders third leading receiver last year, and Maxwell Smith, a backup split end who finished as the Raiders sixth leading receiver. Returning to the starting lineup opposite Garcon is Brandon Boehm, a sure handed senior that compliments Garcon’s big-play reputation well. Chad Reynolds is expected to fill the open tight end spot after backing up Antonucci last year. Also returning in ’07 and looking for more playing time is seniorBryson Davis at flanker after admirably backing up Garcon in ’06. Couple all of the above
together in the same huddle under the expert tutelage of Larry Kehres and you have the
makings of a truly special passing attack. Running Back Even though Kmic steals most of the headlines, the running back position is a lot more than just number 36. Joining Kmic in the starting backfield is junior fullback Terrance Morring. A versatile back that is equally capable as a ball carrier (7.1 ypc and three TD’s), receiver (three TD’s) or blocker. In many offenses, the fullback is little more than an extra guard that only blocks for the tailback. However Morring is too talented to waste as a simple blocking back and Kehres’ use of him displays a high level of confidence in Terrance’s capabilities. The coaching staff’s faith in him was never more evident than in the ’06 Stagg Bowl when Kehres called a swing pass to Morring on fourth down deep in Whitewater territory. On which Morring came through with the catch and a critical first down in one of the "forgotten" big plays in the game. Also returning to the Raider backfield is senior tailback Justin Wray. Though not technically a starter, Wray plays a very integral role in the Raider offense as evidenced by being the second leading receiver and rusher on the team behind Garcon and Kmic respectively. Wray brings exceptional speed and quickness to the game and averages an astounding 9.4 yards perrushing attempt. As a testament to his talents, the OAC coaches selected him for an unprecedented Second-Team All-OAC honor as a back-up.
The OAC coaches’ selection of Wray for All-OAC speaks volumes of his game
changing ability and it’s With the graduation of '06 starter Mike Jorris and the solidification of Micheli as the starter for '07, the question surrounding the quarterback position heading into fall camp is who will fill the all-important backup slot. If you're questioning the significance of a backup player, one only needs to review the previous two Stagg Bowls as in both cases the game MVP was a player that entered the playoffs sitting number two on the depth chart (Kmic behind Aaron Robinson in '05 and Micheli behind Jorris in '06). At this point, senior Danny Harris and sophomores Kurt Rocco and Cecil Shorts are expected to compete for the open roster spot to backup Micheli. The Raider “D” If one tried to describe the Raider defense in one word, many adjectives may come to mind: fast, tough, creative, attacking, etc. But in our mind nothing describes the Raider defense better than versatile. Similar to the Larry Kehres led offense, the Vince Kehres led defense has the ability to excel in multiple styles of play, often with the same personnel due to the great versatility of the players.
Similar to the returning offensive talent, the Raider defense returns a ton of playmakers to the field in 2007. Of the seven returning starters, six of them earned All-OAC awards in 2006 led by Second-Team All-American safety Matt Kostelnik and First-Team All-OAC linebacker Matt Rees.
In With tremendous athleticism to go along with good size (6-1, 200), Kostelnik totaled defensive numbers in just his junior season that would be a good career for most players:
It’s this production
as a defensive playmaker that puts Matt’s name in the same discussion as Raider And in terms of making “The Play” when it’s needed most (ala the blocked punt in the ’06 Stagg Bowl), Kostelnik has produced big play after big play similar to All-Americans like Jason Hall (’97), Kris Bugara (’98), Matt Campbell (’02) and Chris Kern (’02). If 2007 plays out to the maximum potential for Kostelnik and the entire Raider team, Matt has the legitimate chance to be considered in very select company as being both a starter on three national championship teams as well as being a Raider defensive legend. Matt Rees Mount Union’s unique defensive scheme also applies more pressure and responsibility on the linebacker position as the usual defensive alignment has a “front seven” that typically handles the opponent’s running game. However in the Raider D, that job is done by the “front six.”
Adding to the complexity of a Raider linebacker is the absence of linebacking help
on the outside. In a 4-3 defense, the middle
linebacker is typically aligned over or very near the offensive center and flanked by two
outside linebackers. In a 3-4 or 4-4 defense,
the inside linebackers are often aligned over the offensive guards and once again flanked
by two outside backers. However in a 4-2
defense there are no flanking linebackers to cover the outside/off-tackle running game,
leaving the two inside backers to run Versatile, tough and athletic are exactly the characteristics that best describe senior linebacker Matt Rees who returns for his senior season as a rare three year starter. At only 5-10, 210 lbs, many would consider Rees undersized to play inside linebacker at the collegiate level but he plays much bigger than that thanks to his toughness and athleticism. In MTU’s 4-2 scheme, he’s the perfect blend of speed and toughness at linebacker. Rees comes off a very productive ’06 season where he earned First-Team All-OAC honors and led the Purple Raiders in tackles (67). Rees was also tied for third on the team in tackles for loss (12.5), fourth in quarterback sacks (six), and he scored a touchdown off Kostelnik’s blocked punt in the Stagg Bowl. Defensive Line Clearly the biggest hole on the depth chart heading into 2007 is at defensive end as the Raiders must replace First-Team All-American Justin Stickley and Honorable Mention All-OAC Sam Vucelich. And while Mount Union has great depth at all positions and rotates players exceptionally well during the season to get the youngsters valuable experience, you don’t just insert an untested player and expect the same kind of production as a three-year starter and All-American like Stickley.
Based on the 2006 depth chart the heir apparent for Stickley’s rush end
position is junior Joseph Expected to join Millings at the other defensive end spot is senior Jonathan Andrews (6-2, 235) who saw time last year as a backup defensive tackle. Over the years the Purple & White have switched players between tackle and end with great success (Nick Parr was an end in 2005) and based on spring practices, this seems to be the case once again with Andrews moving to an open end spot. Mitigating the losses at end are Patrick McCullough and Second-Team All-OAC performer Nick Parr, a pair of senior defensive tackles returning for their second year in the starting lineup. It’s expected that the tackle position will need to carry the D-line early in the season until the new ends settle in. Luckily for Defensive Coordinator Vince Kehres, Parr (second member of Raider 1400 lb. Club) has a very sturdy set of shoulders on which to carry the load. Backing up the aforementioned players is a host of untested youngsters that will need to develop quickly to provide the quality depth that is needed to survive a full season and expected playoff run. Secondary A
wealth of quality depth is the name of the game in the Raider secondary for 2007 with a
lot of talent back from the ’06 depth chart. Returning
starters include Second-Team All-OAC cornerback Jonah Wilson Coming back after playing backup roles last year are senior safety Chris Kappas, junior cornerback Daryl Ely and junior safety Craig Nickoli. Kappas and Nickoli are expected to battle for the open safety spot vacated by Anthony Ursetti. Also returning to battle for playing time is Cameron Rose who was lost for all of 2006 with a pre-season injury after playing a great game in the 2005 Stagg Bowl. Each of these players brings great athleticism and valuable big-game experience to the Raider defense, providing collectively what may be the deepest and most versatile secondary in Raider history. And assuming the D-line continues to pressure the quarterback, there shouldn’t be any reason the 2007 secondary won’t be able to duplicate or even improve on their nationally eighth ranked pass efficiency defense. Linebacker Joining Rees at linebacker is experienced senior Tony DeRiggi, who played very well in his first season as a starter, earning Second-Team All-OAC honors from the conference coaches. Whereas Rees is undersized at only 210 lbs, DeRiggi brings great size to the linebacking position (6-2, 245) and is one of only two current Raiders (along with defensive tackle Nick Parr) to attain the “1400 lb. Club” in the weight room.
But before you prejudge DeRiggi as just a wide-body plugging the middle, he
displays excellent Pushing extremely hard for a bigger role in the defensive game plan is junior Chas Yoder, who by season’s end was rotating in the lineup with DeRiggi and Rees. Yoder is in a similar situation as Justin Wray is at running in that he’s good enough to start at any other OAC school but is stuck sharing time with premier players ahead of him. Providing good depth at linebacker is junior Troy Chaffin who played very well on special teams and in a backup linebacker role in ‘06. Special Teams The Raider special teams should once again be a team strength as both senior kicker Mike Zimmerman, a Second-Team All-OAC selection, and junior punter Greg Micheli return to go along with the always present speed that Mount Union has available for the coverage and return teams. The one question we have for this season is whether Micheli will retain the punting duties with sophomore Jay Carpenter available. Carpenter showed a very strong leg in junior varsity action last year and might take the punting duties over simply to lighten Micheli’s responsibilities. Newcomers? Most seasons include a freshman making a splash on field. Even though we don’t know exactly which high school players will be joining the Raiders this fall, there is one local high school talent that we wouldn’t be surprised to see playing in some capacity on Saturdays this year.
Drew Kuhn, an All-Ohioan from nearby As a former assistant coach at a rival high school, I’m very curious to see how Kuhn’s talents translate to the OAC as he was a truly special player in the competitive Northeast Buckeye Conference. I expect to first see him as a punt and kick returner, a position at which he excelled in high school. Schedule & Closing Thoughts After playing only four
home games in 2006, the Raiders are rewarded by having six contests this season in the
friendly confines of Mount Union Stadium. Unfortunately
however, three of the four expected toughest games are on the road. For a more in depth look at each of the OAC
opponents and how we think this season will end up, check out our 2007 OAC Preview
which you can find here.
A week five road trip to Ohio Northern and then a gantlet run of Baldwin-Wallace (H),
Capital (A) and John Carroll (A) in weeks seven thru nine will surely prepare the Raiders
for the rigors of a hopeful playoff run. As the case has been over
the last 15 years with Kehres at the helm, the goal of every season is to win the OAC and
get ready for a playoff run that hopefully ends in Hopefully for the Raider program and its faithful legion of fans, the 2007 season is once again one to remember. See you all in September!
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Mount Union College Purple Raiders
begin a quest to double the pleasure as they attempt to win one for the “other”
thumb.
the quest for Title #10.
“playmakers” at wide receiver
as most of the offense graduated following the 2004 campaign.
However it doesn’t do 
winners Chuck Moore and Dan Pugh.
Sports Information, prior to last year,
Moore had rushed for the most yards in school history in a single season combining regular
and post season numbers with 2,349 yards in his 2001 Gagliardi Award winning senior
season.
Coach Kehres was simply hiding his
prized passing pupil from future opponents until absolutely necessary.
their healthy return for ’07
definitely bolsters an O-line that loses Jason Lewis, the two-time Gregory Award winner as
the OAC’s best lineman.
clear that the other nine
coaches would love to have him on their roster.
Matt
Kostelnik
greats from seasons past.
sideline to
sideline in defense of the running game.
Millings who saw
significant playing time last year as the Raiders’ third defensive end.
and Honorable Mention All-OAC safety
Nick Barren to go along with Kostelnik.
quickness and tackling ability.
