2005 Season Previews

This is my maiden voyage into Gettysburg College Football. With my son joining the program this year as a Freshman Tailback, I am kind of green as far as the past and recent history of the program. All I know and all I will report is information concerning this years program. This post will focus on various previews that I have come across for the 2005 version on the Gettysburg Bullets Football Team.

Let's start first with the preview published directly on the Gettysburg College Website in which Coach Streeter is quoted as saying "We’ve made several significant changes in our staff as well as in our approach, and I felt that the spring went really well. I’m looking forward to the season.” the Bullets open the season on September 3rd at home against Lebanon Valley College.

The Bullets return 14 starters and 47 letterwinners from last year’s edition, with more than half of each group coming from the squad’s 24-member senior class. It’s a group that Streeter will lean on to set the tone for the year and one which he feels is up to the challenge.

“The best thing we have going for us right now is our senior class,” said the coach, who is 132-126-5 at Gettysburg. “We have 24 seniors, which is the most I’ve ever had. They’re a very good character group and there are some very good football players in there as well. Hopefully, it means something special’s coming in the fall.”

Kevin Burke, the team’s interim offensive coordinator in 2004, takes over those duties on a permanent basis this season. Burke, a proponent of the spread offense, and Streeter, longtime practitioner of the Delaware Wing-T, spent the offseason melding their ideas into the newly dubbed Spread Wing offense, which will make its debut this fall.

Tyson Silveus comes aboard as the program’s defensive coordinator in 2005. A former high school head coach and, most recently, the defensive backs coach at Division II Wingate, Silveus is expected to implement an aggressive 4-3 defensive system.

Offense

Quarterback
With the departure of three-year starter Joe Gossweiler, quarterback looms as the team’s biggest question mark in 2005. As many as four upperclassmen will contend for the starting job, including juniors Mark Campo (Arendtsville, PA/Biglerville) and Mike Szczesny (Carteret, NJ/Carteret), both of whom gained starting experience in 2004.

Campo started two of his six appearances a year ago, completing 29 of 62 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns. Szczesny also started twice while appearing in seven contests, throwing for 315 yards and one touchdown.

Also in the mix are junior Danny Tyrrell (White Hall, MD/North Harford) and sophomore Hunter McMillan (Middletown, DE/Wilmington Friends). Tyrrell, who came to Gettysburg as a quarterback before seeing major playing time as a defensive back last season, returns to his original position in 2005. McMillan has yet to take a varsity snap, but impressed the coaching staff with a strong effort in spring practice.

Tailback
The Bullets return a pair of experienced veterans at a position which will be a combination of the Wing-T’s fullback spot and the spread offense’s tailback.

Sophomore Tom Sturges (Ridgefield, CT/Ridgefield) should reprise his starting role after emerging as the squad’s leading rusher in 2005. Sturges carried 116 times for 416 yards and one touchdown in only six appearances, finishing fourth in the CC with 69.3 rushing yards per game. He also caught nine passes out of the backfield, a plus in the new system.

Senior co-captain Joe Fricchione (Branchville, NJ/High Point Regional) will provide a change of pace from the shifty Sturges. Fricchione, a rugged fullback-type, has averaged nearly 10 yards per carry in limited action, including a 31-yard touchdown run against Franklin & Marshall last season.

Halfback
After a one-year hiatus due to a four-wideout offensive scheme in 2004, the halfback position returns this season, manned by juniors Dusty Green (Idaville, PA/Bermudian Springs) and Jerry Jones (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape).

Green, a local product who began 2004 as the starting tailback, ranked third on the squad with 296 rushing yards in six appearances. He flashed his big-game potential with a 186-yard rushing performance against Lebanon Valley, the highest single-game total by a Bullet in five years.
Jones saw limited action in seven appearances, but managed to score touchdowns on two of his six carries. With a full-time role awaiting him, his offensive contributions should increase greatly in 2005.

Sophomore Shawn Hollingsworth (Chester, PA/Wilmington Friends [DE]) shifts to halfback after appearing in five games as a slot wide receiver last year. Classmates Andrew McLean (Ambler, PA/St. George’s School) and Sean Incremona (Selden, NY/Centereach) could also battle for time at the halfback position.

Wide Receiver/Tight End
Senior Bryan Wheatly (Lancaster, PA/Manheim Twp.) and junior Spencer Davidson (Dumont, NJ/Dumont) return to lead the receiving corps after posting career-high numbers in 2004. Wheatly, a two-year starter, caught 19 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns. Davidson finished second to the departed Derek Landi with 22 receptions for 217 yards and one score in his first full-time varsity season.

Junior Brian McKeon (Belle Harbor, NY/Xavier) and sophomores Matthew Welsh (Lafayette Hill, PA/St. Joseph’s Prep) and Joe Churchman (Lenhartsville, PA/Kutztown) all made their first varsity receptions in 2004 and will contend for more playing time this season.

Senior Chris Halleman (Center Valley, PA/Southern Lehigh), a three-year letterwinner, is the squad’s most experienced tight end despite being limited to three catches and two games in 2004. Fellow senior Matt Miller (Virginia Beach, VA/Norfolk Acad.), a two-year letterwinner, will also compete for time along with sizeable sophomores Eric Schroeder (Basking Ridge, NJ/Ridge) (6-5, 245) and Don Mitchell (Huntington Station, NY/Huntington) (6-3, 237).

Offensive Line
Easily the team’s deepest position, Gettysburg’s offensive line returns no fewer than seven players with starting experience, including five seniors.

Anchoring the group is senior co-captain Enoch Boateng (Vienna, VA/W.T. Woodson), a two-year letterwinner and two-time All-CC first-team selection at tackle. Senior tackle John Burger (Egg Harbor Twp., NJ/Egg Harbor Twp.) reclaims a starting role after missing all but one game in 2004 due to injury. Senior Keith Phillips (Massapequa, NY/Massapequa) is a two-year starter at center.

Senior Brandon Smith (Lititz, PA/Manheim Twp.) and junior Dain Alaia (Lake Ronkonkoma, NY/Sachem) are back following their first seasons as the squad’s starting guards.

Senior Kevan Will (Deptford, NJ/Deptford) and junior Rick Finnegan (Springfield, PA/Cardinal O’Hara) also have starting experience at tackle and center, respectively.

Defense
The Bullets’ defensive front is an experienced group that could feature as many as four seniors from end to end.

Senior Dan Hogdahl (Riverdale, NJ/Pompton Lakes) returns at defensive tackle after enjoying a breakout 2004. Hogdahl ranked second on the squad with 77 tackles, including 48 solo stops and 5.5 tackles for loss, while starting all 10 games.

Junior Glenn Cain (Ewing, NJ/Ewing), a conference silver medalist in both the shot put and discus, recorded eight tackles in nine games last season and could see an expanded role this year. Sophomores David Baker (Ocean City, MD/Stephen Decatur) and Eric Ondik (Conshohocken, PA/Kennedy-Kenrick) will also battle for time inside.

Senior Dan Petersen (Beachwood, NJ/Toms River South), a three-year letterwinner, is the squad’s top returning defensive end. In his first season as a starter in 2004, Petersen set single-season career highs for tackles (34), tackles for loss (8.5) and sacks (5).

Senior Chris Barber (Needham, MA/Needham) and junior Steve Foote (Huntingtown, MD/Calvert) will contend for the other outside role vacated by multi-year starter Craig Casagrande. Barber made 19 tackles while appearing in all 10 games last season. Foote recorded 11 stops in eight appearances.

Senior three-time letterwinner Rob Mehmet (Haddon Twp., NJ/Haddon Twp.) brings the experience of 21 career appearances to the defensive line. Senior Jon Isaacs (Ambler, PA/Upper Dublin), also a defenseman on the men’s lacrosse team, made six appearances to earn a letter in his first season with the football program.

Linebackers
Senior Ryan McGarry (Cliffside Park, NJ/Cliffside Park) is set to patrol the middle linebacker position after finishing fourth on the team with 49 tackles in 10 appearances last year. Senior Michael Schmidt (Huntington Station, NY/Walt Whitman) brings a team-leading 169 career tackles and three years of starting experience to the strong-side linebacker spot. Schmidt ranked third on the team with 57 tackles and also forced two fumbles in nine appearances last season.

Junior Harold Barton (Somerdale, NJ/Sterling) and sophomore Avian Loustau (Haddonfield, NJ/Haddonfield Memorial) will compete for the starting weak-side linebacker position. Barton appeared in all 10 games as a freshman in 2003, but was limited to only one appearance last season. Loustau made 23 tackles while starting the final six games of his debut campaign.

Senior Jon Weller (Berwyn, PA/Conestoga) ranked fifth on the team with 42 tackles while making eight starts in 2004 and will contribute as either an outside linebacker or strong safety in this season’s defensive scheme.

Defensive Backs
Senior co-captains Jay Cage (Magnolia, NJ/Sterling) and Nathan Smith (Cooperstown, NY/Cooperstown Central) lead the Bullets’ defensive backfield.

Cage, a two-year starter at cornerback, made 28 tackles, broke up 10 passes and swiped three interceptions in 2004 while leading the CC with 1.62 passes defended per game. Smith, who shifts from outside linebacker to free safety, managed 29 tackles and three breakups despite missing half of the 2004 campaign.

Sophomore Adam Fulmer (Halifax, PA/Halifax) recorded 19 tackles and one interception last season, appearing in eight games and starting the final four contests. Classmate Jason Taylor (North East, MD/Rising Sun) will also battle for time at the corner spot after making five appearances in 2004.

With the possible move of Jon Weller, as many as four players with starting experience will contend for the first-team strong safety role.

Senior Daniel Silva (Lanham, MD/Eleanor Roosevelt) made 26 tackles and two interceptions while starting seven of his nine appearances in 2004, his first season at Gettysburg after two with CC rival McDaniel. Sophomore Kyle Luciano (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph by-the-Sea) recorded 26 stops while appearing in all 10 games. Fellow sophomore David Gourley (Hummelstown, PA/Lower Dauphin) will also battle for an expanded role after making his first start a year ago.

Senior three-year letterwinner Eby Kalantar (Germantown, MD/Northwest) could contribute at either safety or cornerback after seeing time as a defensive back and outside linebacker during his first three seasons.

Special Teams
Gettysburg returns a number of key special teams players, including all-conference punter Tom Pettit (Blue Bell, PA/Wissahickon) and return specialist Nathan Smith. Pettit, a senior, booted his way onto the All-CC second team after averaging a career-high 37.5 yards per punt and dropping 16 kicks inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. Smith, who averaged 26.2 yards per kickoff return in limited duty last year, has three returns for touchdowns on his resume.

Senior John Edgar (Gettysburg, PA/Gettysburg), the squad’s leading scorer in 2003, will get a chance to reprise his placekicking role this season. Injuries limited Edgar to kickoff duty in 2004.
Junior Ryan Dunn (Lawrenceville, NJ/Lawrence) is a former letterwinner as a kicker and back-up punter. Chris Barber returns as the long-snapper.