Muhlenberg Week!
The following is from the D3Football.com Kickoff Edition:
Muhlenberg Mules
Last playoff appearance: 2004
Last year: 3-7, 2-4 CC
Last conference title: 2004 (co-champions)
Wins increase/decrease: Minus-5
Preseason ranking: 141 of 234
Head coach: Mike Donnelly, 10th season, 56-39
Starters returning: 11 (six offense, three defense, two special teams)
Position battle to watch: Secondary. The Mules’ starting defensive backs from 2005 have graduated and some youngsters will attempt to fill the roles with success. Ryan Merrill is the most tenured back as a junior and he played all ten games last year with just 23 tackles. Expect Muhlenberg’s early non-conference opponents to try long down the field and test the new starters.
Pressure is on: Assistant coach Jeff Knarr. Donnelly acts as defensive coordinator, but Knarr focuses on the quarterbacks and receivers. Muhlenberg’s biggest issue in 2005 was its inability to score points, averaging a paltry 1.4 touchdowns per game. Generating more points in an offense-challenged conference will help the Mules manage a better record in 2006, regardless of their youth.
Where did he come from? Linebacker Dustin Good failed to get much of the press when playing next to CC Defensive Player of the Year Dan McCall. A D3football.com third-team All-American, McCall recorded 7½ sacks, two interceptions, and four fumble recoveries with 127 return yards from those pickups. Good actually recorded more tackles than McCall and had a handful of meaningful tackles for a loss. Unfortunately, Good is just one of three defensive starters to return. No matter how good Good is, ten others will need to show signs of life to keep Muhlenberg’s defense one of the best in the land as they typically are.
Their season will be defined by: A three-game stretch from Week 8-10. Muhlenberg scored 19 points in the three games against the same opponents last season.
Predicted record: 1-9, 0-6
Capsule: The Mules went from representing the Centennial in the 2004 playoffs to the CC’s worst overall record in 2005. Their 3-7 mark was the Mules’ worst since 1997 (1-9), and even then, they rebounded to finish 5-5 in 1998. As mentioned above, the difference between success and failure for the Mules was negligible, and cliché after cliché could be used to define their needs for a victorious 2006. Fortunately, Muhlenberg’s defense is routinely one of the best statistically in Division III, led the CC last season in total defense and was ninth in D-III. Donnelly might need another year to put the Mules back together.
Muhlenberg Mules
Last playoff appearance: 2004
Last year: 3-7, 2-4 CC
Last conference title: 2004 (co-champions)
Wins increase/decrease: Minus-5
Preseason ranking: 141 of 234
Head coach: Mike Donnelly, 10th season, 56-39
Starters returning: 11 (six offense, three defense, two special teams)
Position battle to watch: Secondary. The Mules’ starting defensive backs from 2005 have graduated and some youngsters will attempt to fill the roles with success. Ryan Merrill is the most tenured back as a junior and he played all ten games last year with just 23 tackles. Expect Muhlenberg’s early non-conference opponents to try long down the field and test the new starters.
Pressure is on: Assistant coach Jeff Knarr. Donnelly acts as defensive coordinator, but Knarr focuses on the quarterbacks and receivers. Muhlenberg’s biggest issue in 2005 was its inability to score points, averaging a paltry 1.4 touchdowns per game. Generating more points in an offense-challenged conference will help the Mules manage a better record in 2006, regardless of their youth.
Where did he come from? Linebacker Dustin Good failed to get much of the press when playing next to CC Defensive Player of the Year Dan McCall. A D3football.com third-team All-American, McCall recorded 7½ sacks, two interceptions, and four fumble recoveries with 127 return yards from those pickups. Good actually recorded more tackles than McCall and had a handful of meaningful tackles for a loss. Unfortunately, Good is just one of three defensive starters to return. No matter how good Good is, ten others will need to show signs of life to keep Muhlenberg’s defense one of the best in the land as they typically are.
Their season will be defined by: A three-game stretch from Week 8-10. Muhlenberg scored 19 points in the three games against the same opponents last season.
Predicted record: 1-9, 0-6
Capsule: The Mules went from representing the Centennial in the 2004 playoffs to the CC’s worst overall record in 2005. Their 3-7 mark was the Mules’ worst since 1997 (1-9), and even then, they rebounded to finish 5-5 in 1998. As mentioned above, the difference between success and failure for the Mules was negligible, and cliché after cliché could be used to define their needs for a victorious 2006. Fortunately, Muhlenberg’s defense is routinely one of the best statistically in Division III, led the CC last season in total defense and was ninth in D-III. Donnelly might need another year to put the Mules back together.
posted by Pat McConnell | 6:18 AM
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