Lycoming College - Scrimmage Preview
This Saturday the Bullet's travel to Lycoming College for a pre-season scrimmage. Following is the season preview for the Lycoming Warriors as posted in D3Football.com's Kick-off Edition:
Lycoming Warriors
Last playoff appearance: 2003
Last year: 3-7, 3-4 MAC
Last conference title: 2003
2007 NCAA ranking, total offense: 220
2007 NCAA ranking, total defense: 35
Wins increase from 06-07: No change
Preseason ranking: 112 of 239
Players who started camp: 105
Head coach: Mike Clark, first year
Starters returning: 15 (seven offense, six defense, two specialists)
Position battle to watch: Tim Hook and Colin Dwyer split time as the Warriors' starting quarterback last season, and they'll have another chance to win the job during training camp. Hook had more passing yards per game last year (113.7 to 53.9) but also threw more interceptions (13 to 5). Lycoming is focused on finding a quarterback who will make the right decision and avoid turnovers so its running game and defense can win games.
Pressure is on: Special teams must improve so the Warriors can win battles for field position and lean on their steady defense. For example, a combination of poor punts, a bad long snap and a fumbled kick return gave Delaware Valley 16 points in a 31-0 loss last year. The previous week Warrior special teams had three punts and an extra point blocked by Wilkes. Lycoming is optimistic that special teams will improve with Sean Teufel handling punting duties and Scott Erickson handling place kicking. Erickson joined the team last season after originally playing soccer at the College.
Where did he come from? Coach Clark comes to Williamsport from Division I FCS Davidson, where he was the Wildcats' offensive coordinator for eight years. Clark's first head coaching job is a homecoming since he played for Lycoming legend Frank Girardi and coached the offensive line from 1998 to 2000. Clark also spent time under the tutelage of KC Keeler at Rowan and Steve Tosches at Princeton. Those three coaches have a combined 475 career wins.
Their season will be defined by: Oct. 4 at Widener. Like most MAC teams, Lycoming's NCAA playoff hopes hinge on winning the conference title. That may seem like a long shot after going 3-4 in 2007, but the Warriors can show they are serious contenders by beating the defending champions. Widener will still be breaking in a new quarterback, and the last four games between these teams have been decided by eight points or less.
Predicted record: 4-6, 2-5
Capsule: For the first time in 37 years, someone other than Frank Girardi will be Lycoming's head football coach this fall. As mentioned above, Clark is no stranger to Williamsport. Assistant head coach Steve Wiser also provides continuity as he enters his 35th season with the Blue and Gold. More than continuity, Wiser leads the defense that was a staple of the Warriors' success in the Girardi era and is the strongest part of this year's team. The line will be solid with Ted Geurds, Matt Licci and Chris Tribanas who missed all of last season with an injury. Senior Chris Smith will lead an otherwise young group of linebackers. The offense has to improve for the team's record to follow suit. At a minimum, the Warriors have to reduce turnovers from last year's tally of 31, the most in the MAC. Even that number doesn't fully reflect the number of times the defense had to defend a short field because of offensive or special teams mishaps. Lycoming is very high on sophomore running back Josh Kleinfelter who was second team All-MAC last year. Look for the Warriors to feed Kleinfelter and backfield mate Mark Rosa while the passing game finds its way. In addition to identifying a starting quarterback, the staff will use camps to find younger players, perhaps including freshmen, to replenish the wide receiving corps.
Lycoming Warriors
Last playoff appearance: 2003
Last year: 3-7, 3-4 MAC
Last conference title: 2003
2007 NCAA ranking, total offense: 220
2007 NCAA ranking, total defense: 35
Wins increase from 06-07: No change
Preseason ranking: 112 of 239
Players who started camp: 105
Head coach: Mike Clark, first year
Starters returning: 15 (seven offense, six defense, two specialists)
Position battle to watch: Tim Hook and Colin Dwyer split time as the Warriors' starting quarterback last season, and they'll have another chance to win the job during training camp. Hook had more passing yards per game last year (113.7 to 53.9) but also threw more interceptions (13 to 5). Lycoming is focused on finding a quarterback who will make the right decision and avoid turnovers so its running game and defense can win games.
Pressure is on: Special teams must improve so the Warriors can win battles for field position and lean on their steady defense. For example, a combination of poor punts, a bad long snap and a fumbled kick return gave Delaware Valley 16 points in a 31-0 loss last year. The previous week Warrior special teams had three punts and an extra point blocked by Wilkes. Lycoming is optimistic that special teams will improve with Sean Teufel handling punting duties and Scott Erickson handling place kicking. Erickson joined the team last season after originally playing soccer at the College.
Where did he come from? Coach Clark comes to Williamsport from Division I FCS Davidson, where he was the Wildcats' offensive coordinator for eight years. Clark's first head coaching job is a homecoming since he played for Lycoming legend Frank Girardi and coached the offensive line from 1998 to 2000. Clark also spent time under the tutelage of KC Keeler at Rowan and Steve Tosches at Princeton. Those three coaches have a combined 475 career wins.
Their season will be defined by: Oct. 4 at Widener. Like most MAC teams, Lycoming's NCAA playoff hopes hinge on winning the conference title. That may seem like a long shot after going 3-4 in 2007, but the Warriors can show they are serious contenders by beating the defending champions. Widener will still be breaking in a new quarterback, and the last four games between these teams have been decided by eight points or less.
Predicted record: 4-6, 2-5
Capsule: For the first time in 37 years, someone other than Frank Girardi will be Lycoming's head football coach this fall. As mentioned above, Clark is no stranger to Williamsport. Assistant head coach Steve Wiser also provides continuity as he enters his 35th season with the Blue and Gold. More than continuity, Wiser leads the defense that was a staple of the Warriors' success in the Girardi era and is the strongest part of this year's team. The line will be solid with Ted Geurds, Matt Licci and Chris Tribanas who missed all of last season with an injury. Senior Chris Smith will lead an otherwise young group of linebackers. The offense has to improve for the team's record to follow suit. At a minimum, the Warriors have to reduce turnovers from last year's tally of 31, the most in the MAC. Even that number doesn't fully reflect the number of times the defense had to defend a short field because of offensive or special teams mishaps. Lycoming is very high on sophomore running back Josh Kleinfelter who was second team All-MAC last year. Look for the Warriors to feed Kleinfelter and backfield mate Mark Rosa while the passing game finds its way. In addition to identifying a starting quarterback, the staff will use camps to find younger players, perhaps including freshmen, to replenish the wide receiving corps.
posted by Pat McConnell | 7:11 AM
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