Ursinus Week
Well, I've been waiting for the Centennial Conference to release their weekly report but at last check it wasn't on their Website yet. I'll post another update when I find it!
In the meantime, let's start this week's preview with a look at Ursinus College as outlined in the D3Football.com Kick-off Edition:
Ursinus Bears
Last playoff appearance: 2006
Last year: 7-3, 5-3 CC
Last conference title: 1996
2007 NCAA ranking, total offense: 158
2007 NCAA ranking, total defense: 21
Wins increase from 06-07: Minus-1
Preseason ranking: 78 of 239
Players who started camp: 90
Head coach: Peter Gallagher, eighth year, 31-40
Starters returning: 9 (three offense, five defense, one specialists)
Position battle to watch: Most anywhere on offense. With only three starters returning, there will be plenty of new faces on offense. The only positions that seem safe are quarterback (with senior Nicholas Dye, 1,500 yards and 17 touchdowns in '07), one receiver (with junior Shea Wisler, 23 catches, 442 yards and three scores) and tight end (junior Carl School, three catches, 51 yards, two touchdowns). The biggest challenge may be finding a whole new line, which graduated two All-Conference players.
Pressure is on: The skill players' hands. Ball security was a major issue for the Bears in 2007. They fumbled the ball 25 times -- 2.5 per game -- and lost possession 15 times. Combined with the quarterbacks' 14 interceptions, that's an unusually high 29 giveaways. Only a ball-hawking defense kept the turnover margin at a more respectable, but still below average, -5.
Where did he come from? Gallagher hopes Eikeem Barron can become a force for the secondary. Like the offense, the defensive backs were hurt by graduation. All-Conference defensive back Ryan VanWright is among those who must be replaced. Barron entered camp with the inside track as becoming the team's starting strong safety.
Their season will be defined by: The game against Muhlenberg. A year ago, the two teams entered the Week 8 game with one combined loss, and the Mules cruised to a 31-7 victory. If the game is as notable this year as it was last year -- and Muhlenberg is a strong favorite in the Centennial -- that means the Bears will have undergone a rather short rebuilding.
Predicted record: 3-7, 3-5
Capsule: This Ursinus football team won't be like last year's, not with so much of the offense and the secondary gone. Even a player that was expected back won't be returning: Running back Aaron Harper, fifth in the conference with 767 yards rushing, has left the program, but Gallagher would not disclose the reasons for Harper's departure. The defense is in slightly better shape, with five returning starters to a unit that ranked second in total defense in 2007.
In the meantime, let's start this week's preview with a look at Ursinus College as outlined in the D3Football.com Kick-off Edition:
Ursinus Bears
Last playoff appearance: 2006
Last year: 7-3, 5-3 CC
Last conference title: 1996
2007 NCAA ranking, total offense: 158
2007 NCAA ranking, total defense: 21
Wins increase from 06-07: Minus-1
Preseason ranking: 78 of 239
Players who started camp: 90
Head coach: Peter Gallagher, eighth year, 31-40
Starters returning: 9 (three offense, five defense, one specialists)
Position battle to watch: Most anywhere on offense. With only three starters returning, there will be plenty of new faces on offense. The only positions that seem safe are quarterback (with senior Nicholas Dye, 1,500 yards and 17 touchdowns in '07), one receiver (with junior Shea Wisler, 23 catches, 442 yards and three scores) and tight end (junior Carl School, three catches, 51 yards, two touchdowns). The biggest challenge may be finding a whole new line, which graduated two All-Conference players.
Pressure is on: The skill players' hands. Ball security was a major issue for the Bears in 2007. They fumbled the ball 25 times -- 2.5 per game -- and lost possession 15 times. Combined with the quarterbacks' 14 interceptions, that's an unusually high 29 giveaways. Only a ball-hawking defense kept the turnover margin at a more respectable, but still below average, -5.
Where did he come from? Gallagher hopes Eikeem Barron can become a force for the secondary. Like the offense, the defensive backs were hurt by graduation. All-Conference defensive back Ryan VanWright is among those who must be replaced. Barron entered camp with the inside track as becoming the team's starting strong safety.
Their season will be defined by: The game against Muhlenberg. A year ago, the two teams entered the Week 8 game with one combined loss, and the Mules cruised to a 31-7 victory. If the game is as notable this year as it was last year -- and Muhlenberg is a strong favorite in the Centennial -- that means the Bears will have undergone a rather short rebuilding.
Predicted record: 3-7, 3-5
Capsule: This Ursinus football team won't be like last year's, not with so much of the offense and the secondary gone. Even a player that was expected back won't be returning: Running back Aaron Harper, fifth in the conference with 767 yards rushing, has left the program, but Gallagher would not disclose the reasons for Harper's departure. The defense is in slightly better shape, with five returning starters to a unit that ranked second in total defense in 2007.
posted by Pat McConnell | 9:44 AM
1 Comments:
Pat,
Nice job....alwaysa great read....good luck to the Bullets this week...
they showed me something last week...they are READY TO ROLL
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