University Athletic Association

[ADL70]

Brian Calderone--pre-season AA 2nd team

http://www.d3football.com/tow/08/preallamericans.htm

[PlaidMan]

Maybe this is not the forum, but.......My son just finished his high school track & field career at the USATF National Junior Olympics with a 2nd place in the hammer throw. His distance of 189 was a personal best, and sets him up well for a great career in track at CMU.  A point of interest here. The first place thrower was his high school team mate, who will be a junior in high school this coming year.
Now on to football. 

[ADL70]

Congratulations to your son.  I take it that's the lighter high school weight, not the NCAA one, not that that diminishes the accomplishment.

[PlaidMan]

Yes, it was the lighter one. His coach wants him to go to one more meet and throw the college weight, to get a good distance under his belt in competition, and maybe throw further than Carnegie's record of 172'11". But, as you know, football is starting, and he doesn't have time.
He has troubles with the high school one because he can't feel it when he's spinning. It's too light. His form is much better with the heavier weight, and he can push the ball because he can feel it.

[ADL70]

I watched Spartan OL recruit Tony Opperman last night in the Central Ohio All-Star game.   I don't claim to be a scout, but he looked quick and agile pulling to lead the sweep.  He played the whole game at RG, most of it blocking a 280 lb lineman who is going to Ball State on a scholarship.   Only once did he get beat when his opponent managed a -2 yd TFL on a running play.  When he wasn't lining up against the DIA recruit he was blocking a 275 lb lineman headed to Lake Erie.  Several of his teammates on the OL are going to DII programs.

He was listed in the program as 6'2 245, but he was 250 on his high school roster and 240 on the Spartan one.  Seems like he would fit in the previously discussed move to a smaller more agile OL.

It all starts in a little over two weeks!

[ExTartanPlayer]

cwru70's post got me thinking, especially the line about a shift to a different style at CWRU, so...

Lineplay in the UAA

Most of the UAA schools don't really seem to have a strong tendency towards one type of OL or another; I've seen OLs big and small over the last four years.  Of the OLs that were named first team or second team All-UAA last year,  there were guys ranging from under 250 up to about 300+.

Big (over 275)

CWRU's Jeffries & Zagorski, CMU's Freeman, WashU's Reigle

Medium (250-275)

CWRU's Breon, CMU's Ciotti, WashU's Frogge & Brooks

Small (under 250)

CWRU's Center & Kluczynksi, CMU's Althouse & O'Donnell, WashU's Elliott, Chicago's Dedeker

The previous left tackle at CMU was 6'2" and 315.  I played at a comparitively puny 5'11" and 230 (and my replacement checks in at a meatier 6'2" and 265).  Chicago had those twin towers at OT a couple years ago, but now has a lighter standout in Dedeker.  CWRU started two giants on the interior, but had relatively lighter, quicker kids at the tackle spots.  It seems that most of the UAA teams just take what they can get on the OL as far as size is concerned, and emphasize technique and footwork as the key performance aspects.

Does this carry over to the defensive line? It seems to.  I seldom remember playing against any true behemoths in UAA play on the DL - the best ones over the last few years have been guys like Wethington (WashU '06), Tamillow (Chi '05), Crites, and Calderone.  None heavier than 240.  The best big guy recently was probably CMU's Reggie, who checked in around 275.  Chicago's up-and-comer, Kadarabek, is a smaller guy also.

By the way, cwru70, all of this should bode well for your recruit - if he can handle himself well against 280 lbers and also lead the sweep, he seems to fit the basic profile of a UAA lineman, which is - one that can play football!

[blue4now]

cwru70

excellent!  another piece that fits the puzzle.  and debs isnt shy about playing frosh who can play, especially on the OL.

tartanplayer

nice work on the OL/DL size.

[ADL70]

I read somewhere (probably this site) that OL was the toughest position in D3 to fill.

The cliche' about the the size of the fight in the dog comes to mind.

Speaking of Coach Debs, with all the HCs being courted by the bigger guys, how long will he stay?

[blue4now]

time will tell.  he's a local guy.  i know some players and parents are high on him while others would like for him to move on.  the common thread seems to be even more aggressive on both sides of the ball.  you cant please everyone.  thats pretty much the way it goes in coaching.

[blue4now]

The dsfootball.com 2008 CWRU Preview has been released.

http://www.d3football.com/preview.php?id=1144&year=2008


GO SPARTANS!!!   GO CASE!!!   GO BLUE!!![/b]

[ADL70]

The previews are "submitted by the individual schools and are edited by D3football.com staff."  Like most this one raises as many questions as it answers.

QB is really thin with two departing and moving Kingscott (the most experienced backup returning) to S.  With only one Fr QB not sure who the "or two" newcomer could be (one of the WR/DBs?).  Presumably Kingscott would return to QB if there was an injury, since Paramore played a lot last year at S rotating with Pelyak.

Perplexed by the "no true tight ends" comment.  The departure of Pfeiffer seems to have short circuited Suitca's move to LB ("Suitca will be the incumbent"), or perhaps not ("move some guys from other positions" to LB).  Brown is the only LB who gets mentioned.  Conspicuously absent is Ben Chlebina.  The other Chlebina is no longer listed on the roster, hopefully he hasn't departed as well.  But if he has, that would make the 17 of 22 returning starters wrong, as well as Debeljak's quote referring to two vacant positions.  If those spots are filled by moving players and sophomores, then three of last year's backups, two of whom have at least one start, are going to be left out in the cold.  Who besides Suitca might move to LB?  Foti, Richards, or Shepard from DL?  Schweiger from WR?

Given his size, I suspected that Pelyak would move to Tiemeier's position.  Paramore got a lot of experience last year with the number one defense.

As you said earlier, I'd like it if someone other than Whalen did the punting, especially with the lack of depth at QB.  Hope the freshman Murphy can take that job.  Does Whalen's punting put more pressure on the receiving team or punt protection?

Nice to see the preview up early.  Last year's never made it.

[blue4now]

i dont want my qb punting either unless the situation (inside the opp 50 and short yardage) calls for it.  murphy should be able to get the job done as a pure punter.

no mention of silvi, shaver or lotz who had reps at LB.  sweigert can move to d and still be an emergency qb.  cowdrick played some qb at mentor and has done so in some weekly 7 on 7's.

i dont think the move of suitca from TE to LB if it happens will hurt much since we dont really only use the pos much.  the freshman can offset that or another lineman can line up there given that our TE usually only has a doz rec/yr.

all in all it will be interesting to see how things pan out.  any idea if the jcu scrimmage is at case or there?

[ADL70]

The other name at LB I expected was Chris Wolfe.  He had two starts in '06 when he and Brown split time.  I'm not surprised that Silvi and Shaver might be pushed to the side by sophs though.  Lotz is a soph and would back up Chlebina and Pelyak I would think.

TE has been little used the last two years in receiving 1 catch last year, 5 in '06.  In '05 McDowell caught 15, but he was also used split out wide some of the time.  Last year at least half of the time the formation had no tight end though.  Suitca's move is probably on hold until the freshmen prove themselves.  I guess may be the "true" tight comment was meant to mean ones who played TE in high school.

There are both men's and women's soccer games both the 30th and 31st in the stadium, so unless the scrimmage is Fri, I'd guess it's at JCU. 

[ADL70]

Story on Opperman in the all star game:

http://www.thisweeknews.com/live/content/bexley/stories/2008/07/30/0731befootball_sp.html?sid=104

[ADL70]

d3.com Top25:

CWRU #19    CMU-1 vote