University Athletic Association

[ADL70]

Former Spartan QB Angelo Mirando is now WR coach at Mississippi State.

[ExTartanPlayer]

No kidding?

Always intrigues me to look at the playing background of coaches in DI and NFL.  Lots of guys from smaller-school backgrounds that make it as coaches, probably because they're heady guys that work hard on the intellectual aspect of the game (and also, presumably, some DI guys that go on to NFL careers never get into the coaching pipeline in their 20s).

FWIW, CMU grad Dan Shamash is (or was) an assistant coach with the Cleveland Browns for the last couple years.  He was attached to Mangini, though, so he may be looking for work since Mangini was fired.  Not sure.

[DagarmanSpartan]

Former Spartan QB Angelo Mirando is now WR coach at Misissippi State.

Congrats to him!

Sounds like he's quickly working his way up the coaching career ladder!

Maybe one day he'll join Don Shula (MA - WRU) among the greatest of CWRU alumni coaching legends!

[ADL70]

Ray Russ is reported committing to NDC, but another All-State QB has CWRU at the top of his list.

Brockway quarterback Derek Buganza, the all-time leading passer in Pennsylvania history with 9,752 career yards, has narrowed his college choices down to a few small schools led by NCAA Division III Case Western in Cleveland.

Buganza's height, he is listed at 5-foot-10, has probably scared off some of the bigger schools and his other choices include NCAA Division II Mercyhurst located in Erie, Pa., NCAA Division III Washington & Jefferson located in Washington, Pa., and NCAA Division III St. Vincent, located in Latrobe, Pa.

"I'd have to say Case (Western) is my top choice right now," Buganza said. "But St. Vincent, W&J and Mercyhurst are also up there too."

Buganza was the Pennsylvania Sports Writers Class AA Player of the Week and the Pennsylvania Football News Class AA Co-Player of the Year.

[formerd3db]

Ray Russ is reported committing to NDC, but another All-State QB has CWRU at the top of his list.

Brockway quarterback Derek Buganza, the all-time leading passer in Pennsylvania history with 9,752 career yards, has narrowed his college choices down to a few small schools led by NCAA Division III Case Western in Cleveland.

Buganza's height, he is listed at 5-foot-10, has probably scared off some of the bigger schools and his other choices include NCAA Division II Mercyhurst located in Erie, Pa., NCAA Division III Washington & Jefferson located in Washington, Pa., and NCAA Division III St. Vincent, located in Latrobe, Pa.

"I'd have to say Case (Western) is my top choice right now," Buganza said. "But St. Vincent, W&J and Mercyhurst are also up there too."

Buganza was the Pennsylvania Sports Writers Class AA Player of the Week and the Pennsylvania Football News Class AA Co-Player of the Year.

Obviously, I wish him well in whatever school choice he ends up making.  While it would be great to have him at DIII, too bad some DI school doesn't take the chance on him being the next "Doug Flutie".  I remember so well when many people never gave Flutie a chance - he was a very good college QB and it just wasn't because of his notoriety from the famous "Hail Mary" Pass (although that indeed, was a great game and perhaps one of the best finishes ever to a college game with the exception of "The Play" at Cal/Stanford and our own DIII "The Play" down in Texas a couple of years ago!)

[ExTartanPlayer]

formerd3db, a couple of thoughts on the way big-time coaches think.  I don't AGREE with all of these, but I just think they are worth pointing out.

1) Coaches believe that they can teach a 6-5 kid to play QB, or a 300-pounder to get into a good three-point stance, much more easily than they can craft an offensive scheme to utilize smaller players.  As an anecdotal example, I played against a kid in high school that was 6-7 and 280 but was a very marginal player.  I was 5-11 and 220 (and a sophomore) but went toe-to-toe with him.  He eventually became a starting left tackle for a Division I program; once he got good coaching, the light bulb came on.

2) D-I coaches can't afford to "waste" a spot or take a flyer on a kid that's a really borderline prospect.  They've only got 25 scholarships per year - they have to take the "shotgun" approach of signing 25 kids with big potential and hope that 10 of them become studs, even if it means signing a few washouts. 

3) In the age of recruiting websites and mass media, fans/boosters will CRUCIFY a coach of a big-time program if he signs a kid that nobody else is recruiting.  Coaches are (unfairly) evaluated based on how many stars the kids in their recruiting class have, and if they sign a kid that has no scholarship offers elsewhere it reflects poorly on them.  Stupid but true.

As a final comment - some undersized kids from small schools are  nice HS players that don't even become good Division 3 players, so it's REALLY hard for a Division I coach with a limited # of scholarships available to justify taking a flyer on a 5-10 QB (unless he can run like Michael Vick).  At Carnegie Mellon, we brought in a couple of kids with VERY impressive high-school statistics that never became good college QB's - quite frankly, they were just limited physically.  Good high-school players that didn't have the arm strength to fire a 17-yard out or throw a good deep ball.

[formerd3db]

ExTartanPlayer:

Well said.  I agree with you on all of these aspects, although, like you, I don't entirely agree with these i.e. as far as some of those DI coaches philosophy.  However, that is just the way the system is.

Your last ("final comment") is so true.  I've seen that as well and to the degree that I often encourage many current players at the DIII level to realize how lucky they are to be in their current situation for that very reason.  There are many great high school players who just are not good enough to make it even at the DIII level, so those who do, IMO, are privileged and blessed in that sense.

Also, as to DI coaches not taking a chance on someone as you describe, I certainly can understand.  Yet, we all know that they do miss some "sleepers" many times and someone of that smaller size will also "come into their own" like that huge lineman i.e. your former h.s. teammate.  Which is another reason why I always love to see walk-on players who make the grade on sheer determination, perseverence, although some of that, of course, also depends on "being in the right place at the right time".  There are a few DI programs (i.e. coaches), although not an overabundance obviously, who have been very generous/kind in providing the opportunity for their walk-ons and not just their "preferred walk--ons".  Anyway, when that happens, it sure is a great thing to see and... secretly deep down, I always am glad that player proved those guys/coaches, fans, etc. wrong - always great to see when that occasionally occurs.

Anyway, thanks for your opinion and insight.  Very informative, interesting and true.    

[ADL70]

Here's his video

http://www.ncsasports.org/college-recruiting-videos-highlights/derek-buganza

[ADL70]

Dan Whalen was just signed by AFL's Cleveland Gladiators.

Orrville All-Ohio DIV 2nd team OL Sam Reusser (6'1 255 4.0 GPA) has been reported on a HS forum as planning to become a Spartan and study ChemE.

Back to Mirando, Missisippi's HC Dan Mullen is am Ursinus grad.

[wab64]

Where are the Maroons? It would seem to me as a double alum--Wabash and U of Chi (law school)-[- that having won the UAA in convincing fashion; 2 asst coaches getting head jobs-- and having one of the most scintillating players (Brizzaolara) that I've seen coming back as a junior, yet that there should be some hot stove league excitement about next fall and the Monsters of the Midway. Get excited!!!

[ADL70]

CWRU reports a 45% increase in applications, attributed to counselors visiting 900 high schools.

[joelmama]

one of the most scintillating players (Brizzaolara) that I've seen coming back as a junior,

Dee B. is rewriting the record books at U of C.  By the time he graduates all of the meaningful recieving and return records will be in his name.

[ADL70]

Carnegie Mellon's site has its 2012 schedule.

http://www.cmu.edu/athletics/sports/football/schedules/2012.html

NCAC opponents

9/8 @Allegheny
9/22 v DePauw
9/29 @Wabash
10/6 v Denison
10/20 v Ohio Wesleyan

[ADL70]

Scouting Ohio reports that All GMC Sycamore (Cincinnati) DE  6'2 225 has committed to CWRU.

http://scoutingohio.com/index.php?option=com_comprofiler&task=userProfile&user=6489&Itemid=85&name=

And Orrville's Sam Reusser previously reported headed to CWRU was 7th in the state Div III at 285.  Will he be a gridder or a grappler or both?

[ADL70]

Whalen's AFL debut mirrored his at CWRU.

Entered game in second half and led a come-from-behind win.

http://www.cleveland.com/gladiators/index.ssf/2011/04/backup_qb_dan_whalen_rallies_c.html

Nothing new on the PA star QB, but this one from FL is reported coming to CWRU:

http://blog.imgacademies.com/2011/04/28/from-laces-to-stitches-mccarthy-dreams-big/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL8ACMH7T1U

Is he 6'1 or just 5'10.5 as I have seen elsewhere?

Also Akron Firestone LB Marcus Dempster (City Defensive Co-POY, Dist HM) smallish at 5'9, 185