University Athletic Association

[DagarmanSpartan]

On another note, has anyone else heard about QB Dan Whalen's internship with Sports Illustrated in NYC?

Read on!

http://ncaa.com/football/article.aspx?id=280902

[ADL70]

Newly listed CWRU recruits' post season awards:

Christopher Anderson  Marion Pleasant (Spartans)   6'  210  DE
D-IV All-Ohio 1st team (Special mention in 2006)

Cameron Boyd  Cincinnati Wyoming   5'8 175  RB (LB)
HM All-Dist D-IV  LB   [despite size played NT as Jr]   SW Ohio All-Star game             Looks quick and tough in highlight clip
http://www.scoutingohio.com/Cameron_Boyd_Wyoming.htm

Dale English   Holy Name   6'1  255  OL/DL
All-Ohio  D-III 2nd team   DL     5.1 40

Bryan Metlesitz   N Royalton   5'10  165  WR/DB
HM All-Dist D-I   Greater Cleveland All-Star game

Tony Opperman   Columbus St. Charles   6'2  240  G
All-Dist  Div-II  2nd team

[blue4now]

Nice....   They all have opps in areas of need particularly Ol and D.

34 days

[Superfoot Wallace]

Cameron Boyd  Cincinnati Wyoming   5'8 175  RB (LB)
HM All-Dist D-IV  LB   [despite size played NT as Jr]   SW Ohio All-Star game             Looks quick and tough in highlight clip
http://www.scoutingohio.com/Cameron_Boyd_Wyoming.htm

Ran I  and T type stuff from fullback in that clip and Wing style from deep set back.  Both these skills could complement Whalen from Pistol as the new I from Spread and traditional T as shotgun.  Attendant hieght might limit abilities as McFadden in Wildcat as deep set back, but Felix ain't no slouch.

Should he find himself playing LB for Case, the player has noticeable ability to both take on blocks and slip them.  Case with the noted engineering program might have to 3-2 this guy with the Chicago or Carnegie physics labs.  RPI?

Case might want to conduct experiments on this Boyd character; because honestly, whether playing noseguard or running back the guy seems to command wormholes.  Think he's blocked, quickslip...  Think he's tackled, passes defenders..  Nice catch, guys.

signed,
Research and Development

[blue4now]

I can understand him playing NT for DIV at that size but those days are over.  Despite being a DIII program everything here is bigger, stronger, faster....  Even the DI high school players who come here notice that right away.  Not every kid can go to OSU.  There are hundreds who end up at smaller schools for various reasons but it's still college football.

Sounds a lot like Deitman.  Plus there's Sasala, Bush and Checken, who in my mind is your short yardage north/south guy.

In any case if Boyd is the athlete you say he is then they will find a place for him.

[ADL70]

You do have to wonder about small school high schoolers and the level of competition they faced, although D-IV Mooney beat Mentor last year as I recall.  It's also hard to evaluate speed on clips such as this which may be altered during transfer.

Curious that Boyd is only listed at RB, even though he played both ways and his honors were at LB.  The comment by Coach Debs that he wished they had more recruits on D makes his RB-only listing even stranger.  I thought short stature RBs had the advantage of being screened by bigger O lineman.

Possible roles for Boyd:

D:  OLB/S position vacated by Tiemeier
      Situation substitution for a slower LB in passing situations

O:  WB reverse that Foley ran last year

ST:  Returner (surprised that he didn't return in hs)
       Punt coverage gunner
       PK blocker  Seems like he could slip by blocking back on end and get in front of PK.

[blue4now]

Safety is the first position I thought of.

[ADL70]

Speaking of blocking kicks, how about putting the 6'7 guy in the middle and letting him jump up and swat them away.  Give him soccer goalkeeper gloves to protect his hands.

MacLoed...there's nothing wrong with the CWRU physics department.

[Superfoot Wallace]

MacLoed...there's nothing wrong with the CWRU physics department.

Know this, 70.  Just a little dig.  Besides, I'm trying to pick a fight.

signed,
Hobart Dishwashers

[PlaidMan]

Carnegie Mellon has 39 freshman listed on their web site.

[ADL70]

But no 6'3 260 player.  There is a 6'2 275 FR and one  6'2 255.

CWRU has a recruit 6'1 255 with a 5.1 40 who was 2nd team All-Ohio.

MacLeod--little dig = little fight.  I took up the gauntlet.

[ExTartanPlayer]

For everyone's reading pleasure....

I find myself bored on this Sunday morning, so I decided to make up a little capsule preview for each UAA team for the upcoming season, offering a recent player's perspective.  I think I've maintained a pretty neutral opinion, though.  Listed in order of last year's finish:

2008 UAA Capsule Previews

Case Western

Last Year: 11-1, 3-0 UAA

Returning Starters: 9 Offense (QB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, OT, OT, G)
                                7 Defense (DL, DL, LB, LB, DB, DB, DB)

Key Returnees: QB Whalen, RB Checkan, all three WR's
  DL Calderone, LB Brown, all three DB's

Key Losses: OL Jeffries, OL Zagorski, LB Brew, LB Tiemier

Team Strengths: Passing Game, Defensive Line (if Calderone is back), Secondary

Outlook: With experience all over the field, Case is the clear favorite on paper.  Whalen throwing to a veteran, productive receiving corps, with top two RB's back, and some experience on the offensive line, looks to lead a very solid offense.  The defense returns some key playmakers in Calderon & Brown, plus experience in the secondary and some key supporting players.  All the pieces would appear to be in place for another playoff run.  The cautionary tale: Carnegie Mellon had a lot of pieces back last year, and lost a series of close games that nearly cost them the winning-season streak.  However, Case certainly has a loaded roster on paper and could be a very dangerous team in 2008.


Carnegie Mellon

Last Year: 7-4, 2-1 UAA

Returning Starters: 5 Offense (QB, TE, WR, RT, RG)
             6 Defense (DT, LB, LB, DB, DB, DB)

Key Returnees: QB Pantalone, TE Wisnieski, RT Freeman
        DT Crites, DB McGovern, DB Scholl, DB Kresge

Key Losses:  FB Sivek, RB Gimson, OL Althouse, OL O'Donnell, OL Ciotti, WR Doo
             NG Reggie, DT Hauffe, LB Bodnar, LB Sisson, DB Vild

Team Strengths: Offensive Line, Secondary

Outlook: Carnegie Mellon suffered from a midseason swoon last year, but recovered to finish with five straight wins and an ECAC bowl game.  They lose two very productive RBs and the left side of the offensive line, but return ample experience up front with four-year starters Wisnieski and Freeman.  If the young RBs step up, the offense should be productive enough to win a few ballgames because of the relatively experienced defense.  The loss of some veterans in the front seven will hurt (Reggie, Bodnar, and Sisson), but led by Crites and a very experienced secondary, the defense has the talent to be solid; if they execute their schemes CMU will have another winning season in 2008.


Wash U

Last Year: 7-3, 1-2 UAA

Returning Starters: 5 Offense (QB, RB, OT, G, G)
             8 Defense (DL, DL, DL, LB, DB, DB, DB, DB)

Key Returnees: QB Smith, RB O'Brien
        DL Sensenich, LB Berryman, DB Brown, DB Machan, DB Olivos

Key Losses: RB Murphy, WR Casper, WR Cardone, OT Riegle
         LB McSparin, LB Elliott, DB Bawden

Team Strengths: QB, Defensive Line, Secondary

Outlook: Wash U had a very, very promising start to last season, coming back from a tough loss to powerful Wheaton with an impressive win at playoff team North Central, rallying to reach 6-1.  However, they faded in road losses at CMU and Case Western and finished 7-3.  This year, with CMU and Case at home, Wash U will look to reclaim the UAA title after upstarts CMU and Case won in 2006 and 2007.  Smith should do well at QB, and leading rusher O'Brien will run behind a pretty experienced OL.  The defense returns loaded, especially in the front four and the secondary.  Wash U should be very, very solid this season and should make a strong push for the UAA title.

Chicago
Last Year: 4-5, 0-3 UAA

Returning Starters: 8 Offense (QB, RB, WR, TE, OT, OT, G, C)
             8 Defense (DL, DL, DL, LB, DB, DB, DB, DB)

Key Returnees: QB Kiernan/Oium, RB Parks, WR Wolff
        DL Kadarabek, DL Emerson, DB Leamy, DB Swaim, DB Young

Key Losses: WR Albian, LB Fernandez, LB Insalaco

Team Strengths: Offensive Line, Defensive Line, Secondary

Outlook: Chicago has been very good in nonconference play and really struggled in the UAA over the last two years after winning the UAA title in 2005.  This year, we're not sure who the QB will be, but the winner will have a solid RB and experienced line in front of him.  Defensively, they return a lot of experience in the secondary and two playmakers on the line.  On paper, they look pretty good – can they put it all together and

[blue4now]

Nice job Tartan.  You forgot Webster so the top 4 WR's return.  Homyk had some looks after Cowdrick went down and and should contribute with a couple other newcomers making this position the team strength.

Pfeiffer is out at TE, Sujtca remains but may move to D.  2 TE recruits can make up for the loss provided they can block which is usually what the TE does in ths offense.

Jake May is listed as an OL but moved to DL last year and had a strong season.  Add Genovese and Calderone and that makes a nice front 3 to start with.

Even with Spring , Z and Jefferies gone, 4 OL with starting experience remain.

The pieces are there for at least 2 more strong seasons, but like I've said before, if this team works as hard as they did last year with that chip on their shoulder than they will be fine.  If they lose focus and get too full of themselves after last years success then it will be hard to repeat as a playoff team let alone as UAA champs. 

30 days.....

[ADL70]

I'll second that (ex)Tartan Player.  Thnx.

I didn't realize that Scholl was coming back for CMU.  You didn't mention the three returning CWRU TBs who shared the carries last year, Bush (injured after game four), Deitmen (All-UAA 2nd team), and Meyer.

I think the new schedule with Rochester in game two will help prevent the complacency that might have prevailed if the schedule would have featured the same first three games against NCAC teams who were nearly 0-for the last five or six years.

I was doing my own quantitative analysis based upon All-UAA players returning which gives an edge to WUStL over CMU.

CWRU      7 1st team    8 2nd team
Wash U   4                    6
CMU        2                    4
UChi        2                    2

I'm 95% sure Calderone is returning, so CWRU has 3 starting on the DL returning.  Three different players started at NT.  A freshman, Griffith, had moved up to starter after the first couple of games and when he was injured Mey moved from OL backup and earned All-UAA 2nd team honors.

It's not as easy to dig up info on PA HS players as it is for Ohio, but here's what I found on a couple of CWRU recruits from PA:

Brian Rice WR/DB from New Castle is a speedster.  His best time in the 110H, 14.86,  would have placed him ninth in last year's DIII national championship.  He was an All-County football allstar and returned both a punt and a KO for TDs.

Ed Revers a G from Greensburg CC participated in a Pittsburgh combine and was rated in the same group as a couple of D-I signees (MAC & CUSA).  Probably only his size (6'4 252) kept him from scholarship offers (BC may have had some interest).

[ExTartanPlayer]

Scholl did come in with my class, but he tore up his shoulder in our first scrimmage as freshmen and redshirted.

He graduated on time this spring and will be working on a Master's degree next year.

Another terrific example of the caliber of young man that plays football and goes to school in the UAA, and all of Division III.  They're not all angels, but there are a lot of great kids suiting up for these four schools.