Bucknell University Athletics
Bison Football Expects to Contend in Patriot League in 2004
8/5/2004 8:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 5, 2004
Lewisburg, Pa. - What a difference a year makes.
Twelve months ago new head coach Tim Landis had just completed his first spring practice, with the main task installing brand new systems on offense, defense and special teams. Player-coach relationships had yet to be solidly forged, and expectations still had to be clearly articulated and understood, particularly in light of the Bison's disappointing 2-9 record the previous fall.
Flash forward to the summer of 2004 and one can see a vast array of brushstrokes on that very same canvas. More than 60 players return, armed with a full year of knowledge tucked away, not only in terms of Xs and Os, but the understanding that the primary goal set before them is to compete for a Patriot League championship.
The championship drive begins on Monday, Aug. 9, with the start of preseason camp. The Bison veterans take the field for the first time at 8:15 a.m., with the newcomers set to work out at 3:15 p.m. Bucknell opens the season on Thursday, Sept. 2, at Villanova.
Tuesday, Landis and a handful of Bison players met with the media at Patriot League Media Day at Green Pond Country Club in Bethlehem, Pa. There, the league office revealed the annual preseason\ poll, and the Patriot League coaches and sports information directors picked Bucknell to finish fourth, behind Colgate, Lehigh and Fordham. Lafayette, Georgetown and Holy Cross rounded out the poll.
In Landis' first year at the helm, the Bison matched the greatest single-season turnaround in Patriot League history, improving from 0-7 in the league to 4-3. After being picked in the preseason to finish in eighth place again, Bucknell proved the pundits wrong and finished third. But Landis quickly dispels any notions that the rebuilding job is complete, and he is extremely excited for year No. 2 of his stewardship.
"It's in my nature to be optimistic," says Landis. "I go into every year with high expectations. But I also have to force myself to be realistic, and like most teams we do have some concerns going into the season, primarily regarding our team depth. It's hard to fix depth problems in one year. I thought coming in that it would take two to three years to get us back on track, and I think with a very fine recruiting class coming in, we are well on our way. We have also had some injuries of a relatively serious nature that have kept players out for prolonged periods, and some of those guys are still question marks as we enter this season."
When Landis compares his team now to the one he inherited a year ago, the most notable area of improvement that he cites is the Bison defense. Bucknell ranked seventh in the Patriot League in total defense last season, but with nine full-time starters returning this fall, Landis feels that his defensive unit could be one of the Patriot League's best in 2004.
 Dante Ross is not only an electrifying kick returner, but also a returning starter at cornerback.  |
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"Our core group is back, and it has grown and improved tremendously," says Landis of his defense, which did prove to be extremely opportunistic a year ago, ranking 11th nationally with 33 forced turnovers.
Defensive coordinator Tripp Merritt returns for his second season and welcomes back deep arsenals at inside linebacker and in the secondary. The defensive line, which had to be completely rebuilt last season, has been a source of concern, but Landis feels it is a rapidly improving bunch that could produce some fierce preseason battles.
"We have what I consider to be two All-Patriot League caliber players up front in Sean Conover and Corey Mayo, and Kevin Ransome is one of the best in the league at linebacker," notes Landis. "With Virgil Rush returning at free safety, to borrow a baseball term, we a very strong `up the middle' on defense."
Bucknell's spread option offense this season will be orchestrated by first-year offensive coordinator Tim Camp, who takes over for Ian Shields who joined the staff at Cal Poly during the offseason. Camp is extremely well-versed in the option, having played in that system as an offensive lineman at Oregon State and coached in it for nearly a decade.
The good news for Camp is that many of his key parts return in 2004, starting with quarterback Daris Wilson. As a junior in 2003, Wilson battled an ankle injury for part of the season, but when healthy he proved to be a terrific option quarterback. He was able to display his tremendous athleticism, as well as conquer the difficult mental side of the option's decision-making.
The Bison will also be well-stocked at fullback and on the offensive line, where five starters return, while the wide receiver and slotback positions have some unknowns.
Bucknell is also fortunate to return all of its key cogs on special teams, including its top kicker, punter, return man and long snapper. Following is a position-by-position breakdown heading into the 2004 preseason.
OFFENSIVE OUTLOOK
QUARTERBACK
While incumbent starter Daris Wilson returns for his senior season in 2004, the Bison are fortunate to bring back three senior quarterbacks, all of whom have started games at the varsity level.
Wilson converted to quarterback last season after playing wide receiver as a freshman and sophomore. A former option QB at Archbishop Rummel High School in Louisiana, he was Landis' natural choice to fill the spot when the spread option was installed at Bucknell last year. And Wilson did not disappoint. He rushed for 720 yards and five touchdowns, finishing second nationally in rushing yards among quarterbacks. Wilson also showed off a strong, accurate throwing arm and completed 61.1 percent of his passes (58-95) while tossing only three interceptions. Perhaps his most impressive performance came in a stirring 31-10 road victory over defending Patriot League champion and then-14th-ranked Fordham. In that game he ran for 199 yards and two touchdowns, breaking school and league marks for rushing yards by a quarterback.
When Wilson went down with an ankle injury midway through the season, John Henry Jackson stepped right in and helped lead the Bison to a 53-31 league win over Holy Cross. He logged 242 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and a pair of rushing scores in that contest. For the season he completed 31 of 53 passes for 483 yards and three touchdowns and was only intercepted once.
Senior Cole Ciesnolevicz started a handful of games in 2002 and drew the starting nod in the Lafayette game last season when both Wilson and Jackson were sidelined by injuries. Ciesnolevicz was 8-for-17 for 146 yards and a TD last season.
"The quarterback is the first guy you look to in any offense," says Landis. "Last year we had a new offense and an unproven guy, but now everyone's a year older, and we couldn't be more excited. Daris Wilson has proven himself to be one of the best running quarterbacks in the nation, and we have two experienced backups in John Henry Jackson and Cole Ciesnolevicz."
Something to keep an eye on this fall is the development of three rookie quarterbacks -- Ryan Ahern, Terrance Wilson and Josh Kaehler. One of them will be the likely successor to this senior trio.
RUNNING BACK
The good news for Landis and the Bison is that last year's leading rusher returns in junior fullback Blamah Sarnor. Not only did he adeptly handle the change from a tailback position in a pro-style offense to the key fullback spot in the spread option, but Sarnor displayed the same explosiveness he showed when he was named Bucknell's top newcomer in 2002.
Sarnor led the team and ranked fourth in the Patriot League in rushing last season with 928 yards, which was the 10th-highest single-season total in school history. He also led the squad and ranked ninth in the PL with seven rushing touchdowns. Sarnor had five 100-yard rushing games, including a career-high 148-yard effort against Lehigh.
Sophomore Rich Bennett and freshman Josh DeStefano will also vie for time at the fullback position, which is the key initial read in the triple option. Bennett averaged 6.9 yards per carry with the jayvees last season, gaining 132 yards on 19 carries.
One of the offense's biggest strengths this time a year ago, the slotback position now represents one of the most significant question marks. Last year's leading rusher among the slots, Tim Johnson (333 yards, 6 TD), has graduated. Ed Cortez, a promising freshman who started the final game of last season, elected not to return to the team, and veteran Rapheal Hammond missed most of spring practice with an injury.
Frank Lazio, who played both fullback and slot in an injury-filled 2003 season, is the most experienced returning slotback. The hard-nosed senior rushed for 149 yards in nine games last season, including a 114-yard, three-touchdown performance in a win at Delaware State early in the season.
Sophomore Peter Kaufman was impressive at the junior varsity level last season and received a truckload of spring reps. Kaufman averaged a team-best 7.5 yards per carry (14-105, 2 TD) with the jayvees in 2003. Senior Anthony Lovelace moved out from fullback during the spring and will battle for time as well. Sophomore Kenny Davis transferred to Bucknell from St. Mary's (Calif.) and could quickly contend for a starting berth. "Slot is obviously a concern as we sit here in the summertime," Landis notes. "But in the future it's going to be a real strength, with young guys like Greg Sutton, Corin Erby, Roosevelt Davis and Cameron O'Reilly coming in with a lot of acclaim. The question is just how soon we can play them."
WIDE RECEIVER
At wideout Bucknell will have to replace the graduated Albert Marquardt, one of the school's all-time leading receivers who topped the club with 35 catches for 682 yards last season. This year's "go-to" man will be senior Nisan Trotter, who was second to Marquardt in both catches (21) and receiving yards (234) a year ago.
"We have to put Nisan in situations where he can make plays for us," said Landis. "He is one of our best athletes, and he will take over Bert Marquardt's role as our big-play receiver. We'll be relying heavily on him."
Spring practice gave Landis and Camp an opportunity to take an extended look at sophomore Richard Simpson, a highly-recruited athlete who caught seven passes for 129 yards and three touchdowns in a pair of jayvee appearances last season, and they were impressed with what they saw. Juniors Mike Cangelosi and Matt Miller have both been set back by injury, but both are also potential starters if healthy.
Senior Ian Nutt caught a key TD pass against Holy Cross last season, and in addition to competing for time as a wide receiver, he will occasionally serve as a tight end in formations that call for one.
OFFENSIVE LINE
While Bucknell did graduate two-time All-Patriot Leaguer Rashad Stallworth and veterans Andrew Cinamella and Steve Kerr, the Bison bring back five offensive linemen who made varsity starts last season.
Seniors Aaron DeGraffenreidt and Justin Gibson, along with junior Stephen Watts, were full-time starters a year ago. Watts was the most versatile of the group, playing center, guard and tackle last season, his first as a starter. He will likely play center in 2004, giving him the responsibility of making the line calls at the line of scrimmage. DeGraffenreidt, who studied in Paris last semester and did not participate in spring practice, performed well at guard, and Gibson will likely occupy one of the tackle spots. DeGraffenreidt has played in every game over the last two seasons, while Gibson has played in 21 of 23.
 Stephen Watts will be one of the leaders of Bucknell's veteran offensive line. |
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Also back are two experienced linemen in senior Jon Scharf and junior Eric Becker. While Scharf emerged late last season, starting three of the final four games of the campaign, Becker made seven starts in the middle of the season. Becker missed spring practice with an injury.
Sophomores Mike Boccella and Stefan Niemczyk are up-and-coming young players who could vie for Stallworth's vacated guard spot. Senior Steven Utke, junior Craig Swanson and sophomores Joel Hoffer and Kris Cooper will also vie for starting roles.
"I'm very comfortable with our offensive line situation," said Landis. "We return four key guys in Stephen Watts at center, as well as Justin Gibson, Jon Scharf and Aaron DeGraffenreidt. With Eric Becker coming back from injury and sophomores Mike Boccella and Stefan Niemczyk taking every snap in the spring, we feel like we have seven guys who could start for us right now."
DEFENSIVE OUTLOOK
DEFENSIVE LINE
Defensive coordinator Tripp Merritt and defensive line coach Jared Backus were forced to completely rebuild the line at the start of last season following the graduation of three all-star caliber players, including two-time All-America nose guard Adam Lord. Forced to go with a host of younger players, the line struggled at times last season -- the Bison generated only nine sacks in the first 11 games of the season before logging five against Georgetown in the season finale. The good news is that three of the four starters return, and are all another year stronger and another year wiser.
Heading the cast are senior tackle Corey Mayo and junior end Sean Conover, both of whom Landis thinks can be All-Patriot League players. Mayo is one of the most experienced players on the entire defense, taking over as a starter late in his freshman year. Last year he made 50 tackles, had three sacks and led the team with three fumble recoveries. Conover switched from tight end to defensive end prior to last season, started every game and showed off his raw potential. A towering presence at 6'5", Conover kept getting better and better as the season progressed and finished as the team leader in sacks with four. He made 43 tackles, forced three fumbles and batted down three passes at the line of scrimmage.
Landis feels that two of the most heated battles in spring camp will be at the other two defensive line positions. At the other end spot, juniors Brandon Bailey, Andrew Decker and Chris Praylo will compete for the starting position, although all three are likely to see significant action this fall. Of the three, Decker led the way in the tackle department with 21 last season, including two for losses. Bailey had nine tackles and a sack, while Praylo recorded six stops.
Another threesome leads the way in the battle for the defensive tackle spot vacated by the graduated Shawn Tidwell. Junior Jacob Burney and sophomores Michael Hardman and Michael Anthony all boast excellent size and athleticism. Burney saw the most action of the three last season, appearing in all 12 games while recording 10 tackles and one sack.
Sophomore Nick DeFeo is battling back from a knee injury that cut short his rookie season.
"The pass rush has been a point of emphasis during the offseason," Landis stresses. "With the experience these guys now have, combined with their physical maturation and work in the weight room, we will be better. Sean Conover is a guy that other teams will always have to know where he is."
Mark Oppong, a 6'4", 295-pound specimen, is one of the team's most highly regarded recruits, and one preseason publication has billed him as the Patriot League's top newcomer. Ryan Walsh, Brandon Friday, Jonathan Grainger and Jeffrey Wolf are also promising freshmen on the defensive line.
LINEBACKER
Entering the season the Bison appear to be loaded at the inside linebacker positions, but experience is much less prevalent at the outside linebacker, or "knocker" spots.
Senior Kevin Ransome, Bucknell's lone returning All-Patriot Leaguer, will anchor the defense from his inside linebacker spot. Ransome led the league in total tackles with 116 and ranked third in tackles per game a year ago. That figure was the most by a Bison defender since Willie Hill logged 133 hits in 1997, and it was the 15th-best total in school history.
 Kevin Ransome is Bucknell's lone returning All-Patriot League selection. |
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Ransome had seven double-digit tackle games in 2003, including a career-high 17 in a 14-10 Patriot League victory over Towson. He also had 13 tackles and a huge fourth-quarter forced fumble in the Bison's 31-10 upset of 14th-ranked Fordham.
Senior Mike Shover studied abroad and missed spring camp, but he should again be one of the team's top defenders this fall. He made 41 tackles last season and had a key interception in the win at Fordham. Sophomore Dorian Petersen started a pair of games late in the season at inside linebacker and was very impressive. He was named the Patriot League Freshman of the Week after posting a game-high 11 tackles in a season-ending win over Georgetown. Petersen appeared in nine games for the Bison last season and finished with 35 tackles (19 solo). He was the only freshman defensive player to start a game.
Senior David Ulmer played both inside and outside linebacker last season and will move back inside this spring. Ulmer tied for fourth on the team with 54 tackles in 2003 and also added his first career interception in the Columbia game.
"Our two middle linebacker positions are real solid," says Landis. "We return two starters there in Kevin Ransome and Mike Shover, while Dorian Petersen could very well win a starting job. David Ulmer also moves back inside, giving us four guys with starting experience.
"Our least experienced position on the defensive side is the knocker spots," adds Landis. "We'll have two new starters there."
It appears that senior Jeffrey Montagna and junior James Lachman will enter camp favored to start at the knocker positions. Montagna has been a role player for the Bison throughout his career, playing mostly in the secondary and on special teams. Lachman, back from a leg injury that cost him the last four games of last season, was on the verge of nailing down a starting berth just prior to the injury. Sophomore Stephen Matzura is a highly regarded defender from nearby Mount Carmel High School. He missed most of last season with a shoulder injury, but should bounce back as a solid contributor on defense and special teams.
The Bison also have a host of exciting young freshmen coming on board this fall, including Bryan Czop, Peter Salvatore and Craig Kostelic inside and Doug Mackenzie, Andrew Guadagno and Ryan Slater outside. St. Mary's transfer Tyler Hoffman, a Lewis-burg native, will also contend for time at OLB.
DEFENSIVE BACK
Bucknell returns all three starters, plus depth, in the defensive secondary. At cornerback, fifth-year senior Jerome Acy and junior Dante Ross will regain their starting positions, while senior Virgil Rush should again be a force at free safety.
Despite missing time late in the year with an ankle injury, Rush finished third on the team and 16th in the Patriot League with 72 tackles. Acy and Rush both tied for third in the Patriot League with four interceptions. Acy, who sat out all of the 2002 campaign with a back injury, was the team's fourth-leading tackler with 54, including 40 solo hits.
 Virgil Rush was one of the Bison's top tacklers from his free safety position a year ago. |
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In addition to developing into one of the league's premier return men, Ross also sparkled in his first season as a starting cornerback in 2003. He led the squad with nine pass breakups, picked off two passes and made 38 tackles (30 solo) in 10 games.
Also sure to see plenty of field time is senior Joe Glenn. As a part-time starter last fall, Glenn led the Patriot League and ranked among the national leaders in interceptions with six. He made three in the very first game of the season against Duquesne, and then one week later he broke the school record with a 90-yard interception return for a touchdown. Glenn made 52 tackles in 12 games last season, including one sack.
Also in the preseason the Bison coaching staff will be eying the development of sophomore corner David Frisbey, a promising young athlete. Senior Anthony Lewis, a former starting cornerback who missed all of last season with an injury, is back with the team, although he studied off campus in the spring semester and did not participate in spring drills. Lewis will attempt a comeback this fall.
"The real nice thing about the secondary is that we are not forced to throw a lot of young guys in there and hand them jobs," says Landis. "Jerome Acy and Virgil Rush are just the kind of veteran players we hope to continue to have in our program, and I really think that this could be a breakout year for Dante Ross. He's already a star on special teams returning kicks, but he has really come into his own as a defensive corner."
Sophomore Luis Flores, who missed virtually all of last season with a knee injury, is also vying for time in the secondary. Cornerback Matt Catalano and safeties Stephen Collage and John Thomson are freshmen defensive backs.
SPECIAL TEAMS
"The Three Ryans" -- senior punter Ryan Berry, sophomore placekicker Ryan Korn and junior kickoff specialist Ryan Bower -- all return for the Bison in 2004. Korn was a Patriot League Freshman of the Year candidate after breaking the school record with 14 field goals last season. The left-footer booted a career-long 43-yard field goal against Holy Cross and made 14 of 19 attempts on the season, including 3 of 4 from beyond 40 yards. Korn also made 24 of 27 extra-point attempts.
Berry had an up-and-down year in his first go-round as Bucknell's starting punter. He averaged 34.9 yards per kick and dropped eight of his 50 attempts inside the 20-yard line.
Junior Dante Ross gives the Bison a potential game-breaker returning both punts and kickoffs. He led the Patriot League in punt-return average (13.7) and ranked second in kick return average (26.9) a year ago. Ross returned a punt 46 yards for a touchdown in the Cornell game, marking the only punt return TD in the Patriot League all season. He also had a big 81-yard kickoff return in a win over Holy Cross, setting up a game-tying touchdown in what would be a 53-31 Bison victory.
Another key returnee on special teams is junior long-snapper Jeff Orazi, a former walk-on who has done a fine job in that capacity.
"We are light years ahead of last year on special teams," says Landis. "Not just because we return two kickers and a punter, but we also return a strong nucleus of guys who played on special teams. And with a big freshman class coming in, we feel some of those players will be able to make an impact."
