Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Football Spring Update
4/9/2006 8:00:00 AM | Football
April 9, 2006
LEWISBURG, Pa. -- The ninth of 15 spring practices came on a busy Sunday afternoon for the Bucknell football squad. First, the Bison hosted their annual Family Fun Fest under sparkling blue skies at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, then many youngsters stuck around to watch the team's practice session.
Well over a hundred area youths took part in the Fun Fest activities, which included skills sessions such as passing, kicking and punting stations, in addition to an agility course and a scrimmage area. Bucknell student-athletes and coaches conducted the drills. The Bison cheerleaders also taught routines and ran a face-painting station, while play-by-play announcer Doug Birdsong conducted demonstrations in the press box.
Once the Fun Fest activities ended, head coach Tim Landis put his squad through another productive practice session. The team will also work out on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week and Tuesday and Thursday of next week, in preparation for the Apr. 22 Orange vs. Blue spring game.
Below are some Bison football briefs and an offseason outlook. For more, check out the Bucknell Spring Prospectus.
• Sunday marked the one-year anniversary of the death of Mark Oppong, a promising freshman defensive lineman who passed away suddenly from a viral infection on Apr. 9, 2005. On Sunday, the team remembered Mark with a brief service at the tree that was planted in his honor adjacent to Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium a year ago.
This tree was planted in memory of Mark Oppong. Sunday was the one-year anniversary of his sudden passing.  |
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• Bucknell saw its streak of finishing .500 or better in nine out of 10 seasons come to an end last year with its 1-10 record. Over that decade span from 1995-2004, the Bison won 63 games, the most in any 10-year period in school history.
• Last season WR Daniel Zvara became the second Bucknell freshman to ever lead the team in receptions. Zvara led the squad with 15 receptions, two more than RB Josh DeStefano. The only other Bison freshman to post the most catches was Mike Guerrini (44) in 1987.
• Bucknell had three players named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Team last year. OL Michael Boccella, K Ryan Bower and DB David Frisbey were all first-team selections last season. Bucknell has claimed 35 all-district honorees since 1981, including at least one in each of the last six years. Additionally, the Bison had a Patriot League-high 24 players selected to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
• With a number of injuries last season that forced DB Dante Ross into the quarterback role, there is sure to be a battle for that position this season. Junior QB Terrance Wilson was the openingday starter last season, but a broken jaw suffered in that season opener against Georgetown ended his season after just one game. Underclassman QB Ryan Ahern also started games last season, but was hampered by injuries as well. Another prospect is sophomore-to- be QB Andrew Lair, who is new to the program after transferring from Navy. Lair is enrolled at Bucknell and is participating in spring practice.
• One advantage of Bucknell battling so many injuries last year is the added experience a number of younger players were able to gain. While a number of new faces broke into the starting lineup last year, 15 starters return this season, including eight on the offensive side of the ball. Among the offensive players to watch are young receivers Daniel Zavara and Zach Allen, backs Josh DeStefano, Peter Kaufman and Kadero Watson, and returning starting linemen Stefan Niemczyk, Chad Glasser and Jonathan Grainger. On defense the Bison will return seven starters, including the team's top three tacklers last season in LB Ryan Slater (84), LB Dorian Petersen (78) and DB Stephen Collage (69). Both starting cornerbacks return in David Frisbey and Devon Lutz, while Ryan Walsh will be the lone returning starter on the defensive line.
• Bucknell went just 1-4 in Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium last season, but still owns an impressive 309-150-13 all-time record at home.
2006 Bucknell Spring Outlook
Spring is often a time to look ahead at the upcoming warm weather, summer vacation and exciting outdoor activities rather than back at the long, cold winter months. For the Bucknell football team spring could not come soon enough. With the commencement of spring practice the Bison are finally able to put a 2005 season that featured just one victory in their rearview mirror. Instead they can now look ahead at a 2006 season that will feature 15 starters returning from last year's squad that was plagued by a rash of injuries at key positions.
Bucknell head coach Tim Landis and his staff are excited to have so many experienced players in camp as they try to get the Bison to ascend the Patriot League standings this fall. Even though the majority of starters do return, Bucknell has holes at key positions like quarterback and defensive line that must be filled. Luckily, Landis has seen a number of quality candidates at each position.
"It is nice having so many experienced guys in camp," said Landis. "Practice moves along a lot more efficiently with the veterans. We have built more depth than in past years."
While Bucknell has stability on the field, there has been some changes in the coaching staff, most notably on the offensive side. Ashley Ingram, who spent the last six seasons as an assistant at Rhode Island, has replaced Tim Camp as the offensive coordinator and takes over the reins of the spread option offense. Additionally, Pat Kingman was hired as the new defensive line coach and Steve Vashel took over as the safeties coach. Other new faces include a bright crop of 33 recruits who will join 66 upperclassmen this fall.
For now, the returning players, plus two transfers from the group of newcomers, will try to impress the coaches during spring practice.
Here is a position-by-position outlook midway through spring practice:
OFFENSE
QUARTERBACK
As was the case last spring, many eyes are focused on the quarterback position. Last year, rising junior Terrance Wilson won the starting quarterback slot over classmate Ryan Ahern, replacing All-Patriot League performer Daris Wilson, but suffered a broken jaw in the season opener against Georgetown and missed the rest of the year.
Wilson's injury led to the emergence of then-senior Dante Ross, a potential all-conference cornerback, as the team's quarterback last year. Despite never playing the position before Ross was named the team's Most Valuable Player after rushing for a team-high 845 yards and nine touchdowns. In only his second game at quarterback, Ross rushed for 268 yards - a Bucknell and Patriot League record for a quarterback - and scored three touchdowns in a 27-7 win over Marist.
With Ross graduating in May and Wilson now healthy, another battle for the starting position is underway with four quarterbacks in the mix.
"Watching position battles develop is a fun part of spring football," commented Landis.
It appears newcomer Andrew Lair, a transfer from the U.S. Naval Academy who is already enrolled at Bucknell and taking part in spring practice, will be Wilson's biggest challenge for the starting position, while Ahern is not far behind that duo. Also in the mix will be Ben Bouffard, who saw action in one game as a freshman and continues to improve according to Landis.
In his only game of the season Wilson nearly led the Bison to a victory over Georgetown, but the Bison lost 19-16 in overtime. He ran for a team-high 83 yards on 25 carries and completed 2 of 4 passes for 37 yards.
Lair has impressed the staff with his strong throwing arm during spring practice.
More of a running threat, Ahern has continued to make strides this spring after seeing action in seven games last year. He completed 6 of 14 passes for 49 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed 43 times for 131 yards.
RUNNING BACKS/RECEIVERS
While there is plenty of inexperience at quarterback, the other members of the backfield spent plenty of time on the field last season.
Josh DeStefano is the returning starter at fullback, but is in a battle with Kevin Mullen this spring. Landis likes to have two fullbacks ready to play in his spread option attack and is having fun watching the two Pennsylvania products battle it out.
DeStefano was third on the team in rushing with 297 yards and one touchdown last season as he made 10 starts. He also caught 13 balls out of the backfield for 98 yards.
Mullen, one of the team's most vocal players, moved from linebacker to fullback early in the season, and he started the final game of the season at fullback against Holy Cross and rushed for 62 yards and a pair of touchdowns. On the season, Mullen carried 22 times for 109 yards and three scores.
Rising senior Peter Kaufman and second-year player Kadero Watson are the projected starters at the slotback positions. Kaufman started nine games and appeared in all 11 last season, when he was the team's fifth-leading rusher with 212 yards.
Watson was a welcome addition to the Bison backfi eld as a rookie. The team's second-leading rusher with 299 yards, Watson started the final four games of the season and five overall. He led the squad in yards per carry (6.4) and his 51-yard scamper in the fi nal game of the season against Holy Cross was the longest by a Bucknell player last year. Watson finished with 140 yards on 14 carries opposite the Crusaders.
Roosevelt Davis, who moved from slotback to cornerback last spring, but was not with the team last fall, has returned to the roster and his customary slotback position. Landis expects him to challenge for a starting position.
At wide receiver, Landis has a number of options. Sophomores-to-be Daniel Zvara and Zach Allen, who combined for 11 starts as rookies, should hold down the two starting positions. Zvara led the team with 15 catches and 292 yards (19.5 ypc), while the 6-3 Allen grabbed five balls for 57 yards.
Sure-handed Andrew Guadagno and a healthy Alex Odenbach are expected to add depth at receiver. Richard Simpson, who will be a senior in the fall and started six games last season, is overcoming a pair of surgeries this spring.
OFFENSIVE LINE
With three starters returning - guards Jonathan Grainger and Stefan Niemczyk, and tackle Chad Glasser - Landis has been pleased with his offensive line, which he expects to be solid in 2006.
Michael Anthony, who will be a senior in the fall, is the frontrunner to move into the starting lineup at right tackle.
In addition to the trio of returning starters and Anthony, Landis thinks Joel Hoffer, who started a handful of games last year, Michael Boccella and Nicholas DeFeo will garner plenty of playing time. Hoffer is the frontrunner to start at center, while DeFeo can play either guard position. Boccella is studying abroad this spring.
Greg Conti, Stephen Cooney, Stephen Rivera, Corey Teitz and Greg Wissman are also in the mix at offensive line.
DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINE
Defensive line was perhaps Bucknell's strongest position last year with All-American Sean Conover and classmates Brandon Bailey, Jacob Burney and Andrew Decker all logging time there. This year all are gone to graduation and junior-to-be Ryan Walsh is the lone returning starter.
With all the seniors that graduated from the defensive line, a number of new faces will grace the Bucknell lineup. Among them are Stephen Edwards and Kurt Schneider, who Landis sees as the frontrunners for the end positions.
Brandon Friday, who saw action in five games last year, and Walsh are expected to hold down the two defensive tackle positions. Walsh finished with 28 tackles last year.
Veterans Craig Kostelic, who has moved from linebacker to defensive line, and Michael Hardman should challenge for starting positions as they see their roles increase from last year.
LINEBACKER
While the defensive line was the strongest contingent of Bucknell's defense last year, that honor may go to the linebacker corps this season with rising senior Dorian Petersen and third-year player Ryan Slater anchoring the defense from their linebacker positions.
The winner of the team's Clarke Hinkle Award, given to the most outstanding linebacker or defensive back on the Bison, Petersen had an outstanding 2005 season, despite missing the final game of the year with a knee injury. In 10 games he finished second on the team in tackles with 78, including six for loss. He logged a career-high three interceptions, the last of which he returned for a touchdown on the first play of the game at Colgate. Petersen led the team with seven pass deflections.
In his first year as a starter Slater, a local product from Southern Columbia High School, led the team with 84 tackles. He had a teamhigh nine tackles and broke up a pair of passes against Colgate for his best performance last year.
Another veteran, Matt Palermo, who was eighth on the team with 32 tackles, should also hold down a starting position at linebacker.
Landis singled out Julius Hopson, who appeared in all 11 games last year and made 25 tackles, as having an excellent spring as he attempts to break into the starting lineup.
A pair of sophomores, Todd Manjuck and James Streapy, have been converted from safeties to linebackers, a position change Landis likes to make to increase the overall team speed, and will push the starters.
Another sophmore-to-be, Sam Williams, has shown great improvement during the spring and could earn valuable playing time in the fall.
DEFENSIVE BACK
With the shifting of Dante Ross from defensive back to quarterback, plenty of other players got a chance to show their abilities in the defensive backfield last year.
Landis feels confi dent about entering the season with Devon Lutz and David Frisbey at the cornerback position. Both appeared in all 11 contests last year with Frisbey recording 54 tackles and Lutz garnering 22.
Nolan Applegate impressed Landis in brief action last year and should compete for playing time at cornerback.
At free safety, soon-to-be-junior Stephen Collage is the returning starter, but second-year player Harrison Baker is pushing him hard. Collage was third on the team with 69 tackles and had one interception last year.
Baker, who has changed positions from running back to safety, is the most improved player and hardest hitter on the team, according to Landis.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Familiar faces Phil Azarik and Will Carney will handle much of the kicking duties for Bucknell in 2006.
As a rookie Azarik averaged 36.0 yards per punt despite battling mono for part of the season.
Carney, who made 5 of 7 field goals last year, including 2 of 2 from longer than 40 yards, is expected to handle much of the kicking duties. Toby Cressman will split time kicking off with Carney.
Veteran kickers Peter Cotter, Matt DeMartino and Ryan Korn are all studying abroad this spring.
With Ross, the 2004 Patriot League Special Teams Player of the Year, gone, there is a gaping hole at punt returner. Applegate and Zvara, who has a knack for making defenders miss, are expected to fill in for Ross, who returned 19 of Bucknell's 21 punts last year.
Kaufman, who handled 15 kickoffs last year, should take over for Ross as the primary kickoff returner. He averaged nearly 17 yards per return. Watson should also become a dangerous return man alongside Kaufman.
One challenge for Bucknell will be replacing Jeff Orazi, a four-year long snapper.
