Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Football Opens Preseason Camp Friday
8/6/2008 8:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 6, 2008
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The 123rd season of Bucknell football gets underway this Friday, Aug. 8, when the Bison begin preseason camp. Friday's workout is the first of 20 practices before fall semester classes begin Wednesday, Aug. 27.
The team, which consists of 92 players, will report to campus on Thursday and participate in a day of equipment fitting, physicals and meetings. Friday's practice is slated for 3 p.m. at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium.
Sixth-year head coach Tim Landis and the Bison will turn their attention to their Sept. 6 opener against Duquesne following the completion of preseason camp.
Below is a practice schedule for preseason camp. Please note that this schedule is subject to change due to weather conditions or other factors.
2008 Preseason Camp Schedule:
Friday, Aug. 8: 3 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 9: 2:30 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 10: 2:30 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 11: 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 12: 2:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 13: 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 14: 8 a.m., 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 15: 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 16: 11 a.m.
Sunday, Aug. 17: Off
Monday, Aug. 18: 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 19: 8 a.m., 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 20: 2:30 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 21: 2:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 22: 8:30 a.m.
Saturday, Aug. 23: 2:30 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 24: 8:30 a.m.
Monday, Aug. 25: Off
Tuesday, Aug. 26: 2:30 p.m.
2008 Promotional Schedule:
Sept. 6 vs. Duquesne (6 p.m.)
- Bison Backers Pre-game Tailgate (4 p.m.), Bison Land Inflatables, Honoring of Bucknell's Spring Sport Patriot League Championship Teams
Sept. 20 vs. Cornell (6 p.m.)
- University Picnic (4 p.m.), Bison Land Inflatables
Oct. 11 vs. Hofstra (1 p.m.)
- Community Day, Take-A-Kid to the Game Day, Band Day – Hawthorne Caballeros Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps, Bison Land Inflatables
Oct. 25 vs. Colgate (1 p.m.)
- Bucknell University Homecoming, Hall of Fame Induction, Bison Land Inflatables
Nov. 8 vs. Lafayette (1 p.m.)
- Bucky Bobblehead Giveaway, Bison Land Inflatables
Nov. 22 vs. Fordham (1 p.m.)
- Senior Day, Coca-Cola Day
For tickets to Bucknell Football home games, please contact the Campus Box Office at 570-577-1000.
2008 Season Preview:
As often happens with youthful football teams, Bucknell was saddled with inconsistency in 2007. On those Saturdays when the offense was cruising, the defense failed to come up with the key stop. On other days when the defense put the team in position to win, the offense was stifled.
But for three hours in the Bronx in the final game of the season, everything clicked at once. The offense produced four plays of 50 yards or longer, including an 82-yard, Marcello Trigg-to-A.J. Kizekai touchdown strike on the second play of the day. The defense came up with two big interceptions and two fourth-down stops. Will Carney kicked a critical second-half field goal and the special teams coverage was nearly flawless. The result was an emotional 38-24 road victory over 18th-ranked Fordham, a team that had been unbeaten the Patriot League and went on to represent the league in the NCAA Tournament.
While the victory put a lid on a 3-8 season, head coach Tim Landis said immediately after the game that he hoped the performance would provide momentum heading into 2008. If offseason morale is any indication, Landis' wishes may just be playing out. Under the guidance of new strength and conditioning coordinator John Field, the Bison completed one of their best winter workouts of Landis' five-year tenure at Bucknell. That led to a productive spring camp, in which many veterans appeared noticeably stronger, and injuries were at a minimum.
After commenting at the end of spring practice that team chemistry was at an all-time high, Landis was thrilled to announce that more than 50 players would be spending the summer in Lewisburg, where they can take advantage of the team's workout facilities and further strengthen that comradeship.
“The win over Fordham was a great springboard into the offseason,” said Landis, who is entering his sixth season at Bucknell. “The team's attitude has just been tremendous. There has been a renewed enthusiasm in the weight room since the end of last year. We are really preaching team chemistry. The way to improve in that area is to spend time together, and that's what they have been doing this summer. I just think the commitment of this group is going to show. It's going to make us a better football team.”
Among the returnees are 62 players who were on the roster last season, including 35 lettermen. Bucknell was marked, and sometimes hindered, by youth last season — 25 players on the two-deep for the Fordham game were either freshmen or sophomores — but the 2008 edition should be a bit more experienced, and certainly much deeper.
Returning starters litter the preseason depth chart at every position except the offensive line, and in some units there should be heated battles for starting assignments in August camp.
The Bison bring back eight starters on defense — nine if you include junior linebacker Sam Nana-Sinkam, who started every game as a freshman before missing all of last season after shoulder surgery. In fact, there are 15 defensive players coming back who have started at least one game in his career. The return of Nana-Sinkam, an all-conference caliber player in the middle of the field, could be big for the defense, which also returns all four starters in the secondary. Nana-Sinkam looked great in the spring, and along with Greg Jones, Julius Hopson and Travis Nissley, the Bison will have four talented, experienced inside linebackers. Todd Manjuck, the team's leading tackler last year, comes back at one of the outside linebacker posts.
The defensive line took a bit of a hit with the loss of First Team All-Patriot League end Josh Eden to a two-year Mormon mission, but junior Will Braaf had an outstanding spring in Eden's stead, and senior Todd Rinaldo brings a barrelful of experience on the opposite end.
On the offensive side of the ball, Bucknell spent a good part of spring practice adjusting to the nuances of first-year offensive coordinator Harold Nichols, who took over for Ashley Ingram, now the offensive line coach at Navy. Nichols was previously the offensive coordinator at Rhode Island, which also ran an option style attack.
“Coach Nichols has brought an enthusiasm to the offensive side of the ball, and it's created real good chemistry and an excitement about what's going on,” said Landis. “I am excited to have Harold on board. One of his big focal points is evolving the passing game, and I think everyone is looking forward to that. It is great that he already knows our system so well, so there will not be a significant learning curve. At the same time, I think we will be more multi-dimensional in terms of formations. We want to get our best guys on the field in sets that will allow us to put the ball in their hands both in the running and passing games.”
Bucknell returns its starting quarterback in Marcello Trigg, a junior who already has 18 varsity games under his belt. Trigg has shown poise and toughness, not to mention an accurate throwing arm, during his two seasons in Orange and Blue. While the QB position was thin in the spring — Trigg, senior backup Ben Bouffard and converted wideout A.J. Pompliano were the only three signal callers in camp — there will be a flock of red jerseys on the practice field this fall. Four talented quarterbacks are part of the incoming recruiting class, and senior Andrew Lair, a starter during part of the 2006 season, returns to the team in 2008. The eight quarterbacks will be the most Bucknell has had under Landis.
Whether it is Trigg or a new face under center, the quarterback will have plenty of weapons from which to pick at wide receiver and running back. Junior slotback A.J. Kizekai is one of the most electrifying players in the Patriot League (three of his eight touchdowns were longer than 80 yards last year), and he is one of five slots with significant game experience. A spirited three-way battle figures to play out at fullback this preseason, and at wide receiver, speed burner Marlon Woods moves over from cornerback this year to complement returning starters Cale Cadman and Shaun Pasternak.
The one position on the roster that will not benefit from game experience is the offensive line. All five starters from the Fordham game will be unavailable this season. Four have graduated, including All-Patriot Leaguer Chad Glasser, and junior Ian Fullmer, who started every game at left guard in 2007, will be sidelined by a shoulder injury this year. Junior James Phelan, who began last year as a starter, does have some seasoning, and he can play either tackle or center. Senior Stephen Edwards, a former defensive lineman who missed spring ball while studying abroad, and sophomore Hesham Adbelaal are the only others who have taken a varsity snap.
“We feel really good about the skill positions,” Landis offered. “There is a lot coming back and good depth all around. We also feel good about the talent on the offensive line, but obviously there is inexperience there. The sophomores are really going to have to step up.”
On special teams, the Bison return two of the top kicking specialists in the league. Senior punter Phil Azarik averaged a school-record 41.1 yards per attempt last year, and senior kicker Will Carney has experience to go with a strong right leg. Kizekai was the First Team All-Patriot League kick return specialist in 2007 after averaging a league-high 25.9 yards per return, and the team's kickoff and punt coverage has been excellent the last few seasons.
Thirty-one newcomers join the veterans in reporting to Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium on Aug. 7, and the season begins almost a month later, on Sept. 6 at home against Duquesne, a team Bucknell defeated in Pittsburgh last season. In the four weeks in between, the Bison will surely think back to their experience at Fordham, and to the productive offseason that followed.
Below is a closer look at the 2008 Bucknell team, by position.
Quarterback
Reinforcements will be coming in the fall, but in the spring the Bison were thin at the quarterback position. Returning starter Marcello Trigg took most of the reps, with backup Ben Bouffard and converted wide receiver A.J. Pompliano backing him up. That trio has a leg up on the rest of what will be an eight-man quarterback crew, as Trigg, Bouffard and Pompliano have already become indoctrinated to new offensive coordinator Harold Nichols.
Trigg had a solid sophomore year in 2007, completing 64 of 133 passes for 1,130 yards and eight touchdowns. He threw only four interceptions all year and finished with a very good 133.32 efficiency rating, third-best in the Patriot League. Trigg, who also had a team-high five rushing touchdowns, showed off his quick-strike potential in that season-ending upset of Fordham, when he parlayed five pass completions into 214 yards and two scores.
“Marcello Trigg has come a long way,” said Landis. “He has played a lot of football, and it's easy to forget he's only going to be a junior. This was an important spring for him to get a jump on the competition, which we hope will be heavy in the fall. Ben Bouffard is a great program player with a tremendous attitude, and A.J. Pompliano has done a nice job coming over from wide receiver, and he has the ability to train at both positions.”
Senior Andrew Lair has returned after leaving the team early last season, but he studied abroad last semester and was not available for spring practice. He will be back in the fall along with four promising incoming freshmen quarterbacks: Burke Batten, C.J. Hopson, Matt Harbin and David Noshay.
“The freshmen quarterbacks are all very good, and I envision some great competition among them,” Landis said. “In preseason camp, we are going to give each of these guys a close look, but at the same time we're going to have to make some pretty quick decisions as to who the top guys are. We are obviously very excited about the depth and the talent at that position.”
Backfield
All-Patriot Leaguer A.J. Kizekai is the most prominent name in the offensive backfield, but a number of seasoned veterans will be back on the field this spring. Kizekai and Rashod Bumpers, both juniors, were the regular starting slotbacks last season, while classmates Justin Pulgrano and Josh Lee and senior Nolan Applegate all contributed as well. This is a versatile group, as each has made big plays as pass receivers as well as ballcarriers.
Kizekai was not only the team's leading rusher with 432 yards on 70 carries (6.2 average), but he was also a big-play receiver out of the backfield. He caught a team-high 17 passes for 363 yards (21.4) and four touchdowns. Bumpers averaged 4.9 yards per carry last season after coming back from a season-ending knee injury suffered early in 2006. Pulgrano flashed his potential with a 100-yard rushing game against Marist last year, and the coaches feel he might have had the best spring practice of anyone at the position. Lee caught two touchdown passes out of the backfield a year ago, while Applegate was productive after making a mid-season switch from defensive back to slotback.
At fullback, senior Kevin Mullen and sophomore Ryan Smith were both big contributors last season. Mullen, already a three-time winner of the team's ROTC leadership award, has six career rushing touchdowns. Smith ran for 130 yards and a touchdown on 37 carries as a freshman in 2007. Also in the mix at fullback is sophomore Shantz Medley, who was the leading rusher on the junior varsity squad last season.
“The backfield has really evolved into one of our stronger groups,” said Landis. “A.J. Kizekai and Rashod Bumpers have both played a lot of football for us, and both are only going to be juniors this year. A.J. has to be considered one of the best offensive players in our conference, and we obviously need to get the ball in his hands more this year. Pulgrano has come on really strong not just through the course of last season, but also in spring ball.
“At fullback, we have two experienced guys in Kevin Mullen and Ryan Smith. Kevin has played a ton for us, and Ryan I considered one of our best freshman players last season. And then Shantz Medley has really gotten better. He has great size and the speed to go with it. As he continues to develop, whether it's this year or in the future, he is going to be a contributor.”
Freshmen Brandon Besant and Jamil Crews come in with impressive high school resumes, and both speedsters will be in the mix in the backfield.
Wide Receiver
The Bison should also have a deep and talented corps of wide receivers in 2008, with the top three in the rotation all logging considerable field time in the past. Junior Cale Cadman and sophomore Shaun Pasternak finished last year as the starters, while senior Alex Odenbach has great hands and is also very capable. Throw in the athletic Marlon Woods, who moves over from defensive back, and two promising incoming freshmen in Gabe Skwara and Nathan Zurisko, and this could be one of the team's strengths this fall.
Cadman tied Kizekai for the team lead with 17 receptions last year. Pasternak averaged 20.2 yards on 13 catches and scored two touchdowns as a rookie.
“This might be the strongest group of wideouts we have had in my time here,” Landis noted. “Cale Cadman is a junior who has started for the better part of two seasons, and Shaun Pasternak really burst onto the scene last year and was arguably our best freshman player. He made some big plays. Marlon Woods moves over from corner to wide receiver, and that gives us a really good deep threat. He can really run, and we're excited about him. We have some other guys like Alex Odenbach that have been very reliable in doing the things we need. And we are also real excited about Nathan Zurisko and Gabe Skwara, who will add quality depth.”
Offensive Line/Tight End
The big men up front represent the biggest question mark in the program entering spring practice, only because four of the five starters at the end of the season have graduated, including an All-Patriot League selection in left tackle Chad Glasser and a three-year starter in right guard Jonathan Grainger, and the one returnee, junior Ian Fullmer, will likely miss considerable time this fall due to a shoulder injury. Fullmer started all 11 games at left guard last season.
Junior James Phelan began last year as a starter at right tackle before suffering an injury, and he brings the most game experience into the new campaign. Senior Stephen Edwards, who has seen some action on the line on special teams, returns from a semester abroad and will also be in contention for playing time at tackle. Despite the significant graduation hit, Landis feels the Bison have some young talent ready to take over.
“We are really excited about the sophomores,” said Landis. “There are three or four guys in that class who have the potential to be impact players. We see Paul Brazinski as someone who can take over for Greg Conti at center. Hesham Abdelaal got a taste of it last season and is probably best suited to play guard. Nick McLeod has shown a lot of promise at tackle, and Jason Vollmar had a good spring as well.”
Six incoming freshmen join the offensive line unit: Anthony Carter, Ian Dal Bello, Josh Phillip, Andre Shields, Richard Taylor and Fitz Williams. Williams is the largest of the group at 6'4”, 295 pounds.
“There are a lot of new faces, but that does not mean there is not talent,” said Landis of the offensive line. “They are young, but they are talented, so in the long run we feel that this is going to turn in to a real strength. The sophomores got a lot of work this spring, and they will get 29 more practices before we open. We feel like we brought in a real good group of freshmen, and I foresee one or two of them beginning the season on the two-deep and having a chance to contribute. Anthony Carter has an opportunity as a center. Ian Dal Bello is going to have a good opportunity at guard. He has the right build that we need, real solid and strong. Out at tackle, Richard Taylor will be a candidate. He's a little taller and leaner.
Sophomore Alex Lair is the lone returning tight end. Lair has shown great promise as both a receiver and a blocker, and he brings good size to the position at 6'4”, 225 pounds. Look for another player or two on the roster to get some reps at tight end as Lair's backup in preseason.
“Alex has really come along,” said Landis. “He gives us a good option when we get into some unbalanced sets. What we have to do is develop someone behind him.”
Defensive Line
Bucknell lost two senior defensive linemen in nose guards Ryan Walsh, a four-year starter, and Brandon Friday, while First Team All-Patriot Leaguer Josh Eden is taking the next two years off to serve a Mormon mission. The Bison still have plenty of experience, however, in senior Todd Rinaldo and junior Will Braaf. Sophomore John von Paris also jumped into the rotation as an interior lineman late in his rookie season, while classmate Kyle Boline returns as well.
Braaf played in every game last season, including five starts. Eight of his 27 tackles went for loss, and he ranked second to Eden on the team with three sacks. Rinaldo played through some injuries in 2007 but did have one sack among his 15 tackles. Young missed spring practice with an injury, but should be ready to go in the fall.
“To me, Will Braaf has made the most improvement of anyone on the defensive side of the ball over the last year,” praised Landis. “The more we look back at video from last season, the more we see Will Braaf stand out. In spring football, it was obvious he was becoming a leader on defense. He has all the attributes you need at the position. When you combine him with Todd Rinaldo, those three guys have all played a lot for us. A little more unsettled is the nose guard position. Jason Kolodziej is a former linebacker who we moved there. He has done a nice job, but he will be pushed by some young guys coming in.”
Defensive line was also a recruiting priority for the Bison, with five promising newcomers set to arrive on campus in August. Al Cabrejos and Michael Tonge, both 250-pounders, will come in as nose guards, while Ryan Boyer, Robert De La Rosa and Carson Rohrbaugh will start out as ends.
At the “stud” position, which is a hybrid defensive end/linebacker position, senior Marques Morgan returns after a fine debut season for the Bison, while senior Todd Manjuck, the team's leading tackler in 2007, moves up closer to the ball after playing the “sam,” or outside linebacker, position in the past. Morgan, who transferred from Sacramento City College prior to last season, had 36 tackles, a sack and two fumble recoveries a year ago. Manjuck, despite not becoming a starter until week four, led the squad with a career-high 76 tackles.
“Marques was our starter at the stud position the second half of last season, and I think with Todd Manjuck that gives us a strong combination there,” said Landis. “Todd had a great year last year, and with two guys capable of standing up and playing both the run and the pass, we will have good depth and talent at the position.”
Linebacker
Even with the loss of co-captain Ryan Slater and his 273 career tackles, linebacker should be one of Bucknell's deepest positions in 2008.
The outside “renegade” position should feature a heated battle between junior Casey Williams, who has started games at both safety and linebacker in his career, senior Chris Hayes and junior Josh Gornto, who also moves up from safety.
Williams logged a career-high 51 tackles last season, while Gornto made 27 in seven games, as he missed some time with an ankle injury. Hayes, who came to Bucknell as a running back, is a veteran who is looking to break into the lineup for the first time.
The Bison linebacker unit also gets a major boost from the return of junior Sam Nana-Sinkam, who missed all of last season after shoulder surgery. Nana-Sinkam was Bucknell's rookie of the year in 2006, when he made 85 tackles (49 solo) and two sacks. Nana-Sinkam, who plays the “will” linebacker spot, looked terrific in spring practice. He will be pushed by promising sophomore Travis Nissley, who made 45 tackles as a rookie last season.
At the other inside linebacker spot, the “mike” position, the battle between senior Julius Hopson and junior Greg Jones is still too close to call entering preseason. Regardless, both will see significant action this fall. Jones was the team's second-leading tackler a year ago, finishing with 65 stops while starting every game. Hopson, who might be pound-for-pound the team's hardest hitter, had 56 stops in a backup capacity last year.
“Our philosophy on defense is that we really need two guys at each position in order to stay fresh and change our looks, and Hopson and Jones give us that great combination,” said Landis. “We moved Hopson from the will to the mike to make room for Sam Nana-Sinkam's return, and then behind Sam you have Travis Nissley, who is going to be terrific. Since I've been at Bucknell I've never been able to talk about this much depth on defense. Now a lot of them are still young, but we were real young last year.”
Others to watch include improving sophomores Tyler Anderson and Luke Massaro; Snow College (Utah) transfer Josh Andersen; and freshmen Michael Allwin and Tim Bolte.
Defensive Back
At this time a year ago the Bison were faced with the daunting task of replacing all four starters in the defensive secondary. Bucknell had nothing but freshmen and sophomores in the two-deep at DB last season. The newcomers experienced some growing pains in 2007, but now the entire secondary is back intact with a full year of game action to their credit.
“In the back half of the defense we are fortunate to return all four starters,” said Landis. “It's unique for us to have that much experience back in the secondary, and we are looking forward to having them all back this spring working to get better.”
At cornerback, juniors Jason Davis and Brandon Simmons are returning starters, while senior Jay Harper had a magnificent spring practice and could just be another good preseason away from swiping some playing time. In 2007, Davis finished with 52 tackles, six pass breakups and a pair of interceptions, while Simmons logged 54 tackles and one pick.
Hard-hitting sophomore Jamal Briggs, who had a 100-yard interception return in the spring game, and freshmen Mike Cardinute, Joe D'Amelio and Bryce Robertson will add depth at corner.
“Corner was the area we were most concerned about at this time last year, without much depth and with no experience there,” said Landis. “But now with Brandon Simmons and Jason Davis back after starting every game last year, it's a much different picture this year. Jay Harper really had a great spring for us, and if he continues that development he has a chance to play. We are still developing Jamal Briggs at corner, and he has come a long way. We also targeted that position in recruiting, and I feel like we have three freshmen who will certainly add depth and fight for playing time this year.”
At the safety positions, sophomores Ahkiel White and Tyler McFarland along with junior Brigham Farrand have all played major minutes, and sophomore Rob Gerlach was one of the team's most improved players in the spring. That gives defensive coordinator Andrew Cohen four quality players for two spots. Throw in promising freshmen Frank DeNick and Sean Rafferty, and safety might just be the strength of the defense.
Injuries limited Farrand to eight games last season, but he still finished with 61 tackles, fourth-most on the squad. White's 52 stops were the most in the freshman class and he added his first two interceptions, while McFarland had 32 tackles and a pickoff in eight games.
“This is the best group of safeties that we have had here in a while,” praised Landis. “At the end of the year we were starting two freshmen back there in McFarland and White. Brigham Farrand missed some time with an injury, but he was also a starter in his freshman year. The guy that's really come along is Rob Gerlach, who had a terrific spring, and the two freshmen we feel really good about. They are both very good athletes.”
Special Teams
The Bison are also happy to welcome back their starting kicker, punter and both return specialists, all four of whom have all-conference potential.
Kicker Will Carney, who will be a senior in 2008, hit 7 of 11 field goals last season and has not missed an extra point since his freshman campaign. Another senior, Phil Azarik, broke the school record with a 41.1 punting average a year ago, and he dropped 15 punts inside the 20.
The staff recruited a freshman at each position this year to apprentice under the two talented seniors. Andrew Bell comes in as a punter, while Drew Orth will back up Carney at kicker.
“It is always comforting when you return your kicker and your punter, because those are areas where you want to know what you're going to get,” said Landis. “And we have two good ones in Will Carney and Phil Azarik. Phil has been a four-year starter and he has a tremendous leg. Will has been the guy since about halfway through his freshman year. So to have two four-year starters at the kicker and punter spots is great.”
A.J. Kizekai earned First Team All-Patriot League honors as a kickoff returner last year, when he demolished the school record with 1,113 return yards. He ran one back 92 yards for a touchdown against Colgate and averaged 25.9 yards per attempt, the No. 1 figure in the league.
Nolan Applegate averaged 11.5 yards per punt return, the second-best mark in the conference. Applegate was Bucknell's Special Teams MVP two seasons ago after posting a 12.2 PR average.
Bucknell's kickoff and punt coverage teams have been outstanding in recent years, although 2007 team Special Teams MVP and leading special teams tackler Corin Erby has been lost to graduation.
“We performed very well on special teams last year,” Landis said. “We led the league in kickoff returns up until the final week, and we return just about everybody who played on that unit last year. We were the No. 1 team in the conference in kickoff coverage, and the bulk of that team returns. We were second in punt returns, and Nolan Applegate and the majority of the guys who played up front are all back. I'm excited about working with this special teams group. They take pride in what they do.”
