Bucknell University Athletics
DeNick Finds a Home at Wide Receiver
9/14/2011 8:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 14, 2011
By Jon Terry, Bucknell Athletic Communications
Frank DeNick says he loves football so much he wishes he could play every position on the field. It only seems like he is chasing that dream, going from star high school quarterback to college safety and then last year making the move to wide receiver. But one thing is for certain: he has clearly found a home among the Bucknell receiving corps.
A native of Middlesex, New Jersey, DeNick was a two-year starting quarterback at Immaculata High School in nearby Somerville. In his two years as a starter he led the Spartans to a 23-1 record, one Parochial Group III state championship and one state runner-up finish. DeNick, who was part of a dynamic backfield with current Notre Dame standout Theo Riddick, was a first team all-conference and second team all-state selection, and he also played on the baseball team.
He says he garnered some Division II and III recruiting attention as a quarterback, but he held out hopes of playing at a higher level. DeNick admits that he was unfamiliar with Bucknell until one of his high school coaches, who did business in the area, brought him out to Lewisburg for a visit. It was love at first sight.
When former Bison assistant coach Steve Vashel offered him a chance to be a part of Bucknell's 2008 recruiting class - albeit as a defensive back - DeNick jumped at the chance.
"Going into high school I knew I wanted to pursue collegiate sports," says DeNick. "I had high aspirations when I was young. I actually wanted to play multiple sports in college. I realized that was going to be hard, but when Bucknell offered I was really excited. I loved it here when I visited, and I wanted to be a part of what they were doing."
During his first two years at Bucknell, DeNick saw some action on special teams while stuck in a crowded defensive backfield. At the time, he harbored thoughts that he might be a better fit back on the offensive side of the football, and a coaching change presented him with that opportunity.
"I came to Bucknell playing defense, but I realized early on that it wasn't for me," DeNick admits. "Finally last year I asked to be switched when Coach Susan came in. It was an easy transition for me because everyone started learning the new offense together. I wouldn't have to start from the very bottom, I was learning amongst everybody else. It worked out very well and I'm very happy with the change. Now I feel like wide receiver is my natural position."
In his first full season after the position switch, DeNick was a regular member of the Bucknell receiver rotation. Playing in all 11 games in 2010, he led the team with 38 receptions and ranked a close second in receiving yards with 423, just 20 shy of rookie Victor Walker.
DeNick says that playing quarterback in high school, and having to gain a full understanding of the function of all 11 offensive players, definitely helped with the transition to wide receiver, but the toughest adjustments had to do with the more technical aspects of the position.
"There are a lot of technique-type things that go into being a wide receiver," he explains. "You wouldn't think that simply running is a very technical thing, but in running a route there is a lot going on. Our routes are based on footwork and number of steps. If you are supposed to be running a 12-yard route, 11 is not good enough and 13 is too far. And not only that, but there is that element of physicality. I live with [Bison senior linebacker] Tim Bolte, and he always tells me that in practice they love hitting the receivers because they know we hate it so much. They try to knock us off our routes, and that can get us in trouble."
Playing a new position in a new scheme under new coaches, not to mention being part of the team's two-deep for the first time, DeNick was admittedly nervous going into last year's opener at Duquesne. He ended up catching a team-high five passes in that game, a narrow 17-13 loss in Pittsburgh. Despite a frustrating season record-wise, DeNick still feels that the offense made significant progress throughout the season, and then that progress has doubled since the end of last year through spring ball and voluntary summer workouts.
"I really did think that we grew a lot," he says. "You could see it. Early in the season last year it was a little tough because we were up against a time deadline and we didn't really have the time to sit down like we did this past spring and summer and to get everybody cohesive. Last year we were more focused on getting the plays down and just running the plays correctly. But now we have a lot of guys that are really in tune with each other. We know what everybody does well. There is a certain level of accountability now. When I look to my right and see Victor [Walker] there, I know where Victor is going to be. If I see Gabe Skwara or Robert Oweyele on my left, I know where they are going to be. The comfort level is so much higher now. It's kind of laughable now going back and watching some of our films from last year. We just watch and shake our heads and know that we won't make those mistakes again."
From an individual perspective, the highlight of DeNick's first season at receiver was clearly his 79-yard touchdown reception on Homecoming Day against Lafayette, which was part of his first career 100-yard receiving game. The highlight-reel play also comes with an interesting back story.
"I don't remember the exact play, but I remember that it was not designed to go to me," DeNick recounts. "I was running around on the back side, I think I was the third read. I ran my route and got my eyes to [QB] Brandon [Wesley] a little bit late. He was already scrambling, so I just tried to find an open spot. I thought he was going to run it at first, and at the very last second he just dumped it off. I panicked because I turned around and nobody was out there. I thought I was going to trip. Rob [Oweyele] made a great block on the outside, which was really the only thing standing between me and the end zone. The safety from Lafayette that was chasing me, we got recruited together to come here. I had actually spoken to him a few times on the phone saying that I was coming to Bucknell, and he was the other safety that they were recruiting at the time. He ended up going to Lafayette, so it was a little bit of a personal victory because I remember outrunning him."
As the 2011 campaign launches this evening, DeNick and his fellow seniors are determined not just to finish their careers with a big season, but to get the fortunes of the Bison football program permanently turned around.
"We have a great senior class, and not only that, but the classes below have good leadership as well," says DeNick, a psychology major. "We have high expectations. We are taking it one play at a time. Last year just is not acceptable. We have flashes of it every once in awhile when we will have a bad practice or a bad series or a bad play, and we are quick to jump to the gun and say, `hey this is not okay.' We need to get it together because we do have those flashes of greatness, too, when we look good and everything clicks.
"When you look back at last year, we were in a lot of close games at halftime, and then in the third quarter it kind of dropped off. One of the big things we are looking forward to is that we know we can hang with these guys in the Patriot League. It's a matter of playing four quarters. Coach Susan's theme is SAM: Selflessness, Accountability and Mental Toughness. If we can take care of those areas, we can have a great year."
Note: This story appeared in a recent edition of the Bucknell Football Gameday Program.
