Football Preview Week on GoDutchmen.com wraps up today with a preview of the offense. Last year's team set a program record for scoring behind a high-powered run game and a big-play potential - how will they fare in 2010? Be sure to check out the preview video above!
5 Things To Watch
1. The Run Game Without Parker:
Ben Guiles does return (and he actually led the team with 988 yards last year), but he's never averaged more than 13 touches per game in his career. The real question is, who will step up behind him from a group that includes
Blair Ransom,
Cruz Mannherz, and sophomores
Pete Panichi,
Conrad Heisey, and
Jordan Senkbeil?
2. The Two-QB System: Coach
Jim Monos' two-quarterback system with starter
Caleb Fick sharing series with
Colt Zarilla worked out well in 2009, with the two complementing each others' abilities. Now Monos says it could go further with both on the field at the same time, creating match-up nightmares for opposing defenses.
3. Turnovers: The Dutchmen were +10 on turnovers last year (and +12 over just the final five games), thanks in large part to the offense's ability to limit giveaways. Their 15 giveaways (seven fumbles, eight interceptions) were tied for the fewest in the MAC last year with Wilkes.
4. Up Front: Even more important than the question of who absorbs Parker's lost production is who will be blocking. The Dutchmen lose fullback
Bryan Lynch (a two-time first-team all-MAC pick) along with all-American left tackle
Sean Tetreault.
5. Who Emerges At Wide-Out: The biggest question mark anywhere on the team is at wide receiver, where the graduation of seniors
Joe Brennan,
Sean Donovan, and
Matt Donley leaves a huge hole.
Tim Picerno is the only returner who made a catch in 2009 - a single one, at that.
By the Numbers
1 - Interceptions thrown by
Caleb Fick over the final seven games of last season, including 26 straight quarters without one until Salisbury's Brandon Hudson returned one for a touchdown in the third quarter of the ECAC Southwest Bowl
6.9 - Yards per carry by
Ben Guiles, which ranked second in the nation among running backs with 100+ touches.
26th - NCAA rank of LVC's 2009 rushing offense
349 - Points scored in 2009, a new single-season program record (31.7 ppg).
1,637 - Receiving yards by
Sean Donovan,
Joe Brennan, and
Matt Donley - all graduated - which accounted for 84% of LVC's receiving output.
Positional Breakdown
Quarterback
2009 Starter:
Caleb Fick
2010 Preseason:
Caleb Fick
With 27 career starts under his belt,
Caleb Fick returns for his fourth year under center after a solid season in 2009. He threw for 1,555 yards (58.7% completion) and 13 touchdowns with just seven interceptions; compare that to his 1,782yds/51.7%/15TD/9INT line in 2008 and 1,097yds/50%/7TD/13INT as a freshman in '07, and it's easy to see that with experience came efficiency. And while his numbers have been solid but not eye-popping, Fick is quietly in reach of several of
Dan Kelly '07's LVC career records, including passing yardage (he has 4,434, needs 1,500 more) and completions (has 333, needs 106). One record that won't be touched is Kelly's 61 career touchdown passes, but Fick, with 35, needs two more to move into second ahead of LVC Hall-of-Famer
Erik Orndorff '93.
Colt Zarilla stepped into a complementary role as a sophomore and excelled, throwing for 388 yards and three touchdowns (62.8% completion), but using his legs as well with 23 scrambles and two touchdowns. Zarilla's combination of athleticism, speed, and arm strength makes him too good for Monos to keep off the field - and as a junior in 2010, he'll gain more valuable experience in the two-QB system as he is groomed to presumably start in 2011.
While they haven't had to reach this deep since Fick's arrival, it is worth noting that according to Monos, sophomore
Leo Kyte will be the third QB heading into camp.
Running Back
2009 Starters:
Charlie Parker (RB) /
Bryan Lynch (FB)
2010 Preseason:
Ben Guiles (RB) /
Alex Kirchner (FB)
Although
Charlie Parker's production will certainly be missed (966 yds, 12 TDs in 2009), what may be missed more in the run game was his and
Bryan Lynch's durability. Parker averaged more than 23 touches a game in 2009; in the final three games of the season against Lycoming, Albright, and Salisbury, he took the ball 33, 34, and 28 times, respectively. That's a lot to ask of any back, and while
Ben Guiles has proven he is one of the nation's most explosive and elusive runners (his 6.9 yards per carry ranked second in the nation last year), he never carried more than 16 times a game last year outside of the Wilkes game that Parker missed. But the good news on that? Guiles had 35 carries and torched Wilkes for 187 yards that day.
Behind Guiles, it's a mix of power and speed.
Blair Ransom is a proven short-yardage back who can pound it inside (he has six TDs on just 27 carries over the past two years), and
Cruz Mannherz is more of a speedster like Guiles. The next generation of LVC tailbacks will also look for snaps, and Monos feels good about guys like
Conrad Heisey,
Pete Panichi, and
Jordan Senkbeil, who excelled in JV ball last year.
At fullback, the durability of
Bryan Lynch, an outstanding every-down blocker, might be missed most of all. Lynch's play keyed the run game the past few seasons, and sophomore
Alex Kirchner will have big shoes to fill there.
Wide Receiver
2009 Starters:
Joe Brennan and
Sean Donovan
2010 Preseason:
Tim Picerno,
Kevin Greene,
Ed Tobin
With 84% of their receiving gone from last year with the graduations of
Joe Brennan,
Sean Donovan, and
Matt Donley, it would seem that there's a big hole to fill at wide receiver. And yet, Monos doesn't seem worried. That's because a talented new generation of wide-outs is waiting in the wings, ready to get their first crack at some time on the feld.
Heading into camp, Monos' top three are junior
Tim Picerno, senior
Ed Tobin, and sophomore
Kevin Greene; Picerno is the only one of the three with varsity game experience, and also took back kicks last year. There is a big group of sophomores who should be in the mix as well, including
Yahya McIntyre,
Caleb Wiley,
Kenny Golden,
Leo Mirolli, and
Kevin Delcalzo. Depth certainly won't be a problem; finding the right combination early will be the challenge.
Tight End
2009 Starters:
Matt Mankiewicz and
Brendan Riley
2010 Preseason:
Matt Mankiewicz and
Brendan Riley
Junior
Matt Mankiewicz and senior
Brendan Riley, considered co-starters by the coaching staff, return at tight end. The position was more about blocking than receptions last year, but Mankiewicz managed to haul in 10 catches for 110 yards and Riley had eight for 58 yards. Both are big bodies who block well (Riley at 6-2, 230 and Mankiewicz at 6-2, 231) in LVC's run-heavy offense, but possess the speed to get downfield and make the play (witness Riley's flying downfield block to get
Colt Zarilla to the end zone at Gettysburg in the highlight video above).
Offensive Line
2009 Starters:
Sean Tetreault (LT) /
Brendon Myer (LG) /
Clint Surgeoner (C) /
Andrew Scott (RG) /
Jason Sneeringer (RT)
2010 Preseason:
TJ Giovarelli (LT) /
Tyler Veverka (LG) /
Clint Surgeoner (C) /
Andrew Scott (RG) /
Jason Sneeringer (RT)
One of the MAC's best units returns three starters (or three-and-a-half, sort of) from last year's line, including the entire right side. Two of them are all-MAC selections, with preseason all-America right tackle
Jason Sneeringer (21 career starts) and center
Clint Surgeoner (24 career starts), and right guard
Andrew Scott (17 starts) in between. At left guard, 2009 starter
Brendon Myer left the program, but
Tyler Veverka, who started three times there in mid-season to spell an injured Myer, returns and will likely fill the spot. The question mark is at left tackle, where there will be a new face for the first time since 2006. All-American
Sean Tetreault had started 35 career games there, and Monos expects
TJ Giovarelli to be the starter in camp.
Depth overall will be a concern on the o-line, with not much experience behind the starting five.
John Semanchik and Mike Attanasio will back up at guard, with
Zach Nace and
JT Sincavage at tackle and
Matt Clark at center. With all five projected starters being seniors, it will become increasingly important to get the back-ups reps before next season.