2004 Mansfield University

 

Football Game Preview

 

GAME ONE

 

MOUNTAINEERS

AT

CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF PA

 

Saturday, Aug. 28, 2004

Adamson Stadium * 1 p.m.

 

RADIO

 

The game will be broadcast live to the Mansfield area by WNTE 89.5 FM. Chad Landers and Jon Schwab will handle the play-by-play and color respectively. The broadcast can also be heard live over the internet on the NSN Sports Network at http://sports.mansfield.edu.

 

THE GAME

 

The Mountaineers will open the 2004 campaign when they travel to PSAC West foe California University of Pennsylvania. It will the opening game of the season for both teams and the earliest Mansfield has opened a fall football season in the program’s 113-year history.

It also marks Mountaineers first game under new coach Jim Shiffer. A 1989 graduate of Mansfield University, Shiffer became the first alumni in 74-years to head the football program when named head coach in January. He was a three-year starter on the offensive line during his career at Mansfield.

The Mountaineers are coming off one of the most success season in school history, posting an 8-3 overall record in 2003 including a 14-7 win over California at Karl Van Norman Field. Mansfield returns 17 starters off that team.

California is coming off a 4-7 season with four of those losses coming by a touchdown or less. The Vulcan’s return 14 position starters from last season when the led the PSAC in pass defense.

 

THE SERIES

 

The game marks the eleventh time the two programs have met on the gridiron since 1982 with California holding a 7-2-1 advantage. Mansfield won last year’s contest at Karl Van Norman Field by a 14-7 score but have never won at game at Addison Stadium. The first meeting between the school in 1982 at California resulted in a 17-17 tie. The two schools have met each year since 1998.

 

THE COACHES

 

Jim Shiffer (Mansfield ’89) became the 22nd head coach in the school’s 113-year football history in January of this year. He becomes the first alumnus to guide the program in 74-years. Prior to became the head coach at Mansfield, Shiffer served as an assistant coach at Kutztown, Millersville, Pittsburgh and Yale.

 

John Lockhart (Purdue ’70) is entering his third season as the head coach at California where he has posted a 10-12 mark. Lockhart came to California after a successful career as head coach at Washington & Jefferson College. He has amassed a 147-49-2 career record in 19 years as a head coach.

 

 

LAST YEAR

 

The Mountaineers snapped a six game losing streak to California in a hard fought 14-7 win at Karl Van Norman Field. Joe Bennett caught a 44-yard and 7-yard first quarter touchdown passes from Travis Motley while the defense kept California off the scoreboard until the fourth quarter. Poohbear McNeal rushed for 201 yards while Bennett hauled in four passes for 70-yards. Dan Holland led the defense with 18 tackles including 14 solo while Daricus Haynes and Joe Frick had 10 stops apiece. Haynes also intercepted a pass in California’s last possession of the game.

 

ABOUT THE MOUNTAINEERS

 

Mansfield sports one of the most veteran teams in school history with 16 seniors and 17 starters returning from a team that tied the school record for wins in an 8-3 season in 2003.

 

The Mountaineers are experienced on both sides of the ball, but will count on the defense in the early going as they break in a new starting quarterback for the first time in four years.

 

The roster is highlighted by three preseason All-Americans in seniors Joe Bennett and Brian DeCecco along with sophomore Earnest “Poohbear” McNeal.

 

Last season, Bennett led the PSAC in reception yardage (1184) and touchdown catches (17) in earning post season All-American and conference honors. DeCecco has started every game of his career at nose guard where he ranks as one of the best in the PSAC. Poohbear McNeil is coming off an incredible freshman season that saw him lead NCAA Division II in all-purpose yardage (2,392) while topping the PSAC in rushing (1,614 yards).

 

 The defense returns eight starters from last season including DeCecco, senior Drew Grieshober and junior Keith Slezak on the defensive line. Senior Jason Twedt will start at defensive end.

 

While the Mountaineers will miss two-time NCAA Division II Linebacker of the Year Dan Holland, the linebacking corps will have plenty of speed and mobility behind returning sophomore starters Andre’ Turner and Rob Smiley. Turner ranked among the conference leaders with 79 tackles as a freshman while Smiley earn a repetition for his big hits. Fellow sophomore Will Clarke will also start after missing most of the season last year.

 

The secondary may rank as one of the best in school history with seniors Joe Frick and Daricus Haynes returning for their fourth years as starters at the safety slots. Junior corner back Ronnie Montgomery ranked among the conference interception leaders last season and was second in the PSAC in kickoff return average. Senior Mike Reed will join Montgomery at the other corner with backup from fellow senior Ryan Geishauser.

 

The Mountaineers return seven starters on offense – four of them on the offensive line. Seniors Ryan McClellan and Chris Farris earned All-PSAC East honors last season as did sophomore center Jamar Foulks. Senior right tackles Luke Ingersoll has started every game of his career while senior tight end Eddie Van Buren is a two-year starter at tight end. Red-shirt freshman Mike Guanciale is the only newcomer to the offense front.

 

Replacing Travis Motley – now the starting quarterback for the Arkansas Twisters of the AFL2 – will be the key to the season for the Mountaineers. Motley was a four-year starter and none of the four quarterbacks on the roster has taken a collegiate snap.

 

Sophomore David Fetzer and transfer Terry Kelly have been locked in a battle for the starting quarterback spot since preseason camp has started with neither emerging as the clear cut starter to date.

 

Who ever wins the position will have the security of having two of the best offensive players in the nation to work with. Wide out Joe Bennett at 6-4 is also the second fastest player on the team and has been a big play man for his entire career. Poohbear McNeal stunned NCAA Division II as a freshman last season and will be expected to the form that say him rack up four 200-yard games.

 

Red-shirt freshman Donnie McDonough earned the starting spot at the other receiver spot where he matches Bennett’s 6-4 frame. Sophomore Dan Eberly will start at fullback.

 

Mansfield should have a strong kicking game behind place-kickers Chris Nigro and Sean Hair. Brandon Fields returns at punter after a stellar freshman season.

 

ABOUT CALIFORNIA

 

California was disappointed with its 4-7 record last season and promises to become a better offensive team that finished 14th in the PSAC in scoring last season.

 

The Vulcan’s expected to have a new offensive look and return seven players with experience offense. Cal’s strength will lie in its wide receiver corps that returns Tony Hoskin (27 receptions) and Brandon Jackson (24 receptions) from last season. Also back in the fold after sitting out last season is Garvin Graves who caught 70 passes in 2002.

 

However, like the Mountaineers, California has no clear cut choice for quarterback going into the first game. Projected senior starter Dustin Strayer suffered an injury in camp and is not expected to play in the opener. Sophomore Joe Ruggiero has the inside track coming into the game with backup from red-shirt freshman Matt Humbert.

 

The Vulcan’s also return three starters on a big offensive line, and expects to get an offensive push from transfer running back Antone Bagwell.

 

Defensively California is led by linebacker Brian Oddi who finished second in the PSAC in tackles next to Dan Holland last season. The Vulcan’s will need to replace their whole starting front from last season, but are solid at linebacker and in the secondary behind the PSAC top pass break defender Jaison Cook.

 

WHAT TO EXPECT

 

Both teams will probably rely of their defenses in this early match up. Both squads are also featuring relatively new quarterbacks. California has invested heavily in making its offense more explosive and will try to throw the ball down the field to a talented group of receivers.

 

Mansfield has an experienced defense and strong secondary with two big play offensive threats. The biggest key to the game should lie in which quarterback is more effective.