Posted on by bigdaddc@comcast.net

Preview of the Gettysburg Bullets and a Few Other Things.

Great week of practice and as usual the Special Forces shined and made our team even better.  It is going to be a great future for these young guys.  IOt is imperative that we keep reminding these guys to stay on their academic duties!

It is so important to have a great start with the books in their college careers!

The Bullets enter our contest this weekend with an 0-4 record under first year coach Kevin Burke (Gettysburg ’90 grad).  Gettysburg fell to the very physical McDaniel last Saturday 25-0.

Returning just five offensive starters and six on defense Gettysburg is playing with a young team lacking game time.  Obviously this is reflected in the record that they have at this point.  But, due to the unusual style of offensive play the visitors will be dangerous.

They have used two inexperienced quarterbacks this season with sophomore Mike Welsh (2) starting the first two and his classmate Ryan Finlay (9) replacing him when he was injured.  Both are going through the growing pains of operating Gettysburg’s high octane option  offense.

Generally Gettysburg is one of the top rushing offensive teams in the Centennial (if not the nation) due to the nature of their emphasis on all of the elements of the option game that they are noted for.

Both players have shown improvement, but they have struggled throwing the ball (competing just over 37% of their throws) and Welsh (2) leads the team rushing the ball with 111 yards in his two games.

Due to the nature of their offensive scheme the visitors must get the middle of their running game going and that puts the emphasis on the single running back.  Everything starts with the running back position for all option teams.

The Bullets are expecting dependable running back Nick Rella (22) to get into gear to open up the offense for the young quarterbacks.  (Rella ran for 324 yards last year).  Gettysburg will need to find a way to get the 5-9, 185 senior co-captain going this weekend.   He is expected to shoulder a bigger running load this weekend.

Gettysburg returns four starters up front and they have been effective despite the lack of production on the stat sheet.  Again, they employ an unusual style.  To allow Gettysburg to get the ball  to the perimeter quickly the offensive linemen align very close together with  tight splits (6 inches) between each player.

Whereas most teams will widen the splits between the lineman and deepen their alignments – Gettysburg is just the opposite.  Although this might seem to be a small detail, it has a big effect on defensive line play.

It negates aggressive and powerful defensive fronts by forcing you to play laterally.  Contrary to normal defensive philosophy penetration often will aid the offense and give them an advantage.

Our defensive line will have to be very disciplined this weekend.  But, this group has been very good all year long and I expect they will give Gettysburg problems all day tomorrow.

Johnny Davis (13) and Chase Fee (4) have been the bulk of the Gettysburg passing game.  With 9 and 11 catches respectively they have been the primary targets downfield.

Gettysburg also added a few new wrinkles last weekend by employing a type of “Swinging Gate” alignment to confuse their opponent.  In this tactic they align four offensive linemen wider on the field –  just inside the numbers on the field (sideline area).  The Center, QB and Running Back are alone in the middle of the field and the remaining players align on the opposite side of the field around those numbers.

The offense attempts to create a mismatch in their favor by confusing the way the defense aligns.  It is an old but unusual trick, but it can be effective yielding a big play if you are confused on defense and misalign.

One way or another it requires you to use practice time to prepare which takes away from the “reps” you can spend preparing for the other aspects of the game.

On the defensive side of the ball Gettysburg returned six players including two Centennial Conference honorable mention players in safety Mike McKnight (23) and linebacker Jake Skinner (47).

They also have productive linebacker Logan Aikey (38) who had 8 sacks in 2017 along with 17.5 TFL.  He currently has four sacks for the Bullet’s defensive unit which puts him second overall in the Centennial Conference (Gettysburg as a team has 11 as a team).

Punter Ervan Tannenbaum has been a big weapon for Gettysburg –  a few weeks ago he held F&M deep in their territory with an average of more than 41 yards on ten punts.  Five of which he put inside the 20 yard line.

As a team the Bullets have create 11 turnovers, but they have also given up 15.

GETTYSBURG COLLEGE

2018 RECORD: 0-4

Bridgewater 34 – Gettysburg 17

  1. Welsh (2) first start at QB (15-35-2 199 YDS 2TD)
  2. Close game but big interception return for TD and long run for score allowed Bridgewater to pull away.
  3. The generally powerful Bullet running game was held to just 77 yards for the game.

Ursinus 42 – Gettysburg 7

  1. Gettysburg offense again struggled while being outgained 506-117.
  2. Aikey (38) added another sack and caused a fumble to set up Gettysburg’s only score.
  3. Tannenbaum (90) one of the best punters in the CC averaged nearly 41 yards per punt while placing 4 of his 10 punts inside the 20-yard line.

Dickinson 30 – Gettysburg 7

  1. Gettysburg fell to 0-3 as the Bullets again were held to less than 100 yards rushing. QB Welsh (2) was the top runner with 35 yards.
  2. Aikey (38) recorded his third sack in as many games to pace the defense that was also aided by the productive play of fellow linebacker Jake Skinner (47).

McDaniel 25 – Gettysburg 0

  1. Ryan Finlay (9) started at QB for the Bullets in their loss to visiting McDaniel. He completed 14 of 33 yards and had one interception.  He also rushed for a team leading 12 yards.  It appears that Welsh had been injured the weekend before.
  2. Johnny Davis (13) paced Gettysburg with 3 catches for 49 yards.
  3. McDaniel outgained Gettysburg 350-123 yards. The Bullets also lost three fumbles to the McDaniel defense.

 

2017 RECORD: 3-7

COACH:  Kevin Burke (Gettysburg ’90), 1stseason.

OFFENSE: (5 Returning Starters)

Quarterbacks: (No returners)

 

Receivers:

  1. Kevin Benavente (18) 5-6, 155      21 REC – 293  14.0

Runners: (Only returning starter is not on the roster)

Offensive Line: (Strength of then team)

  1. LT Chris Chick (69)                 6-3, 270
  2. LG Trent Seibert (60)             5-11, 250
  3. C Nick Rollo (62)                       6-0, 250
  4. RT Ethan Kendzulak (66)     6-3, 270

DEFENSE: (6 Returning Starters)

Defensive Line:

  1. NG Donovan Bennett (55)     6-0, 250
  2. DT Matt Grazianno (49)           6-3, 250     4 Sacks 8.5 TFL

Linebackers:

  1. OLB-Logan Aikey (38)           5-10, 210   8 Sacks 17.5 TFL
  2. ILB-Jake Skinner (47)             5-11, 215   3 Sacks Honorable Mention ALL CC

Secondary

  1. CB-Thomeir Richardson (15) 5-8, 165.    4 Fumb Rec
  2. FS-Mike McKnight (23)            6-0, 190     3 INT, 15 PBU  Hon. Mention ALL CC

SPECIALISTS

  1. P-Evan Tannenbaum (90)   5-11, 180    60 P – 35.2 AVG, 18 inside of 20
  2. PK-Justin Geisel (97)             6-3, 185      FG 9-15, XP-21-2

A few words about our week here in Bethlehem.

Here is some work from the Special Forces groups – Scott Poulson (4) at quarterback is a sport athlete who does a fantastic job getting the defensive unit ready.  Here is one of many fine throws he had during practice this past week.

Colin Frost (61) does a great job with the defensive side of the Special Forces giving the offensive unit a good picture to prepare each week.  He is one of several standouts who are a major part of the team going forward.

He is the defensive tackle on the right side of the defense (obviously the defensive left side.

We have many outstanding younger players who continue to get better as the weeks go along.

Due to injuries we often have to move people around and it opens up opportunities for younger players.  For example we shifted some personnel around opening up a role for one of our unselfish teammates.  Sean Agar (56) will move up into the rotation as an outside defensive lineman.  Until this point he served on our defensive special forces unit.

Sean is truly an interesting case.  He hurt his knee prior to camp last year – so he was unable to play at all in 2017.  Yet, all season in 2017 he went to all of the meetings, attended practice – helped with the video taping of practice.  In other words he was the consummate teammate last year.

He played a little this season and it was only a matter of time until he became a part of the defensive line rotation.  But, now is the  time for that to happen… we expect him to step into the breach and give us significant snaps in the upcoming games.  Before he finishes years down the roa I think he will be a very important part of our defensive unit.

Also having a great week for the “Special Forces” was Matt McNally (30).  Matt continues to get better and is a big contributor to the improvement of out squad.  Here is a great shot of some of Matt’s work.

True story – yup this really happened this week:
 
Coach gets a call from a professor who alerts us that a student hasn’t been to class in two weeks….hasn’t turned in work. Not complaining to staff, just wondering about student.
 
Student called into office. (Five minute meeting – its all it takes most of the time.)
 
Coach: “You haven’t been to class X yet…why not?”
Player: “I don’t know.” (not kidding – his answer)
Coach: “Well if you don’t know – who does?”
Player: “I don’t know.”
Coach: “You have also missed your weight training sessions as well – why?”
Player (with bewildered look): “I don’t know.”
Coach: “Also missed two position meetings in the mornings.”
Player: “I have a hard time getting up.”
Coach: “Ok, you don’t go to school….You aren’t staying in shape…you don’t know your plays….do you think your parents are wasting a lot of money sending you to school?”
Player gives a resigned shrug of shoulders.
Coach: “Lets pick it up or you will have a really hard time in all areas of college – don’t even worry about playing football.”
 
Good kid, great athlete….going to have some trouble.
 
Dad wonders why he doesn’t play….

Go Hounds!