Author: bigdaddc@comcast.net

The boss (wife) and I (servant) arrived in the Lucerne train station and wheeled our bags about a half mile to the downtown Ibis Budget Hotel.  Easy walk although we did get lost along the way.  (Our GPS skills were sorely tested several times during our tour of Switzerland.)

***I think our phones decided that we were still in the USA and chose to make life difficult when it came to finding our way around***

As we checked into the hotel we met Travis Brody who is the founder and CEO of “The Growth of a Game.”  This is the organization that is putting together the football skills camp that I will be taking part in at the practice facility of the Lucerne Lions.

We chatted briefly and would try to get together either later in the afternoon or the evening.  I was certainly hoping we could get together since I really had no idea how the camp was to be operated.

Well, the rooms – while economical – were pretty small.  But, then again – European and American standards are certainly different (I guess being the ugly Americans we need bigger and grander things).  But, even though the room was small – really just how much time were we going to spend in there anyway?

We decided to walk around a little and grab something to eat.  I had a pretty good idea of the layout of the city since I had been there twice already.  There are a lot of beautiful buildings that are very old.

A city of about 80,000 people Lucerne is located in central Switzerland it is in the German speaking part of the country.    In a land of wonderful sights this city certainly stands out.

It is located on Lake Lucerne with the Reuss River flowing through it.  The Swiss Alps ring the area and it has tremendous views from every spot in the city.  There are some really beautiful spots to take in….the Boss (wife) and I did our best to catch most of them.

There is an ancient bridge – Kapellbrucke – or the Chapel Bridge that is the longest covered bridge in Europe.  It is a wooden bridge that was originally built in 1333 – although most of it was replaced and rebuilt after a fire in 1993.

Just imagine our country became a nation in 1776.  This bridge is more than 400 years older than our country!    We wandered across it a few times as at different stages of our two visits to the city.

As you cross over on the bridge, which is immaculately kept by the way, there are paintings at several intervals on the cross bars and walls.  Flowers are growing along the outside of the bridge in planters for the entire length on either side.  Truly a fantastic site.

There is an octagonal shaped Tower towards one end that was used as a fortification back in the 1300’s.  Obviously the bridge with its Tower is one of the more famous landmarks in Lucerne.

It is certainly one of the more noteworthy memories I have of the entire trip.  I can’t imagine what this looked like back in the 1300’s when it was constructed.  Really, how in the world would you build such structures at that point in the world’s history.

Lucerne has a fantastic riverfront restaurant area that is always crowded and has many different styles of cuisine (college word) – you can sit along the river at tables or, in the restaurants themselves.  The weather was in the 70’s (unseasonably warm for that time of year) so, the outdoor table were all crowded.

We did find a fantastic Italian restaurant with excellent pasta and pizza.  (It was so good we actually ate there at three different times – twice when we returned for our last leg of our journey).  I have to say we did eat a lot of pasta – it was very good at each place we tried.

 

 

 

 

 

Well….the real reason we started on our journey was for me to help out at “The Growth of a Game” football skills camp.  The main coach for the “TGOAG” is Spencer Wood.

Spencer had helped a group I belong to “Sound Mind Sound Body Europe” run a camp in Tenero, Switzerland back in August.  So, I told him that I would return

the favor by helping his group in Lucerne. (Good excuse to visit Switzerland again!)

Saturday morning we kicked off the camp – fantastic group of coaches and a very good sized group of players (probably around 125 or so.). This was going to prove to be a lot of fun.

All camps are hectic – and you always have to be adjustable when you are working at them.  Half the time you have enough players in your group, the other half of the time you don’t have enough.

Fortunately in this camp, each group had enough players and things were off to a pretty good start.

As I said the coaches were all outstanding.  I was able to reunite with old friends Giorgio Volpi and Fulgenzio Jorio my cohorts from “Sound Mind Sound Body Europe” and we had a good time as usual.  They are really great coaches and are great communicators.

Another friend Rick Benneditto (from our Swiss National coaching staff) was kind enough to coach with us.  He is a fantastic man and a great coach.

Finally met Delmus Pinkston who was everything advertised as a man and

coach.  He dragged along another old friend Leon to work with us as well.  Between these two awesome guys we were able to get a lot done with the offensive and defensive lines.

Delmus’ wife Nadine took my boss (wife) on a full day journey visiting the sights of Lucerne and up Mount Rigi non the rack railway…..that is a very steep grade with unbelievable views.  What a fantastic gesture!

So lucky to have been with this group!

Travis Brody runs an outstanding camp and the players really get a lot of work done.  What a great idea “The Growth of a Game” is.  Promoting American football throughout Europe (and for the first time in Switzerland)

I was lucky enough to have time for a short visit with a man who I have tremendous respect for – Claudio Spescha.  Claudio just retired from playing football for the Lucerne Lions.  He is a big member of the SAFV (Swiss football federation) and the driver behind the Lucerne Lions.

Claudio  sacrificed his time and showed me around Lucerne when I visited Switzerland the first time.  He is just starting his family and is a great person to know in Switzerland.

Wow…quite an experience for the second luckiest man in the world (ever) – work in football, make new friends, visit with the nicest people in the world in their beautiful country!

More to come!

The boss (wife) and I had an exciting visit to the beautiful country of Switzerland as I pursue my interests as the International Ambassador of Football.  This visit took us through the breathtaking views found throughout the country.

As I attended a player football camp at Lucerne sponsored by “The Growth of a Game” and the National football camp held for the Senior, Junior and Flag football teams in Willisau my boss (wife) and I were able to visit several cities.

We landed in Milan (that is Italy by the way) on a rainy Thursday around noon and after a quick trip north into Switzerland we stayed in the Federale Hotel in Lugano.  Although it sounds like the hotel could be in the American southwest it is located  on the edge of the historical old part of the city of Lugano.

.Although it would only be a brief visit to the picturesque Lugano it is one of my favorite places in Switzerland. I am acquainted with it through my friends the Volpi family along with others including Fulgenzio Jorio.

It was unfortunate that the boss (wife) did not get to explore this lakeside city in the Italian speaking canton of Ticino.  But, I know at some time we will be back there again.

(Lugano is located in the southern part of Switzerland in the predominantly Italian speaking speaking canton of Ticino).

We had a quick dinner and visit with our friends – hit the sack and then hopped aboard the train to Lucerne the next morning.

Now, the trains in Switzerland are fantastic.  The rail system is one of the most interesting and efficient modes of transportation you will ever find.

The design allows you to travel pretty much anywhere in the country very quickly.  It includes some awesome tunnels and fantastic views.

Every major city and also the towns along the way have stops.  Obviously the major cities have very large stations with hundreds of connections.  Also at every major station and most minor stops the connection to public transportation – busses, trams and cabs (sometimes boats or airports) is right there within walking distance.

Unlike here in the US…..everything runs on time!  No exaggeration!  They are “on time” not like the “on time” our airlines advertise (regarding the time of a trip, not the actual guarantee on the landing).  The Swiss have it right….when they say a train is going to leave at 10:07 it does….when they say it will drive at 13:34 (Swiss time) it does!  A modern marvel.

I was scheduled to be in Lucerne to meet up with the head of “The Growth of A Game” Travis Brody.  We were going to conduct a “skills” football camp for some 120-150 athletes from throughout the country.  (Interestingly enough this would be my first chance to actually help train members of a women’s team – the Calanda Broncos!)

To say the train trip, which is three and a quarter hours, is pretty is an understatement.  It is truly something worth the visit to Switzerland in itself.  I was looking forward to having the boss (wife) see the views as we sped along in the train.

Given the amazing scenery the trip really speeds by.  you leave Lugano you travel thru parts of Ticino that border Italy.  You then enter a tunnel and are under the mountains for about a half hour or so.  (Apparently the trains can achieve speeds of about 160 miles per hour – but, I am guessing as you go beneath the Alps you aren’t going that fast.)

This tunnel – The Gotthard Base Tunnel is one of the longest rail tunnels in the world and a monument to the ingenuity of the Swiss engineers and architects.  It covers almost 35 1/2 miles underground.

Anyway you enter on one side of the Alps in the canton of Ticino and pop out on the other side next to this beautiful watershed.  You speed around the water and head towards our final destination on this leg of the trip – Lucerne.

 

 

Finally back in the states – unfortunately arrived to the nor’easter and got to stand in the wind and rain in Lancaster watching the Hounds fall to  Franklin and Marshall.  It was a hard and frustrating afternoon.

But, we get back after it and just “do what we do.”  We view the video, fix the mistakes and move on.  That is what you have to do in athletics – if you spend time being frustrated and angry you fall behind in your prep time for the next game.  You simply cannot afford to do that.

When you are a young coach – sometimes it is hard to let go of a particularly painful or large loss (by the way I am old).  Over the years you learn how to let go of the emotional baggage following games.

However that doesn’t mean you forget what happened and review how you coached, how the tempo and attitude of practice was, you look back over your checklists of preparation and how you delegated your time etc.

From the outside you learn many great insights.   People are willing to give you as much advice as they can.  Generally that advice/criticism is given in a high octave peppered with a few expletives.  You learn to be polite, nod your head and move on.

You realize that most of these advisors know much more than you do about who should be in the game, what specific plays to call, and which players actually have attended meetings where they learn the plays. (Yeah…some guys miss meetings – then when they do get in the game they make mistakes that hurt the other 10 guys on the field – so we have to keep them on the sidelines despite their talent level).

While they are working at being doctors, lawyers or cowboys our outside help has been studying game film and working on tackling drills.  So as a coach you just see these distractions as part of your job description.

We also realize that these are their sons, brothers and friends and you can understand their feelings.  In coaching you do “get it” and do care about the troops and their families.  But, there is no way to keep everyone happy and no way to make sure that everyone gets their way.  So you learn to hear what is important and delete the rest of the outside noise.

Anyway…great to be back.

************************I really don’t know the significance of the picture – but it caught my eye….and it is my blog right******************************************

This weekend we will travel to Carlisle, Pa. to play the revitalized Dickinson College Red Devils.  I use the word “revitalized” because this is an up and coming team that has been playing very well despite a 3-5 record.

Dickinson is playing hard under second year coach Brad Fordyce.  Two overtime losses (Washington Lee and Susquehanna) and losses to the top three teams in the CC (Johns Hopkins, Muhlenberg and F&M) have created their five losses.

Statistically they are  similar to us here in Bethlehem.  One big area that has kept us playing in front of may teams is turnover differential.  We stand at +6 which is very good.  In fact it puts us in the top 50 teams in the country.

It also means that our offense continues to do a great job of taking care of the ball and defensively we are tackling hard and getting the ball loose from our opponents.  Obviously this is always an area of emphasis and it is satisfying to see the squad performing on the field the way they are coached.

Dickinson has become a physical team on defense and they are paced by captain James Turner (26) who is a ball hawk from the secondary.  Turner (26) is a tough tackler who is always around the ball and shows great production with a interception return for a TD as well as three sacks.

Johnny Knight (33) leads the team with three  interceptions and secondary mate Matt Butz (27) has recovered a pair of fumbles.  Up front senior John Minicozzi (54) has five sacks from his tackle position. 

Overall the Red Devils are second in the CC allowing under 300 yards per game (183.4 passing yards per game and 114.8 rushing yards per game.  Also, Dickinson stands fifth with 21 sacks in eight games.

Offensively the Devils have gone back to their former starting quarterback Billy Burger (8) a multitalented thrower and punter.  A four year player for Dickinson he has been outstanding at times for our opponent.

He ranks sixth in the  CC with 123 yards passing per game and he is also at the same spot with 10 TD passes.  His backfield mate is sophomore Phillip Butler (2) a downhill and hard running player who has rushed for 543 yards which ranks him at fourth in the conference.

He plays in tandem with a bigger (6-0, 200) back – Jeremy Walsh (9).  Walsh has rushed for 434 yards this season and as a junior has crossed the 1000 yard mark for his career.

Burger (8) was pressed into service with an injury to Robert Geiss (7) in the team’s second game of the season.  Before that game it was expected that Burger (8) would play primarily just as the punter.

He has done a good job punting (38.6) yards per punt with a 74 yarder to his credit.  Unfortunately for the Red Devils he has had four blocked along the way as well.

His favorite receivers are senior Jake Walbert (1), sophomore Christopher Longo (4) and junior Daniel Salmone (21).  Salmone also returns both kicks and punts for Dickinson.

DICKINSON COLLEGE

2018 RECORD: 3-5

 

Washington and Lee 16 – Dickinson 10 (Overtime)

1. James Turner (26) had record setting day statistically for tackles.
2. Dickinson held W&L to 238 yards total offense, but were limited to only 140 themselves.
3. Robert Geiss (7) was 9-18 for 55 yards and Phillip Butler (2) rushed for 62 yards.

Muhlenberg 14 – Dickinson 3

1. Dickinson played very well defensively for the second consecutive week limiting the Mules to 199 yards passing and 129 yards rushing.
2. Billy Burger (8) continues to be one of the most consistent punters in the CC – had three punts of more than 50 yards.
3. After gaining a 3-0 lead at the end of the first period Dickinson was unable to score again as their offense was held to just 39 yards rushing in the game.

Dickinson 30 – Gettysburg 7

1. Billy Burger (8) got his first start of the season at QB and responded with a 22-36 (61.1%) performance throwing 2 TD’s against 1 INT.
2. The Dickinson defense had 4 sacks. They held the usually high powered Gettysburg running game to just 76 yards.
3. Captain James Turner (26) had an interception for a TD.
4. Matt Butz (27) had a interception and a fumble recovery and was in on five solo tackles.

Johns Hopkins 62 – Dickinson 14

1. Billy Burger (8) finished 13-27 for 134 yards and 2 TD’s.
2. Johnny Knight, James Turner and Ethan Warrick had outstanding defensive games notching at least seven tackles each.
3. The Red Devils slumped to 1-3 following the loss.
4. Hopkins outgained Dickinson 507-262 yards.

Susquehanna 30 – Dickinson 24 (Overtime)

1. Susquehanna came from behind to defeat the home team scoring on a 22-yard pass.
2. Burger (8) 10-24 for 114 yards and ran for 84 yards with a 42-yard TD run. He also was effective punting again with a 38.5 yard average.
3. Phillip Butlerrushed 25 times for 152 yards and 1 TD.
4. John Minicozzi (54) totaled 1 and a half sacks for the Red Devils.

Dickinson 27 – McDaniel 20

1. Dickinson pulled out of a two game losing streak with a win over the host Green Terrors….despite allowing 5 sacks on Billy Burger (8).
2. Jeremy Walsh (9) led the rushing attack with 97 yards on 18 attempts. Phillip Butler (2) chipped in 51 yards as well.
3. James Turner (26) continued his outstanding defensive play with 6 tackles. Matt Butz (27) and Johnny Knight (17) added interceptions for the Red Devils.
4. Billy Burger had a very good day [punting with a 42.5 yard average on five punts. He also through for 145 yards (16-30).

 Franklin and Marshall 35 – Dickinson 14

1. Red Devils dropped to 2-7 with a 35-14 loss to Franklin and Marshall in Carlisle.
2. Billy Burger ran for 92 yards and was 18-40 for 205 yards. But he had an interception and lost a fumble through the game. Burger had another solid game as the punter as he averaged 39.5 yards per punt including A 60 yarder.
3. Brian Snow (33) had 11 tackles including 7 solos and 2 tackles for a loss.

Dickinson 47 – Juniata 14

1. John Minicozzi (54) had three sacks and forced two fumbles to lead a strong defensive effort for Dickinson (3-7).
2. Dickinson held host Juniata to minus four yards rushing and a total of 137 yards in total offense.
3. Billy Burger threw for three touchdowns completing 18 of 30 passes for 180 yards.
4. Phillip Butler (2) rushed for 156 yards and 1 TD and Jeremy Walsh (9) added 83 on 18 tries.

2017 RECORD: 3-7

COACH:  Brad Fordyce (Springfield ’97), 2nd season (3-7).

OFFENSE: ( Returning Starters)

Quarterbacks:

1. Robert Geiss(7)                    6-2, 181             55.7% – 965 YDS

Receivers:

1. Christopher Longo (4) 6-2, 194             39 REC – 449  11.5 AVG
2. Daniel Salamone (21) 5-10, 175                44 REC – 333  7.6 AVG
3. Jake Walbert (1) 6-2, 206.                  41 REC – 661 16.1 AVG (2016)

Runners:

1. Jeremy Walsh            (9)                   6-0, 200                  179 ATT – 626 YDS  5TD

Offensive Line:

1. LT Justin Hilliard (64)             6-2, 291
2. LG Marcus Witherspoon (50) 6-2, 262
3. RG Cuba Birnbaum (53) 6-2, 265
4. RT Jack Williamson (78) . 6-4, 275

DEFENSE:(7 Returning Starters)

Defensive Line:

1. NG John Mincozzi (54) 5-10, 286               2 Sacks 84.5 TFL  HM – Cent Conf
2. DT Justin Schettino (51) 5-11, 250
3. DE Thomas Nocka (65) 6-1, 224                 4.5 Sacks

Linebackers:

1. James Turner(26)                   6-0, 220                 13 TFL, 2^ndTeam ALL CC

Secondary

1. Taj DeFrance CB (28) Soph 5-11, 176            2 INT, 2 FR
2. Jordan Hollander(19)            6-0, 185                  2 INT
3. Matt Butz FS  (27)                 6-1, 192                 2 INT

SPECIALISTS

1. Ethan Fusco PK (34) 5-11, 186                1-3 FG, 12-17 XP

 

This will be a tough game with much at stake.  However, when you think about it – which game isn’t important.  Every time the team lines up to play it is significant and the results are crucial to everyone involved.

But, that is what makes competition so great.  It elevates our level of consciousness.  We become more excited, more connected and more aware of everything around us.

In short…this is what makes the game so awesome and it is the reason we spend so much time preparing for play in front of our friends for just a few hours each week.

GO HOUNDS!

 

 

Experienced that long day into night into day jumping on that jet from Detroit to Amsterdam and then waiting for our connection into Milan, Italy.  From there an hour or so ride up into the south of Switzerland.

It’s really not that terrible – it’s a little more than seven hours on the first leg with a two-and-a-half hour layover in Amsterdam.  You really do need that because sometimes going thru passport control can be a long, long wait with enormous lines.  (My good friend Terry Copacia and I have endured two very long experiences – once in JFK and another time in Atlanta upon returns from Switzerland).

Those long lines in the US are alright because you know that you can always get home even if you have to rent a car.  But, when sitting in Paris or even Milan you always have that nagging thought in the back of your mind.  “Just what am I going to do if I miss this connection??

Driving in Europe is a little bit different….plus you can’t exactly fly a Ford Escort across that big puddle of water they call the Atlantic Ocean.

Anyway, it always seems to work out eventually.  Just keep a solid store of patience and be prepared to ask a few people if they can help you in English.  Almost impossible not to find an English-speaking person willing to help.  (Sometimes not so much in France – but hell it is their country after all).

First task after moving on from Milan to Lugano, Switzerland is to find our Hotel.  It is called the Federale and is located in the amazingly steep mountainside on which Lugano is built.  (Even when you are going downhill in this part of Switzerland you are going uphill??!!)

It turns out Federale is a very old Hotel that has two separate buildings – and we are in the lower section which is 70 meters around curves and through buildings and really doesn’t even appear to be part of the base hotel.

***Come on the Federale??? In Switzerland???  Where is Pancho Villa and the boys?***

At first I thought that the fellow behind the desk said the room was about 70 steps away from the hotel….nope he did mean 70 meters.  It was a nice enough room with separate keys to get into the building and then to get into our studio apartment.

It was a little different…but things in Europe are different and that is OK (I guess??)

Now my friend Giorgio picks us up and we drive even higher up the mountain to a place that has some of the best pasta and pizza you will ever find….Ristorante de Sol.  Wow, what a meal!  My wife was introduced to my friends Fulgenzio, Giorgio, his son Giovanni, daughter Katerina and later his wife Joselyn (who is a dual citizen – born in Utah).

We had a great visit and reconnection and then we slid back down the hill to our quaint (OK – let’s be real here – small is the better word) room.

During this rainy night we were treated to a constant stream of revelers walking up and down the steep cobblestone road that is used to get to the main piazza area of bars, restaurants, clubs and shopping that the center of the city is built around.

Unfortunately this broad cobblestone thorughfare (did I mention steep) ran right past our room.  Talk about a “Hard Days Night!”

These people must not work, because the noise, singing, loud talking and yelling didn’t end until four or five AM. (started on a Thursday ended in the early morning on Friday!). Great stamina to go with their enthusiasm I would say.)

Friday morning we dragged our luggage up the switch backs that makeup the concrete walkway up the mountain to the train station.  I am serious when I say that Lugano has two directions – up….and….even more up.)

We zip across the spectacular scenery on the two hour trip from Lugano to Lucerne on a speeding train that doesn’t rattle or make noise (The US would be smart to look into how this is accomplished).

On this train you actually go underneath the Alps thru a tunnel (I think it is the second longest tunnel of this type in the world) – thirty minutes later you pop out on the other side.  It is beautiful! – mountains – lake….simply spectacular.

Another 45 minutes and you arrive in the beautiful city of Lucerne (or Luzern – depending on which of the Swiss Cantons you are from).  This an old city with spectacular views of old buildings – restaurants, churches.  Complete with cobblestone streets, bell towers and exquisite (college word) masonry.

We have left the Italian speaking canton of Ticino where Lugano is located and are now in the predominantly German speaking (Swiss German – which is different than German from what I am told)  area where Lucern is located.  This is another unusual cultural aspect of Switzerland.  There are four languages spoken here with no “common” Swiss tongue.  In other words no one speaks “Swiss”.

The people of Switzerland live in several regions that are dominated by different languages.  There are states (Cantons) that speak French, German or Italian.  Also there are regions that speak an ancient tongue called Romanish  (Apparently this is a Latin based language).

Consequentially you will find that almost everyone speaks each of the languages (at the very least two of them) plus English.  Truly an amazing people.  Bright and extremely friendly.

Tomorrow we begin work on our “Growth of the Game” football camp. Should be interesting.

 

 

Susquehanna is one of the better teams in the Centennial Conference.  Many think that the school will be a rising  power, and after their win over Johns Hopkins the perennial CC powerhouse it appears that the Crusaders (ah…sorry PC people have changed their mascot to the “Riverhawks”)

They have played three straight overtime games – losing two before defeating Dickinson last weekend.  They have proven that they are tough enough to play over the long haul and after their last win – have shown that they can defeat teams in extra time.

With a well balanced offense and defense their coach Tom Perkovich has built a team that emulates Muhlenberg’s style of play (Perkovich was on the Muhlenberg staff before taking over at Susquehanna).  This team is trying to build around a physical front line with explosive playmakers on the perimeter on both sides of the ball.

Going into the game both teams realize that potential crossover implications are in the balance.  With the expanded MAC-CC format each game becomes even more important.

This will be a great challenge for the Hounds.  Players will have to step up and contribute.  Each person on the travel list will need to aid in the Moravian effort.

This is going to be a fantastic view of the Greyhound program.  Fans who attend the game will see the overall picture of the athletic complex that SU has developed and the need for MC to keep up!

All things are lining up for a great Greyhound future.  Although we must continue to improve our facilities and our admission and financial aid policies which lag behind the CC there is a great opportunity for our school to drive forward.

GO HOUNDS!

SUSQUEHANNA (3-2)

2018 RECORD: 3-2

Susquehanna 38 – Lycoming 7

1. LB Dixon (4) had a big day with 2 sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR and an Interception to lead a strong defensive effort by the River Hawks.
2. Freshman QB Ruisch (15) was 13-30 for 143 yards and 2 TD’s. Five of those passes were caught by Christian (3) for 52 hyards.

Susquehanna 37 – Johns Hopkins 35

1. Big win in a back and forth game against nationally ranked JHU (18^th).
2. Took advantage of Special Teams errors.
3. Rusch (15) 18-32 and 270 yards with a score.

Muhlenberg 37 – Susquehanna 34 (Overtime)

1. Susquehanna trained 24-0 at one point – came back to tie the game at 34 a piece.
2. Carsley (14) had 7 receptions for 166 yards. Ruisch (15) threw for three scores and ran for another.
3. Dixon (4) 2 PBU, 1 QBH, 1 FF and 1 TFL in productive defensive effort.

Franklin and Marshall 14 – Susquehanna 7 (Overtime)

1. Loss to nationally ranked F&M in overtime.
2. Dixon (4) with another good defensive game for the River Hawks.

Susquehanna 30 – Dickinson 24 (overtime)

1. Third straight overtime game for Susquehanna – first win of that streak.
2. Ruisch (15) –third in CC passing) was 14-24 for 220 yards and two scores.  Threw one pick.
3. Carsley (14)- top receiver in CC – caught 9 passes for2-3 yards and3 TD’s.
4. Bortzman (18) played QB in fourth quarter and in overtime for SU. Completed pass to Carsley (14) to win the game.
5. Dixon (4) added two more sacks to his total defensively.

2017 RECORD: 8-3 (Beat Albright 28-9 in CC vs. MAC Bowl)

COACH:  Tom Perkovich (Canisius ’03)  19-12, 4^thseason.

OFFENSE: (9 Returning Starters)

Quarterbacks: NONE

Receivers:

1. Mikah Christian (3)               6-0, 180      HM All CC, 41 REC-591 YDS 3TD
2. Mitch Carsley (14) 6-0, 195      22 REC-256 YDS 1TD
3. TE- Anthony McCoy (87) 6-1, 210      17 REC – 225 YDS  2TD

Runners: NONE

Offensive Line:

1. LT – Devon Lindeman(65) 5-11, 270
2. LG – Connor Young (72) 5-11, 248
3. C – Ryan Starace (53) 6-1, 280
4. RT – Cole Spencer (76) 6-2, 267
5. OT – Josh Zeroth (77) 6-2, 250
6. OT – Jared Kozich (64) 6-1, 265

 DEFENSE: (8 Returning Starters)

Defensive Line: NONE

Linebackers:

1. Cole Dixon (4) 6-0, 200      HM – ALL CC, 3.5 SACKS, 9 TFL
2. Connor Thompson (34) 5-9, 195     1^stTeam ALL CC, 4 SACKS, 10.5 TFL, 3 FR
3. Noah Shairer (26) 5-11, 200   3.5 TFL
4. David Simpson (31) 5-10, 215    4 SACKS, 5 TFL
5. Craig Roumes (16) 5-8, 190      3.5 TFL

Secondary:

1. Jason Brougham (21) 5-9, 180
2. Daniel Shelton(1) 5-11, 190    1^stTeam ALL CC, 10 PBU
3. Rickey Reyes (2) 6-2, 180     6 PBU

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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), 1^stseason.

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.

Go Hounds!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sure we lost a hard and tough game last Saturday in Collegeville against Ursinus.  They were just a little bit better than us on that day.

But, we are still on an upward trajectory…who knows if we played the Bears again in a few weeks.  It might have a very different result.

It’s easy to be frustrated at 2-2. But we don’t have the luxury of feeling bad – we need to move on.  Our mind set has to always be geared to finding ways to move forward regardless of the outcome of a game we play.

But, let’s keep things in perspective, there are some really good teams we have to play.  Hopkins, yeah I would say they are pretty good (nine straight Centennial championships) – Ursinus (leading defense in our conference) obviously they have some really good guys as well!

Guess what, there are even more to come – including this weekend against Gettysburg in Bethlehem.

The most important component of the entire operation is our players (your sons, wards, relatives and friends) and we know that they are bothered by losing.  We have to guide them through the ups and downs of a season.  Because that is a guarantee – there will be peaks and valleys.

So one job we have as coaches is to help them understand as much about the game as we can.  From the playing of the actual contest, to the preparation and eventually to the correct response to winning and losing.

Players always must be confident in themselves….also they must  learn to have trust in their teammates and coaches. Knowing everything that is done within our program is to help develop them in all areas.

Winning and losing – that is part of our game.  The reason we play at Moravian is for the competition – the chance to win…    No guarantees are ever made – but we want to win – everything we do is to achieve  that result. ….but  whatever the result is – we must learn to deal with those emotions.

One of the most important things we can do as coaches, parents friends etc. is to instill confidence in our “troops.”  As coaches we will never give up on our guys and I am sure it is the same for our extended families.

Positive reinforcement and praise is so key to the development of our young people.  They need to hear it from all of us….I can promise you they always hear it from the coaching staff.  These coaches are outstanding and positive young men (I don’t include my old ass in that group of “young” men by the way!)

Our responsibility to the guys we coach is to put the team in a position to win. To prepare them to play successfully each Saturday that a game is scheduled.

Winning is what we always work towards.  In those efforts we try our best to be upfront and honest with players.  That is not easy in this day and age of participation awards and politically correctness (is that a word??? correctness).

For example not everyone is going to be the star, not everyone will play and not everyone makes the travel roster.  But, that is reality and it isn’t easy.  But, it is part of what we do – sometimes decisions aren’t easy and many times they can be tough and painful for the players involved.

But, it is part of sport at this level…..  So, it is part of what we do.  It is our obligation to the team to put the best players on the field.  Sometimes these decisions aren’t embraced by everyone.  But, we have to make these hard choices and move forward.

At the same time it is also our obligation to help everyone see there role and continue to improve.  It isn’t always easy….but the team has to come first.  Feelings have to be sacrificed and egos may be bruised at times.  But team comes first and it always will.

GO HOUNDS!

 

As we enter the weekend with a very formidable opponent in Ursinus we do that with confidence.  The confidence of a well prepared team that has practiced well all season – but with even more precision this week.

Our training plans do not alter.  But the approach to the fundamentals continues to ramp up.  As we do each week on defense the team trains daily on tackling – something you cannot work enough.

Our offense returns to the basic work of consistent route running and ball carrying drills we always use.  The

offensive line pays attention to the tips and techniques that Chris Leavenworth offers up (along with his sarcasm and occasional off-color comment (imagine that!!)

Even as the increased emphasis on player safety heightens – our awareness of tackling techniques allows us to focus on doing it correctly.

!!THE ENEMY!!

Ursinus has opened the 2018 season with three straight wins.  They have defeated Bethany 36-13, Gettysburg 42-7 and then beat Juniata on the road 35-14 last weekend.

This is similar to the start they had last year, but the Bears faded to a 6-4 record as they dropped four of their last five games. (However, they were able to defeat Johns Hopkins during the first half of last year.)

Ursinus returned nine starters on offense and eight more on defense.  To this point the Bears have proven that they are strong on both sides of the ball.  Offensively they are paced by returning Junior QB Thomas Garlick (16), runners Samuel Ragland (37) and Stacey Gardner (3) and Freshman wide receiver Ryan Loughlin (46).

Garlick (16) is second in passing in the CC behind the QB we faced last week David Tammaro of Johns Hopkins.  He is big (6-4, 215) and has the ability to make all of the throws.  He is  currently completing 63% of his throws and has thrown 7 TD’s compared to his 4 interceptions.

Although Ursinus is a team that likes to run option style plays Garlick (16) is more a thrower than a runner.  In three games he has recorded 35 rushing attempts for just 75 yards.  Still, defensively he must be accounted for in the running game.

In the passing game Garlick (17) shines – and he has spread the ball around….but his favorite target is freshman (“freshperson” in some programs I guess) Ryan Loughlin (46) who has caught 17 passes and scored 3 TD’s.  He also handles much of the kick returning.

Also being key parts to the passing game are seniorThomas Cardozo (82) at tight end and Zach Gravelle (80) – both have nine catches each.

The front line returns three starters in Seniors Brett Highland (56) at 6-0, 250 and Gregg Olson (74) who is 6-3, 250. Junior James Marinelli (72) is another returning starter at 6-2, 300.

Highland (56) was named to the first team All Centennial first team offense following last season and Marinelli (72) was placed on the second team.

The running game has been productive with Ursinus averaging 207.7 yards rushing per game.  Sophomore Samuel Ragland (37) has been leading the Centennial Conference with 303 yards rushing and 7 touchdowns (also the leagues’ top).

Ragland (37) was named the Centennial Offensive Player of the week for the second game of the season. (He was also the Rookie of the Year in the conference for last season – his backfield running mate Stacey Gardner was named to the second team All Centennial team last year as well.)

Marcus Weathers (4) has been pacing the sturdy Bear defense with three sacks which places him in a tie for third with that production.  Nick Vandervere (40) has added two sacks which he had in the Juniata game.

Another All Conference honoree was Charles Anderson (96), at 6-0, 276 he made the second team ALL CC defensive unit last year .  Linebacker Jacob McCain (54) was chosen as the Centennial Defensive Player of the Week earlier this season.

In the Centennial Ursinus is the top team defensively allowing just 11.3 points per game.  Permitting just 218.3 yards a game the Bears are also the stingiest defense in the conference in regards to total yards allowed.

Everyone on the squad realizes the importance of this game.  But, every game is important in the growth of a young team.  We have made some very positive steps during each of the last three weeks and our goal is to keep making those strides.

We have a commitment to “Ongoing skill development” within the  program.  Continuing to get better at our fundamentals through daily work during our practice sessions.

As we continue to evaluate ourselves as coaches and teachers we constantly look to find better ways to help the “troops” become a more cohesive unit on the field.  We all know that we will always work to attain excellence each week as we work our way through the schedule.

Ursinus Overview:

• 2017 Record: 6-4
  • Bears opened season with five strait wins before dropping 4 of the last games.
  • 35-17 win over Hounds in Bethlehem last season.

• 2018 Record: 3-0
  • Ursinus 36 – Bethany 13
    • Garlick (16) threw for 291 yards and 4 TD’s.
    • Loughlin (46) 124 yards receiving and 3 TD’s – He is a freshman.
    • Weathers (4) has two sacks.
  • Ursinus 42 – Gettysburg 7
    • Garlick (16) 315 yards passing and 2 TD’s.
    • Ursinus defense forced Gettysburg to punt on 8 consecutive series – held the Bullets to 24 yards passing and 93 yards rushing.
  • Ursinus 35 – Juniata 14
    • Ragland (3) rushed for 170 yards and scored 3 TD’s.
    • Garlick (16) passed for 237 yards on a  17-24 performance…but had three interceptions.
    • Ursinus limited Juniata to 55 yards rushing and had three sacks (2 by Vandervere [40]).  The Bear defensive also forced and recovered three fumbles.

Coach:  Pete Gallagher (West Virginia Wesleyan ’93)  18th season (83-87).  Two Centennial Conference Championships.,

OFFENSE: Returning 9 Starters)

• Quarterbacks:
  1. Thomas Garlick (16)  Jr.  6-4, 215
• Receivers:
  1. Jacob Clifford (6)  Sr. 6-0, 200
  2. Thomas Cardozo (82)  Sr. 6-2, 235 – TE
• Runners:
  1. Stacey Gardner (3)  Jr.  5-7, 215
  2. Samuel Ragland (37)  Soph. 5-9, 175  (2017 Centennial Conference Rookie  of the Year).
• Offensive Line:
  1. Brett Highland (56)   Sr. 6-0, 250. (All Centennial Conference)
  2. James Marinelli (72)  Jr. 6-2, 300. (Second Team All Centennial Conference)
  3. Greg Olsson (74). Sr, 250

DEFENSE:

• Defensive Line:
  1. Noah Thomas (99)  Jr. 6-2, 220
  2. Matthew Trainor (93)  Jr., 6-4, 240
  3. Nick Vandervere (40)  Jr. 6-0, 220
  4. Charles Anderson (96)  Sr. 6-0, 290  (Second Team All Centennial Conference)
• Linebackers:
  1. Jacob McCain (54) Jr. 5-11, 207
• Defensive Backs:
  1. Michael Bradford (8)  Jr. 5-9, 170
  2. Danny Freeman (47)  Soph.  5-10, 175
  3. Jack Spingler (17)  Jr. 6-2, 205

*****

Here is an example of how our “Special Forces” practice during the week. This is an outstanding interception by Dylan Purdy (50) playing linebacker for the defensive SF.

He is the LB standing on the 30 yard line between the hashmark and the numbers.  It is exciting for me to watch the performance of the younger players.

Often the inexperienced players feel they are neglected a little during the season.  I take it as my personal goal to try and encourage these youngsters because they are the future of the HOUND PROGRAM!  (The Kennel??)

Being technologically challenged I have to admit I am somewhat proud of myself in getting this video placed in the blog.  I am still not sure how I did it!

Whenever you play Johns Hopkins you are in for a reality check.  This is a team that is attempting to win the Centennial Conference championship for the tenth year in a row.  Let me say that again…….for the tenth year in a row.  Let’s not take that too lightly.

That means for the last nine years nine other teams in our conference have failed to unseat them.  And, it wasn’t  until recently there have been any teams in our league who could even beat them.

*******

I have to mention something here because it bothered me when I heard an alum complain about our inability to beat teams like Johns Hopkins or even Muhlenberg.  Here are some stark facts.

Let me throw a little perspective out there for everyone.  Johns Hopkins has an annual endowment of 3.3 Billion dollars (That is with a “B”)….Moravian has an endowment of 102 Million dollars. I am not good at math.  But, that is a pretty big difference.

Just one other note…the guys from across the river – our supposed rival (My alma  mater –  Muhlenberg is ranked fifth in the Centennial Conference with 246 Million dollars in annual endowment.)   By the way that 102 million Moravian has is dead last in the ten team Centennial Conference.

Instead of worrying about winning football games the people who in charge of raising money – well you tell me what they should be doing.

Let’s not even start on facilities – trust me when I say we lag way behind there as well.  Easily WAY BEHIND in this area – just like financing.

I assure you these are not complaints THIS IS REALITY!  The things Moravian coaches face every day.

But our parents and backers should know the obstacles Moravian athletics face.

Sorry….I digress.  But it truly does irritate me when I here these negative things being said about our “troops”.  Outsiders have no clue about the handcuffs placed on Moravian athletics from the admissions department to financial aid.

Other coaches cannot say anything about these problems – they depend on Moravian for their living.  On the other hand – I work for free because even in retirement coaching is what I do.  

They can tell me to hit the road…..then I’ll just load up my truck and go back to Michigan (trust me there are many college teams at all levels who will take a broken down coach for free!). So I feel no guilt or fear in sharing these ideas with you..

******

Enough!!

Back to football!

Basically I have been around football my entire life.  Trust me when I tell you that  our guys at Moravian have made tremendous strides….they continue to improve each week.  Actually they get better every day.  I have seen it, and I love where Moravian football is going.

These guys on the team work extremely hard and believe me when I tell you this – there is a bright future.  Can we be the one to eventually unseat JHU?  I don’t have a crystal ball  and honestly if I could answer that I would go to the track tomorrow and win some serious money.

Unlike many jobs in the real world……..

When you lose games – coaches go back and watch the video of the game.  They analyze the game plan….they review the previous week’s practice.  In other words they look for anything that they can improve.

It is a difficult and a very arduous task.  But, it is what we do.  Actually this analysis is cathartic.  It provides an outlet for our emotions – maybe like a valve to let off steam that is building up.  As coaches we are always in search of excellence – always looking for a better way.

When you examine a football contest there are always several factors that you have to bear in mind.  In a game you always look at turnovers, penalties, time of possession, field position, missed tackles, mental errors etc.

These things are almost always effected by your execution of fundamentals.  Like anything in any business if you don’t have your basic skills under control and a solid foundation established you will have a difficult time succeeding.

When we look at our game video we always see some errors in  these areas.  For example let’s take missed tackles.   In the first half alone failing to execute tackles cost our defense more than 70 yards.  We probably allowed even more in the second half.

So as coaches we go back to our past week’s game planning and we look to see if we practiced tackling enough.  In my opinion we certainly did – we practice tackling EVERY DAY!

But, perhaps we need to become better at developing different drills to simulate errors we made during the game.  That is the challenge of coaching – trying to help the players overcome their mistakes through better teaching (coaching) techniques.

OK enough about the things that hold us back.

Let’s look at some extremely big positives we have in Moravian football.

Our leadership is extraordinary and their efforts spread through our team every single day.  Senior captains –  Nick Zambelli and Nick Tone – among a very solid group of upperclassmen – are fine examples of what it is to be a Moravian football player.

Junior captains Brett Poling and Sal Pagano epitomize leadership and they combine with some very strong younger players to help our team move forward.  These guys paint a bright picture for Moravian football.

Personally I love being around these guys and the team that they lead.  They not only inspire me, but they allow me to see the great things we have to look forward to here in Bethlehem.

Then…let’s look at the troops.  The young men who get the job done day in and day out working on the field.  I have been around some excellent football teams over my years….but these guys on the 2018 Moravian Greyhound team are special.

From the early morning meetings every day – the late afternoon practices – to the  weight lifting sessions.  You. cannot find a more committed group.  These young men are the real deal.

Every single player – from our injured guys who help with the video taping of practice through our “Special Forces” players who force the starting units to improve to the guys who work on Saturdays – they are awesome.  (By the way that might be a run-on sentence I guess!)

I salute you Hounds and can’t wait to see where our season leads us!

 

JOHNS HOPKINS
(1-1)

2017 RECORD: 9-2

• Centennial Conference Champions (13th Championship since 2002) (Playing for 10th straight championship)

• Lost in first round of NCAA playoffs to Washington and Jefferson 31-28

2018 RECORD: 1-1

Johns Hopkins 63 –  Randolph Macon 31
• Hopkins trailed 24-21 at half. Scored six touchdowns in second half to win.
• Over 600 yards in total offense.
• Tight End Chuck Norgle (16) threw a TD pass on a double pass – he threw a TD pass last year as well. He is a former QB.

Susquehanna 37 – Johns Hopkins 35
• Susquehanna comes from behind in second half to win.
• Unusual special teams lapses hurt JHU. (Punt snap, missed FG)
• Hopkins with 451 total yards of offense…..allowed 398.

LOOKING BACK AT 2017 FOR HOPKINS:

COACH: Jim Margraff (Johns Hopkins ’81) 29th season (209-87-3 (.704).

OFFENSE:
Quarterbacks:
David Tammaro (11), Jr. 6-3, 205 (3010 YDS, 25 TD – PASSING)

Receivers:
Luke McFadden (82), Sr. 2017 CENTENNIAL OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR – (58 REC – 1162 YDS – 9 TD)
Ryan Hubley (3), So. 5-7, 165
Zac Fernandez (34), So. 5-9, 180

Runners:
***3000 Yards and nearly 50 TD’s between them.
Hogan Irwin (28), Sr. 5-10, 190
Tyler Messenger (20), Sr. 6-0, 195
Stuart Walters (5), Sr. 5-11, 215

Offensive Line:
Joe Figueroa (64), Jr. 6-2, 290 2017 ALL CENTENNIAL GUARD

DEFENSE:
Addison Quinones (14), Sr. 5-10, 195 2017 ALL CENTENNIAL SAFETY
Ian Lodge (46), Sr. 6-0, 200 2017 ALL CENTENNIAL SAFETY
Mike Kalanik (39), Jr. 6-1, 220 9.5 Sacks, 21.0 TFL DE
McCauley Kilbane (8), So. 6-0, 215 DB

SPECIAL TEAMS:
Punter – Brandon Hong-Dominguez 2017 ALL CENTENNIAL PUNTER  45 Punts – 37.8, 16 punts inside the 20.

2018 OVERVIEW:

Johns Hopkins is the reigning Centennial Conference champion and they have won the last nine crowns.  They have a very strong club and it is doubtful the any other Division III school in the country has a team that boasts players from 22 different states.

After opening the year with a 63-31 win over Randolph Macon JHU traveled to Susquehanna to play against a very talented team last Saturday.

In a highly competitive game the Blue Jays suffered a loss  in Selinsgrove, PA.  The Susquehanna River Hawks (they are still the Crusaders to me!) took advantage of two uncharacteristic special teams errors to gain a 37-35 win.

• A bad snap over the punters head cost Johns Hopkins a safety, and a missed field goal near the end of the game were critical plays opening the door for the Susquehanna win..

This was an interesting game with Susquehanna playing a very physical game – which has become their calling card over the past several years.  There were a lot of hard hits and in the end SU managed to just outplay the visitors and gain the victory.

Despite the loss the Hopkins offense cruised along at it’s usual high octane rate putting up 451 yards of total offense.  QB David Tammaro (#11) threw for 272 yards and a pair of scores (But his 1 interception was returned to the two yard line and then followed by a Susquehanna TD).

He completed 26 of38 passes – nine to Ryan Hubley (#3) for 87 yards and a TD.  But, he ran the Hopkins offense with his usual expertise and spread the ball around to nine different players.

Even with the return of just one starter on the offensive line – All Conference Guard Joe Figueroa (#64) – the running game has been very good.  With the three experienced runners that Hopkins has – they have been very steady and confident with any one of the three backs in the game.

Stuart Walters (#5) continues to regain his past running form as he rushed for 137 yards on just 13 tries scoring one TD.  He returns after a three year absence and with more than 2300 yards and 36 TD’s over his career so he will certainly challenge the Hound defense with his elusive and powerful style.

Moravian has played well defensively in the two games leading up to Saturdays contest.  But, this game will require the team to play with emotion, but also maintain discipline in their assignments.

This is the type of game that plays will be made by both teams and the squad that can keep it’s composure and maintain a steady effort through four quarters will have the best chance at winning.

Johns Hopkins is always a very solid team on defense.  This year is no exception – as a Junior – returning Joe Kalanik (#39) at DE offers one of the best skill sets in the Conference.

Last season  he was tied for second in the CC with nine sacks.  (Well, maybe it doesn’t seem like that many….but basically think this….almost one sack per game!). Now combine that with his 20.5 tackles for loss and you can see what a fine player he is.

In the secondary the Blue Jays return two very good players in Addison Quinones (#14) and Ian Lodge (#46).  Both of these guys will be firm against the run and solid in pass defense.

Every year this  team statistically is generally ranked in the top  of the CC. This season’s group is no different.  By the time the year ends they will dominate many teams in the conference.

This has been very productive week in Bethlehem and the Hounds will enter the game on Saturday well prepared to play at there highest level.

Attention to detail, physical play and execution of fundamentals will decide how this game plays out.

GO HOUNDS!