The 2008 Wagner College football team will report to preseason training camp on August 9 amidst boundless optimism. Buoyed by a 7-4 record and a No. 7 ranking in the final 2007 Sports Network FCS Top-10 Mid-Major Poll, the Seahawks enter 2008 brimming with confidence as the Seahawks return seven starters on each side of the ball.
Seahawk fans will have their first opportunity to view the team live during the annual preseason Green & White Scrimmage which is slated for August 21. The 2008 lid-lifter is Friday, September 5 at Stonehill, when the Seahawks and the Skyhawks clash under the lights in a 7:00 pm tilt. The 2008 home opener promises plenty of pomp and circumstance when the Iona Gaels invade Grymes Hill on Homecoming Day. Kickoff for the Wagner-Iona game is 1:00 p.m.
To duplicate or surpass last season's achievements, Wagner will need to replace three of the best players in school history in All-American kicker/punter Piotr Czech, cornerback/return specialist and ECAC All-Star Al Phillips, as well as Northeast Conference Offensive Player of the Year, running back Jason Butler.
Head coach Walt Hameline enters his 28th season at the helm of the Seahawk program. With nearly 200 wins to his credit (186-97-2 overall record), this veteran taskmaster knows a thing or two about recruiting, developing and replacing top talent.
Under the tutelage of veteran offensive coordinator Jim Gibbons, the Seahawks appear to have the necessary ingredients to make the scoreboard sizzle.
"I think when you talk about any offense, you start with the big guys up front and I like what we have here," said Hameline. "We've got some good experience returning and I'm excited about the offensive line unit. I think we've got some ability at running back with a good mix of runners who have different styles. We've got some capable returnees at both wide receiver and tight end and the quarterback battle will be a good one."
Up front, the Seahawks return a solid nucleus in senior right tackle Matt Martin, junior guard Neil Barton and sophomore left tackle Joe Feriozzi, three veterans who boast size, intelligence and experience. They are all also versatile athletes as each has played more than one offensive line position during their respective careers. Another veteran, sophomore Cleveland Green, will look to make the transition from guard to center after sitting out the 2007 season with an ankle injury. Junior Chazz Gonzalez and sophomore Tyrone Brown will compete for the starting left guard spot. Plenty of competition and quality depth along the O-line exists in the form of sophomores Zach Johnson, Andrew Hager and freshman Quentin Anderson, among others.
At quarterback, the Seahawks return a two-year starter in senior Matt Abbey, who has thrown for 3,221 yards and 21 TDs in his career. Abbey will face major competition in junior Adam Farnsworth, a transfer from the University of Iowa who is a big, strong prototypical drop-back passer. Farnsworth's impressive performance in the annual Green & White scrimmage in the spring suggests that Abbey will have a fight on his hands in order to maintain a stranglehold on the starting position.
"As a coach, I like our situation at quarterback in that I think we have a couple guys who can run the offense and move the chains effectively," said Hameline. "I anticipate great competition."
Adding depth at QB will be junior Tyler Newberry along with sophomores Dustin Nelson, David Kropilak and Steve Panusuk.
Wagner has a wide assortment of options at running back which will likely feature a number of players touching the ball as opposed to last season when Butler ran roughshod through opposing defenses to the tune of 1,713 yards on a whopping 316 carries. Senior halfback Rodney Davis showed flashes of brilliance in 2007, gaining 331 yards and two TDs on the ground as Butler's understudy. Davis' season was highlighted by a 10-carry, 117-yard effort vs. Monmouth, in an afternoon that was capped by a 75-yard TD jaunt. Davis' season was cut short by a week 10 knee injury that required surgery and forced him to sit out the spring.
A pair of mid-year transfers set to make an immediate impact include promising freshman Prince Young, who runs with a low center of gravity, and powerful junior workhorse Shane Smith, a versatile runner, blocker and receiver, who began his career at the University of Central Florida. Durable and hard-nosed Keith Heaney has the inside track at the starting fulbback position.
The Seahawks boast plenty of talent and experience at tight end in the form of senior Carlos Barthelemy (five receptions for 47 yards) and sophomore Morgan Mizell (two receptions for 48 yards). Senior Pete Zagorski, a transfer from Rutgers, is also looking to make an impact after seeing his season cut short in week three of the 2007 campaign due to a knee injury that required surgery and sidelined him for the rest of the season.
The Seahawks graduated a good one in Joe Kinard, who in addition to a team-high 29 receptions for 355 yards, was also a tremendous blocker at the point of attack. Wagner returns its second and third-leading receivers, respectively, in junior Lon Woods (24 receptions, 449 yards four TDs) and senior Kyle Trueblood (20 receptions for 232 yards). Speedy sophomore Tyrone Collins is also back fresh off an impressive campaign that saw him corral 11 passes for 143 yards as a frosh. Offering depth at wide receiver will be promising sophomores Justin Matthews and Sean O'Reilly along with a sure-handed veteran in senior Greg DiLorenzo, who had an outstanding spring game.
"Just like with our offense, it all starts up front defensively for us," says Hameline. "I think you'd have to say that our front four is our defensive strength. We've got pass rushers on the end and good size and strength in the middle. Plus, we're experienced. Where we're not experienced is at outside linebacker. We've got two solid veterans inside but have to find capably guys on the outside. We graduated a great player at cornerback in Al Phillips but I think we'll be OK back there. We've got some guys who have done it for a long time and there are some newcomers who might have a chance to make an impact there as well."
Mark Collins enters his seventh year as the Seahawks' defensive coordinator and his 16th season overall on Grymes Hill. In 2007, he guided a Seahawk defense that finished first in the NEC in total defense (319.1 yards/game), first in scoring defense (16.1 points/game) and second in rushing defense (133.7 yards/game). Nationally, the Wagner defense was seventh in the nation in scoring defense (16.1 points/game) and 20th in total defense (319.1 yards/game).
The Seahawks welcome back a defensive line that features one of the nation's best pass rushers in ultra-quick senior end Robert Brown, an AP third-team All-American and a first-team All-NEC selection following a season that saw him record 10 sacks which was fourth in the nation.
Anchoring the middle of the defensive line are a trio of stout run-stoppers senior defensive tackle Adrian Adderly (60 tackles) and junior defensive tackles Joseph Harkins (30 tackles) and Joe Johnson (26 tackles). Keith Hernandez, a big and mobile sophomore, is also looking to make an impact at defensive tackle after spending his freshman season on the offensive line.
Sophomore Patrick Abdul showed great promise as a freshman a year ago and this rangy performer will likely get the nod at defensive line opposite Brown. Offering quality depth on the D-Line will be a pair of sophomores in tackle Anthony Maurillo and end Jamie Bayer.
The Seahawks graduated a pair of productive linebackers in leading tackler Bryan Brand and solid veteran Thomas Larsen. Wagner does welcome back a pair of starting linebackers in senior Jeremy Spinks and junior Jason Haskins, who were tied for second on team in tackles a year ago with 72. Also competing for starting spots at linebacker will be sophomores Frantz Placide and Dallas Dowling along with juniors Chris Jaeger and Olatunde Ogunlana. There are several newcomers who will also be given a long look along the defensive line in pre-season camp.
Returning in the Seahawk secondary are hard-hitting senior safety Tavares Lee (62 tackles), senior CB Dario Charlton (54 tackles) and junior CB Jorel Joseph(30
tackles). Athletic sophomore Stephan Gage, junior T.J. Czeski and seniors Aliga Betts and John Panik also have a chance to make a big impact in the defensive backfield.
Replacing the best kicker in NEC history in current Baltimore Raven Piotr Czech will not be an easy task. In addition to being a stellar field goal kicker, who nailed a pair of NEC-record 56-yard field goals during his career, Czech was also one of the greatest punters in school history.
Senior Eric Ortiz has the inside track on the starting job while classmate Adam Ziegler, junior newcomer Paul Weinstein and sophomores Rory Creegan and Mark Magion will also be a part of the competition. The punting battle appears to be a two-man tussle between sophomore newcomer Kyle Muir and junior Brad Hyde. Haskins has the inside track as the long-snapper.
The competition for kickoff and punt return specialists figures to include Collins, Trueblood and O'Reilly among the veterans, while a host of newcomers will be given a long look there as well.
"We've got a few question marks here and there but overall I'm pleased with the talent and chemistry of this team," said Hameline. "If we stay healthy, we've got a chance."
