The Tigers hope to have a lot more to celebrate in 2009.
After a 2008 season derailed by a phenomenal rash of injuries, the Wittenberg University football team returns 21 starters and a whopping 47 letterwinners in 2009, buoying hopes around historic Edwards-Maurer Field of a return to the top of the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) heap.
The positive buzz was similar a year ago before the injuries began to pile up, starting with all-conference tight end Mat Guida (LaGrange, Ky./Oldham County) before the season even started. Through two weeks of the season, all-conference quarterback Aaron Huffman (Newark, Ohio/Newark), starting kicker Zack Harris (Plain City, Ohio/Jonathan Alder) and starting tailback Corey Weber (Pataskala, Ohio/Watkins Memorial) led a parade of players who joined Guida on the sidelines for the season.
It was a series of body blows the program simply couldn't overcome. By season's end, the Tigers would lose three games by three points each before a dispiriting 27-6 loss at Wooster in the finale.
Bouncing back is always easier said than done, but the Tigers have plenty of talented and experienced collegiate performers who figure to be very hungry in 2009. The offense will be led once again by Huffman, the 2007 team Most Improved Player and 2006 NCAC Newcomer of the Year, while the defense is in the capable hands of junior linebacker Brad McKinley (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson), the 2007 NCAC Newcomer of the Year and the 2008 team Most Valuable Player. If Huffman suffers an injury, the Tigers know they have an experienced back-up in junior Andrew Durbin (Carmel, Ind./Carmel), who went 2-2 as a starter over the final month of the 2008 season.
Offensively, there is depth and talent at every position group, starting with the receiving corps. Huffman's favorite target is fifth-year senior wide receiver Patrick Williams (Plainfield, Ind./Plainfield), who set a school record with 56 receptions in 2007 and now stands just 33 catches away from Wittenberg's career record. Guida, who led the team with 17.7 yards per catch in 2007, figures to provide plenty of assistance, as do sophomore wideouts Josh McKee (New Carlisle, Ohio/Tecumseh) and Michael Cooper (Springfield, Ohio/South), who combined for 67 catches and11 touchdowns in 2008. In addition, junior wide receiverAnthony Kralich (Kettering, Ohio/Alter) has 38 receptions in his first two collegiate seasons.
On the ground, Huffman has just as many options, starting with the return of Weber, a junior who missed the last nine games in 2008, and senior tailback Jeff Wilbur (Ann Arbor, Mich./Community), who came on strong late in the season to rush for 258 yards on 58 carries. In addition, sophomore tailback Connor Warye (Cincinnati, Ohio/Kings) will vie for playing time after transferring from Ohio Northern. Clearing the way for them is senior fullback Dan McCormick (Troy, Ohio/Troy).
All the skill position talent in the world can be neutralized by poor offensive line play, but the Tigers appear well stocked along the front as well, starting with senior two-time second-team all-conference center Dillon Hollin (Prospect, Ky./Trinity). Junior second-team all-conference tackle Alex Burwell (Sunbury, Ohio/Big Walnut) also returns to the starting lineup, while six other players with starting experience (seniors Tony Eich (Columbus, Ohio/Centennial), Ryan Metzger (Williamsport, Ohio/Westfall), Clay Hewson (Louisville, Ky./Ballard) and Jake Kerger (Louisville, Ky./St. Xavier) and juniors Nick Hudepohl (Crescent Springs, Ky./Covington Catholic) and Jeremy Block (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair)) will create plenty of spirited competition for playing time.
While the Tiger offense was unable to overcome the injury plague of 2008, the defense performed admirably, finishing the season ranked No. 1 in the NCAC in scoring defense (14.4 points per game) and total defense (260 yards per game). Ten of the top 12 tacklers are back in the lineup in 2009.
Corey Weber hopes to pick up where he left off in the opener against Olivet, when he rushed for 74 yards and two touchdowns before leaving with an injury.
McKinley, who finished with more tackles than any other NCAA Division III freshman in the nation in 2007, followed up with team-highs of 111 stops, 10 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks in 2008. He was part of a dynamic linebacking unit, flanked by senior Kyle Lohrman (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland), who finished with 92 tackles, and sophomore Zach Hurtt (Fort Thomas, Ky./Highlands), who added 86 tackles. They are ably backed by junior Ben Maxwell (Kettering, Ohio/Alter), who contributed 23 tackles in 2008.
The secondary is a bit thin, with only senior Trent Brunic (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) back with any significant experience at safety. After stepping in as a starter early in 2008, Brunic contributed 28 tackles and two interceptions. Senior cornerback Brandyn Brown (Louisville, Ky./Male), a two-time all-conference selection, returns for his fourth year as a starter after recording 39 tackles, two interceptions and a team-high 14 passes defensed in 2008. The other cornerback position could be manned by senior Keenan Freeman (Fairborn, Ohio/Enon Greenon), who was a starting safety on opening day in 2008 before missing much of the season due to injury.
The defensive line will again be a strength for the Tigers, starting with the senior tackle tandem of Taylor Scherer (Crestwood, Ky./S. Oldham County) and Lance Phillips (Wellston, Ohio/Wellston). That pair combined for 11.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks a year ago.
Junior Eddie Vallery (South Solon, Ohio/Madison Plains) enjoyed a breakout 2008 season with 47 tackles and two forced fumbles and will almost certainly start at one of the end spots. Junior Nic Wolfe (Kettering, Ohio/Fairmont) is a top contender for the other end position, and junior Adam Kattoua (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) will be in the tackle rotation.
Rounding things out, Harris returns as the odds-on favorite to handle the kicking duties after missing the final eight games of the 2008 season due to injury. He will battle junior David Rome (Shaker Heights, Ohio/Hawken), a converted soccer player who filled in admirably on short notice a year ago, and five freshmen for the starting spot this year. Junior Trevor Cochran (Newark, Ohio/Newark) averaged 35.5 yards per punt in 2008, his first year as a starter.
2008 Record 6-4
NCAC Record 4-3 (t-3rd)
Letterwinners Returning (44) Offensive: 23, Defensive: 18, Specialist: 3
Letterwinners Lost (17) Offensive: 7, Defensive: 10, Specialist: 0
Starters Returning (21) Offensive: 11, Defensive 8, Specialist: 2
Starters Lost (3) Offensive: 0, Defensive 3, Specialist: 0
Offense: Multiple I
Defense: Multiple 4-3
Letterwinners Returning (44):
Offense (23) - Logan Beam, Jeremy Block, Alex Burwell, Michael Cooper, Andrew Durbin, Tony Eich (2007), Bill French, Mat Guida (2007), Clay Hewson, Dillon Hollin, Nick Hudepohl, Aaron Huffman (2007), Jake Kerger, Anthony Kralich, Dan McCormick, Josh McKee, Ryan Metzger, Josh Nettleton, Cody Parsell, Corey Weber (2007), Billy West, Jeff Wilbur, Patrick Williams
Defense (18) - Brandyn Brown, Trent Brunic, Fields Davis, Keenan Freeman, Zach Hurtt, Adam Kattoua, Kyle Lohrman, Ben Maxwell, Brad McKinley, Ben Merkert (2007), Mike Montgomery, Seth Parker, Lance Phillips, Taylor Scherer, Eddie Vallery, Ty Whittington, Nic Wolfe, Ben Zoeller
Specialists (3) - Zack Harris, David Rome, Trevor Cochran
Letterwinners Lost (17):
Offense (7) - Rod Belcher, Matt Brumfield, Zack Elrod, Tony Hall, Trevor Luckenbill, Brady Swift, Steve Dailey
Defense (10) - Zach Brumfield, Travis Brunic, Anthony Davis, Drew Dolder, Jumar Guy, Matt Maidlow, Nick Marino, Anthony Marolo, Anthony Oliver, Manny Rodriguez
Specialists (0)
Starters Returning (21):
Offense (11) - WR Patrick Williams, QB Aaron Huffman, C Dillon Hollin, OT Ryan Metzger, OT Alex Burwell, OG Jeremy Block, OG Clay Hewson, TE Mat Guida, WR Anthony Kralich, TB Corey Weber, FB Dan McCormick
Defense (8) - DT Lance Phillips, DT Taylor Scherer, DE Eddie Vallery, LB Brad McKinley, LB Kyle Lohrman, LB Zach Hurtt, CB Brandyn Brown, S Trent Brunic
Specialists (2) - K Zack Harris, P Trevor Cochran
Starters Lost (3):
Offense (0)
Defense (3) - DE Matt Maidlow, CB Travis Brunic, S Manny Rodriguez
Specialists (0)