Ben Zoeller

Springfield, Ohio — The Wittenberg University football team, which returns nine starters from last year's 10-1 team, once again has experts believing it has the talent to make a run at a national championship. The publishers of Lindy's 2011 College Football Preview ranked the Tigers 14th in their NCAA Division III preseason poll, while publishers of The Sporting News ranked the Tigers eighth in their NCAA Division III preseason poll. 

Both publications also named Wittenberg scholar athletes to preseason All-America teams.Lindy's 2011 College Football Preview includes quarterback Ben Zoeller, class of 2012 from Louisville, Ky., on its second team, while both publications placed wide receiver Josh McKee, class of 2012 from New Carlisle, Ohio, on the first team. The Sporting News only listed a first team.

In addition, McKee was named a first-team preseason All-American by Consensus Draft Services. To cap things, d3football.com named McKee to its preseason All-America team in late July.

Poised to become the first NCAA Division III program to 700 wins — the Tigers enter the 2011 season at 699 — Wittenberg is no stranger to preseason or postseason accolades. A year ago, the Tigers won the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) title while posting a perfect 10-0 regular season to reach the NCAA Division III Tournament for a second straight year. Wittenberg's season came to an end in the first round with a 37-14 loss at Ohio Northern, a year after the Tigers reached the national quarterfinals before losing at two-time defending national champion Wisconsin-Whitewater.

While the Tigers must replace seven starters on each side of the ball, there is a great deal of talent back in the fold, starting with the record-breaking duo of Zoeller, the 2010 NCAC Offensive Player of the Year, and McKee, a second-team All-America d3football.com honoree a year ago. Zoeller returns after throwing for nearly 3,000 yards in his first year as a starter, while McKee broke more than a half-dozen Wittenberg and conference records during the 2010 season.

In addition, wide receiver Michael Cooper, class of 2012 from Springfield, Ohio, returns after hauling in more than 100 passes in his first three collegiate seasons, and running backs Corey Weber, class of 2012 from Pataskala, Ohio, and Conner Warye, class of 2012 from Maineville, Ohio, are again available to carry the load after combining for more than 3,500 yards and 30 touchdowns over the last two seasons.

Defensively, the Tigers are particularly strong in the secondary, led by All-NCAC safety Seth Parker, class of 2012 from Riverside, Ohio, and talented cornerbacks Jamaal Everett, class of 2013 from Kettering, Ohio, and Karlos Marshall, class of 2013 from Springfield, Ohio. In addition, linebacker Zach Hurtt, class of 2012 from Fort Thomas, Ky., returns with more than 200 career tackles to his credit.

Wittenberg is seeking its NCAC-best 12th title — and third in a row without a loss — since joining the conference in 1989. The Tigers open the 2011 season on Saturday, Sept. 3, against Ohio Athletic Conference powerhouse Capital. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Wittenberg's Edwards-Maurer Field.

Written By: Ryan Maurer
Photo By: Erin Pence

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