Gustavus coach says '08 will be last season Gustavus Adolphus coach Jay Schoenebeck has announced that the 2008 season will be his final season as head coach. After 29 years coaching college football, Schoenebeck has decided it is time to step away from the demands of being a head collegiate coach so he can dedicate more time to his family, which includes his wife Darcey, and their five-month old daughter Eryn. A 1980 Gustavus graduate, Schoenebeck has compiled an overall mark of 68-72 since returning to his alma mater as the head coach for the 1994 season. Athletics director Al Molde respects the reasons for Schoenebeck's decision and stated, "Jay Schoenebeck has been our successful coach and wonderful colleague for the past 15 years. We will miss him. He is a man of strong character and great personal and professional integrity. A loyal Gustie, Jay has made valuable contributions to all aspects of life on campus, and is well known for his positive and cooperative attitude. Most importantly, he is loved and respected by the hundreds of football student athletes who call him 'coach.' We wish him the very best in the future." Regarding Jay's replacement, Molde said, "It is our intention to find the very best head coach available and have that person named in time for the recruiting season." | ||
| Permalink | Aug 30, 2008 | ||
Kickoff 2008 is out! The largest season preview package D3football.com has ever assembled is complete. That's right, Kickoff 2008 has been published. In response to reader feedback, we bulked up Kickoff for the 2008 season, increasing the number of feature stories from four to 16 while maintaining the 239 team capsules, adding photos and giving subscribers their own discussion area on each story. Our goal was to give readers far more for their dollar, and we believe we have delivered. If you haven't subscribed to Kickoff yet, go to Kickoff 2008 and follow the registration instructions. You can pay securely, online. It is $9.95 and is available to registered and paid users online. (Users who register with .edu e-mail addresses get a 40% discount, to $5.95.) Enjoy! | ||
| Permalink | Aug 26, 2008 | ||
Huntingdon picked as SLIAC champ In its first-ever season in a conference, Huntingdon has been selected as the preseason favorite to capture the 2008 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship, as voted on by the league's eight coaches. The Hawks (5-5 in 2007) received six first-place votes, while Greenville (5-5, 4-3 IBC) earned the top spot from the remaining two voters, the SLIAC announced on Friday. Westminster (4-6, 4-3 UMAC) was voted to finish third, while nearby rival LaGrange (0-10) was picked fourth. Blackburn (4-6, 3-4 UMAC) and Eureka (2-8, 2-5 IBC) were selected to finish fifth and sixth, respectively, while the Huntingdon's inaugural SLIAC opponent, MacMurray (0-10, 0-7 IBC), was chosen seventh. Principia (1-8, 1-6 UMAC) was picked eighth. "This tells us a lot about what other coaches in the league think about our program," head coach Mike Turk said. "We (members of the SLIAC) don't really know a whole lot about each other, but I do know that by being the preseason favorite, we will have a bull's-eye on our back every Saturday." Huntingdon returns 31 lettermen from its 2007 squad that competed as a NCAA Division III independent. The 2008 season marks the first time since 1999 that the conference will sponsor football as a championship sport. Huntingdon and LaGrange both joined the SLIAC as affiliate members in football, and they join a core group of institutions that will have the opportunity to receive an automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs beginning with the 2010 season. 2008 SLIAC Coaches’ Poll (First-Place Votes) 1. Huntingdon (6) 2. Greenville (2) 3. Westminster (Mo.) 4. LaGrange 5. Blackburn 6. Eureka 7. MacMurray 8. Principia | ||
| Permalink | Aug 23, 2008 | ||
Teeing up kickoff Division III football and D3football.com rarely stay the same from season to season, and this year is no exception. On the football front, fans will notice changes in the play clock, which will adopt the pro style 40/25 second setup. (Unless the game clock stops, the play clock will start at 40 seconds when the previous play is ruled dead.) The incidental face mask (5-yard variety) will no longer be called. The offense will take over at the 40 if a kickoff goes out of bounds. On D3football.com, some changes have taken place as well. You'll find our expanded message boards at a new address: D3boards.com. If you're new to the site, don't forget to register to join the conversation! Plus, Around the Nation and Around the Region columns will start up in September, and we have all sorts of things yet to come this season. | ||
| Permalink | Aug 18, 2008 | ||
All's fair for Mount Union
Mount Union's football team took some time off from preparing for the 2008 football season to attend the Alliance Carnation Festival Days in the Park Saturday afternoon. The annual festival celebrates the city of Alliance and its place in history as the birthplace of the state flower - the Scarlet Carnation. The 10-day event features numerous activities including Days in the Park, a live entertainment and food expo held in Silver Park. The food vendors are all local civic organizations, churches and schools that use the event as a fundraiser. Coach Larry Kehres has to feed his football players during preseason camp, so he decided to use it as an opportunity to help the community. Each upperclassman football player was given a stipend for dinner and instructed to spend it at the Festival. "We thought this would be a great way for Mount Union College to support such a special event as the Carnation Festival," said Kehres. "It is also an opportunity for our players to get out and experience and be part of the community, especially a community that supports us so much." Even though it is only the third day of camp, players enjoyed the break in the routine. "It is nice to get off campus, even if it only for a little while," said senior running back Nate Kmic. "The food, the people and the place is great," said junior placekicker/punter Jay Carpenter. | ||
| Permalink | Aug 17, 2008 | ||
Huntingdon player collapses, dies
Sam Collins, an incoming freshman for Huntingdon, died after practice on Friday, according to a report in the Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser. Collins, a defensive lineman from Flomaton, Ala., was 18. "The young man apparently wasn't feeling well at practice about 12:30 (p.m.)" Montgomery Police spokesman Huey Thornton told the newspaper. "The coaching staff thought that maybe had something to do with heat stroke or heat exhaustion. "We are devastated about the death of Sam Collins," Huntingdon president J. Cameron West said in a school release. "He was a bright young man -- full of joy and hope about coming to college and playing collegiate football. Our hearts go out to the Collins family and to all who will grieve the loss of this special young man." Coach Mike Turk shared the news of Collins' death with his teammates in a meeting Friday evening. "Sam Collins was an amazing young man. We had just gotten to know him, and he showed so much promise. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Sam's family and to all who knew him." | ||
| Permalink | Aug 15, 2008 | ||
New looks for 2008
The turf phenomenon continues in Division III, with fields from Shenandoah to Gallaudet to Dubuque to Washington and Lee to UW-Whitewater among those getting the artificial surface installed. The defending national champion Warhawks, who played 18 home games over the past two seasons, are in the final stages of the FieldTurf installation at Perkins Stadium. UW-Whitewater opens Friday, Sept. 5, at home against 2007 NAIA playoff team St. Xavier. Washington and Lee and Emory and Henry are resurfacing in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, while The College of New Jersey has new turf because the old-style astroturf was among those fields in the state deemed unsafe. UW-Stout and Muhlenberg also converted from the old rug style this offseason. Aurora catches up to local rival Benedictine, on the surface, with a new artificial turf installation. According to our records, more than 100 Division III schools will play their home games on artificial surfaces this season. | ||
| Permalink | Aug 13, 2008 | ||
What you'll get in Kickoff The buzz for Kickoff is always strong and word of mouth is great, but our team decided over the summer that it would be best if we could share a taste of what Kickoff is all about. With Kickoff, you get a capsule preview of all 239 teams, including our exclusive ranking of every Division III football school from top to bottom. But what are you really getting? Here are two sample capsules, as well as two sample features. These are actual stories from Kickoff 2007. St. John's fans have already lined up for Kickoff and have made the most purchases in the early going, followed by Mount Union, Mary Hardin-Baylor, Linfield and Wabash. DePauw, UW-Whitewater, Redlands, Alfred and Wesley comprise the next five. Kickoff is an online-only publication scheduled for release on Aug. 26. Kickoff is $9.95 and is available to registered and paid users online. (Users who register with .edu e-mail addresses get a 40% discount, to $5.95.) | ||
| Permalink | Aug 7, 2008 | ||
PAC, MAC to face off in 2010, 2011 The Presidents' Athletic Conference and Middle Atlantic Conference have announced the creation of the "PAC-MAC Football Challenge Series," which will take place during the 2010 and 2011 football seasons. All MAC football-playing schools and eight of the nine football-playing PAC institutions (Thomas More is not participating) will face off during the second week of each football season (Sept. 11, 2010 and Sept. 10, 2011). The pairings will be determined by the previous year's conference standings (e.g. PAC No. 1 vs. MAC No. 1, PAC No. 8 vs. MAC No. 8). MAC schools will host all eight games in 2010, followed by the PAC schools hosting the contests in 2011. "The Presidents' Athletic Conference is very pleased to join the MAC in this exciting new venture," said Joe Onderko, Executive Director of the PAC. "This series should provide a great deal of excitement for football fans and alumni of schools in both conferences throughout the Mid-Atlantic region." "Besides the excitement this "East-West" series will generate, our coaches and players welcome the opportunity to travel outside the region and face teams they would not normally encounter," notes Ken Andrews, MAAC Executive Director. "We hope this concept proves to be a long-term relationship." Participating PAC institutions are Bethany, Geneva, Grove City, St. Vincent, Thiel, Washington & Jefferson, Waynesburg and Westminster (Pa.). MAC schools competing in the series are Albright, Delaware Valley, FDU-Florham, King's, Lebanon Valley, Lycoming, Widener and Wilkes. | ||
| Permalink | Aug 6, 2008 | ||
PAC projects W&J on top
Washington and Jefferson was picked to capture the 2008 football championship in the Presidents' Athletic Conference, according to the preseason poll released at the 2008 PAC Football Media Day at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., today. Voters in the polls included conference head coaches, sports information directors and members of the media present at the conference media day. The defending PAC champion Presidents of sixth-year head coach Mike Sirianni return 16 starters and 58 lettermen from last year's team which finished 10-1 overall, including a perfect 6-0 mark against conference competition. W&J received 23 of 28 first-place votes and 192 points in the conference poll to edge second place Waynesburg (165), followed by Westminster (100), Grove City (97), Thomas More (87), Bethany (78), and Thiel (65). 1. Washington & Jefferson (23) 192 10-1 (6-0) 2. Waynesburg (4) 165 8-3 (5-1) 3. Westminster (Pa.) 100 5-5 (2-4) 4. Grove City 97 4-6 (3-3) 5. Thomas More 87 4-6 (2-4) 6. Bethany 78 4-6 (2-4) 7. Thiel (1) 65 3-7 (1-5) (xx) - first place votes 2008 PAC 2007 Prediction Record Geneva 5-3 Saint Vincent 1-7 "It is nice to be the favorite, but as past preseason polls have shown, it doesn't necessarily mean we'll get the trophy at the end of the year," said Sirianni. "Three different teams have won the PAC over the past five years and that shows how much the conference has improved. Our seniors are hoping to win their third in a row." NCAA Division III provisional members Geneva and St.Vincent were predicted to post 5-3 and 1-7 records, respectively, in 2008 against PAC teams, according to poll voters. Geneva and St. Vincent are not eligible for the PAC football title until the schools are granted active membership in Division III by the NCAA at the conclusion of their provisional membership period, tentatively scheduled for 2010 for St. Vincent and 2011 for Geneva. | ||
| Permalink | Aug 6, 2008 | ||
Franklin picked to win HCAC Franklin rose to the top of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference football standings for the first time last fall, posting a 7-0 conference mark. The Grizzlies have been selected as the favorite to win a second straight league crown in 2008, according to a poll of the HCAC's eight head coaches. Franklin, 9-2 overall in 2007, held off Mount St. Joseph in the preseason poll, receiving 61 points and six first-place votes. Mount St. Joseph placed second in the voting with 58 points and the other two first place votes, while Rose-Hulman finished third with 46 points. Defiance (35), Anderson (31), Manchester (27), Hanover (18) and Bluffton (12) round out the poll. The Grizzlies will be looking for their second straight conference crown under the direction of 2007 HCAC Coach of the Year Mike Leonard. Prior to Leonard's arrival in 2003, FC failed to have a winning record in conference play since the 1998 season. Franklin returns the 2007 HCAC Offensive Player of the Year in quarterback Chad Rupp. Rupp dominated the conference in all passing categories last fall, racking up 3,250 yards and 35 touchdowns in 11 games through the air. The senior completed 70.2% of his passes and led the nation with a 194.9 passing efficiency. In seven conference contests, Rupp averaged 307.6 yards passing per game and tossed 22 touchdowns, while completing 70.9% of his passes. The Grizzlies' offensive attack dominated HCAC defenses last season and will look to improve on those numbers in 2008. FC averaged a league-best 45.1 points per game and totaled 504.5 yards of offense per contest to lead the league. The blue and gold return two integral parts of their defense in 2008. The Grizzlies' defense ranked third in the HCAC in scoring defense last fall, allowing 22.5 points per game. Franklin 's unit will look to improve on a sixth place finish in total defense last season, which surrendered 372.0 yards per ballgame. Senior defensive end Dan McManus and senior defensive back Roshawn Hill return in an effort to lead the Franklin unit. McManus led the Grizzlies with 13.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks last fall to earn a spot on the All-HCAC First Team. Hill finished 2007 leading the HCAC with six interceptions and added 41 tackles and a fumble recovery in the defensive backfield. Franklin fell in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs 44-42 at home to North Central and will look to return to the tournament once again this fall. The Grizzlies begin the season ranked No. 21 in the preseason D3football.com rankings and open the season at home against Baldwin-Wallace. | ||
| Permalink | Aug 6, 2008 | ||
Who's No. 1? Defending champ or perennial champ? That was the dilemma facing our preseason Top 25 voters this past week as they pored over data on about 50 teams in an attempt to assemble our preseason poll. So while it's no surprise that the teams that have faced off in the past three Stagg Bowls also occupy the two top spots in our preseason poll. Did you miss our preseason All-American team? Click here. Are you eagerly awaiting Kickoff 2008? The publication is released Aug. 26 and we will give you a chance to read what Kickoff is like later this week. | ||
| Permalink | Aug 5, 2008 | ||
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