By Matt Florjancic
D3sports.com

When Mount Union began preparing for the 2008 season, it returned less than a handful of offensive starters on a team looking to redeem itself after a 31-21 loss to UW-Whitewater in the 2007 Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl.

Quarterback Greg Micheli and Nate Kmic have been mainstays in the starting lineup since their freshman seasons. Micheli served as the punter during his freshman year, saw a lot of time at quarterback in his second season and gradually took over the starting job.

Kmic had played in only six regular season games as a rookie, but ran for 1,040 yards in five postseason games and has been the starting running back ever since.

Senior tight end Chad Reynolds caught 21 passes in his three previous seasons with the Purple Raiders and had five career receiving touchdowns before 2008.

With Micheli and Kmic commanding so much attention in the backfield and emerging wide receiver Cecil Shorts taking over where Indianapolis Colts rookie Pierre Garcon left off, Reynolds is quietly having a breakout season.

"We knew coming into the season we were losing four real good wide receivers," Reynolds said. "Vince [Petruziello], Cecil, Nate and [I] knew we had to step it up because we were losing not only guys with talent, but guys with experience too.

"We knew had spots to fill," he added. "Spring ball helped us out a lot. We had some real tough workouts through January, February and March before spring ball and it brought us together as a team. It was nice for once for people to have some doubt instead of always playing the on-top role."

That togetherness and "underdog role" has led the Purple Raiders to another banner year offensively. Mount Union averages 46.7 points and 548.8 yards per game this fall. While Reynolds has been a factor in Micheli's success (209 of 275, 3,256 yards, 32 touchdowns, two interceptions), as a tight end, he also needs to seal the outside with solid lead blocking for the running backs.

As a team, Mount Union has rushed for 3,533 yards and 47 touchdowns.

"Chad's very versatile," Kmic said. "He can go out and catch passes. He's faster than a lot of other teams' wide receivers. He's also a great blocker. He's considered one of the linemen on our stretch plays and everything else. He can hurt you in both ways."

"Playing with them makes it easier," Reynolds said of Micheli and Kmic. "With a guy like Nate Kmic, we run a play-action and I'm running over the middle, linebackers will screen toward the line of scrimmage. It helps me to have a guy like Nate in the backfield. Greg's real efficient and everybody knows he's going to get the job done every Saturday."

Though more Kmic carries and passes to other wide receivers means less notoriety for Reynolds, he enjoys representing Mount Union by wearing the Raider jersey every Saturday.

"It's real easy to be motivated to block for a guy like [Nate]," Reynolds said. "A lot of guys turn a first down run into a big gain. Nate turns that big gain into a touchdown or highlight-reel play. It's really exciting for me and the five other o-linemen to block."

Reynolds has appeared in all 13 games for Mount Union this season. The first-team All-Ohio Athletic Conference tight end is Mount Union's third-leading receiver with 30 catches for 501 yards and two touchdowns. Though he averages less than 40 yards receiving per game, Reynolds gets 16.7 per catch.

In a 41-14 victory over Cortland State last weekend, Reynolds had a career-high 111 yards on five catches. On fourth down and seven from the Red Dragons 22 yard line with 5:55 remaining, Micheli found Reynolds breaking free over the middle and hit him for the game's final score.

"We had some things that we installed in the offense against their defense," Reynolds said. "With Cecil drawing some attention in the deep passing game away from the rest of us, that opened up some things for me.

"It was real nice getting in there at the end to finish off the game and seal the win," Reynolds added of the touchdown.

"On any given day, any number of our wide receivers could have a big day," Kmic said. "Whatever the defense gives us, Greg does a great job of finding the open receiver. On Saturday, they vacated the middle of the field a lot and gave Chad some throwing lanes. He sat down and found the zones."

The victory against Cortland State set up another Mount Union-Wheaton playoff game. The schools have only played five times, but every matchup has been in the postseason. And the rivalry has been one-sided.

Mount Union is 5-0 against Wheaton, including a 35-3 win against the Thunder in the 2006 tournament. Though Reynolds did not start or catch a pass in that meeting, he was in uniform and saw some playing time.

This time around, Wheaton's road through the postseason was different. They won three road playoff games and survived the North Region for the first time ever. The Thunder have never been this far in the postseason, due in large part to Mount Union's success.

Whether it is Kmic running the football, Micheli dropping back to deliver a pass or Reynolds protecting the talented tandem, Mount Union is looking forward to hosting Wheaton on Saturday afternoon.

"Wheaton had two early losses this year and they got in the playoffs because they're playing good football at the end of the season," Kmic said. "That makes them very dangerous. Chad's going to have to step up again and be a big-time target for Greg. We're going to have to put up some points."

"Whenever they call my number, I'll do my job," Reynolds said. "Their front four guys are real strong. They are top-to-bottom probably one of the best defenses we're going to face throughout the season."