2008 Record 1-9 .100 Overall 0-6 .000 Conference Location: Gambier, OH Head Coach: Ted Stanley (Grinnell '93) Stadium (cap.): McBride Field (2200) Conference: NCAC Region: North 2009 Schedule

Much like a high-performance sports car, all head coach Ted Stanley has needed to do to keep the Kenyon College offense firing on all cylinders is tune it up every year with top-of-the-line parts. Some of the most talented offensive players in team history have come through the program in the six seasons Stanley has been behind the wheel, which has enabled him to leave the throttle wide open and watch the odometer tick up gaudy numbers.

Since his arrival on campus in 2003, Stanley’s teams have averaged 4,011 yards per season and re-set the College’s single-season record for total offense four times. With every skill position player returning from the 2008 unit, the 2009 model of the Lords’ offense is ready to crank the ignition, hit the open road, and attempt to outpace the competition.

The Kenyon attack will rely on a trio of seniors to provide most of its horsepower. Wide receiver Harry von Kann (Washington, DC/Wilson ISP) is coming off of a stellar campaign in which his 1,601 all-purpose yards led the North Coast Athletic Conference. At receiver, von Kann reeled in an NCAC-best 6.4 receptions per game and ranked second with 847 yards and ten touchdowns. His 678 yards on kick returns were also second-best in the conference. For his impressive efforts, von Kann was honored with two All-NCAC first-team selections and a spot on the 2009 Consensus Draft Services Division III Preseason All-America first team.

The ceiling for von Kann’s production in 2009 is limitless, especially with fellow senior Mike Hermanson (Chagrin Falls, OH/Chagrin Falls) settling under center for his second full season. As a first-year starter in 2008, Hermanson produced the most accurate season by a Lord quarterback in 18 years. He connected with his receivers on 176 of 314 attempts for a 56.1 completion percentage that stands as the third-highest single-season effort in College history.

Hermanson divvied up his 1,830 yards among a talented receiving corps that returns intact. In addition to von Kann, sophomore Charles Small (Columbus, OH/Independence) has the speed to be a game-changer when he gets into open space, and senior A.J. Clair (Shaker Heights, OH/Shaker Heights) is another match-up nightmare for defenses as a tight end who has the quickness to outrun most opposing linebackers.

The final piston that will fire the Kenyon engine is senior running back Kyle Toot (Cape Elizabeth, ME/Cape Elizabeth), a third-team pick on the 2008 D3football.com All-North Region team. Toot was a workhorse for the Lords in his first season as the featured back, toting the ball over 27 times per game. He made the most of every touch and rushed for 1,280 yards, the third-highest total in the College record book. In addition to that NCAC-leading total, Toot also headed the conference ledger with ten rushing touchdowns. His average of 128.0 yards per game ranked 19th in all of NCAA Division III football. His speed and shiftiness should again keep the Kenyon rushing attack among the best in the conference and nation.

Despite all of the positives, the Lords will have to perform one major tune-up—a completely rebuilt offensive line—to ensure their high-octane offense doesn’t misfire. Three of the five linemen Kenyon needs to replace were four-year starters who paved the way for nearly 17,000 yards of offense and three 1,000-yard rushers. Those graduates also helped set the program’s single-season record for total offense three times over.

To help replenish the unit, senior Alex Dowell (Miami, FL/Archbishop Coleman Carroll) will jump across the line of scrimmage where the Lords hope the quickness and footwork he displayed as a defensive tackle will translate well. Oliver Bierman-Lytle (Honolulu, HI/Kent Denver School (CO)), a 6’7”, 290-pound senior, is returning after missing the bulk of 2008 with an injury and his sheer size could give Kenyon an anchor around which to remake the line. Junior Sean Millett (Attleboro, MA/Bishop Feehan) and sophomore Jeremy Oller (Creston, OH/Norwayne) will get first crack at claiming starting jobs after strong performances as backups last season. The incoming freshman class also features some hard-nosed recruits that could seize immediate playing time.

Another threat to gum up the works in recent years has been the defense, but with ten starters back the Lords expect significant improvement on that side of the ball. Moreover, the returning players will be in their third year of running defensive coordinator Ty McGuire’s schemes, which have helped solidify the defense. Since assuming the reins in 2007, McGuire has helped Kenyon reduce its points, rushing yards and total yards allowed in each of the past two seasons.

The Lords’ linebackers have been integral to the positive strides made under McGuire and will again be the strength of the defense with the all-conference duo of Dan Runnals (Danvers, MA/St. John’s Prep) and Beau Calcei (Mantua, OH/Aurora) leading the charge. Calcei, now a junior, cemented himself as one of Kenyon’s top defenders with a sophomore campaign that saw him lead the team with 88 tackles, 11.5 tackles for losses, and four sacks. Runnals, a senior who has merited back-to-back All-NCAC honorable mentions, wasn’t far behind Calcei’s pace with 86 stops, seven of which went for a loss, and four forced fumbles.

Three of Kenyon’s top five tacklers in 2008 resided in the secondary and all of them will man their positions again this year. Senior Mason Stabler (Littleton, CO/Kent Denver School) spent his first two years as a backup in a logjam of linebackers, but flourished with a move to free safety as a junior. Free to roam the field, Stabler wreaked havoc from sideline to sideline with 84 tackles and two interceptions. He proved a perfect complement to strong safety Justin Morgan (Glenn Dale, MD/Charles H. Flowers), a fellow senior and two-time team captain. No player on the Lords defense has had a greater impact the past three seasons than Morgan, who has racked up 227 career tackles since claiming a starting job as a freshman.

Seniors Bryan Jasin (Brunswick, OH/Holy Name) and junior Francisco Morales (Miami, FL/John A. Ferguson) bookend the Kenyon secondary at the corners. Jasin has been one of the team’s most consistent producers the past two seasons, finishing among the team’s top six tacklers each year. Morales saw limited action as a freshman, but became a crucial member of the secondary in his sophomore season, which he capped with 34 stops.

With Dowell moving to the other side of the ball, there won’t be any seniors on the defensive line but Kenyon has three juniors that more than make up for the void of experience. Brandon Ventling (Westport, CT/Fairfield Prep) is the team’s top returning tackler up front. He made 30 stops in his first season after being converted from an offensive lineman. Mark Sullivan (Mentor, OH/St. Ignatius), the Lords’ 2007 Rookie of the Year, missed the first half of his sophomore year due to injury, but managed 18 tackles in five games after his return. Harrison Scott (Kinnelon, NJ/Kinnelon) has become a starting fixture on the Lords line with a hard-nosed approach that netted 46 tackles in his first two seasons.

In the kicking game, Matt Martin (Summit, NJ/Morristown-Beard) gives Kenyon a legitimate weapon to swing field position in the team’s favor. After assuming the punting duties as a freshman, Martin earned All-NCAC second-team recognition by booting his punts an average of 36.7 yards, a mark which stands as the best effort by a Lord punter in nine years. While Martin shores up the punting game, the revolving door at place kicker will continue for Kenyon. However, von Kann and fellow senior McNeil Parker (Lake Bluff, IL/Lake Forest) each have some kicking experience and will give the Lords a veteran presence in their search for some stability.

When Kenyon finally pulls out of the garage for the 2009 season, it will head down a familiar road, albeit one filled with many twists and turns. The same ten opponents, including NCAA Division III playoff qualifiers Case Western Reserve (10-1) and Wabash (10-2), from the 2008 schedule await the Lords again this season. Kenyon will by no means be able to set the cruise control, but opponents will have to toss up some fairly big road blocks to keep the Lords from zipping past them and motoring on toward bigger goals.

“I have great expectations for this team and know we will have the ability to make some noise in the conference race,” Stanley said. “We will strive to improve each play, each game, and each day. We believe that if we get better with every opportunity we are given that it will lead to more wins and eventually championships.”