Westminster, Mo. (2-8 in 2000)
Westminster enters the 2001 season with revenge on its mind. The Blue Jays stumbled home to a 2-8 record last season, their first losing season since the return of football to the Westminster campus in 1996. With players returning at the skill positions on both sides of the ball, the Blue Jays are optimistic that they will be able to rebound in their final season as an independent. Next year, the Blue Jays will join the expanded UMAC.

Before they enter conference play in 2002, though, the Blue Jays will look to make their final season as an independent better than their first. A major improvement should be found on the offensive side of the ball, where replacing All-Americans Justin Peery and Scott Pingel proved difficult for the 2000 Blue Jays. Last year's unit averaged just 243 yards and 13 points per game and did not score a point until the fourth week of the season.

By the end of the 2000 season, though, the unit seemed to be clicking. Quarterback Chris Marshall took over the starting job after spending the previous year on defense and struggled during the opening weeks of the season. Marshall battled through — leading the Blue Jays in rushing while firing 17 touchdowns and just seven interceptions.

Blue Jays head coach John Welty is convinced that his senior signal-caller will continue to improve. I really like having Chris Marshall in control. You won't meet a more unselfish guy, and he is the perfect guy to lead this team. If we can protect him, he's got a chance to have a big year for us."

A big reason why Marshall could have a breakout year is the solid group of targets he has to throw to. Senior Eric Hawkins returns after an injury-redshirt year. In 1999, Hawkins had 42 catches for 640 yards and 10 touchdowns and should be the main option in the offense. Another senior, Andy Jahnsen, became a force at the tight end position over the second half of last season- catching 44 balls for 581 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Blue Jays in receiving. Along with sophomore Ryan Brodecker, who showed flashes of stardom in a 29 catch/477 yard/6 touchdown season, the Blue Jays should once again be tough for the opposition to pass defend.

Even with a solid passing game, Welty knows it will take more. We think we should be able to throw the ball well, especially with Chris having some talented guys to throw to. We have to be able to establish the running game to be successful, though, either with one of the guys we have on board or one of our recruits. It just changes the way teams can play against you." Last year, the Blue Jays averaged just 34.0 yards/game, with Marshall leading the way at a 23.1 yard/game average.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Blue Jays may have their best unit in years. Defensive coordinator Mike Dailey, a former linebacker, has to love the linebacking corps that anchors the defense. Junior Ryan Binkholder set a school single-season record with 98 tackles last year, and could be the school's career leader by the end of the year. While Binkholder patrols the middle, sophomore Pat Byrne (37 UT, 33 AT, 70 TT) and senior Mason Williams (27 UT, 23 AT, 50 TT) cover the outside.

Welty is definitely impressed by what that trio brings to the table. I think Coach Dailey has done a great job with the defense and I think those linebackers really anchor the entire unit. We've got a bunch of guys all over on defense who contributed last year and are ready to step up and play a big role for us this season."

One area that the Blue Jays will have to shore up on defense is the secondary, as the Blue Jays lost three starters to graduation. However, Mike Linhardt returns to free safety after an elbow injury last year and should add some stability to the defensive backfield.

On special teams, P.J. Hickey returns for his sophomore season, hoping not to be as busy as last year. Hickey punted the ball 79 times last season, averaging 37.7 yards per punt. Even more impressive than the average was the fact that Hickey downed 17 of those 79 punts inside the opponents' 20-yard line, while only punting two for touchbacks. Hickey will also handle the place kicking for the Blue Jays after converting two of three field goal attempts and eight of 12 extra points.

Eight teams return from the 2000 schedule, with Quincy University and Lincoln University the newcomers on the schedule. The Blue Jays will open at home against Washington University on Sept. 1, before a trip to Concordia University (St. Paul) in week two. Westminster hosts Greenville on Sept. 15, before road games at Thomas More and Blackburn to wrap up the month of September.

October begins with a homecoming visit from Quincy on October 6. Westminster hits I-54 to travel to Jefferson City and face Lincoln on Oct. 13, before closing out the home schedule Oct. 27 against Bethel. The Blue Jays close out the 2001 campaign with road games at Southern Nazarene on Nov. 3 and MacMurray on Nov. 10.

While Sept. 1 is still off in the distance, there is one thing that every member of the team from the coaching staff on down shares — an anxiousness to get going. After last year's 2-8 campaign Welty says it best: "We definitely have some scores to settle. We had a lot of players earn experience last year that they had not been able to previously. I like our nucleus of players, and I think our coaches have done a real good job recruiting. We've got some good teams on the schedule, but we excited and ready to get going."

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