Bluffton (7-3, 5-1 HCAC in 2000)
With last season's Heartland Conference co-championship trophy resting neatly on the campus of Bluffton College, the task of bringing home the 2001 HCAC title is the goal of 14 returning starters and head coach Carlin Carpenter.

A total of 25 letterwinners are back from the 2000 BC squad, which finished 7-3 overall and 5-1 in the HCAC. Despite the impressive number of returning starters and letterwinners, though, Bluffton said goodbye to a wealth of talent during graduation in May, 15 seniors in all, and return just four of 13 All-HCAC honorees from a year ago.

Carpenter and his staff got an early start on putting the pieces together for the 2001 football season as Bluffton traveled to Barcelona, Spain, from May 15-29 and played a game against a Spanish conference champion. The Beavers were given ten days of spring practice and won the game 28-0, which coupled with the camaraderie of the trip should lend itself for a good kickoff to the 2001 season.

The biggest holes to fill will be on the offensive side of the football, where four starters on the offensive line and three-time HCAC rushing leader Tyson Goings have all graduated after helping the Beavers lead the HCAC in rushing last season. Goings ended his career ranked third on the BC all-time rushing list with 4,299 yards, and his BC record 1,487 yards rushing last season accounted for 79% of the Beaver ground game.

The BC passing game returns intact, however, as junior quarterback Brad Moore is back after passing for 2,007 yards and 18 touchdowns last season as a sophomore on his way to earning first team All-HCAC honors. His main targets are back, as well, including senior Jamie Stevens (41 receptions, 455 yds, 3 TD), sophomore Jovan Johnson (28-449-4) and senior Jon Spradling (5-84-0). Guard Rick Orr, a second team all-league selection last season, and tight end Joel Mick return on the offensive line.

Fullback T.J. Phlipot (20 carries, 59 yds, 7 rec., 69 yds, TD) returns and will be paving the way for a new tailback that for the first time since 1997 will be someone other than Goings. Depth at the wide receiver position, led by sophomore Ben Osterland (1 rec., 5 yds, TD), will need to produce if a lack of depth at the tailback position necessitates a move by Stevens or Johnson to the backfield.

Defensively, gone are middle linebacker Greg Ditz (2nd in HCAC with 111 tackles), defensive end Greg Bruns (53 tackles, 13 TFL, 6 sacks) and free safety Shawn Goetz (53 tackles, 4 interceptions), all of which were first team all-conference selections last season. In addition, starting positions at outside linebacker and defensive tackle are also vacant, but are ready to be filled by the depth of last season which helped the Beavers force 26 turnovers, notch three shutouts and finish the season ranked second in the HCAC in pass defense, scoring defense and total defense.

Second team all-league defensive back Josh Slaughter (37 tackles, 2 int.) leads the returning starters on defense, which also include defensive end Brian Steiner (52 tackles, 1 int.), linebacker Pat Craun (46 tackles, 4 int.) and defensive backs Jeff Company (42 tackles, 15 pass breakups) and Ben Schwab (40 tackles, 3 int.). In addition, regulars in OLB Jon Richardson and DT Matt Scholz also return.

Kicker Brandon Cupples graduated in May ranked fourth on the BC career kick scoring list and leaves big shoes to fill. Leading the candidates to replace him is junior Adam Burgess, who booted 18 of 22 PATs in 1999 as a freshman while Cupples was injured.

Johnson and Stevens were both kickoff return leaders for BC last season, combining for 357 yards between them. Johnson also took over the punt return duties late in the season, with seven returns for 16 yards.

Bluffton opens the 2001 season on Sept. 1 in Salzman Stadium against Marietta. Non-league games at Hiram and at home against Thiel will lead into a bye week before the Beavers open their HCAC schedule at Anderson on Sept. 29.

Should BC pull off another league title it would be their first back-to-back league championships since the Beavers won five consecutive titles in the Mid-Ohio League from 1956 to 1960. In a similar era of powerhouse teams, the 1985-90 Bluffton teams posted a 44-13 overall record but were independents for five of those seasons.

Defiance (7-3, 4-2 HCAC in 2000)
The Defiance program came to maturity under head coach Greg Pscodna in 2000, as the Yellow Jackets went 7-3 overall and 4-2 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. The season was the fifth for Pscodna at D.C. but the first with a winning record.

Only a 31-30 loss to Bluffton on the final weekend kept the Jackets from claiming the HCAC title in their first year in the conference. The loss also gave the conference’s playoff berth to Hanover.

With the continued growth of the program and 18 returning starters, another big season lies ahead for the team. A team balanced on both sides of the ball was a key in 2000 and will be once again in 2001.

Several key players return on the offensive side. Maurice Hooker (SO/RB/5-8/180/Miami, FL/Southridge) broke DC freshman records for yardage in a game and in a season. Starting in his very first game on campus, Hooker rumbled for 138 yards against Olivet to establish a new record. He demolished that record in his second game with 182 yards against Adrian. For the season, Hooker totaled 1214 yards and 5.2 yards per carry while scoring 10 touchdowns. He was named to the All-HCAC First Team.

Rejoining Hooker in the backfield will be Kirk Wensink (SR/RB/6-0/215/Deshler, OH/Patrick Henry). Wensink missed 2000 with an injury but should play an important role in 2001. Penciled in as a starter before the injury, Wensink gained 688 yards on 164 carries in 1999.

A strong senior combo at quarterback will once again be expected to guide the Jacket offense. Kevin Kelley (6-0/ 220/Allegan, MI/Allegan) and Walker Graher (6-1/195/Covington, OH/Degraff Riverside) both showed the skills needed to lead the Yellow Jacket offense.

Kelley completed 107 of 207 passes for 1201 yards, 10 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Meanwhile, Graher was 54 of 101 passing, garnering four touchdowns and three interceptions.

On the receiving end for the quarterbacks will be Adam Duty (SR/WR/6-3/175/Toledo/Cardinal Stritch). Duty averaged 15.8 yards per catch, totaling 18 receptions for 285 yards and one touchdown.

Bo Hill (SR/OT/6-5/290/Toledo/Bowsher) will anchor a veteran offensive line for the Yellow Jackets. He will be joined by Kevin Bauman (JR/OL/5-10/245/Flint, MI/Powers Catholic), a Second Team All-HCAC performer.

Nate Schaublin (SR/LB/6-2/230/Columbus Grove, OH/Columbus Grove) is the leading tackler returning for the Jackets. He finished with 112 tackles in 2000, including 11 tackles for loss. Also at linebacker will be Bob Cole (6-1/200/Bowling, MI/Hastings). The junior was in on 82 total tackles and nine tackles for loss last season.

The strength of the defense will be the backfield. Senior Corey Sipe (5-11/180/Montpelier, OH/Montpelier), a Second Team All-HCAC performer, and classmate Steve Binnix (DB/5-9/180/Bucyrus, OH/Bucyrus) combined for 126 tackles and seven interceptions. Chris Respress (JR/DB/5-11/175/Dayton, OH/Meadowdale) also returns, having defended 12 passes in 2000.

The front four will be solid once again. Shane Brugler (SR/DL/6-3/245/Defiance, OH/Defiance) returns after registering 47 total tackles and seven tackles for loss, including six sacks. Brugler earned Second Team All-HCAC honors. Also looking for a big year will be Andy Fisher (SR/DL/6-4/260/Constantine, MI/Constantine). In 2000, Fisher had his hands on 47 tackles, including 11 for loss and seven sacks.

Dustin Winkler (SR/WR/5-9/Lambertville, MI/Bedford), the 2000 HCAC Special Teams Player of the Year, will return kicks for DC. He was the only return specialist ranked in the top three in conference play for both kickoff and punt returns last year.

Overall, the Jackets return 47 letterwinners, including 23 on offense and 24 on defense. On offense the Yellow Jackets ranked fourth in the HCAC in scoring (22.5) and fourth in total yardage (335.5). The defense finished HCAC play third in points allowed (16.5) and second in yardage allowed (273.7) in the 2000 season.

Key ingredients return to the coaching staff in 2001, including Robert Taylor (Albion ‘95), who will add Defensive Coordinator to his title. Pscodna starts his sixth season with a record of 18-28.

Hanover (8-4, 5-1 HCAC in 2000)
Question marks surround Hanover heading into the 2001 season.

The Panthers, which have earned back-to-back Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference titles and berths in the NCAA Division III playoffs, must replace 15 starters from last year's squad while facing a grueling schedule. The team will attack the challenge with 42 returning letterwinners and 70 new players.

Only three starters return on the offensive unit. Senior running back Travis Morris led the team with 284 yards rushing last season. He added 42 catches for 369 yards. Junior wingback Jeffrey Jourdan is the team's top returning pass receiver. Jourdan caught 51 balls for 502 yards and three touchdowns in 2000. Sophomore receiver Terrell Cummings, who also returns kickoffs, earned a starting nod late in the season and finished his rookie campaign with 18 receptions for 221 yards and three touchdowns.

Senior running back Todd England has played a key short-yardage role the past two seasons. He gained 258 yards and scored four touchdowns last season and added 17 receptions for 165 yards.

While quality receivers and ball carriers are available, it is not clear who will be distributing the ball this season. Eric Bruns graduated in May after posting the second-highest career passing total in school history (7,114 yards). His replacement in 2001 could be junior Justin Pelley or sophomore Brett Dietz. Pelley was 15-for-31 for 193 yards and two touchdowns in a limited role last season. Dietz attempted just one pass and was a reserve punter.

Not only will a quarterback have to emerge, but so will a new set of linemen. All five starters from the 2000 team accepted diplomas in May. The vacancies will have to be filled from a group of eight returning letterwinners on the line and a crop of newcomers.

Hanover returns just five starters on defense and must find replacements for all-American nose guard Jason Welty and four additional all-Heartland Conference selections.

Junior Zach Beeler will anchor the linebacking corps along with senior Nathan Wright. Beeler was an all-HCAC selection last year after contributing 90 tackles and nine tackles for loss. Wright added 53 tackles, including three tackles for lost yardage.

Senior end Josh Medler returns for his fourth year as a starter after totaling 50 tackles and 6½ sacks last season. Junior Jason Baker moved into a starting position at tackle last year and added 25 stops.The secondary features all-conference pick Marty Adkins at cornerback and junior Eric Kluft at free safety. Adkins had 51 tackles last season and tied a school single-season record with seven interceptions. Kluft added 58 tackles and four interceptions for the Panthers.

Hanover's kicking game must replace B.J. Black, the record-setting kicker who graduated in May, but returns its veteran punter.

Last season, Black set school records for single-season kicking points (58) and kicking points in a single game (13). Junior Drew Starck, who has handled kickoffs for the past two seasons, will assume the place-kicking duties.

Senior Barry Swisher returns for his third season as as the Panthers' starting punter. Swisher averaged 33.8 yards through 39 punts last season.

Mt. St. Joseph (2-8, 0-6 HCAC in 2000)
Coming off a 2-8 campaign of a year ago, second-year head coach Rod Huber and his team is not looking at placing a number on the amount of wins they want to record this season.

Instead, the Lions' head coach and his staff will be looking to improve each and every day of the season, both in practice and during the playing season, and judge the 2001 season on that basis.

"Our theme this season will be for us, as coaches and players, to see improvement each week of the season, during games and practices,'' Huber stated. "At the end of the season we want to look back and be able to say we got better as the season went along, regardless of our final record."

Huber, along with assistant coach Jim Hilvert, the team's Recruiting Coordinator/Defensive Coordinator, will welcome to the team this season the largest incoming group (40-plus) of players since the team's first couple of seasons. Twelve seniors, many of whom are expected to be starters this season, and eight other returning starters from 2000 dot the team's roster for 2001.

"I'm very excited about this season and the team, despite the lack of experience we'll have,'' Huber said. "We have some talented returnees, a large group of freshmen and several transfers who will get opportunities to play.

"We look like we'll be a little more athletic than last season and our team speed is decent. Our size has been vastly improved due to coach Hilvert running the weight room and the offseason workouts that a large number of players have gone through."

Offensively, coach Huber promises that this season's team should be exciting
to watch. The Lions' head coach and his staff spent the entire winter and
spring studying the one-back, no huddle, spread offense employed at Northwestern and Clemson. The Lions' coach said the opposition's defense would dictate how much the Lions run or pass during the game.

"We'd like to say we'll have a balanced attack but we could be 55-60% pass and 40-45% run,'' Huber added. "It's an offense where you can throw or run on any down. You really take what the defense allows."

Huber said the team's starting and back-up quarterback positions are up for grabs this fall. Last year's starter Joe Sparhawk, who was injured twice during the season and missed a lot of playing time has graduated. Four players will compete for playing time. They are sophomore returners Joe Piening and Evan Porter, sophomore transfer Mike Dane, from Bluffton; and freshman Brett Pogozalski. Piening and Porter saw limited time at quarterback last season for the Lions.

Five players appear to be among the frontrunners for starting positions at the one running back spot and one H-back spot, according to Huber. They are senior Todd Riedel, back from a knee injury that knocked him out of action last season, senior Nick Jackson, sophomore Doug Fortune, who played linebacker last season and moves back to his old high school position this season, junior Nick Papania and junior Brian Lasita, a transfer from Heidelberg. Three-time all-HCAC halfback Doug Anderson completed his eligibility last fall. Anderson rushed for a Mount season record 1,306 yards and a Mount single game record of 277 yards last season.

The Lions' receivers group looks to be the strength of the offense this season. Returning are senior Jon Houchen; and juniors Rob Wells and Steve Roby, each of whom started most if not all the Lions' games last season. Sophomore wide receiver Jerry Kyles, who played at safety last season, will move over to offense and hopes to make an impact this season. Tight end Adam Parks, a junior, is a returning starter.

The Mount has some experience on the offensive line, as first-year coach Bill Venard will lead that group. Senior Chad Corbin, all-HCAC last season, will anchor the offensive line at a tackle position, while junior Shawn Powers, a guard; senior Jed Perkins, a tackle and junior Ken Jones, a center/guard; also provide experience. Junior Kyle Wirthwine, who played defensive line last season, junior Travis Thomas and several talented newcomers will push for playing time on the O-line this fall.

Huber and Hilvert set out this past season to improve the Lions' special teams play and hope they have improved that area. Six to eight players, including newcomers, will compete for the starting punter and kicker positions this fall.

"I'm looking for vast improvement in our special teams, from punting, kicking and returns,'' Huber added. "We'll be looking to put proven players on the kick and punt coverage teams, too."

Roby and redshirt sophomore Oscar Julius, appear to be the team's top return men but others will be vying for opportunities there, too, said Huber.

Huber knows in order for his young and inexperienced team to be competitive in games this fall the defense must be sound and not allow the big play.

"I'm hoping the defense will be better this season just because of the experience they've gained,'' Huber said. "By now most of them should know the terminology and techniques necessary to play a multiple-40 defense."

The Lions head coach said the strength of the defense this season is the defensive line. Senior Chris Stoffran, junior Bob Lehman, sophomore Pat McAtee and sophomore Mike Holzinger, a transfer from Findlay, look to be the front-runners for starting spots. Lehman is playing his first season of defense for the Lions after having spent the 2000 season as a fullback and offensive lineman. He was all-HCAC in 2000.

Inside linebacker Matt Goodwin, an all-HCAC selection last season, will anchor the team's linebacker group. Senior Joe Dollenmeyer moves from safety to linebacker this season and will add experience to the squad. Huber said four to five freshmen would also compete for playing time at linebacker.

The Lions will also be young in the secondary this season, although seniors Bart Stouffer and Josh Kinsel return to add experience. Paul Behling, a senior who returns after a one-year absence, and Julius also look to make an impact in the defensive backfield.

This season's coaching staff has been changed only slightly. Besides Venard taking over the offensive line, John Paul Case has been promoted to offensive coordinator, in addition to his duties as the team's quarterback and kicker coach. Huber will also coach the team's defensive line, a position that he has spent coaching most of his career.

Despite winning only four conference games the past three seasons, Huber said he hopes his Lions can at least be competitive in the HCAC this season. While Hanover is the returning HCAC champion and perhaps an early favorite, the HCAC has gotten more competitive across the board.

"Hanover will have to be the favorite until someone can dethrone them,'' Huber said. "Their coach. Wayne Perry, does a great job and their recruiting is top-notch. Defiance and Bluffton challenged last season and they're on the verge of winning the HCAC. The rest of the programs in the conference are battling to improve."

Huber said he's hoping to use the drive and determination of this season's seniors, underclassmen and newcomers to continue to build the foundation of what he hopes will be a very successful football program in the near future at the Mount.

"We have a senior class that wants to leave knowing that they showed vast improvement while they were here,'' Huber said. "They want to leave the program better today than when they came here. The juniors and others that have been here, too, are at the point of their careers where they want to build something solid for the new players.''

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