By Ryan Briggs
Grove City SID
As I prepare for my seventh season of covering and working with Division III football, I feel very fortunate to be able to cover some of this country's preeminent small college football conferences through a weekly notebook.
I am entering my second year as the sports information director at Grove City College, which is located about 60 miles north of Pittsburgh and 90 miles southeast of Cleveland. I graduated from Grove City in May 2001 after working four years in the sports information office. At GCC, I was a classmate of college football's all-time leading rusher, R.J. Bowers.
Prior to returning to Grove City, I worked as sports editor as Grove City's Allied News from March 2000 through June 2002 and as a sportswriter/page designer at The (Sharon) Herald, Allied News' sister paper.
Now I look forward to reporting on Purple Raiders, Battling Bishops, Lords, Presidents, Fighting Scots, Pioneers, Quakers, Yeomen, Crusaders and all of the other teams in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA), the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC), the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) and the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC).
Here's a look at who could contend, who might take a step backward and who could sneak up in 2003.
Favorites
MOUNT UNION (14-0 in 2002, defending national champions)
Winners of three consecutive NCAA Division III titles and six crowns in seven years, the Purple Raiders return 44 lettermen from last year's 14-0 squad. Whereas past Purple Raider teams have featured experience in the backfield and at wide receiver, Mount Union will rely on a veteran (and mammoth) offensive line this fall. Senior All-American tackle Larry Kinnard (6-7, 308 pounds) headlines the group, which averages 290 pounds per man tackle-to-tackle. Senior guards Brent Miller (6-2, 268) and Bob Bradley (6-6, 298) return along with senior tackle George Momirovic (6-6, 303). Junior tackle Derek McIntosh (6-4, 277) also played extensively last year.
Junior Zac Bruney and senior Jesse Burghardt are competing for the starting quarterback position after Rob Adamson's graduation. Senior fullback Brian Miller returns as the lead blocker in the backfield while 2002 part-timers Rick Ciccone (345 yards) and Jeff Strauch (279 yards) are back after combining for eight touchdowns last year. Defensively, Mount Union returns just four starters. Defensive tackles Antoine Dillard and Josh Ludwig anchor the front four while middle linebacker Shaun Spisak and free safety Matt Caponi give the Purple Raiders strength up the middle. Defensive end Jason McElhaney and cornerback Mike Miller are two other potential starters.
But the Purple Raiders are not the only team in the region with an eye for Salem. Their biggest obstacle may come from a longtime OAC nemesis up the road in Berea.
BALDWIN-WALLACE (8-2 in 2002)
It is probably safe to assume that the Yellow Jackets were the nation's top non-playoff team in 2002. A pair of seven-point losses to national champion Mount Union and national semifinalist John Carroll kept B-W from the playoffs.
The Yellow Jackets, ranked third by D3football.com will once again look to senior quarterback Dan Larlham to lead the way offensively. After starting his career at Michigan State, Larlham has spent the last three years at B-W, accounting for 6,889 yards of total offense and 67 touchdowns. Seven other starters return on offense, including running back Mark Anders (864 yards, 13 TDs in 2002) and junior wide receiver Dave Ehrman (52 career catches).
Defensively, Baldwin-Wallace returns eight starters. All-American safety Greg Koch is one of four starters back in the secondary.
WOOSTER (8-2 in 2002)
A season-ending 14-9 home loss to Wittenberg in the 2002 finale kept Wooster from obtaining an at-large bid to the NCAA playoffs. In 2003, the Fighting Scots hope to convert last year's disappointment into an NCAC title and a trip to the playoffs this fall.
Wooster returns 15 total starters, including a potential All-American on both sides of the ball. At cornerback, senior standout Nick Hajjar is one of eight returnees while on offense junior tailback Tony Sutton ran for 1,418 yards in only seven and a half games last season.
All-NCAC fullback Rob Hooper and all-conference tight end Matt Ralls are also back but the Fighting Scots will need to replace the graduated Jeff Spraggins under center as well as three departed offensive linemen.
WABASH (12-1)
Fresh off their first-ever North Coast Athletic Conference title, the Little Giants look to remain at the top of the conference and make a second consecutive trip to the NCAA playoffs.
Record-setting quarterback Jake Knott is gone, as is tight end Ryan Short. But the Little Giants, regional finalists last year, return seven starters on both sides of the ball. Defensively, senior tackle Blair Hammer is a preseason All-American while four regulars return to the secondary.
Senior Chris Morris became the sixth Wabash back to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season in 2002, compiling 1,497 yards and 120 points. H-back Nick Dawson pulled in 47 passes last year and is the likely successor to Short at tight end.
WITTENBERG (10-2)
Even with just seven returning starters, Wittenberg is still a prime contender to win the NCAC and advance well into the national playoffs this fall.
The receiving duo of senior Skip Ivery (50 catches in '02) and sophomore Jered Glover (52 rec.) returns, as do three offensive linemen. Among the returning linemen are all-conference picks Brad Kassner and Chad Thompson.
The Tiger defense has just two returning starters, senior cornerback Tim Gaal and junior tackle Jarrett Brown. Wittenberg will play its 1,000th all-time game on Nov. 1 at NCAC rival Allegheny.
WASHINGTON AND JEFFERSON (9-3)
Offensive coordinator Mike Sirianni takes over for the ousted John Banaszak (38-9 in four years) as the Presidents look to maintain their grip on the Presidents' Athletic Conference title.
Whereas previous President squads have been known for their offensive standouts, this year's Washington and Jefferson squad returns several defensive starters, including the heart of the defense in tackles Josh King and Rocco Nori along with middle linebacker Eric Field. Free safety Jonathan Herbert will be a four-year starter while senior defensive ends Jonathan Betz and Mike Williams are also back for new defensive coordinator John Klein.
Offensively, the Red and Black must replace three key cogs over the last four years in quarterback Brian Dawson, wide receiver Todd Fry and halfback Joey Nichols. However, split end Mike Virgin is back after catching 48 passes last year while wide receiver-turned-tight end Joel Yungen caught 28 balls.
Contenders
CAPITAL (6-4)
It almost seems unfair to classify any OAC team as a pretender, especially one that has risen into the league's first division in recent years. All-American linebacker Ron Swearingin and All-American safety Kyle Hausler are two of seven starters back on defense. But two things may work against the Crusaders this fall. First, the loss of leading rusher Rayshaun Gales, quarterback Danny Edghill and three offensive linemen will not be easily overcome. Secondly, Capital's brutal late-season schedule features games at Mount Union and Muskingum and home clashes with Baldwin-Wallace and John Carroll.
CASE WESTERN RESERVE (6-4)
The Spartans proved they could move the ball in 2002, averaging 507 yards of offense and 37 points per game. But the Spartans couldn't stop anyone either, allowing 29 points and 400 yards per game. The six teams that CWRU defeated last season had a combined record of 13-47 (.217).
Darkhorses
Allegheny, John Carroll, Ohio Northern, Westminster (Pa.), Waynesburg and any one of the MIAA schools.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Allegheny at No. 3 Baldwin-Wallace, Sept. 6, 6:30 p.m.
A number of inter-conference matchups throughout the Great Lakes Region highlight the schedule but this one features a program trying to return of Division III's elite (Allegheny) against one of Division III's current hierarchy. Allegheny head coach Mark Matlak, a 1978 Allegheny grad, is in his second season and has sparked renewed enthusiasm for the Gator program throughout.
Under the direction of second-year head coach John Snell, Baldwin-Wallace enters the season ranked third by D3football.com. The Yellow Jackets forced four turnovers in last season's 22-2 win at Allegheny in the opener. Quarterback Dan Larlham ran for one touchdown and threw for another for B-W.
It is the only NCAC-OAC matchup on opening day.
