Football: Press Release on Offense
Posted by Trotsky
Football: Press Release on Offense
Posted by: Trotsky (---.raytheon.com)
Date: September 07, 2006 10:42AM
[cornellbigred.cstv.com]
2006 Football Outlook: The Offense
Big Red returns seven starters, including several All-Ivy candidates, in 2006
Aug. 24, 2006
Beginning on Monday, August 28, www.CornellBigRed.com will feature position by position updates daily.
ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Big Red offense will have a bit of a different look in 2006, going to the air to create a more balanced offense. But with talent abounding on the offensive line and a first-team All-Ivy running back returning, Cornell won't exactly be abandoning one of the nation's top rushing attacks.
QUARTERBACKS
With the graduation of Ryan Kuhn '06, Cornell is in the position of replacing a first-team All-Ivy quarterback for the first time in school history. Kuhn's penchant to pull the ball down and run with it, as evidenced by his becoming the first Cornell quarterback to reach 1,000 yards rushing in a season, will likely be much different from the style of the group that remains. With six quarterbacks on the roster, all of them freshmen or sophomores, the Big Red will lean heavily on an inexperienced bunch to direct its spread offense. The six have combined to throw 25 collegiate passes, but at least one of the players will be asked to throw the ball more often than Cornell did a season ago.
The early favorite in the clubhouse is sophomore Nathan Ford, who has thrown all 25 of the Big Red passes. Ford saw time last season in four games off the bench, setting freshman records for passing yards in a game (112 at Yale) and in a season (132). A poised leader with good athletic ability, Ford has a calming presence behind center and is equally adept at running or passing. The Palo Alto, Calif., native split spring ball between football and baseball, where he hit .290 in 24 games for the Big Red. A natural passer with good touch, Ford's ability to make plays out of nothing will allow him to be effective in or out of the pocket.
The job is by no means Ford's, as sophomore Shane Connolly will have plenty to say about the starting position. Connolly has gained more than 20 pounds of muscle since arriving on campus and has both the physical attributes and the toughness to be successful at the position. Possessing a strong arm and the confidence to direct the offense, Connolly is the only other player on the Big Red to take a varsity snap after seeing action last season in a win over Georgetown.
Sophomores Tyler Lucas and Tom Piselli and freshmen Ben Ganter and Stephen Liuzza are more unknown, but each has the skills necessary to make a splash when camp opens in the fall. Both sophomores saw time on the junior varsity a season ago, while each of the freshmen bring strong prep pedigrees. With so many tremendous athletes at the position, one or more may ultimately switch positions to give them an opportunity to get on the field quickly.
RUNNING BACKS
First-team All-Ivy League selection Luke Siwula leads a stable of talented runners after posting the top sophomore rushing campaign since future NFL player Chad Levitt posted more than 1,300 yards in 1994. When he tires, which isn't often, the Big Red will be able to go to a more than capable group that includes senior Anthony Macaluso and sophomore Shane Kilcoyne.
Siwula posted six 100-yard games as a sophomore, and his 1,086 yards was more than the entire Big Red team had the previous season. A tough ball carrier and a true workhorse, he carried the ball on average more than 25 times per game while never breaking a carry more than 28 yards. Siwula scored 10 times total (eight rushing, two receiving) and proved to be an above-average receiver. He is also a tremendous blocker and has handled his business in the classroom, earning a spot on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District team.
Macaluso is ready to add to his workload in his final campaign after rushing 20 times for 74 yards and a touchdown a season ago. At 5-7 and 204 pounds, Macaluso has become a tremendous lead blocker when he is not carrying the ball, but if spring ball is any indication, he may tote the pigskin more often this season. He was a star in the annual spring game, scoring a pair of short touchdowns to help the offense to a win.
Kilcoyne is a talented all-around football player capable of being a featured back. He became the first freshman running back to start a game for the Big Red, ending the season with 33 carries for 130 yards and three scores. He earned Ivy League Rookie of the Week honors after posting career highs of 70 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a win over Georgetown.
Sophomore Jamie Germani saw action in two games as a rookie, rushing once for two yards. He also forced a fumble on kickoff coverage during his first collegiate play. He is a high-energy player who will also see time on special teams thanks to his speed and aggressiveness.
Freshmen Randy Barbour, Matt Kenney and Isaac Minor are all tremendously athletic and talented players with the ability to make an impact at the position if needed. Each could see time immediately on special teams.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Senior Anthony Jackson will provide leadership to a very young and extremely talented wide receiver corps that will be asked to be more involved than it was a season ago. Jackson, along with classmate Patrick Blakemore, will need to provide a great deal of tutelage to a group that will likely include three sophomores in the rotation.
Jackson is a speedy and athletic option on the outside, and with the confidence of becoming the team's No. 1 receiver, is poised for a breakout season. The three-year starter has a chance to make his mark on the program after hauling in 62 passes for 729 yards and three touchdowns in his first three years. Jackson's soft hands brought in a career-best 25 passes a season ago to rank second on the team.
Blakemore has been a key member of special teams in his first three years and has seen spot duty on the outside, but will get a chance to break into the starting lineup in his final season. An outstanding possession receiver with great hands, Blakemore is the holder on all placements.
Sophomores Tommy Bleymaier, Jesse Baker, Horatio Blackman, Zac Canty, Brian FitzPatrick and Zach Vredenburgh will also play key roles in the passing attack. Only Bleymaier got into the scorebooks as a freshman, seeing action in all 10 games and catching nine passes for 109 yards. Five of those catches went for first downs. He will continue to be a threat on the outside.
Baker (6-2) and Blackman (6-1) possess good size and are capable of being big-time receivers in the Big Red's offense. Baker is one of the all-time leading pass catchers in the state of Wisconsin, while Blackman earned time in six contests as a freshman on special teams and was particularly impressive in the spring.
Canty and FitzPatrick saw time as freshmen and will join with Vredenburgh in attempting to break into the rotation. Freshmen Josh Gajdos, Mark Longo, Bryan Walters and Nick Zerante will also compete for playing time in a young and crowded group of wideouts.
TIGHT ENDS
The Big Red lost a pair of solid tight ends to graduation in Chris Eckstein and Troy Follmar, but the team returns plenty of talent at the position. Seniors Stu Homan and Todd Rusinkovich, junior Jeff Rosage, sophomores Ryan Adams, William Macias and Alex Spooner and freshmen Avery Fenton and Zach Owens will all compete for time in 2006.
Homan has been a special team's demon in his first three seasons, and this year will look to play a bigger role on offense as a blocker in the Big Red's run game. A physical presence with good size (6-2, 237), Homan worked all spring on becoming a better receiver.
Both Rusinkovich and Rosage are hard-working players capable of blocking or receiving and tremendous teammates who have bided their time waiting for an opportunity to jump into the rotation.
Adams is Cornell's biggest target at tight end (6-5, 253) and is an improving pass catcher, while already excelling at blocking. Macias is a converted quarterback with great athleticism. Spooner saw action in a pair of games as a rookie after showcasing his tremendous receiving skills on the junior varsity team. He has great hands, runs good routes, and isn't afraid of contact. Both Fenton and Owens also bring varied skills to the position.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The Big Red lost first-team All-American and four-time All-Ivy pick Kevin Boothe '06 to graduation, but Cornell's offensive line is much less of a question mark than it was this time last season. Entering the 2005 season, three of Cornell's projected starters hadn't taken a varsity snap. This season, two return as All-Ivy picks and competition for every spot on the line will be fierce.
Leading the group will be seniors Kevin Marchut, Brian McGuire, Eric Miller and Ted Sonnenberg, each of whom started all 10 games for the Big Red a season ago. The group blocked for two 1,000-yard rushers as the team ranked eighth nationally in rushing with 248.6 ypg.
Sonnenberg enters his third season as a starter on the line and earned honorable mention all-league honors at center. The 6-4, 281-pound Sonnenberg has become very adept at reading defenses and adjusting blocking schemes as needed.
Marchut (6-5, 311), McGuire (6-2, 308) and Miller (6-5, 304) form a massive group to protect the Big Red's backfield. Marchut blocked next to Boothe while playing the left guard slot, while McGuire held down the right guard and Miller was in the right tackle spot. Miller was honored for his play with an honorable mention All-Ivy selection. All three are potential All-Ivy selections this season as seniors.
While four incumbent starters return, none of those positions are guaranteed, as several productive and talented younger players will attempt to make their mark and challenge for the fifth open spot. Senior Patrick Wu (6-1, 288), junior Matt Cosh (6-6, 292) and sophomores Justin Mortensen (6-0, 281), Babak Motamedi (6-4, 322) and Steve Valenta (6-5, 295) are the front runners, with both Motamedi and Valenta having outstanding spring seasons to put them in the mix.
With the team's tremendous depth, junior Loren Rosenberg will provide leadership to a young group of linemen. Sophomores Josh Barvin, Matt Lundy, Billy Schuh and Rob Zingale and freshmen Quentin Bernhard III, Ben Neighbor and Jordan Tuttel will continue to develop with eyes on making a future impact.
2006 Football Outlook: The Offense
Big Red returns seven starters, including several All-Ivy candidates, in 2006
Aug. 24, 2006
Beginning on Monday, August 28, www.CornellBigRed.com will feature position by position updates daily.
ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Big Red offense will have a bit of a different look in 2006, going to the air to create a more balanced offense. But with talent abounding on the offensive line and a first-team All-Ivy running back returning, Cornell won't exactly be abandoning one of the nation's top rushing attacks.
QUARTERBACKS
With the graduation of Ryan Kuhn '06, Cornell is in the position of replacing a first-team All-Ivy quarterback for the first time in school history. Kuhn's penchant to pull the ball down and run with it, as evidenced by his becoming the first Cornell quarterback to reach 1,000 yards rushing in a season, will likely be much different from the style of the group that remains. With six quarterbacks on the roster, all of them freshmen or sophomores, the Big Red will lean heavily on an inexperienced bunch to direct its spread offense. The six have combined to throw 25 collegiate passes, but at least one of the players will be asked to throw the ball more often than Cornell did a season ago.
The early favorite in the clubhouse is sophomore Nathan Ford, who has thrown all 25 of the Big Red passes. Ford saw time last season in four games off the bench, setting freshman records for passing yards in a game (112 at Yale) and in a season (132). A poised leader with good athletic ability, Ford has a calming presence behind center and is equally adept at running or passing. The Palo Alto, Calif., native split spring ball between football and baseball, where he hit .290 in 24 games for the Big Red. A natural passer with good touch, Ford's ability to make plays out of nothing will allow him to be effective in or out of the pocket.
The job is by no means Ford's, as sophomore Shane Connolly will have plenty to say about the starting position. Connolly has gained more than 20 pounds of muscle since arriving on campus and has both the physical attributes and the toughness to be successful at the position. Possessing a strong arm and the confidence to direct the offense, Connolly is the only other player on the Big Red to take a varsity snap after seeing action last season in a win over Georgetown.
Sophomores Tyler Lucas and Tom Piselli and freshmen Ben Ganter and Stephen Liuzza are more unknown, but each has the skills necessary to make a splash when camp opens in the fall. Both sophomores saw time on the junior varsity a season ago, while each of the freshmen bring strong prep pedigrees. With so many tremendous athletes at the position, one or more may ultimately switch positions to give them an opportunity to get on the field quickly.
RUNNING BACKS
First-team All-Ivy League selection Luke Siwula leads a stable of talented runners after posting the top sophomore rushing campaign since future NFL player Chad Levitt posted more than 1,300 yards in 1994. When he tires, which isn't often, the Big Red will be able to go to a more than capable group that includes senior Anthony Macaluso and sophomore Shane Kilcoyne.
Siwula posted six 100-yard games as a sophomore, and his 1,086 yards was more than the entire Big Red team had the previous season. A tough ball carrier and a true workhorse, he carried the ball on average more than 25 times per game while never breaking a carry more than 28 yards. Siwula scored 10 times total (eight rushing, two receiving) and proved to be an above-average receiver. He is also a tremendous blocker and has handled his business in the classroom, earning a spot on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District team.
Macaluso is ready to add to his workload in his final campaign after rushing 20 times for 74 yards and a touchdown a season ago. At 5-7 and 204 pounds, Macaluso has become a tremendous lead blocker when he is not carrying the ball, but if spring ball is any indication, he may tote the pigskin more often this season. He was a star in the annual spring game, scoring a pair of short touchdowns to help the offense to a win.
Kilcoyne is a talented all-around football player capable of being a featured back. He became the first freshman running back to start a game for the Big Red, ending the season with 33 carries for 130 yards and three scores. He earned Ivy League Rookie of the Week honors after posting career highs of 70 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a win over Georgetown.
Sophomore Jamie Germani saw action in two games as a rookie, rushing once for two yards. He also forced a fumble on kickoff coverage during his first collegiate play. He is a high-energy player who will also see time on special teams thanks to his speed and aggressiveness.
Freshmen Randy Barbour, Matt Kenney and Isaac Minor are all tremendously athletic and talented players with the ability to make an impact at the position if needed. Each could see time immediately on special teams.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Senior Anthony Jackson will provide leadership to a very young and extremely talented wide receiver corps that will be asked to be more involved than it was a season ago. Jackson, along with classmate Patrick Blakemore, will need to provide a great deal of tutelage to a group that will likely include three sophomores in the rotation.
Jackson is a speedy and athletic option on the outside, and with the confidence of becoming the team's No. 1 receiver, is poised for a breakout season. The three-year starter has a chance to make his mark on the program after hauling in 62 passes for 729 yards and three touchdowns in his first three years. Jackson's soft hands brought in a career-best 25 passes a season ago to rank second on the team.
Blakemore has been a key member of special teams in his first three years and has seen spot duty on the outside, but will get a chance to break into the starting lineup in his final season. An outstanding possession receiver with great hands, Blakemore is the holder on all placements.
Sophomores Tommy Bleymaier, Jesse Baker, Horatio Blackman, Zac Canty, Brian FitzPatrick and Zach Vredenburgh will also play key roles in the passing attack. Only Bleymaier got into the scorebooks as a freshman, seeing action in all 10 games and catching nine passes for 109 yards. Five of those catches went for first downs. He will continue to be a threat on the outside.
Baker (6-2) and Blackman (6-1) possess good size and are capable of being big-time receivers in the Big Red's offense. Baker is one of the all-time leading pass catchers in the state of Wisconsin, while Blackman earned time in six contests as a freshman on special teams and was particularly impressive in the spring.
Canty and FitzPatrick saw time as freshmen and will join with Vredenburgh in attempting to break into the rotation. Freshmen Josh Gajdos, Mark Longo, Bryan Walters and Nick Zerante will also compete for playing time in a young and crowded group of wideouts.
TIGHT ENDS
The Big Red lost a pair of solid tight ends to graduation in Chris Eckstein and Troy Follmar, but the team returns plenty of talent at the position. Seniors Stu Homan and Todd Rusinkovich, junior Jeff Rosage, sophomores Ryan Adams, William Macias and Alex Spooner and freshmen Avery Fenton and Zach Owens will all compete for time in 2006.
Homan has been a special team's demon in his first three seasons, and this year will look to play a bigger role on offense as a blocker in the Big Red's run game. A physical presence with good size (6-2, 237), Homan worked all spring on becoming a better receiver.
Both Rusinkovich and Rosage are hard-working players capable of blocking or receiving and tremendous teammates who have bided their time waiting for an opportunity to jump into the rotation.
Adams is Cornell's biggest target at tight end (6-5, 253) and is an improving pass catcher, while already excelling at blocking. Macias is a converted quarterback with great athleticism. Spooner saw action in a pair of games as a rookie after showcasing his tremendous receiving skills on the junior varsity team. He has great hands, runs good routes, and isn't afraid of contact. Both Fenton and Owens also bring varied skills to the position.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The Big Red lost first-team All-American and four-time All-Ivy pick Kevin Boothe '06 to graduation, but Cornell's offensive line is much less of a question mark than it was this time last season. Entering the 2005 season, three of Cornell's projected starters hadn't taken a varsity snap. This season, two return as All-Ivy picks and competition for every spot on the line will be fierce.
Leading the group will be seniors Kevin Marchut, Brian McGuire, Eric Miller and Ted Sonnenberg, each of whom started all 10 games for the Big Red a season ago. The group blocked for two 1,000-yard rushers as the team ranked eighth nationally in rushing with 248.6 ypg.
Sonnenberg enters his third season as a starter on the line and earned honorable mention all-league honors at center. The 6-4, 281-pound Sonnenberg has become very adept at reading defenses and adjusting blocking schemes as needed.
Marchut (6-5, 311), McGuire (6-2, 308) and Miller (6-5, 304) form a massive group to protect the Big Red's backfield. Marchut blocked next to Boothe while playing the left guard slot, while McGuire held down the right guard and Miller was in the right tackle spot. Miller was honored for his play with an honorable mention All-Ivy selection. All three are potential All-Ivy selections this season as seniors.
While four incumbent starters return, none of those positions are guaranteed, as several productive and talented younger players will attempt to make their mark and challenge for the fifth open spot. Senior Patrick Wu (6-1, 288), junior Matt Cosh (6-6, 292) and sophomores Justin Mortensen (6-0, 281), Babak Motamedi (6-4, 322) and Steve Valenta (6-5, 295) are the front runners, with both Motamedi and Valenta having outstanding spring seasons to put them in the mix.
With the team's tremendous depth, junior Loren Rosenberg will provide leadership to a young group of linemen. Sophomores Josh Barvin, Matt Lundy, Billy Schuh and Rob Zingale and freshmen Quentin Bernhard III, Ben Neighbor and Jordan Tuttel will continue to develop with eyes on making a future impact.
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