Spring practice starts this Saturday. The most hearty Golden Ram football fans have been looking forward to this since the second quarter of the Indiana game in mid-November. And some turned the page on the 2011 season weeks sooner than that. Although a promising recruiting class has been announced, it's unclear how soon any will make an impact, but certainly none will do so until they receive their high school diplomas later this spring.
So considering all of that, and coming off the first back-to-back losing seasons in over three decades, what are the key areas to watch during practice and scrimmages over the next month?
3. Offensive line
One of the most experienced offensive lines in recent Golden Ram history has concluded its tenure. The most notable among this group are All-PSAC and All-ECAC selection Chris Faix, a four-year starter at left tackle, and Gerry Penrose, a four-year starter at right guard. Next is center Kevin Leary who started all 22 contests during his two-year tenure at WCU after transferring from Tulane. And Eric Hawthorne started every game last season at right tackle. Including left guard Ryan Costello, those five seniors accounted for 46 starts of the possible 55 starts on the offensive line last season.
Returning for Nick Sama's line will be Erik Pratt who started eight games at left guard. Pratt and Adam Citko are the only two returning offensive linemen that saw action in every game in 2011, although Brian Margetich and Blair Gower experienced significant playing time. Those four are expected to become the core while others who saw playing time last year - Antonie Bland, Justin Bathurst and Trey Farmer - will round out the group. Transfer Derek Schatz (Villanova) and newcomers James Colivas, Chris Knott, and Ian Wood will also be vying for time this spring. How quickly this new group can be aligned and work together will have a significant impact to how well the offense moves in 2012.
2. Running back
Once the offensive line gets sorted out, they'll be blocking for a host of guys in 2012. Rondell White, the Golden Ram Football Club Player of the Year and WCU Football Athlete of the Year, will be the only returning running back. The rising junior led the 2011 Golden Rams in both touchdowns (11) and rushing yards (701). He will be challenged by transfers Brendan McLaughlin (Connecticut) and Chris Smallwood (Indiana of PA). And anyone that made it to spring practices last year saw the electric Brandon Monk. Monk almost saw action during the season as injuries depleted the Golden Rams at the running back position, but the shifty runner was redshirted the entire 2011 campaign. It will be interesting to see who emerges from this group to garner a bulk of the carries this spring.
1. Quarterback
West Chester used two signal callers last season for the first time since 2006. Five years ago, behind dual quarterbacks Bill Zwaan Jr and Matt Burdalski, the team went 8-3, qualified for the postseason, beat Bryant in Rhode Island and lost a one-point heartbreaker in Bloomsburg in the second round of the NCAA playoffs. So it's not as if a "QB2" system cannot work, but it's certainly not the norm.
Matt Carroll came to West Chester last year from Northeastern after the Huskies dropped football, while Sean McCartney made a huge splash as a freshman in his first collegiate start against Shippensburg in 2010 on national TV, throwing for 444 yards and five touchdowns in the double overtime win. But last year, both had sparkling performances - McCartney against East Stroudsburg and Millersville and Carroll against Shippensburg and New Haven; clunkers - McCartney against C.W. Post and Cheyney and Carroll against Slippery Rock and Indiana; and everything in between.
Which one of these two rising juniors will take a firm hold of the helm? Or after redshirting last season, will James Rusenko be ready? Perhaps Temple transfer and Downingtown West product Bret Gillespie will be the guy. Or is there any chance that 2010 starter Mike Mattei returns from last year's shoulder injury to play the quarterback position in his senior season? A single starting QB didn't emerge last year, so this is an area to focus on this spring.
Notes: there are two scrimmages tentatively scheduled for Friday, April 6 at 4:00 pm and Saturday, April 14 at 9:00 am....the Purple-Gold game is scheduled for Thursday April 19 at 6:00 pm....defensive coordinator Mike Furlong's squad lost only two starters and three reserves to graduation.....besides McLaughlin, Smallwood and Schatz, transfer tight end Chuck Phelan (Bloomsburg) is hoping to make his way into the mix.
