Team News - Golden Rams Spring Practice

Yes, it's April. Yes, it's time to cut the grass again. Yes, it's football season. As Coach Bill Zwaan points out, last year's squad was "four or five plays away from having a really good year". But anyone who watched every game knows they were also only four or five plays from being under .500 for the third consecutive season. It's a game of inches. The margins are slim. Pick whichever cliché you want, it probably applies. Spring practice started April 1. Here are some of the areas to watch during practice and scrimmages over the next few weeks.

3. The Passing Game

Just when all the questions are answered, new ones appear. Last year, Sean McCartney was the starting quarterback and Tim Keyser and LaRonn Lee were expected to be his top two receivers. Unfortunately all three experienced injuries - McCartney's and Keyser's were season-ending, while Lee's was of the nagging and lingering variety. So Mike Mattei took the reins at quarterback and Jim Kelly was the team's leading receiver with Sean Beahan posting significant receiving figures. With those three seniors now gone, the expectation going into 2013 is the same as 2012 - McCartney throwing to Keyser and Lee. How well each of them has recovered from his injury will be interesting to watch this spring. And besides contributions from Erick Brundidge and Adam Dempsey, will someone be 2013's Jimmy Kelly? An effective passing game is what kept opposing defenses honest and helped Rondell White set the school single season rushing record last year.

2. Offensive Line

Rondell White readies for his senior season

Because the offensive line consists of five guys that play as a single unit, and the fact that it has such a significant impact to the entire offense, their performance can be considered a key every year. In last year's injury riddled season, all five guys on the o-line started all eleven games, which was an important part of the team's 2012 offensive output. But gone are all-PSAC center Brian Margetich, all-PSAC guard Blair Gower and tackle Erik Pratt who was a three-year starter. All-PSAC guard Trey Farmer returns and look for Adam Citko to swing from right tackle to left tackle. Derek Schatz was part of a rotation at center last year and should be penciled in as the starter this season. The right side of the 2013 Golden Ram offensive line will consist of guard James Colivas and tackle Justin Bathurst, who played in every game last year.

1. Secondary

Coach Toney instructs the defensive backs

The defense only lost seven seniors from last year's depth chart, but six of them came from the secondary including all four safeties. At the corners, Al-Haj Shabazz and Dante Devine will likely get the starting nod as Shabazz started most of last year and Devine saw significant playing time. Captains John O'Donnell and Carl Barnes, also the #3 and #4 tacklers on last year's team, are gone to graduation. Shawn Krautzel will likely move back to his natural position at strong safety, but it will be a new face next to him, possibly Brandon Pepper. Needless to say, there will be some new names and numbers to learn when it comes to depth in the secondary. Improvement from a national ranking of #126 and yielding 250 yards per game through the air will be a tall order for a young secondary.

Notes: There are two scrimmages tentatively scheduled for Saturday, April 13 at 10:00 am and Saturday, April 20 at 10:00 am....the Purple-Gold game is scheduled for Saturday, April 27 at noon.

West Chester Athletics Site - West Chester Gridiron Gang Opens Practice This Week

(Collage Bert Garbutt)