2005 UW-Stevens Point Football Preview
(Note: Players report on Sat., Aug. 13 with
the first practice scheduled for Aug. 14 at 8:40 a.m. Practices will be held
every day thereafter at 8:40 a.m. and occasionally a second practice at 3
p.m.)
With 10 returning starters and experienced players
at nearly every position, UW-Stevens Point football coach John Miech has
plenty of reason for optimism heading into the 2005 season.
�I�m really excited about this season,� said the
18th-year coach who ranks fifth on the all-time WIAC victories list with a
113-56-2 record. �I�ve been really impressed by this team�s work ethic and
improvement in the offseason. I think they�re hungry and excited to prove
themselves against two non-conference teams that were a combined 19-0 during
the regular season last year.�
The Pointers will have to be ready from the
outset as they open with games against national power Hardin-Simmons (Texas)
and defending national champion Linfield (Ore.). After hosting Waldorf
(Iowa), the Pointers take on defending WIAC champion UW-La Crosse and last
year�s co-runner-up UW-Whitewater.
�Our focus and determination are going to have to
be at a very high level right away,� said Miech, noting that the Pointers
will dedicate the 2005 season to former UW-Stevens Point defensive back John
Mattek (1999-2002), who was killed in the Iraq conflict in June.
A major reason for Miech�s optimism lies in
junior quarterback Brett Borchart, who threw for 2,746 yards and 22
touchdowns while ranking fourth nationally in total offense last year. He
passed for 259 yards against Linfield last year and is set for another
showdown with the Wildcats� All-American Brett Elliott. Sophomore Nick
Venden and several freshmen will compete for the Pointers� backup spot.
�We�ve had a lot of outstanding quarterbacks at
Stevens Point and Brett is in that group,� Miech said. �I think it�s pretty
exciting for our fans that on Sept. 17 (at Linfield) the two best
quarterbacks in Division III are going to be playing against each other.�
Who will catch Borchart�s passes is a big question
for the Pointers, who lost receivers Tony Romano and Kurt Kielblock as well
as All-American tight end Ross Adamczak. The trio combined to catch 68
percent of the team�s passes a year ago.
Senior Alex Ryan (6-4, 250) saw time at tight end
a year ago and will compete for the job with Adam Spoehr (6-3, 275), who was
the team�s rookie of the year in 2003 before sitting out last season.
Incoming freshman Chirs Dorner (6-6, 260) will be in the mix as well.
Junior Jake VanDerGeest made 16 catches last year
and returns at one receiver position, while junior Jake Dickert will move
from backup quarterback to receiver. The position will be one of the most
competitive in camp as other players battling for playing time are junior
Caleb Palmer, sophomores Tyler Hau, Kevin Neu and Ryan Connor and incoming
freshmen Nils Dillon and Jeremie Schwartz.
Junior Cody Childs, who was a first-team All-WIAC
running back last year with 608 yards rushing, leads the backfield. Senior
Cory Flisakowski was a first-team All-WIAC performer in 2002 and returns to
the backfield after an injury kept him sidelined last year. Junior Eric
Reible, a part-time starter at fullback the past two years returns along
with sophomore Dustin Robinson, who averaged a team-best 6.4 yards per carry
last year. Chris Freiman and Sean Vanness also return after lettering last
year. Two transfers also add depth in Mike Rohde, a first-team all-state
performer in 2003, who attended Division II North Dakota, and Damon Mehlberg
from Joliet (Ill.) J.C.
The offensive line lost three starters and will be
built around a pair of returners in senior Tom Wallace (6-5, 312) and junior
Jon Vissers (6-3, 295). Sophomore Mike Kovatch (6-3, 300) saw several starts
last season and is expected to start this year. Junior Dale Bratz (6-6, 285)
will be challenged by UW-Stout transfer Lucas Neuman (6-8, 305) for the
right tackle position. David Christenson (6-0, 280), a transfer from
Vermillion (S.D.) J.C., freshman Jay Schiedermayer (6-5, 323) and incoming
freshman James Durante (6-7, 305) are expected to battle for playing time.
Juniors William Faith (6-6, 285) and Jesse Dickert (5-11, 255) add depth to
the position.
Defensively, UW-Stevens Point must replace its
entire defensive line, though junior Jake Nantell (6-3, 271) was a starter
in 2003 before playing through injuries a year ago. Two-year letterwinner
Peter Prusinski (6-4, 275) returns after taking last year off to compete in
track and field, while junior Mike Hayes (6-3, 265), an All-American
heavyweight wrestler, saw action in every game on the defensive line last
year. Others expected to contribute are junior Dan Robinson (6-0, 230),
sophomores Ryan Cresson (6-3, 250), J.T. Mathy (5-10, 265), Matt Bauman
(6-0, 245) and Heslyn Menadue (6-4, 265). Charlie Dercks (6-4, 250), a
transfer from UW-Fox Valley, and incoming freshmen Evan Stoiber (6-3, 238),
a first-team all-state selection, and Chris Gresinger (6-4, 250) will also
compete for playing time.
At linebacker, the Pointers return three players
who have seen starts at the two inside positions in their 5-2-4 defense.
Senior Kyle Korinek, junior Ben Zimmerman and sophomore Joe Parks all
provide experience, while juniors Dave Detrie and Matt Yow and sophomore
Eric Moyer will compete for playing time. Two transfers will compete at the
position in Brandon Czys from UW-La Crosse and Ryan Zdroik from UW-Waukesha
County.
Every starter returns in the secondary as seniors
LaRon Ragsdale and Chase Kostichka are back at the cornerback spots and
along with junior backup Tony Seidel. At safety, seniors Jared Flesch and
J.J. Chaudoir are also three-year starters. Miech is confident in sophomore
Kasey Morgan, senior Patrick Griffin and juniors Lincoln Berg and Brian
Buechel to compete for a spot. Freshman Tyler Florczak and first-team
all-state performer Jon Leonard may secure key backup spots at one of the
team�s deepest positions.
The Pointers ranked seventh in the league in total
defense last year, but Miech is confident that will improve with the
returning players and the addition of Dave Taynor as defensive coordinator.
�Dave has brought new enthusiasm to the defense,�
Miech said. �He brings a very positive attitude and the players are finding
they have to prove themselves all over again.�
Miech plans to put special emphasis on special
teams during training camp after a tough game in all facets in last year�s
season finale at UW-River Falls. Senior Ryan Prochnow holds down the punting
position after ranking 28th in Division III with an average of 38.6 yards
per punt last year. In addition, Childs, Flisakowski, VanDerGeest and Morgan
are all experienced on kick returns, while Schwartz, a top-notch high school
sprinter in track, will add speed to the return corps.
The Pointers have three returning kickers with
experience in seniors Ryan Mullaney and Dan Heldmann and sophomore John
Ryan. Mullaney was the kickoff specialist with Heldmann and Ryan rotating on
placekicks last year. |
