Gaels Prepare for 2001 Season

Aug. 16, 2001

Word is spreading fast that the Saint Mary's football program is back and ready to rekindle past glory. Head Coach Tim Landis and the 2000 Gaels renewed old traditions and brought spirit back to Saint Mary's Stadium with a 6-5 record. The outlook for this season looks even better with 58 letter winners and 15 starters returning from a year ago, including seven starters from an offense that established or tied eight Gael team records.

With the new spread option offense, the Gaels took opposing defenses by storm in 2000 - ranking fourth in the country in rushing yards per game (309.5), 24th in the nation in yards of total offense per game (434.4) and tying a school record with 50 touchdowns in one season. Senior quarterback Gus Papanikolas returns to lead the offense after averaging over 200 yards of total offense per game. He is aiming to become the first player in school history to rush and pass for 1,000 yards in a season.

On the defensive side of the ball, look for David Taylor and Travis White to lead a talented group that forced 32 turnovers last year. The two wreaked havoc on opposing offenses in 2000, combining for 145 tackles, 30 tackles for loss, 17 sacks and four interceptions. White tallied 10 sacks and 17 tackles for a loss in 2000 and was selected as Lindy's Preseason I-AA Independent Defensive Player of the Year.

The Gaels will kickoff the season at Sacramento State on September 1, followed by the home opener versus Humboldt State on September 8. The Gaels will then host Cal Poly and Central Washington before returning to the road to battle East Coast foe Bucknell on September 29. This year's home marquee match-up will take place on October 6 when Saint Mary's hosts UC Davis for homecoming. SMC will then hit the road for three straight games, first traveling to meet Montana which finished as the I-AA National Championship runner-up last year. Then the Gaels head to Florida Atlantic, which is entering its inagural season, before completing the road swing at Northeastern on October 27. The Gaels close out the 2001 season with two home games against Southern Utah and Dayton.

Offense

Following an outstanding junior campaign, Gus Papanikolas (Salt Lake City, UT) will once again lead the list of Gael signal callers. With the inception of the spread option offense in 2000, Papanikolas flourished as he led the offense with 202.2 yards of total offense per game. Papanikolas just missed becoming the first Gael to rush and pass for 1,000 yards in one season. He totaled 1,236 yards passing, completing 86-of-164 passes, and rushed for a team-high 966 yards. Papanikolas finished the season with 22 of the team's school record 50 touchdowns, rushing for eight TDs and tossing 14 more to eight different receivers. Unlike last season, Papanikolas will have some experience backing him up. Sophomore Ryan Sauter (Claremont, CA) and senior Chris Kobe (Valencia, CA) will battle for the back-up role. Sauter, the more athletic of the two, saw action in eight games as a redshrit freshman in 2000. He completed 5-of-13 passes for 129 yards with one touchdown and an interception. He also rushed for 75 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. Kobe saw action in six games primarily as the team's PAT holder.

The slot back position will fuel the Saint Mary's running attack. The Gaels return just one starter from the slot back position, Andre Coleman (Los Angeles, CA). Coleman was honored as a Second Team I-AA Independent running back following a freshman campaign that saw him emerge as a valuable threat in the Saint Mary's offense. If Coleman continues where he left off last year, rushing for 220 yards in the season finale, the second-year slot back will draw a lot of attention by the opposition. Coleman led the team in scoring with 68 points, averaging 52.7 yards rushing per game and 8.4 yards per carry. He was also the team's second leading receiver with 17 catches for 251 yards and three touchdowns. Senior Lorenzo King (Oakland, CA), the team's fastest returning player, is slated to complement Coleman from the other slot position. King played in three games in 2000 and rushed for 52 yards on six carries, averaging 8.7 yards per carry. With his size (6-0, 210 pounds) and speed, King will be a handful for opposing defenses. Junior Leonard Harmon (Fresno, CA) averaged 11.9 yards every time he touched the ball last year to lead the team in that category. He will return for his third season and is slated to play a key role as a back-up at both slot positions. Harmon stands just 5'7", but his numbers make him a vital asset to the team, averaging 11.7 yards per rush and 12.8 yards per catch last season. Others that could make a valuable impact at the slot position are sophomores Jared Holley (Kelseyville, CA), and incoming freshman Anthony Johnson (Lompoc, CA).

The fullback position will be the least experienced position on the offensive side of the ball, but Landis and offensive coordinator Ian Shields are very optimistic that freshman Clint Wilson (Thousand Oaks, CA) can more than carry the load. Wilson returns to the offense as the day-one fullback after missing the final nine games of last season with a broken leg. Wilson started the first two games in 2000, leading the team with 52 yards rushing in the opener against Sacramento State. He also caught one pass for 24 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore Chris Harrell (Los Angeles, CA) is slotted as the back-up Wilson and should see his playing time increase this season. Harrell saw action in seven games last season with four carries. His role will be to give Wilson a break when needed. Senior Eric Billeci (Pittsburg, CA), who will be the team's tight end, will be one of the back-ups for Wilson. Billeci saw action in three games at fullback last season, totaling 46 carries for 205 yards while rushing for a career-high 152 yards against Menlo College in his running back debut.

The wide receiver position returns two players who saw a significant amount of playing time last season. With the offensive focus on running the ball, the most valuable quality for a receiver at Saint Mary's is the ability to hold a block. The Gaels will look towards Kawika Watts (Long Beach, CA) and Nate Brown (Pullman, WA) to provide that support for the running game. Watts returns after tallying seven catches for 45 yards during his junior season. He also had five carries for 45 yards, one resulting in a 26 yard touchdown. Brown, a 5'7" junior, grabbed seven catches for 81 yards in seven games as a sophomore. Brown saw action in the final seven games of the season and caught his first career touchdown against Towson. Junior James Blades (Santa Rosa, CA) is the only other receiver returning who recorded a catch a year ago. To go along with the trio of returning receivers, the Gaels will look at two freshmen to add depth to the position. Chris Klingerman (Redmond, WA) and Troy McBroom (Manteca, CA) are two young players that the coaching staff believes will make serious contributions to the team early in their careers. A prominent figure at the tight end position, Eric Billeci returns for his third season as the Gaels' top man at the position. Billeci was arguably the most productive receiver for the Saint Mary's last season with four touchdown receptions on five catches. He had 99 yards receiving and averaged 19.8 yards per reception, last year - good for second on the team. Paul Reynaud (Concord, CA), who moved from the offensive line to tight end last season, will play the back-up role to Billeci during his sophomore season. The coaching staff added Junior College transfer Mike Forry (Reedley, CA) to the depth chart at tight end.

The offensive line will be the most experienced position, returning four of five starters from last season. The O-line played a key role in the team's number four rushing rank and will be looked upon to provide the power to propel the offense to similar numbers this season. Led by three-year starter, senior Nathan Roest (Hilmar, CA), the Gaels' line will possess the continuity needed for another tough year in the trenches. Nathan Frowsing (Madera, CA), who garnered First Team District VIII All-Academic honors, will return to solidify the middle of the line at center. Dave Biller (Concord, CA), from De La Salle High School, and Chris Tillery (Clovis, CA) will return to anchor the outside of the line. Biller will return to his left tackle position and Tillery will resume his role as the starting right tackle. The only position on the offensive line that is up for grabs is left guard, vacated by the graduation of Jed Bodger. Sophomore Nick Wisely (Manteca, CA) and senior James Fabian (Concord, CA) are the two early favorites to win the starting job. Torin Simpson (Lompoc, CA) will be a valuable back-up as he can play both tackle positions. He started at right tackle as a freshman, before coming off the bench most of the season.

Defense

The defense returns eight starters from a year ago and will look to improve on last season's performance. Although the team finished 29th in the country with 32 total takeaways, it will look to improve on those numbers. The focus of the defense will be to improve pass coverage while putting a tremendous amount of pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

The defensive line looks to be the strength of the defense this season. Travis White (San Pedro, CA), Lindy's Preseason I-AA Independent Defensive Player of the Year, will return for his final season to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks. White, who finished the 2000 campaign with 10 sacks - tied for fifth in the nation - and 17 tackles for a loss, will, once again, be a presence at defensive end. On the other side of the defensive line will be David Taylor (Monrovia, CA). Taylor possesses excellent speed and athletic ability, and at 6-2, 220 pounds he can even be found in pass coverage. Taylor had 83 total tackles last season and returns as the team's leading tackler. He also totaled seven sacks, tied for the team lead with four interceptions and led the team with seven total takeaways. Victor Williams (Bakersfield, CA) and Ray Mike (Pomona, CA) will garner the honors of clogging the middle for the Gael defense in an effort to stifle opponents rushing attack.

With the loss of last season's leading tackler, Lane Baker, the Gaels will look towards senior leader Wendell Young (Inglewood, CA) to fill the void at middle linebacker. In an injury plagued junior season, Young tallied 49 total tackles, eight for a loss, with three sacks and one interception playing along side Baker. Joining Young in the middle of the defense will be junior Travis Burkett (San Luis Obispo, CA). Burkett played in all 11 games during his sophomore season and finished sixth on the team with 50 tackles. He has since added 15 pounds to his frame and will look to be more of a force for the Gaels. The final starting position at linebacker should be filled by Jack Kearns (Walnut, CA) and C.J. LaBoy (Larkspur, CA). Both players saw significant playing time in their first seasons in 2000. The two will battle for the weak-side outside linebacker starting job. Kearns finished the season with 38 tackles, four for a loss, three sacks and one fumble recovery. LaBoy had eight tackles for a loss in six games and recorded 21 total tackles.

Saint Mary's returns all four defensive backs from last season, plus Dax Harris (Ontario, CA) returns after missing the final nine games with a hip injury. Myron Chivis (Highlands, CA) is projected to start for the third consecutive season. Chivis, who was fifth on the team with 61 tackles in 2000, will play a dual role as a strong-side linebacker and strong safety type player. He possesses the size and speed of a defensive back, but hits like a linebacker. A position that has lacked depth in the past, the defensive backs could be the deepest on the team for 2001. Sophomore Weston Borba (Chowchilla, CA) was a pleasant surprise in the defensive backfield for the Gaels in 2000, as the converted wide receiver to free safety picked off a team-tying four passes for 146 return yards, returning one for a touchdown. Borba also blocked the team's one kick, in the season finale. With Harris returning to the cornerback position, Saint Mary's will have three experienced players manning the outside. Harris and senior Chris Tucker (El Sobrante, CA) will battle for one spot and Calvin Dickerson (Los Angeles, CA) will man the other corner. Tucker had three INTs last season and totaled 37 tackles in 11 games. Dickerson played in nine games, had two picks and broke up a team-leading nine passes. The defensive backfield will be much more experienced with the return of all four starters from last season. With the return of Ramon Burley-Johnson (San Fernando, CA), Jesse Charles (Los Angeles, CA) and Terrance Hudson (Oakland, CA) and the additions of Greg Kavulich (West Hills, CA), Ryan Guidi (La Jolla, CA), and Scott Smiley (La Mesa, CA), the Gaels DB's will have plenty of competition to keep everyone motivated.

Reed Mokler (Huntington Beach, CA) returns for his final season in a Saint Mary's uniform and will handle the place kicking duties and will battle Ben Antongiovanni (Bakersfield, CA) for the punting duties. Mokler regained the kicking duties in game six of the 2000 season and converted 22-of-25 PATs, including a school record tying eight in the game against Menlo College. He was 1-of-3 on field goal attempts. With the loss of Keith Dudum, the punting responsibilities will be up for grabs this season. The Gaels return most of their kick return group and Calvin Dickerson, who led the team with 383 yards in kick returns, will be back deep to return kickoffs this season. Alongside Dickerson will be wide out Nate Brown. Brown saw limited action as a return man last season, but he did have seven attempts for 173 yards for a 24.7 yard average - best on the team. The punt return duties will be shared by Kawika Watts and Andre Coleman. Watts led the team with 10 returns last season and Coleman will get his first chance to return punts in his sophomore season.

Schedule

GAELS IN THE PROS

CHAMPIONS

HALL OF FAME

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