2002 Saint Mary's Football Season Preview
8/13/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 13, 2002
 Third Year Head Coach Tim Landis  | |
With 16 starters returning from last season, seven offensive, seven defensive and two special teams players, experience is high, but Landis will have to look for replacements in three key positions. Replacements for First Team All-American defensive end Travis White, three-year starting quarterback Gus Papanikolas and middle linebacker Wendell Young will have to be found. White was an Associated Press and American Football Coaches Association First Team All-American selection in 2001, after finishing the season with 10.5 sacks, which ranked fourth in I-AA football. With the loss of Papanikolas at QB, the Gaels lose a team leader and captain. Papanikolas led the Gaels to back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since the 1995-96 seasons. With the loss of Young at middle linebacker, the Gaels lose their leading tackler from last year, as Young finished with 83 total tackles.
OFFENSE
QUARTERBACKS
Following the graduation of Papanikolas at quarterback, the starting QB job will be up in the air for the first time in three years. Saint Mary's will welcome five quarterbacks to camp, and all will have a chance for the starting job. Heading the list are juniors Ryan Sauter and Michigan State transfer Stephen Ratliff. Sauter is the only QB on the roster who has experience in the complicated Gaels offense. Sauter's had limited action over the last two seasons, resulting in 6-of-15 completions for 143 yards with one touchdown and one interception. In 2000 Sauter played in eight games, completing 5-of-13 passes for 129 yards and one TD while rushing for 75 yards on 21 carries. Last season he saw action in just three games with five carries and two pass attempts.
Ratliff comes to Saint Mary's after spending the last two seasons at Michigan State. In his time with the Spartans, Ratliff did not take a game snap at quarterback. He redshirted the 2000 season and did not see any game action in 2001. The last time Ratliff took a snap at QB was during the 1999 season when he was rated as the #3 junior college quarterback in California. That season at Modesto JC, Ratliff completed 88-of-196 passes for 1,289 yards and four touchdowns while leading Modesto to a Graffiti Bowl victory.
Three freshman enter camp to provide competition and depth to the QB position. Cordel Webb, a 6-0, 170-pound athletic quarterback, possesses a strong arm and can run the ball. He garnered All-Empire Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2001 after accumulating more than 2,000 yards of total offense and accounting for 21 touchdowns at Rancho Cotate High School. Michael Bauman, from Analy High School stands just 5-10 but his speed, agility and experience in an option offense will give him a chance to play early in his career. Bauman, the Sonoma County Back of the Year in 2001, rushed for over 1,000 yards and tallied 14 rushing touchdowns as a senior. He also added three TDs on kick returns. Trevor Johnston, an incoming freshman from Liberty High School, rounds out the young group at the quarterback position.
With the loss of three-year starting quarterback Gus Papanikolas, the coaching staff will have a challenging task to replace his talents. But with five very talented and skilled players entering this year's camp, the choice for the starting quarterback job will be up for grabs. Although Sauter and Ratliff have the early nod because of their age and experience, don't be surprised if Webb, Bauman or Johnston see action behind the center.
RUNNING BACKS
Landis will look to continue with the recent tradition as one of the best rushing teams in the country. Since coming to Saint Mary's in 2000, the Gaels are the third-best rushing team in the country, averaging 294.6 rushing yards per game over the last two seasons. Offensive Coordinator, Ian Shields, will look towards a talented group of running backs to help continue the powerful running reputation Saint Mary's has gained in the past two season. While Shields looks to find a quarterback that can make the right decisions in the offense, he knows he can rely on slot back Andre Coleman and fullback Clint Wilson to carry much of the load in the Gaels rushing attack.
Last season, Coleman and Wilson combined for 48 percent of Saint Mary's total rushing yards, compiling 1,471 of the team's 3,077 total yards on the ground. One can expect that Coleman and Wilson will continue to be the main rushing output for SMC over the next two seasons.
 Slot Back Andre Coleman | |
The fourth ranked rushing offense in the country comes in large part junior slot back Andre Coleman. Coleman, who led the I-AA Independent teams with 930 yards rushing last season, enters the 2001 season ranked as a top-20 running back in I-AA football. In his first two seasons at Saint Mary's, Coleman has rushed for 1,457 yards and currently ranks ninth in school history in total rushing yards. Last season, Coleman carried the ball 165 times and averaged 84.5 yards per game and 5.6 yards per carry. Coleman opened the 2001 season with a 175-yard performance against Sacramento State and two weeks later he rushed for 181 yards against Central Washington. Coleman had eight TDs last season - six rushing and two receiving - and was a First Team I-AA Independent selection and garnered Second Team District VIII All-Academic honors.
Jeff Brown made a name for himself in the Saint Mary's rushing attack in his freshman season when he rushed for 513 yards in eight games. The following season he added 694 rushing yards to his career total and cracked the top-10 list of Gael runners. After missing last season for personal reasons, Brown returns to prove that he can be a major contributor to the Gaels rushing attack. He's averaged 4.7 yards per carry in his career and has nine rushing touchdowns in 17 games. Brown also showed his versatility as a receiver in 2000 when he was second on the team with 317 receiving yards with just 14 catches.
Heath Villarreal will give the Gaels a talented trio of runners at the slot back position. Villarreal played in 10 games and had four starts as a true freshman. But just as he started to get a feel for the Gael offense, he suffered a season ending knee injury early in the game against Dayton. He finished the season with 119 total rushing yards, but averaged a lofty 9.2 yards per carry.
Also looking to contribute at the slot back positions are freshmen Joe Gonzales, Ryan Kirby and Kenny Davis. Gonzales redshirted last season, but has added a lot of strength in the off season. Kirby and Davis will both be true freshmen and will add depth to the roster with talent and speed to the corners of the Saint Mary's rushing attack.
 Fullback Clint Wilson | |
When Wilson was not on the field, Chris Harrell proved that he is more than an adequate backup. Playing in all 11 games last season, with no starts, Harrell carried the ball 47 times for 265 yards, averaging 5.6 yards per carry. Harrell showcased his talents when he rushed for a career-high 85 yards against Northeastern, last year. In that game he broke loose for a 57-yard touchdown scamper, showing he also has the ability to break the big play.
Other players to look for at the fullback position are Sean Sheridan and Mark Chang. Sheridan redshirted last season and Chang enters his first season at Saint Mary's. Both will add depth to the position while gaining valuable experience in the Gael offense.
WIDE RECEIVERS
The wide receiver position may possess the smallest players on the offense, but the position is not short on talent. Senior Nate Brown will head the list of players at the wide-out positions and returns as the team's leading receiver with 363 yards on 17 receptions and four touchdowns catches. He's the only starting returner at his position. During his junior campaign, Brown also showed off his ability to throw the ball, completing two passes for 45 yards with one TD toss.
Joining Brown will be sophomore Anthony Johnson. Johnson's debut came at the slot back last year when he played in 10 games with five starts. He rushed for 157 yards on 30 carries as a true freshman. Johnson, arguably the fastest man on the SMC roster, will take his 5-7 frame to the wide receiver position, giving the Gaels a pair of receivers standing no taller than 5-8.
Larry Irving is the only other player on the Saint Mary's roster that has seen time at wide receiver. Irving's played in 16 games during his SMC career, but has yet to catch a pass. Chris Klingerman, a redshirt freshman, had a solid spring and could contribute early this season. The Saint Mary's coaching staff will also look towards Washington State transfer, Matt Hopkins to provide depth to the wide-out position. Hopkins played tight end for the Cougars and his blocking experience will be vital to the Saint Mary's rushing attack.
OFFENSIVE LINE
 Preseason Honorable Mention All-American Offensive Lineman Nathan Frowsing | |
Right guard Nathan Frowsing is rated as a top-10 offensive lineman in I-AA football and garnered preseason Honorable Mention All-American honors by the Sport Network. Frowsing, arguably the strongest man on the SMC roster, anchors an offensive line helped the team average 279.7 rushing yards per game last season. Chris Tillery will return to his spot at left tackle where he's started the last 20 games for Saint Mary's. Tillery helped the offense top the 400-yard rushing mark twice last season and three times in 2000. During the 2000 season, Saint Mary's established a school record when the Gaels totaled 512 yards on the ground in one game. Nick Wisely, who started all 11 games at right tackle last season, could move to left guard for his junior season. Wisely also helped the Gael offense post 500-plus yards of total offense in three games during the 2001 campaign.
With Frowsing, Tillery and Wisely returning, there will be openings at the center and right tackle positions. Biller will return to the Saint Mary's squad after missing the final six games of last season. Since dawning a Gael uniform in 1999, Biller has played in 27 games with 17 starts and should regain his starting spot at center this year. Torin Simpson and Matt Vincent will battle for the starting job at right tackle. Simpson has seen action in his first two seasons, which includes 16 games played and two starts during his freshman season. Vincent, a redshirt freshman, gives Saint Mary's much needed size and strength on the outside of the line and will push Simpson for the starting job.
Other players that could make a significant impact to the Gael trenches are Jacob Wolfe, who can play at both guard and tackle positions. Incoming freshmen Allen Petroff, Craig White and Gerrit Brands will add significant depth to the front line and could compete for valuable playing time as freshmen.
DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINE
The defensive line returns four players that saw significant action in 2001. David Taylor and C.J. LaBoy will be the early favorites to supply the pressure from the defensive end positions and Victor Williams and Ray Mike will look to provide the push from the middle.
Together, Taylor and LaBoy combined for 11 tackles for a loss and four sacks last season. Taylor returns from an injury plagued season with something to prove in 2002. The fifth-year senior enters the season with 13 sacks and 27 tackles for a loss in his career. As a sophomore, Talyor was second on the team with a career-year with highs in tackles (83), sacks (7), tackles for a loss (13), interceptions (4), and fumble recoveries (3). LaBoy missed the first half of last season, but returned to finish the final six games of the season with 31 tackles, four for a loss, and one sack. Lucas Lucero returns from hip surgery to provide some much needed depth at defensive end. Lucero got off to a good start as a freshmen as he tallied four tackles for a loss and two sacks before a season ending injury sidelined him for the final five games.
 Defensive End David Taylor | |
LINEBACKERS
For the Gaels defense to be successful in 2002, the linebacking core will have to turn its game up a notch. With four returners at linebacker, this unit will have the most experience on the defensive side of the ball. In the middle of the defense the Gaels return Travis Burkett and Scott McMahon and with the addition of UNLV transfer Michael Crowder-Jones the Gaels should be solid up the middle. At the two outside backer positions, three-year starter Myron Chivis and Ramon Burley-Johnson make this unit very experienced.
While playing in just nine games last season, Burkett finished third on the squad with 60 tackles and tallied a career-high 13-tackle performance against Cal Poly, just one of his three double-digit tackle games last season. McMahon played in seven games last season and was sidelined the final four games of the season with a left knee injury. In those seven games, McMahon tallied 30 tackles with three sacks and six tackles for a loss.
Myron Chivis tallied 48 tackles, three TFLs, recovered two fumbles, had one INT and forced one fumble, as a junior. Chivis will head the list at the strong side linebacker. Also joining the mix at the "SAM" position will be freshman Nathan Kenion who brings a winning mentality following two years on De La Salle High School's national championship teams. Ramon Burley-Johnson heads the list of players at week-side linebacker. Burley-Johnson saw action in all 11 games last year and finished sixth on the team with 52 tackles. He also saw action at "SAM" last year and could back-see action at that position again this season.
 Free Safety Weston Borba | |
DEFENSIVE BACKS
With the loss of Young at middle linebacker, Landis will look towards First Team I-AA Independent free safety Weston Borba to provide the defensive leadership. A two-year starter for the Gaels, Borba returns as the team's leading tackler. Borba finished the 2001 season with 80 total tackles - 65 solos and 15 assisted. He led the team with four forced fumbles and tied for the team lead with four interceptions. Backing up Borba at the free safety position will be Dax Harris. Harris has had an injury plagued career at Saint Mary's, but will look to his final season to make an impact. Harris could also see time at strong side linebacker in 2002.
Joining Borba in the defensive back-field will be 2001 Second Team I-AA Independent cornerback Greg Kavulich. Kavulich started all 11 games at cornerback as a true freshman and tied Borba for the team lead with four picks. He also had four pass break ups and finished his first season with 48 total tackles. Terrance Hudson will get the early nod at the other corner position, but with 23 defensive backs on the roster, any number of players could see time at that position.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Once again Landis will look towards Ben Antongiovanni and Ezequiel Arevalo to take care of the kicking duties. Antongiovanni returns for his junior season and second as the starting punter. In his first year as the full-time punter he finished 48th in the country in punting average, averaging 37.8 yards per punt. His 2,266 punting yards in 2001 ranks seventh in a single season at SMC. Arevalo handled all the place kicking duties in his first season and should continue in that role in 2002. Arevalo converted 26-of-30 PATs and hit 3-of-5 field goals last year.
On kick and punt returns, fans can look for familiar numbers to return the ball. Coleman and Johnson will be the early favorites to return kickoffs while Borba could showcase his talents as a return man on punts. Other players that could see time as kick returners are Nate Brown, Webb and Bauman.
2002 SCHEDULE
Saint Mary's will play a 2002 schedule that includes 12 games and arguably the toughest in recent history. The Gaels will battle eight I-AA opponents, including three from the Big Sky Conference in Montana State, to open the season, Sacramento State, in week two, and Northern Arizona, to close the season. The Gaels play a strong home schedule that features local rivals Sacramento State and Cal Poly and 2001 I-AA playoff representative Northern Arizona. Homecoming will be September 28 when the Gaels host Western Washington and Bucknell and Drake round out the remaining home games. The road schedule is no cake walk, as the Gaels will travel to tough venues at Montana State, Southern Utah, perennial Division II power UC Davis and Holy Cross.
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