2005 Football Preview: Eagles’ Class Act Continues
July 17, 2005

There’s been no evidence that AU head coach Lee Owens is claustrophobic.

“Class-trophic,” now that’s a different story.

QB Nick Strance will be counted on to move the offense with his passing ability. He'll have support as the Eagles return 15 starters from last season.

This is Owens’ second season at AU. The AU head coach has done a masterful job these past two years hitting the recruiting trail. When Owens came to Ashland, there was no doubt that he needed to bolster the Eagles’ talent base. His first two recruiting classes seem to have accomplished that goal. The roster is deeper than at any point in the past 10 years. At most positions the Eagles have several viable options. This is a well-stocked roster with plenty of young players who are getting acquainted with what’s required to succeed in college football.

That process began last season when numerous newcomers filled key roles. Now, members of this second recruiting class will follow that lead. The big question revolves around how fast all this young talent matures. AU was 5-6 last season, 4-6 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The Eagles return 41 lettermen and 15 starters - eight on offense and seven on defense.

“We feel good about our returnees,” said Owens. “We had a large freshman class and we kept 90 percent of it together. Then we’ve had another big freshman class. I believe we’re right on schedule. Plus, the commitment of our players has been outstanding.”

That commitment has been demonstrated in the weightroom and in spring practice. The coaches believe they’ll be able to do more strategically this season because the players have been in the system for a year and know what’s expected of them. Expectations are high all around – from players, coaches and AU fans – to improve upon last year’s record and move forward in the GLIAC standings.

A look at the 2005 Eagles as they head to camp follows.

Defense

“If we’re not among the top two or three defenses in the conference I’ll be disappointed,” remarked Owens.

There’s a cause for that optimism. The linebacking corps is fast and deep and the defensive line is brimming with players. The major question comes in the secondary, where the Eagles will rely on young players at just about every spot.

A year ago AU was second in the GLIAC in rushing defense (105.7 ypg.), fifth in total defense (328.0 ypg.) and sixth in scoring defense (22.3 ppg.). The unit was spearheaded by linebacker Devin Conwell, who averaged 11.8 tackles per game and led the nation in solo tackles (80). Conwell finished second in the GLIAC in tackles and was 10th in tackle for loss (12.0). A senior, Conwell was named an honorable mention All-America by d2.football.com.

This year, Conwell will officially be listed as a strong safety. But he figures to be a man on the move – in more ways than one.

“When you have someone like Devin on your defense, who led the country in tackles, you have a chance to be very good,” Owens emphasized. “Devin’s talented enough that he could really play six positions on the football field – inside or outside linebacker, either safety spot or cornerback. What we have to do as coaches is make sure people can’t game plan him.

“Not only does Devin have outstanding talent,” continued Owens, “but he’s an outstanding football player. He understands defense.”

If Conwell starts at strong safety, the backup there will be sophomore Kyle Calvert. He’s coming off a season where he had 25 stops (18 solo) and an interception. Calvert’s known as a ferocious hitter, as is fellow sophomore Justin Hood, the projected starter at free safety. Hood had 43 tackles (29 solo) and one pick in 2005. He was all over the field in the spring game.

“He played well all spring,” noted Owens.

“Justin’s developed a bit of an attitude on the field, he’s very aggressive and he’s emerged as a leader even though he’s young,” said secondary coach Steve Clinkscale. “Kyle’s a bone-crushing hitter. He understands the defense now and makes fewer mistakes than in the past.”

The starting cornerbacks figure to be junior Chris Holland and sophomore Thaddeus Walker. Holland is AU’s most experienced defensive back – he had 47 tackles (33 solo) and four pass breakups last season. Holland had one of the biggest plays of the 2005 season when he ran down a receiver at Gannon in the closing minutes of regulation. That play helped AU survive and win in overtime. That level of play has become Holland’s calling card.

Walker saw extensive playing time last season and had 30 tackles (24 solo), a pair of interceptions and five pass deflections.

Sophomore Kelly Ajala was one of the biggest surprises of the spring. Like all up-and-coming defensive backs, he’ll be tested. He held up well in the spring.

One of the main objectives of fall camp will be to build depth at cornerback. That will be a key in a conference where the passing game becomes more dominant every season.

“We’re not weak anywhere,” said Owens, looking at his entire team, “but there’s a depth issue at cornerback.”

No such problem exists at linebacker. The starters inside are seniors Brady Miller and Jeremy Crabtree. Miller had 77 tackles (49 solo) last season, that put him fourth on the team. The Cincinnati, OH, native has had knee problems in the past, but he’s fine now.

“He makes plays, he’s steady,” said Owens. “Plus, he’s 100 percent.”

The coaching staff believes Crabtree can flourish in the system and is on the verge of a solid season.

“He’s very talented and gives us experience,” Owens said.

Junior Mike Buzzard, sophomore Brian Joyner and redshirt freshman Jeremy Ambrose are other options who will see time here. Joyner missed the last half of the 2004 season due to knee surgery, but played well prior to that. Buzzard’s been a regular on special teams and has served as a reserve linebacker in the past.

At outside linebacker, the starters are junior Allen Lattimore and sophomore Luke Busson, a transfer from Kent State. This duo brings a plethora of speed to the perimeter. Lattimore had a breakout season in 2004 when he was second on the team in tackles (88/55 solo). He tied for the GLIAC lead in sacks (9.0) and was fourth in tackles for loss (18.0).

“He’s a missile,” raved Owens.

Busson has that same type of potential. His presence gives the Eagles an abundance of playmakers at linebacker.

The relief corps at outside linebacker include junior Zane Nance and redshirt freshman D.J. Shaw . True freshman Marcus Council could force his way into the picture, too. He’s a highly-touted newcomer from Akron, OH.

Up front, the leader is junior Kyle Zelazny. He’ll start at nose tackle, although he could shift out to defensive end.

“He makes plays, he’s quick and he runs well for a defensive lineman,” said Owens of Zelazny, who had 22 tackles (16 solo) and four sacks last season.

“He’s our best lineman,” added defensive coordinator Jim Meyer. “We’ll look for him to be a leader on our defensive line. Kyle is our swing guy. He could play either end. Kyle will be in the game all the time. He’s intense. Kyle’s shown he can play every position effectively.”

Sophomore Jonathan Frost saw action at nose tackle last season and he’ll spell Zelazny. At left end, the starter is sophomore Chris Meyer, the son of the AU defensive coordinator. Junior Jake Grove and senior Jarrett Fuller will also see time here. Meyer and Grove both had 2.5 sacks last year. Fuller is moving to defensive end from linebacker. He’s missed time due to knee surgery in the past, but in the spring, he gave every indication of being able to provide quality minutes.

“He was the biggest surprise this spring,” Owens reported. “He made great strides at end.”

At right end, Grove and junior Matt Baughman figure to be at the top of the depth chart. The key for Baughman is staying healthy. What’s impressive is that all the way up and down the line the Eagles have choices.

“We have six players up front and they’ve all played a lot,” reminded Owens.

Offense
There’s been a shift these days away from a meat and potatoes diet. Some folks think that kind of food is too heavy. That’s not the case at Ashland. Last season the Eagles gave GLIAC defenses that course with a side dish of pigskin.

That was a delicacy for AU football fans. Behind tailback Antwan Hart, who rushed for a school-record 1,474 yards, the Eagles averaged 178.7 ypg., on the ground. AU was sixth in the league in rushing and that came without Jason Schwalm, another tailback who went out for the year with an injury in the first game of the season.

All the ingredients should be in place for the ground game to thrive again. The offensive line is big, talented and deep. Every starter is over 300 pounds and they’ve all received extensive playing time.

The ringleader of the line is senior left guard Blake Dickson. He was second team All-GLIAC last season.

“He’s a senior and has been an All-America in track and field,” said Owens. “He’d like to do that in football. For him to do that, we need to win a lot of games this season. He understands that. He became a leader last year, he became more vocal and stepped up in the huddle.”

Dickson’s game took a step up as well. He’s solid on and off the gridiron.

“I’m not worried about Blake Dickson,” added offensive line coach Doug Geiser. “He’ll be a leader up front for us.”

Joining Dickson as the starter on the left side is sophomore Andy Hunter. He got time in a backup role last year and this season, is being asked to handle the left tackle spot.

“It’s like night and day from last season,” Geiser reported. “He knows the system and he’s cut some weight. He’s graded out well.”

Redshirt freshman Reggie Gamble is the backup at left tackle and he’s a lineman with unlimited potential. The coaching staff raves about his upside. Dickson’s backup is freshman Nate Hollins, who’s fresh off a stellar spring session.

The center is junior Vince Cashdollar, who took over the starting job early last season. The other choice at center is senior Bret Gordon. He’s started in the past and can handle any responsibilities that come with the job.

At right guard, Justin Dorr is the starter after moving from tackle. It didn’t take the senior long to get the hang of the position during the spring. This will be his third year as a starter.

Senior Steve Smelko will back up Dorr and could also show up at left guard. Smelko’s played at several spots along the line. He’s a versatile veteran who can plug several holes.

The starting job at right tackle belongs to Mike Dolfi. There are no questions about what he brings to the line.

“Mike is huge, very powerful, very strong and very smart,” summarized Geiser. “He understands the scheme and the offense.”

Junior Kiel Miller is listed behind Dolfi. He could also play at more than one slot this year.

Senior Brian Mong starts at tight end and he can expect plenty of action. Mong was third on the team in catches (19) last season. It will be a disappointment if that number doesn’t expand in 2005.

“We have to find more ways to get him the ball,” Owens said. “We’re going to major in crossing routes to the tight end.”

The shelf isn’t empty behind Mong. Two freshmen – Casey Brown and Frank Cardon – have all the tools to be big-time players. Brown was redshirted last season and Cardon is a true freshman. Both are blessed with having the chance to work with Mong. Another name to remember is sophomore Gabe Sanders, who moved over from the defensive line last season and caught five passes.

While Hart has been lost to graduation the Eagles are excited about their offerings at running back. Schwalm is back to 100 percent health-wise and in 2003 he rushed for 661 yards and averaged 5.1 ypc. Sophomore Jon Schroeder’s maturation process is expected to keep moving forward – he gained 246 yards as Hart’s backup last season. Senior Earl Clark moved from defensive back to tailback in the spring and he brings breakaway potential to the post.

Two freshmen – Blaine Maag and Aaron O’Dell - figure in the picture, too. The coaching staff believes the two rookies can contribute right away.

“We have some tailbacks,” Owens said. “That might be our strength right now.”

There’s no lack of power at fullback, either, where sophomores Ray Kent and Andy Owens can be found. Both are strong blockers. This is Kent’s second season as the starter.

Junior Nick Strance returns as the quarterback. Strance took over as AU’s starting quarterback midway through his freshman season. Last year was his first full season as the starter. Strance completed 156 of 301 passes (51.8 percent) for 1,654 yards and 11 touchdowns. A year working with this coaching staff should help his overall performance.

“Last year we force-fed him and it was tough,” admitted Owens. “This year we’ll work harder to build the offense around him. Nick had a real strong spring.”

Strance will be in a familiar spot in 2005, but what he’s asked to do may be somewhat different than last season. Owens believes that the alterations he’s made to the offense will help the junior be more effective.

“We want to say we have a balanced offense,” said Owens, who had some highly-productive air games at the University of Akron. “We want to have an unpredictable offense. We don’t want the defense to be able to tee off on us. We want our quarterback to be on the move more. I think we got away from that last year. You’ll see more movement this year, more run-pass options.”

The Eagles are looking to sort out the picture behind Strance.

At wide receiver, the starters are senior Dalorean White, junior Brandon Gilmore and sophomore David Ziegelhofer. White is the top returning wideout, he was second on the team in catches (24) last season. He was the team leader in TD receptions (five).

“I don’t know if people realize how fast he is,” said Owens. “He’s another player we have to get the ball to a lot.”

Gilmore’s spent the last two seasons learning his craft. He has plenty of physical tools. He had 16 receptions last season.

Ziegelhofer had a strong rookie year, catching 15 passes and averaging a team-high 15.6 ypc. He was also a factor on special teams, averaging 6.7 ypr., on 27 punt returns. White was also a regular on the specialty units, he averaged 21.2 ypr., on 22 kickoff returns.

Senior Trent Seay, junior Bobby Madison and sophomore Rock Lewis are battling for playing time behind the three starters. Madison had a very consistent spring and has shown steady improvement. He caught five passes last season.

The Eagles will have to determine who will do the kicking in fall camp. Both the punting and kicking jobs were vacant heading into preseason drills.