Football: A Look At The Rockets' 10th Opponent - Eastern Michigan
8/21/2001 12:00:00 PM | Football
Written by Eastern Michigan University Sports Information Office.
Aug. 21, 2001
YPSILANTI, MI - For the first time in six years, the Eastern Michigan University football program will have a question mark at quarterback when the season opens.
The streak at starting quarterback goes all the way back to 1996 when Charlie Batch was the designated starter.
With Batch graduated to the NFL's Detroit Lions, Ypsilanti High School product Walter Church held down the starter's role from 1998 through the end of the 2000 season.
And now with Batch and Church having graduated, in possession of all the EMU passing records, second-year head coach Jeff Woodruff will not only have to find a quarterback but he must find replacements for 22 players lost through graduation.
Last season was a learning experience in more ways than one for Woodruff as he saw inconsistencies hurt the Eagles early in the season.
After winning his first game as a head coach, a 32-25 decision over UCONN, the Eagles suffered through seven straight losses before roaring back with two wins in the last three games to finish with a 3-8 record.
Woodruff expects big changes as he heads into year two of the rebuilding process.
``There is no doubt that my first season was an education for me, our staff and our players,'' Woodruff said. ``We wanted to come in here and build a program with pride and excitement, and I think we accomplished those two things. I thought our players played hard and with enthusiasm, but as the season progressed it was obvious that we needed to get stronger and faster to compete on this level.''
``I think the players, and coaches, have worked hard since the end of the 2000 season to make sure that we can compete in every game,'' Woodruff added. ``Our two recruiting classes have been outstanding, and I think you'll start to see the hard work pay off this season.''
Key to the program heading in the right direction will be the battle at quarterback, which is emerging as the feature story of the 2001 season.
"It is certainly a luxury to have quarterbacks like Charlie Batch and Walter Church in your program," Woodruff explained. "Unfortunately, that has all changed with Walter graduating, but we have a lot of confidence that one of the younger players will emerge as the leader."
Heading the list of candidates to run the offense will be Church's backup last season, Troy Edwards (6-2, 201, Jr.). Battling Edwards will be junior-college recruit Jeff Crooks (6-2, 212, Jr.) along with redshirt freshmen Collin Carey (6-3, 194, Fr.) and Chinedu Okoro (6-1, 207, Fr.) and third-year sophomore Rick Pyle (6-4, 221).
Edwards has seen limited action in each of his first two seasons. As a freshman in 1999, he completed 29-of-46 passes for 389 yards. Edwards filled in for an injured Walter Church against Ball State, Nov. 6, 1999, and led the Eagles to a 31-21 win when he completed 16-of-23 passes for 248 yards. Last season, Edwards participated in eight games and completed 7-of-13 passes for 81 yards and one touchdown.
Crooks was one of the 2001 recruits who enrolled at EMU in January after completing his junior college degree at Fullerton J.C. in California. He passed for 2,293 yards and 18 touchdowns to rank first among California J.C. quarterbacks. In addition, Crooks also showed his versatility on the ground, rushing for 504 yards last year and his 2,343 total yards broke a 45-year-old school record.
Carey and Okoro were both highly regarded freshman recruits last year and, along with Pyle, spent the 2000 season learning Woodruff's offensive system.
The EMU offensive staff attempted to shore up the running game last year, but injuries to the offensive line hampered the Eagles' ground effort.
The top returning rusher is sophomore Ashantti Watson (5-9 1/2, 197, So.). Watson was pressed into service as a "true" freshman in 2000 and he responded with 353 yards gained on 85 rushes and scored four times. He also hauled in 16 passes for 87 yards, returned 10 punts for 142 yards and nine kickoffs for 140 yards.
Pressing Watson for rushes in 2001 will be junior Rich Schutt (5-9, 189, Jr.) and a host of freshmen recruits, led by Chris R. Roberson (5-10, 175, Fr.), and Keyvon Barbee (6-0, 215, Fr.).
The H-back/tight end spots will have a host of young faces battling for snaps.
The only significant change is the loss to graduation of veteran tight end Matt Kelly who started all 11 games last year.
Brett Wells (6-2 1/2, 244, Jr.) started the first three games last year before missing the rest of the season with a broken foot. Redshirt freshman Kevin Zureki (6-2 1/2, 251, So.) came on strong late in 2000 to start four straight games but he also went down with a broken foot in the tenth game of the season. Wells had one catch for two yards and Zureki had 12 receptions for 112 yards in his limited action.
Also pressing for playing time at H-back/tight end will be redshirt freshmen Sam Anderson (6-3, 236, Fr.), and Adam Jarosz (6-2, 237, Fr.) along with walk-on Adam Jacobs (6-3, 200, Fr.).
The wide receiving corps had the potential to be one of the deepest positions on the team, but the leading receiver from last season, Kenny Christian (6-0, 198, Sr.) lost his appeal for a medical hardship from 1999, and will not have another year left. Christian and Kevin Walter (6-3 1/2, 216, Jr.) combined to rank fourth in Division I-A with 133 catches for 1,529 yards and eight touchdowns last year. Christian led the team with 78 catches for 808 yards and three scores while Walter chipped in with 55 receptions for 721 yards and five touchdowns.
Hoping to replace Christian is veteran Jamal Stevens (5-11, 180, Jr.) who hauled in 14 passes for 168 yards last year.
A player with a chance to make an immediate impact at wide receiver will be transfer Chris Archie (6-4, 207, Sr.). Archie has just one year of eligibility after starting his collegiate career at the University of Cincinnati in 1997 when he caught 11 passes for 176 yards and a touchdown. He transferred to EMU from Grand Rapids J.C.
Other wide receiver candidates include veteran Erik Ibom (6-3, 204, Sr.)and redshirt freshman Alonzo Harris (6-2, 180, Fr.).
The offensive line continues to be a work in progress. Woodruff will count on several veterans to hold down the fort in the early going.
Leading the charge on the "O" line will be senior center Cory Annett (6-2 1/2, 287, Sr.), who started all 11 games last year and senior left tackle John Grabowski (6-5, 299, Sr.), who has started the last 22 consecutive games.
Right guard Rich Chorak (6-2, 286, Sr.) started nine times last year and can play any of the three down-lineman spots.
Two key additions on the offensive front will be a pair of 300-pound sophomores, Derrick Swanigan (6-3, 338, So.) and Mario Tucker (6-3 1/2, 320, So.). Those two players missed the 2000 season after not meeting initial NCAA eligibility, but are both ready to roar in 2001.
Others searching for playing time in the offensive trenches will be redshirt freshmen Dan Davis (6-4 1/2, 257, Fr.), and Nick Suszan (6-2 1/2, 255, Fr.), along with Michael Johnson (6-3, 291, Jr.), Izaak Madril (6-4, 281, Jr.), and Steven Godbold (6-2, 279, Fr.).
The defensive side of the ball has a whopping seven starters returning from 2000.
The top two stoppers from 2000 are back for promising senior seasons. Strong-side linebacker Kenny Philpot (6-1 1/2, 247, Sr.) led the 2000 Eagles in tackles with 108 and added 15 tackles-for-loss of 59 yards and five sacks for 34 yards.
Playing next to Philpot will be middle linebacker Scott Russell (6-0, 244, Sr.), who recorded a second-best 104 tackles and added 14 tackles-for-loss of 61 yards and five sacks for 40 yards.
The only linebacker Woodruff must find a replacement for is Jason Short who graduated after notching 79 tackles last year.
Working to gain some playing time at linebacker will be Dave Lusky (6-1 1/2, 213, So.) and Mike Salvatori (6-1 1/2, 233, So.).
The defensive trenches will have two starters and five lettermen returning to lead the way.
Returning starters James Turner (6-1 1/2, 270, Sr.) and Jari Brown (6-4, 262, Sr.) along with part-time starter Elliott Daniels (6-0 1/2, 251, Jr.) are the core of the "D" line and will be battled by Antone Hines (6-4, 259, Sr.), Hammond Russell (6-2, 275, Sr.), and Anthony Bailey (6-0, 261, Sr.).
The defensive secondary should be in solid shape with a total of seven veterans back to man four spots.
Returning to starter's roles in the secondary will be corners Andrae Brooks (6-1 1/2, 196, Sr.) and Maurice Ryland (6-0, 184, Sr.) while strong safety David Huff (6-1, 190, So.) is back after starting in six games as a "true" freshman in 2000.
Also counted on to contend for action in the defensive backfield will be Erick Middleton (5-10, 187, Jr.), Terrance Dills (6-1 1/2, 179, Jr.), Jereme Perry (6-0, 196, So.), Josh Martin (6-0, 193, So.) and Nate Brooks (5-8, 168, Fr.).
The kicking game situation is a case of the glass being half full or half empty.
Returning for his second consecutive year as the placekicker will be Toller Starnes (5-7 1/2, 207, Sr.). Starnes led the team in scoring the past two seasons and has made 29-of-37 field goal attempts during his career. In 2000, Starnes connected on 11-of-14 three-pointers and was good on 22-of-23 extra-point kicks.
Adding competition to the placekicking mix will be Ohio State transfer Eric Klaban (5-9, 166, Jr.).
The other half of the kicking game, punting, suffered a big loss with the graduation of Nick Avondet, the starting punter in all 44 games of his career. Avondet also became EMU's career leader in punting yardage after last year and was voted second-team All-Mid-American Conference in 2000.
Woodruff is counting on junior college transfer David Rysko (6-0, 202, So.) to step in for Avondet with Starnes as a backup. Rysko played one year at Grand Rapids Junior College before sitting out last year as a backup to Avondet.
The second season will be a definite plus to the staff and players as Woodruff has been associated with enough winning programs to be able to get the Eagles "Back on Track" in the Mid-American Conference race.
Woodruff joined EMU last year after spending the previous two years as an assistant coach at the University of Arizona, and his entire coaching background is jam packed with success.
A native of Kent, Ohio, Woodruff was a football letterwinner at Kent State University before earning his bachelor's degree in 1979.
He began his coaching career as a tight ends coach and graduate assistant on the Kent football staff in 1979. Woodruff joined the University of Washington football staff as a graduate assistant coach from 1980-82 before moving on to the University of Nevada Reno as the secondary coach and recruiting coordinator in 1983. He returned to the University of Washington staff in 1984 as quarterbacks coach, moving up to the offensive coordinator position in 1992. While at Washington, Woodruff was a part of the staff that helped the 1991 team win the national championship. After leaving in 1994, Woodruff became the head football coach at Cholla High School in Tucson, Arizona, before joining the University of Arizona staff as an assistant in 1998.
During his coaching career, Woodruff has been on football staffs that have participated in 13 post-season bowl games, including the Holiday Bowl (1998), Rose Bowl (1980, 1982, 1991, 1992, 1993), Freedom Bowl (1985, 1989), Independence Bowl (1987), Sun Bowl (1986), Orange Bowl (1985), Aloha Bowl (1984) and Holiday Bowl (1998).
Woodruff and his outstanding staff will prepare the Eagles to play five home games and seven Mid-American Conference tilts in 2001.
The Eagles start the season Sept. 1 at home with a 6 p.m. non-league game against Southeast Missouri State.
Other home games include a September 22 non-league battle with Indiana State followed MAC games against Western Michigan, Sept. 29, Ball State, Oct. 13, and Buffalo, Oct. 27.
Non-league road games include trips to Maryland, Sept. 8, and the University of Connecticut, Oct. 6.
The Eagles open the MAC season on the road at Akron, Sept. 15, and close out the year as "Road Warriors" with three consecutive MAC tilts away from Rynearson Stadium.
Eastern plays at Northern Illinois, Nov. 3, at Central Michigan, Nov. 10, and finally at Toledo, Nov. 17.
