March 26, 2011
Photo Gallery
Bronx, N.Y. -
The calendar says it's spring though the thermometer says it's still winter. Despite temperatures in the 30's, head coach Tom Masella ran the Fordham University football squad through its first spring practice session on Murphy Field today.
After a spirited and fast-paced practice, Masella was pleased with the effort.
"It was a good first day," said Masella. "I was happy with the energy and intensity the guys brought today. If we can keep this effort up the rest of the way, I think we'll have a successful spring season."
The Rams have some holes to fill on both sides of the ball, notably at wide receiver and linebacker where Fordham was hit hard due to graduation. Here is a brief positional breakdown for the Rams as they start the spring season:
Offense
After using two starters at quarterback last year, the Rams will look for someone to take over the position for 2011. Junior Blake Wayne started the first seven games last year before suffering an injury late in the Yale game which forced him out of action. He completed 145 of 241 passes (60.2%) for 1,614 yards and six touchdowns before going down with the injury and he was also the second leading rusher on the team, carrying 108 times for 458 yards and four scores. Junior Ryan Higgins took over the starting role over the last four games of 2010, completing 59 of 105 passes (56.2%) for 665 yards and four touchdowns.
Senior Doug Papy and sophomore Griffin Murphy, who missed all of his rookie season with an injury, are also competing for the signal-calling spot in 2011.
The bigger question for the 2011 Rams is who will be catching the ball as Fordham lost its top three receivers (Jason Caldwell, Stephen Skelton and David Moore) to graduation. The squad does have some talent returning in the form of junior Nick Talbert, who caught 19 passes for 175 yards while red-shirt senior Aaron Mays also gained experience last year with four receptions for 53 yards.
Also looking for time at receiver will be seniors Brandon Anderson and Mark Harvey, sophomore Andrew Spanarkel and junior James Avedesian.
At tight end, seniors Brad Pierre and Dan Parker and junior Eli Tenuta look to replace the departed Skelton.
At running back Fordham returns its leading rusher from 2010 in senior Darryl Whiting, who gained 771 yards and 169 carries (4.6 yards/carry) with a team-high eight touchdowns. He recorded a career-high 251 rushing yards on 38 carries in the win over Georgetown and had two other 100-yard games.
Whiting is joined in the backfield by senior Jamir Livingston and junior Carlton Koonce. Koonce rushed 38 times for 148 yards and two scores last fall while Livingston registered six rushes for 20 yards.
On the line, Fordham returns three starters: senior center Jonathan Sheridan and junior guards John Hohlt and Robert Kubacki. Last year, Kubacki started all eleven games at left guard while Hohlt started seven at right guard and Sheridan made eight starts at center.
Joining the returning starters on the offensive line will be seniors Connor Hartigan, John Smalec, Daniel Kessler and Cahill Hooker, juniors Chris Watkins, Andrew Milmore and William DeLuca and sophomores Steven Tapia, who started one game as a freshman last year, Tom Fisher and Matt Stolte. Watkins started three games at center last fall while Hartigan made two starts at guard while Fisher saw time on the line after starting the season at tight end.
Defense
The defensive line returns just about everyone who played last year, led by sophomore Justin Yancey, who enjoyed a successful freshman season, recording 41 total tackles, 28 solo, including a team-high 10.5 for loss and three sacks. He finished the year tied for third in the Patriot League in tackles for loss/game (0.95).
Yancey is joined on the line by seniors Patrick McGee, Andy Okonkwo and Thomas Lloyd, juniors Matthew Sconiers, Alex Locker, Anthony Lubischer and John LaSure and sophomores George Apostolopoulos and Kevin Scanlon. Okonkwo recorded 15 tackles last year, including one for loss, while Sconiers added 13 stops and one pass deflection and McGee finished with eight tackles, including 1.5 for loss and one sack.
The linebacking unit took a big hit with the graduation of
Nick Magiera,
Clifton Stuckey and
Bryson Wilson, who combined for 158 tackles last year, but the Rams return junior
Michael Martin along with senior
Andre Delaire, who missed all of last year with an injury. Martin was third on last year's team with 69 total tackles, 40 solo, and he intercepted a pass and broke up three others while Delaire was slated to start last year before the injury.
Senior Nick Womack, who started every game last year while making 24 stops, including six for loss and 3.5 sacks, is also back for the Rams.
Other linebackers who bring experience to the position include seniors Isaiah Leake, Jock Payten, Benjamin Daley, Chris Coratti and Chris Vingo, juniors Daniel Avedesian, Paul Barchitta and Elliot Alston and sophomores Brett Biestek, Dan Perrino, Anthony Pesanello and Jake Rodriques. Payten finished with 18 tackles last year while Daley added eleven.
The defensive backfield also lost three starters to graduation but return one starter along with senior Jason Weston, who missed almost the entire 2010 season due to an injury suffered in the first game of the year.
The returning starter is junior Brendan Melanophy, who started ten games at free safety in place of Weston after he was injured. Melanophy finished the season with 64 total tackles, fourth best in the team, including 47 solo, and he had five tackles for loss and picked off two passes.
Other players who return to the defensive backfield include seniors Kevin Carter, juniors Zac Crosby, Khary Powell, Robert Palmer and Craig Staub and sophomores Kassim Forbes and Ian Williams and Michael DeMartino.
Special Teams
The Rams return all four kickers: juniors Patrick Murray and Kevin Heinowitz and sophomores Jon Karanian and Jack Kelleher. Murray handled most of the kicking duties last year, punting 49 times for 1,928 yards for an average of 39.3 yards/punt. Of his 49 punts, 20 landed inside the opponent's 20 and ten were for more than 50 yards. He also converted 12 of his 21 field goal attempts, with a long of 48 yards, and 22 of his 24 extra points.
The spring practice season will continue through Saturday, April 30th, when the Rams hold their annual Spring Game on Murphy Field.
Notes
Masella announced a few coaching changes prior to the start of spring practice. Assistant Coach Custavious Patterson has moved from wide receiver to running backs and director of operations Patrick Maguire will also assume a coaching position, assisting with the wide receiver. Former Ram Ryan Darcey returns to Rose Hill to coach the tight ends, taking over for another former Ram, Mike Breznicky, who left to pursue other interests. Assistant coach Turner Pugh also left the staff.
