The Herald, Sharon, PA Published Thursday, Sept. 2, 1999

Football '99


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  • Westminster College
    1999 season preview

    Titans face a season of change

    1999 schedule
    • Sept. 4 -- at Michigan Tech, 2
    • 11 -- at Indianapolis, 2
    • 18 -- at Northwood, noon
    • 25 -- Hillsdale, 1:30
    • Oct. 2 -- Ashland, 2
    • 9 -- at Saginaw Valley State, noon
    • 16 -- at Mercyhurst, 1:30
    • 23 -- Findlay, 1; 30 -- at Gannon
    • Nov. 6 -- at Wayne State, noon
    • 13 -- Northern Michigan, 1.
    The 1999 Westminster Titan football team faces a season of change, unlike any in the 104-year history of the program. The Titans enter their final season as a member of the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference this fall, before joining the rest of the Westminster athletic department in the NCAA Division III Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) in 2000. Also, veteran head coach Gene Nicholson will miss the 1999 campaign, taking a medical leave of absence.

    However, with change comes opportunity. After a challenging debut year in Division II in 1998, the '99 Titans know what to expect in one of the most competitive D-II conferences in the nation. A solid group of 36 returning lettermen and 14 returning starters will look to improve on last year's 3-8 campaign.

    Leading the program in '99 will be interim co-head coaches Sean Kelly and Scott Renninger. Kelly also serves as offensive coordinator, while Renninger is offensive line coach and administrative assistant. The duo has a combined 30 years of experience on the Titan football coaching staff and enters the season with a similarly experienced group of veteran assistants.

    Joining Kelly and Renninger on the offensive side of the ball are holdover assistants Carl Kokor (tight ends) and Grove City's Bill Bestwick (receivers). On defense, assistants Pat Cuba (secondary) and Len Rich (interior defense) will split coordinator duties following the retirement of long-time coordinator Darwin Huey, with Rich handling the rush defense and Cuba coordinating the pass defense. New defensive assistant John Klein will work with ends and outside linebackers, while Brad Tokar, the all-time leading rusher in Titan history, will coach offensive backs. 1998 Titan standouts Nick Roberts and Mike Denison return to the program as student assistant coaches, working with the secondary and offensive line, respectively.

    The Titan offense will revolve around senior quarterback James Graham, who is entering his second season as the starting signalcaller. He threw for over 1,500 yards and eight scores last year.

    Graham will benefit from having his top three wide receivers from last season back in 1999. Fifth-year senior Matt Dvorsak, who led the Titans with 39 catches for 638 yards last season, needs 41 receptions this year to become the school's career leader in that category. Senior Dan Detwiler and junior Joe Ruck, who each saw time as starters in 1998, return as well. The tight end position is open following the graduation of Kurt Gaebel, with senior Jeremy Jack and junior Brian Rigby among the competitors.

    In the backfield, a replacement must be found for all-conference tailback Denny Flora, who ended his career in third on the Titan career rushing charts. Senior Jason Long enters camp with the most experience. Both fullbacks from last year return -- senior Dan Knause and junior Justin Stephenson.

    The offensive line will have some new faces following the graduation of three starters. Returnees include senior left guard Andy Parshall, now entering his third season as a starter, and junior right tackle John Dunlap.

    On the defensive side, six starters return from a unit that led the conference in interceptions in 1998. Up front, senior defensive ends Shane Jordan and Paul Kostelnik are both back, but replacements must be found at both defensive tackle positions. Junior Andy Soltes, after seeing extensive time at both end and tackle last year, is an early favorite for a tackle job.

    Three starting linebackers return this fall, led by all-conference second-team pick Jason Hunter at one of the outside positions. Also back are senior inside linebackers David Kern and R.J. Pabis (the team's leading returning tackler). Senior Don Kelley, who has seen extensive playing time throughout his career, leads the pack for the other outside backer position in the Titans' 4-4 alignment.

    Junior cornerback Aaron Stamp, another all-conference selection, is back after leading the league with seven interceptions in 1998 to go with a team-high 19 pass breakups. Junior Adam Jones, who recorded six interceptions as a nickel back last season, will likely slide into the starting safety position vacated by Roberts.


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