Football

Season Preview: Sea Gulls aim for back-to-back NCAA appearances

SALISBURY, Md. - The 2008 Salisbury University Sea Gulls will be a force to reckon with as the maroon and gold try to make back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances for the first time since 1986. SU returned to the NCAA postseason last season for the first time since 2004. The nation's second leading rushing offense averaged 323.8 yards per game on the ground and scored nearly 40 points per game. Salisbury racked up an impressive 9-2 record and finished second in the Atlantic Central Football Conference. The Sea Gulls, ranked No. 12 in the preseason, return a lot of the main pieces from a year ago and will use a tough regular-season schedule, full with nationally and regionally ranked teams, to prepare them for another late November run.

OFFENSE
Salisbury will be led offensively by its veteran quarterback Ronnie Curley (Ellicott City, Md.). The senior play caller averaged 68 yard per game on the ground rushing and threw for 61 yards in the air. He scored 15 touchdowns and will be the starter under center. He is also one of five co-captains on the team this season.

Curley's backup is senior Bobby Sheahin (Brookeville, Md.), who played in nine games last season before ending the season with an injury. Sheahin is back this season, ready to improve on his 535 passing yards and four touchdowns. The University of Maryland transfer also rushed for 122 yards and scored three times.

"I am very pleased at the quarterback position," said SU coach Sherman Wood, entering his 10th season at the helm at his Alma Mater. "We have two quality players we feel confident in."

Salisbury is deep at the quarterback position as Wood has several players to choose from if Curley or Sheahin get hurt. Next in line is sophomore Zach Ingle (Germantown, Md.) along with fellow sophomores Sean Kelly (Fallston, Md.) and Warren Anderson (Vienna, Va.), who was on the '06 team and is getting time at the slot position.

Salisbury is protected by a deep and experienced offensive line led by senior preseason All-American David Preston (Beltsville, Md.). Preston anchored the Salisbury offensive line that ranked second in the country in rushing per game. Four times last season, SU ran for over 350 yards, highlighted by a 596-yard effort against Becker College. Preston and the rest of the offensive line were honored as the D3football.com Team of the Week on two separate occasions in ‘07. The SU rushing attack averaged 6.5 yards per carry. He was selected to the D3football.com All-South Region second team last season and was an All-ACFC first team selection. Preston is one of the five co-captains on the team this season.

"He is a confident kid," said Wood. "What impressed me is his intelligence. He is a team guy and will get the job done without having to talk a lot. He leads by example."

Fellow seniors Jeremy McKinney (Gaithersburg, Md.), Josh Berman (Westminster, Md.), Bryan Burdalski (Lumberton, N.J.) and Tim Hackmann (Severna Park, Md.) are the expected starters entering the ‘08 season.

In the backfield, senior superback Shelby Fisher(Baltimore, Md.) has slimmed down and will look to step up for the Gulls. Last season, Fisher rumbled for 276 yards and found the end zone five times.

"Shelby has gone through it. He has shared time. He learned from those guys [before him]," said Wood. "He understands his leadership will be important. He is in great shape and has matured."

Fisher will be spelled by junior William Midgette (Salisbury, Md.) and sophomores Bryan Woolson (White Hall, Md.) and Zach Holbrook (Millersville, Md.). Also watch for sophomore Nick Coates (Huntingtown, Md.) to make a splash in '08 along with Daniel Blackstone (Brandywine, Md.), who adds depth to the slot position.

Junior Nick Soussanin (Upper Marlboro, Md.) has moved from wide receiver to the slot position this season. He is also back from an injury and will look to be a threat for the Gulls in the backfield and on special teams.

"He will be a work horse for us," said Wood. "We feel pretty good that he is back returning kicks for us."

At wide receiver, senior Kevin Tillage (Woodbridge, Va.) had a breakout season in ‘07 as he hauled in 20 passes for 495 yards and six touchdowns. The Sea Gulls air attack will go through Tillage again in '08.

"He makes key catches. He is our go-to receiver," said Wood. "We are going to look to him to make plays on offense."

Sophomore Jimmy DeBernardis (Potomac, Md.) will start opposite of Tillage on the field. Junior D.J. Nelson (Mullica Hill, N.J.) and freshman Colten Eureka (Emmitsburg, Md.) are next in line at wide receiver.

DEFENSE
This is the third season since the Sea Gulls debuted the 3-5 defense. The SU coaches feel confident, once again, in the defense as 80 percent of the returning players have played together in this formation.

"This is the third year we are in our new defense," said Wood. "We expect our defense to lead and work together out on the field."

The Salisbury defense will be anchored by preseason All-American defensive end Jarrell Chandler (Salisbury, Md.). He finished last season with a team-high 11 sacks and was ranked second in the ACFC in the same category. Chandler ranked fifth in the nation in tackles for loss per game with a 2.2 average and also forced three fumbles and had one interception. He ranked fourth on the team with 57 tackles and was top on the team in tackles for loss with 31. Last season, he was named to the D3football.com All-American second team, the D3football.com All-South Region third team and was an All-ACFC first team selection on defense.

"Jarrell is more focused and mature this season," said Wood of one of his co-captains. "He wants to be a better all-around defender, not just a sack master. He wants to drop back into pass coverage and defend the run."

Alongside Chandler on the defensive line are seniors Paul Cynewski (Moorestown, N.J.) and McCall Tyler (Pilesgrove, N.J.) and junior Alex Bresner (Marblehead, Mass.).

"I am just pleased with Paul Cynewski. He is going to be a great compliment to Jarrell on the other side of the line. He will play really hard for us," said Wood.

Salisbury graduated Chris Loveland, last year's leading tackler, and will have to replace him at linebacker. Senior co-captain Matt Barnes (Ijamsville, Md.) was the fifth leading tackler (56) from a year ago and will anchor the linebackers in '08.

"Barnes will lead the way. He is the quarterback of the defense and a team co-captain," said Wood.

Barnes will be flanked by juniors Eric Arndt (Waldwick, N.J.) and Josh Leonardis (West Creek, N.J.) and backed up by senior Marcel McCain (Baltimore, Md.) and sophomores Justin Chura (Lothian, Md.) and Ryan Larcamp (Falls Church, Va.).

At the ‘dawg' position senior Matthew Bookard (Lanham, Md.) and Tom Fontaine (Philadelphia, Pa.) hope to wreck havoc on opponent offenses. Bookard was the third leading tackler from a year ago with 71 tackles and five sacks. Senior Greg Miletic (Catonsville, Md.) and sophomore Marcus Randolph (Elkridge, Md.) will contribute behind Bookard and Fontaine.

Salisbury's secondary is led by senior co-captain Justin Acker (Bowie, Md.) who led the Gulls in interceptions (three) last season. Acker also had 50 tackles, seventh best on the team. Juniors Antione Cuff (Landover, Md.) and Justin Sykes (Hanover, Md.) will start at cornerback and free safety, respectively. Juniors Reggie Gooch (Laurel, Md.) and Darryl Jones (Salisbury, Md.) bring game experience and talent to the field.

SPECIAL TEAMS
The Salisbury kicking game will hinge on the leg of junior Andrew Geisert (White Plains, Md.) who missed the majority of '07 with a leg injury. Geisert made 20 punts for 691 yards last season with a long of 53 yards and an average of 34.5 yards per punt. Five of Geisert's punts went inside the 20-yard line and only one was blocked.

"I feel very good about our kicking game," said Wood. "Andy will be a leader. He has plenty of game experience."

Geisert will handle the place kicking and punting duties to start the '08 season.

SCHEDULE
Salisbury will embark on one of its toughest schedules in recent years as the Sea Gulls will face several nationally ranked teams and other programs that have a track record of making the NCAA tournament plus success in the ECAC postseason bowl championship games.

"No one said it would be easy," said Wood. "Our schedule reflects our past. We are a national contender and we have been able to attract some high caliber teams."

Salisbury begins its season Saturday with Albright College on the road in Reading, Pa. Last season, the Sea Gulls dispatched the Lions 42-12 as the maroon and gold scored the game's first 42 points. The Lions won their next seven games in '07 after the SU loss and have been picked second in the Middle Atlantic Conference this season.

The Sea Gulls will return home to host Geneva College on September 13 in the first-ever SU football night game at Sea Gull Stadium. The program has played night games in the past in Salisbury but those games were held at County Stadium. Last season, SU beat Geneva 20-7 on the road under the lights.

"We are very excited for the first night game at home," said Wood. "Hopefully people will come out and support us."

The home stand continues the following week as the Sea Gulls welcome southern rival Christopher Newport University to campus for an afternoon tilt on September 20. SU will close out the strenuous opening month with a road contest against Delaware Valley College on September 27. The last time Salisbury traveled to Doylestown, Pa., the Gulls returned with the ECAC South Atlantic Bowl Championship trophy in tow.

The month of October will start with back-to-back road games. SU kicks off its Atlantic Central Football Conference schedule on October 4 against the Apprentice School. The following week SU will head north to Rochester, N.Y., to take on perennial Division III power St. John Fisher, ranked No. 10 in the preseason. Salisbury will return home on October 18 to host Lake Erie in the annual Homecoming game at Sea Gull Stadium. The month ends with another jaunt north this time to Worcester, Mass., to face Becker College.

The month of November begins with a bang as SU hosts Route 13 rival Wesley College on November 1 at 1 p.m. This game will more than likely decide the ACFC championship. The Wolverines enter the season ranked No. 3 and are the three-time defending champions in the conference. SU last shared the conference crown with Wesley in 2005.

A week off will allow the Sea Gulls to enter the final regular-season game rested and ready for in-state and ACFC rival Frostburg State University for the annual Regents Cup game. The game returns to Annapolis, Md., for the second year in a row and will be played at the U.S. Naval Academy on November 15 at 7 p.m. Last season, SU defeated Frostburg State 35-14 to hold onto the Regents Cup for a fourth year in a row. The playoffs start the following weekend.

"If we are able to conquer this schedule more people will know about us," said Wood.