Colonials Corner

We’ve added links to local coverage from today’s press conference in the post about the extension.

One news item to attend to before we get to your questions. Erik Cwalinski has earned a tryout with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Wheeling News-Register reports that Cwalinski will join a host of receivers and defensive backs that the Steelers want to take a look at before camp begins. So, the four-year starter at RMU will have the opportunity to at least get some videotape throwing to prospective NFL players and get in front of NFL scouts. We’ll see where it takes him.

Also, assistant head football coach John Banaszak is reportedly doing well as he recovers from his hospitalization. His goal is obviously to try and be back on the football field in the fall.

Finally, you can use this post to submit your questions. We’ll answer them either when we get a nice pile or by this time next week. Whichever comes first.

Now, on to your questions.

Has Coron Williams signed?

He has. According to Mike Rice – and you can see this in the story on this site about his extension – all four of his new recruits for the upcoming season are signed and qualified. All will get a chance to vie for playing time, along with relatively new guys Velton Jones (6’0 point guard out of Philadelphia) and Russell Johnson (6’6 forward out of Chester, PA).

That final class includes 6’8/6’9 C Brad Piehl (New Knoxville, Ohio), 6’7 F Lijah Thompson (Philadelphia, PA), 6’3 G Coron Williams (Christchurch, Virginia), and 5’9 PG Karon Abraham (Paterson, NJ).

ESPN/Scout’s Inc has rated the players and it certainly appears to be the strongest class yet. To get an idea of how the ratings translate to success, George Mason, a perennial contender out of the usual one bid but more expensive CAA, pulls in players that average around an 85. Some higher, some lower. As far as individual rankings go, we’ll use Pitt’s recruits from last year. Travon Woodall and Ashton Gibbs were 89s, Dwight Miller a 73.

Robert Morris’ six new recruits are Coron Williams at 74, Velton Jones at 75, Brad Piehl at 79, Karon Abraham at 80, Lijah Thompson at 85, and Russell Johnson at 87. Not too shabby.

Now that the NCAA has adopted Division I “sand” volleyball, will RMU play on the current courts by the suites, or will they be building new facilities? Will they hire a second coach to handle the new program or will Rob Thomas double up on his duties?

Dan Y.

I quipped about this in the initial comment section. Yes, the NCAA approved “sand” volleyball (aka beach volleyball) as an official Division I sport. No, I haven’t heard a word as to whether RMU would be interested in fielding a team. I think you’ll see most of the volleyball powers in the coastal regions try it first, and then the inland states will give it a go. If they were to field a team, the courts by the suites would likely not be used. “Sand” volleyball courts have to fit a specific dimension and I doubt those sand traps fit.

Plus, you’ll need a scoreboard and parking and all that nifty stuff. Considering the sport is likely a “spring sport”, perhaps Rob Thomas would be willing to double up. Certainly a few of his players would do it. But I think we’re quite a ways off in discussing “sand” volleyball as a competitive sport at Bobby Mo.

The rest of the questions are football related. So let’s get it on.
do any of the QB’s have anything that seperates them from the others? who does what well?

Each is a bit unique, but each has their drawbacks. There’s no true stud on this roster – there usually never is at this level – but there’s no clear answer. It all depends on what you value. Camdin Crouse has more experience and mobility, and he’s probably a bit more accurate than the others. But he doesn’t have a cannon and he’s the shortest, although we caution again that he’s not Doug Flutie tiny either.

Aaron Smetanka has a stronger arm and “looks” more like a prototypical pro-style QB. But he’s shown flashes of inconsistency and accuracy problems, especially on that deep ball. Shorter throws, he’s right up there with Crouse as far as accuracy. But even though he can wing it, it doesn’t always go where he wants it to.

If there’s a standout among them, it’s Crouse or Smetanka, depending on what you prefer. If you like veteran leadership, mobility, and a medium-range passing game, you’ll look to Crouse. If you want some youth, a guy that stands tall in the pocket, and a cannon-arm, you’ll look to Smetanka.

Now that teams like VMI and Bucknell are on the schedule, might we see bigger name schools in the future? Maybe a school like Youngstown State from the that midwestern conference formerly known as the Gateway Conference or maybe even an Ivy team?

That’s the likely goal. Ivies are notoriously tough to schedule because they take the first two weeks of the season off. But additional Patriot League schools like Bucknell (Lafayette, Lehigh, etc) would be quality gets. Youngstown State might be a bit of a reach but could be a solid goal to strive for down the road. Remember, though, with Bryant joining the NEC, the Colonials will have room for just 3 non-conference games. They like the relationship and rivalry with Dayton, so expect that to continue for the forseeable future.

I’d imagine that the spots taken up by VMI and Bucknell will be filled in the future with teams of a similar pedigree, though. Gone are the days of playing Rowan in a home-and-home series.

Jeff Link and Steve Yoak were both outstanding running backs in high school. Jeff scored two touchdowns in the Spring game. Do you expect more running plays from the fullback position this year?

Absolutely. Someone once called Myles Russ and Raphael Johnson “thunder and lightning”, but really, the lightning is Russ and the thunder is Link. Joe Walton loves to use his tight ends and he loves to use his fullbacks. There was a bit of down period once Vince Magnone graduated, but with Link established now, expect a good 10 plays per game to be run for the fullback, more if the Colonials are near the goalline often.

1.RMU just had its All-Sports Banquet, who are your MVPs and Rookie of the Year for Football, Men’s & Women’s Basketball?

MVP in football goes to Alex DiMichele. The guy came in to a strong position with a lot of history to it, and then turned the linebacker corps upside down. He’s only going to be a junior, he has a great lineage, and he’s a perfect football player. He’s fierce and intense on the field, technically efficient, and a stand-up guy off the field. I pulled him off the field after the 41-7 loss on senior day last year and he not only was ready to go back on the field and avenge the loss, but he was a fantastic interview as well.

MVP in women’s hoops goes to Kendra Williams. The stats may push the award to others, but Williams kept the team in some semblance of order with so many injuries ravaging the squad. Sade Logan had more off nights than she’s probably had in her career because of her shoulder, Monica Jones missed the last half of the year, Angela Pace missed almost the entire year, and Monet Johnson was often double-teamed because of Logan’s injuries. But Williams stuck with it, and her absence may be as prominent next year as the loss of Psyche Butler and Chinata Nesbit was this year.

MVP in men’s hoops is a tie between Jeremy Chappell and Bateko Francisco. Chappell had such an incredible season and career that you have to recognize him, but Francisco’s nightly defense was a major contribution to the team’s success. As Mike Rice explained to me today, replacing those two on defense next year is his biggest challenge. The points will come in some fashion or another, but those two guys took out the top two scorers on any given team. That’s a huge advantage for you as a coach, knowing that you’ll have those two guys locking down on defense on every single play for 40 minutes. I expect both to play professionally. Chappell might play here in the States – he might be a strong candidate for the D-League next year – while Francisco could tear it up in Europe.

What is your Top 5 RMU Football plays of all time?
Wow. We’re already running long on this post, but we’ll give it a quick run through. This is just from footage I’ve seen in the past or seen on my own.

5. The Stand – 2006 goalline stand against Wagner to preserve a 14-10 win. We played it like crazy on Colonial SportsCenter, broke it down with Bill Romango, and it’s still amazing. The will, the determination, and the individual efforts all make it incredible.

4. Mario Hines’ game winning catch in 2OT against CCSU. Just for the sheer excitement of the moment. CCSU was nationally ranked, it was a packed house, the entire game was very bizarre, and I believe the Colonials ran the same route one play earlier with the receivers in different positions.

3. Levcik to Wannamaker for 94 yards in 1998. Saw footage of this game a while back, and while not much sticks out, the completion does. Interesting to note – Levcik, while likely the best QB in RMU history, appears in the record book just once for longest pass completion. The top ten for longest pass is dominated by Drew Geyer.

2. Mike Niklos’ near decapitation of Corey Bundy against Sacred Heart in 2007. Capped a huge day for Niklos, a wild 41-31 win for RMU, and it might’ve been the hardest hit we’ve seen live at a football game.

1. (tie) Tim Hall’s 95 and 91 yard touchdown runs in 1994. Brilliant running. He doesn’t even look tired after either of them. If Hall had played four years, he would’ve put every rushing record at RMU completely out of reach.

There was an All-Decade Team announced a while back (Marty will have that information) as voted on by former players and fans…who would make your All Time Robert Morris Football Team?

That’s rough. I haven’t seen enough players in history to make a determination. So what I’ll do is open this to readers and then make some adjustments from that.

It’s official. Thoughts and impression of the press conference below, including some reaction from Velton Jones, Craig Coleman, and Rice himself. Topics include the continued efforts to push for excellence on and off the court, raising the profile of the university with the basketball program, and the makeup of his team for the 2009-2010 season.

Once full articles are up, we’ll include links to Eric Hall’s coverage from the Beaver County Times and Colin Dunlap’s coverage from the Post-Gazette (plus anything else that filters out).

Q+A will be answered later tonight. This should tide you over.

Every year, all of the coaching staffs across the college basketball landscape meet and discuss the state of their profession at the Final Four. Athletic directors gauge interest in possible job movement, coaches reconnect with their former mentors, and gab sessions of indeterminable length occur about anything and everything involving college hoops.

At this year’s Final Four, Mike Rice became a sort of target. Not necessarily to gauge his potential interest in leaving Robert Morris, but to playfully chide him for setting the bar so high for himself.

Fifty wins in two seasons. Two regular season conference championships. An NIT berth his first year and an NCAA Tournament appearance in his second. All while doing it, in the words of athletic director Dr. Craig Coleman, “the right way.”

Rice signed a three-year contract extension to keep him at Robert Morris through the 2015-2016 season.

All three speakers at the press conference announcing the deal – University President Gregory Dell’Omo, athletic director Coleman, and Rice – spoke of the need to build a true program at the university and to do it the right way.

Rice harkened back to his original press conference, where he wanted to focus on his three keys to a successful program: winning, academics, and awareness in the community.

“It’s remarkable what we’ve done the past two years,” Rice said. “I was confident that I had great mentors and teachers that helped me to understand what my formula was going to be for winning. But you never think you’re going to win 50 games in two years. Did I think we might challenge for the NEC? Sure, that’s what I thought. But then you get into it and you see that you’ve recruited some great players, that you have the best coaching staff, and an administration that will bend backwards to help you with your basketball program.”

With the recruits coming in, Robert Morris will have a deep bench with everyone on the roster capable of contributing. But even the recruiting class itself has some experience, as Velton Jones and Russell Johnson were recruits last year that didn’t contribute to the championship season this time around. At least, not on the floor.

Jones sat out last year but was able to practice as a partial qualifier. Now that he’s a full member of the squad, Jones will be among a dozen players vying for playing time.

“Last year was a learning experience,” Jones said. “I came in not really knowing what to expect and now I’ll be ready to go for this year.”

Mike Rice cited just three players as likely being in his starting lineup – Rob Robinson, Dallas Green, and Jimmy Langhurst – but cautioned that those three could have their spots threatened by the other guys on the roster.

No matter how the roster works out, Jones and the Colonials aren’t concerned. This was a deep team by NEC standards last year, and it was a close team. That chemistry has carried over so far into the offseason.

“It’s good to play with people you know,” Jones said. “I’ve known Khalif Foster since I was 11. I played against other guys in AAU ball and other games. Everyone loves each other, and we all just want to win.”

As far as new blood goes, Jones will be joined by another familiar face in Russell Johnson, a 6’6 forward from Chester High School in Pennsylvania. Johnson was a recruit last year but sat out the season to focus on academics. He turned down offers from schools in the A-10 and the CAA to come to Robert Morris, and he’ll challenge for a starting spot from the very beginning.

In fact, the four true freshmen coming in will also challenge for spots. All will earn the opportunity to play, with Mike Rice saying that the guys who work that hardest and want it the most will be the ones to move up.

Brad Piehl, Lijah Thompson, Karon Abraham, and Coron Williams have all signed and qualified and will be in the mix.

“It’ll play itself out. The workers end up at the top,” Rice said. “The challenge is going to be defense. I think I have some guys that can step up, and I think we’re going to be even more athletic than we were last year, but it’s going to be a challenge.”

Rice admitted that other schools talked to him to gauge his interest, toting higher salaries and “high jobs” in “better conferences”. But the lure of a coaching staff that he described as “second to none”, the support of the university, and the possibilities in front of him, there was no way he could leave Robert Morris.

“I have, I think, a great formula here. Running away for money just doesn’t make sense,” Rice said.

“It’s hard not to believe that we’re going in the right direction with this program as far as raising the notoriety and awareness of this program,” he said. “To me, that’s the exciting part. I’m excited about our returning players, with a lot of veterans already with us, and I’m excited about a six-man recruiting class that I think may be one of the best in NEC history. We’re on people’s lists [recruiting wise] that for the past ten years we haven’t been on.”

Colin Dunlap of the Post-Gazette is reporting that Mike Rice has signed a contract extension to remain the Colonials’ head basketball coach through the 2016-2017 season. Eric Hall of the Times initially reported the talks a couple weeks ago.

Rice signed a five year deal with a one year option when he was hired in 2007. The University picked up that option and then tacked on an additional three year extension with this new deal.

Naturally, most fans and basketball pundits expect Rice to become the head coach at a major power conference school in the near future. But, for now, Rice is in strong position to build on his early success at Robert Morris.

The PG reports that the Colonials will hold a news conference next week to announce the deal. Colonials Corner will naturally do what we can to provide full coverage.

Robert Morris football assistant head coach John Banaszak has been hospitalized at Allegheny General Hospital after falling ill last night.

Other reports have stated that Banaszak suffered an aneurysm, but neither Eric Hall at the Times (link above) nor Colin Dunlap at the PG have confirmed that. Considering the initial report came from KDKA – which has mistreated other RMU information in the past – reports on Banaszak’s ailment should be taken with a grain of salt.

The 58-year old former Steelers lineman just finished spring practice with the Colonials. Stay tuned for news as it comes.

Update (WTAE with comments from Walton):
WTAE-TV caught up with Joe Walton, who visited with the Banaszak family at the hospital earlier today. Walton said that Banaszak was awake and alert and that doctors are still examining him to determine what happened. You can click the link for more quotes.

Time to open the doors again and see where we go with some questions from the readers.

Things are quiet. We realize that. There’s one more scholarship to be assigned to basketball, and the only commitment is from Coron Williams. But the Virginia guard hasn’t made a move yet and still has quite a bit of time to sign a letter of intent.

Meanwhile, Karon Abraham – one of RMU’s early signings – played in the Jordan Brand Classic in New York earlier this month. Abraham was one of several high profile NY/NJ players to participate and acquitted himself well with 15 points.

Also, looks like we have another quarterback coming to Robert Morris. That will make it six potential QBs on the roster. Elizabethtown QB Kyle McNeil will join the Colonials toting a cannon for an arm, although that cannon tends to be a little wild (16tds to 10 ints).

The way we see it, the only QB on the roster that can play another position is Jeff Sinclair. We realize what’s been said about Sinclair getting the opportunity to start at QB from the get-go, but we’ve always been skeptical about the possibility of that occuring. We remain skeptics.

What do you think? We hereby open the gates for questions, whether it’s about the football situation or any other sport. We’ll answer them later in the week.

Even without two-thirds of its front line and a likely starter in the secondary, the Robert Morris dominated the annual spring game. You can check out more on the official site, but out of the fifteen or so series given to the offense, they were able to score just three times. Aaron Smetanka led two touchdown drives, although one was called back for an apparent sack, while Desmond Brentley led the other. Jeff Link scored both official touchdowns, while Sherrod Evers was the one who had one called back. All three drives were not against the starting defense.

While the defense didn’t force any turnovers, the first unit showcased their speed and physicality in limiting the offense. It didn’t matter who was at quarterback – Camdin Crouse, Aaron Smetanka, and Desmond Brentley all had the opportunity to work with the first offensive unit, although Crouse had the majority of the snaps there, followed closely by Smetanka with Brentley getting just one or two series – and it didn’t matter whether the offense tried to blow open holes on the ground or go over top. Nothing worked.

Yet the defense was without Nathan Argenta, Mark Syzmanski, and Andy Walton. Argenta is a former starter who has practiced but isn’t in full contract mode after he missed all of last year as he recovered from a gruesome foot injury suffered in the final game two years ago. Syzmanski is also recovering from injury, as he had labrum surgery in the offeseason. No word on Walton, but he and several other players that were either out (Chris Molnar, Ryan Nearhoof) or battling through injuries at the end of the year are still likely on their way back. In the past, Robert Morris has been very careful in playing injured players in spring ball, allowing them to rehab completely and get back on the field in training camp.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, is won in spring ball. Even the open competitions – quarterback, a spot on the offensive line, a spot on the defensive line – are going to stay open through the summer until some point in training camp.

Now, about the actual performances today:
- Chris Roberts and James Murphy each had a “sack” today. Roberts shifted between end and tackle on the line, while Murphy continued to work as an end in the now standard 3-4 defense. If Walton is good to go, then he and Syzmanski will start with one of Roberts and Murphy at the other end. Ryan Catley or Mike Lovely are also contenders to take Shannon Smoot’s old job.

- Another hole is on the offensive line. Joe Setticase’s injury opened up one door late last year, and Ian Margerum’s graduation opened up another. Officially, it appears just one position is open, but there could be two. Carlos Andrade moves from RT to LT, Corey Konycki moves from RG to RT. Sam Miller starts again at center. The questions are at guard. Logan Miles appears to be fairly entrenched at right guard, but Brad Rodgers did get some time there today. Rodgers appears to be a candidate at left guard as well. We’re not positive on the ID of Rodgers’ competition – we think it’s Brian Bevilacqua, changing numbers from #53 to #51, but weren’t able to confirm that, so if you know, toss us a bone. It’s a battle we expect to continue.

- Finally, everyone’s favorite. Quarterback. A position that feels like it’s been discussed ad nauseum since the days of Tim Levcik. If spring football has taught us anything, it’s the idea that any competition is likely down to two players, barring an outstanding camp from freshman Jeff Sinclair. Kevin Quinn hasn’t thrown all spring and will likely take the time to continue working his way back into football shape. Desmond Brentley appears to be settling into the 3rd spot. Camdin Crouse is the #1 starter, but Aaron Smetanka is showing signs of growth. What we go off of is the performance of the two players – both hit and miss during our sessions throughout the spring – and what Crouse was told entering spring.

It’s his job to lose. He hasn’t lost it, and as you can see again on the official site, Walton won’t commit to either publicly just yet. I watched the two closely today. Crouse received six series as the quarterback of the offense, Smetanka received five. Both were beset with problems from their receivers – drops were a major issue today, especially from ancillary targets at tight end and out of the backfield – and both were fairly efficient. Crouse did not lead a scoring drive, but he did have more series against the first team defense. Smetanka had more success on the scoring end of things, but one touchdown occurred after the defense thought he had been “sacked”.

So what does that all mean? Not much. Crouse didn’t lock down the position, although we doubt he could have considering this is just spring ball. Smetanka didn’t play himself out of it, either, and likely will warrant some additional attention come training camp.

That said, we underestimated the love of football this region has. A beautiful day brought out a quality crowd for a glorified practice on a week day during baseball season. That’s impressive, although we’ve never understood the draw in spring football. The players admit to gearing it back some, no one wants to come close to an injury, and any position battles are usually left open for the summer heat.

But, hey, it’s football. Right?

I’ll leave you with two things. The first is the opening of any questions you may have. I’ll do my best to answer them.

The second is a makeshift two-deep depth chart, included injured players, and the class that the player will be in come fall. The only spot we don’t have a number or name for is the backup at right tackle. We somehow missed that in our notes. Any information, again, is always helpful. Otherwise, enjoy.

QB – #11 Camdin Crouse, Sr. / #13 Aaron Smetanka, R. So.
RB – #3 Myles Russ, Jr. / #12 Raphael Johnson, Sr.
FB – #34 Jeff Link, Jr. / #44 Steve Yoak, So.
WR – #84 Sherrod Evers, R. Sr. / #2 TJ Green, Jr.
WR – #21 James O’Quinn, So. / #4 Anthony Coleman, So.
TE – #29 Shadrae King, So. / #10 Harry Girting, Sr.
LT – #70 Carlos Andrade, Jr. / #60 Jordan Lowery, Sr.
LG – #69 Brad Rodgers, So. / #51 Brian Bevilacqua, So. (maybe?)
C – #73 Sam Miller, So. / #72 Logan Miles, So.
RG – #72 Logan Miles, So. / #71 Jack Schreiber, Jr.
RT – #77 Corey Konycki, Jr. / unknown

DE – #32 Mark Syzmanski, Sr. / #55 James Murphy, Sr.
DT – #97 Andy Walton, Sr. / #67 Chris Roberts, Jr.
DE – #94 Mike Lovely, Jr. / #95 Ryan Catley, Jr.
OLB – #8 Adam Lawrence, Sr. / #41 Anthony Caperelli, So.
MLB – #6 Alex DiMichele, Jr. / #49 Nick England, Jr.
MLB – #31 Ian Milanak, Sr. / #52 Jon Krepps, So.
OLB – #51 Elias Navarro, Jr. / #58 Robert Williams, Sr.
CB – #16 James Snider, Jr. / #17 Michael Richards, Sr.
WS – #24 Michael Landers, Sr. / #39 Joey Wines, So.
SS – #18 Nathan Argenta, Sr. / #30 David Pittman, So.
CB – #28 Rolf Bathold, Jr. / #26 Barry Nowell, Jr.

P – Nick Schirtzinger, Jr.
K – Garrett Clawson, Jr.

In a stroke of luck for Colonials Corner, the annual spring game has been POSTPONED.

It will not be today, but Thursday at 4pm at Joe Walton Stadium. The shift was due to weather.

Because of the shift, Colonials Corner will be in attendance on Thursday and will give a full recap of the day’s events.

We’ve given you an early look at the 2009 football schedule, and now it’s official, with game times established for all but the season finale against Monmouth.

Robert Morris will open the season in Lexington, Virginia against VMI in the resumption of a series begun in 2007. VMI won that game 40-13 behind a lethal running game.

The Colonials will have a rare night game, as well, facing Bucknell the following week with kickoff scheduled for 6:00 in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Two home games against Dayton and Bryant will wrap up September, and the even more important annual game against Duquesne at Rooney Field will be October 3rd.

Outside of a 1:30 start for the VMI game and that night game at Bucknell, all games will start at 1:00pm EST except for a noon start October 10th on the road against Central Connecticut State. All five home games at Joe Walton Stadium will start at 1pm.

A reminder – you can catch the spring game Wednesday (that’s tomorrow) at 4pm EST at Joe Walton Stadium.

Before we get to the football, a quick note:
The Pittsburgh Steelers put together an annual series of basketball games featuring some of their players versus a host of others. One of their games will be this Thursday at 8pm against a group of people from Robert Morris. No idea if that includes RMU players, faculty, staff, coaches, or just random people. The game will be at the Sewall Center, with tickets priced at $7. Want tickets? Call 412-403-5583. Probably will be available at the door.

Now, onto spring football and your questions.

First off, the spring game will be Wednesday at Joe Walton Stadium from 4-6pm. If weather really throws a wrench into things, it will be Thursday.

With only a handful of starters departing, spring ball at Robert Morris University is relatively quiet. It’s about teaching, improving on the skills already fostered the year before, and making sure that the 2008 season is used as a launching pad for 2009.

One of those open is the quarterback position. Well, in theory it’s open. But it certainly is on the minds of the commenters:

Any word from coaches on who is the front runner on the qb position?
The answer is Camdin Crouse. The senior is the starter. He’s been told that it is his job to lose, and in the spring session, he’s taken the majority of the snaps. It’s spring though, and we’ll see what happens when the full complement of players are available in the summer heat. Frankly, I’d be shocked to see anyone but Crouse start the opener in Lexington, Virginia against Virginia Military Institute.

For those who want to know, Desmond Brentley appears to be the backup, followed by Aaron Smetanka and Kevin Quinn. Appears to be pure seniority right now, as there doesn’t appear to be much difference between Smetanka and Brentley in practice, at least from a distance. Quinn, by the way, isn’t in full practice mode. He’s wearing the pads, going through snaps, but he’s not throwing full time. One would expect him to be ready by training camp. We’ll see how that order shakes up when Jeff Sinclair is added to the mix.

Moving on…
curious to hear your feelings on myles russ … he really broke through last year, and how important is it for him to continue to progress, especially with a new starting qb for romo in 2009? i realize it’s a lot to put on his shoulders, but how key is he for the offense next year?

rob

Russ will be the lynchpin of this offense, at least when it comes to piling up yards and points. That’s just football 101 – you have to have an effective running game, even with a star passing game, just to keep the other team’s defense on the field. Russ is likely a potential preseason all-NEC pick, and might even be a darkhorse for the Walter Payton Award in all of FCS. Crouse will be effective, especially with Sherrod Evers, James O’Quinn, Shadrae King, TJ Green, and Anthony Coleman as targets.

But what will really make the offense roll will be the big hosses up front. Russ can’t do much without some holes, and Crouse can’t find seams in the defense and hit his receivers if he’s running for his life (although he’s easily the most mobile QB that Joe Walton has had running his offense in years).

Ian Margerum and Joe Setticase depart, and those are holes that will need to be filled. Junior Carlos Andrade, a two year starter, has moved to left tackle. Sophomore Brad Rodgers, who started late last year once Setticase went down and Margerum moved to LT, will start at left guard. Sam Miller will continue to start at center. Corey Konycki will move from right guard to right tackle to replace Andrade and allow for Logan Miles to start at RG.

That’s a young, but potentially very good line, with an average size of 6’2, 290. If they can be a cohesive unit, this could be a very explosive offense, with Myles Russ getting a lot of attention. And Russ deserves it. The guy is a gamebreaker, a tireless worker in practice, and he has a lot of charisma. Colonials Corner saw it from the beginning when we found his YouTube videos.

While there’s little question about the defense (even with Michael Landers, Mark Syzmanski, and Alex DiMichele not practicing and a makeshift defensive line, they looked sharp on Monday), how long that defense is on the field is a major question. No one doubted the defense’s effectiveness last year, but they often ran out of gas, especially against high-powered running games.

If the Colonials can combat that with a more efficient, effective, and longer-lasting offense behind Russ and the offensive line, then an average team will become a team that could win the NEC.

Can you tell us why it is so difficult to get the spring practice and spring game information? There are parents, family and fans that would really like to know this information a little in advance. Why is the game on a weekday? Most schools have their on the weekend. Also has the 2009 schedule been completed yet? Thanks!

It’s been difficult because the team itself hasn’t had any information. A month or so ago, I was told that the spring game would be the Wednesday or Thursday before Easter. Inclement weather canceled a few practices and pushed that game back a week. That probably has a lot to do with the lack of notice about the timing of the spring game (Which, again, is Wednesday from 4-6pm).

As far as a weekday game rather than a Saturday game, most of those other schools have exclusive use of their fields. The football team, does not. The lacrosse teams have home games on Saturdays at Joe Walton Stadium, including a double-header this past Saturday. Also, I believe the NCAA has a limit on when spring practice can occur. The combination of schedule conflicts and NCAA rules just makes it a headache.

It’s unfortunate, and the lack of lights at Joe Walton Stadium makes it even more difficult.

As for the schedule, yes, it’s done:
9/5 – at Virginia Military Institute
9/12 – at Bucknell
9/19 – host Dayton
9/26 – host Bryant
10/3 – at Duquesne (NEC)
10/10 – at Central Connecticut State (NEC)
10/17 – host St. Francis PA (NEC)
10/24 – BYE WEEK
10/31 – host Sacred Heart
11/7 – at Albany (NEC)
11/14 – host Wagner (NEC)
11/21 – at Monmouth (NEC)

If you have additional questions about spring ball or anything else, we’ll be happy to answer them. Sadly, Colonials Corner will not be at the spring game due to our own schedule conflict, so we comisserate with those who want to attend but cannot. We’ll do our best to provide some sort of coverage.

Also, basketball signing period starts in two days and will last for a month. We’ll see how quick the Colonials get their last commitment.

Until then…

Lots of schedule snafus and other issues the past week have caused us to miss most of spring ball. However, due to the inclement weather that’s popped in from time to time, spring ball will continue past Easter weekend, and Colonials Corner is tentatively scheduled to attend one of the final practices, if not the actual game itself.

Right now, it appears the game will be Wednesday. I don’t know what time, although I would assume it’s a good bet for it to be during the usual 3-6pm practice window.

A few quick other pieces to pass along before we move into the Q+A.
- Bemidji State, Robert Morris’ opponent in the CHA D-I hockey championship, turned their run into one that would make Cinderella blush. The Beavers were the lowest seeded team to ever make it to the Frozen Four, eventually falling to Miami, OH.

- The WNBA Draft passed yesterday with Sade Logan remaining unselected. Her shoulder injury really put a damper on her chances. Last year’s phenomenal performance had her tabbed as a potential first round pick, but Logan had shoulder surgery and then was inconsistent once she did return. Latest draft mocks had her in the 2nd or 3rd round, but alas, that was not the case. If she doesn’t latch on as a free agent, she’ll make a ton of money in Europe. They love their shooters.

- The coaching carousel is pretty quiet. Only a few major gigs and a few really tiny gigs are open, and the dominos haven’t fallen too hard. As of now, Mike Rice is not a known candidate for any job and may not have even been contacted for any job. Xavier is really the only job we see as a potential fit for someone like Rice, but they appear set with either promoting from within with Chris Mack or getting current South Carolina and former Western Kentucky head coach Darrin Horn to be their guy. Rice would not be a likely candidate for South Carolina. So, as we’ve speculated all along, it looks like Mike Rice will be running the Colonials for the third year in a row.

Now, about the Q+A. We’re opening it up to any topics at all involving Robert Morris – from individual players, sports, programs to how the university fits the NCAA landscape to whatever else you think of.

We’re going to postpone answering anything until Monday night/Tuesday morning. That will allow everyone to get a question in, and it will allow those of you with football questions to prep me for what I need to look for on Monday. I can then come back to you with the freshest information possible.

So, ask away. Enjoy the holiday weekend, and we’ll get geared up on Monday.