Colonials Corner

Four new coaches are going through their first camp as members of the Robert Morris University football team, joining the freshmen in trying to absorb as much as possible as quickly as possible.

Two returning coaches are going through their first camp with their new, expanded roles on the staff.

In all, six positions on the 11-man staff are filled with either new faces or old faces with expanded responsibilities. It’s one of the sidebars to the overall training camp story being written by the Colonials this season. Colonials Corner takes a look at the new and the old faces in camp, the credentials they carry with them, and the tasks being laid at their feet for the 2009 football season.

Joe Walton – Head Coach (16th year)

The only head coach in school history, Walton’s goal is to continue to bring his wealth of experience and energy to the field every day. With retirement talk swirling a couple years ago, Walton looked incredibly invigorated last year around a very young team. He recognized their youth and – for the first time – adapted to more modern sets, including the use of the 3-4 defense and the shotgun offense. Early looks in camp suggest some new additional wrinkles. Walton’s goal is to continue to have the ear of his team, and if he maintains that, the assistants below him will work out any kinks in technique.

John Banaszak – Assistant Head Coach (7th year)

Following a health scare over the summer, Banaszak was back to prowling the field during camp. On Tuesday, he was in his familiar role as special teams guru and goading the defensive line into exerting some pressure on the septet of quarterbacks currently working with the team. Banaszak’s main goal on the field is going to be find a quality returner. He settled on James O’Quinn and Anthony Coleman late last year, but he’s going to need more than Coleman this year. Perhaps one of the freshmen will step up, as the Colonials deeply miss having an explosive returner like they had for years with Dante Settles, Tyjuan Massey, and Mario Hines.

Scott Farison and Scott Benzel – Co-Defensive Coordinators (8th and 7th years, respectively)

The dynamic duo is now sharing the role as defensive coordinator. Perhaps the two men most directly responsible for a string of talented defenders, Farison and Benzel are also the two recruiting specialists for the Colonials. Now the question is if the duo can take a veteran defense anywhere close to what the 2006 team achieved – a #1 ranking in all of FCS. Benzel will continue to coach the defensive backs after being promoted to co-defensive coordinator this offseason. Farison is in charge of the linebackers. The two already worked closely together prior to Benzel’s promotion, but how they bring their ideas together and to fruition on the football field will go a long way to determining how the Colonials finish.

Bill Hurley – Defensive Backs (1st year)

With Benzel increasing his duties, Hurley was brought in to help coach the defensive backs. A Syracuse graduate, Hurley is another NFL-experienced coach on the Colonials’ staff. A four-year starter as Syracuse’s quarterback from 1976-1980, Hurley will now be responsible for easing some of Benzel’s burden and increasing the technique of the defensive backs. He also provides some input on Duquesne, having coached with the Dukes from 2004-2007.

Sean Callahan-Dinish (1st year)

One of three graduate assistants with the team, Callahan-Dinish will basically serve as an assistant under Banaszak, focusing on special teams and various roles with the defense. A former long-snapper/linebacker/tight-end for Marietta College, Callahan-Dinesh might be the tonic needed for some questionable exchanges between snappers and special teams units the past season and a half. Garrett Clawson was 4-9 on field goals, with two blocks, partially because of some exchange issues. Those were stats not seen since the woeful days of Doug Lewis.

Sam Dorsett – Running Backs

Dorsett is no longer a graduate assistant, but he’ll feel like he’s in a management course throughout the season as he focuses on his primary task: How to spread the ball around to all of his backs. First, there’s Myles Russ, widely respected amongst his teammates for his ability to take a beating. A potential late addition to the Walter Payton Award nominee list, Russ deserves around 20 carries per game after his terrific performance last year. But with how often the Colonials run the ball, Raphael Johnson, fullback Jeff Link, and Kent State transfer Jamar Cromwell will all be clamoring for carries. Russ is the lead back, but the Colonials need to keep him healthy and prevent him from wearing down.

Bob Morris – Wide Receivers (7th year)

The man with the perfect name for his job needs to get his youngsters ready to play. There will be some opportunities for first and second year receivers this year, and they’ll need to be ready to go from the start. TJ Green needs to take the next step; Anthony Coleman needs to complete his transition to the position; 6’4 sophomore Paul Evans needs to be more than a big guy in camp; and Michael Blanchard, Troy Besterci, and DJ Zalewski need to prove their small stature means nothing and that they can play at this level. If not, Morris is going to have to quickly coach up freshmen like 6’2 Paul Sanchez or speedy return specialist Dion Wiegand to be able to step in and help the offense.

Andrew Richardson – Offensive Line (3rd year)

Now a full-timer after being a grad assistant for two years, Richardson has his hands in the evolution of the offensive line. His influence on people like Corey Konycki – who reportedly hired a personal trainer and is even larger than last year – has the line looking relatively stable. The question is how deep the readiness on the line runs. Colonials players acknowledged that the top five or six linemen were ready last year, but injuries devastated their depth and led to inconsistencies late in the season. Establishing some reliable depth and consistency along the line will be a difficult but necessary task for Richardson in these weeks before the season.

Jarrod Highberger – Quarterbacks (1st year)

A graduate assistant with a degree from Carnegie Mellon, Highberger has the most watched task in all of camp. Who will be the starting quarterback in 2009? Will it be the mobile veteran, senior Camdin Crouse? The prototypical pocket passer, 6’4 junior Aaron Smetanka? The highly touted freshman, Jeff Sinclar? Or someone else. He has seven to choose from, and while Highberger will not make the decision on his own, his observations working with the group will go a long way in influencing Joe Walton’s decision for that opening game against VMI.

Patrick Shepard – Tight Ends

Like Dorsett, Shepard’s main task is refining an already talented group and finding playing time for his guys. Shadrae King will start, but Shepard’s work with him could help refine the promising sophomore’s overall game. King’s receiving skills are unquestioned, but Shepard’s experience as a blocking tight end at Miami (Ohio) could turn King into an everydown beast at tight end. Shepard will also have senior Chris Molnar back from a knee injury, giving the Colonials a chance to use two tight end sets often.

Colonials Corner hopes to talk to all of the coaches to bring you their input prior to the season.