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Show 'Bird gridders excited about 1995 campaign Entering the 1995 football eason, Southern Utah &om rush end in the new alignment. Freshman senior Craig VanWoerkom, and Austin Lindsey, a Jimmy Brimmer was impressive last year and a pair of recently r turned mis ionary who wa the backup University's football braintrust is hoping the lessons leam.ed by a strong group of recruits and a key nucleus transfers: Chris Garza and Cole Myers, will be looked three years ago when Robins won the starting job of returning players in pring ball will pringboard the to to contribute immediately. as a freshman. Thunderbirds to a successful 1995 campaign. "Although we lost the majority of our starters &um Robins came into ome criticism last year, but Southern Utah's hopes for back-to-back American last year' squad, I feel pretty good about this year' Bishop is quick to defend his senior. West Conference title were high last fall but a loss at group of linebacker," Bishop said. "The player who "Rick may not have had the great year he wa Cal Poly-San Luis Obi po in the final game of the will fill the holes are solid guys who have either been expected to have last year, but a lot of the problem season en ed the T -Birds' hopes for a repeat and in the program or have good credentials coming from was not his fault: he needed help on the offensive handed the crown to the Mustangs. other programs." lin ," Bi hop pointed out. "It's hard to make Looking to reclaim the conference title, decisions when you're always on the run, so SUU Head Coach Jack Bishop and his ri,:cJ?,miJ~r?:F~'F.11~~7~~~~~- -----------, this year we've tried to get him some help by recruiting what we think could be the coaching staff have made omewhat of a return to the past in their coaching best 0-line we've ever bad. We haven't been deep on the offensive line for a couple of philosophy this year. The Thunderbirds, who have run their traditional veer-option y ar ...but thi year that ha changed." offen e from an I-formation the past four Seniors Chri Hinton and Jeff Rudy were sea ons, will return to the split-back both starters much of the sea on last year, formation which earned the team uccess while Adam Black, Buck Brown, Ja on Tabor and Dave Fo att were aJI important during the 19 Os. Defensively, the T-Birds will switch from a basic 50 lineup to a ba kup . John Charles should be ready to five defensive backs look this year. step in and play after a red hirt sea on. A final change in philo ophy deal with Add to tho e returning players JC tran fers recruiting. Bi hop altered his theory on Tom Fell, Wayne Arner, Chuck Day, Eric recruiting this year, concentrating on Morten en and Sam Lutui, a group Bishop junior college players who hould be able bas called "by far the best group of offensive linemen we've ever recruited at one time," to step right into the Thunderbird program, rather than recruiting young and the Thunderbird sbouJd be strong up front this fall. players and relying on players who have been in the system to tep into the Receiver is another position Bishop said vacated roles. he feels will be a strength. Ali-AWC "This year we went into the junior performer Micah Deckart - who lines up college ranks more heavily t han we at several positions - returns along with ever have in the past," Bish op noted. two-year starter Kevin Cuthbert on, two" And we feel we really helped our year letterman Tony Evans and red hirt team. Our junior college guys fit our am Patterson at the wide-out positions, needs tremendously." while a strong group of tight ends return, In particular1 the Thunderbirds including Austin Day, Robbie Gunter and recruited heavily along the offensive Lorin Cummings. front to bolster a talented bu somewhat "We have excellent depth with some thin returning unit. The T-Bird al o talented players at the tight end position," feff Galyean Bi hop aid. "Micah [DeckartJ can play recruited a host of defensive back from the junior college ranks, but the fruits of either tight end or flanker, and we'll use him that labor won't be een until fall, as just - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - at both position again this year, then we one - Mike fohnson - completed bis as ociate degree The secondary may be the bigge t area of concern have a strong group of more tradition.al tight end in time to participate in spring ball. on the defensive side of the ball. Although Du ton type in Day, Gunter, and Cummings. Bi hop does have some constants returning, Connaughton, last year's leading tackler and an all"At the wide receiver po ition we have conference trong safety, is back, the remainder of the Cuthbertson and Evans back, two players who have however: he has an experienced quarterback who has s tarted each of the last 33 games; he has an defensive backfield will be filled with n w start r . been solid contributors to the program, as well as Sam experienced defensive line; he bas a handful of Returners Mike Brown and Brandon Griffiths both Patter on, a JC transfer who we redshirted last year but looked very good in spring ball. We also have experienced linebackers; he has a trong group of have experience at afety, while Mike Johnson was returning receiver ; and although he may not have a impressive in spring ball, as was converted QB quite a few walk-ons and other wide receivers who wealth of depth returning in the defensive backfield, Branden Draper. have been in the program we expect good things he will have last year's top tackler back. Marian Bacon, a starting OLB la t year, heads the from." depth chart at Warrior with Jim McMahon and Matt Running back has long been the key to the Lar en as the backups at the weak safety-type Thunderbirds' fortunes, as the staple of SUU football A look at t h e defen e The Thunderbirds have changed the defensive po ition. bas been the option attack. This year's team may look look, going from a 50 alignment to a scheme with At the comer , fall transfer will be looked to for a bit different, however, Bishop said. four down-linemen an d five backs, u tilizing a depth, with youngsters Ron Talbot and Clay Mar hall "We'll use our running backs a little bit differently th ird safety position - Warrior - and just two the projected tarter corning out of pring this year," he said. "We'll utilize more multiball.Tran fer Keith and Brock Turner (yes, they're linebacker . formations than we have. We'll also have less size but Along the Une, a strong group of lettermen return, brothers), Shawn Hollifield and Dale Belnap will be more diversity in the backfield - we have good skilled led by two-time All-AWC first-teamer Jeff Galyean. speed people who are good receivers out of the expected to step right in and contribute. Joining Galyean up front are three players who have backfield." Offen e started in the past: Garett Moon, Joel Wilson, and Returning at running back are senior Gary Perkins Any discussion of offense usually begins with the Reuben Togisala, who redshirted last year after and redshirt David McCovy. Add to those two returning from an LOS mission. quarterback, and the Thunderbirds have the most transfers Dion Chapman and Roosevelt Miller, and experienced QB in school history returning this Bishop feels he is strong at the tai lback position. In addition, the Thunderbirds have Rich Murray, SUU has experienced fullbacks returning as well: season in senior Rick Robins. Robins has started redshirt Chris Delabunty, returned missionary Jim every game for the T-Birds the past three years and bis Benji Hoskins, Nick Larsen, Todd Shaw, and Brad Langford, converted tight end Curtis Cook and 33 starts are more than any QB in school history. He transfer David Taualufua providing depth. Muir, with Marcus Burgess joining the squad in the currently holds every SUU career passing and total "We have some good athletes on the defensive line fall. offense record and the only records left for him to Handling the kicking duties will be Benji Nelson, this year," Bishop said. "It's a group with good quickness that can play the run but should also be able break during his senior season are of the single-game back for his senior year, with Jason Haslam and Benji's younger brother, Cody, providing depth. to get a good pass rush. We also have a good amount of or single-season variety. Robins' strengths are in his "I'm excited about this football team," Bishop said ability to run the option - Bishop bas called him the experience returning." in summary. "We have probably the most talented While the linebacking corps lost most of the starters "prototype option quarterback" - his intelligence and bis experience. team we've ever had. U everyone lives up to from last year's squad, Bishop said he thinks the Backing Robins up will be a pair of QBs who have expectations I think we have as good an opportunity position still looks solid. Junior Jeff Jones has loads of been in the program: last year's number-two man, to be successful as we've had. experience in the middle and Garret Atkin moves I |