OCR Text |
Show !MONDAY, JULY 16, 2001 UNIVERSITY JOURNAL SPORTS PAGE 9 Thunderbirds look to another great grid year free but the bad news i that trong afety and the team's interception · leader Ryan Change L the watchword for outhern Utah football this year as the Thunderbirds ' mith and weak afety Jackson Peck have both moved on . Cowan led the team , ith compete in a chedule which carries them from one coast of America co the ocher. 9 tackle · last year and he also broke up 12 passes and intercepteLI two more and . The Thunderbirds need co replace ix starters n offen e and even on defense Joel Bingham (6-1 , 185, ' r, now JC) was a part-time ·career at strong safety la~r . ear. fro m a team which wa arguably one of the be tin chool hi tory . La ·c year'· quad A newcomer may take over at weak afety, however, a · Matt Allen (6-0. 190 Jr) . a went , 4 and the 1999 team po ted an 8-3 mark , che be t back-to-back winning mark trJn fer from Ea tern Arizona and Adrian Waddy (6-1 , 225, Jr) a lr:m 'fer from Palomar at· incethe 19 8teamwenc7-3followingan8-2 e-.i -oninl977 . CC are Ii ted 1-2 on the depth chart with phomore Egan Gunnarson , the MVP of everal ke. pla ers from rho ·e two team were Jost to gr:tduation and will require this year' spring game, listed third . replacing. noc the lease of whom was Matt Cannon , the most prolific rn hing "Jerry i the man who will lead our defe1~se . He had a grem year last year and we all qu;irterback in NCAA history. The team also Jo t both . tarting -lotbacks a four-year expect him to have a better year this year, " Gregory points out. "We are looking for starter ac receiver and a pair of offensive linemen. All six were at least part-time ome depth backing him up in Brent Jordan (6-1 , 210, o ; ompton College), another . caners the p·t ·c two year . On the defensive ide of the ball the T-Birds Io ta fouryear carting cornerback and an all-American defensive end, two more defen ·ive transfer we have great hopes for. We 'll also have Ryan He-.t.th (5-10 , 190, Jr; linemen , a linebacker and two ·afeties. Redmond , tah) from now [College] .in year,• Gregory point · out . "\Ve art: looking for some depth baclcing him up in Brent Jordan (6-I , 210, ·o; Compton Collegt'), till , all is not doom-and-gloom around tht: Thunderbird camp. All-America another tran 'fer we have great hope · for. Wc: 'U also have Ryan He:1th (5-10, 190, Jr: candidate Jerry Co wan , che team ·· leading tackler last year, returns as does comer Redmond , tah) fr m now [ ollege} in the mix at free safety b hind Jerry. l ate ."undloff ( a 5-year ·tarter). tackle Tonga Mounga and lineb,icker Bryc.e Shields. " t strong safety Joel wa · a pan-time tarter last year when Ryan (Smith . the team:. All fo ur wt:re impact pla. ers o n the Thunderbird dc::fen e in 2000. In addition , Jeremy interceptions leader in 2000) was out and we really liked the way he played . 1-fl' 'II be vila , who has tane<l on and off since his fre ·hman season .. eem · recovered from a conc ussio n which kept him o m much of last ye:1r and a handful of playtr · appear backed up by Rohen Corea (6- l, 205 , Jr, Wesr Hills College). another JC player. :ind Derek Kirby (6-3, L95 , Fr, Murr:.1y H ), who opent"d some eyes in pring h;1ll. ., ready w step up fro m re ·ervt: to starters rol s this eason. Linebackers \ rm Carrick t linebacker the team lost its third-leading tackler, ."pt:nccr Woolston , but (in:gory :ind Ba n r\muntlsen have het:n impact players as re ·erves the ,p:tsI two years and Joe Yo ung played sianer's minutt:s la ·t ·ays the w1it is still ~probably the strongest pan o f our defense . We ha e four yc:ar as a reseivt: defem,ive tackle. In experienced kids back to play two addition , Josh Bingham ~houl<.J be po~itions. plus a handflll of ocher ready lO seep into a starter's shoes player.. who will give us d<.:pth ." after two year of se;1soning and On one ·ide senior Bryn: Shidd., DBs .J uel Bingham anti Nick Ervin ( (>- 1, ll:; . Tooele 1-1 ') n: tum~ alfrr ho ch got significant playing time last tallying 7.~ tackles. 1-1 tackles for year ;1s wdl. losses. rhree sacks and three On the offrnsivc silk of the ball interceptions last yt:ar. ~am C;1rric.:k the prospens are probably even (6-:S . .2- "i , ."r. Orem . l ·cah/ E:.t~tem brighter. E\'en though the team lose Arizona JC. 17 ta<.:klt's. l TFL. I c,,a<.:k ,;o me significant i:11t'nc . ic dot:s and I int) :mu 11;111 Amunds<:n ((1-2 , rt:cum two-time 900-yard rusher Rod 2 0 , Jr, Hilkre ·c H ·. l"i tackle ·. :, Madsen at fullback , a pair of lint:men TFI...! , 2 sacks) wc:re che primary who received all-Amt:rica recognition of backups lase year, ;u1d Ryan one son or another last year in LT Randy 1110mp ·on (6- 1, 218, So; Inglewood . Clark and C A;rron Hall and Lant Earl, a Calif/ fast L.A. CC) should step right in ;'\ -year Staner at wkk receiver. In afcer spending last season as a red· addition , Chuck Henderson , who SJXlll ·hire. In addition to those four . Rich all of last se:L'ion as C:111non 's backup. 'lack (6-1, 215. Fr. Granger HS) . back rt"turns afrt:r improving every ti.mt: out ,tfter an LO · mission ; and red-shin last year and looking good in spring Donny Allred (5-1 l , .2;0. Ricks , orkouts. 'tt:ve Prin: and A;1ron Bowen Colkge) could also comributt:. were the primary rt:serves at slot last ~Shields, Amundsen , Carrick and year and chey are primed to step into the TI10mpson are four solid guys who all ~pot light . and a handful of linemen ~ do difkrent things vt'ry well. " appea r co bt: ready to step into starter' · Gregory noted. "Shields is really a positions as wdl. complelt: linebacker while 13an is a Special teams is another area where great pass rusher and solid against th<.: the ·munderbirds will be filling ·ome nm . Sam is a big.play kind of guy and holes . ot only was Cannon tht: team 's Jerry Cowan.(40, and inset) is the big cog in the SU defensive machine for 2001 . Ryan is a solid pass rusher and nm leading rusher .last year, but he was the stopper who has grea t instincL'i." primary pumt:r as well. Looking to fill his punting role will be Madsen , who has The grJ.duation Josse were probably worst along tht: front line . but there is good punu:d fur the T-Bird · in the past. Thec.e is also a slot open fur a punt returner, news, as Tonga Mounga (6-4 , 290. Jr, Orem H ' , who has the ability to dominate. where Clint Brown was a two-time: I-AA all-indt:pendent all-star. return · at one tackle spot and Jot: Young (6-2, 260, Sr; Phoenix, Ariz./Mt:sa CC) · '. e lost a con of starters. especially in the skill positions," Gregory point · out. returns after playing significanc of minutes at nose . In addition, Jo h Bingham (6-2 . .. But aftt:r going through spring ball we fed pretty good about most of tho e 240, Jr, Alta H ) shou ld be ready to step into a starters' role at entl after spending positions. We 're as deep and takn,tt:d along the offensive line as we 've ever been , the la ·t two sea ·ons a · a backup. which will help our new skill people tremendously, and ;Llthough we aren 't deep on Mounga figures to Line up at cackk with Young alongside and Bingham at enLI . A the defensive line, particularly in the middle , we feel very good about 01e people handful of players, including Waddy (who wa mentiont:d earlier at safety). Anthon~ we have there as well as just about t:verywhere else on that side of the ball. ~ Wilcox (6-2, 250, Jr), a transfer from Snow J ; and Andy Laru ·sa (6-1, 250, Jr) who sat out last eason after transferring from Glendale CC will try To fit in at quick t:nd . DEFENSIVE OUfLOOK Also lo king for a spot are Lance Hunsaker (6-0 , 235. Sr; Yorktown . Ind./Yorktown H ) at quick end and Jesse Wicket (6-4 , 210, Declo, Idaho/Declo H ') at end. Even though the Thunderbirds must replace seven starter and a handful of Providing backup in the middk will be James Moore (6-2, 290, Jr) . a tr.insfer from backups on the defen ·ive side, Gregory is optimistic about the 2001 campaign. Mesa CC; Paul Escera (6-1, 290, Jr), a tran -fer from Dixie tare : Derek Campbell (6· "\Ve have a loc of guy·· co replace but we have a core of players back who have 11 , 240, So), another tran fer from Snow; returned mi· fonaries ·con Rounds (6--i . playt:d a lot ," he points out. ·Hopefully tho e guys got a little more experience in 250, So, Tooele HS) and Quinn Campbell (6-3 , 330, Fr, Weber HS) and red-shirt the spring and it will all come cogether this fall. " fre hrnan Bryan Sansom (6-l , 235, Olympu H ) . Although the team lo t Brown at one comt:r, ' undloff (5·9 , 175 , Sr, Murljly H ') "We have the potential to be very good along the defensive line ," Gregory notes. and vila (5·9, l 5, r , La Vegas Cimarron H ) , have both started in the past. In "We have three players, Tonga, Young and Moore, who can play both of th9se fact , although undloff wa the primary starter opposite Brown last year, two years inside po itions well and we 're hoping Escera can fit ·right in as well hen he gets ago he an·d Avila split time at chat corner. a they had the year before. In addition to here this fall. I honestly don 't know if there is a better'nose and three than Tonga those two , the team al o return · Ervin (5-11 , 185, Jr: Long Beach, Calif.(East L.A. and Joe in I-AA football ; we're very fortunate to have cwo guy · like that. We 've abo CC) and Robert Young (5-10, l 5. Jr, Duche ·ne HS), two players with experience. got some young guys and some more transfers for depth . .. undloff and Avila are both basica.Ily starters, so even though we lost Clint, we "Ac the ends we feel good about Josh [Bingham]. he ' come up through th feel pretty good about rhe position ,~ Gregory say . "We al o have Nick Ervin and system and it' time for him to hine. Lance Hun aker i · one of the greate t overRobert Young who have played quite a bit, giving us some experienced depth there achievers I've ever seen; he' developed into a solid lineman. Then we have Wilcox as well . omer has always been something we looked at as perhap our weak link, and Larussa who can both play. Waddy is the wildcard, he 's o versatile we' rt: not but with those four back and the addition of transfer Chris McCorkell (5·9, 180, Jr, sure where to play him, at safety or down btll he 's as gooq looking.a kid on tape as ·Riverside CC) and Paul immon (5-10, 185, Jr, Mt. an Antonio College), we think I've ever seen."· we 've actual~ strengthened our elves at, czorner. ? - ... At afety c.he good news i tfm Cowan (6-2. 225 , Sr. Grand County HS) is back at NEXT WEEK: THE OFFENSE AND SPECIAL TEAMS . \. |