UW-W Athletics earn another honor!
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Warhawk Fan Pre-game Social in Texas!
Time: 11:30 AM to 1:20 PM
Place: Wings, Pizza, & Things
2112 SW HK Dodgen Loop, Temple, TX 76504
Map: http://www.mapquest.com/maps?address=2112%20SW%20H%20K%20Dodgen%20Loop&city=Temple&state=TX&zipcode=76504
Conveniently located right off H.K. Dodgen Loop in the Bed and Bath and Beyond Shopping Center in Temple.
Website http://www.wingspizzanthingstemple.com/index.html
Directions to UMHB after the conclusion of the social: 10 minute drive:
http://www.mapquest.com/#df39445d456a0951a6fb0b7c
Ticket information: http://www.uwwsports.com/sports/2013/11/8/FB_1108132334.aspx?id=891
We hope that if you are in the area that you will be able to join us! Please consider sharing this information to anyone you feel might be interested.
Thank you for your time and consideration. Go Warhawks!
Time: 11:30 AM to 1:20 PM
Place: Wings, Pizza, & Things
2112 SW HK Dodgen Loop, Temple, TX 76504
Map: http://www.mapquest.com/maps?address=2112%20SW%20H%20K%20Dodgen%20Loop&city=Temple&state=TX&zipcode=76504
Conveniently located right off H.K. Dodgen Loop in the Bed and Bath and Beyond Shopping Center in Temple.
Website http://www.wingspizzanthingstemple.com/index.html
Directions to UMHB after the conclusion of the social: 10 minute drive:
http://www.mapquest.com/#df39445d456a0951a6fb0b7c
Ticket information: http://www.uwwsports.com/sports/2013/11/8/FB_1108132334.aspx?id=891
We hope that if you are in the area that you will be able to join us! Please consider sharing this information to anyone you feel might be interested.
Thank you for your time and consideration. Go Warhawks!
Friday, November 15, 2013
Hawks
Clinch Share of WIAC, Playoff Berth
With one
game left on the regular season schedule, the UW-Whitewater football team
reclaimed at least a share of the WIAC title with a hard fought 17-7 victory at
Stevens Point on Saturday. The Warhawks also clinched an NCAA Division III
playoff berth with the win over the Pointers. Saturday’s victory topped off a three week stretch in which
the Warhawks faced the three strongest WIAC opponents, two of them on the
road. Heading into the three week
journey, the Warhawks were ranked 7th in the nation by
D3football.com. UW-Oshkosh was ranked 9th and UW-Platteville was
ranked 8th. The
Warhawks won the battle against the Titans by 17-14 count at Oshkosh on October 26th,
ending the Titans 12 game WIAC winning streak. After that big victory, the Hawks then hosted the 8th
ranked Pioneers. In what may have
been their most impressive showing of the season, the Warhawks defeated
Platteville 35-16. Then came
Saturday’s journey to Stevens Point.
The Pointers, who boast the WIAC’s second ranked defense, proved a
stubborn foe before falling 17-7. The victory advanced the Warhawks’ conference
mark to 6-0 and moved their overall record to 9-0. UW-W will look to win the conference title outright when
they host the 0-9 River Falls Falcons on Saturday.
Coach Lance
Leipold took a moment to reflect on the season during WFAW’s Coaches Corner on
Monday night. “It’s been exciting,
it’s been fun. It’s been fun to see this thing come together the way it has. It’s been very enjoyable to watch our
football team.” The
next order of business will be to defeat a River Falls team who is considerably
better than their winless record would suggest. The Falcons possess the WIAC’s
sixth ranked offense and fifth ranked defense. The Falcons’ rushing defense allows only 3.6 yards per
carry, roughly the same as nationally ranked Platteville (3.6) and Oshkosh
(3.5). In addition, the Falcons
have the league’s third ranked red zone defense. The Warhawks know they must fully
focus on the Falcons before turning their attention to the playoffs. Leipold said, “I want to find a way to
get a win this week and see where this team goes. I’d like to go back and research the conference and see how
many times you can win a conference championship with two freshmen starting in
the offensive line. That doesn’t happen every day. So to see this happen has
been really enjoyable and who knows where it goes from here?”
One of the
striking aspects of the 2013 UW-W season has been the unique contribution of
the offense, defense, and special teams.
Offensively, the Hawks rank 2nd in the conference in scoring,
averaging 38.9 points per game.
The Hawks are 3rd in total offense with 412.8 points per
game. The Warhawks have the 2nd ranked rushing offense, averaging
185.8 yards per game and 4.4 yards per carry. The Warhawks are 5th in passing yardage,
averaging 227 yards per game and 2nd in passing efficiency with a
rating of 152.3. Whitewater ranks
1st in red zone offense and time of possession. In addition, Whitewater has turned the
ball over only 6 times all year.
The UW-W defense has been dominant, ranking 1st in scoring
defense, total defense, rushing defense, pass defense, pass efficiency defense,
opponents’ first downs, and opponents’ 3rd down conversion
percentage. In addition, the Warhawks lead the conference with 25
takeaways. It’s also worth noting
that UW-W has allowed teams into their red zone only 10 times in 9 games. By way of comparison, the Warhawk
offense has been in the opponents’ red zone 46 times. The Whitewater special teams have also done more than their
share in this championship season.
UW-W ranks first in both kickoff return average and punt return
average. Whitewater also ranks
third in punting , 2nd in FG’s made, and 3rd in kickoff
coverage. The special teams units have also scored 3 TD’s, two on kickoff
returns and one on a recovered fumble in the end zone.
All three
phases of the game will be crucial if the Hawks are continue to meet their
goals as a team this year. Stuck in between the glowing statistics of past
games and the excitement of the playoff games ahead is the final conference
game against River Falls. For 2013
to be the season UW-W wants, beating River Falls is all that matters right now.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Showdown Saturday
This one
has been in the making for over a year.
In the late afternoon of October 20, 2012, the UW-Oshkosh Titans walked
off the field in Whitewater having just defeated the Warhawks and putting
themselves squarely in the driver’s seat for the WIAC football title and the
NCAA playoff automatic qualifier that goes with it. And with that 28-13 defeat went any chance for UW-W to win
their fourth consecutive national championship. The Titans went on to advance
to the NCAA D-III semi-finals before falling to St. Thomas of St. Paul, MN
28-14. Meanwhile, UW-W finished
out their schedule with a 7-3 overall record and endured their longest
off-season since 2004.
Saturday
afternoon, the two teams will clash for the first time since that fateful
meeting in October of 2012. Both
teams enter Saturday’s game with 6-0 overall records. Both teams also have very different looks than they did a
year ago. Gone for UW-Oshkosh is
All-American quarterback Nate Wara.
Wara, a final four Gagliardi award finalist, was the leader and
unquestioned most valuable player on the Titans. Senior Nick Olla has taken over the reigns for the
Titans. Olla has posted
respectable numbers, completing 63% of his passes for 255 yards per game with
10 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.
On the season last year, Wara completed 65% of his passes for 236.5
yards per game with 30 TD’s and 5 interceptions. Wara was a double threat averaging 52 yards per game rushing
with 10 touchdowns. While Wara
would not hesitate to pull the ball down and run, Olla is a pass first
quarterback. Olla has rushed for just under 16 yards per game and 1 TD through
six games. Olla has plenty of weapons available to him as six different
receivers have caught passes of at least 48 yards. Caleb Voss, Zach Kasuboski, and running back Cole Myhra have
all caught at least 20 passes for the Titans. Myhra leads the Titans’ rushing attack with 567 yards in 6
games, averaging 4.2 yards per carry. Myhra has rushed for 10 TD’s already this
year. Jake Dotalek has added 168 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns. The defense Whitewater brings to Titan
Stadium will surely be the strongest test to date for the the Titan’s prolific
offense. UW-W ranks 3rd
in the nation in total defense, yielding only 196.2 yards per game. The Warhawks rank 8th in the
nation stopping the run and 2nd in the nation in Team Passing
Efficiency Defense.
Meanwhile, UW-W has a new look on
offense as well. QB Matt Behrendt, who started three games at the end of last
year, leads a Warhawk offense that is averaging 446.3 yards per game. Behrendt has completed 65.9% of his
passes for an average of 234.5 yards per game and 18 touchdowns. Behrendt has not thrown an interception
yet this year. This statistic will certainly be tested against a Titan defense
that has intercepted 16 passes this year. Jake Kumerow leads the receiving corps for UW-W with
32 receptions for 606 yards and 10 TD’s.
After
mixing in 5 and 6 running backs earlier in the season, two have emerged healthy
and effective for the Warhawks. As
a testament to the running back depth at UW-W. Jordan Ratliff and Booker Ross
entered fall camp as the #5 and #6 running backs on the depth chart. They are now leading the way for the
Warhawks and proving more than capable.
Ratliff has gained 387 on 6.8 yards per carry and 4 touchdowns. Ross has gained 251 yards on 6.2 yards
per carry and 3 touchdowns. Both
will get plenty of work against the Titans. Along with those impressive
statistics is another that speaks volumes of the ability of both the backs and
the offensive line. In a combined 98 carries, Ratliff and Ross have each been
tackled for a loss exactly one time for one yard. The Titans’ defense is tied for 23rd in the
nation with an average of 8.7 tackles per loss per game.
Last
year, the Titans celebrated on the Warhawks’ home field after a victory that
propelled them into the post-season.
It was a defeat that won’t quickly be forgotten by anyone within the
UW-W program. Without a doubt the
Warhawks remember the Titans.
Saturday, UW-W will do their best to make sure the Titans remember them
Thursday, October 17, 2013
All
Three Phases Fuel 5-0 Start.
How good
are the 2013 Warhawks? The first
five games of a football season do not necessarily tell the full story of where
a team will finish. But ask the
five opponents who UW-W played so far and you will likely find they are
convinced the Hawks are pretty good.
While five games does not make a season, it is enough time for a team to
begin to create an identity. And
when the football team starts the season 5-0, there is probably a lot to like
about that identity. That is certainly true for the 2013 Warhawks. UW-W seems to be improving every week
on their way to outscoring their first five opponents by a decisive 239 to 37
margin.
Defensively,
the Warhawks rank 4th
nationally in scoring defense yielding merely 7.4 points per game. When it comes to yardage, the Hawks
rank 3rd in the nation holding opponents to only 208.2 yards per
game. One of the dilemmas faced by offensive coordinators is exactly how to
attack Whitewater’s stubborn defense. The Warhawks rank 6th nationally
in passing yards allowed, permitting a meager 128.6 yards per game. and they
also possess the 14th ranked rushing defense giving up only 79.8
yards per game. The Warhawks’
defense also has a penchant for making the big play, recording 6 interceptions,
7 fumble recoveries, and 3 touchdowns.
Heading
into the 2013, a veteran linebacking corps expected to lead the way defensively
for the Hawks. The unit has been
every bit as good as advertised as Cole Klots, Kyle Wismer, Josh Williams, and
Ryan Cortez lead the team in tackles.
Brady
Grayvold leads the UW-W defense with 3 interceptions and Louis Minett leads the
way with 3 sacks. But as seems to
be the case every year, triggering the big plays is an entire defense that has
been physical and assignment sure.
The mastermind behind the defense is long-time defensive coordinator
Brian Borland.
When asked
about Borland this week, Coach Lance Leipold stated emphatically, “Brian is the
best. If anyone wanted to really
dig down and take a look at our program, not to take away from anyone else, it
is always a team effort, but if you look at the transition of this program,
there is a heavy correlation to Brian becoming the defensive coordinator and
the success of this program. He’s
the best at this level. He is as good as anyone at putting together a game
plan.”
Offensively, UW-W brought a young group into the 2013 season led by junior QB Matt Behrendt who
had started merely 3 games before this season. Behrendt is off to an excellent start completing 62% of his
passes for 1183 yards, with 14 touchdowns and no interceptions. Clearly one of UW-W’s deepest positions
is wide receiver. Through five games, Jake Kumerow leads the receivers with 27
receptions, 567 yards, and 7 touchdowns.
Newcomer Justin Howard, a transfer from North Dakota State has caught 18
passes for 190 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Tyler Huber, who returns after a medical redshirt in 2012, has played in
4 games and has 15 receptions for 221 yards and 3 touchdowns. Sophomore Joe Worth and seniors Zach
Howard and Steve Morris round out this deep and talented unit.
While the
wide receiver depth has not been a
surprise, the Warhawks have uncovered some surprising depth in the
backfield. Returning running backs
Ryan Givens (junior) and Nick Patterson (sophomore) were expected to carry a
large part of the load this year.
But because both of them have experienced some injuries, sophomores
Jordan Ratliff and Dennis Moore lead the team in rushing. As they get healthy, both Givens and
Patterson are expected to continue to contribute. Freshman Booker Ross could also be a factor as the season
continues to progress. Unfortunately, it appears Moore is lost for the season due to a knee injury.
The young
offensive line continues to gel and improve with each game. With the production
of both the running game and the passing game, Coach Leipold indicates the
unit could be one of the strengths of the team by the end of the year. “They’ve done a fine job to this point.
(Coach) Darryl Agpalsa has done a nice job of putting a group together and
finding the right pieces and putting them in the right places. We are
encouraged by not only the first unit, but we are starting to develop some
depth there as well. As we know, going into this season it was an area of
concern just based on the youth. Very soon it will become an area of nice depth
and a strength of our team.”
With
several new coaches on the offensive side of the ball including Offensive
Coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, one question that needed to be answered heading
into the season was regarding the chemistry that would develop between the
coaches. “I couldn’t be more
pleased” said Leipold. “It’s not
just based on our record. The chemistry, the work ethic of the staff, how they
relate to the players, the teaching aspect. Like I said, I couldn’t be more
pleased.”
The look of
the entire offense has changed from a year ago. Moving from a run first, take care of the ball, and wear
teams out mentality to an offense looking to create big plays by getting the ball to
their playmakers in space. Is this change a matter of simply utilizing the
players on the current roster or is it a philosophical change to continue to
grow and improve the program?
“It’s probably some of each. We knew we needed to be more aggressive.
And like I’ve said before, that is probably more on myself than it is on any
previous play caller. I probably made us a little too conservative. We were
playing some excellent defense. We were doing some things and we allowed some
people to load up the box on us and things like that. And then you put in the
case to how our depth was at receiver and some other things. We were transitioning ourselves to a
lot of the things you are seeing in the spring before we even had more staff
turnover. But Andy has really added
his touch as well as the other coaches. With all of it, we are probably
even more apparently different than we even thought we would be.”
Nowhere is
the Warhawks’ new identity more apparent than in the area of big plays. Through five games in 2012, the
Warhawks had 28 plays that went for 15 yards or more. Through the first five
games of 2013, that number has skyrocketed to 42 plays, a 50% increase in big
plays. And the big plays haven’t
been limited to the offense or the defense. The 2013 special teams units have significant big play
ability as well. UW-W ranks 3rd
nationally in kickoff returns with a 32.27 yard per return average. Justin Howard has returned 7 kickoffs
for an average of 29.6 yards per return including a 77 yard return for a
touchdown. Marcus McLin has
returned four kickoffs for a 37.0 yard per return average including returns of
61 yards and 50 yards.
In
addition, Howard is the leading punt returner in the WIAC with a 9.8 yard per
return average. Eric Kindler has
connected on 9 of 10 fields goals (long of 50 yards) and all 30 of his extra
point attempts. Freshman Lake
Bachar has been handling the kickoff duties registering 17 touchbacks on his 36
kickoffs.
Without
a doubt, five games do not a season make.
But the 2013 Warhawks are well on their way to establishing their own
identity. That identity has been
too much to handle for the first five opponents. And if the Hawks continue to
improve week by week, the final five opponents will find them very hard to
handle as well.
Friday, October 4, 2013
It’s WIAC Time!
It’s WIAC
time. The UW-Whitewater Warhawks
completed a 3-0 pre-conference schedule with a 65-0 pasting of NAIA Waldorf
College at Perkins Stadium. In the
words of Coach Lance Leipold, things will “change drastically” on Saturday when
the Warhawks travel to UW-La Crosse to face the Eagles in the conference
opener. While the Eagles come into Saturday with an 0-3 record, that record
isn’t an indicator of the quality of UW-L according to Leipold. “More than a
little deceiving”, he said in reference to the Eagles record. “They played one
of the stronger non-conference schedules in the league. They played some good
football teams. We have emphasized to our players and they have seen on film
this is the best team we will have played to date.”
Heading
into WIAC play, the Warhawks have been able to use their pre-conference season
to give young players experience and grow in consistency and continuity. Following is a brief look at each
position group and how they are shaping up heading into conference play.
QUARTERBACK
Coming into the 2013 season,
starter Matt Behrendt had started only 3 games. In 3 games this season,
Behrendt has completed 42 of 75 passes for 495 yards and 6 TD’s. Perhaps most
impressively, he has yet to throw an interception. “Matt continues to improve each and every day and he embraces
the challenge of leading this football team.” Leipold also noted that it was
good to get freshman back-up Chris Nelson some snaps as well, calling him “a
good football player.”
RUNNING BACK
Five different running backs have
logged significant playing time over the Hawks first three games. Injuries to
the top two returning running backs, sophomore Nick Patterson and junior Ryan
Givens, have opened the door for the coaches to look at the depth of the
running back spot. Sophomore
Dennis Moore has rushed for 4.4 yards per carry, gaining 122 yards and scoring
two touchdowns. Jordan Ratliff has rushed for 6.0 yards per carry and gaining
132 yards and 1 touchdown. Sophomore Byron Stanford has gained 1.5 yards per
carry, netting 30 yards in his 20 rushing attempts.
Patterson
and Givens are healthy heading into the conference season and both averaged
over 5 yards per carry in limited action over the first three games.
WIDE RECEIVER
Junior Jake Kumerow and Senior
Tyler Huber lead a deep and talented UW-W receiving corps. The 6’5” Kumerow has caught 11 passes
for 194 yards (17.6 ypc) and three touchdowns. Leipold cited Kumerow as “maybe the most improved player
both on and off the field from last year.” The athletic Huber, returning after
being granted a medical redshirt for 2012 has caught 7 passes for 122 yards
(17.4 ypc) and two touchdowns. Junior Justin Howard has added 9 catches for 83
yards and a touchdown. Kumerow, Huber, and Howard have all caught touchdown
passes of over 30 yards. Steve Morris , Zach Howard, and Joe Worth round out
the deep receiving corps. One of
two Morris’s catches went for 51 yards.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The Warhawks enter WIAC play with
4 freshman, 5 sophomores, and a junior on the two-deep roster on the offensive
line. Freshmen Spencer Shier (C),
and Tony Koepnick (RT) both started the final pre-conference game against
Waldorf College. Shier stepped in for injured sophomore Conner Peters. Rounding
out the starting unit are sophomores Johnny Wiederholt (LT) and Eli Sloneker
(LG) and junior Lucas Skibba (RG). Rounding out the two deep roster to start
the season are sophomores Tyler Janczak (RG) and Pat Suffield (RT) and freshmen
Pat Costello (LT) and Austin Jones (LG).
As
a group, the offensive line continues to gain valuable experience with each
game. Without a doubt, the biggest challenge lies ahead as they prepare to face
the defensive fronts of their WIAC opponents. When asked about players that
gave him increased confidence in the depth of the 2013 Warhawks, Coach Leipold
cited the work of the freshmen, Shier and Koepnick. “I’m not surprised they are
playing well and contributing because I knew they were good football players. I
am maybe a little surprised at how quickly they were able to contribute on the
field.” Undoubtedly one of the
keys to the 2013 season will be the continued development of this young, but
talented group on the offensive line.
TIGHT END
UW-W Undoubtedly features two of
the biggest tight ends in the WIAC conference. Derric Junakin, a 6’3” 285 pound
junior and Chris Davis, a 6’6” 265 pound senior man the position for the Hawks.
The tight ends are crucial for setting the edge in the running game and being a
factor in the red zone in the passing game. With the weapons UW-W possesses at
wide receiver, the tight ends won’t get a huge number of targets each game, but
will be counted on in key situations to move the chains and sustain drives as
the season wears on.
DEFENSIVE LINE
As expected, the defensive
performance has been one of the strengths of the Warhawks’ season so far in
2013. As always, the defense is
anchored by the defensive front.
The defensive line is anchored by seniors DE Lou Minett and DT Marshall
Rutherford. Defensive Line Coach
Kevin Bullis cited the leadership of the two seniors since spring practice as
key to development of the defensive line.
Another emerging leader on the defensive front is junior Mykael
Bratchett a junior from Hope School in Milwaukee. “The three of them are
providing strong leadership”, according to Bullis.
Bullis
considers one of the strengths of the unit to be the ability of Minett to
create pressure from the inside tackle position when Bullis wants their four
best pass rushers on the field. Moving Minett inside allows him to athletically
take advantage of some guards and creates room on the edge for speed rusher
Kevon Clunis. And while UW-W has
only 3 sacks on the season, pressure and physical play from the defensive front
has had a lot to do with the defense creating 13 turnovers over the first three
games. Rounding out the 2 deep are starting defensive tackle Zach Franz, a
sophomore from DeForest, sophomore back up defensive end Jon Groves, and back
up freshmen defensive tackles Brandon Tamsett and John Flood. Leipold cited the
performance of both Tamsett and Flood as impressive and giving him confidence
in the depth of the unit. The
coaches had high expectations of the rest of the group coming into camp and
they have certainly more than met those expectations three games into the
season.
LINEBACKERS
To know one’s surprise, the UW-W
linebacking unit is one of the strengths of the team. When a team that usually
plays three linebackers have four earn all-conference recognition, that is a
sign of a pretty dominant group. When all four return the following year, the
expectations can blow through the roof. The UW-W defense has allowed only 7
points and 188.7 yards per game over the first three games. Certainly the
linebacking unit has had a lot to do with that. Veteran WIAC coach John Meich,
who coached for 27 years at UW-Stevens Point (24 seasons as Head Coach), calls
this year’s unit “potentially one of the best units” he has seen in his years
in the WIAC. The four senior
linebackers who earned all WIAC recognition a year ago include Ryan Cortez,
Cole Klotz, Kyle Wismer, and Josh Williams. As could be expected, they are currently the four leading
tacklers for the UW-W defense. Providing the depth in the two deep are senior
Joe Paulus, and Ricky Valadez.
Anyone
who has seen UW-W play within the last year recognizes this unit as one who has
tremendous, speed, physicality, and a “fly to the ball” mentality. As the year
presses forward, this group will be expected to make game changing plays, but
not at the expense of being reckless about their assignments. As this group
continues to work on playing sound fundamental football within the structure of
the defense and let their natural ability take over, those momentum swinging
plays will continue to come.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
One of the developments of the
first three games for UW-W has been the defensive backs’ penchant for making
huge plays. Safety Andrew Keister has scored two touchdowns on an 88 yard
interception return and on a 30 yard fumble recovery return. Safety Zach Nellis also scored on a 37
yard fumble recovery return. In
addition, starting cornerback Brady Grayvold has 3 interceptions and the other
starting corner, Marcus McLin, has another. Four sophomores back up in the
defensive backfield and have gained valuable experience as well. Shawn Shillcox, Dylan Morang, Zach
Mutton, and Ryan Winske round out the two deep entering WIAC play. Unfortunately, sophomore defensive back
Chis Treptow has been lost due to an injury. The continued development of this unit will be critical as
the season progresses for UW-W. Several WIAC teams are expected to be “pass
heavy” this year and because most teams find it difficult to run against UW-W,
many opponents put the ball in the air a lot against the Hawks. As the unit continues to mature and gain
even further confidence, they have the potential to continue to make big plays.
Without a doubt, this group would love to develop a “throw it at your own risk”
reputation. If the first three games are any indication, that may be on its way
to happening.
Special Teams
Early indications are that special
teams will be one of the absolute strengths of the 2013 Warhawks. Led by senior kicker/punter Eric
Kindler, the UW-W special teams units aspire to go beyond “adequate” and soar
into the “difference maker” category. Kindler has made all six of his field
goal attempts, including a long of 50 yards. And while his punting average of 32.6 yards seems
pedestrian, he has placed 9 of 19 kicks inside the 20 and forced 6 fair
catches. In addition, he has hit two over 50 yards.
The
coverage units have been exceptional over the first three games, allowing only
14.5 yards on kickoff returns and an astounding negative 1.5 yards on punt
returns. The coverage team has delivered some devastating hits along the way.
Leading
the return game is junior Justin Howard. Howard is extremely aggressive in
catching the ball and has dynamic return ability. He is averaging 8.4 yards on punt returns with a long of 27
yards. He is averaging 24.3 yards on kickoff returns with a long of 32
yards. Although, he has not broken
a long return yet, most who watch him would agree it’s just a matter of time.
In addtion to Howard, Zach Howard is an able punt returner. Zach Howard has
returned two punts, including one for 35 yards. Marcus McLin also contributes on kickoff returns. His game
opening 61 yard return at Buffalo State set the tone for UW-W’s dominant
performance in Buffalo. All four
returners have big play capabilities.
Freshman
kicker Lake Bachar appears poised to handle the kickoff duties for the
Warhawks. Coach Leipold felt like it is a positive to relieve Kindler of that
aspect of kicking given his other workload. But he gave the credit to Bachar.
“We would’t have been able to go in that direction if Lake hadn’t proven he’s
ready.”
OVERALL
Given
the schedule and level of competition, the Warhawks appear to have accomplished
all that could have been expected from their three game pre-conference
schedule. As Coach Leipold commented, “There’s much work still to be done and
everything changes drastically this week” referring to the beginning of the
WIAC schedule in LaCrosse.
Time
will tell as to how far the 2013 Warhawks can rise. There appears to be little
doubt, they have set their sights high. There also is little doubt that they
will continue to emphasize getting better one day at a time. It’s impossible to answer every
question about a football team during the first three weeks of their schedule. But more questions are about to be answered.
After all, it’s WIAC time!
Saturday, September 7, 2013
2013 Season Begins Today: My Humble Opinion
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Without a doubt, execution was a part of that. In this year’s training camp, there has
been an intentional focus on the word “Finish”. Finish plays, finish drives, and finish games. First and foremost, new offensive
coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s job will be to get consistent execution from each
offensive position group. Without
that, the most creative offense on earth will not succeed. But there is another lesson to be
learned from 2012. Assuming that a
defense will wear down or that victory will come eventually is a mistake. Every possession is an opportunity to
aggressively strike the opponent and put points on the scoreboard. Coach Kotelnicki has a great resume in
developing high scoring offenses. If he is able to do the same at UW-W this
year, the sky is the limit for this football team. How far back
will UW-W bounce in 2013? We will begin finding out at noon today at the Perk.
The sting of a disappointing 2012 season behind them, the
UW-Whitewater Warhawks will be looking to start a new chapter beginning with
the 2013 opener against Washington University today at Perkins Stadium.
At this time last year, UW-W was a three-time national
champion, riding a 45 game winning streak. With success of that magnitude, it
is virtually impossible to manage expectations. With the level of success the Warhawk football has attained,
last year’s 7-3 record was not what the team had in mind. While most programs
would celebrate a 7 win season, UW-W feels like it has some bouncing back to
do. How far will a 2013 bounce
carry them?
The general consensus is that the Hawks will come into
2013 with another championship caliber defense. In 2012, the Warhawks’ defense
ranked #2 nationally in scoring defense and #6 in total defense while playing
in the WIAC, largely considered the strongest division 3 football conference in
the nation. When a team is that
strong defensively, yet loses three games, it is only natural to look to the
other side of the ball for some answers.
Over the past several seasons, UW-W has been a prototype
of a fundamentally sound, philosophically conservative offensive football team.
Prior to 2012, it not only was sufficient, it was probably wise. As much as fans love and clamor for
wide-open offensive football, a coaching staff is obsessed with one thing.
Winning. During the 45 game
winning streak, the offensive coaches rode a mostly dominant offensive line and
experienced and talented skill position players to victory. Through a power
running game and an ability to wear down defenses, the Warhawks knew that they
controlled their own fate. As long as they didn’t turn the ball over, they were
going to win out in the end.
Although at times frustrating for fans, it proved to be a strong
strategy because game after game the cream would rise to the top. The offensive
line would wear down the defense and eventually, the offensive playmakers would
make enough plays to win the game.
However, 2012 was a different story. While the Warhawks had good offensive
players, they were clearly not good enough to sustain the level of success of
the previous UW-W teams. In
watching the games, it did not appear that the 2012 offense had the “talent gap
advantage” that previous UW-W teams held.
Less overall talent, combined with inconsistent play from the
quarterback position, led to far less production. As a result, Warhawks found
themselves compiling a 7-3 record and watching the playoffs from home.
Without a doubt, the Hawks will have the offensive talent
to compete with every defense they play this year. But after last season, it seems like a small shift in
offensive philosophy may be in order.
One of the keys to the 2013 season for UW-W will be their offensive
approach. Will the Warhawks “open
up the playbook” and look to attack the opponent with each and every
possession? Too often in 2012, the Warhawks seemed to be slugging it out,
waiting for the big plays that never came.
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