Volume 38, Issue 1. Today is
.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Volume 38, Issue 1. Today is
.
|
|||
|
You are viewing To return to the current issue please click here.
|
MCC Football Preview 2000
|
 |
| Jim Allen/MESA LEGEND |
| Chad Young (41) smashes through Star Aholelei (55) and Steve Felix (36) as he grinds out extra yardage during a preseason workout. |
In 1999, the team’s only focus was on winning a national championship. They had their highest preseason ranking in head coach David Rice’s nine seasons, and they were coming off a surprising 7-3 season in 1998 with an inexperienced team.
So, how did this group go from national champion hopeful to a dismal 3-7 football team?
Rice believes the drop off was caused by being swamped with injuries at key positions and personnel that didn’t match the defensive schemes.
Although the explanations are valid, the T-Birds gave up 35 points or more in six of their seven losses last season. Joe Roman, last year’s defensive coordinator, has left MCC and been replaced by Rice.
A former linebacker in his playing days, Rice wants the responsibility of turning the defense into a respectable unit.
"We did have to get rid of some kids," said Rice, who enters his ninth year at 47-42. "There is a reason why you go 3-7. I am mostly to blame for that record."
"Sometimes you learn more about losing than you do from winning."
MCC’s biggest disappointment on defense last year, according to Rice, was a season ending knee injury to defensive tackle Bryan Savelio in only the second game.
 |
| Jim Allen/MESA LEGEND |
| New offensive coordinator Ray Laing helps out quarterback Ryan Martin. |
"If I had to name one guy that couldn’t get hurt, it was him," Rice said. "He was the heart and soul and the emotional leader of our team."
Savelio may disagree with his coach on the impact his injury had on the team, but he thoroughly agrees with the way Rice has changed the defense. "Now we are attacking and not sitting back on the ball," Savelio said. "You’re going to see a lot more big plays because guys are going to be much more aggressive."
"We’re going after people. We’re not just going to stand still," Rice added. "We’re going to slant and move, and make plays."
Another disaster from last year’s team was the play of its kickers. Rice calculated he had six punts that went less than 15 yards. "We had the most atrocious, worst kicking game in the history of mankind," Rice said. "We couldn’t punt and we couldn’t kick the ball off. We gave everyone great field position."
To solve his field position problems, Rice found Scott Lane, an All-State performer from Scottsdale Chaparral High School where he won the Golden Toe Award last year.
MCC is loaded with talent on the offensive side. So loaded that key positions are still lacking starters.
 |
| Jim Allen/MESA LEGEND |
| Head coach and defensive coordinator David Rice has a final word with his defense. |
Mike Strack, a returning sophomore, and NAU transfer Bryan Burge are battling for the quarterback position. "Strack is the only returning starting quarterback in the league, but Burge is giving him some competition," said Rice, who also ran last year’s offense. "And if we play two quarterbacks, then that’s fine. We have done that quite often."
"It’s a good situation for all of us because the competition pushes us to get better," Strack said.
MCC also has two All-American caliber backs from Florida in Emmanuel Fuller of Fort Lauderdale and Rashard Armstrong of Miami, who were both injured during last year’s forgettable season. "They do things that look like you’re not supposed to be able to do out there," Strack said.
"Our (abundance at) running back is the greatest situation that I have ever been in," said Ray Laing, offensive coordinator. "We’ve got at least four kids that I like running the football."
And run, they will.
|
Check out the