September 20, 2001
Amherst College Lord Jeffs (0-0) at
Hamilton College (0-0)
September 22, 2001 * Steuben Field
Clinton, NY * 1:30 p.m.
SCOUTING AMHERST
What was a wide-open battle for the starting quarterback slot has narrowed down to a pair of signal callers, junior Jeff Browne - who is the only returning QB to have taken a snap last season - and sophomore Jim Devine. Both should see action on Saturday. Meanwhile, the backfield is overflowing with veteran talent. Senior tailback Okey Ugwonali is a preseason All-American, rushing for 856 yards on 156 carries as a junior. Junior fullback Jeff Ryan is the perfect complement, while classmate Kevin Kennard was Amherst's second leading rusher with 382 yards last season. At wide receiver, senior quad-captain Derrell Wright led the NESCAC with seven receiving touchdowns in 2000. Junior Brian Hart will also crack the starting lineup after an outstanding training camp. At tight end, senior quad-captain Matt Flavin and sophomore Alex Popp both saw considerable time last season and are excellent blockers. Speaking of excellent blockers, the offensive line is better than ever under assistant coach Rob Schur '98. Second-Team All-NESCAC junior Rob Vernicek is the biggest of the bunch and a two-year starter. He'll lead a pack of returning big men up front, including junior right tackle Brendan Carolin, senior center Josh Ahearn, senior right guard Colin Renz and sophomore left guard Shane Morrow.
The defense is loaded with senior leadership, starting with its emotional leader, senior quad-captain Pat McGee anchoring the line at defensive tackle after an eight-sack campaign in 2000. Junior Pat Hayes will man the other DT slot with senior Brad Hensley occupying the nose guard position. Senior quad-captain Dan Lalli and classmate Brian Landolfi - both three-year starters - will once again lead an experienced, hard-hitting linebacker crew from the inside slot, while senior Gregg Stankewicz returns at outside linebacker after racking up 38 tackles and Second-Team All-NESCAC honors in 2000. Yet another senior, Gene Nogi - also an outstanding lacrosse player - is poised for a solid season as the Jeffs' other starting outside linebacker. Graduation left a slew of positions up for grabs in the Amherst secondary, all of which have been filled nicely. Sophomore Paul Whiting is a three-sport athlete with a load of potential at cornerback, and senior Geoff Dewire will man the other corner after considerable time at safety last season. Head coach/defensive coordinator E.J. Mills has a lot of confidence in junior free safety Paul Miceli - a standout special teamer as a first-year who played increasingly in the secondary as a sophomore. At strong safety, veteran Jay Hutchins was the Jeffs' leading tackler with 76 takedowns last season.
On special teams, junior punter Geoff Bough returns with a wealth of confidence after punting 48 times for a 33.2-yard average as a sophomore. First-year David Bodner looks to replace the graduated Liam Fleming as the team's place kicker. On punt returns, Wright is one of the most exciting players in the nation, fielding 34 boots for 262 yards as a junior. First-year Jay Wagstaff and sophomore Fletcher Ladd are slated to split time at kick returner.
AMHERST PROBABLE STARTERS
JEFFS OFFENSE
QB #18 Jeff Browne 6-2, 200, JR
FB #44 Jeff Ryan 6-1, 219, JR
TB #27 Okey Ugwonali 5-11, 195, SR
WR #81 Derrell Wright 6-3, 215, SR
WR #3 Brian Hart 5-11, 173, JR
TE #89 Alex Popp 6-1, 240, SO
C #57 Josh Ahearn 6-1, 245, SR
LT #71 Rob Vernicek 6-6, 292, JR
RT #63 Brendan Carolan 6-5, 265, JR
LG #52 Shane Morrow 6-0, 237, SO
RG #55 Colin Renz 6-1, 240, SR
JEFFS DEFENSE
OLB #59 Gregg Stankewicz 6-0, 220, SR
OLB #41 Gene Nogi 6-0, 212, SR
ILB #6 Brian Landolfi 5-11, 202, SR
ILB #4 Dan Lalli 5-10, 210, SR
NG #53 Brad Hensley 6-0, 225, SR
DT #9 Pat McGee 6-4, 245, SR
DT #96 Pat Hayes 6-2, 215, JR
CB #82 Paul Whiting 6-1, 185, SO
CB #37 Geoff Dewire 5-10, 175, SR
FS #13 Paul Miceli 6-0, 185, JR
SS #24 Jay Hutchins 5-9, 180, SR
JEFFS SPECIALTY
PK #17 David Bodner 5-9, 160, FY
P #98 Geoff Bough 5-11, 175, JR
PR #81 Derrell Wright 6-3, 215, SR
KR #40 Fletcher Ladd 6-1, 200, SO
HOLD #2 Jim Devine 6-4, 213, SO
LS #9 Pat McGee 6-4, 245, SR
SCOUTING HAMILTON
With 19 of 22 starters returning and a new, pro-style attack installed during the preseason, first-year head coach Pete Alvanos is optimistic about his inaugural campaign at Hamilton. The Continentals return an experienced group of offensive linemen, led by seniors Ed Witchey, John Clair and Dudley Purbeck, and boast a solid pair of running backs in Chris Weeden and Elijah Huling - the team's two leading rushers last season. Hamilton's two leading receivers, senior Chris McCarthy - who posted a team-high 26 catches in 2000 - and split end Tom Bradley, are also back, while senior Mike Pellman won the quarterback job after starting six games last season. On special teams, Chris Rossi will handle the punting chores and first-year Peter Simon came out of nowhere to win the place kicking job. The defense returns mostly intact, with the exception of graduated All-NESCAC sack specialist Ron Thomas. Picking up the slack will be senior end Lewis Boyd and Harry Hristoforatos, who moves from linebacker to defensive line after stockpiling 41 tackles - including a team-best 10 for loss - in 2000. The linebacking corps could be one of the strongest in the league. Ryan Nolan and Mike Powers were starters last year and among the team's top-10 in tackles. Additionally, all four starters return in the secondary. With a change from a 4-4 defense to a 4-3, Thatcher Freeborn moves to safety from linebacker, where he had 34.5 tackles last season. Dave Spezzano is a hard-hitting free safety who finished last season fourth on the team in tackles with 39.5 and paced the club with two interceptions. Marcus Juba and Chandler Long will man the corners. Juba broke up four passes and posted 16 tackles as a sophomore, while Long switched from running back to corner last season.
HAMILTON PROBABLE STARTERS
CONTINENTAL OFFENSE
QB #11 Mike Pellman 6-1, 196, SR
FB #89 Logan Pascarella 6-0, 212, JR
TB #32 Chris Weeden 5-10, 207, SR
WR #86 Tim Berbenich 6-3, 160, SR
WR #18 Chris McCarthy 5-9, 175, SR
TE #87 Charles Gorra 6-1, 215, SO
C #55 John Clair 6-0, 240, SR
RT #60 Carlos Mercedes 6-2, 235, SO
LT #64 Mike Annunziata 6-5, 220, SR
RG #71 Ed Witchey 6-2, 280, SR
LG #74 Dudley Purbeck 6-3, 275, SR
CONTINENTAL DEFENSE
LB #4 Ryan Nolan 6-1, 225, SR
LB #2 Joe Mearn 5-7, 205, SR
LB #13 Mike Powers 6-1, 210, SR
DT #51 Sam Bowlby 6-3, 250, JR
DT #1 Harry Hristoforatos 6-0, 260, SR
DE #83 Chris Smith 6-2, 225, SO
DE #90 Lewis Boyd 6-4, 225, JR
CB #6 Chandler Long 5-9, 175, JR
CB #30 Marcus Juba 6-0, 180, JR
FS #15 David Spezzano 6-0, 180, SR
SS #10 Thatcher Freeborn 6-5, 195, SR
CONTINENTAL SPECIALTY
PK #25 Peter Simon 6-1, 185, FY
P #14 Chris Rossi 6-0, 215, JR
PR #32 Chris Weeden 5-10, 207, SR
KR #6 Chandler Long 5-9, 175, JR
AMHERST HEAD COACH E.J. MILLS
Head coach E.J. Mills took the Amherst helm in 1997 after four years as the Lord Jeffs' defensive coordinator. Four seasons and 24 wins later, he is widely recognized as one of the top head coaches in the NESCAC. As an interim coach in his inaugural season, Mills quickly shook the temporary tag with a stellar 7-1 record, an unofficial conference championship and part ownership of the coveted Little Three title. His two ensuing seasons produced consecutive 5-3 records, while last season's club went 7-1 and won the school's first outright Little Three Championship in 13 years. Mills' greatest asset could be his prowess as a defensive coordinator. Under his tutelage, the 1996 Lord Jeffs led the nation in scoring defense, allowing a miniscule 8.4 points per game. The following year, the Jeffs engineered shutouts in three of their first four outings, including a lopsided 38-0 triumph in Mills' head coaching debut. 1998 brought similar results, including a whopping 35 sacks for a total loss of 220 yards, while the 1999 Jeffs surrendered just 11.0 points per game with 63 tackles for loss. In 2000, Mills' squad led the NESCAC and finished fifth in the nation in scoring defense (8.8 pts./gm.). Mills is a graduate of the University of Dayton, where he earned a degree in history and secondary education in 1988. He later earned a master's degree in educational administration at the University of Albany.
HAMILTON HEAD COACH PETER ALVANOS
Well-traveled Hamilton head coach Peter Alvanos enters his first season at the Continental helm after a stint at Swarthmore College, where he held the reins from 1998 until Swarthmore elected to drop its football program last season. Alvanos' 14-year coaching career has also included stints at the University of Chicago, the University of Redlands (CA), the United States Naval Academy, the University of Louisville and Lehigh University. Alvanos holds an undergraduate degree in communications from Drexel University and a master's degree in physical education from the University of Louisville.
THE SERIES
Amherst holds an 18-1 series edge over the Continentals, winning the last four meetings dating back to 1993. Hamilton's lone series win came in 1992 in a 41-0 shellacking in Clinton, NY. The two rivals first locked horns in 1920, with Amherst setting the stage for decades of dominance with a 30-7 landslide victory. The Jeffs have shut the Continentals out 11 times, including eight of the first 10 meetings and a 30-0 blowout win at home to open last season.
LAST MEETING
Senior quarterback Peter Honig connected with wide receiver Derrell Wright for three touchdown passes while a stingy Amherst defense held Hamilton College to just 120 yards of total offense as the Jeffs pounded the Continentals 30-0 in the 2000 season-opener. Honig set the tone on the Jeffs first possession, capping a seven-play, 55-yard drive with an 11-yard touchdown strike to a streaking Wright in the back left corner of the end zone. Senior place kicker Liam Fleming then drilled a career-long 32-yard field goal to extend the lead, followed by two more scoring strikes from Honig to Wright and a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown by senior safety Dave Frankel that capped the scoring in the fourth quarter. Honig finished 16-for-29 with 240 yards passing and three touchdowns for his second career 200-yard passing day, while Wright torched Hamilton for nine catches and 151 yards receiving to go along with 48 punt return yards. Amherst running backs Kevin Kennard and Okey Ugwonali added 57 and 51 yards rushing, respectively. Defensively, strong safety Jay Hutchins led the Jeffs with 10 tackles, including five unassisted, while Dan Lalli, Ted Hollo and Pat McGee each added six takedowns.
AMHERST LAST TIME OUT
Senior Amherst tri-captain Brian Daoust picked off three passes from Williams College rookie quarterback Jake Moore as the Jeffs defeated archrival Williams for the first time since 1986, rallying from a 9-0 halftime deficit to earn a 20-12 win and their first outright Little III title in 14 years. Daoust led a quintet of exceptional performances by Amherst players, including junior linebacker Dan Lalli's 15 tackles, 100-yard receiving games from wide receivers Matt Hall and Derrell Wright, and a 100-yard rushing day for junior tailback Okey Ugwonali. With the win, the Jeffs finished the 2000 season with a 7-1 record as the outright champions of the Little Three, thanks to the win over Williams and a 9-7 win at Wesleyan on October 21. The squad also assured itself a three-way share of the unofficial NESCAC conference title, along with 7-1 Colby College and 7-1 Middlebury.
HAMILTON LAST TIME OUT
Hamilton closed the 2000 season with a decisive 17-2 road win at Bates College, finishing with a 2-6 overall record, one game better than Bates' final mark of 1-7. The defense set the tone in the first quarter when junior linebacker Gavin Fitts scooped up a blocked punt in the end zone for an early 7-0 lead. Bates' defense rebounded with a safety early in the second quarter, but Hamilton's Greg Bemis answered with a 40-yard field goal six minutes later to extend the lead to 10-2. It was all Hamilton from there as junior running back Chris Weeden set the final score at 17-2 with a four-yard touchdown run with 3:09 remaining in the second quarter. The second half turned out to be a 0-0 stalemate with neither team able to move the ball. Weeden paced the Continental attack with 165 yards rushing on 35 attempts, while first-year running back Elijah Huling added 71 yards on 15 carries. Ironically, Bates outgained Hamilton 230 yards to 211 and held the Continental passing game to just 31 yards, but the Bobcats couldn't get it done offensively, coughing up a pair of fumbles and hoisting two interceptions in the loss.
AMHERST RETURNING STATISTICAL LEADERS
PASSING...
Jeff Browne (2-for-4/35 yds./0 int./0 TD)
RUSHING...
Okey Ugwonali (164 carries/833 yds./6 TD)
Kevin Kennard (89 carries/382 yds./3 TD)
RECEIVING...
Derrell Wright (39 rec./640 yds./7 TD)
SPECIAL TEAMS...
Derrell Wright (34 punt returns/7.7 yd. avg)
HAMILTON RETURNING STATISTICAL LEADERS
PASSING...
Mike Pellman (55-for-126/468 yds./9 int./0 TD)
RUSHING...
Chris Weeden (108 carries/443 yds./1 TD)
Elijah Huling (84 carries/295 yds./1 TD)
RECEIVING...
Chris McCarthy (26 rec./148 yds./0 TD)
SPECIAL TEAMS...
Chris Weeden (5 kick returns/84 yds.)
2000 TEAM STATISTICAL COMPARISONS
AMHERST (2000):
Rushing Yards/Per Game....1,355 yds./169.4 avg.
Passing Yards/Per Game....1,286 yds./160.8 avg.
Total Offense/Per Game....2,641 yds./330.1 avg.
Total Points/Per Game....158 pts./19.8 avg.
Rushing Allowed/Per Game....694 yds./86.8 avg.
Passing Allowed/Per Game....1,171 yds./146.4 avg.
Total Offense Allowed/Per Game....1,865 yds./233.1 avg.
Total Points Allowed/Per Game....70 pts./8.8 avg.
