2009 Big South Football Preview: Stony Brook
The Big South Conference continues its daily previews leading up to the 2009 football season opener. Today: Stony Brook, which finished tied for second in its first year in the Big South in 2008, and is predicted as this year's runner-up.
Fresh off its first season as a member of the Big South Conference, the Stony Brook University football program gained a lot of experience during its first foray into the midst of a battle for a conference championship and the Seawolves plan on using that experience in 2009 as it aims for the top of the Big South standings.
Stony Brook does not have far to go, as a strong finish to the 2008 season left the Seawolves in a tie for second-place in the final Big South standings. Going into his fourth season with the program, Head Coach Chuck Priore has the tools at his disposal to shape the Stony Brook program into a contender again in the Big South. While the team lost a large senior class, the Seawolves return seven offensive and eight defensive starters from 2008 that will give the Seawolves a solid foundation to build on.
Offensively, Stony Brook will return an offense that is capable of putting big numbers up on the scoreboard. The attack will feature a ground game that ranked ninth in the nation in 2008, churning out nearly 230 yards per game and producing the nation's only 1,000-yard rushing tandem. That tandem, sophomore Edwin Gowins and senior Conte Cuttino, return to the Seawolves backfield for 2009 and are primed for another spectacular season that will set the tone for a potentially powerful attack. Cuttino earned All-Big South honors after breaking the school career rushing mark last year, while Gowins was named the National Freshman of the Year by the College Sporting News as well as the Big South Freshman of the Year after breaking the school single-season rushing mark.
A switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3 scheme will be the major change on a defensive unit that returns virtually its entire linebacker and defensive backfield units. A pair of All-Big South selections, linebacker Tyler Santucci and cornerback Chris Richards, will lead the unit as it makes its transition.
"The 2009 team has a good mixture of kids that have had playing time and been with the program for four years with our coaching staff," remarked Priore. "We have a good group of incoming players and it will also be our first year with the full complement of scholarships which will give us better depth. We did graduate a lot of contributors to the program, but with the results of our spring practice and what we do in fall camp we will be able to fill those voids.
"I am excited about the opportunity to work with this group. I see this as a hard working team that can reach its goals through its work ethic and commitment to success."
RUNNING BACK
Without question the focus of opposing teams in 2009 will be on the potent Stony Brook running game. The Seawolves will feature not one, but two returning 1,000-yard rushers; giving Stony Brook the best returning running back duo in the nation at the FCS level. In fact, senior Conte Cuttino and sophomore Ed Gowins were the only two backs from the same team to rush for over 1,000 yards in 2008.
Cuttino had his finest season to date in 2008, running for a career-high 1,195 yards while scoring seven touchdowns. A second team All-Big South selection, he is already Stony Brook's all-time leader in rushing and is poised to have another standout season for the Seawolves in 2009. A durable back, he started every game in 2008 and averaged nearly 20 carries per game. He possesses the speed to get around the corner and streak up the sideline as well as the strength to punch through interior holes. Last season he also added another dimension to his game, catching a career best 11 passes out of the backfield.
Gowins will again provide a contrast to Cuttino in the backfield with his power running style. His powerful running last season made it nearly impossible for opponents to bring him down for a loss - he lost just 16 yards in 140 attempts - and combined with his burst of speed thru the line resulted in a school record 1,310 yards and 11 scores. Not only did his rushing total set a school record, it led all freshmen in all of Division I at both the FCS and FBS levels.
Behind Stony Brook's impressive 1-2 combo, junior Rock Contardi has the most experience at the position on the team, with 36 carries over his first two seasons with the Seawolves. Beyond that SBU will be young, with a group of freshman on the roster providing the depth on the team.
"Running back will again be the strength of our team," observed Priore. "Certainly we have a 1-2 punch with Conte Cuttino and Eddie Gowins that had a lot of success last season. Losing parts of the offensive line will hurt us a bit, but those two kids are quality players that should be recognized nationally and they will be who we build our offense around."
QUARTERBACK
Quarterback was a question mark going into last season, with no experienced players returning for the Seawolves. The experience level will be improved in 2009 with the return of last season's starter, sophomore Dayne Hoffman, but he is the only player on the roster with significant game experience. Despite the lack of experience, the position will be deeper than it was a year ago, providing Stony Brook with more options at the position.
As a redshirt freshman last season, Hoffman stepped in as the starter in the first game and stayed there all season. Gaining experience and confidence as the season wore on, Hoffman finished with a respectable 1,636 yards and 11 scores through the air. Hitting his stride once conference play started, Hoffman completed over 53 percent of his passes in Big South games and threw for seven scores vs. just three interceptions.
While they have not played a down at Stony Brook, the Seawolves have two other quarterbacks from the JC ranks that bring game experience and solid credentials to the position. Sophomore Michael Coulter has been with the team since January after playing last season at Santa Ana College in California where he threw for over 1,600 yards and 10 scores. Junior Matt Dardenne redshirted last season for SBU and now has a year and a half of experience with the system under his belt. A two-year starter at Laney College in California, he threw for over 5,000 yards and 50 TDs in his two years there.
Also returning for his senior season is Dan Sweeney who was Hoffman's backup in 2008. He threw for a career-high 110 yards, completing 14 of his 22 attempts.
"We are fortunate to have the players that we do at quarterback," said Priore. "Dayne Hoffman had a very good first year playing for us and we need him to take the next step forward this season. We still have Dan Sweeney who is a fifth-year player that has been a great backup and provides a lot of leadership at the position. We have Matt Dardenne, who redshirted last season after coming in from the JC ranks, and we added Mike Coulter from junior college as well. I think that there is keen competition among our quarterbacks and it should make for an exciting preseason."
RECEIVERS
If there is an area where new faces will be prominent for the Stony Brook offense it will be at wide receiver where the team lost its top three players in terms of catches and yardage. There are a number of candidates waiting to step up in 2009, but it will be an inexperienced group that starts the season for the Seawolves.
Senior Stephan Towns looks to be the top candidate for one of the wide out slots. He played in six games in 2008 but made just one catch during the season. His speed has impressed in off-season drills, however, and he is expected to make a contribution in 2009 after grabbing six passes, two for scores, in the spring game.
Junior Donald Porter has turned into one of Stony Brook's top return specialists during his first two seasons at SBU and enters 2009 as the top returning receiver in terms of catches with 11 to his credit a year ago. Senior Adrian Sawyer had a solid first year for the Seawolves last season playing as a tight end, making 10 catches including the game-winner against Charleston Southern. He will move to the outside in 2009 where his size could play a factor against smaller defensive backs.
Junior Michael Lepore made seven catches in a reserve role in 2008 while also serving as the team's primary holder on field goals and extra points and is a candidate for more time at a receiver position. Junior Cameron Hall comes to Stony Brook from the West Coast JC ranks where he hauled in 51 passes last season, making him one of the most experienced receivers on the team in terms of game time. Jordan Gush redshirted his first season at Stony Brook and is ready to step in after taking last season to learn the offense.
"We graduated the two guys who have led us in receiving over the last three years, but we came out of spring ball very pleased where we are at receiver," said Priore. "Stephan Towns came out of the spring as our leading receiver. DJ Porter, Mike Lepore and Jordan Gush all stepped up and had great springs as well. We also have Cameron Hall coming in from junior college as well as newcomers Matt Brevi and Myles Campbell who will all add to the mix to give us good balance and experience."
TIGHT ENDS
While the wide-out corps is relatively inexperienced, Stony Brook's tight ends are an experienced group, with a trio of solid seniors returning to the squad.
Senior Chris Tyler started at tight end last season and averaged 11 yards per catch for the Seawolves. Senior Melaquan Saffold, who also fills the role of lead blocker for the running game, has regularly slipped out of the backfield during his career, making 15 catches and scoring three touchdowns. Senior Bo Cassel was solid in his first season at Stony Brook, playing in 10 games and bringing in five catches and leading the group with 75 total yards.
Sophomore Brett Arce and redshirt freshman David Shukri will provide depth at the position for the Seawolves. Arce has one season of junior college experience under his belt while Shukri redshirted last season as he gained a year of experience in the program.
"The tight end position will be another strength of our team," remarked Priore. "Chris Tyler and Melaquan Saffold are four-year players that bring a lot of experience, and Bo Cassel coming off his first year in our program gives us a number of options. We also brought in Brett Arce to the mix from the junior college ranks, so it will be a strong position for us. We need and use a lot of tight ends; their ability to contribute on both the blocking side and receiving side will be very important to our success."
OFFENSIVE LINE
A strength of the team a year ago, the Stony Brook offensive line should again be a solid unit for the Seawolves. The unit will have to replace the left guard and tackle positions where a pair of three-year starters graduated, but the remainder of the group returns for 2009 and will provide a strong base to build from. In 2008 the offensive front cleared the way for a ground game that ranked No. 9 in the nation while ranking among the top-40 in sacks allowed. With a blend of experience and talent the offensive front should be solid again in 2009.
The right side of the line will be the most experienced, with seniors Jeff Santos and Chris Pugliese returning after starting all of last season at tackle and guard respectively. Both have played extensively for the past two seasons, with the duo combining to start every game but one last season and seeing action in every game but two over the past two seasons.
Winning the starting job at center midway through his freshman season, Paul Fenaroli returns to the position in 2009 as the most experienced lineman in terms of starts for Stony Brook. He has started 16 straight games for the Seawolves at center, the longest starting streak on offense for the squad.
A trio of players, senior Markell Watson, junior Emmett Phillips and sophomore Mario Dattilo have all been with the program for at least two years and will have their names in the mix for larger roles this season.
One spot to look to when searching for potential starters comes from a group of five players who come to Stony Brook with previous experience at other schools. Senior Danny Muy played last year at Stony Brook, getting into four games last season after transferring in from Florida International. Juniors Brian Crew and Phillip Vournazos come to the Seawolves from the California junior college ranks where both were all-conference selections and joined the team in January. Sophomore Joe Faiella will also add his name to the mix after transferring in from Maryland.
"This is an area that is a concern for us after graduating two, three-year starters from the left side of the line," said Priore. "We do have our starting center, Paul Fenaroli, coming back as well as our right guard, Chris Pugliese, and right tackle, Jeff Santos. Going through spring ball the left guard and tackle positions were up for grabs. Markell Watson and Emmett Phillips are competing for those positions along with Danny Muy. We also have some transfers and newcomers in the program that we will be taking a look at as well."
DEFENSIVE LINE
As experienced as the defensive line was going into last season, the front of the Stony Brook defense will be the least experienced part of the unit going into the 2009 season. That is not to say that there is no talent available, but the unit will be young and inexperienced after the group lost all of its starters from last season to graduation.
One player that returns with some experience is sophomore Ryan Haber. After redshirting his freshman season, Haber made his debut last year and saw action in eight games. He showed a knack for making big plays, finishing among the team leaders in tackles for loss, with his total yardage lost on those stops ranking fourth on the squad. Another player with experience is senior Josh Auerbach. After spending the latter half of the 2008 season as a blocking back on offense, he will move back to the defensive side of the ball where he has played in 18 games during his career.
While he has yet to play a down at Stony Brook, senior Chris Perri should emerge as one of the stalwarts of the line. He brings Big 12 playing experience to the line after transferring from Colorado where he was a regular for the Buffalos during the 2007 season After sitting out last season after transferring from Colorado, . Another transfer that could help right away is senior Ryan Sollazzo. He comes to the Seawolves from the program at Florida Atlantic where he appeared in 10 games over two seasons.
A pair to watch for after strong spring seasons are sophomore Michael Marino and junior Frank Conti. Marino sat out last season after transferring from Southern Connecticut State and is a Long Island native, earning All-Suffolk County honors at Longwood High School. Conti is another local product that spent the past two seasons at nearby Nassau Community College where he lettered twice.
Immediate help from the JC ranks should come in the person of Joseph Kirkpatrick. An all-conference selection at Trinity Valley CC in Texas, he could step into a significant role right away. Two other first-year players could also play big roles on the Stony Brook defensive line. Sophomore Alex Probasco has not played football in two years, but brings first team all-state credentials with him from California where he made 85 solo tackles as a senior in high school. True freshmen Elias Martinez and Julio Geronimo could also play a role right away after strong high school careers in California and New Jersey respectively.
"This is probably my biggest concern going into the preseason," remarked Priore. "It is certainly not for lack of talent, but for a lack of experience. That being said, we have two of the best defensive linemen that I have had since I have been at Stony Brook in Ryan Haber and Chris Perri. Both of them will be very successful in the new defensive scheme as well as provide leadership on the field. We need to build depth with a couple of transfers, our returning players and our freshman class."
LINEBACKER
Inexperience will not be a problem at linebacker for Stony Brook in 2009 as the Seawolves return all of their starters from last season and then some; a total of five letterwinners altogether. Together the group accounted for well over 200 tackles and 16.5 tackles for loss.
Senior Tyler Santucci earned All-Big South recognition last year during his first tour of duty in the conference and led Stony Brook in tackles with 79 while also breaking up a team-high five pass attempts. A high intensity player who has a nose for getting to the football, he has played in every game in his career but one and will serve as one of the Seawolves' captains in 2009.
Senior Carl Teague made an impact in his first season at Stony Brook after transferring to the Seawolves from Connecticut. Holding down a starting position on the outside, he finished third on the team in tackles and was also among the team leaders in tackles for loss and sacks.
A third senior in the linebacking corps is Julian Glenn. Earning a starting spot for the first time in his career in 2008, he responded by starting every game and coming up with career-highs in every category.
A pair of juniors are also in the mix at linebacker, making the position a very deep and experienced one for Stony Brook. Steven Schwicke was one of the starters in the 3-4 scheme employed a year ago and proved to be a solid force in the middle where he finished second on the team with 60 stops, a career-high. Chevar Rankins has been hampered by injuries the past two seasons, limiting him to just five games over that time. Back to full health, he made 50 tackles as a true freshman when he started every game for the Seawolves. His return will be an added plus to the unit as it transitions to the 4-3 in 2009.
One name to watch for in the ranks of newcomers to the team in 2009 at linebacker is that of Craig Richardson. Like Gowins and Hoffman from the SBU offense, Richardson is a product of the Bridgton Academy program in Maine. A native of Massachusetts, he has been with the Stony Brook program since January and made a strong impression during spring practice.
"Linebacker is one of our deeper positions," said Priore. "Running a 3-4 in the past has given us more linebackers in the program, so it is a deeper position for us. Tyler Santucci is a three-year starter and Steven Schwicke and Julian Glenn are proven performers for us. We have Chevar Rankins coming back from knee surgery along with players like Carl Teague that give us great depth and the opportunity to keep fresh people on the field."
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Like it was a year ago, the Stony Brook defensive backfield is a talented and deep group that should prove to be among the best units in the Big South Conference. All four starters return from 2008, as well as three other letterwinners that will make the group one of the most experienced in the league.
Senior Cory Giddings has been a key part of the Stony Brook defensive backfield since his freshman season, starting all but three games since he arrived on the SBU campus. One of those players who seems to be able to come up with the big play when needed, his five career interceptions lead the team as do his three defensive touchdowns scored. A versatile player for the Seawolves, he can play at either the corner or safety positions.
Fellow senior Chris Richards picked off a pair of passes in his first game at Stony Brook a year ago and went on to become an All-Big South selection at cornerback. An athletic player that is capable of locking down a receiver, he is also a sure-handed tackler that lets few opponents through his grasp. Moving up from his corner position a year ago he was among the team leaders with 32 solo tackles.
Moving into a starting role after a season-ending injury to one of Stony Brook's safeties, junior Arin West proved to be a valuable addition to the defense and finished the season leading all defensive backs with 58 tackles. With that year of experience he will be a key player in the middle of the Stony Brook defense in 2009.
Senior Benjamin Clements is also a versatile player in the defensive backfield and gives the team an option at either corner or a safety position. A regular for the past two seasons for SBU, he has been among the leaders in the defensive backfield in tackles in each of those two seasons. Sophomore Corey Stringer is also ready to step in and contribute after missing last season with an injury.
Senior Dayton Guillory started the season primarily as a special teams player in his first season at SBU, but saw more playing time at a corner position as the season progressed and he gained experience in the Seawolves' system. With that experience under his belt he will give SBU some valuable depth at corner. Among the safeties, redshirt freshman Dominick Reyes had a strong spring season and appears ready to make a contribution in 2009 after spending last year learning the SBU defensive system.
Senior Luis Altamiranda made the switch to defensive back a year ago from offense and was a strong contributor on special teams for the Seawolves. With his experience from a year ago he will provide depth for SBU while still playing a role with the special teams units.
A promising group of new faces will bolster the defensive backfield in 2009 for Stony Brook. Highlighting the group are two talented players who are expected to challenge for playing time right away. Justin Blake and Taj Johnson bring all-state credentials with them from New Jersey and California after standout prep careers that saw Blake pick off three passes as a senior and Johnson coming up with a pair of interceptions in his final season. A two-time all-conference selection, A.J. Valentine, also from New Jersey, will add valuable depth to the position.
"Our secondary is one of the stronger positions on our team," said Priore. "We bring back some quality players like Cory Giddings who has been a four-year player for us, and Arin West and Chris Richards, both of whom have two years of experience with us. We also have a lot of depth with players like Corey Stringer, Dominick Reyes, Benji Clements and Dayton Guillory. We are in a passing league and our secondary is strong and should be able to compete against those passing attacks with the talent and depth that we have."
SPECIAL TEAMS
After graduating Luke Gaddis, one of Stony Brook's all-time leading kick scorers, the Seawolves kicking game will be up for grabs in 2009 and will be one of the battles to watch in fall practice.
Redshirt freshman Wesley Skiffington and true freshman Drew Evangelista are the two candidates for the place-kicking chores. Evangelista was a three-time all-conference kicker in New Jersey while Skiffington was a four-time letterwinner in Florida where he kicked four field goals as a senior. Helping with his experience from a year ago will be sophomore Michael Lepore who will continue in his role as the starting holder for the Seawolves.
Sophomore Josh Gibson and redshirt freshman Matt Luby are expected to battle it out for the punting chores in 2009.
Stony Brook's return game should be solid, with all of the team's primary returners back from a year ago. Donald Porter is already one of Stony Brook's all-time leaders in kick return yards and has a chance to become just the third player to reach the 1,000-yard mark in 2009. Conte Cuttino is listed among the all-time kick returners as well and will join Porter as one of the primary options in this area.
Guillory led Stony Brook with 10 punt return attempts in 2008 and is expected to be one of the top returners again along with Jordan Gush, who returned a punt and two kickoffs for scores as a senior in high school.
"Our kicking game is another area that we will be addressing in the fall," said Priore. "We will be better on our coverage teams because of our improved overall depth on the team. We have two scholarship players and two walk-ons competing for our kicking positions that will make this another interesting area in preseason."
SCHEDULE
Stony Brook's schedule in 2009 will be challenging once again, with a quirk in the process resulting in just four home games for the Seawolves. The home opener will mark the first-ever appearance by an Ivy League school in LaValle Stadium when Brown will take on SBU on September 19. Stony Brook opens the season at Long Island rival Hofstra on September 5 before traveling to Colgate, an FCS playoff team in 2008, on September 12. The Seawolves will also take their longest trip since 2000 when it travels to North Dakota for a game on October 10. The Seawolves will also host Big South games against Presbyterian, Coastal Carolina and Liberty, the defending conference champion.
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2009 Big South Football Previews
Aug. 26 - Presbyterian
Aug. 27 - VMI
Aug. 28 - Charleston Southern
Aug. 31 - Gardner-Webb
Sept. 1 - Coastal Carolina
Sept. 2 - Stony Brook
Sept. 3 - Liberty