2006 Kansas Wesleyan Football Season Outlook
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Darell Grames, Ernest Ballenger and Marcus Lowe highlight the offensive returners, and Eric Williams, Colten Campbell and Robert Javadian highlight the Coyote defensive returners, as the Coyotes look to make a run at the 2006 KCAC Championship.

Offensive Outlook - 8 returning starters

The Coyotes return all starters at the skill positions. Grames (6-0, 215, Sr., RB, Red Bluff, Calif. / Shasta JC) anchors the backfield. Grames led the NAIA in rushing yards per game at 162.8, and finished just short of NAIA Hall of Famer Charles Jessamy’s long standing single season rushing record at KWU. Grames went on to earn several post-season accolades. Dallas is also optimistic on newcomer DeChad Ward. Ward (5-11, 215, Jr., RB, St. Rose, La. / West Hills JC) transferred in last spring and went through spring workouts with the Coyotes in April.

“Having Grames back is a good start,” Dallas said. “Adding some DeChad Ward to that I think strengthens that backfield set, and you have a returning fullback in Eric Ritzman (6-0, 200, Sr., RB, Shawnee Mission, Kan. / Shawnee Mission West), who played quite a bit last year.

The receiving corps remains the same as a year ago, and has had an additional year to get used to receiving balls from Alexis. Marcus Lowe (6-2, 185, Jr., WR, Orlando, Fla. / Graceland), Ernest Ballenger (6-5, 200, Sr., WR, Spring Valley, Calif. / Southwestern JC), Andy Bean (6-3, 190, So., WR, Dalhart, Texas / Dalhart), and Jarod Fronce (5-10, 180, So., WR, Ollsburg, Kan. / Blue Valley) should all see considerable action.

“I have been really impressed with the development of Jarod Fronce in the offseason,” Dallas said. “He will be an asset to our team this season in the receiving ranks.”

Dallas says that the addition of Michael Donald (6-1, 170, Jr., WR, Kansas City, Kan. / Coffeyville CC) will improve the receivers, but he looks to Lowe, Ballenger, Bean and Fronce for additional leadership.

“Andy (Bean) and Fronce are two excellent young receivers, along with our seniors Marcus Lowe and Ernest Ballenger, and the addition of Michael Donald at semester, we should be very good at the receiver position this year,” Dallas said.

Dallas’ biggest concern is the rebuilding of the offensive line, where the Coyotes lost three starters to graduation from last year’s team. Dallas does feel that the mix of new players coming in will help.

“Our biggest rebuilding process is going to be up front on our offensive line,” he said. “We were able to bring in some transfers at semester, and have an idea of who will fill in there.”

Dallas said that two starters, Dustin Pugh (6-4, 270, Jr., OL, Grapeland, Texas / Blinn JC) and Russell Simon (6-4, 300, Sr., OL, Redding, Calif. / Shasta JC), will return on the line, and that junior college transfers Matt Fulton (6-3, 300, Jr., OL, Ridgecrest, Calif. / Victor Valley CC), Aaron Gay (6-0, 295, Jr., OL, Pago Pago, American Samoa / Cabrillo College), and Geoff Drake (6-0, 280, Jr., OL, Red Bluff, Calif. / Mendocino CC) , who came in for the spring semester are front runners for the starting positions.

The Coyotes also return a three-year starter at the tight end position in Drew Phillips (6-3, 235, Sr., TE, Houston, Texas / Woodlands), who should see more action with the ball this season. Phillips will compete with junior college transfer Cameron Barton (6-4, 245, Jr., TE, Pittsburg, Calif. / Diablo Valley CC) for playing time.

Defensive Outlook – 7 returning starters

Experience will play a big key for the Coyote defense, especially up front, where the Coyotes were young and inexperienced last season.

“We were very young up front last season on the defensive side of the ball,” Dallas said. “But I feel very good about those guys this season. We will definitely be better at those positions. We have Eric Williams (6-3, 275, Sr., DL, Red Bluff, Calif. / Shasta JC) up there who was Honorable Mention All-America last year, and I feel that we will be solid there.”

At the linebacker position, the Coyotes will have to fill the void left by Scott L’Ecuyer, but have two returning starters at linebacker who will fill in nicely. Colten Campbell (6-1, 205, Jr., LB, Amarillo, Texas / Amarillo) and Mike Holst (6-1, 215, Sr., LB, Stockton, Calif. / Delta CC) return from last year.

“Colten and Mike saw a lot of action last year, but the Coyote position is where we have to fill a hole,” Dallas said.

Dallas feels that returner Brandon McGinn (6-4, 205, Sr., LB, Humble, Texas / Humble) or Matt Meyer (5-11, 205, Jr., LB, Assaria, Kan. / Coffeyville CC), a spring semester transfer will compete for time at the Coyote linebacker position, and are good fits there.

The biggest hole the Coyotes have is in the defensive backfield, where Wesleyan struggled last season. The Coyotes do return Robert Javadian (5-11, 205, Sr., DB, Cleveland, Texas / Blinn JC) at the safety position, who saw considerable playing time last year, but the other positions are up in the air as the Coyotes head into practice in late August.

“We are going to have to look for key people that will do a good job,” Dallas said. “It’s going to be a new group back there.”

Special Teams Outlook – 2 returning starters

The Coyotes return starting place kicker Gary Trione (5-11, 200, Sr., K, Mulvane, Kan. / Hutchinson CC) on the special teams and long snapper Andrew Stroud. Senior Salvador Arceo will compete for kicking duties, and Dallas is looking towards freshman Michael Berry at the punter position, replacing Justin Davis, who graduated last spring.

Stroud (6-2, 240, Jr., DL, Glenpool, Okla. / Glenpool) will compete with freshman Patrick Shelton (6-3, 210, Fr., LB, Palm Harbor, Fla. / Palm Harbor University HS) for the long snap duties this season.