Freep.com scouts the GLIAC North

Perry A. Farrell from the Detroit Free Press breaks down the GLIAC with this quick synapsis.

Hillsdale
2012 record: 7-4, 7-3.
Key players: Senior OL Tim Hornak, senior OL Nick Landry, senior WR Andrew Mott, junior TE Mike Carter, senior LB Steven Embry.
Keep an eye on: Quarterback Sam Landry is a left-hander who takes over the position. He’s hard to bring down and has a great arm.
Overview: Hillsdale was one of four teams to share the North title and look to be in the hunt with nine of 11 starters returning on defense, including the front seven.

Take a look at what he has to say about the rest of the Michigan schools. 

Three GLIAC Teams appear in pre-season coaches poll

The first D2 coaches poll is out and three GLIAC teams are listed. Hillsdale starts the season unranked but received a number of votes.

9. Ashland
14. Grand Valley
22. Saginaw Valley

Take a look at the full poll and see if you notice the same thing I do. It seems that the coaches based this year's rankings heavily upon last year's records. That doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense in that college teams by nature see a lot of turnover. Also, it's the nature of D2 for coaches in one region to not know a whole lot about teams outside of their immediate region or conference.

Polls are an engrained part of following football. It would be nice to see Hillsdale get some recognition beyond a few votes, but in the end D2 football is about making the playoffs and coaches polls don't have any bearing on that selection process.

Seven questions with #7 Hillsdale QB Sam Landry

Senior quarterback Sam Landry takes the reins as Hillsdale College enters the 2013 football season. Here is a chance to get to know Sam a little better in his own words.

Fans worry every time a senior graduates. What do you bring to the quarterback position to reassure fans that the offense will be in good hands now that Anthony has departed? 
Anthony was a great quarterback and it is always tough to follow someone who had the success that he had on the field. I am lucky to have been able to work with him for the past two years. I have been working hard this offseason through film study and on the field so that the transition from Anthony to me can be as smooth as possible. I am lucky to have an experienced receiving corps that is essentially the exact same receiving corps from last year and an experienced offensive line to protect me in the pocket. With all of these pieces, our offense (specifically our passing game) should be able to pick up right where it left off.

What did you learn from him that has prepared you to take over? 
I have been able to watch film of Anthony from the past two years and been able to learn from him in a lot of ways, but the thing that I have learned from Anthony the most is just to enjoy the ride. It is easy to get caught up in the season, but it is important to enjoy every second of it. He has been a great person to talk to throughout the offseason and I will definitely be able to talk to him throughout the season if I need anything.

What can you say to fans worried about Joe The Show graduating? 
Replacing “Joe the Show” is obviously not easy. Isaac Spence has done a great job through the years of being ready when called upon and really showed just a glimpse of what he can do last season in the playing time he had. I know he is excited to show everyone how hard he has been working. We have a lot of talent in our backfield, Bennett Lewis is a young guy who we are excited to see prove himself… Alex Koski and Wade Wood also provide us with great depth at the position. Like I said, Joe was a special player and will be hard to replace, but we’ve got talent at the position.

One of Hillsdale's obvious strengths is the defense returning. How does playing against those guys everyday make you better?
We’ve got a great defense coming back this season. Playing against those guys has helped me tremendously. Because they are so “good” at defending our routes, it forces me to throw into much tighter windows than I will in a game. Yes, it is extremely frustrating playing against them at times. They know our plays, the snap count, some of them probably even know some of the signals… It gets frustrating; but, if you ask them, I’m sure they will say that the offense holds every play so it is even. 


What has it meant to play with your brother Nick who is an offensive lineman at Hillsdale?
I’m so blessed to have been able to play with Nick as long as I have. My relationship with him has become much stronger at Hillsdale. I know it makes my parents happy that we play at the same school. My freshman year with me playing at Kalamazoo College and Nick at Hillsdale was definitely a hardship for my parents trying to make the both of us happy. 

How much do you worry that if you tick off your brother he just might happen to miss a block sort of on purpose? 
We used to joke about it in high school until he “accidentally” let in former MSU Spartan and current Tampa Bay Buccaneer Will Gholston untouched on my first high school pass. I was on the ground for about 5 minutes before being able to get off the field. Needless to say mother prefers we don’t joke about it anymore.

Best thing about being a Charger is...... definitely the brotherhood of being a Hillsdale Football player. It starts in the locker room with the current players. We are truly a family. Those will be some of the best memories at Hillsdale. It goes further than that though. I’m lucky to have met guys like Troy Weatherhead who has helped me a great deal through the past couple of years or even Aaron Waldie who I never even went to school with. Any time I’ve been able to meet football alumni it has been easy to develop a relationship with them and continue to keep in contact with them. I am really blessed to be apart of a brotherhood like this one.

Hillsdale Football looks for 7th straight winning season

As Hillsdale College enters the 2013 football season, the Chargers will be looking for their seventh straight winning season. Their current streak of six is the longest streak since the 1980 to 1986 teams posted seven straight. The longest streak in school history came under Muddy Waters as his 1953 to 1965 teams posted thirteen in a row. Hillsdale will report to camp Thursday August 15th and will open the season at home on Saturday September 7 against California University of Pennsylvania.

Catch a glimpse of some new Chargers at MHSFCA All Star Game

Fenton's Nick Chappel

Three members of Hillsdale College's incoming class of freshmen football players will be in action Saturday at Grand Valley's Lubbers Stadium. They won't be playing the Lakers but instead will participate in the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association All Star Game.

Game time is 2:00 PM. Tickets are $10. Fox Sports Detroit will carry the game live.

West Roster
Nick Chappel - OL - Fenton
Zach VanOrman - OL - Hillsdale

East Roster
John Terry - Tecumseh

Jared Veldheer and Alyssa Dehaan team up for youth camp

Oakland Raider Jared Veldheer and former Michigan State basketball star Alyssa Dehaan will team up on June 19th for the Metro Health "Keeping the Beat" youth camp.

Boys entering grades 5 to 8 can participate in a football camp led by Veldheer while girls in the same grades can learn basketball skills from Dehaan.

The camp is from 6-8PM at Forest Hills Northern High School in Grand Rapids.

Details and Registration

Charger Golf Outing Next Monday

Golf Outing Scheduled for June 17

HillsdaleChargers.com

Golf Outing Brochure

March 20, 2013 - Mark your calendars for Monday, June 17 for the Jack Barker Memorial Hillsdale Charger Football Golf Outing. The event will be hosted by the Arbor Hills Golf Club in Jackson, Michigan.

Registration will open at 11 a.m., with a shotgun start set for noon. Dinner will be served and raffle prizes will be available.

Click on the link at the top of this page to access the brochure.