Hillsdale College Release: FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Chargers open 2008 season with non-league home game vs. St. Joseph's College

FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Chargers open 2008 season with non-league home game vs. St. Joseph's College

Hillsdale College Release

Teams meet for first time since Sept. 16, 1995
August 26, 2008 - A highly anticipated college football season kicks off in Hillsdale Saturday afternoon, as the Hillsdale College Chargers host the St. Joseph's College Pumas in the opening game of the 2008 season.

For the second year in a row, the Chargers open a season at home, and this is a season many Charger fans are excited about. In 2007, Hillsdale put together its finest season this decade, going 8-3 while shattering many offensive school records in the process.

But 2007 is history, and the group of players making up the 2008 roster are determined to keep Hillsdale near the top of the GLIAC standings. They take their first step towards that end Saturday.

This marks the first meeting between Hillsdale and St. Joseph's College since Sept. 16, 1995. The teams met each season from 1990-1995, when both were mebers of the short-lived Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIFC). The MIFC formed when the GLIAC dropped football as a conference after the 1989 season. The GLIAC re-formed as a football conference starting with the 1996 campaign.

Hillsdale is 6-2 all-time vs. St. Joseph's, and the two teams split their most recent two meetings. The Pumas edged the Chargers 29-27 in 1994. One year later, Hillsdale exacted revenge in the form of a 49-0 victory.

This year's Charger squad is deep, fast and experienced, with 15 starters returning from last year's successful group. One player who will be making his first collegiate start Saturday is sophomore quarterback Troy Weatherhead.

Armed with a strong throwing arm and two years' worth of knowledge of the Charger system, Weatherhead comes into this season very well prepared to guide a Hillsdale offense that has plenty of experience around him.

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D2football.com Names Veldheer, Korte, Patillo All-Americans

The Division II football publication I respect the most, and no it is not because they publish my stuff once in a while, has tabbed Hillsdale OT Jared Veldheer and LB Tom Korte as first-team preseason All-Americans.

Charger tight end Matt Patillo was named to the second team offense.

Full team online here.

D2football.com: First Look at the Pumas

Dave Blykowski is D2football.com's Independent school columnist and offers up an exclusive look at Hillsdale's opponent this week, The Pumas of St. Joseph's College. When I mean exclusive, I mean exclusive. St. Joe's doesn't even have a roster posted on the school website let alone a media guide to download.

Dave has SJC ranked as his #6 independent.

6. Saint Joseph's Pumas (4-7, 3-2 GLFC in 2007)

Rensselaer, Indiana

Coach: Lou Esposito (19-14 in 3 seasons)

Returning Starters: 15 (8 offense, 7 defense)

Offense: Probably the best QB in the history of Saint Joseph's football, Anthony Lindsey, has graduated, and with nobody else getting experience last season, it will be up to a new face to take snaps for the Pumas. Possible candidates include sophomores Nick Keim, Marquise Brown and Matthew Kramer as well as incoming freshman Mike Hladik, on whom Coach Esposito is very high. RB Greg Ford has also graduated, but sophomore Jashon Banks (530 yards, 5 TD) should be able to step up and take his place with possible support from junior Terrence Freeman (52 yards, 2 TD). Mack Ogletree (396 yards, 3 TD) is the lone returning starter among WRs with junior Andre London (115 yards) possibly earning a starting job. One favorite target could be TE Michael Cochran (192 yards), who returns for his junior year. Six players could be rotated in as starters on the offensive line: seniors Addison Bowman and Lee Shaver, junior Mitch Dean, and sophomores Wes Schroder, Steve Foster, and John Brasch.

Defense: Saint Joseph's, for the last two seasons, has typically run a nickel defense as its standard, but that could be difficult this season. Two of the starting DL positions should go to junior Devin DuBose (50 TT, 11 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery) and sophomore Grevin Fields (37 TT, 8.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks). The third starter could be either junior William McKenzie (11 TT, 0.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks) or sophomore Kellen Mackin (12 TT, 1.5 TFL, 0.5 sacks). Two of last year's LBs remain in seniors Rob Perricone (50 TT, 7 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery) and Payne Schoen (69 TT, 10 TFL, 2.5 sacks). Both starting cornerbacks from last season have graduated, but sophomore safety David Wallace (57 TT, 3 TFL, 3 INT, 1 fumble recovery) is still around. Several players got experience at safety last season, and the leading candidates for starting jobs look to be sophomore Deshon McClendon (37 TT, 4 TFL, 2 sacks, 2 INT, 2 forced fumbles), sophomore James Wyatt (27 TT, 0.5 TFL, 1 fumble recovery), and junior Shane Powell (24 TT, 0.5 TFL, 1 fumble recovery).

Special Teams: Senior Michael Binder (4-11, 32-37 PAT, 35.5 punt average) should return as the starting kicker and punter in 2008.

Schedule: The Pumas have their work cut out for them this year with only three home games on the schedule: non-conference tilts with Kentucky State (Sept. 6) and Fairmont State (Oct. 18) and the season finale against GLFC foe Central State (Nov. 8). A season opening trip to Hillsdale (Aug. 30) could be tough while trips to Virginia State (Sept. 13) and Lake Erie (Sept. 20) could produce wins. The last game of a four game road trip, a visit to Missouri S&T (Oct. 4), could be the de facto GLFC championship.

Prognosis: This could be a very difficult year for Saint Joseph's. Key players that helped make the offense run in 2007 have departed, and there's very little depth in some other positions. There are new offensive and defensive coordinators following last year's disappointing campaign. The schedule is unkind with seven of the Pumas' ten games being on the road. I don't see this team being able to win the GLFC in 2008, and anything better than a 5-5 record should be a huge success in Rensselaer.

Read the full column online at D2football.com

Important Information from Hillsdale Parents Group

Informational Letter to Charger Parents

Clothing Order Form

Button Order Form

Post Game Mixer Set for Saturday

From Mary Veldheer and the Hillsdale Football Parents Group:

Parents, Players, Family Members, Staff and Charger Supporters,



Next Saturday after the St. Joe game we will be gathering at the "Time-Out" for a victory celebration. The "Time-Out " is a new lounge that just opened. You are all invited. Coach Otterbein has arranged for a "back room" for us. The location is next to the Days Inn Motel and there will be signs directing you where to go once you arrive at the parking lot.

It will start around 5:30 - 6 pm and you don't need a reservation. Just come if you can. There will be cold food (chips and salsa, cheese cubes, mixed nuts, and veggies) and hot food (cocktail wieners, chicken setae, and beef setae) and deserts (charger blue cheesecake squares) all free of charge. There will be water provided free. All other drink can be purchased separately.

For those of you who would like heartier food, you can order from a full menu in the front dining room. All the restaurant staff will be dressed in Charger shirts!

So come join the party and if we all find this a success, we would do it in the future! Let's make this next Saturday a great success all the way around!

And Now a Word from our Sponsor

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