For those of you unaware when you walk by Ram Stadium, this is a reminder that football is played during the autumn and winter months. While Mother Nature clearly has no idea that it is indeed April, do not be shocked when you walk by the field and see some young men out there practicing with their coaches. That is the life of a college football player; the season never really ends.
Spring football is an interesting event. It allows a coaching staff to examine their squad of players minus those who have exhausted their eligibility and before the new recruits get into the swing of things. It is, for all intents and purposes, a showcase for those who are hoping to play a fair amount the next season.
Shepherd is no different. In fact, the coaching staff at Shepherd is going to have quite a bit to do on the defensive side of the football, considering they lost some key contributors. Every member of the defensive line – Xavier Tyler, Mike Franklin, Rob Hayes and Howard Jones – have exhausted their eligibility and will not be returning. Having to mold an entire defensive line between now and their first game of the season – a trip to take on the Hilltoppers of West Liberty – could prove to be very difficult.
Joshua Kline, the 2013 Division II Defensive Coordinator of the Year, and his defensive line coach Ramal Faunteroy have a tough task ahead of them, but if any combination of two coaches can do it, they are the ones who can pull it off.
The defensive line is not the only position group that is facing challenges. Senior Dom Dixon has departed the linebacker corps while Corey Washington is no longer part of the secondary, both of whom served as key cogs in the vaunted 2013 Shepherd defense. Replacing both of them has to be a priority for the team as they both helped create chaos for opposing offenses. Washington’s presence will also be missed on special teams.
The offense didn’t lose nearly the level of talent that the defense saw depart. Next year may see a transposition in which side of the ball carries the team; the defense did during the 2013 campaign, while a more mature Jeff Ziemba under center may help lead the Ram offense during 2014 season. Ziemba’s experience and the return of the tailback combination of Jabre Lolley – Ziemba’s high school teammate at St. Mark’s in Newark, Del. – and Allen Cross could see the offense be the conductor that takes the Shepherd football squad back to the promised land.
Leave a Reply