Football 2002 Season Outlook - Guilford College

• 2002 Season Outlook

After winning its last three Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) games to share second place in the conference, Guilford's football team returns 50 letter winners bent on extending the winning streak and challenging for a league title. Head coach Mike Ketchum welcomes back 13 starters, including first-team All-America return man Chris McKinney, for his 12th season as the Quakers' head coach.

Ketchum, a 1978 Guilford graduate, can devote more attention to coaching this year since the college appointed former Greensboro College and Page High School football coach Marion Kirby as the school's athletic director in July, 2002. Ketchum filled both roles for the past six seasons during which time Guilford compiled a 24-35 record. He called Kirby's addition his "best recruiting move of the spring."

With Kirby running Guilford's athletic department, Ketchum can focus his energy on improving last season's 4-6 record (3-3 ODAC), which was aided by the season-ending winning streak. The Quakers return many of the players responsible for last year's turnaround, which Ketchum attributes to experience, confidence and toughness.

"Our players are closer now as a team," Ketchum said. "They care about each other more. (I hope) we can keep that going and just keep on building on how much it means to win and to play football."

For the first time in years, Guilford's list of projected starters does not include a true freshman. Of the 50 veterans, 28 have started a college game. Even the offensive line, which lost four starters to graduation, returns at least one player with starting experience at each position.

"We're going to have to have some people step in and play some roles on offense and defense," Ketchum said, "but this is the first time in I don't know really how long that you don't have to have a freshman come in and play a significant amount. It's great if they do, but we have (older) guys around that can do it."

The veterans are experienced leaders with great talent as well. McKinney, a senior who set the national record for punt return touchdowns (5) last year, has attracted professional scouts. Senior safety J.J. Edwards was a second team all-region pick and led Guilford with 88 tackles and five interceptions a year ago. Like Edwards, junior cornerback O.J. Batts was a second-team All-ODAC pick and made five interceptions.

Last year's team elected Batts, Edwards and McKinney, plus sophomore Kyle Becher, junior Feky Eugene, and senior Brandon Lockhart to serve as captains for the 2003 campaign. Guilford last had season-long team captains in 1996.

"The core leadership coming back is amazing," Ketchum said. "We just let them vote. I really wanted to find out who do they think are the (leaders)? I have about 20 guys I could pick."

Getting the talented players involved is one of Ketchum's biggest challenges headed into the preseason. "We have an inordinate number of skill kids on offense that deserve to touch the ball and make some plays," Ketchum said. Lockhart and junior Marcus Ballard, the team's top returning rusher, each gained over 450 yards on the ground. Junior B.J. Caye, who opened the season as a starting linebacker, averaged 74.0 rushing yards in the last four games at fullback. McKinney led the Quakers with 33 catches and four touchdowns last season and starts his junior season with 121 career grabs for 13 scores. Senior Oren Robinson returns to receiver this season after starting nine games at quarterback in 2001. He had 38 catches and seven touchdowns in his first two years at receiver.

Replacements for All-ODAC lineman Lee Massey '02 and tight end Nick Lamotta '02, plus two other graduated offensive linemen must be identified, but only junior Jon Cagle has not started a college game among the projected starters.

"We're moving him to the offensive line and we expect him to get in there," Ketchum said. "If he's not the starting center, somebody's going to have to do some good work to get him. [Junior defensive tackle] Jeff Frisby's in that same boat. The progress of those two young linemen is just phenomenal."

Guilford has few worries on defense where seven starters are back from the unit that led the ODAC in turnovers (34) in last year. Junior lineman Brian Person earned 2001 honorable mention all-league recognition. Sophomore end Delvin Newkirk, an eight-game rookie starter, led the team in sacks (3) and tackles for loss (20). His brother, junior Travis Newkirk, leads a deep group of physical linebackers that includes classmates Wes Kidd and Matt Ledbetter. Batts, Edwards and junior safety Terrance Gary combined for 10 interceptions and 169 tackles last year and represent one of the top secondaries in the ODAC. Ketchum thinks the important battle for the cornerback spot opposite Batts will be one of the fiercest of preseason workouts. Junior Sherod Long capably played right cornerback for six games before suffering a season-ending broken finger. Senior Charlie Morris and sophomore Travis Boyd did well in Long's absence.

Guilford's special teams accounted for six touchdowns last year, five in the Quakers' four wins. Perhaps just as importantly, Guilford yielded few big plays on special teams. The punt team pinned opponents inside their own 20-yard line 20 times in 69 punts and yielded 7.2 yards per return. With opponents understandably expected to kick away from McKinney, Guilford plans to line the speedy Ballard up alongside of him for a double return threat. Sophomore kicker Christian Adams returns with experience on kickoffs and point-after attempts. He'll be pushed in the preseason by rookie Aaron Horton. Sophomore Chris Dunn punted in three games last year and will battle Adams for punting chores.

If Guilford maintains the confidence and physical play demonstrated over the last three weeks of 2001, Ketchum believes the Quakers will contend for the ODAC crown. He notes six of seven teams can legitimately be considered for the league title, including defending champ Bridgewater, which finished second in the nation a year ago. The Eagles, who come to Greensboro October 19, are the preseason ODAC favorite and ranked among the top 10 teams in the nation by many preseason national polls.

Guilford opens its 95th football season September 7 at Division II power Carson-Newman, Ketchum's employer before his return to Guilford. The Quakers meet Greensboro in the sixth annual Gate City Soup Bowl October 5 at Guilford's Armfield Athletic Center. The contest marks the first meeting between the crosstown rivals since Kirby became Guilford's athletic director. He coached Greensboro from 1997-02 and went 3-2 in five meetings against the Quakers.