2007 Football Outlook

Guilford enters 2007 with its largest roster in recent memory and its most experienced team in four years. Third-year head coach Kevin Kiesel returns 44 letter winners, including 14 starters, from last season’s 6-4 club that posted Guilford’s best record since 1997. The Quakers’ experience, especially at skill positions, combined with the depth created by over 60 newcomers, give Guilford hope for its first Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) title since 1997.

The Quakers’ offense led NCAA Division III with 348.4 yards per game a year ago and returns junior quarterback Josh Vogelbach, a 2006 First Team All-ODAC selection. A two-year starter, Vogelbach owns most of Guilford’s passing records, plus some ODAC passing marks, after 20 games. He will surely miss receivers Chris Barnette ’08 and Micah Rushing ’08, who combined for over half of Guilford’s 2006 receptions. Barnette, a two-time All-American, corralled a school-record 266 career balls, 30 for touchdowns. He remains with the team as a student assistant receivers coach. Rushing concluded his career ranked second in all-time receptions (203) and averaged nearly 145 all-purpose yards per game over the past two years.

“You don’t replace them, you move to the next era,” Kiesel said. “The good thing is that when you look to the cast of receivers that are left, they’ve had great years in their own rights, plus young kids ready to take off.”

Senior wideout Joe Joyner, a 2006 honorable mention All-ODAC pick, and junior Kevin Vaughn have combined for nearly 200 receptions in the past two years. While redshirt-sophomore Pete Bobak made only six catches in 2006, he can line up at either tight end or receiver, which creates match-up problems for the opposition. Sophomore Chad Kastor saw limited time at receiver, but played all in all 10 games on special teams as a rookie.

Kiesel, who also coaches the offensive line, looks forward to the deepest and most-talented line in his tenure. Junior center Blake Underwood handled all 791 snaps in the Quakers’ no-huddle offense last year and earned Second Team All-ODAC honors. Senior Brad Davis is a three-year starting tackle and lines up next to junior Kendall Wallace on the left side. Wallace, who added 25 pounds in the off-season, has started all 20 games of his college career. Junior Andrew Parker, another 10-game starter, plays right guard with junior David Hayes or sophomore Martin Brown leading the way at right tackle.

Mark Hargis takes over as the Quakers’ offensive coordinator after Pat Randolph accepted a similar post at Division I-AA Howard University last spring. Hargis and Randolph shared play-calling responsibilities over the past two years, so Kiesel does not expect substantial offensive changes. After leading Division III in fewest fumbles (2) last year, the Quakers want to reduce their interceptions in 2007, especially the eight thrown on third- or fourth-down. After two seasons with Vogelbach as the Quakers’ primary signal-caller, the coaches know his strengths and will work to maximize them.

In addition to reducing interceptions, Kiesel hopes for a more pronounced running game that would give the Quakers a more balanced offense. Behind the veteran line, Guilford returns a solid corps of ball carriers, led by junior fullback Zach Bobak, a two-year starter. Sophomore Mike Cooper, who played in nine games as a rookie, and redshirt-freshman Justin Parker vie for time at tailback. Parker, a high school quarterback, could fill part of the void created by Rushing.

While the Quakers’ offense has averaged over 32.4 points per game over the past two years, Guilford’s defense has yielded 32.35 points per game over the same time. Kiesel is encouraged by 20 letter winners returning on defense, including seven starters. For the first time in four years, Guilford has the same defensive coordinator, 26-year coaching veteran Michael Vite, for consecutive seasons. With many defenders returning to a familiar scheme with familiar coaches, look fewer points and yards per game allowed in 2007.

“We were very well coached (in 2007),” Kiesel said. “Mike Vite is a very good coach. The kids now have a system that they can hold on to and learn, and have confidence in.”

The Quakers’ defensive line welcomes back three starters, including junior nose tackle Mike Six, a 2006 Don Hansen’s Football Gazette honorable mention All-American and Second Team All-ODAC pick. At 6-3, 270 pounds, Six is a menacing presence in the middle of the line who ranked fourth in the conference with 12.5 tackles for loss in 2006. Senior captain Mario Paylor, a converted linebacker, and junior Tyler Ledford, a two-year starter, line up on the ends. During the off-season, the coaches moved the team’s top young lineman, sophomore Dave Madorin, from offense to shore up the defense.

The defensive backfield returns three starters from 2006, including junior safety Danny Langston, who led the Quakers with 74 tackles in his first defensive season. Guilford’s most experienced player, senior safety Bryan Cook, hasn’t missed a game in three years and has a team-high 26 starting assignments. Sophomore cornerback Dan Presley led the team with four interceptions in 2006 and returned one a school Division III-record 87 yards for a touchdown.

Sophomores Jacob Bright and Markas Brunson have starting experience and lead the youthful cast of returning linebackers. Classmates Thomas Kicinski and Shawn Maczka played mostly special teams in 2006, but will vie for time at either outside linebacker or defensive back.

In addition to improving consistency and winning the turnover game, Kiesel lists strong kick coverage among his 2007 goals. While the Quakers return many special teams veterans, they lost their primary kicker for the past two years, all-region punter and place-kicker Travis Frazier. Sophomore Hunter Chappell and junior Jason Yow are the lone returning kickers from last year, although neither appeared in a game. The pair is joined by a cast of newcomers auditioning for kicking duties during preseason camp.

Vaughn returned all of Guilford’s punts last season and is among the candidates to fill the void created by Rushing, the school’s career kickoff return leader. Justin Parker, Cook and Kicinski are also kick-return possibilities. Kastor is back as the holder on placement kicks. Six and Ledford are returning long snappers.

For the first time since 1989, Guilford has a 10-game schedule with five home games and five road contests. The slate includes the first two home night games in 101 years of Guilford football, thanks to the lights installed in the Armfield Athletic Center in May, 2007. The Quakers open their home schedule Sept. 15 under the lights against Averett University and host Hampden-Sydney College the following week in both teams’ ODAC opener. The 11th annual Gate City Soup Bowl with crosstown-rival Greensboro College is also under the lights Sept. 29 at Grimsley High School’s Jamieson Stadium. Nationally ranked Bridgewater College, winners of five of the last six league titles, tries to avenge its 2006 loss to Guilford that ended the Eagles’ 36-game ODAC winning streak. Guilford hosts defending league champion Washington and Lee Oct. 20.

Sparked by victories and major facility enhancements, interest in Guilford football is growing. The Quakers are moving in the right direction and Kiesel thinks they are ready to contend for the league title and its automatic NCAA playoff berth.

“There’s no question I think we can win the ODAC championship this year,” Kiesel said. “I think we’re that talented and have climbed up the ladder. Now that’s the goal. It’s really going to be exciting to go to it.