2008 Woodie Awards
Football prepares for 2007 season
Kyle Whitney
Issue date: 8/30/07 Section: Sports
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As college classes resume, temperatures begin to slowly tumble and leaves start to change their colors, the smell of fall lingers in the air. The scent in the NMU Wildcat football locker room, however, is something completely different. It is the smell of anticipation for the long-awaited 2007 football season.
The 'Cats, who finished last season with a 3-7 record, are hoping to improve on last season, their first under head coach Bernie Anderson. After a year in the Anderson system, the team expects to see noticeable improvements.
"We're making progress," Anderson said of the team. "Everyone is a year advanced, they're bigger and they're stronger. As a program, we're definitely not where we want to be, but we've made some great strides."
The biggest stride of all will need to be made by the NMU defense, which ranked last in the GLIAC in scoring (33.3 ppg), rushing (219.1 ypg) and total defense(387 ypg) in 2006. The largest obstacle to overcome is mental attitude, said defensive coordinator Chadd Braine,.
"Experience is obviously number one and also their trust with us (is important)," Braine said. "We're finally instilling our values in them as to what we want in football players. They're buying into the things that we tell them. They trust us and they appreciate what we're doing for them and we appreciate the work that they're doing."
Braine lists that the long-term goal for the offense is a top three GLIAC finish in all defensive aspects.
The offensive side of the ball, however, should be less of a problem for the 'Cats, who finished last season with a GLIAC-best 246.4 yards per game through the air. The Wildcats are returning all of the key players from their passing attack, including quarterback Buddy Rivera and wide receiver Fred Wells, both seniors.
Returning to join Wells, who collected 870 yards and nine touchdowns in 2006, will be junior Dan Elmore and sophomores Zach Nichols and Greg Raspberry. The trio combined for 1,040 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.
The 'Cats, who finished last season with a 3-7 record, are hoping to improve on last season, their first under head coach Bernie Anderson. After a year in the Anderson system, the team expects to see noticeable improvements.
"We're making progress," Anderson said of the team. "Everyone is a year advanced, they're bigger and they're stronger. As a program, we're definitely not where we want to be, but we've made some great strides."
The biggest stride of all will need to be made by the NMU defense, which ranked last in the GLIAC in scoring (33.3 ppg), rushing (219.1 ypg) and total defense(387 ypg) in 2006. The largest obstacle to overcome is mental attitude, said defensive coordinator Chadd Braine,.
"Experience is obviously number one and also their trust with us (is important)," Braine said. "We're finally instilling our values in them as to what we want in football players. They're buying into the things that we tell them. They trust us and they appreciate what we're doing for them and we appreciate the work that they're doing."
Braine lists that the long-term goal for the offense is a top three GLIAC finish in all defensive aspects.
The offensive side of the ball, however, should be less of a problem for the 'Cats, who finished last season with a GLIAC-best 246.4 yards per game through the air. The Wildcats are returning all of the key players from their passing attack, including quarterback Buddy Rivera and wide receiver Fred Wells, both seniors.
Returning to join Wells, who collected 870 yards and nine touchdowns in 2006, will be junior Dan Elmore and sophomores Zach Nichols and Greg Raspberry. The trio combined for 1,040 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.
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