The UW-Whitewater football team is just a week into its 2011 training camp – two days of practice in pads – and set to have its first scrimmage of the preseason on Saturday.
For the fourth consecutive year, the Warhawks will host Harper College of Palatine, Illinois in a morning dual practice and afternoon scrimmage in Whitewater.
The scrimmage will allow the coaching staff to get a “better read” of its personnel in live, game type situations vs. another team.
Some of the things that I’ll be looking for on Saturday will be:
• Offensive line play after losing four starters to graduation.
• Tailbacks: After Levell Coppage which of the other four tailbacks in camp will challenge for the No. 2 and No. 3 tailback spots.
• Wide Receivers: The Warhawks will have a stable of very talented and athletic wide receivers. It will be a very interesting WR depth chart this season. Of the 16 wide outs in camp it will be interesting to see who plays well in Saturday’s scrimmage.
• Quarterbacks: Blanchard and Brekke are a solid one-two on the depth chart. Of the three other QB’s in camp I’ll be watching closely in the battle for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart.
• Fullbacks: Bernie Tamsett was outstanding as the starting FB last season. All the other fullbacks on the roster are very young and inexperienced.
• Tight Ends: 2010 starter, John Novak has graduated. Jason Ford, who has seen plenty of game action the past couple of seasons is back for his senior year. Coach Liepold indicated at Monday’s Media Day interview that for depth at the position it will be important for someone else to “step up.”
• Defensive Line: The Warhawks lose three solid DL to graduation (Jon Baldwin, Wes Hicks, Luke Hibner) but the cupboard is certainly not empty. Jake Keeser (Sr), Casey Casper (Sr), Jake Hohlstein (Jr) & Lou Minett are all back after being in the regular D-Line rotation last season.
• Linebackers: The Hawks coaching staff must replace two outstanding linebackers – Lane Olson and Max Ford. Senior Co-Captain Greg Arnold is back at “mike” linebacker and will anchor the 2011 linebacker corps. Josh Williams (Jr) has been in the LB rotation the past couple of seasons. Jaren Borland (Jr) and several other upper-classmen saw plenty of action last year. One of the key aspects to UWW’s linebackers has been having the speed to cover the field sideline to sideline. Will this year’s LB corps possess the same ability?
• Defensive Backs: The Hawks will have plenty of experience back in the secondary in 2011. One of last year’s DB starters, Shane Covington (Jr), has been moved to the wide receiver position. It will be interesting to see how the depth chart shakes out following Saturday’s scrimmage.
• Special Teams: The Hawks appear solid with Kris Rosholt (Sr) returning as UWW’s punter. Eric Kindler (Soph) returns as the Hawks field goal and extra point kicker. Aaron Samplawski and Shane Covington will likely return kicks. Samplawski is on course to set a new WIAC career record for kick return yardage. Covington returns a kickoff for a TD in 2010. Whitewater must find someone to handle punt returns this season after Aaron Rusch was the Hawks’ punt return guy for the past three seasons,
Think of Saturday’s scrimmage as the mid-term exam for the Hawks. For the young guys, making a play and catching the eye of the coaching staff can go a long ways in earning playing time – and for some – making the 100 man roster.
Saturday’s scrimmage will begin at 3 p.m. and the scrimmage is open to the public.
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