JRLSports.com - James R LeCorchick Sports Report

Coach Kiernan believes how far Gannon will go will rest on the shoulders of the seniors. Despite a rough year, finishing 1-10, the seniors still took the initiative to get the underclassmen motivated over the summer. With a strenuous off-season workout plan and tough camp the Golden Knights are ready to take the field to prove the doubters wrong.

As for Coaching, Kiernan looked at last year’s team and knew changes needed to be made especially in play calling. It wasn't so much in simplifying the system, but getting a better feel of what his players do best. Two players in particular, will be splitting time at Quarterback position – sophomores, Bob Bartley and Zack Boedicker. Both players will play on Thursday night against the Lake Erie College. Bartley, who took the majority of the snaps last year, is noted more as a pocket passer while Boedicker can change the face of a game with his speed. A common theme in college football has been the use of two quarterbacks. With this theme of the media is, if you have two quarterbacks, you don’t have any. As ESPN’s Lee Corso would say, “Not so fast my friend.” The last two national champions in NCAA D-I bowl subdivision have used two quarterbacks-- Florida in 2007 and LSU last year. Not to mention a Virginia Tech team who also made it to a BSC bowl game last year. Coach believes both of his guys will do whatever it takes to win. “People don’t realize that their preserved weaknesses are some of their strengths. Bartley is actually athletic and Boucher does have a great arm to get the ball down field,” said Kiernan.

Offensive line coach, Shawn Curtis has his linemen worrying about their job and not who’s under center. The Knights will line up with all five offensive linemen with experience. Especially Senior Dave Conway who sat out a year due to two shoulder surgeries. “I’m excited. I have butterflies in my stomach thinking about it right now,” said Conway. Curtis believes Conway is that leader the Golden Knights missed during last year’s season. In fact, Conway is the only member of the Gannon Golden Knights to play on a team who finished with a winning record during his freshman year. In 2003, The Golden Knights went 9-1.

As far as the defense, the Golden Knights are pretty stacked on their line. Seniors Matt Ward and Tom Johnson will spear head a defense who will try to keep points off the board. The Golden Knights are young on defense, but look for both Ward and Johnson to provide leadership. “The difference between this year and last year is we know what to expect we know what we’re doing and we have a goal,” said Ward. That goal? A PSAC championship. It won’t be easy especially moving into a new conference and having such a tough pervious season. “We’re telling everyone to stay positive and you have to do your 1/11^th, run to the ball and make the tackle,” Johnson said.

On a side note, Gannon has added two new coaches with professional experience. Wendell Davis and Kanavis McGhee. Davis played division I football at Temple as well as four seasons in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers. He also spent time in both the CFL and NFL Europe. He will add his experience of playing tight end at the professional level to Gannon’s of wide receivers core. “My best asset is recognizing defenses and communicating with coach K who is our offensive coordinator and relaying coverage’s to let him know who we can take advantage of,” said Davis. Look for the Golden Knights receivers to shine this year with a plethora of young talent including leading receiver Jon Richerson. Richardson led the Knights in rushing last year. Even though Richardson is a running back, Davis thinks Richardson is a very versatile player. Richerson will also have carry the load in the back field due to the loss of last years second leading rusher, Jarrett Beavers, Richardson is focused and will also split time with a familiar name to Erie, Anthony Weaver. The former McDowell Trojan will move back to running back after playing a successful season (EDITOR'S NOTE -- Wes Whiteside, a Detroit native, is a former star wide-receiver at Gannon University. A communications major, Whiteside, works in admission at GU and adds color to the college's football games. He also provides commentary while making appearances on the Sports Blitz, heard M-F on 1330am The Fan.)

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