2013 Record: 4-4
Returning Starters: 18 (8 offense, 9 defense, 1 specialist)
Offensive Overview:
The offseason headlines centered around dual-threat QB Justin Ciero transferring, but the Mule offense still has a lot of talent remaining. The good news for the new QB is that the strongest returning group is wide receiver with Luke Duncklee ’15, Nick Joseph ’15, and Ryder Arsenault ’17 all back. Gabe Harrington ’16 at this point is the favorite to win the job barring a major late push from transfer Michael Ecke ’17. While Duncklee was far and away the most targeted receiver last season, Arsenault and Joseph should see more throws their way in order to keep defenses honest. Carl Lipani ’17 won the starting running back role halfway through the year, and he will see a large bump in carries as well.
Tight ends Glenn Parsons ’16 and David Von Euw ’15 were also not targeted often last season, but they will both see the field a lot, possibly in two tight end packages. The offensive line has a couple of holes to fill, but the biggest issue could be depth if there are injuries. Captain Connor Clancy ’15 along with returners Tom Abare ’15 and Jesse Eddy ’16 will have to play very well in order to keep the offensive line effective. This offense will have a different look than the one last year, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t still be successful.
Defensive Overview:
With nine starters back, this could be one of the best defenses in the NESCAC. The strength of the team is in the front seven where all seven starters and other upperclassmen return to a group that allowed only 88.2 rushing yards per game. The defensive line had 19 sacks last season, led by the 7.5 sacks from defensive end Caleb Harris ’15. Ryan Ruiz ’15 returns from injury and is the other end, while a name to watch is Jack Muntu-Caron. He came on in the second half of the season including a two sack game in the finale against Bowdoin. Chris Marano ’17 and Kalu Kalu ’15 are the starting tackles on the inside with others ready to play behind them. The linebackers are loaded with Henry Nelson ’15, a four year starter, a force from the middle linebacker position. Stephen O’Grady ’16 and Tony Atkinson ’15 are the outside linebackers, and both are now three year starters.
The secondary is led by stars corner Jason Buco ’15 and safety Zach Padula ’15. Those two will have to make big plays in order to keep teams from attacking Colby in the air as the Mules were eighth in the league in terms of defensive passing yards per game. Ethan Johnson ’16 and Randy Person ’15 are the others who will see time the the defensive backfield. The defense has a lot of talent and experience, but they need to do a better job against the best offenses. The season opener against Trinity will be an interesting test.
Three Big Questions:
1. Can they survive the first half of the season?
Colby’s schedule this season gets harder with the inclusion of Trinity giving Colby four very hard games to start the season. In order, they play Trinity, Middlebury, Wesleyan, and Amherst. Last season they emerged from the first half with a 1-3 record before winning three straight. Playing such a tough schedule with a new starting QB means another dimension of complexity, but the defense should keep them in every single game they play.
2. How well can the offensive line play?
The new QB will have an easy transition as long as the offensive line plays well. He has the skill position players around him to succeed, but he will need a solid running game and time in the pocket to make plays. Ciero often danced around in the pocket which sometimes led him to avoid sacks but also caused him to take sacks when he should have gotten the ball away quicker. The Colby rushing attack was one of the better ones in the league last season. As said above, injuries could be a potential downfall.
3. Will special teams see improvement?
Colby was weak in a lot of areas in special teams last season. Louw Scheepers ’15 was solid on kickoffs and field goals going 7-11 including a long of 41 yards, but his punting was not as steady. Colby averaged as a team 31.1 yards per punt, 3.4 yards less than any other team. Padula was the primary returner on punts and kickoffs. While he did a decent job, the Mules still had the third lowest kickoff return average. Given the potential for a slow start to the offense, a great special teams would help Colby steal a game or two even.
Team MVP: Caleb Harris ’15. You know another thing that helps teams when there are questions around the offense? Having a defensive end who can make the opposing offense’s day terrible. Harris’ sack numbers are inflated somewhat because he had four in one game against Hamilton, but he still posted at least half a tackle for loss in every game.
Biggest Game: Sept. 27 against Middlebury
Colby’s second game of the season will tell us if they can continue to grow as a team or if the loss of Ciero will cause the potential for a special season to fizzle. A win at home against Middlebury sets up Colby for a potential late season run that would send them about .500. The matchup of the two new QB’s in this game will be a fun one to watch with two defenses that both have been under-appreciated before.
Best Tweet of the Offseason: Remember people, everyone loves Wawa.
Its the reward for hard work during #campseason pic.twitter.com/FG4c3SfChi
— Matt Hanhold (@CoachHanhold) June 20, 2014