University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Football Readies For Opener At Purdue
9/1/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Complete Notes In PDF Format
Big Ten Network Television Coverage Information
Storyline
The University of Northern Colorado football team will open the 2008 season against the Purdue Boilermakers on Saturday, Sept. 6. It marks the second straight year the Bears have faced a FBS team to open the year as last season they dropped a 63-6 decision at Hawai'i. Northern Colorado was one of two Big Sky Conference schools not to start their season last week, as the Montana Grizzlies also had the first week of play off.
Connections Abound
There are two main connections between Northern Colorado and Purdue and both belong to members of the coaching staff. NC Head Coach Scott Downing was an assistant coach for Purdue Head Coach Joe Tiller for 12 seasons at both Wyoming (1991-96) and Purdue (1997-02). During his six season's with the Boilermakers Downing was the assistant head coaches working with the running backs and special teams. Bears' defensive coordinator Cody Deti was a graduate assistant at Purdue from 1997-99 and also played two seasons under Tiller at Wyoming (1992-93). Deti also spent three season's as an assistant coach at Eastern Kentucky under their head coach Danny Hope, who is now the associate head coach at Purdue.
The Bears new equipment manager, Mookie Maves, also joined Northern Colorado from Purdue, where he spent the previous four years as a student equipment manager for the Boilermakers.
NC senior tight end Mike Vlahogeorge hails from the state of Indiana, and his younger brother, Matt, who was a member of the Bears' squad last season is a walk-on with the Boilermakers this year.
2008 Personnel
Northern Colorado lost nine starters from its 2007 squad. Seven starters on offense, seven starters on defense, one on special teams, and a few players who have had spot duty as a starter return for 2008. The Bears will look for players to step up on both the offensive and defensive lines. The Bears will need to replace three starters on the defensive line, but sophomore Josh Mack and junior Martin Awachie both started a few games in spot duty for the Bears in 2007. Big Sky honorable mention winners Jake Gable (C) and Clint Wright (TE) are also gone from the offensive side of the ball. The Bears have 43 letterwinners, 17 redshirts, and 16 national letter of intent signees on their roster.
Returning Starters
Offense (7): TB David Woods (11 starts), LT Jacob Thornbrue (12), LG Chris Jones (11), RG Ryan Kemp (9), RT Eric Christensen (11), TE Ryan Chesla (11), WR Cory Fauver (10)
Defense (7): LE John Eddy (11), LB Casey Herron (8), LB Cristian Sarmento (11), LB Joe Kenney (10), CB Myles Hayes (11), Stephen Michon (12), Quincy Wofford (6)
Special Teams (1): K Zak Bigelow (7)
Other players returning with starts: QB Mike Vlahogeorge (5), RB Tyrone Wilson (1), RT Andrew Dunkley (1), RG James Zapp (3) WR Jason Caprioli (3), WR Brandon Smith (1), WR Brian Barmann (2), LE Josh Mack (1), DT Martin Awachie (2), CB Korey Askew (4), CB Eric Brown (3), K Michael York (5)
Season Openers
Northern Colorado is 44-48-3 all-time in season openers, dropping its last two campaign kickoffs, falling to UC Davis in 2006 and Hawai'i in 2007. The Bears have also won 15 of their last 19 opening games, dating back to 1989.
Here's To 96 More
Saturday kicks off the 96th season of college football at the University of Northern Colorado. The Bears began competing on the gridiron in 1893, but did not have teams in 1897, 1898, 1901-1904 and 1906-1916. During the previous 95 years, the Bears have won two national championships (1996 & 1997 at Division II) and appeared in the playoffs on nine different occasions.
Big Sky Preseason Honors
In the Big Sky Conference preseason football all-conference team released at the annual preseason kickoff in Park City, Utah, two Northern Colorado seniors were tabbed to the team in tight end Ryan Chesla and linebacker Cristian Sarmento. The team was selected by a panel of media members in the league.
Chesla was named to the 2007 Big Sky All-Conference First Team, becoming the first-ever pick for the Bears. He led the team with 40.4 reception yards per game, gaining 444 yards on 37 catches and four touchdowns, missing the final game of the season due to injury.
Sarmento was a second-team pick at the conclusion of the 2007 season, finishing the year ranked second in the Big Sky Conference with 135 tackles in 11 games, as he also missed the season finale with an injury.
Phil Steele Predicts...
In the Phil Steele's football 2008 preview, four Bears were tabbed on the Preseason Big Sky Teams. Senior tight end Ryan Chesla was named to the first team offense, while junior defensive end John Eddy, senior linebacker Cristian Sarmento and sophomore defensive back Quincy Wofford were all named to the second team defense.
Oh Captain, My Captain
At the conclusion of the spring practices, the team voted and named senior offensive lineman Jacob Thornbrue and senior linebackers Joe Kenney and Cristian Sarmento as captains for the 2008 team. This is the second year in a row Kenney has served as a captain and the first season for the other two.
Records In Sight
Senior Eric Brown currently has 538 kickoff return yards after a stellar junior season on the return team. He needs 16 yards to tie for 10th on the Northern Colorado career charts and 17 to tie for ninth. The record for kickoff return yards is 1,262 yards by Johnny Watkines (1981-84).
Senior linebacker Cristian Sarmento sits at 234 tackles after three years with the Bears, needing just 58 to tie Mike Horton (1979-80) and Vaughn Lechman (1984-87) for 10th on the career charts. The record for tackles is 505 by Bob Knapton (1978-81).
Junior cornerback Quincy Wofford is currently tied for eighth on the record list with two blocked kicks. One more will move him into a tie for fifth. The school record is 15 blocks by Tim Bowie (1992-95).
Van Portfliet On AFCA Good Works List
The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team list of nominations was recently released and sophomore safety Michael VanPortfliet made the cut. VanPortfliet is extremely involved in community service and over spring break last season went through a bone marrow donation.
2007 Northern Colorado Team Awards
Nottingham Award (Most Inspirational): Joe Kennedy
Offensive Player of the Year: Ryan Chesla
Defensive Player of the Year: Cristian Sarmento
Special Teams Player of the Year: Ryan Lutz
Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year: Dylan Orms
Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year: Thomas Stuemky
Team Captain Award: Jake Gable, Aaron Henderson, Joe Kenney, Vinny Pallone
Coors Light Coaches Show
Beginning Sept. 3, join head coach Scott Downing and "Voice of the Bears" Troy Coverdale at Cables Pub & Grill (1923 59th Avenue, Greeley) at 6:00 p.m. for the Coors Light Northern Colorado Coaches Show on 1310 KFKA. Coach will cover the upcoming week as well as break down the previous week and take questions from fans in the audience.
Watch The Big Sky
All home and conference games will be featured again this year on BigSkyTV.org, a website that streams video and audio for football, men's basketball, women's basketball and volleyball. All games taking place in a Big Sky venue will be available. This year's subscription is free to Big Sky TV for live events, however, there will be a charge for events on demand.
