Elon releases 2015 football schedule
(01/08/15 6:48pm)
The Elon University football team released its 2015 schedule on Thursday, Jan. 8.
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The Elon University football team released its 2015 schedule on Thursday, Jan. 8.
For the first time since 2005, the Elon University football team has finished winless in conference play. The Phoenix finished its 1-11 season with a 59-27 loss to James Madison University Nov. 22 at Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg, Virginia, falling to 0-8 in its inaugural season in the Colonial Athletic Association.
The Elon University football team will play its final game of the 2014 season Nov. 22 when it travels to Harrisonburg, Va., to face No. 17 James Madison University, the fifth ranked opponent the Phoenix will play this year.
The narrow seven-point loss suffered by the Elon University football team Nov. 15, the team’s eighth straight, was one that players would usually like to quickly forget. But for linebacker Jonathan Spain, playing in his last game at Rhodes Stadium, the moments after the game were ones he wanted to cherish the most. The fifth-year senior was one of the last players to leave the field, along with fellow senior linebacker Odell Benton. Spain said he was “sinking it in.” “I saw [Benton] and gave him a hug, and I was just trying to find some seniors that I’ve been here a long time with,” Spain said. “I know they’ve put a lot of hard work in with me. We’ve shared a lot of disappointment and some success together.” Spain and Benton are a part of a class of 12 seniors that were honored on the field with their families before the game. Though wins have come at a premium over the last four to five years, making it to Senior Day is an accomplishment in itself. “It’s a great thing to be able to get to Senior Day,” Spain said. “I’m 23 years old, and I’m still playing football — that’s a great thing. I love the game, and it’s been a great ride even though the season hasn’t gone the way I wanted it to.” The Phoenix has amassed 17 wins over the past five seasons, under three different head coaches. Change has been the theme in Elon’s recent history, and the seniors have been through more system changes than they probably would’ve preferred. But the seniors showed up in a big way during their final home game. Defensive lineman Dustin Ruff was a force on the inside, racking up eight tackles on the game, one for a loss. On offense, wide receiver Kierre Brown caught five passes for 88 yards and a touchdown as quarterback Mike Quinn’s go-to option. “These guys have meant a lot to me,” said Elon head coach Rich Skrosky. “You look at the staff change and what they’ve been through the last several years, the effort has been unbelievable. The energy has been unbelievable.” But the most impressive performance came from Spain, the anchor of the Phoenix defense for the past four years. The Greensboro native had two third-down sacks and a team-leading 12 tackles. Those 12 tackles moved him past Joshua Jones and Brandon Wiggins for fourth on the all-time Elon tackles list with 352 career stops. It’s quite an accomplishment for Spain, one of the most successful players in program history, who made it a goal earlier in the season to pass former teammates Wiggins and Jones. “I feel really blessed and fortunate to be able to play in a program like this for five years,” Spain said. Though Spain finished his career at Rhodes Stadium on a high note, Senior Day was a bit of a disappointment for quarterback Mike Quinn, who was celebrating his 23rd birthday Nov. 15. Quinn started 1-for-12 passing and finished 13-for-35 with two interceptions and a touchdown. “Not the birthday I was hoping to have — totally the opposite,” Quinn said. Despite being caught in a lost season, one game remains on Nov. 22 at James Madison University, and it represents one last chance for Elon’s seniors to win the program’s first-ever Colonial Athletic Association game. “It’s pretty emotional, but I’ve still got one game left, so I’m not trying to think about it,” Spain said. “I’m trying to think about James Madison when I wake up tomorrow, and I’ll think about all that stuff after that game.” On to the next game. It’s the mindset Spain and others have had to adopt throughout their careers at Elon and is one that will come to an end in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
It was a chilly afternoon for the Elon University faithful who braved freezing temperatures in order to see their football seniors one last time.
Looking to snap its seven-game losing streak, the Elon University football team will play its final home game of the 2014 season when they host the University of Maine Nov. 15 at Rhodes Stadium.
A number of injuries have ravaged the Elon University football team’s backfield.
For the second straight week, the Elon University showed some life in the second half but fell short, this time a 17-7 decision to No. 24 College of William & Mary Nov. 8 in Williamsburg, Virginia.
After falling just short at Towson University in search of its first Colonial Athletic Association win, the Elon University football team will face the College of William & Mary Nov. 8 looking to snap its six-game losing streak.
Usually when the punter is noticed on the football field, it’s not a good thing. The opposite held true for Elon University sophomore punter David Petroni in the team’s Oct. 25 loss to the University of Richmond. On fourth-and-11, Petroni and Elon’s special teams set up in normal punting formation. Once Petroni took the snap, he was off to the races, scampering 13 yards for a first down. The play call was based on something Elon head coach Rich Skrosky saw in Richmond’s punt coverage unit. “You’re really looking for a numbers advantage,” Skrosky said. “Richmond was showing a two-deep look, which takes a guy out of the front, so they were a guy short on the front.” For Petroni, a fake punt run was an unfamiliar play that became more comfortable after a week of practice. “I’ve actually never run the ball,” he said. “I just ran left and did my best.” Between the fake punt and seven others, fans in attendance got to see a lot of Petroni against the Spiders. Because Elon’s offense has struggled, Petroni has been on the field a lot this season. Through eight games, only two punters in the Colonial Athletic Association had punted more than Petroni. Against Richmond, Petroni booted seven for an average of 42.6 yards. His seven punts were a mix of traditional and lower trajectory, rugby-style punts. The Phoenix has used the rugby-style more regularly under Skrosky this season. Last year, under head coach Jason Swepson, Petroni only kicked a handful of rugby-style punts all season. Elon operates under the belief that the rugby style punt has two major advantages: the odds of the opposing team returning the punt are significantly lower and the chance that the punt will strike an opposing player is higher, allowing Elon the chance to recover. While both of these are valid reasons for mixing in the rugby-style, Petroni admits he’s struggled with the drops on his punts at times, a part of his game he has started to polish. “At the start of the season, I was disappointed,” Petroni said. “I had a problem where my drop was kind of floating in on me which causes shorter, lower hang time punts. I didn’t start out the way I know I can. But I really focused in, made a couple of adjustments, fixed what I was doing and I’m hitting the ball really well now.” When practice wasn’t enough to get it right, Petroni performed drills in his apartment. Even with Petroni’s struggles, Skrosky has shown a commitment to mixing up the punts, citing the net yardage of the rugby-style as an advantage. “The mix-up is helping,” Skrosky said. “Now that we have both in, it’s really hard for a team to gang up on the kick point.” Though Petroni is much more experienced with the traditional punts, he sees no reason not to succeed with the rugby style. “I try and set the expectation pretty high,” Petroni said. “I like to think of myself as my hardest critic. I know if it’s a bad hit even if some guys are telling me it’s a good hit. I know it could be better. I think I try to be hard on myself. It’s better to be hard on myself than say, ‘OK, that’s good enough.’” For Elon’s special teams unit, it may be a blessing in disguise that the offense hasn’t been able to sustain drives. Less offensive success means more chances for Petroni to work on perfecting both punting styles. “Obviously it’s not a great thing to punt more,” Petroni said. “But from my standpoint, I get some good reps. It’s always good to snap with a live rush coming at me, so it’s good practice.”
Trailing by 15 points at halftime, the Elon University football team was off to a familiar start against Towson University Nov. 1 at Johnny Unitas Stadium in Towson, Maryland. Slow starts have plagued the Phoenix all season, but the Phoenix was able to rally in the second half against the Tigers.
Just three days after being knocked out of the game with an arm injury, senior quarterback Mike Quinn was back at practice for the Elon University football team, throwing passes and taking part in drills just like any other Tuesday.
A structure without a solid foundation will crumble. The offensive line on a football team is a structure like any other. The O-line needs to perform as the most cohesive unit on the field or else the pocket will crumble, and passing will become difficult. The Elon University football team has seen its young offensive line have trouble gelling at times throughout this season. Elon has tried different combinations of players among the five-person clan, with several players rotating positions on the line. Elon’s offensive line perhaps struggled the most against the University of Richmond Oct. 25. The Phoenix surrendered seven sacks to a team that had nine through their first seven games alone. “I thought the matchup of our O-line to [Richmond’s] D-line was one that I was concerned with,” said Elon head coach Rich Skrosky. “There’s a couple times you take a shot, protection breaks down because you’re trying to get the ball down the field, and that was kind of the basis.” Elon’s linemen faced a strong duo in Richmond senior Evan Kelly and sophomore Winston Craig, a pair that Elon junior offensive lineman Thomas McGuire called, “Probably the best combo we’ve seen on the inside all year.” Consistency has been tough to find, as five different combinations of starting linemen have been trotted out on the field in eight games. Redshirt freshman Ikenna Nwokeji, a left tackle, is the only lineman on the team to have started every game this season. Senior Austin Sowell, the most experienced of Elon’s offensive linemen, has started only four games this year. He has dealt with a shoulder injury, and broke his hand in practice Oct. 22 leading up to the Richmond game. “It’s hard to get consistency when the offensive line is where we’re at right now,” Skrosky said. Sophomores Ty Alt and Gordon Acha have been thrown into the fold at times out of necessity, but the unit still hasn’t performed up to par. McGuire has started each of the last four games at center with Sowell out. “The offensive has to run like a sewing machine, as five guys that have to know everything that’s going on,” McGuire said. “Early in the game [against Richmond], we were really struggling with that offensive line. In the second half, we were able to make adjustments, and I think the pocket was a little bit stronger than it was in the first half.” When Elon made the transition to the Colonial Athletic Association this season, Skrosky said the tough, physical brand of football in the league would present a challenge for the offensive line. “That’s a position we knew coming into the year was going to be a struggle,” he said. “And then you add on some of the injuries that we’ve had. You’re mixing and matching. There’s going to be some matchups where you’re going to be out-personelled. I think up front is probably the biggest area where we’ve got to improve and I know that will continue to come.” With 23 sacks given up through eight games, the Phoenix is the fourth-most sacked team in the CAA. It’s an area of concern for an offense scoring 12.4 points per game. “It’s not close to where we need to be,” McGuire said. Dropped passes, among other inconsistencies, have plagued the offensive unit, but it all starts with the foundation — the offensive line. “It’s hard obviously,” McGuire said. “It’s hard to keep people going on the sideline. We keep reminding ourselves, ‘keep your heads up.’ I don’t have a magic potion. If I did, I’d sell it. Just got to keep working. That’s all we can do.” Four games remain in the season, and the road doesn’t get any easier for an offensive line that is not getting any healthier. During the next two weeks, the Phoenix will travel to Towson University and the College of William & Mary, two of the top four teams in the CAA in sacks. “We just need to get the ball rolling as an offensive line and just keep working and keep playing and look forward to going out on the practice field to get better,” McGuire said. “I can’t wait to get back out there on Tuesday and keep working on my craft.”
The University of Richmond’s offense, working like a well-oiled machine through its first seven games this season, stayed on track with a 30-10 win against Elon University Oct. 25 at Rhodes Stadium.
Seeking its first win in over a month, the Elon University football team will host No. 16 University of Richmond on Oct. 25 at Rhodes Stadium.
“Defense wins championships” is a saying that has always echoed throughout sports. But sometimes a little offense wins games. The Elon University football team has struggled to put points on the board in its inaugural season as members in the Colonial Athletic Association. The Phoenix offense has found it difficult to execute drives that produce touchdowns and hasn’t been able to reinforce the valiant efforts put forth by the defense. After a 20-3 loss against Stony Brook University Oct. 18, the Elon offense ranked No. 11 out of 12 teams in the CAA in scoring offense, having only produced eight touchdowns in seven games. “That’s where we are. We’re inconsistent right now,” said Elon head coach Rich Skrosky. “Our room for error isn’t very big, and we had too many miscues.” Inconsistency has been the Achilles’ heel for the Phoenix. Against Stony Brook, Elon moved the ball into Seawolves territory on multiple occasions only to turn the ball over or come up empty-handed on missed field goals. In fact, three different drives for the offense stalled at the Seawolves’ 15-, 13- and 6-yard lines. Senior quarterback Mike Quinn voiced his frustration at the conclusion of the game. “It’s frustrating and disappointing. I feel bad for the defense. They’ve been getting good field position for us,” he said. “I’m just upset for my teammates not being able to put any points on the board.” The offense has shown signs of life at times, most notably in its Oct. 11 matchup against the University of Delaware. Although it lost 34-24, the Phoenix scored the most points this season with Quinn leading the charge in a second half rally when Elon put up 367 total yards of offense — more than Delaware had. The spread, no-huddle system that Skrosky and offensive coordinator Damian Wroblewski have in place for the Phoenix has conveyed its potential. It produced positive showings against the University of Charlotte 49ers, when Elon scored 20 points in a win, and a complete 24-point outing against Delaware. On the other hand, the losses the Phoenix has built up have exposed the inconsistencies with the offense in games against the University of New Hampshire, when Elon scored 14 points, all late in the game, and Coastal Carolina University, when Elon scored 3 points. Junior running back Tracey Coppedge said he believes the offense must connect more in order to operate at a more effective pace. “We all have to look at ourselves in the mirror and realize what we have to do,” he said. “We need to have the will to be focused and look at each other as brothers, not just teammates. And we have to execute one play at a time.” Quinn, along with Coppedge, affirms the value in getting into a groove early in games. This seems to be a possible solution to the inconsistency that has followed the offense for the first seven games of the season. “When we get into a groove, we play really well.” Quinn said. “Get more third-down conversions and come out with more pep in our step. The offense needs to pick it up on that side of it.”
Tre Lennon isn’t difficult to pick out among the Elon University football receivers.
Ask any competitive athlete what the key component is in gaining the competitive edge in sports, and the answer will most likely fall along the lines of strength and staying injury-free. That’s precisely the philosophy that head strength and conditioning coach Ryan Horton is implementing for Elon University athletes. Horton is in the midst of his first season as the head of the strength and conditioning program at Elon. Along with assistant coaches Joe Baranello and Christian Gangitano, Horton has ambitious goals in place for all Elon teams. “The main goal is that they’re injury free, that they’re strong enough to compete and that they are the best-conditioned teams in the country,” Baranello said. “I want to make sure that they’re the safest team in the country.” Horton took the reins this past summer, replacing Ted Perlak, who left Elon in May after one year for the same position with the University of Delaware. Before coming to Elon, Horton was at Florida International University and the University of Tennessee. While at Tennessee, Horton was a part of two Southeastern Conference football championship teams and helped coach five future first-round picks in the NFL Draft. Most recently, Horton worked at Elkin Sports Performance in Richmond, Virginia. Horton attributes much of his knowledge and success to his experience at Tennessee. “I learned more than I ever thought I could possibly learn in this profession.” he said. “I learned more at Tennessee in the first month than I did in four years of college. When I got to Tennessee, I learned how to actually implement strategy in a collegiate setting.” Since starting at Elon, Horton has introduced an Olympic style of lifting weights to all athletes. This involves numerous exercises focusing on getting faster and stronger. “We’re using anything we can do to improve the amount of power an athlete can generate from their hips, their knees and ankles,” Horton said. “It will help them run faster, jump higher and improve their performance on the field.” This Olympic style of weightlifting has proven vital in the development of athletes. Large athletic programs all over the country use this method of training, which is designed to increase strength and power to translate onto the playing field. Horton also takes into account and values the ambitions most college athletes have while competing at a high level. Horton prides himself on helping athletes accomplish their dreams. “I love the chance to help athletes be successful and to reach their goals,” he said. “This is a dream for a lot of our athletes, and to be able to make an impact on them is something truly special.” More than anything, Horton wants to help instill values that athletes can carry on and implement in all aspects of their lives beyond athletics. These core values, Horton said, make up the most important teaching method of what he does as a coach of young athletes. The discipline and responsibilities taken from strength and conditioning expand beyond the playing field. Horton wants to ensure his athletes practice these values, so their futures will be strong regardless of whether they pursue athletics after college. “Our philosophy is trying to instill values and mold young men and women to go on and be successful beyond their athletic career and beyond Elon,” he said. “My big three philosophies are accountability, attitude and effort.”
It’s one thing when you know exactly what to expect of your opponent. It’s another when you're not able to excel against it.
It was an unhappy homecoming for Elon Saturday afternoon as the Phoenix failed to score a touchdown for the third time in seven games this year. As with much of the season so far, lack of execution in the red zone was the story of the afternoon as Elon fell to Stony Brook 20-3 in front of packed house at Rhodes Stadium.