CAA Media day wrap-up

You know it's an important event when Rob Ambrose actually wears socks.

The Colonial Athletic Association officially kicked off preseason football Wednesday at the ESPNzone in Baltimore, Md.

"I am tremendously excited just to get to practice," Head Coach Rob Ambrose said.

Twelve coaches and a couple dozen select student-athletes gathered to face the local and national media for the first time this season.

The biggest questions for Coach Ambrose were in regards to his roster, or the lack thereof. It became evident coming out of last spring that Ambrose's roster was not set. Throughout spring, open competitions were held for every spot on the depth chart.

"It's a fluid depth chart, you've heard me say that before," Ambrose said.

The biggest news regarding the roster concerned certain key departures, receiver Steve Holmes and defensive back Dan Atwood.

Representing Towson were Ambrose, senior linebacker Alex Butt, and senior tight end John Godlasky.

Butt, a transfer from Alabama, was a big stand out in the Spring. The senior leads all returning players with 62 in tackles from 2008. He sees room for improvement for the Tigers on the defensive side of the ball.

"Let's just go out and say it, last year was terrible for our defense," Butt said.

Statistically, the 2008 Tigers had the worst defense in the conference, allowing both the highest total of points and yards.

Towson's most improved and quite possibly strongest unit on defense looks to be the defensive line. Anchored by two big-bodied tackles in Yaky Ibia and Rob Osbourne, and highlighted by big-time transfer Brady Smith at end, the switch to a 4-3 front has made Butt a free man at middle linebacker to make plays.

"I have those big guys in front of me, and they're taking up two bodies at once," Butt said. "Giving one little seam, one little bit of day light to go get it makes my job easier."

The biggest loss on the defensive line was the abrupt end of former defensive lineman Richard Lee. Lee, who was diagnosed Hodgkin’s Disease in high school, suffered a career ending injury to his neck against Columbia in 2008. This past offseason Lee was added as a student assistant to the football support team. Lee stands on the sidelines and serves as an emotional symbol to the team.

Even with the departure of Atwood, the Tigers' secondary still has a good amount of depth, highlighted by a trio of talented corners in Ollie Thomas, Jeremy Gardner and receiver-turned-corner Nick Oates.

"I think with the experience we have coming back in the secondary, we're going to be a lot better against the pass" Butt said.

The strength on the offensive side of the ball seems to be the offensive line. With virtually all players returning to this unit, a stud transfer in tackle Derek Cardaci, and one of only two holdover coaches from the Combs era in John Donatelli, continuity has helped the offensive line prepare for a difficult task. Holding together an offense that must replace the best quarterback in Towson history.

In case you didn't know, that quarterback was Sean Schaefer. The former Tiger captain shattered almost every passing record Towson had and ranks in the top ten of all-time FCS quarterbacks in passing yards and completions.

"It's gonna be tough losing Sean because he was one of the best quarterbacks to ever play for Towson," Godlasky said. "I think it helps that our entire offensive line is coming back and our receivers are looking good."

Quarterbacks Blair Peterson, Brian Potts, and Jeremy Jayne contended in the spring for the right to succeed Schaefer. However, the offense as a whole turned the ball over a lot during the spring. Something Ambrose wants to end, starting with the man who touches the ball every play. The three holdover quarterbacks will continue to try proving themselves, only this summer there will be two very talented incoming recruits for them to face.

"The guy who is turning the ball over, is not getting the job. Period," Ambrose said. "If we don't have consistent play at that position, we don't stand a chance. Period."

To play devils advocate, on the note of the freshmen QB recruits, who better to replace Schaefer than another stud gunslinger from Southern Maryland?


There's still much to speculate and predict, but the facts remain. On Saturday September 5, the Tigers will officially kick of the season at Big Ten powerhouse Northwestern. After all of the press conferences, two-a-days and luncheons, all that will remain is another year of something to prove for the Tigers, who were picked yet again to finish last in the CAA.

"This team is much more capable than what people expect of us," Alex Butt said. "If they walk in with the attitude that they're going to walk all over us, they will be very surprised when the walk out of our stadium."