Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 29, 1993 TAG: 9308310121
SECTION: COLLEGE FOOTBALL PAGE: FB8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By ANDREA KUHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LEXINGTON LENGTH: Long
He guided a young Generals team to a 5-4 record after a grim 1-9 season in 1991 and he was voted coach of the year in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. But Fallon doesn't look back fondly on the '92 season.
"I didn't enjoy coaching last year," said Fallon, who is entering his 16th year at W&L. "We were so bottom-heavy. To be a good team, you have to be top-heavy with a lot of juniors and seniors and a sprinkling of sophomores and freshmen."
The unfortunate bottom line for the Generals is they won't be top-heavy this year, either. Of the 77 players on the preseason roster, only 15 are juniors or seniors. There are 31 each in the freshman and sophomore classes.
Couple W&L's youth with the loss of some key players and it looks as if Fallon could be facing another long season.
One big blow was the loss of Geren Steiner, last year's starting quarterback, who finished second in the ODAC with 1,222 passing yards.
Steiner, who was bothered by a shoulder injury last year, has returned to W&L, but not to the football team.
"[The shoulder] still bothers me in terms of weightlifting," Steiner said. "I had done a lot of work to try to get ready for this season, but I wasn't sturdy enough. I played last season at 196 [pounds] and I'm down to 179 right now."
Fallon said he wasn't surprised that Steiner opted not to play.
"It was expected," he said. "I asked him to come and see me and, after I didn't hear from him, we made plans for his equipment."
Fallon pointed to sophomores Matt Reedy and Lee Goins as the strongest candidates among a quarterback corps that includes two other sophomores and two freshmen.
Reedy was Steiner's backup last year and saw action in two games. Goins was the backup punter and may be called on to fill the shoes of All-America punter Bob Ehret, who graduated.
"Goins is a little different," Fallon said. "He throws right and kicks left. We're thinking maybe that will confuse some of the kickoff-returners."
Also missing from the lineup when W&L opens its season Sept. 11 against 1992 ODAC champion Emory & Henry will be:
William Propst, a two-time all-conference wide receiver, who decided during the summer that he would not play football this year.
Michael McLane, a running back who transfered to Georgia. McLane rushed for 492 yards with six touchdowns in five games before being sidelined with a separated shoulder.
Graig Fantuzzi, a starting cornerback who was chosen W&L's Outstanding Freshman Athlete last year. Fantuzzi was the top pitcher on the Generals' baseball team and has decided to concentrate on that sport.
Linebacker James Maberry, the Generals' leading tackler in 1992 with 106, who left the team for personal reasons.
But Fallon doesn't seem fazed by the defections.
"Football here is a privilege to play, not a right. If they don't want to be here, that's their decision," he said. "Now I'm trying to get the staff excited about the kids who will be here."
Returning are seven seniors, including co-captains Wilson Moore, Tom Mason and John Surface on offense.
Moore and Mason are expected to give W&L strength in the backfield. Moore, a 6-foot-3, 220-pound fullback who was moved from tight end, finished last season with 355 yards rushing and 15 catches. He scored four touchdowns, three on receptions.
"I feel pretty good about Moore at fullback," Fallon said. "He's got a year under his belt now and I expect him to produce even more."
Mason started last year as a wide receiver but was moved to tailback because of injuries. He averaged 120 yards in his four starts and was the team's second-leading scorer behind McLane.
Surface earned first-team All-ODAC honors last year at guard. He also was an academic all-district selection and is a candidate for academic All-America honors this year.
Rejoining Surface on the offensive line will be senior center Derek Boggs and 6-2, 290-pound sophomore tackle Robert Turner.
With the loss of Propst, sophomore James Urban will see considerably more playing time as a receiver and kick-returner. Urban, the smallest player on the roster at 5-7, 160, caught four passes for 50 yards in six games last year. He also led the team in kickoff returns with 10 for 198 yards.
"This is a kid that will step right up," Fallon said. "He's as tall as anyone out there on game day. He's going to be a fine performer because he gives 110 percent."
Fallon will channel his energy on defense into replacing size and speed. Gone are tackle Phil Spears and linebacker Lyle Smith, both second-team All-ODAC selections.
Fallon also must replace strong safety Duane Van Arsdale, forced out of the lineup by off-season surgery.
Top returning defenders include juniors Jon Wagner at corner, Marc Newman at free safety and Jason Chartrand at nose tackle.
"We really don't have any one person that is jumping out," Fallon said. "It will have to be a collective effort on defense. Attitude will have to be our strength."
Here's a look at the other ODAC teams:
\ BRIDGEWATER: Entering his second season with the Eagles, coach Max Lowe is looking for improvement from a team that went 3-7 overall and 2-3 in the ODAC. Twelve returning starters should help.
Tailback Ronnie Howard - the Eagles' top rusher, receiver and scorer last year - returns. The quarterback job will be up for grabs, with sophomore Bill Dudley the top candidate.
On defense, second-team All-ODAC selection Wiliam Prince will lead a solid backfield that includes seniors Bill Connolly and Tim Runion. Also returning are linebackers Francois Fabiato and John Stafford and defensive tackle Donnie Coleman.
\ EMORY & HENRY: Expect another successful year for the Wasps, who have been ranked as high as No. 11 nationally in the preseason polls.
Coach Lou Wacker has 15 starters back from a 1992 team that was undefeated in the regular season only to lose in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III playoffs.
At quarterback, preseason All-American Eric Montgomery is back after missing much of last season with an injury. He will be supported by Todd Woodall, who averaged 18.4 yards per catch and scored eight touchdowns in '92. On the offensive line, Reid Ebert, Rex Carter, John Ely and Ernie Maddy - a Patrick Henry High School graduate - return.
Cave Spring High School's Scott Pruner will lead the defense, along with returning starters Adam Dowe, Mike Powell, Jon Luttrell, Darren Reed and Ricky Webb.
\ GUILFORD: The Quakers hope to regain their form of 1991, when they won the ODAC championship. Guilford stumbled to a 2-8, 1-4 mark last year in coach Mike Ketchum's second season with the team.
Guilford added 45 freshmen, including standout center Andre Taylor of Chapel Hill, N.C., and quarterback Santes Beatty of Raeford, N.C.
Wide receiver Phil Lemons is the top returning regular from an offense that averaged only 219 yards per game.
On defense, Blacksburg's Max Appleby, a second-team All-ODAC selection, is expected to anchor the line. The departure of leading tackler Rob Davenport leaves a void at linebacker.
\ HAMPDEN-SYDNEY: A strong running game again will be the offensive trademark of a Tigers team that went 6-4, 3-2 last year.
Coach Joe Bush will rely on two-time All-ODAC selection Cetric Gayles at running back to replace Chad Duncan, the team's leading rusher and scorer last year. Brian Crist of Blacksburg and Wes Andrews, who shared time at quarterback, return to join linemen Steve Smith and Geoff Seamster.
Four starters are back on defense: linebacker Hunter Avery, end Scott McFalls, back Charlie Bishop and tackle Chad Wheeling, a former Salem High School standout who was second-team all-conference last year.
\ RANDOLPH-MACON: The Yellow Jackets will take to the air again this year with two of their top three receivers back.
Garry Carter and David Hughes combined for more than 1,000 receiving yards and nine touchdowns last year as the Yellow Jackets went 4-6, 2-3. Running backs Dexter Hurt and Kerrell Bryant also return, along with tight end Jameson Eddy.
Andy Bush, last year's backup, will attempt to replace ODAC leader John Smith at quarterback. The offensive line also is a question mark.
The defense should be a strong point with five starters returning, including tackle Mike Kehoe, a first-team All-ODAC selection last year.
Junior kicker Mike Duffy, from Cave Spring, also returns.
by CNB