The
UW-Whitewater Warhawks football team hit uncharted territory in 2012, and
according to head football coach Lance Leipold, they weren’t too far off from
coming back if some of the breaks that didn’t go their way go their way in
2013. The 2013 season isn’t necessarily a rebuilding season. It’s a season
where if they make the minor adjustments they could be back in the playoffs.
The
Warhawks finished the 2012 season at 7-3 overall with a 5-2 record in
conference. You look at last year, they should have finished really 9-1. They
finished tied with UW-Platteville for second in conference. In the typical fans' eyes that's a down season because of the Warhawks' success the seven season's before. I don't blame the fans looking from that vantage point, there are always high expectations for the team because of the four national championships they've won. In a way it's just a few things didn't go the Warhawks way and they could have finished 9-1 easily last year. You look at the
game against Buffalo State, where a touchdown drive was snuffed out and Eric
Kindler missed two field goals in that game. If he makes one of those field
goals or they score the touchdown, they would have won that one. You look at
the game they lost of to Stephens Point, Behrendt threw a crucial pick six and
if he wouldn’t have throw that they would have won 14-10. That’s what Leipold
means by being not to far off from previous seasons. Looking at the schedule,
three games stick out to me on the schedule: at Buffalo State (September 21st,
which is more of a revenge game for the Warhawks), at UW-Oshkosh (October 26th,
which could end up deciding the WIAC), and home against UW-Platteville (November
2nd, they barely beat Platteville last year 28-27, Platteville went
for two which cost them the game. This could be a factor in deciding conference
as well.
The
2013 season will be the first full season for junior quarterback Matt Behrendt.
Behrendt replaced quarterback Lee Brekke in the game against UW-Oshkosh and
started the three games after that. Behrendt might also have some competition for the starting job this year. Wilmot graduate Chris Nelson transferred from Northern Michigan University (which is as some people can remember that Matt Blanchard transferred from the same exact school as Nelson) to Whitewater and might give Behrendt a test at the spot. Both quarterbacks have mobility and either would make a huge affect with the installation of the Read-Option into Lance Leipold's offense. Both will benefit from the weapons they have at both wide receiver and tight end. It remains to be seen which will be starter at the beginning of the year, but I give it to Behrendt because of his experience from last year. But anything can happen.
“Lee
Brekke was our starting quarterback last year,” Coach Lance Leipold said. “Lee
did a solid job for us. By no way first of all was it anything that he did or
didn’t do that caused us not to be a successful offense last year. Probably,
the thing that hurt us was mobility at that position and things at that
position.”
The
Warhawks also have a new quarterbacks coach in Andy Kotelnicki. It will be
interesting to see how Kotelnicki will help in Behrendt’s development as the
starting quarterback of the team. He has had experience coaching quarterbacks at
the Division II level where he was offensive coordinator at the University of
Mary in South Dakota. In addition
to that, Kotelnicki has had experience coaching quarterbacks at UW-River Falls.
They have changed quarterback coaches over the years but have remained
consistent, and Steve Dinkel is still the offensive coordinator.
“Matt
gave us a bit more of a quarterback run game and kept some plays alive, and for
Matt to get three and a half games he got himself into WIAC play,” Leipold
said. “We look for him to take the necessary steps in development whether it is
in the weight room or mentally in the classroom watching film. Then become the
type of the leader and quarterback heading into his junior season. We are very
confident that he can lead our football team.”
Matt
Behrendt will have some good weapons offensively. They are stacked at the wide receiver position with Tyler Huber, Steve Morris, Zach Howard, Joe Worth, Jake Kumerow, and Justin Howard. He also has options at the tight end position in Derric Junakin and former Division 3 Men's Basketball player Chris Davis.
There
are some players who didn’t get much playing time last year that he thinks will
blossom in 2013. One of those players is junior defensive back Andrew Keister,
who was in a rotation that last year included seniors Steve McCollum and
All-American Ryan Wenkman. Another one of those players who Leipold thinks will
blossom in 2013 is sophomore tight end Derric Junakin. They will have a decent
running game this year with Ryan Givens and Nick Patterson. One of those backs
is going to have step up to get the clear-cut number 1 spot. In previous years
they’ve had stud running backs such as Justin Beaver, Levell Coppage, and
Desmin Ward. They don’t have the luxury of that this year right out of the
gate. The thing that will help the Warhawks this year is the installation of
the Read-Option which will take some pressure off not having a Coppage or Ward –
type running back.
“I’m
anxious to see what he (Junakin) can give us,” Leipold said. “He is a big
bodied, very athletic 270-pound tight end. I’m really waiting for him to put it
all together.”
One of the biggest concerns going into
the 2013 season for the Warhawks is the offensive line. The Warhawks have no
seniors on their offensive line, and the player with the most game experience
at that position is junior Lucas Skibba. Freshman Connor Peters started some
games at center for the Warhawks as well. Those two players are the only two
that have played, none of the other offensive linemen on the roster have
played. The thing about that is yes it’s a talented group, but you don’t want
to have Behrendt on his back the whole time. I don’t think that will happen as
much because of Behrendt’s mobility at Quarterback, but what the Warhawks don’t
want is to have him ending up like Jay Cutler or Aaron Rodgers with this
inexperienced line. I expect Skibba to step up and be the “Logan Allemand,” of
this line (the leader so to speak).
“It’s going to be a young talented
group,” Leipold said. “We’re probably going to have some growing pains to go
through that. If there is a position on the roster that is going to be extremely
competitive it is at that position. We may have to move guys around.”
The Warhawks have a lot coming back
offensively when it comes to guys to the passing and running game. Tyler Huber,
who is a senior is medically cleared to come back for another season. The other
options at wide receiver are Jake Kumerow, Zach Howard, and Steve Morris.
Really solid wide receiving core in 2013 as long as they stay healthy. Sophomore
running back Ryan Givens, who got injured at the end of last year is set to
return as well. Freshman running back Nick Patterson showed some promise last
year. It would be interesting to see who gets the number one running back role.
Leipold said the
Warhawks’ position of strength in 2013 is the defensive, and positon where the
Warhawks strengths are defensively is the line backing core. The Warhawks are
really solid there with returning players Kyle Wismer, Ryan Cortez, Cole Klotz
and Josh Williams. They also have some other key players on defense with Mykaell Bratchett and 2011 Stagg Bowl MVP Loussaint Minnett anchoring the defensive line. Marcus Mclin, Andrew Keister, and Brady Grayvold will also be significant contributors on defense as they will be anchoring the secondary.
In the special teams department, the
strength for the Warhawks is in their kicking game. Place-kicker Eric Kindler
is returning and has a strong leg. The place where the Warhawks need to improve
is in the returning game.
In order for the Warhawks to succeed in
2013, they have to stay healthy as a football team if that happens they could
be back to where they were at the last few years. My prediction is 9-1 or 10-0
and hopefully winning the WIAC and possibly get back to the Stagg Bowl for another matchup with Mount Union.
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