2005 STATESMEN FOOTBALL 4 2005 records Season divider Preview page Opponents Divider Divider Page Page 2005 Season Preview Season Preview ..............................5 2005 Outlook .................................6 Alphabetical Roster .......................7 Numerical Roster ...........................8 Pre-Season Depth Chart ..............9 5 0 4 0 3 0 2 0 1 0 G
2005 Season Preview “Where Champions Play” Season Preview: All Eyes on Eyster <strong>and</strong> Company in 2005 2005 Delta State University Football Preview by Rori Autumn Eddie There are hundreds of collegiate football programs across America that would take a six-win, four-loss, above .500 season. Delta State University, however, is not one of those programs, as <strong>Statesmen</strong> head coach Rick Rhoades vehemently contends, “Last year, was, in a word, frustrating. There’s an old saying your friends don’t need <strong>to</strong> hear your excuses <strong>and</strong> your enemies won’t believe <strong>the</strong>m anyway. So I don’t want <strong>to</strong> say <strong>to</strong>o much about it. It is what it is. 6-4 is a decent year, but it’s certainly not what we were looking for. “The one thing I will say is that what makes football such a great endeavor for young people is that it teaches you a lot about honesty. A football team usually gets about what <strong>the</strong>y deserve, but I don’t think this one did. Last year, our guys got <strong>the</strong> short end of <strong>the</strong> stick in a lot of things, but again, it is what it is. It’s a new season, though, <strong>and</strong> we’re ready <strong>to</strong> hopefully get that ball bouncing in our direction a few more times <strong>and</strong> improve in a few more areas,” Rhoades, now in his fourth year at <strong>the</strong> helm of <strong>the</strong> DSU program, offers optimistically. And his budding optimism seems warranted, as <strong>the</strong> 2005 edition of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Statesmen</strong> squad, returns an all but in-tact offense from a season ago that lit up opponent’s scoreboards for a cumulative 443 points scored. Delta State will also usher in a new defensive scheme, while also welcoming, both, a new defensive <strong>and</strong> offensive coordina<strong>to</strong>r. “We’ve had some off-season changes, no question. But, <strong>the</strong> reasons for those changes were very clear <strong>to</strong> me. In this business, change is not personal. It’s about doing <strong>the</strong> things that you think need <strong>to</strong> done <strong>to</strong> get your program <strong>to</strong> where you want it <strong>to</strong> be,” <strong>the</strong> <strong>Statesmen</strong> headman contended. “We were fortunate <strong>to</strong> bring in an experienced defensive coordina<strong>to</strong>r who I have a lot of respect for <strong>and</strong> who I think will be able <strong>to</strong> do a lot of things with this team in Ron Roberts. And, we were able <strong>to</strong> attract a bright, experienced young coach who I think is going <strong>to</strong> do a great job on <strong>the</strong> offensive side of <strong>the</strong> ball in Mike Bloomgren.” Roberts joins <strong>the</strong> Delta State staff after serving one season as head coach at Mount Whitney HS in Visalia, Calif. <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> 2003 football season as defensive coordina<strong>to</strong>r at Texas State University. During his time at Texas State, Roberts <strong>to</strong>ok over a defense ranked near <strong>the</strong> bot<strong>to</strong>m in its conference. Within a year, TSU’s defense improved in virtually every statistical category, while also placing two defenders on <strong>the</strong> All-<strong>South</strong>l<strong>and</strong> <strong>Conference</strong> Defensive Team. Before his journey <strong>to</strong> Texas State, Roberts spent five seasons as Assistant Head Coach <strong>and</strong> Defensive Coordina<strong>to</strong>r at Tusculum College. During his tenure at <strong>the</strong> Greenville, Tenn. school, <strong>the</strong> 2002 Pioneers’ defense ranked No. 1 in <strong>the</strong> <strong>South</strong> Atlantic <strong>Conference</strong> in yards allowed per game (273) <strong>and</strong> in points per game (15). As for Bloomgren, <strong>the</strong> Tallahasse, Fla., native, joins <strong>the</strong> <strong>Statesmen</strong> coaching staff after s<strong>to</strong>ps in Catawba College, Florida State University <strong>and</strong> University of Alabama. A graduate of FSU, Bloomgren spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at Florida State under head coach Bobby Bowden <strong>and</strong> two seasons under Dennis Franchione at <strong>the</strong> University Junior quarterback Scott Eyster leads <strong>the</strong> <strong>Statesmen</strong> in<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> 2005 season needing just 63-yards <strong>to</strong> become DSU’s all-time leading passer. For his career, he has 6,854 yards. of Alabama before taking <strong>the</strong> position at Catawba. Of <strong>the</strong> personnel additions, Rhoades guards, “Anytime you have personality changes, it’s going <strong>to</strong> be a different type of animal but I do think if we all buy in<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> system <strong>and</strong> work hard, it’s going <strong>to</strong> be good. Change is not always a bad thing. We’ve got a good bunch with good chemistry who work well <strong>to</strong>ge<strong>the</strong>r.” And working hard, working well <strong>to</strong>ge<strong>the</strong>r – <strong>the</strong>y are coaching principles that have steered Rhoades’ 20-year football career. “The goals are <strong>the</strong> same <strong>the</strong>y are every year. Our goal is <strong>to</strong> be <strong>the</strong> best football team we can possibly be <strong>and</strong> <strong>to</strong> conduct ourselves with class <strong>and</strong> character. We do those two things; well, I’ll certainly take <strong>the</strong> results.” He’ll also take what he’s got returning on <strong>the</strong> offensive side of <strong>the</strong> ball this season, as <strong>the</strong> <strong>Statesmen</strong> return heralded junior quarterback, Scott Eyster; three returning offensive lineman, including senior center Ryan Barker; a deceptive <strong>and</strong> veteran backfield in <strong>the</strong> senior duo of Radale Pearson <strong>and</strong> Jason Snell; as well as a trio of wide receiver threats in juniors, Chad Ridley, Robert Davis <strong>and</strong> Mike Wallace. “When you’ve got <strong>the</strong> speed this team is bringing back, a guy who can throw <strong>and</strong> make decisions as well as anybody in G 1 0 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 5
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