AVE MARIA GRIDIRON FOOTBALL SEPTEMBER 2018 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 GAZETTE NOTE: This is the inaugural edition of the Gridiron Gazette, a monthly publication for the friends of Ave Maria Football. If you know of someone who would like to be added to the distribution list, please email the AMU head coach at [email protected]. LET THERE BE LIGHT! FIELD LIGHTING NEARLY COMPLETE A new day is dawning in Ave Maria, can now avoid all conflicts with class one that will allow night games and schedules by practicing early in the early-morning practices. Thanks to morning before the sun rises. For soc- the generosity of donors, the newly cer and lacrosse, the teams will now installed artificial turf field will now be able to have night games and avoid have professional-grade lighting. The afternoon home games on school Musco Lighting Company began work days, which had required the athletes in August, and the lights will be fully to miss classes. For football, the functional by September 10. prospect of night games promises a “The past two years have been better fan experience and an improved game-changing for Ave Athletics,” said environment in regard to heat. Head Coach Joe Patterson. “First, the The first night football game at Ave University installed the artificial surface Maria will be Saturday October 6 vs. field, and now we will have state-of-art Southeastern University. lighting.” The lights are a donor-driven The new lighting will be a tremen- project, and $75,000 still needs to be dous benefit to lacrosse, men’s and raised. To that end, the Light Brigade women’s soccer, and football. From has been formed. Please see Page a scheduling point of view, the teams Four for details. SEASON KICKS OFF WITH NEW GYRENES OPEN BLEACHERS FOR AVE MARIA FANS When Hurricane Irma battered sphere was unique,” said Head Coach WITH VICTORY AMU’s campus last September, most Joe Patterson, “but it wasn’t a long- OVER POINT (GA) of the campus weathered the storm term solution. It was clear that we In 2017, Point University dealt in tact. A notable exception was the needed new bleachers in order to Ave Maria a 40-17 thrashing. In bleachers for the football field. They have a legitimate program.” 2018, the Gyrenes emerged vic- were thrown into a twisted heap on the Insurance didn’t cover the replace- torious, 17-5, starting the season field, destroyed beyond repair. ment of the bleachers, so it fell to the with a 1-0 record. For the remaining home games of generosity of donors. In particular, the “The win speaks to the im- 2017, the football team played their Fahey and Hatcher families stepped provement this team made during games with no seating for the fans. forward. The new bleachers are firmly (Continued on Page 5) “The standing-room-only atmo- (Continued on Page 3) Ave Maria Gridiron Gazette -- September 2018 Page 2 COACHING STAFF ADDS SEVERAL DISTINGUISHED COACHES Head Coach Joe Patterson over- offensive coordinator. At AMU, he will hauled the coaching staff this past coach the quarterbacks and running Coach Klacik also served as the season. In fact, other than two student backs. Offensive Coordinator at Miami Uni- coaches, only Mike Hiestand (Defen- Also new to the Ave Maria coaching versity for four seasons. Prior to his time at Miami, he served as the head sive Coordinator), Jarvis McGarrah staff isDefensive Line Coach Jappy coach at his alma mater, Lock Haven (Tight Ends) and Eric VanHeusen (who Oliver. Coach Oliver, similar to Coach moved from Offensive Coordinator to Faragalli, brings a wealth of knowl- University, for six seasons. Coach Assistant to the Head Coach) remain edge and experience with him. In sum, Klacik—who also coached at Wake from the 2017 season. Coach Oliver has more than 30 years Forest University—earned his degree “I’m thrilled with the 2018 staff,” of experience coaching the defensive in fitness management. said Coach Patterson. “I believe line at the Division-One level, includ- Ave Maria is very fortunate to have ing the University of Virginia (three secured the services of such accom- years), the University at Buffalo (four plished coaches.” years), Notre Dame (five years), South Headlining the new coaching Carolina (three years), the Air Force line-up is Offensive Coordinator Academy (eight years), Vanderbilt (five Mike Faragalli. Coach Faragalli had years), and the Naval Academy (three an eight-year stint as the offensive years). During his time at Buffalo, he coordinator for Bowling Green and an also served as the Assistant Head eight-year stint as the offensive coordi- Coach. Coach Oliver’s college coach- nator at Lafayette. He also served for ing career began at his alma mater, two seasons as offensive coordinator Purdue University, where he served as Linebackers Cornerbacks at the University of Richmond, during an offensive line graduate assistant. Coach Tyler Coach Andrew which time the Spiders won the FCS Claytor Wilson National Championship. Coach Fara- galli was also the offensive coordinator Wide Receivers Coach Travis at Norfolk State and Columbia Univer- Johnson joins the Ave Maria staff sity. after an 11-year career as a success- In addition to his collegiate experi- ful Florida high school coach. During ence, Coach Faragalli coached in the his 11 seasons as a coach, the high Canadian Football League for seven school programs that he served won years as an offensive coordinator and four district championships. His most head coach. successful stint was as the offensive Coach Faragalli has coached all of Offensive Defensive Line coordinator for Miami Carol City High the offensive positions, except offen- Coordinator Coach Jappy School, during which time they won sive line. He served as the running Mike Faragalli Oliver the 6A Florida State Championship. backs coach at the University of Vir- New Linebackers Coach Tyler ginia, the wide receivers coach at the Another accomplished veteran Claytor had an outstanding playing University of Wisconsin, and the WR/ who has joined the staff is Offensive career at William and Mary College, TE coach at both Rhode Island and Line Coach John Klacik. Coach an FCS college in the ultra-compet- William & Mary. He also served as the Klacik brings more than 20 years of itive CAA. As a senior, he was an QB coach wherever he had been the Division-One coaching experience All-CAA first-team selection. Coach with him, having spent 15 seasons at Claytor signed with the Chicago Bears Youngstown State in a variety of roles, after college, and later played for the including Offensive Line Coach and Richmond Roughriders of the Arena Offensive Coordinator. During those Football League. 15 seasons, Youngstown State won Cornerbacks Coach Andrew Wil- four Division-IAA National Champion- son rounds out the new additions to ships. the staff. Coach Wilson recently com- “I feel blessed to be part of the Ave pleted his playing career at Ave Maria Maria Football program,” said Coach University. A business student at AMU, Klacik. “I look forward to helping our he excelled on the field, registering the Offensive Line Wide Receivers young men reach their full potential most snaps of any Ave Maria football Coach John Coach Travis both on and off the football field as player during the 2016 season while Klacik Johnson they represent Ave Maria University.” playing cornerback and special teams. Ave Maria Gridiron Gazette -- September 2018 Page 3 FRESHMAN NAMED SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK Freshman kicker Devyn McCormick was honored as the Special Teams Player of the Week for the Sun Divi- sion of the Mid-South Conference. The honor comes following McCormick’s Gyrene debut in Ave Maria’s 17-5 victory over the Skyhawks of Point University. McCormick is the fourth Gyrene to win Sun Division Special Teams Player of the Week honors since Ave Maria joined the Mid-South Conference last season. During the 2017 campaign, Ramsey Bennett, Brandon Butry, and Dimitrius Hirsch were all honored by the conference. In his first college football game, McCormick drilled a 47-yard field goal and nearly connected on another from 51 yards. McCormick’s 47-yard field goal, which gave Ave Maria a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter, missed the AMU record by one-yard. McCormick also helped the Gyrenes swing field position throughout the contest, averaging 40 yards per punt and placing two punts inside the Point 20-yard line. His longest punt of the afternoon was 55 yards. Devyn McCormick nails a 47-yard field goal vs. Point University NEW BLEACHERS PROVIDE BETTER GAMEDAY ATMOSPHERE (Continued from Page 1) grounded on a concrete base and are considered hurricane-resistant. They are also constructed in a way so as to allow seamless expansion beyond their current capacity of 800 (Note: Portable bleachers in the endzone push the current official captacity of the stadium closer to 1000, and the opening game of 2018 had 917 tickets redeemed at the ticket booth). “There was tremendous energy at the game,” said Coach Patterson. “The team was excited to be in front of the bleachers, feeding off the energy of the crowd. It’s a blessing to have such generous donors.” The bleachers will be dedicated to the first 11 graduating senior football players: Mike Baumgardner, Colin Behm, Chris Fahey, Dennis Grossklas, Steve Macias, Ethan Manos, Dan Mer- The view of the Ave Maria football bleachers on September 11, 2017, after Hur- vos, Matt Novak, William Puthoff, Scott ricane Irma had battered the campus for hours. Ruane, and Shane Williams. Ave Maria Gridiron Gazette -- September 2018 Page 4 The Ave Maria University LIGHT BRIGADE Help ILLUMINATE the FOOTBALL, SOCCER, and LACROSSE Field * Improves the game experience for fans.