2006 Season Preview Expectations are high at SUNY Cortland as the 2006 football season record set in 1981. The gets underway. The Red Dragons fi nished the 2005 regular season Red Dragons’ returning with a 7-2 mark, including a tie for fi rst in the New Jersey Athletic defensive backs accounted Conference (NJAC) at 5-1 with eventual national semifi nalist Rowan. for 13 of those takeaways. Cortland earned an at-large berth into the NCAA Division III playoffs Junior cornerback Jeff – its fi rst NCAA bid since 1997. Cortland returns 20 starters (nine Beck recorded a team-high offense, nine defense and two kicking) from last year’s squad for 10th- fi ve picks, while Sair and year head coach Dan MacNeill. junior cornerback Greg Among that group are 13 players Steward fi nished with who earned NJAC all-conference four apiece. Beck also recognition last year, including broke up fi ve passes and seven fi rst or second team choices. made 31 tackles, while Steward made 34 tackles Senior defensive tackle Adam and notched a team-high Haas, a fi rst team All-American eight pass breakups. and the NJAC Defensive Player of the Year last fall, leads a unit On offense, junior Alex that ranked second nationally in Smith returns for his third Division III in rushing defense (40.9 year as Cortland’s starting Senior offensive tackle Matt Ciquera. yards/game), ninth in total defense quarterback. Smith only (253.6 yards/game) and 20th in connected on 48 percent of his throws last year, but still fi nished with scoring defense (15.5 points/game). 1,720 yards and 11 touchdowns through the air and proved to be a Haas fi nished 11th nationally with formidable threat on the ground with 274 net rushing yards and four 1.1 sacks per game (10.5 total) to touchdowns on 96 carries. Senior Matt Rickert and junior Dustin help Cortland total a school-record Bowser combined to rush for 1,224 yards and 14 touchdowns last 52 sacks. He also led the Red year. Rickert, a second team All-NJAC tailback, ran 161 times for 631 Dragons with 14.5 total tackles for yards and seven scores and caught 11 passes for 84 yards and a score. losses and 17 quarterback hurries. Bowser, an honorable mention All-NJAC recipient, rushed for 593 yards and seven touchdowns on 128 carries and caught fi ve passes for 72 Senior safety Stef Sair and senior yards and a touchdown. Second team All-NJAC fullback Mike Sveda linebacker Matt Montpetit joined returns for his senior season after starting nine games. Sveda served Senior receiver Drew Lascari. Haas on the All-NJAC fi rst team last primarily as a blocking back with season. Sair, an honorable mention only three carries all season, All-American, picked off four although he did catch eight passes and broke up six others. He enters the season tied for fi rst in passes for 77 yards. school history with 12 career interceptions. Montpetit made 73 tackles last season, including 7.5 for lost yardage, and also recorded three Cortland returns all of its top pass interceptions. catchers from a year ago. Senior Anthony Morat led the team Senior end Rich Coyne and senior tackle Mike Connolly both return with 43 catches for 563 yards and to starting spots on the defensive line along with Haas. Twelve of six touchdowns. Senior Drew Coyne’s 40 tackles last fall were for lost yardage, including 6.5 sacks. Lascari, after serving as a backup He earned NJAC honorable mention all-league honors. Connolly quarterback for two seasons, registered 27 tackles, including two sacks. Among other returners made a successful conversion competing for playing time on the line include senior end Rich to wide receiver in 2005 with DeJesus and junior tackle Brad Robison. DeJesus made 19 tackles last 24 catches for 348 yards in nine season and his 6.5 sacks tied Coyne for second on the team. Robison games. Sophomore Zak Carter had three quarterback hurries in nine games. added 19 receptions for 188 yards and two touchdowns and Senior linebacker Bill Hauser junior Paul Caughell, a second received second team All-NJAC team All-NJAC tight end, made honors after leading Cortland 14 catches for 185 yards and a last season with 86 tackles. He touchdown. fi nished second on the team with seven pass breakups and Senior offensive tackle Matt also intercepted a pass and Senior receiver Anthony Morat. Ciquera, an honorable mention made 6.5 tackles for losses. All-NJAC lineman, returns for Senior linebacker Josh Jablonski his fourth year as a starter, and senior tackle David Holleran begins was third on the team with 57 his fourth year with the program and second as a starter. Junior center tackles, and his 11 tackles for Dan DiFalco started all 10 games last season, with junior center Steve losses included 5.5 sacks. An Longinott also seeing action in nine games. Junior Tom Drew is the honorable mention All-NJAC lone returning guard from last year’s end-of-season two-deep chart. selection, Jablonski also blocked a school single-season record six Senior punter Jimmy Cunneen earned NJAC honorable mention status kicks and is the school’s career after averaging 34.6 yards per attempt last year. He pinned opponents leader with nine blocks. Junior inside the 20-yard line 15 times with only four touchbacks. Senior linebacker Dave D’Aurelio Matt Librock, Cortland’s starting punter in 2004, will also compete for fi nished with 31 tackles, three playing time. Juniors Derek Ziders and Matthew Mintz both return to interceptions and two pass battle for placekicking duties. Ziders, who earned All-NJAC honorable breakups in 10 games. mention honors, made 8-of-13 fi eld goals and 13-of-17 PAT kicks. Mintz started later in the season and made 14-of-15 PAT attempts. He Cortland intercepted 23 passes made only 1-of-6 fi eld goals, but four of his fi ve misses came from 38 Senior defensive end Rich Coyne. in 2005, one shy of the school yards or farther. CORTLAND Table of Contents 2006 Season Preview ...........................................................................................Inside Front Cover Media Information .........................................................................................................................1 Credits ...........................................................................................................................................1 Cortland Football Quick Facts .........................................................................................................2 On The Air .....................................................................................................................................2 2006 Schedule ...............................................................................................................................2 Head Coach Dan MacNeill .............................................................................................................3 All-Time Coaching Records ............................................................................................................3 Red Dragon Coaching Staff Photo ..................................................................................................4 Red Dragon Coaching Staff ........................................................................................................ 4-5 Preseason Roster ........................................................................................................................ 6-7 Red Dragon Player Profi les ....................................................................................................... 8-14 Red Dragon Senior Photo .............................................................................................................14 Opponent Capsules ............................................................................................................... 15-19 Cortland Football Record Book ............................................................................................... 20-24 The Last Time It Happened ...........................................................................................................25 More Cortland Records ................................................................................................................25 Cortland Postseason History .........................................................................................................25 Year-By-Year Cortland Football Win-Loss Records .........................................................................26 Team Captains Photo ...................................................................................................................26 Cortland All-Americans Since 1983 ..............................................................................................27 Cortland ECAC Upstate NY Div. III “Player of the Year” Selections ................................................27 Cortland All-Time vs. 2006 Opponents ........................................................................................27 NJAC 2005 Standings and Awards ..............................................................................................28 2006 NJAC Composite Schedule ..................................................................................................28 2005 Results and Statistical Leaders .............................................................................................29 2005 Game Box Scores .......................................................................................................... 30-32 2005 Individual Game Highs ........................................................................................................32