Pete Carges and I got a chance to sit down with SUNY Cortland head football Coach Dan MacNeill today to talk about his thoughts on the upcoming season and this weeks home opener vs. Morrisville. Each week this season I'll be reporting Coach MacNeill's thoughts about the upcoming opponent and his status of the football team. (Photo Courtesy of www.cortlandreddragons.com)Q: What are this years expectations after coming off an 11-2 season in which your team won the Lambert Trophy and finished off the season with a loss in the NCAA quarterfinals to Mount Union?
A: We had an incredible and marvelous season last year. We never caught up to Mount Union last season as much as we wanted to, but our players left that game thinking we had a chance to win this game. That was the biggest mental victory for us. The Mount Union coach even admitted after the game that Cortland gave the best test to us before the championship game in the postseason and we take pride in that.
This year our young man have to inherit last year's efforts and build on the tradition we have here in Cortland. We have a good culture around here. We are hoping to have history repeat itself and build off that. It's a fun group of kids to be around with the same characteristics as last season. Our club has had a good foundation set since the 2005 season and we hope to continue to build off that. We aspire to win a national championship and I've always envisioned that.
Q: Did having the New York Jets here at SUNY Cortland for training camp help the club in any way?
A: Having the New York Jets here to use our facilities for training camp was a great opportunity. It gave our team access to see how professional ball clubs go about their business. The biggest difference that I saw in the Jets that helped our team was how they acted off the field. The Jets were always talking football obviously because that's their profession. That kind of culture nibbled on our guys and helped set a tone for the team. I felt like the players were more focused on football off the field and it showed in practice. In our recent practices you see our defense get very frustrated when they give up a big play because they just want to know why they can't succeed on every down. There has been a chemistry battle and a hunger to talk football. It's a good culture to be around and the days have been flying this preseason.
Q: With a completely new offensive line, quarterback and running back to replace, do you lean more heavily on your defense?
A: We have don't favor one side of the ball over the other. There are no expectations coming in. We look to find out our strengths and weaknesses every week this season. Our offensive line has been looked at as a weaknesses due to all the loses in the offseason, but we didn't give up one sack in a scrimmage vs. Rochester last Saturday. The current starting linemen have had experience in the past in being backups and we look to see who will step up this season for us offensively. We look to rely on a sound offense and defense like usual. Our defense will feature more of a three man front this season, but that could change based on opponent each week.
Q:Any injuries to report going into week one?
A: Luke Ammirati a transfer out of Nassau Community College is out indefinitely this week on the offensive line.
Q: What differences does Dan Pitcher bring to the quarterback position as compared to Ray Miles last season in the offense?
A: Ray Miles was a phenomenal quarterback who did an unbelievable job for us. Dan Pitcher is a more mobile option at quarterback and he brings a different strength to our team. He helps take pressure off of our offensive line. I don't see much of a difference though in our offense scheme thought compared to years past.
Q: What's your biggest concern going into this season?
A: The biggest concern in our forecast is our kicking situation. Where is our kicker going to be? It hasn't defined itself yet? Are we able to reach down and get points from the kicking position when we need it in the big spot? We don't have the same dimension we did last season with Jeffrey Lang. We look to see what Marc Corrado can do for us this season.
Q: This season the Red Dragons schedule feature three home games three weeks in a row to open the season. Last season your team had three road games three weeks in a row to open up the season. Do you think the home field is to your advantage to open the season? Do you feel your at a disadvantage this season with the final two games of the season on the road verses Brockport and Ithaca?
A: We definitely feel the early home games are to our advantages this season. We have some youth to grow this season and the end of the schedule helps us do that. You want a tough schedule at the end of the year because it helps make your team stronger. It helps your team build character and it also helps judge it.
Q: In conclusion do you feel the NJAC has balanced itself out with teams on the bottom becoming stronger? Do you feel any team can win the division? Your week one opponent in Morrisville has been around now for a few years. Do you feel they have gotten stronger and what is your expectation going into this weeks game?
A: The NJAC more and more every year has several teams capable of winning the conferences as compared to years past. There weren't many times last season where the starters could get a rest in a ball-game. It's nice to have a #12 preseason ranking overall in all of Division Three from USA Today. That also brings a lot of expectations and potentials to live up too. The whole key to our season is going to be each individual doing their job collectively as a unit. I've always thought of it as a Tiger Woods mentality. Tiger never thinks about the field of competition around him. He looks to focus on his game and play to the best of his ability. You never want to worry about the teams around you. You just focus on yourself and getting the job done and that starts by winning in week one.
As for Morrisville, I believe their a more athletic team. Athleticism can beat you even when you do everything right. Their a more capable team and we take them just as serious as any other team. Morrisville lost to Hartwich last week 48-25, but they showed us their a much improved team from last season. We gave up 37 points to them last season and we never lost sight of that.
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