2010 Football Preview/Recap

Steve Mohr and his Trinity Tigers will be on the hunt for Lynx, Majors, Panthers, Colonels, Kangaroos, and, well…Tigers, during the 2010 campaign.

Led by 16 returning starters (eight offense, six defense, two special teams), the Tigers will strive to win the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, the mascots of which are mentioned above. Trinity, which went 7-3 and 4-2 SCAC last season (tie for third place), has not won a conference title since 2007, a co-championship with Millsaps.

Coach Mohr, in his 21st season at the Tigers helm, has guided Trinity to 14 SCAC Championships, and 11 appearances in the NCAA Division III playoffs. He believes this year’s edition of the team will be ready to rumble!

“This group is really looking forward to the challenges of 2010,” said coach Mohr, who took the Tigers to the 2002 Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl. “Their mindset is that they want to climb back to the top of the conference. It’s going to be a dogfight with three or four teams, and, hopefully, we will be one of them.”

The Tigers are ranked 19th nationally by The Sporting News Division III Preseason Poll.

Trinity begins its campaign Sept. 4, with a non-conference home game against the Howard Payne Yellow Jackets at E.M. Stevens Stadium.  After an open week, the Tigers return home Sept. 18 to host the Rhodes Lynx in a SCAC contest. Trinity plays host Sept. 25 to the SCAC co-champion Millsaps Majors, and does not play at home until Oct. 23 against the DePauw Tigers, on the University’s Alumni Weekend. DePauw shared the 2009 SCAC title with Millsaps, and won the NCAA automatic qualifier. The Tigers wrap up their regular-season home schedule Nov. 13 by hosting the Austin College Kangaroos in a conference tilt.

Five road games are on the docket, starting Oct. 2 in Birmingham, Ala., with the Birmingham-Southern Panthers, a SCAC opponent. Trinity travels to nearby Seguin Oct. 9, for a non-conference game with the Texas Lutheran Bulldogs. The following week, Oct. 16, it will be a SCAC  battle of the Tigers as Trinity takes on Sewanee: the University of the South at Sewanee, Tenn. The Huntingdon Hawks will host Trinity Oct. 30 in a non-conference meeting at Montgomery, Ala. The Tigers finish their road schedule Nov. 6 at Danville, Ky., taking on the Centre Colonels in a SCAC pairing.

Last season, Trinity won its final two games, beating Centre (27-17) and Austin College (44-10).

“We gained some momentum at the end of last year with our final two games,” said coach Mohr, “ and we took that momentum into the spring. I thought we had our best spring workouts in years. The players had a new sense of urgency and commitment.”

The Tiger defensive unit was  second in conference scoring defense, allowing 21.2 points per me. Trinity ranked third in total defense (312.4 yards per game), third in rushing defense (119.1 yards per game), and fourth in pass defense (193.3 yards per game).

Jonathan Osei-Kuffour, a junior cornerback from Houston (Lamar), made the All-SCAC First Team Defense. Osei-Kuffour registered 25 tackles (18 solo), to go along with one intercption, one fumble recovery, and two pass breakups.

Junior cornerback Tyler Barrett of Spring, Texas (Oak Ridge), is the Tigers’s leading returnee in tackes, with 37 (27 solo). Barrett, selected for the All-SCAC Honorable Mention Team, also leads in interceptions, with two for 63 yards.

The linebackers corps is led by junior Ben Robinson, and senior Jarrod Burns, both selected for the All-SCAC Honorable Mention Team.

Robinson, from Coppell, Texas (Coppell), had 36 tackles (25 solo), two interceptions (for 24 yards), and two fumble recoveries. Burns, from nearby Bulverde, Texas (Smithson Valley), accounted for 34 tackles (13 solo).

The Tigers defensive line is led by senior defensive ends Garrett Van Dyke and Reuben Lucas.

Van Dyke,  from Houston (Northland Christian), was elected to the All-SCAC Honorable Mention Team. He produced 29 tackles (14 solo). Lucas also had 29 tackles (13 solo), and led in sacks, with 2.5 (14 yards).

Trinity’s special teams unit brought national attention to the Tigers.

Sophomores Garrett Biel and Kyle Trella were elected to the D3football.com All-America Third Team.

Biel, a kicker from Clayton, Calif. (De La Salle), led the NCAA Division III in field goals made, connecting on 17 of 19. His longest field goal was 48 yards. Biel’s 17 field goals set a new school record for a single season. He also broke the mark for most field goals in a single game, making four against Rhodes College.

Trella, a punter from Chandler, Ariz. (Chandler), led the nation in punting during the regular season (No. 2 after the playoffs), averaging 44 yards per attempt. He broke a 46-year-old Trinity record with his 48.8 yards per punt average against Sewanee. Trella now holds four of the top-10 averages in Tigers’ single-game history (minimum of five punts). He landed over 33 percent (16) of his punts inside the 20-yard line.

In addition, Trella was named the SCAC Football Newcomer of the Year. Both Biel and Trella were elected to the All-South Region First Team, and the All-SCAC First Team.

Another players who consistently stepped up the previously mentioned Caleb Urban. He  returned 24 kickoffs for a school single-season-record 630 yards, and one for a touchdown of 87 yards. He also broke the Trinity record for career kickoff return yards, and for most returns.

The career kickoff return yards, and single-season yard records were previously held by Urban’s older brother, Jerheme, who was a Tiger standout from 1999-2002. He is now a receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs. As a member of the Arizona Cardinals, Urban played in this year’s NFL Divisional game against the New Orleans Saints. He also was a member of the 2009 Cardinals Super Bowl team.

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE

Trinity’s offense scored 29.6 points per game in 2009, third in the SCAC. The Tigers were third in rushing offense (162.4 yards per game), fourth in pass offense (196.8 yards per game), and fifth in total offense (359.2 yards per game).

“I think we will be more balanced this year, relying more heavily on the pass than in recent years, ”coach Mohr said. “But, you do have to run the ball to be effective in this conference, and run it with consistency. Our strength looks like the four starters up front so we are relying on them to have a great year.”

Senior quarterback Robert Davidson of Fort Worth, Texas (All Saints Episcopal), was fourth in

Junior quarterback Patrick Dickinson of San Antonio (Central Catholic) completed 41-67 passes (one interception) for 538 yards and five touchdowns, as well as rushing for two more.

Senior wide receiver Caleb Urban of Victoria, Texas (Memorial), was elected to the All-SCAC Second Team Offense. He snagged 34 passes for 538 yards and six touchdowns. Urban also rushed 21 times for 212 yards and a touchdown. SEE SPECIAL TEAMS SECTION, FOR ADDITIONAL HONORS.

Daniel South, a senior wide receiver from Montgomery, Texas (Montgomery), caught only six passes, but they added up to 133 yards and two touchdowns. Junior tight end Markham Stayton of  Katy, Texas (Katy), had 10 receptions for 91 yards.

The offensive line returns four solid starters, anchored by junior tackle Justin Campbell of Victoria, Texas (Memorial). Campbell was selected for the All-SCAC Honorable Mention Team. The versatile Campbell is also an All-American in the discus throw.

Bolstering the O-line are senior guard Tory Dawson of Austin, Texas (Westlake); junior guard Matthew Fitzpatrick of College Station, Texas (A&M Consolidated); and sophomore tackle Yustino Hong of McAllen, Texas (McAllen).

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE

The Tigers were second in conference scoring defense, allowing 21.2 points per game. Trinity ranked third in total defense (312.4 yards per game), third in rushing defense (119.1 yards per game), and fourth in pass defense (193.3 yards per game).

“We are not that big up front,” coach Mohr said, “but the quickness, strength and speed we have will be pretty formidable. I think we are as deep as we have been in a while.”

Jonathan Osei-Kuffour, a junior cornerback from Houston (Lamar), made the All-SCAC First Team Defense. Osei-Kuffour registered 25 tackles (18 solo), to go along with one intercption, one fumble recovery, and two pass breakups.

Junior cornerback Tyler Barrett of Spring, Texas (Oak Ridge), is the Tigers’s leading returnee in tackes, with 37 (27 solo). Barrett, selected for the All-SCAC Honorable Mention Team, also leads in interceptions, with two for 63 yards.

The linebackers corps is led by junior Ben Robinson, and senior Jarrod Burns, both selected for the All-SCAC Honorable Mention Team.

Robinson, from Coppell, Texas (Coppell), had 36 tackles (25 solo), two interceptions (for 24 yards), and two fumble recoveries. Burns, from nearby Bulverde, Texas (Smithson Valley), accounted for 34 tackles (13 solo).

The Tigers defensive line is led by senior defensive ends Garrett Van Dyke and Reuben Lucas.

Van Dyke,  from Houston (Northland Christian), was elected to the All-SCAC Honorable Mention Team. He produced 29 tackles (14 solo). Lucas also had 29 tackles (13 solo), and led in sacks, with 2.5 (14 yards).

SCOUTING SPECIAL TEAMS

Trinity’s special teams unit brought national attention to the Tigers.

Sophomores Garrett Biel and Kyle Trella were elected to the D3football.com All-America Third Team.

Biel, a kicker from Clayton, Calif. (De La Salle), led the NCAA Division III in field goals made, connecting on 17 of 19. His longest field goal was 48 yards. Biel’s 17 field goals set a new school record for a single season. He also broke the mark for most field goals in a single game, making four against Rhodes College.

Trella, a punter from Chandler, Ariz. (Chandler), led the nation in punting during the regular season (No. 2 after the playoffs), averaging 44 yards per attempt. He broke a 46-year-old Trinity record with his 48.8 yards per punt average against Sewanee. Trella now holds four of the top-10 averages in Tigers’ single-game history (minimum of five punts). He landed over 33 percent (16) of his punts inside the 20-yard line.

In addition, Trella was named the SCAC Football Newcomer of the Year. Both Biel and Trella were elected to the All-South Region First Team, and the All-SCAC First Team.

“It’s nice to have those guys back,” coach Mohr said. “It puts us in pretty good shape as far as our kicking and punting game. It’s great to have two young men step up as they did as freshmen last year.”

Another young man who consistently stepped up was Caleb Urban, previously mentioned. Urban returned 24 kickoffs for a school single-season-record 630 yards, and one for a touchdown of 87 yards. He also broke the Trinity record for career kickoff return yards, and for most returns.

The career kickoff return yards, and single-season yard records were previously held by Urban’s older brother, Jerheme, who was a Tiger standout from 1999-2002. He is now a receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs. As a member of the Arizona Cardinals, Urban played in this year’s NFL Divisional game against the New Orleans Saints. He also was a member of the 2009 Cardinals 2009 Super Bowl team.