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By PAUL SOKOLOSKI; Times Leader Sports Writer
Thursday, September 01, 1994 Page: 7B QUICK WORDS: COLLEGE FOOTBALL
They have a running back who won the Harlon Hill Award as the most
outstanding Division II college football player in the nation and a
quarterback who could have.
They are ranked second in the country by Sports Illustrated. And they
haven’t lost a regular-season game in two years.
But when the national powerhouse called the New Haven Chargers open the
season at Bloomsburg University today, they’ll meet a team bent on attaining
some recognition itself.
“We’re really psyched for it,” Bloomsburg second-year coach Danny Hale
said. “There are going to be six or seven NFL scouts in the stands. Our kids
are psyched up and want to make sure they’re seen.”
Most eyes, however, are sure to be on New Haven’s offense during today’s 4
p.m. season opener for both teams at Robert B. Redman Stadium.
Harlon Hill winner Roger Graham gained 1,687 yards and averaged 9.3 yards
per carry last season, as the star running back rolled his total of 100-yard
games to 21 straight and scored 23 touchdowns. Over his career, the explosive
senior has gained 4,346 yards on 543 carries, 52 of which wound up in
touchdowns.
“Hopefully, we can slow him up a little,” Hale said. “I’d like to keep him
out of the end zone. But you can’t just sell out on him.”
James Weir makes sure of it.
Also entering his senior season, the New Haven quarterback was the nation’s
top-ranked passer in 1993, throwing for 2,336 yards and 31 touchdowns while
completing 151 of his 266 attempts.
“Their quarterback is outstanding,” Hale said. “He was also a legitimate
candidate for the same (Harlon Hill) award.”
Capable receivers Joe Davis and Max Joyner-Brown move into New Haven’s
starting lineup, and a rock-solid line led by NFL hopeful Tyrone Smith
(6-foot-4, 290-pound senior tackle) opens huge holes and provides plenty of
protection from defenses.
“We’re excited about the challenge of going against such a high-powered
offense,” Hale said.
That means the Huskies will rely on a ball-hawking defense, which returns
eight starters from 1993. In particular, Bloomsburg is looking for big plays
from free safety Chet Henicle (Division II’s runner-up with eight
interceptions, team runner-up 79 tackles last season) and linebacker Frank
Babula (team-leading 3.5 sacks in ’93).
The Huskies offense will try to keep pace with sophomore quarterback Glen
McNamee, who started the final five games of 1993 and led Bloomsburg to
victory in four of them.
“McNamee’s there, and better than ever,” Hale said.
McNamee completed 67 of 130 passes for 929 yards and seven touchdowns a
year ago, and he’ll again look for receivers such as Crestwood’s Jeff Zoranski
(28 catches for 411 yards) and sophomore Buck Eardley (49 catches, 911 yards
and nine touchdowns).
It’ll be the fourth meeting between the two teams, and Bloomsburg holds a
2-1 advantage in the series — including a 21-16 victory at Redman Stadium in
1989. The game will be broadcast on WJMW-AM 550 beginning with a 3:30 p.m.
“Husky Countdown” pregame show, with Jim Doyle and Andy Ulicny doing
play-by-play.
“We were excited about taking on the game, especially the timing of it,”
Hale said. “A Thursday afternoon, before the Labor Day weekend. It’s going to
be tough to keep them out of the end zone. But the defense, hopefully, will
keep them in check. And the offense has got to do what they’ve got to do to
win this game.”