A senior-laden group has set the stage for what they are hoping is a storybook finish to the early chapters of a young and rising football program at Alderson Broaddus.
In sweltering West Virginia heat, preseason camp is in full swing as the Battlers prepare for what head coach Dennis Creehan is referring to as his toughest schedule by far.
Back-to-back 7-4 campaigns in 2014 and 2015 will be tested in 2016 against the likes of Robert Morris, Fairmont State, Glenville State and Charleston, at some point this season.
But the roster is ripe with veteran experience. Some are entering their fourth year of official competition. Many are fifth-year seniors at key positions. This is that year that all the pieces should ideally come together.
Creehan has “YON” printed on the team’s shirts and shorts – a reference to yes or no and questions that need to be answered from within his program. He wants to see improvement from last year and measuring that improvement will be a barometer off the increased strength of schedule.
The start of this season will be critical. Position battles will continue to heat up as the coaching staff makes their personnel decisions and shores up the depth chart for opening day.
The patience of assembling an independent schedule will pay off in 2017 for the Battlers as they prime for the new-look G-MAC with Findlay, Hillsdale, Kentucky Wesleyan, Lake Erie, Malone, Ohio Dominican and Walsh, in the picture.
The Battlers have already proudly hoisted the inaugural G-MAC Founders Cup Game trophy after beating Kentucky Wesleyan last season. AB will look to retain those bragging rights and keep the heavy mining cart in Philippi for the second straight year.
Offense: The quarterback position is up for grabs. Both Wilson Vaughn and Dakota Bruggeman are seniors. Both started games last season. Bruggeman ended 2015 as the starter and it is presumed he would retain that role heading into camp, but anything can happen leading up to the first game.
The Battlers run everything out of the shotgun and it’s an offense designed to eat up clock with power running formations and short passes.
At 5-8, 200 lb., senior running back Brandon Jones has logged over 30 career touchdowns and amassed 3,000 yards despite missing half of last season with an injury. He’s a rugged north-south runner with a low center of gravity that churns out yards relentlessly behind his offensive line.
The road graders in front of James allows the offense to run a lot -- as much as 30-40 times per game. The offensive line excels in run blocking and should continue to maul up front with several senior starters like Eric Bearer and Jerran Downing.
Senior tight end Cooper Schroeder has hauled in 19 career touchdowns and nearly 1,700 yards in just three seasons. At 6-3, he’s a mismatch for opponents out wide and is as sure handed as they come at the position.
Defense: Think of bookend safeties Michael James and Malcolm Lee playing a similar role in the AB secondary like the Seattle Seahawks’ Legion of Boom with Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor. Both are relentless ballhawks, hard hitters and playmakers. James has recorded 12 career interceptions, is dangerous and sees the ball well. It’s an absolute luxury to have talent like both of them in any defensive scheme.
James led the Battlers with 63 tackles last year and had five picks. Lee tied for second on the team in tackles with 61.
The program’s current leader in career tackles is senior Jeff Stephens, an active, versatile force up front who can play on the end and was moved a little bit more to the inside last season. He racked up six sacks and 12 tackles for a loss in 2015. Also on the line, Mike Wayne should be in for a big season with similar production following 4.5 sacks and 10 tackles for a loss.
The potential starting linebacking corps of Robby Hogue, Justin Joyce and Brooks Arthur, all had 50 or more tackles. Hogue will also vie for the title of career leader in tackles by the end of the season.
Cornerback Marcus Anderson, also on the track and field team, is a presumed starter. He was the G-MAC Indoor Freshman of the Year last season.
Special Teams: Junior Grant Noon enters the season as the punter. Homegrown Philippi product Tyler Schiefelbein was the kicker in the spring game and Garrison Swain handled a lot of the returning responsibilities last season. Special teams changed the momentum of some games for the Battlers in 2015, including some blocked punts. It’s an area of the game that Coach Creehan emphasizes – they can win or a lose a game.
Head Coach: Dennis Creehan (4th season)
2015 Record (Overall): 7-4
2015 Record (Conference): N/A
2015 All-Conference Performers: N/A
Quotable: “For us to have two winning seasons in the first three years of existence is incredible. I mean, it’s just beyond anything that I could have hoped for. From that standpoint, our football program has done great things. We’ve been an independent since we’ve started and it’s really hard to get games when you’re an independent. Every year, our schedule has gotten tougher and tougher and tougher. This year is the toughest schedule we’ve had to date by far. ”
- Alderson Broaddus Head Coach Dennis Creehan
Records Watch: The G-MAC will officially start a football record book this fall with single-game superlatives, single-season records and career cumulative records, between the three current member institutions…The Battlers have a big opportunity to make a dent in the early-conference archives heading into the fall of 2017…Statistics will be posted from every game on the G-MAC website from AB, Kentucky Wesleyan and Malone, this season.