• Sat, 11/19 | Football vs. Central Connecticut L, 42-21 (Final) BX | RC | PH
  • Sat, 11/12 | Football vs. Saint Francis (PA) W, 45-34 (Final) BX | RC | PH
  • Sat, 11/05 | Football at Albany W, 31-17 (Final) BX | RC
  • Sat, 10/22 | Football at Robert Morris W, 34-27 (Final) BX | RC
  • Sat, 10/15 | Football vs. Monmouth L, 40-35 (Final) BX | RC | PH
  • Sat, 10/08 | Football vs. Stonehill W, 42-7 (Final) BX | RC | PH
  • Sat, 10/01 | Football at Duquesne L, 31-28 (Final) BX | BX | RC
  • Sat, 09/24 | Football vs. Wagner W, 30-28 (Final) BX | RC | PH
  • Fri, 09/16 | Football at Sacred Heart W, 26-6 (Final) BX | RC
  • Sat, 09/10 | Football vs. American Int'l W, 27-16 (Final) BX | RC | PH
 

August 24, 2009

OFFENSIVE LINE READY TO PAVE THE WAY IN 2009

August 24, 2009

BRYANT FOOTBALL

Offensive Line Ready to Pave The Way For Big Gains in 2009

SMITHFIELD, RI – Chances are you won’t see their names in the box score or in the game stories in the Sunday paper.  They play one of the toughest positions on the field and understand there isn’t much glory, statistics, or recognition that goes with the job. But they’re happy to do it.  They are football’s offensive linemen.

Since Marty Fine’s arrival, it can be argued that offensive linemen do get recognized with several former standouts earning all-conference and all-region honors.  Bryant will hope for that tradition to continue as the Bulldogs begin their second year of competing at the Division I level and eligible for Northeast Conference individual honors in 2009.

The offensive line loses just one starter to graduation (Jacob Meyer) and will be anchored by three seniors and two sophomores ready to power the Bulldogs' offense this fall.

“We're going to need to run the ball to be successful this season,” said Fine. “We have a good core of returning veterans back who will be counted on to be leaders for our younger guys.”

Senior left tackle Pete Krafka (Milford, MA) has been steady as a starter for the past two seasons.  Steady with excellent techniques and foot skills, his athletic ability will be important in slowing down opponents pass rushers.  The same on the other side where senior Ben Lyons (Westfield, MA) is another starter returning.  With excellent size (6-foot-7, 320-pounds), Lyons looks to have a big senior season in protecting the quarterback.

Senior John Tashjian (Paramus, NJ) slides over to right guard after lining up at center for the last year and a half.  At 6-4, 280-pounds, Tashjian is perhaps the team’s most physical lineman and the Bulldogs will look to utilize his strength and power in opening holes for the Bulldog tailbacks.

Sophomores Ray Bundy (Bristol, RI) returns at left guard and Robert Edwards (Damascus, NJ) is back at center this season and both have looked good in preseason camp which heads into its third week on Wednesday.

Juniors Bryan Brady (Floral Park, NY), John Lewis (Sayville, NY) and Randall Angel (Emmaus, PA) are expected to compete for starting positions along with sophomores Jack Barons (Lexington, MA), Julien Dumond (Saint Hubert, Quebec), Royce Brunson (Bridgeport, CT) and Matt Llewellyn (Gales Ferry, CT). 

Freshmen Tyler MacDowell (Glastonbury, CT), Matthew Lentz (Catonsville, MD), Ryan Schermerhorn (Bedford, NY), Jordan Kelly (Canton, MA), Ben Zats (Plymouth, MN), and Chris Willadsen (South Windsor, CT) will be the foundation of the future.  All should figure to gain valuable experience working with the veterans on the roster and second-year offensive line coach Joel Rodriguez - a former standout lineman at the University of Miami.

“We were certainly looking towards the future with our recruiting this year,” said Fine. “We’ve brought in a some big kids who will develop and grow and help the program build and get ready for when we become eligible to compete for championships.”

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