July 16, 2009

EIGHT BULLDOGS NAMED TO FOOTBALL PRESEASON TEAM

 

Jerell Smith	Lindsey Gamble
Pete Krafka	John Tashjian
Don Smith	Patrick Gauthier
Paul Polomski	Andre Whyte

SMITHFIELD, RI - The college football season may be only a month away but the Bryant University football team has already garnered some early preseason honors.  

A total of eight Bulldogs have been named to the Phil Steele 2009 Division I Preseason  All-Independent Team announced this week.

Bryant placed four players on the first team offense and four on the first team defense.  North Carolina Central's 10 total representatives.   

Senior running backs Jerell Smith (Brooklyn, NY) and Lindsey Gamble (Roxbury, MA) joined senior offensive linemen Pete Krafka (Milford, MA) and John Tashjian (Paramus, NJ).   Smith is coming off a tremendous season in 2008 in leading the team with 1,254 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games. 

Gamble gained 792 yards on the ground and scored a team-best seven touchdowns.   Both Krafka and Tashjian have been two of the most consistent offensive linemen for the Bulldogs and helped pave the way for the Bryant offense that averaged 178.3 yards per game rushing.

Defensively, the Bulldogs placed four players on the preseason all-independent team led by defensive linemen Don Smith (Attleboro, MA) and Patrick Gauthier (Woonsocket, RI) along with senior linebacker Paul Polomski (Franklin, MA) and safety Andre Whyte (Bennington, VT).  

With a total of 10 starters back on defense, the Bulldogs figure to be loaded. 

In 2008, Bryant's first year competing in Division I (Football Championship Subdivision), the Bulldogs boasted the 16th-best run defense nationally allowing a stingy 100 yards per game.

Smith led the team with 12 tackles for a loss and nine sacks on the season, not to mention seven pass breakups and nine quarterback hurries as a lineman.  Gauthier had 46 total tackles including nine for a loss and five sacks. 

Polomski, a three-year starter, led the team with 67 tackles in 2008 and picked off three passes.  Whyte was third on the team with 51 tackles and four pass breakups. 

Phil Steele's 2009 College Football Preview is available on newsstands and at www.PhilSteele.com.  Bryant will open its second year competing in Division I on Saturday, September 5 when the Bulldogs host Southern Connecticut at 3 p.m. at Bulldog Stadium.