The Rocket

Issue date: 8/31/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Nate Daymut Junior Tyler Boudreau (#94) and senior Cory Lacek (#51) will anchor a Rock defensive unit that forced 21 turnovers in 2006. Lacek, a two-time PSAC-West first team selection, recorded a team-high nine sacks last year. [Click to enlarge]

To say that the Rock football team is peeved is an understatement.

It's had almost 10 months to agonize about its 2006 season-ending 21-20 loss to West Chester.

Players and coaches have had an entire off-season to seethe and stew and think about how they were thisclose to the team's first NCAA Division II playoff berth since 1999.

But now, they're ready to move on.

That's because for a team that returns 39 lettermen and 17 starters, focusing on the past-and in particular, kicker Ryan Daniel's 48-yard missed field goal with less than a minute to play-doesn't make nearly as much sense as concentrating on what's to come in 2007.

"The West Chester loss left a bitter taste in both players' and coaches' mouths, no doubt," said Head Coach George Mihalik, who began his 20th season at the helm in last night's season opener against Seton Hill University. "It's a long off-season when you have a game like that, knowing you were so close to the national playoffs. I think it's motivated all of us and has driven all of us."

ON THE OFFENSIVE

Leading the Rock offense from under center once again this fall will be quarterback Nate Crookshank, who accounted for 22 touchdowns (19 passing, three rushing) while throwing for 189.1 yards per game last season.

Crookshank said that if the offense is to have giddy-up, it will be his responsibility to provide it.

"This offense has been together for a long time, and if we keep it together all year, we know we can do a lot of great things," he said. "Offensively, the key is turnovers, and if we can limit those, we have the guys that can win us some games."

Continued...

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