March 27, 2008

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Hello again from Stony Brook Football! With winter workouts and recruiting behind us, we are now beginning to focus on our own on-the-field football specific preparation. Over the past two months the team has engaged in rigorous and intense strength training along with speed and agility training under the watchful eye of Head Speed, Strength and Conditioning Coach, David VanDyke. We have been impressed with the teams overall work ethic and have seen significant improvements in many important aspects of our off-season training program.

Spring ball provides our coaches with an opportunity to evaluate many aspects of our program. It is the perfect time to enhance and change techniques coached at various positions as well as install and evaluate new schemes, plays, and blitzes without the pressure that comes with the regular season schedule. With practices spread out on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays with opportunities for scrimmages on Saturdays there is more time to evaluate the depth chart and personnel.

The 2008 offense will have a new look. The graduating Josh Dudash '08 (Beachwood, N.J.), a three-year starter at quarterback, will mean there will be a new signal caller for the Seawolves come the season opener on August 30th against Colgate University. There will be good competition for the starting spot with red-shirt freshman Dayne Hoffman '11 (Ada, Mich.), junior college transfer Matt Dardenne '10 (Fremont, Calif.), and junior Dan Sweeney '09 (Niskayuna, N.Y.) all battling for the starting position. The offensive line, wide receiver and running back positions all remain intact with hardly any changes due to graduation. The tight end position will look to replace graduating senior Kevin Halonski '08 (Budd Lake, N.J.) with sophomore Chris Tyler '10 (Rocky Hill, Conn.), sophomore Jason Figorski '10 (Pittsburgh, Pa.), freshman Melaquan Saffold '11 (Syracuse, N.Y.), and junior college transfer Adrian Sawyer '10 (Oakland, Calif.). As a whole, the offense will be focused on gaining more consistency as well as being able to produce more explosive "big" plays.

The defense returns a veteran group that loses only two starters in Milo Otis '08 (Los Angeles, Calif.) and Adam Cooper '08 (San Diego, Calif.). With the addition of red-shirt transfer Chris Richards '10 (Pacoima, Calif.) from the University of Michigan as well as other freshmen there will be a solid pool of experience and depth that will look to improve on last year's performance. One area that we will emphasize will be to enhance our level of aggressiveness that can lead to opposing offenses making critical mistakes with turnovers or forcing poor field position for our opponent.

We look forward to seeing you at our practices which are open to everyone. A schedule of the specific dates and times of practice is posted on the www.GoSeawolves.org website. Midway through the Spring practice season I will provide another update on the progress we have made as a team as well as by specific position. As Always, wear red and Go Seawolves!

Chuck Priore
Head Football Coach