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Ready or not, Tigers set for battle at Sewanee
With a new coach and a group anxious to get rid of the stink from a disappointing finish last year, the DePauw football team is finally less than three days from the start of its 2013 campaign.
The clock is counting down and the players are relishing the chance for game action. They're just not sure what it'll look like.
"We're at the point where we've got to play a game, whether we're ready or not," DPU head coach Bill Lynch said. "You think you have an idea about what the other team does, but every year is different and every team is different and it comes down to who can play solid, sound football."
Lynch was brought in to help turn the Tigers back into a winning team, and his quest starts with a game against other Tigers.
Sewanee: University of the South was 3-7 last season. It plays with a run-option offense, something the Tigers have had to adjust for during the latter portion of preseason camp.
The results, particularly with the execution of the scout offense, have been a mixed bag. It's understandable, as the players were brought to DePauw to play the DPU offense, but it adds to the mystery of what will happen Saturday.
"The first game is tough because of what the defense has to do," Lynch said. "This game is totally different than they've seen against us all camp. ... You're going to have mistakes in an opener, but you've got to limit the major ones and play your way through the other ones."
The Tigers have had about as good a camp as could be expected, Lynch said. They've stayed mostly healthy, installed the new offense and figured out which group to put on the field.
That includes quarterback Justin Murray, named the starter this week, and sophomore offensive tackle Hunter Logan (North Putnam '12), who has been lined up on the left side with the first-team offense at practice and during last week's scrimmage at Franklin.
Lynch said aside from the quarterback and the line -- Logan, Taylor Shellman, Craig Neece, Kody Bontreger and Dan Howard --most of the offensive players will be in rotations.
Running backs Armani Cato, Amen Galley and Andrew Cusumano will split carries and a large group of wide receivers will get worked in. Tight ends Kevin Ude and J.D. Robinson will also see significant time.
Lynch will call the plays and serve as offensive coordinator for DPU, as he has done for most of his head-coaching career. He said his comfort level and confidence with the assistant coaches should make the easier.
Colin Johnson, the offensive line coach, worked with Lynch at Indiana University and Brett Dietz, the receivers and quarterbacks coach who is a holdover from the previous staff, has experience with the athletes that Lynch lacks.
The Tigers have a plan and a lineup set. Now it's time to play.
"For the most part, after going through a tough camp, we're in pretty good shape," Lynch said. "I like the attitude and we're ready to see where we're at."