Matt Florjancic
The Chronicle-Telegram

OBERLIN — Confidence is the buzzword at Oberlin.
With key skill players returning and a solid core of recruits ready to step in, the Yeomen are looking to improve on last year’s 5-5 overall record and surprising third-place finish in the North Coast Athletic Conference football standings.
“I think it’s about time we win the conference,” senior running back R.V. Carroll said. “We’ve been making strides every season, getting better and better. Now (we want) to win those tougher games and put a stamp on it that we’re not a sixth team in the conference, that we’re an upper-echelon team.”
“I just want to have a great season,” added Carroll, who is 991 yards away from 4,000 for his career. “I want everything to go well for us and fall into place.”
The offense is again in the capable hands of senior quarterback Greg Mangan, a San Francisco native in his third year as starter. Though one of Mangan’s primary targets, wide receiver Chris Schubert, is now a coach for the Yeomen, he still has a talented group of receivers around him.
“Greg has to get us in the right place,” Oberlin coach Jeff Ramsey said. “He has to be that coach on the field.
“He’s taken charge and been asking a lot of good questions about what should we run in this situation. When he does that, we’re at our best. He’s on the field, he sees it and he gets us in the right play. Our most productive games since he’s been the starter have been games when he’s done that more than 50 percent of the time.”
Mangan started all 10 games last year, going 198-for-316 for 2,236 yards. His13 touchdowns, however, were offset by 13 interceptions.
“We have some veteran guys coming back,” Mangan said. “It’s a good mix of old and new. We’re losing some really good players from last year, but just judging from what I’ve seen in camp, I’ve been pretty impressed with the freshman and sophomore classes. We’ll get a big effort out of them this year. The expectations have really risen just from watching our team in camp.”
Carroll, the NCAC Offensive Player of the Year last season, rushed for 1,038 yards, a 4.9 yards-per-carry average, and 16 touchdowns.
His 16 scores, 103.8 yards-per-game and 9.8 points-per-game led the NCAC. It marked the first time in league history that an Oberlin player led the NCAC in any of those categories.
When looking at Carroll, it may be hard for defensive coordinators to single out his skill set and form their game plans around stopping him. The best word to describe his running style is deceptive.
“His running style is unique,” Ramsey said. “He’s both fast and somewhat powerful. He doesn’t look very big, but he is. He’s built low to the ground and so he runs with great power. Since his freshman year, he’s developed the ability to make people miss at the second and third level. That’s what has enabled him to be a great producer for us not only in yards but in touchdowns.”
Having a two-time All-NCAC running back is a luxury Mangan enjoys.
“I don’t think you’ll find a better running back in Division III,” Mangan said. “We work really well. He sees a lot of things out there that I might not see and he helps me out. We know each other’s games like the backs of our hands. Without him, we wouldn’t be nearly the offense we are. It’s awesome to have him behind me.”
One question mark for Oberlin is the secondary after losing both corners and a safety from last year’s team. Oberlin’s schedule is loaded with pass-happy offenses run by experienced quarterbacks.
“We have a pretty good offense, but the key thing is controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, especially on defense because they’ll be challenged greatly,” Ramsey said. “The key is to be able to get a pass rush (and) get some pressure on their quarterbacks, force them to throw the ball a little bit early, which will help our DBs to grow.”
Contact Matt Florjancic at 329-7135 or ctsports@chroniclet.com.

Oberlin vs. Washington & Jefferson (Pa.)

WHEN: Today, 1 p.m.
WHERE: Savage Stadium, Oberlin
RADIO: WOBL 1320-AM.
RECORDS: This is the season opener for both teams.
COACHES: Jeff Ramsey is in his 10th season at Oberlin and has a
24-66 career record. Mike Sirianni is in his sixth season at W&J and has a 50-8 career record.
SERIES: This will be the fourth meeting between the teams, with the Presidents holding a 2-0-1 series lead. Washington & Jefferson won last year’s game, 56-26, on Sept. 22 in Washington, Pa.
THE SKINNY: The Yeomen went 5-5 overall last year and 5-2 in the North Coast Athletic Conference, good for third place. NCAC Offensive Player of the Year R.V. Carroll leads Oberlin’s offense after averaging 103.8 yards and 9.8 points per game last year and finishing with 16 touchdowns. Senior QB Greg Mangan is close to rewriting several OC passing records. Sophomore linebacker Austin Richards leads the Oberlin defense after having 58 tackles and two sacks in 2007.
Washington & Jefferson was picked to defend its Presidents’ Athletic Conference championship after the Presidents had a 10-1 overall record last year and finished 6-0 in the league. Quarterback Bobby Swallow already holds several school records. Middle linebacker David Gitlitz leads the defense and has 213 career tackles.
Head coach Mike Sirianni played at Mount Union, graduating in 1994 and is currently third on the all-time wins list at W&J.

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