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Date Posted: 04:30:50 08/25/03 Mon
Author: SL Trib
Subject: Salt Lake Trib SUU Football Preview

SOUTHERN UTAH THUNDERBIRDS: New coach looks to reverse slump
By Michael C. Lewis
The Salt Lake Tribune

Clearly, Gary Andersen does not have much sense for easing into things.
All he has to do, in his first head coaching job after years as a defensive assistant at Utah, is completely rebuild both the offense and the defense at Southern Utah. At the same time, he will try to snap a 10-game losing streak and pull the Thunderbirds out of one of the worst eras in their history.
No problem, right?
"You have to teach them how to win," Andersen said. "And that's a big step."
The Thunderbirds were 1-10 last season and fired coach C. Ray Gregory, opening the door for Andersen once he was let go when Utah coach Ron McBride was fired, too. The first thing he did was scrap both the option offense and the flex defense, bring in about a dozen transfers -- including running backs Tremaine Cox from Arizona and Michael Culpepper from Utah -- and try to instill that sense of confidence.
"What we have to do, rather than put numbers on it and say, 'This is our goal, we can do this or do that,' is we have to learn how to be good enough to win a game," he said. "Then move on and win game No. 2 and then game No. 3. Once we learn how to win, I think we have the kids to potentially be a good football team."
Junior quarterback Casey Rehrer, who led Dixie State to a 10-2 season last year, figures to run the new spread offense, with former quarterback Charles Henderson having been moved to tight end. But freshman quarterback Ryan Zimmerman, the two-time Tribune Class 4-A Most Valuable Player from Mountain Crest, has made great strides to close the gap.
"It's a fight," Andersen said. "And I have no problem, just like with the rest of the team, with creating competition. We have two quarterbacks who I think are pretty good players. Two kids who are pretty special."
The wide receivers are largely inexperienced, considering the Thunderbirds almost never threw the ball in their option attack, though leading receiver Wes Patterson is back to play alongside former junior-college All-American A.J. Smith, a transfer from Snow College. Justin Walterscheid, a transfer from Utah whose father was a two-time All-American at SUU, also is in the mix.
The Thunderbirds want to be more aggressive on defense, Andersen said, and they figure to run a blitz-heavy scheme similar to those used by Air Force and New Mexico. They have two linebackers who transferred from BYU, Nick DiPadova and Kalisi Stevens, whom Andersen figures will play a big role. He also likes the heavier look of the offensive and defensive lines.
But the biggest thing remains convincing the players they can do more than just go out and lose every week.
"Are we more athletic? Yes," Andersen said. "Are we stronger? Yes. Do we have more discipline? Yes. Now, that has to carry over to the football field on Saturday. Now, we have to show that we can do it."


2003 Schedule
Aug. 30 at Nevada (5-7) 1 p.m.
Sept. 6 at Weber State (3-8) 7 p.m.
Sept. 13 Stephen F. Austin (6-5) 7 p.m.
Sept. 20 at Eastern Washington (6-5) 6 p.m.
Oct. 4 Western Oregon (5-5) 7 p.m.
Oct. 11 Southwest Texas (4-7) 7 p.m.
Oct. 18 McNeese State (13-2) 7 p.m.
Nov. 1 at Cal Poly (3-8) 4 p.m.
Nov. 8 Northern Colorado (12-2) 1 p.m.
Nov. 15 at St. Mary's (6-6) 1 p.m.
Nov. 22 at Idaho State (8-3) 6:30 p.m.

2002 Statistics
Yards Per Game: 302.4
(212.1 rushing/90.3 passing)
Yards Allowed Per Game: 406.7
(233.1 rushing/173.6 passing)
Points Scored Per Game: 18.5
Points Allowed Per Game: 38.5
Coach: Gary Andersen, First Year, 0-0
Last season: 1-10
Best case: Nobody gets hurt and the Thunderbirds sneak off with a handful of victories.
Worst case: The streak reaches 21.
It depends on: Whether the defense -- so porous last season -- can slow some people down and give the offense a chance to figure itself out.
Key game: Oct. 4 vs. Western Oregon -- The first of three straight home games, it may be the first and best chance to break the losing streak and start the ball rolling. The Nov. 15 matchup at St. Mary's will be interesting, too, with Andersen going against his former Utah colleagues who now coach the Gaels.
Projected record: 3-8
Did you know?: The Thunderbirds have built a new weight room and renovated their offices and locker rooms as part of their renewed commitment to football. They also will wear new uniforms this season, with black helmets and red, black and white jerseys and pants.

OFFENSE
WR -- Isiah Mack 5-10, 180, Junior
WR -- A.J. Smith 6-0, 185, Junior
LT -- Ryan Hunt 6-3, 285, Senior
LG -- Chris Shipman 6-3, 306, Junior
C -- Mario Garcia 6-1, 285, Senior
RG -- Derik Bringhurst 6-5, 310, Junior
RT -- Iosefa Robins 6-6, 312, Junior
TE -- Charles Henderson 6-1, 200, Senior
WR -- Wes Patterson 5-10, 185, Senior
or Justin Walterscheid 5-9, 175, Junior
QB -- Casey Rehrer 6-0, 180, Junior
RB -- Mike Culpepper 5-10, 195, Senior
or Tremaine Cox 6-0, 210, Junior
DEFENSE
DE -- Major Salanoa 6-1, 260, Junior
DT -- Sione Uipi 6-0, 310, Junior
DT -- Justin Taylor 6-3, 265, Senior
DE -- Sitiveni Tuivai 6-4, 250, Junior
LB -- Ryan Thompson 6-1, 218, Senior
MLB -- Michael Overly 6-2, 225, Junior
LB -- Nick DiPadova 6-2, 215, Junior
CB -- Chris McCorkell 5-9, 180, Junior
CB -- Allen Jacobson 5-9, 180, Junior
S -- Steve Smith 6-0, 185, Sophomore
S -- Brandon Perkins 6-1, 195, Soph.
S -- Josh Raban 6-0, 185, Sophomore
or Kurt Elliott 6-0, 195, Junior
PUNTER/KICKER
P -- Brandon Perkins 6-1, 195, Soph.
K -- Steve Pulver 5-10, 175, Freshman

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