2008 CAA FOOTBALL PREVIEW: HOFSTRA PRIDE
Hofstra posted the second-most improved record in the FCS last season with a 7-4 overall mark and a tie for second in the CAA North Division. The Pride has to replace 24 seniors, including 14 starters, but head coach Dave Cohen and starff have brought in the largest newcomer class in school history.
On offense, the Pride return 16 lettermen and seven starters. Senior Bryan Savage returns to lead Hofstra’s aerial attack that posted the fifth-best passing game in the CAA and the 26th in the FCS with a 242.6 yards per game average last year. The graduation of career 2,000-yard rusher Kareem Huggins is a huge loss. With Huggins gone the halfback spot should be a fierce battle between red-shirt freshman Larry Gaskins and graduate student Justine Buries, who rushed for 1,750 yards and 13 touchdowns in 37 games in three seasons at New Mexico State. Another fierce battle is expected to be waged at fullback between sophomore Everette Benjamin and senior Ray Bennett.
On the offensive line the Pride, who recorded its most rushing yards per game since 2001, return four linemen with starting experience including sophomore tackles Brian Frederick and junior Jimmy Mangiero and junior guards David Spanich and Mike Trice.
The Pride lost all-time receiving record-holder Charles Sullivan to graduation but returns senior starter Ottis Lewis and starting running back/punt returner, sophomore Anthony Nelson. At the tight end position, three-year starter senior Phil Riley returns.
With nine returning defensive starters in 2007, the Pride allowed 312.2 yards per game, their second-best defensive effort in the past 12 seasons. Included was holding opponents to just 113.9 rushing yards per outing, the best since 1996. The task will be tougher in 2008 as only three starters return to the defensive unit against, arguably, the toughest schedule in school history.
The Pride defensive line lost both starting tackles, who were All-CAA selections, and one of their starting ends to graduation after the 2007 season. But juniors Kevin Smith and Al Carmody are the front-runners for starting roles on the ends.
At linebacker the Pride graduated two-time All-American Gian Villante and All-CAA third team selection Stanley Gutierrez. The one constant is the return of two-year starter Luke Bonus, who will most likely be moved into the middle linebacker spot in 2008. The former CAA defensive rookie of the year has started 21 of the 22 games in his first two seasons and recorded 182 tackles. The front-runners for the outside linebacker spots are sophomores Said Gaida and Deron Mayo.
With the loss of three of the four starters from last season, the Pride secondary will be the area with the most competitive battles for starting spots during the preseason camp. Only senior Nick Altomare returns to a starting spot and he is expected to be moved from safety to the corner this season. Junior Leslie Jackman, a transfer from Rutgers University, looks to be the front-runner for the other corner spot. At free safety, sophomore Jeff Aime makes the move over from running back and holds the advantage over classmate Garrett Heron. At strong safety, red-shirt freshman Gregory Melendez held the advantage for the starting role over California native, junior college transfer Ray McDonough entering preseason practice.
The Pride will be opening the season with new starters at both kicker and punter. Fortunately, sophomore Shane Casciano, who came off the bench the past two seasons, returns as the front-runner for the punting job. With the graduation of two-time All-American kicker Rob Zarrilli, freshman Brian Hanley, brother of former starting punter Chris, appears to be the front-runner for place-kicking duties.
New on CAASports.com this season is The CAA Football Pressbox. Located as a button on the homepage as well as in the menus down the left-hand side of the football page, The Pressbox is the official source for all CAA Football information. Check The Pressbox
each week for updated team-by-team weekly releases, two-deep charts,
league and team stats as well as other "media-type" information. CAA
Football plans to archive the conference's weekly releases throughout
the 2008 season, in addition to archiving each team's home-game
flipcards in a printer-friendly format. Also available on the site are
coach and player pictures and each team's logo and helmet illustration.
Check The Pressbox every week to find in-depth information that all CAA Football fans can't live without.