Aug. 31, 2006
TACOMA, Wash. -
MINDI RICE, The News Tribune
One change can mean a big adjustment for a college football team. Getting a new head coach, especially one replacing a man who had walked the same sideline for 17 years, can stun a program.
Such is the challenge that greets Robin Ross and his Western Washington Vikings this fall.
Of course, even with a veteran coach, leaving a fledgling conference such as the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and joining a league that many consider to be the best in NCAA Division II - the Dakotas-heavy North Central Conference - is another challenge altogether.
Are you ready for Mankato State, Nebraska-Omaha, North Dakota and Augustana?
Western had better be. The two big changes combined could be a recipe for disaster ... or a chance to surprise even WWU's biggest supporters.
The season will begin to unfold at 6:30 tonight when the Vikings open against Humboldt State in Arcata, Calif.
"The first thing I told the team when I took the job was that we are going to be the best team we can be," Ross said in a release. "We'll find out how good that is as the season goes on."
Ross was named head coach in December after Rob Smith stepped down following 17 seasons. Smith's final season was the program's second losing campaign in 15 years, a 4-6 record in the final year the GNAC offered football.
So with Ross coming in, the team also was busy booking flights halfway across the country, to away games in Minnesota and North Dakota, among others.
When the GNAC chose to opt out of football beginning with the 2006 season, Humboldt State hightailed it to another conference. With few NCAA Division II alternatives, Central Washington and Western Washington joined the North Central Conference, where their shortest trip is to Grand Forks, N.D.
It could be a tough first season. In both the media and coaches' preseason polls, Western was picked to finish near the bottom of the NCC.
Besides the coaching and conference changes, last season's less-than-stellar defensive showing didn't help the Vikings' cause.
Western finished 122nd out of 144 Division II schools in total defense in 2005, allowing 417.1 yards per game - and an average of 35 points a game in the team's six losses.
Ross, who also will serve as defensive coordinator, is focused on improving the run defense.
"You make it tough for the offense to control the game when they can't run," Ross said. "If people can't run on you, you'll always have a chance to get the ball back."
On offense, senior quarterback James Monrean returns for his second season as a starter. The second team all-GNAC pick in 2005 threw for 2,322 yards and 19 touchdowns his junior year.
"James has a good feel for what we're doing," Ross said. "He knows he doesn't have to make every play, he just needs to make good decisions and put the ball where it needs to be."
Although none of the running backs on the Vikings' roster had a single carry in 2005, four experienced receivers will provide targets for Monrean.
With the new conference, Western's schedule includes four opponents ranked in the preseason Top 25 - No. 4 North Dakota, No. 11 Nebraska-Omaha, No. 13 South Dakota, and No. 16 Washburn (Kan.).
"It's one of the toughest schedules in the country, and we're doing it with a young team," Ross said. "But having six games at home will help."
Western Washington university
Civic Stadium (capacity 3,500), Bellingham
Coaching staff: Head coach, Robin Ross (1st year); offensive coordinator, Eric Tripp (14th year); defensive coordinator, Ross.
2005 record: 4-6 overall, 3-3 GNAC (second).
Returning lettermen: 35. Returning starters: 13 (five offense, six defense, two specialists).
The offense: Returning for the Vikings is senior quarterback James Monrean, who was named to the GNAC second team in 2005. He threw for 2,322 yards, the sixth-best single-season mark in Western's history, and had 19 touchdown passes in his first season as a starter. Protecting Monrean is nothing new for senior tackle Brandon Torrey, who was a unanimous first-team all-GNAC choice in 2005, and he'll have his work cut out for him with a new crop of offensive threats.
The defense: With Ross leading the defense, the Vikings hope the only place to go is up from their 2005 ranking of 122nd in total defense among the 144 teams in NCAA Division II. Western allowed 417.1 yards per game last season, and stopping the run in particular will be a priority this season. Many of the same players return to the field with added experience under their belts.
Outlook: Western opens its 2006 season tonight against Humboldt State in Arcata, Calif. In 2005, the Vikings had just their second losing season in 15 years and only their third under longtime coach Rob Smith. Smith stepped down after the season and Ross was named head coach in December. Along with a new coach comes a new conference for football only, meaning that a team returning 13 starters will have to learn on the fly as the season moves along. Western was picked to finish last in the North Central Conference preseason coaches poll, giving the Vikings an extra bit of motivation.
Players with area ties: Nick Bassett (OL, freshman) Penninsula, Ryan Conwell (DL, junior) Kentwood, Chris Corey (OL, sophomore) Decatur, Colby Davies (WR, freshman) Steliacoom, Brandon Elliott (DL, junior) Fife, Craig Garner (RB, freshman) Lakes, C.J. Green (DB, freshman) Federal Way;
Kevin Jones (DB, senior) Kentwood, Maurice Jones (DB, sophomore) Spanaway Lake, Dincer Kayhan (DT, freshman) Gig Harbor, Todd McClellan (DB, senior) Timberline, Ocie Moore (DB, junior) Kent-Meridian, Justin Mundell (DE, freshman) Tahoma, A.J. Porter (QB, junior) Kennedy, Steen Raisl (TE, sophomore) Stadium, Chris Robinson (WR, junior) Clover Park;
Ben Shelton (TE, junior) Lincoln, Shane Simmons (LB, junior) Kentlake, Matt Smith (WR, junior) Spanaway Lake, Don Thomas II (DL, freshman) Kentwood, Brandon Torrey (OL, senior) Bethel, Calvin Williams (RB, freshman) Penninsula, Matt Wilson (WR, junior) Auburn, Kyle Winkley (DL, sophomore) Black Hills, Dan Winter (LB, freshman) North Thurston.
