With 17 returning starters, now may be the perfect opportunity for Carlisle to “catch up” in what should be a wide-open Commonwealth Division. Fourth-year skipper Josh Oswalt is shifting some personnel, hoping to find the right formula. Below is their Countdown to Kickoff preview.
School Name: Carlisle Thundering Herd
Coach: Josh Oswalt
Last Year: 0-10, 0-7 Commonwealth
Last 5 Years: 10-40
Returning Starters: 9 on offense, 8 on defense
Key Players: RB-S Bamasa Bailor; TE-LB Max Breschi; QB-S Billy Burger; RB-CB Deonte Ramsey; DE Tim Roesler; K Dorian Naiditch; OL-DL DeQuan Lacy-Brown; OL-DL Gary Pariseau; WR-DE Michael Wuestner; OL-DL Avery Morrow.
Offense Overview: As Oswalt enters his fourth season at the helm, it's important to note a change in Carlisle's backfield. Nope, Burger is the same QB that took charge last season, although the talented signal-caller will need to bump that below 50-percent completion rate and 9-11 TD-to-INT ratio from 2012. Shifty RB Ramsey is back, too, following a combined 309 yards from scrimmage. Bailor, Carlisle's top prospect, is the difference. Bailor comes over from his wide receiver post, where the 6-2, 200-pounder secured 705 of Burger's 1,074 pass yards. That said, Oswalt knows that shoring up the run game will increase Burger's chances of succeeding in third-down looks. Guys like Lacy-Brown, Pariseau and Morrow are back to do their part.
Defense Overview: It's preseason so let's start with the positives. LB Breschi will be one individual to spy on after the 6-1 hammer handled his position with cause and collected 75 tackles. Breschi will be responsible for getting Oswalt's front eight on the same path. Now for the question marks. There's no way Carlisle bumps it's defensive portfolio without additional push from the big guys up front. While three or four defensive linemen return, has the overall strength and desire of those guys improved? Here's a nugget that Carlisle's frontmen should commit to memory: Carlisle was outscored 283-75 in Commonwealth games in 2012. But a few of those same division villains are framing new talent along their offensive lines. In other words, now is the time for Carlisle's “veterans” to make a move.
Biggest Game: August 30 at Mechanicsburg
More Carlisle Thundering Herd:2013 schedule | 2013 roster
EPLER'S CRYSTAL BALL: One of the reasons we earmarked Carlisle's opening-round tussle with Mechanicsburg is the Herd opened the '12 campaign with tough 7-point setbacks to the Wildcats (14-7) and Red Land (17-10). Soon after, the wheels fell off and Carlisle suffered through a rather traumatic crawl through the Commonwealth. With a pretty heady set of returning starters, that doesn't figure to happen again, but good things have to happen early. You're going to like the way Bailor, Burger and Ramsey operate behind that up-and-coming O-line. It's going to be a lot more efficient. But we're still worried about the overall depth on defense, an area that wins those close ball games. “Compete every game” is Oswalt's motto. That's something his gang seems prepared to do.
More:Complete Countdown to Camp coverage
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