Monday, July 12, 2010
LAVA BEARS TRAINING CAMP WEEK 2
By Brisco Kipp
The Lindenwood Honeycomb
Archive
Week 2 started out better for the Lava Bear's Offense, as they held their own in the scrimmage against the Defense. Coach Gruden gave most of the reps to Devonte Payne as he started to take control of the Offense. Lasting Match was the only other QB to throw a touchdown, where he connected on a nice 60 yard bomb to WR Erik Mahoney, for his only touchdown. Match had trouble finding a rhythm after that. He would only complete 2-10. Devonte Payne lead all QB's and completed 10-15 for 198 yds, and 2 TDs, both to a wide open Trip Towers (Or T.T. as the some his teammates call him. One highlight that sounded as bad as it looked was the collision with Fullback, Sean Bryne, and Linbacker, Rusty Halo. The play sounded like a helicopter crash, with Bryne coming out of the burning wreckage alive. The massive block sprung RB Blair Parker for 18 yard touchdown run. It was literally one of the biggest hits I have ever witnessed in person.
The Defense was led by LB Rusty Halo who had a team high 11 tackles, and FS Matt Monteleone who had 2 Interceptions. Kenyatta Dukes lead the Defense with 2.5 sacks. Kenyatta said afterward, “We still got a lot of work to do before LSU, you feel me. But were getting there. We still have some time to get right. We got Coach G and he have us ready straight like that.”
The two biggest surprises so far from camp are a couple preferred walk-ons, as Gruden calls them. “I see great things from these guys. They're still young and both are transfers from other schools..They know the drill. Both guys have shown in camp that they have skill-set that is need to play at this level”. Erik Mahoney, who finished the scrimmage with 4 catches for 84 yards and a touchdown, is a former basketball player. Mahoney has the height at 6'4 and the leaping ability to make an immediate impact this year. When I asked why he chose Lindenwood Academy, when he had several scholarship offers from smaller schools like Buffalo and New Mexico State, Erik stated, “The Biggest factor for me was the opportunity to make a new name with a fresh program. All eyes will be on the Lava Bears this season. And im the type of guy who lives for these moments.” I also asked Erik how he is adjusting to the game of football from being on the court. ”The main adjustment for me is getting used to playing with pads. Im used to strenuous practices, running plays, and because of basketball, I can jump and my hands are great." Erik also went on to say how he would love nothing more then to help his team and coach Gruden make a statement this year.
The other guy who's motor is always running is Free Safety Matt Monteleone. Defensive Backs coach Rodney Harrison said this guy is ball hawk, “He's always around the ball which helps make up for his height.” Matt, stands at 5'8" on a good day with cleats. When I asked Monteleone about his height, he said, “In a physical game like football, height only leads to more expectations. The key components a player must possess is heart and dedication to the team. Those are two components that I pride myself on.” I also asked Matt who he thought his game resembled the most. “I would most likely want to be compared to Brian Dawkins. A guy like that lays himself on the line every single game, and puts the team first. That is something I have a strong passion for.” Matt also decided to turn down offers from FIU, UCF and Tulane to walk on here at Lindenwood. “I couldn't narrow it down on one deciding factor but the location is close to my home and the opportunity to compete for playing time in the ACC and being able to play with three of my closest friends was a very exciting thought". Look for them this season on the field. Matt will be wearing #21 and Erik will be wearing #5 as a tribute to Kobe Bryant for his recently acquired 5th NBA Championship. As we approach the half way mark in Training camp the Lava Bears will only have 2 weeks left of camp as they continue to prepare for LSU.
As a reminder, come out on August 24th for Media Day and meet your Lava Bears. There will be free food and autographs. Also, Hummer of Orlando will be raffling off a new 2011 Hummer. Come out and support your Lava Bears!! The first 1,000 people will get a Lava Bears T-Shirt!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
LAVA BEARS TRAINING CAMP WEEK 1 IN REVIEW!
By Brisco Kipp
The Lindenwood Honeycomb
Archive
Orlando, FL - As training camp got under way this week you could tell that the summer workouts really helped out first year coach John Gruden. Coaches and players already have a feel for each other and everything looked very crisp and organized. The morning practices ran about 2 hours and there were about 24 periods for each part of practice. Everything was pretty consistent this week, with one special teams practice moved into the Bubble because of lightning strikes. Other then that, the afternoon session ran about an hour. But Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon practices were dedicated to special teams. Special teams coach Mark Bavaro said, "Special Teams is a 3rd of the game and we will thrive on special teams here. We will boast one of the best special team units in the country.”
The Defense looked very good not allowing the offense to catch any rhythm and the main cause of that was Kenyatta Dukes. To no one's surprise. Not one O-linemen could stop him in any one-on-one drills or in any team drills, for that matter. It got to the point where Offensive Coordinator, Jay Gruden, asked coach English to sub someone else in so the Offense could get work done. “I never seen anything like this kid! He is the definition of unblockable." Jay Gruden said.
Kenyatta could be one of the scariest 20 year olds I have ever come in contact with. He reminds me of young Julius Peppers. He stands at 6'7, just an inch shorter then Peppers, and weighs 262 pounds. He originally signed with the University of Miami out of high school but failed to meet NCAA requirements, which landed him at the #1 JUCO in the country, Blinn College. In only one season at Blinn, he amassed 88 tackles and led the country with 19.5 sacks, which aslo helped lead them to a NJCAA National Championship. Kenyatta chose Lindenwood after backing out on his commitment to USC. Kenyatta, a native Miami boy, will be a Sophomore next year. Dukes said he planed on winning a national championship before his time is done at Lindenwood. "When I came on an unofficial visit here, I just felt like this was the place I wanted to come to. I felt a winning vibe here. With the coaches that were hired and the backing of Mr. Knight, I couldn't turn that down. Ya know, you start the tradition here, you're the first ones. You set how high the mark is. Everybody is going to want to come here...you'll see. We got real good people coming in this year who switched their decision on signing day when they found out who was backing Lindenwood. What better booster then Nike?"
Kenyatta will be wearing #2 this season at Defensive End. When i asked why he wears #2, he replied "My number wasn't always 2. I rocked 45 but 2 is how many sacks I want a game. Of course more is better, but that's the minimum I want a game and that is reality." Its just a personal goal, but the ultimate is to win every game. If he can keep up with the pace he had this past week in training camp, I see no argument there. The Lava Bears will have their first Offense vs Defense scrimmage next Friday and it will be open to the public. We should get a better feel how the depth chart will start to come together for the opener against LSU.
Come out an meet Kenyatta and the rest of your 2010 Lava Bears On August 24th for Media Day and last day of camp festivities. There will be free autographs and food. Also, Hummer of Orlando will be holding a raffle for a 2011 hummer.
Monday, June 28, 2010
LAVA BEARS STAFF & SCHEDULE REVEALED!
By R.E. Porter
CFSPN.com
Archive
Orlando, FL - Coach Gruden has finalized his coaching staff after several, much anticipated, long weeks. Gruden mentioned it was set a couple of weeks ago and they didn't want to release it till now. We might as well say it....This coaching staff is already one of the better ones, if not the best in the country. That is, if you're counting Superbowl Champions and All-Pros. The staff has a possibility to have 5 potential future NFL hall of famers and two former Divison-I head coaches. Did I mention Superbowl Champions? If you dont believe me, just take a look at the list for yourself down below. At the same time, great players dont make great coaches but its sure hard to argue with this group of talent. Also, Lindenwood has released their 2010 schedule. By the looks of things, the players are going to need the best from these coaches just to have a shot at a .500 season. The bright spot for Lindenwood is what ever happens, Gruden is here for the long haul. Lindenwood's Thursday night game against #14 LSU will kick off the start of the college season.
Lindenwood Academy Coaching Staff
HEAD COACH - Jon Gruden
OFFENSE CORD/QB - Jay Gruden
DEFENSE CORD - Ron English
O-LINE - Orlando Pace
D-LINE - Mark Mangino
DB'S - Rodney Harrison
LB'S - Derrick Brooks
WR - Isaac Bruce
RB - Warrick Dunn
SPECIAL TEAMS/TE - Mark Bavaro
Sunday, June 27, 2010
LAVA BEARS GET 9 TRANSFERS!
By Ivan Mateo
CFSPN.com
Archive
Orlando Fl- Lindenwood Academy head coach, John Gruden, is pleased to Announce the following incoming transfers. Six are from Eastern Michigan University and the other three hail from JUCO and all are eligible to play. "The best part of the deal is they all can come in and compete this year. Hell, a few of them might end up starting. The rest of the guys we have coming in are all true freshmen, with the exceptions of a few preferred walk-ons." Gruden said.
Six of the nine come from Eastern Michigan, as they ended up following newly appointed Defensive Coordinator, Ron English. Those whos transfered include:
6'6 Freshman QB Devontae Payne, who came to Lindenwood because of coach English. He was the one who recruited him to EMU. RS Junior Center, Derek Gotham, who will be the only Junior on the team this coming season. SOPH TE, Garret Hoskins, SOPH LG, Andrew Sorgatz, SOPH LOLB, Andy Mulumba and the big 6'8 SOPH LT, Scott Mcleod. The last three are SOPH RE, Kenyatta Dukes, the #1 rated Defensive player by CIVIALS.com. Kenyatta chose to back out of his original commitment to USC to come to Lindenwood when he heard about the school. Kenyatta played last year at top ranked Blinn CC, where was a 1st team All-American and All-Conference selection. Kenyatta also led the NJCAA with 19.5 sacks. SOPH DT, Bradley Locks, from Snow College was also a 1st team All-Conference selection. Locks chose to come to Lindenwood over Utah, Washington and Baylor. 2nd Team All-American SOPH TE, Lawrence Rivers, who had 39 receptions and 9 Touchdowns last year for Doge City CC, by his own token passed up some big schools with the likes Texas A&M, Arkansas and Iowa.
Dukes, Locks and Rivers are a nice edition to any program and Lindenwood scored big, especially with the signing of Kenyatta Dukes which stunned all of Los Angles when he decided not to sign. "This kid [Dukes] is an unbelievable talent and we're lucky to have him. I watched him since he was in high school and the with the progression he has made now, he's definitely on pace to be one of the greats." English said. Coach Gruden also mentioned that he is just as excited as anyone to watch him play. "We expect big thing from him this year. I'm just glad we could get these players, Dukes, Rivers and Locks, being so close to the start of the season. You can expect the players to start arriving in the next couple weeks to this beautiful "compound" i would call it. Lindenwood Academy."
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
LAVA BEARS REVEAL LOGOS!!
Associated Press Release
CFSPN.com
Archive
Lindenwood Academy Lava Bears
Motto: “The World is YOURS”
Established: 2010
Endowment: 350 million
President: Philip H. Knight [NIKE]
Faculty: 450
Undergraduates: 180
Postgraduates: N/A
Location: Orlando,FL
Colors: Molten Red, Black and Lava Yellow
Nickname: Lava Bears
Mascot: “Bro The Bear” & "The Sacred Lava Tree"
Athletics: NCAA Division 1 Atlantic Coastal Conference (ACC)
Monday, June 21, 2010
- Press Release
Lindenwood Academy is pleased to announce their school paper "The Lindenwood Honeycomb." The Honeycomb will bring you the most exclusive stories, news, and rumors around campus. We will be following the Lava Bears as they try to maul their way into the National Championship picture. The man who will be in charge of the paper is as excited as anyone about this season. Brisco Kipp, a graduate in journalism from the University of Florida, said he will have the first story published soon. Lindenwood players are now starting to report for summer workouts.
LAVA BEARS HIRE D-CORD!
By R.E. Porter
CFSPN.com
Archive
Orlando Sentinel - The Lindenwood Academy Lava Bears hire Ron English as Defensive Coordinator. English led Eastern Michigan to an 0-12 season last year before the school decided to drop the football program.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
GOODBYE MONDAY NIGHTS... HELLO SATURDAY AFTERNOONS!
By Ivan Mateo
CFSPN.com
Archive
Orlando, FL - Goodbye Monday Nights! That is exactly what Jon Gruden told ESPN this morning. Jon Gruden, a former Monday Night Football analyst for ESPN/ABC, and Super Bowl Champion with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has decided it was time to put the headset back on. Lindenwood Academy has decided not only to make Jon Gruden the first head coach in school history, but they decided to make him the highest paid coach as well. Mack Brown was the previous highest paid coach with a 5.1 million dollar contract. Gruden has reportedly signed an 7.5 million dollar deal with 1.5 million upfront. This makes Mack Brown's huge contract at one time look like peanuts.
When asked about his decision, Gruden said the following, “After my pre-draft QB clinic on ESPN with [Tim] Tebow, [Colt] McCoy, [Sam] Bradford and [Jimmy] Clausen, it made me want to coach again. It gave me the so called 'itch' back.” Gruden doesn't waste anytime either. After being appointed head coach only for few hours now, Gruden has already hired an offensive coordinator and he didn't have to look far. He hired brother and UFL's Florida Tuskers head coach, Jay Gruden. This isn't the first time they have worked together. From 2002 to 2008, Jay worked as an assistant with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “I'm looking forward to working with Jon again and who better then my brother?” Jon Gruden also said that they will have their Defensive Coordinator by tonight. “Mr. Knight is finalizing the contract as we speak!” When I asked who that might be, Gruden gave me that smile that made him so famous and said...“You already know.” Ron English the former head coach at EMU? He continued to smile. By the sound of things, it looks like Ron English will be named the D-Coordinator who, before his head coaching duties at EMU, had the Michigan Wolverines run defense as one of the best in the country. There will be no coaching problems or finical problems here at Lindenwood Academy. So far, i see the program on the right path for success. At the same time, it could turn out to be one “HUGE” finical gamble! Only time will tell if this new type of "College" will work or not. We are still waiting on the schools official release with the school colors, mascot and logos. Gruden is also starting to finalize his staff and said he hoped to have all his coaches by the end of the month.
LINDENWOOD ANNOUNCES NEW HEAD COACH!
Orlando Sentinel reports Jon Gruden Hired as Lindenwood Academy's first head coach!......
Orlando Sentinel reports Jon Gruden Hired as Lindenwood Academy's first head coach!.......
Lindewood Academy is scheduled to hold a press conference later today.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
THE ACC WELCOMES "THE WOOD!"
By Warren James
CFSPN.com
Archive
Who would have thought that the folding of the Eastern Michigan football program would cause this much chaos around the NCAA. The newest addition to the FBS and the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is newly founded Lindenwood Academy. Linden what? ACC? How you ask? Since it was established, it left a lot of questions unanswered and now, we wait no more. The "WOOD” is how President Philip H. Knight refers to it. For those of you who been asleep for the past 40 years, Knight is one of the founders of a little company called NIKE. He went on to explain, "Here, coaches don't have to worry about their players running late or missing practices all together because of class and labs. Not here. Classes run from 8:00am -1:30pm Monday through Friday. The "WOOD" also offers 4 Undergraduate Degrees in Exercise Science, Athletic Training, Sports Business Management and Sociology. "Football is the only sport here, so all the money and time is being dedicated directly to the program." When Knight says "MONEY" he means it. 350 million to be exact. The biggest budget for all Athletic Programs in the country. It doubles the University of Texas budget. So just imagine how many different uniforms combinations and facilities they will have. "If it is needed...we will have it." Philip said. So I asked how does a school with only 180 or so students, and unknown academic standards, get in to a major conference like the ACC? Does it take a generous donation? He avoided the question. I think we can speculate with the money from Nike, anything possible. Just do it...right?
For the feminists out there saying that Lindenwood Academy is discriminating toward women, arguing the school going against Title IX, I do have to tell you that Lindenwood Academy is considered a privately funded, all male school. So Title IX doesn't apply here. I asked if he thought that would hurt recruiting, being an all male school. Knight responded "Its not like the players are not allowed to associate with them [girls]. They just don't attend school here. Look, we are in Orlando, Florida. Beaches, bikinis, sounds like a Mecca of women to me. You can't forget about Disney too." He chuckled. "Who in there right mind wouldn't come here? You receive a degree playing big time college football and we will produce professionally ready, young men. Whether that's in pursuing a career in the NFL or the field they chose to go into." I went on to ask him how competitive do you think you will be? "Next year? As a program? Both? I see lots of championships to come hopefully sooner then later. But I have important meeting to attend so i have to go". As my time ran out the CEO of Nike, who had more "important things" to be doing, then answering my questions. He did say before leaving the room that they will have a coach before the week is over. We do know that coach Ron English has interviewed with Knight. Also, Lindenwood Academy will be releasing the schools facts and logos sometime next week.
BACK TO THE BIG EAST!
R.E. Porter
CFSPN.com
Archive
Associated Press- Boston College accepts the Big East Offer to rejoin the conference after 6 years in the ACC. Boston College spent 26 years in the Big East before leaving. The last time Boston College was in the Big East, they shared the regular season title.
CONFERENCE SHAKE UP!
By Ivan Mateo
CFSPN.com
Archive
Cleveland, OH – Just day's after the Eastern Michigan Athletic Director announced that there will be no more football, The MAC Conference found a replacement and it's not the rumored Syracuse Orangemen we all thought it to be. The commissioner of the MAC welcomes the former Big 10 Northwestern Wildcats. Northwestern will be also replaced by the Bearcats of Cincinnati, last years Big East Champs and Orange Bowl representative. When asked if he thought that the move would be a downgrade for Northwestern, James Phillips, the AD for Northwestern said, “Not at all. I see us being able to come in a compete for a conference championship right away. We like to win and I see it happing a lot in the MAC. We are excited for the new endeavor.” I also like the move for Northwestern even though they are leaving an automatic BCS bid. But lets be honest, they where many years away from seeing that happen. I see the Wildcats being very successful...but I can't say the same for the Bearcats. Cincinnati said they're very excited for their programs and they are more then ready for the challenge. The move from the Big East to the Big 10 is going to be an up-hill battle and they will need to bring their “A” game every Saturday with likes of Ohio State, MSU, Iowa and Wisconsin. I see them doing better then Northwestern, but only time will tell if both moves will pay off. The Big east is now looking for a school to fill the new void in their conference. There's also talks of a "Football Academy" starting up in Central Florida and former EMU's head coach Ron English said to be interviewing for the job.
Friday, June 18, 2010
EAGLES FLY NO MORE!
By R.E. Porter
CFSPN.com
Archive
Ypsliant,MI - Today, Eastern Michigan University Athletic Director, Derrick Gragg, announced after 990 career football games played in EMU history, there will be no more. The Eagles, who went winless last season, failed to meet NCAA attendance requirements which also led to to the Athletic Department's financial woes this year. "Football is costing more then what we are capable of bringing in...We just cant keep up with it all the demands it has." Gragg also went on to mention that "We as athletic department will work on a successful plan where we would be able to bring a marketable and successful football program to the school in the future." It will remain to be seen. EMU has an overall win percentage of .456, which is sub-par for a D1 program. They were members of MAC West where they have won one championship (1987). Players will be able to transfer and not have to sit out a year. The NCAA transfer rule does not apply in this situation. For the players who choose to stay and graduate from EMU, the school will honor their scholarship. There is no word on who will fill the opening in the MAC but there have been talks of a Sun Belt team and possibly Syracuse, who has struggled as of late in the Big East. Coach Ron English, who went 0-12 in his first year with the Eagles, could not be reached for comment. According to his agent, he has a interview in Florida on Thursday. There is no information on where or what position he is interviewing for.
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