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Jan. 26, 2010
IUP head coach Lou Tepper has announced the addition of five transfers for the spring semester, including three players arriving from Big East schools, the son of a former IUP letterman and a local product from Homer-Center High School. In addition to the incoming transfers, Tepper also said that Ceasar Westbrook has regained his eligibility and will return to the roster when spring practice gets under way. Westbrook last played for the Crimson Hawks during the 2008 season. Newcomers to the program are offensive lineman Dan Matha from Pitt, defensive linemen Harold Stanback from Connecticut and Larry Gooden from West Virginia, defensive back John Franco from Army and Garrett Sisak, who was a walk-on at Pitt after starring at quarterback and as a return specialist at Homer-Center. Matha spent three seasons with the Panthers, including a redshirt year in 2007. He battled shoulder injuries and did not see game action during his two seasons on the active roster. A 6-foot-6, 280-pound graduate of McDowell High School in Erie, Matha was on the Associated Press Class AAAA all-state team his junior and senior years and was rated among the nation's top 20 offensive tackles by Scout.com. Matha, who has two seasons of eligibility remaining, will figure prominently on an offensive line that loses all-conference selections Joe Tonga and Nate Tucker. He will start spring ball at right tackle, lining up next to former all-region player Jim O'Rourke, who returns after missing the 2009 season with a broken leg that he suffered during the spring game last April. Also penciled in for starting roles are Anthony DiPasquale at center, Louis Mobley at left guard and Jason Musselman at left tackle. DiPasquale, a two-year starter, was named the offensive MVP at the team's annual awards banquet on Saturday. Redshirt freshmen Byron Dovales, Nick Carnicella and Jerrod Good are also expected to see playing time this season. Stanback has one year remaining after spending four seasons at UConn, where he was a teammate of Tucker's. After redshirting in 2003, he played in 13 games over the next three years and made 11 tackles. A 6-foot-3, 265-pound graduate of Bishop McNamara High School in Temple Hills, Md., Stanback was a consensus first team all-state choice as a senior and honorable mention all-state his junior year. Stanback will be part of a defensive tackle rotation which includes seniors Nate George and Mike Gee and sophomore Carl Thornton, who was selected the team's most outstanding freshman. With the addition of Stanback, however, George may move back to defensive end where he played in 2008. Gooden was selected to play in the Big 33 game following his senior season at McKeesport High School. He spent one year at Naval Prep Academy and walked on at West Virginia where he did not see game action. A 5-foot-11, 255-pound nose guard, Gooden will begin his IUP career as a backup to Thornton. Franco played for his father, a 1978 IUP graduate and 1977 letterman also named John, at Tyrone High School and then spent two seasons as a special teams player and reserve defensive back at Army. He has two years of eligibility left. An outstanding student, Franco plans on attending medical school after graduation. Sisak will start the spring at quarterback for a team which only has one player with game experience at that position in sophomore Pat Smith. During his senior season at Homer-Center, Sisak completed 56 of 111 passes for 736 yards and 11 touchdowns while rushing for 681 yards and 13 scores. He averaged 24.5 yards on 13 kickoff returns, including a 93-yard touchdown versus Northern Cambria, and added a 72-yard punt return for a touchdown versus Saltsburg to earn Indiana Gazette all-area first team honors as a return specialist. Westbrook returns for spring practice and will have two years of eligibility remaining after sitting out the 2009 season. The previous season he was IUP's top special teams player and saw considerable playing time at the drop linebacker position, making 12 tackles, intercepting a pass and blocking a kick. Tepper also said that he was "skeptical" that free safety Andre Henderson would be ready for spring practice. Henderson suffered nerve damage in his shoulder in the fourth game last year versus Mercyhurst and missed the rest of the season. Before the injury Henderson was enjoying an outstanding start to the season, making 33 tackles with five tackles for loss, a sack and interception. Rory Marshall, who missed the 2009 season with a leg injury, is close to 100 percent and should be ready to resume his role as a special teams ace and key member of the secondary. The Crimson Hawks begin their 31-day spring practice on March 24 and conclude with the annual spring game at Miller Stadium on Friday, April 23. The regular season gets under way September 4 at home versus Southern Connecticut State in the Hall of Fame Game. The Crimson Hawks defeated the Owls 28-21 in last year's opener in New Haven, Conn. |
