Success breeds success

ALLIANCE — How does a successful football team like Mount Union College manage to stay motivated after sweeping two straight NCAA Division III national championships and 16 consecutive Ohio Athletic Conference titles?

After all of the success, which includes nine national championships and 18 OAC crowns overall, will coach Larry Kehres’ Purple Raiders be hungry enough to achieve a second straight 15-0 record beginning Saturday when they open the season at home to Averett University of Danville, Va., at 1 p.m. in Mount Union Stadium?

Well, considering that success breeds success, and given that winners want to keep winning, Mount Union will find some incentive to propel it along the winning trail that the Purple Raiders hope will end again in another Stagg Bowl win..

In fact, Mount Union has a definite motivation and objective this season, according to senior offensive left guard Tim Reash of Columbiana, who will be starting for the second straight year and blocking for junior running back Nate Kmic and junior quarterback Greg Micheli.

“The team’s goal is that there was only one time when Mount won three national titles in a row [1996-97-98] and we want to duplicate that,” said Reash, one of 14 returning starters.

“My personal goal is that this is my last year and that I will never again play college football and I want to go out as national champion.”

Reash is key member
of experienced line

Reash will
rejoin an experienced offensive line that consists of his senior counterpart at offensive left guard, Derek Blanchard, and senior center Eric Safran, who both won All-America honors last year; and senior tackles Geoff Dartt and Josh Henniger, who both started two games last year before being injured.

Reash expects the offensive line to continue to pave the way for Kmic, who set a single-season record for rushing yards last year with 2,365; and Micheli, who completed 95 of 128 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 TDs. Kmic enters this season ranked No.3 on MU’s all-time career rushing list.

“The coach expects us to lead the offense and we expect ourselves to lead the offense,” said Reash, the son of Keith and Shelly Reash who played football at Columbiana High under coach Bob Spaite. “My main role last year was just trying to catch on. It was my first year as a starter, but now I have my foot in the door and I know what to expect.

“I sense that that I have a feeling of how Nate runs. Nate is a great back and he is going to make me look great. He knows how I block and I know how he runs. I know when he is going to cut back before he does it because I can read the defense.”

Reash said that Micheli is a natural leader.

“[Micheli] is a cool head on field. When people get rattled, he is the one that calms us down and keeps us on track,” said Reash, who is majoring in history with a minor in education, and plans to graduate in May and wants to become a coach.

Micheli’s favorite target again is expected to be senior wide receiver Pierre Garcon, who enters the season with 33 career TD catches.

12 area players
on Mount roster

Reash is one of 12 area players on the MU roster, joining Luke Summers, a junior offensive lineman from Springfield who is a leading backup at tackle and is expected to play a lot.

The others are senior Danny Harris, a quarterback from Kennedy Catholic and Glenshaw, Pa.; junior Matt Barge, running back from Neshannock; sophomores Kelvan Elkins, defensive lineman, Chaney; Caleb Crowl, offensive lineman, Lisbon; and Justin Smith, defensive lineman, Laurel; and freshmen Jarrell Murray, defensive lineman, Rayen; Demetrius Fambro, offensive lineman, Mooney; Justin Bonanno, linebacker, Canfield; Mike Maietta, linebacker, Hubbard; and Mike Shinn, wide receiver, United.

Mount also has several coaches with area ties. In addition to Kehres, a native of Diamnon, the staff also includes Ross Watson (Fitch), Jason Candle (West Branch), Joel Cockley (Youngstown State assistant), Clyde Ross (assistant at United and Salem) and Keith Wakefield (Fitch head coach).

XJohn Kovach covers colleges for The Vindicator. E-mail him at kovach@vindy.com