June 18, 2007

Stony Brook, N.Y. - The Stony Brook University football team took the next step as a football program in 2006 as they provided scholarships and played arguably the toughest schedule in program history. Head coach Chuck Priore's drive and vision towards the next level of I-AA scholarship football is evident through I-A transfers who have come to Stony Brook and the culture he has imposed on his program. "With the recruiting we have done this year, our team has become faster, stronger, and more athletic. These three attributes are all imperative as we take the next step in scholarship football ," said head coach Chuck Priore.

The Seawolves will continue to climb in 2007 as they will play as an Independent and take on a rigorous schedule against some of the top teams in I-AA. SB will take on powerhouse Youngstown State along with Richmond, Maine, Bucknell, and Georgetown. Local-rival Hofstra will entertain the Seawolves and clashes against Bryant, Elon, Albany, CCSU, and NEC Champion Monmouth round out the schedule. It was clear throughout the 2006 campaign that Priore and the Seawolves had a bright future but still had plenty of work to do. After dropping the first four contests of the season, including a pair to UMass and New Hampshire who were ranked in the Top 10 in the country at the time, the Seawolves rattled off four straight wins against Northeast Conference foes to even their record at 4-4.

Led by a cast of performers, the Seawolves dominated conference play in those four games. Opening up league play at Monmouth, the Seawolves road the coattails of freshman tailback Conte Cuttino's 170-yard rushing performance en route to a 36-17 victory, the Hawks only conference loss of the season. On October 7, over a month since the Seawolves last home game, Cory Giddings record-setting performance paced the Seawolves to a 33-21 win over rival-Albany in front of 6,688 on Homecoming weekend. The freshman cornerback picked up three fumbles and returned a pair for touchdowns to lead the way. The next week at St. Francis (Pa.), Josh Dudash went 22 of 27 for 314 yards to lead an air strike on the Red Flash, as SB won their third-straight, 30-20. A complete-team effort resulted in a 38-21 win over Sacred Heart the following week. The Seawolves and Robert Morris met up in a rain-soaked contest the following week at LaValle Stadium that featured six combined turnovers. The Colonials prevailed 21-6 and snapped the Seawolves four-game winning streak. In a must-win game to remain in the hunt for the crown, the Seawolves rolled past Wagner, 45-9, to set up a chance for the title against Central Connecticut. In a rematch of the championship game in 2005, this contest had a different result as a late comeback in which Dudash tossed five touchdowns was not enough as CCSU won 35-32.

On offense, the Seawolves return all but one starter and look to build on Priore's system in his second season. "Having already known our schemes for a year and the multiple options that exist, I expect us to succeed at a higher rate this season," said Priore. "This season we need to become more efficient in the run game to prevent second and long and third and long." A more consistent run game will allow the Seawolves to make the big play, something Priore explains they were unable to accomplish last year. "As we have become stronger and older this offseason, our team will play more physical and not depend on finesse as much."

The foundation of the team this season will be the defense as the majority of the recruiting has been spent on upgrading the Seawolves defense. As the Seawolves look to move to the next level in scholarship football, it was a necessity to change the team's overall physicality and team speed. With seven new starters on defense, adjustments have been made to adapt to the increased speed and faster style of football that exists at the higher scholarship level.

On special teams, the Seawolves will benefit from another year of experience and welcome back key members of the special teams unit. As the overall team becomes more athletic, the special teams improve and will become more efficient.

Quarterbacks
A Northeast Conference second team selection in 2006, Josh Dudash emerged as one of most efficient passers in the league. Dudash threw for 2,231 yards with 15 touchdowns and only four interceptions. He completed 62.8 percent of his passes for an efficiency rating of 143.12 as he averaged better than 200 yards per game. The team's offensive MVP and Stony Brook Male Athlete of the Year will benefit greatly from a sured-up running game in 2007 that will alieviate the pressure off the passing game. With a better understanding of Priore's schemes, Dudash has become comfortable under center directing the offense. Backing up Dudash is newcomer Dayne Hoffman, a lefty from Bridgton Academy who will learn under Dudash. Returner Dan Sweeny will also compete for playing time at quarterback in the upcoming season while and Ryan Famulari adds depth at the quarterback position.

Running Backs
A pair of running backs will lead the rushing attack for the Seawolves in 2007. Priore views the duo of Conte Cuttino and Brandon Mason to be a 1-2 punch that will use a mixture of physical running between the tackles and breakaway ability. In his freshman season last year, Cuttino developed into a quality tailback. He finished his first year with a squad-best 672 yards on the ground and three touchdowns, including a breakout game at Monmouth where he recorded 170 yards rushing. Joining Cuttino in the backfield will be Mason, a I-A transfer from the University of Pittsburgh. A highly-recruited athlete out of high school, Mason's addition to the backfield solidifies a much improved Seawolf running attack. Returning to the backfield in `07 is Tarrant Anderson and Aaron Hale while redshirt freshman Rock Contardi and Brandon Trahan add depth at the tailback position.

Wide Receivers
Heading the receiving corps are three experienced, quality players that Priore has high expectations for in 2007. Leading the way is Lynell Suggs, a Northeast Conference second team selection in 2007, who caught 38 balls for 594 yards. Suggs possess the big-play ability as his 6'4 frame allowed him to snag seven touchdowns last season. After having a breakout year last season, Dwayne Eley looks to continue to establish himself as a receiver who Priore describes," has the ability to get the ball and go." Eley caught four touchdowns last season and a team-best 50 catches and 670 yards. J.J. Cox Jr. looks to make his senior campaign his finest as a Seawolf, building on his 20 receptions in 2007. Priore is looking to have his receivers make big plays that will change field position in games. By spreading defenses out and moving several key receivers around, Priore looks to take advantage of his talented corps. Joining this trio is a handful of returners and newcomers whom will round up the 2007 receiver core. Donald Lee, Anthony Hamilton, Scott Kubrak, and Dan Berluti return to the squad while Steve Austin will play at wideout as a converted running back. DJ Porter and Andre Garcia will join the Seawolves in their inaugural season at Stony Brook.

Offensive Line
Priore returns five starters on the offensive line and can rotate up to eight or nine players and feel comfortable with who is on the line. One of the more experienced positions on the team, the offensive line will have plenty of depth in 2007. Leading the charge will be Matt Smeader and Lawrence Lovell, each of whom have have seen significant improvements in their game, much in part to their work in the weight room. "Lawrence now understands what it takes to be a college offensive lineman," said Priore. "He has become stronger in the offseason, but even more importantly, he has matured on and off the field." In addition, returning starters Ali Khawaja, Jeff Santos, and Steve Council look to build on 2006 while Joe Gelpi, Jason Herrick, Chris Pugliese, and Emmett Phillips will look to make contributions. Newcomers Paul Fenaroli, Markel Watson, and Mario Battilo will add depth to the offensive line in 2007.

Tight Ends
All four tight ends return from last season and will once again be an integral part in the team's success. A mix of good size and athleticism will benefit the run and pass game. Kevin Halonski returns once again and will be a key component in the team's success on offense. The 6'5, 260 pound senior is a physical blocker who has great hands and is a big target in the open field. With a year of experience under their belt, the sophomore trio of Jason Figorski, Chris Tyler, and Melaquan Saffold will also see time this year as they continue to develop. "With four options at tight end, it allows us to use multiple combinations," said Priore. "They need to continue to make progress as our success is tied to their performance." Also in the mix at tight end are Jerome Johnson and Adam Love.

Defensive Line
The Seawolves defensive line last season lacked experience and depth. With just one senior on the line, Kyle Brown who returns after red-shirting last season, the defensive line will still be young, but after plenty of game experience last season and the addition of some transfers, the defensive line boasts some very talented and high impact players. James Harris continued to impress Priore last season as he made 29 tackles, four of which were for a loss, and was a thoroughbred on the line. With added weight and strength in the off-season, Harris will team up with transfer Will Martinez to wreak havoc for opposing offensive lines. "Will is going to free up our linebackers this season as he will be able to move some bodies with his size. At 310 pounds, he has a great motor and will be an impact player for us," said Priore. Transfer Dominic Chevalier will be an impact player on the line for Priore and he will be joined by returning impact players Adam Soivilien and Josh Auerbach. Miguel Roxas, Shawn Broome, Andrew Yurkiw, and Ryan Haber also add depth on the line.

Linebackers
A staple in the 3-4 defense, the linebacker group is the strength on the defense according to Priore. Vastly improved with better athleticism and a more physically-tough mentality, the linebacker corp is divided into the inside and outside positions. At outside linebacker, the Seawolves will utilize Andre Jean Pierre and Chevar Rankins as playmakers. Rankins had an impressive freshman year with 50 tackles and a pair of forced fumbles while Jean Pierre added 49 stops. Milo Otis will return while Oliver Tameze-Rivas and Chris Fenelon will don the Seawolf red in their first year At the inside linebacker position, Priore has plenty of depth to work with. "Our inside linebackers are bigger than they were last year and love to run sideline to sideline." Tyler Santucci, who can lay the big hit, made 56 tackles in his first season with the Seawolves and headlines the group. Joining Santucci will be Stephen Schwicke, Indiana University-transfer Greg Weeks, City College of San Francisco-transfer Paul Ferrari, University of Connecticut-transfer Carl Teauge, Mike Meadows. Newcomer Nick Avella will also add depth in `07.

Cornerbacks
While Priore is looking for his cornerbacks in '07 to eliminate the big plays by opposing offenses, it was the cornebacks in '06 that made the big plays. Headlining the corners is the 2006 Northeast Conference Defensive Rookie of the Year, Cory Giddings. Giddings etched his name in the record books as he recovered three fumbles in the Homecoming win over rival-Albany and returned a pair for touchdowns. He finished with 39 tackles on the year and will be joined by University of Kansas-transfer Mike McCoy. "This season we will be able to defend the pass better with the experiences we gained from last season," said Priore. Leonard Wright will return at corner and will be joined by Ben Clements, John Smith, and Sean Burgwardt.

Safety
The safety position's athleticism has improved with some additions in the offseason along with the payoffs from another year in the weight room. The quarterback and leader of the group is Adam Cooper, a senior and second-year player who recorded 42 tackles last season and added a pair of fumble recoveries and interceptions. "Adam understands what we are trying to do on defense and is a leader on the field," said Priore. Heavily involved with stopping the run, the defense will benefit from University of Iowa-transfer Chris Brevi. At 6'2, 225 pounds, Brevi brings a personality and swagger to the defense after playing his last three seasons in the Big Ten. The Seawolves will have plenty of new faces at safety as upperclassmen Julian Glenn, a University of Maine transfer, Luis Altimiranda, and Mark Saraceni are joined by freshman Arin West and Shamar Thornton.

Special Teams
Back for his third season, Luke Gaddis will peform the kicking duties. Gaddis, who wass the primary kick-off specialist and long field goal kicker will be the lone kicker in 2007. "Our kicker improved a great deal in the spring and I expect him to continue to make progress," said Priore. Gaddis may be the punter as well this season but will be challenged by incomers Josh Gibson and Andrew Powell for punting duties. With improved athletes overall on the team, the entire special teams unit has benefited. Priore is expecting to change field positions and make plays, which will lead to putting points on the scoreboard.