2018 William Penn Football Preview
William Penn University Athletics
by Wade Steinlage
Head Coach Todd Hafner interview video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdVs-mhLlQs
2017 record: 7-4 (3-2 Heart, T-3rd)
Starters returning/lost: 17/7 (including special teams)
Letterwinners returning/lost: 48/15
Notable returners:
Resean Coleman Jr. Highland Park, Mich.
(All-American, 12 sacks, 58 tackles)
Mason Wisse Sr. Oskaloosa, Iowa
(First-team all-Heart, 80 tackles)
Haydn Stender Jr. Brigham City, Utah
(First-team all-Heart)
Tyler Wood Jr. Newton, Iowa
(First-team all-Heart, 612 passing yards, 500 rushing yards)
Notable losses:
Kyle Baldassarre
(Two-time all-Heart)
Winston Green
(Two-time all-Heart)
Nate Van Veldhuizen
(All-Heart)
Carl Sivels
(All-Heart)
Notable newcomers:
Jalan Cooper Jr. Houston, Texas
Jaiden Fletcher Jr. Upland, Calif.
Malcolm Stephens Fr. Houston, Texas
Luke Sterling Fr. Crosby, Texas
A multitude of returning talent has William Penn expecting big things on the gridiron in 2018.
The Statesmen are coming off a 7-4 campaign (3-2 Heart North) in 2017; it marks the fourth-straight 7-4 season for WPU. Head Coach Todd Hafner and his staff are confident that the program has the tools to get over that hump and be back in the mix for a Heart of America Athletic Conference crown and an NAIA Football Championship Series berth.
A total of nine all-conference players are back, highlighted by five first-team selections, including quarterback Tyler Wood (Jr., Newton, Iowa, Education), offensive lineman Haydn Stender (Jr., Brigham City, Utah, Psychology), defensive linemen Resean Coleman (Jr., River Rouge, Mich., Exercise Science) and Anthony Jackson (Sr., Detroit, Mich., Physical Education), and linebacker Mason Wisse (Sr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Physical Education). Coleman was also an Associated Press and Victory Sports Network All-American last fall.
Quarterback
Injuries opened the door for Wood to take over signal-calling duties in 2017 and he excelled in the opportunity, passing for 612 yards (eight touchdowns) and rushing for another 500 (four TDs).
He will be backed up by returner Alex Crehan (Jr., Troy, Ill., Business Management), while a large group of freshmen will vie to be third on the depth chart.
Slot Back
A plethora of options will be available for the Statesmen quarterback to choose from, including at slot back where Grant Smallwood (Sr., Wichita, Kan., Exercise Science) tops the crew with 186 yards and two touchdowns a year ago.
Jesse Bade (Jr., Genoa, Ill., Physical Education) accounted for 67 yards in 2017, while Collin Lentz (Sr., Bettendorf, Iowa, History/Government) contributed 40 more. Jordan Nunnery’s (So., Oxnard, Calif., Sports Management) time in the system should also net him some chances carrying the pigskin.
Fullback
Several bruising ball carriers will handle the fullback load. Amos Johnson (Sr., Rock Island, Ill., Mechanical Engineering), with 401 yards and four touchdowns in 2017, and Ben Sherman (Fr., Troy, Pa., Elementary Education), with 233 yards and four scores, will guide the position.
Nathan Ball (Sr., Moses Lake, Wash., Psychology), the baseball team’s starting catcher, will bring his physical assets to the gridiron, while newcomer Trey Nimmers (So., Rock Island, Ill.) is also considered a viable option as a transfer.
Wide Receiver
Jeremiah Benson (Jr., Kansas City, Mo., Physical Education) is lost for the season due to injury, but a number of individuals will look to fill the gap in his absence.
The main trio that will seek to guide the receiving corps includes returners Hunter Anfinsen (Sr., Farmington, Utah, Undecided) and Tyler Phillips (Sr., Altus, Okla., Physical Education) and newcomer Malcolm Stephens (Fr., Houston, Texas). Anfinsen hauled in four passes last year for 85 yards.
Tight End
Trey Bennett (Jr., Plattsburg, Mo., History/Government) and Allan Roettgen (So., Jefferson City, Mo., Undecided) will battle it out for the starting slot at tight end. Bennett caught his first collegiate pass last year, hauling in a 13-yard touchdown.
Offensive Line
The trench will feature a lot of familiar, and also highly successful, members at the top, including all-conference performers Stender, Sione Mafua (Jr., Salt Lake City, Utah, Undecided), Hunter Dailey (Sr., Texarkana, Texas, Biology), and Nick Jackson (Sr., Broken Arrow, Okla., Biology). Stender was named a team captain last spring.
Zach Tracy (So., Ozark, Mo., Undecided) is slated to also start on the line, while the crew of Malik Williams (So., Kansas City, Mo., Industrial Technology), Nikko Robinson (So., Chicago, Ill., Biology and Sociology), Jason Castano (Jr., Miami, Fla., Industrial Technology), and Charles Nelson (Jr., Jefferson City, Mo., Biology and Education) will add depth behind a talented starting cast.
Defensive Line
Coming off an All-America campaign, Coleman will likely receive additional attention from opposing offensive lines, but he has the talent to overcome that, while also opening up avenues for his defensive mates to make plays.
The junior managed 58 tackles (18 for loss) and 12 sacks in 2017.
While not a typical nose guard, Jackson’s strength and athleticism will make him an immovable object in the middle. Returner Trevon Jones (Jr., Houston, Texas, Physical Education) will add depth on the interior as well.
Jackson stopped 55 ball carriers (14 for loss) and sacked the quarterback 5.5 times. He also returned a fumble for a touchdown. Jones racked up six tackles and one sack a year ago.
Cooper Gosch (Sr., Reeds Spring, Mo., Education) and Darrick Harris (Sr., Oak Park, Mich., Biology) will be complemented by newcomer Jalan Cooper (Jr., Houston, Texas) on the other end of the line. Gosch was good for 25 tackles and 3.5 sacks last campaign, while Harris finished with 20 stops and a half of a sack.
No matter the situation, whether it be a run or pass, short distance or long, Hafner feels his line is equipped to face it all.
Linebacker
Wisse, one of the squad’s two team captains, is coming off his second-straight first-team all-Heart nod after tackling 80 ball carriers; he also had six sacks and three fumble recoveries last season.
Clive Manuao (Jr., Norwalk, Calif., General Accounting), who notched 18 tackles and a sack in 2017, is slated for another linebacker position, while newcomer Jaiden Fletcher (Jr., Upland, Calif., Information Technology) has been impressive thus far in camp as well.
Jace Neugebauer (So., McArthur, Calif., Business Management) is projected to start at the team’s ‘Bronco’ position, while Jonathan Thomas (Sr., Americus, Ga., Undecided) will give him a battle after switching from one side of the ball to the other in one of the more intriguing off-season moves. The senior started one game at quarterback in 2017 before suffering a season-ending injury.
Neugebauer recorded five tackles in 2017.
Defensive Back
Josh Vasquez (Jr., Draper, Utah, Undecided) and Rashaad Ollie (So., Foley, Ala., Sports Management) top the safety positions after highly-productive campaigns last year. Vasquez had 33 tackles and two interceptions, while Ollie guided the Statesmen with four interceptions in addition to 30 stops.
The corners will be manned by the returning trio of Detorian Rawlinson (So., York, S.C., Psychology), Brandon Davis (Jr., Atlanta, Ga., Sports Management) and Ray Watson (Jr., Apple Valley, Minn., Physical Education).
Rawlinson produced 28 tackles (4.5 for loss) and intercepted two passes last fall, while Davis picked off a pass as well before having his year cut short by injury.
Special Teams
A freak injury early on ended the 2017 season for Hunter Behm (Jr., West Haven, Utah, Mechanical Engineering), but he is back and healthy and ready to guide the kicking crew. He connected on two field goals as a freshman, including a 51-yarder. Tyler Heffelfinger (So., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Business Management) held his own as Behm’s replacement in 2017, going 29-for-38 in extra points, and will be ready in the wings if needed.
The punting responsibilities will again be shared by two individuals, but unfortunately neither have much experience. Wood sent one ball away for 24 yards last fall, while Neugebauer will join him deep, but will be a rookie to the position.
Conference
WPU opens 2018 next Saturday with a road matchup versus #3 Morningside in its lone non-conference matchup. The Statesmen will then face five South Division foes before taking on their North counterparts. William Penn invites Culver-Stockton in for Homecoming on October 13; the navy and gold are at home a total of six times in 2018.
Defending North champion Grand View is the coaches’ pick to take the title, while William Penn is picked a close third.
