Football Preview
It all came together for Albany football in 1997 with an Eastern Football Conference championship, an EFC Atlantic Division title, and a school-record 11-1 campaign. In all, it was the greatest season in the program�s 25-year varsity history.
"We had a good group of seniors who provided great leadership," explains Bob Ford, who was named Division II non-scholarship national Coach of the Year by Football Gazette. "It�s awfully hard to win, but it is twice as hard to repeat."
Great Danes Coach Bob Ford
The Great Danes may take another run at the EFC crown with 10 starters on defense and six on offense returning for Friday night�s opener against Central Connecticut State (Sept. 4, 6 p.m.) at University Field. Albany is competing at the NCAA Division II level for the last time, and begins play in the Northeast Conference as a Division I-AA program in 1999.
Senior defensive end Matt Caliandro, a two-time Football Gazette All-American, and second-team All-EFC choice Mark Pnini lead a defense which was ranked among the national leaders in points allowed at 14.3 per game. Troy Rhett, a first-team all-conference cornerback, and captain Shawn West combined for 74 tackles, 19 pass break-ups and four interceptions in the secondary.
Mike Grever and Shcree Lewis are the heart and core of the defense at inside linebacker with their running ability and physical play. Grever, a first-team All-American, recorded the most tackles (122) by an Albany player since 1987. Lewis made 46 hits in nine games, and led the team with four fumble recoveries.
"You see a look in a kid�s eye, and Mike has that look when the dancing starts," Ford says. "People get enthused around Shcree; he makes going to practice fun."
Albany�s multiple-formation offense was hit hard by graduation. The losses include the school�s all-time passer and a wide receiver and tight end who both inked NFL free-agent contracts. "I do not want to go into the season cryin� the blues," Ford said. "I do believe we have the nucleus to be a good offensive football team."
Juniors Eric Williams and Michael Oliva gained valuable playing time last year, and will compete for the No. 1 quarterback job. Tailback Greg Garrett and fullback James Miner return as starters in the backfield. Garrett rushed for 900 yards, the most by a UA ball carrier since 1984, and set a single-season mark with 11 TDs. Miner added 393 yards and six scores. Flanker Greg Butryn and split end Michael Ettz are the top returning wideouts. Butryn caught 31 passes for 457 yards and five TDs, while Ettz added 17 for 280. Senior center Nelson Bauza anchors the offensive line, while Deron Regev is consistent place-kicker with 69 career point-after attempts and 11 field goals.
New York Giants
The New York Giants and the University at Albany formed a winning team for the third straight year. The NFL organization�s training camp was hosted here from July 25 through August 19, and is quickly becoming a summer tradition in the Capital Region.
Area residents and Giants fans ventured to campus for the team�s four-week stay, and the final result was a 12 percent increase in attendance from 1997. Total attendance was 25,360, and included a 6,000-plus crowd for the annual intrasquad scrimmage.
"This was easily the smoothest-running camp of the three. There weren�t any major glitches," Giants vice president for communications Pat Hanlon said. "It�s no small task to move an entire football operation from East Rutherford, N.J. to here."
"Year 1, we had such a short period of time to get ready, it was really about taking care of the Giants needs," explained Henry Kircher, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs. "Year 2, we refined our camp operations. Year 3, the programs the Times-Union put in place for bringing children to camp were particularly good. We want more people to come to the camp. We want more people in the surrounding communities to see the university."
The existing five-year contract between the University and the Giants keeps the NFL training camp on campus for the next two summers through 2000.
One change likely to be made for next year is to move the team�s dining area from the Campus Center to Indian Quad. Administrators will also investigate other camp improvements and the possibility of bringing in another NFL team to practice with the Giants.
