'Berg looking to bounce back after 5-5 season

Looking back, hindsight is always 20/20, but for Heidelberg University's football program, it has offered a lot of insight as to what went right and what went wrong last season.The Student Princes were 5-5 overall and 4-5 in the Ohio Athletic Conference, which put them in fifth place, sharing it with Muskingum and rival Ohio Northern."We didn't live up to our goals as far as football goes," HU coach Scott Donaldson said. "Going 5-5 is not where Heidelberg football should be." Donaldson, who has been the head of the football program for the last 10 years, places the blame on himself."I could make a million and a half excuses," Donaldson said. "But I didn't do a good enough job getting the guys prepared enough and we didn't do a good enough job executing on the field."For 'Berg, the majority of the team is back this season, and so is the coaching staff, and being able to take last season as a learning experience is what the team is doing.The goal last season was to win the national championship, and win the OAC."If you aren't shooting for that, then what the heck are you shooting for?" Donaldson said. "These will still continue to be our goals, but our mission is to graduate great men."Originally, the football program was only planning on bringing in 60, but this season, there will be 80 new faces to the team roster, while there are roughly 85 returning. Just over 50 are returning letter winners and starters for the Student Princes. "The bulk of our team has played varsity time here all at Heidelberg," Donaldson said. "Returning starters are great; but as long as the guys have their feet wet, and feel the speed of the game, that's what's most important and we will look to them to take a bigger role."The biggest challenges of last season for 'Berg was the offense having a slow start in games, which tied down the Student Princes. Additionally because the offense plays were short, the defense was on the field more, and they didn't have the depth last season at the front seven, particularly the defensive line."We had three starting quarterbacks last season," Donaldson said. "Looking back, those three may not have been ready to be starting quarterbacks."HU had graduated a four year starter the year before and that played a major role.All three that started last season are back this season and much improved. They are playing extremely well and demonstrating that they have learned their lessons from last season.So what is the team looking like as they prepare for their first game?While not a finished product yet until Thursday night, from what Donaldson has seen in camp practices, the offense is looking rather explosive. The O-line is the deepest that HU has had in five or six years."They are bigger, physical, and more experienced," Donaldson said.The Student Princes are returning their star running backs, as well as quarterbacks from last season, but the biggest improvement from last season will be the receiving core. Donaldson credits the improvement to one thing: raw talent."While it's unproven, it's raw talent," Donaldson said. "We have seven or eight guys that could be difference makers for us that are already ready to play."Some of the sophomores haven't gotten time yet, but for Donaldson, it's all about skill.Defensively, the front seven are pretty well intact from last season, and have experience. When it comes to the secondary though, that is where the question marks are still at."We have unproven talent, but when you graduate two first-team All-American corners," Donaldson said. "Those were both basically five-year starters, and an outside backer that was a five-year starter, there wasn't a lot of playing to go around. We just have to see the talent emerge in September."When it comes to special teams for the Student Princes, the kicking core is back as well, and they recruited some additional new kickers that are hoping to earn their spot to start for Thursday's game.While there are always projections, Donaldson doesn't put too much stock into it; he is looking to his coaching staff, particularly the offensive and defensive coordinators to get the job done."That is why we have Branden Jakubcin as our defensive coordinator and Jason Lewis as our offensive coordinator," Donaldson said. "Really that experience that we have from coaching OAC football games really helps us determine who will do a good job at winning games and who is going to get the job done."The OAC is tough competition, and we have to play our best every time, regardless of record," Donaldson said. "A team could be 0-10, and have great talent. If you don't play your best then you are going to lose games. That's both the challenge and opportunity of being able to play your best every single week."Mount Union won the OAC last season, and Donaldson knows the Purple Raiders have a great program and that they have a target on their back. But for right now, the Student Princes are worried about themselves.In terms of growth a few jump out at Donaldson. The returning tight end Michael Wiilick. He is their starter this year, and initially last season played receiver and the confidence that he is playing with already, along with his physicality, has caught Donaldson's attention."I will say it to his face," said Donaldson of the tight end. "He couldn't block himself out of a wet paper bag last season. From what I have seen out of him this season already, he might be the best blocking tight end we have had here in 10 years. He looks different and carries himself different then he did 365 days ago"Another standout is their returning safety Ty Peterson. He was a sophomore last year and played spot duty snaps, about 25 snaps a game. He did admirably, he has covered some of the best receivers in the practices that 'Berg has had, and that to Donaldson has made an impact."He has played lights out, " said Donaldson of Peterson's performance so far. "He is going to be a huge difference maker for us in the secondary."Heidelberg hosts Hiram Thursday at 7 p.m. to start the new season."A lot is going through my mind right now," Donaldson said. "I could say 'I won't worry about that until next week' but that's not who I am. You are always looking ahead and preparing mentally for what might be ahead."Hiram College has a new coaching staff and for that is a challenge for an experienced group of coaches like Donaldson. In college, they don't share film or scrimmages, so the Student Princes have no idea what to expect from their opponent. New coaches and new players are at Hiram."They could come out and triple option," Donaldson said. "We have no idea what they are doing offensively, defensively, or special teams."Donaldson is banking on the experience of his staff to help put the guys in the best situation possible going into their first game."We have to prepare ourselves to be flexible, adjustable, and make sure that our guys can execute whatever we call," Donaldson said. "On any look, whether it's offense or defense. Whatever we see, we need our guys to be flexible to see that. Especially once we know what they will do."