COLUMBUS, Ohio – Just one day away from its long-awaited season-opener against Wilmington College, Capital University Football is using every single minute it has to get better. First-year Head Coach Brian Foos has a hungry and eager group ready to take the field and represent the Purple and White on the gridiron in its shortened 2021 campaign, and the name of the game this year is progress.

Coach Foos, who took the reins of Capital Football in early December, says the team "is as ready as it can be" to take the field this weekend, but the focus has been on much more than winning. Coach says this year is about reestablishing a culture that prides itself on working hard on every rep, getting better on every play, perfecting fundamentals, and playing fast.

"We've accomplished a lot in a very short time and the guys have been great with adjusting, the coaches have been great with adjusting, and we're as prepared as we can be," said Foos. "It's fun to see the guys start to grasp what is happening."
 

NEW SYSTEM, NEW ROLES
When fans look up and down the roster and watch the Crusaders in action, new faces at key positions will be noticed.

With Capital moving toward more of a spread offense that requires each position to be eclectic in its skillset, sophomore Justin McClelland is one of two standouts making a shift. The Bidwell, Ohio native has graciously accepted a move to tight end, which Foos identifies as a "Swiss army knife position" and one of the most difficult to learn in his system.
Junior Kam Lee (Piqua, Ohio/Lehman Catholic) will also see a full-time move to wide receiver after being listed at tight end each of his first two seasons. Last year, Lee made 26 catches for 283 yards and three touchdowns, but is arguably one of the Crusaders most dangerous downfield and red zone threats.

Senior Mike Smith (Upper Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington/Ohio Dominican) made the move to wide receiver last year and blossomed in the new role, making 35 catches for 381 yards and three touchdowns. He will return to line up opposite of Lee on the outside. Joining the dynamic duo is junior Sam Pickett (Cincinnati, Ohio/Milford), another 6-foot wide out that made seven catches in 2019.

NEW AT Q
Circling back to the quarterback competition, Foos has three individuals that have used their practice time to make a case for the starting nod. Junior Luke McCarrell (Cardington, Ohio/Cardinton Lincoln/Mount Union) transferred into Capital at the beginning of the year and has been in a heated battle with senior Mitchell Machock (Orlando, Fla./Cocoa Beach) and freshman Ben Everson (Zanesville, Ohio/Zanesville) for the starting nod. All three have had positive spring practices and will have opportunities to move the ball for the Crusaders.

When asked what he is looking for from his full-time starting quarterback, Coach Foos responded, "a guy that is going to make good decisions with the football, and execute our schemes." He also wants a playmaker, someone that will make the plays presented and make plays happen when opportunities are not present.

Last year, Machock split time at quarterback but in nine games completed 93-of-189 pass attempts for 917 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

VERSATILITY IS KEY
The ability to do many things and do them well will be critical for the Crusaders in 2021, especially on the offensive line. While Brady Kuhn (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty) returns after a standout freshman campaign and the experience of senior Joshua McSweeney (Delaware, Ohio/Rutherford B. Hayes) will help bring stability, the ability for this position group to be the chameleons of the offense will be critical. Kuhn flexed between guard and tackle last year and will be asked to protect his quarterback's blind side at left tackle to begin the year. McSweeney has been moved from guard to serve as the starting center. After that, youth will need to be masked by the line's ability to give different looks and play different positions. Sophomore Travis Honaker (Scarbro, W.Va./Oak Hills) will bring some beef to the right side at 6-foot, 2-inches and 310 pounds, while more nimble and lean freshmen Colby Shirey and Braden Cook will begin the year at left guard and right tackle, respectively.

The tight end position is one that will be asked to block, catch, and stretch the field and those duties will be left to Justin McClelland and Coule Dale. Senior Dylan Schoonover (Grove City, Ohio/Grove City) and sophomore Lance Matthews (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington Central) will deliver a 1-2 punch at running back but be asked to do the same: everything. Schoonover made 21 catches out of the backfield and combined for 160 total yards and one touchdown last year.
 

VETERANS ON D
The defensive line is, without question, the most veteran position group on the field for the Crusaders. Junior Jack Blaisdell (Hilltop, Ohio/West Unity) has muscled up to 260 pounds and gotten faster, prompting a move to end in Coach Foos' 3-4 scheme. Blaisdell earned All-OAC honorable mention honors in 2019 after making 29 tackles, including 5.5 for a loss, and looks to be disruptive from the outside, this year.

The remainder of the line is comprised of two key cogs that were missing a year ago in end Trey Zimmer (Malinta, Ohio/Patrick Henry) and tackle Kobe Swackhammer (Sunbury, Ohio/Big Walnut). Both missed their junior years due to injury but are back and ready to get after the quarterback. In 2018, that duo combined for 59 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks.

"The thing that is exciting to see in practice is that there is a lot of talent there and they work hard. They challenge our O-line every day," said Foos.

Nick Fisanick (Upper Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington) may only be a sophomore but he played the linebacker position like an upperclassman in 2019. He was third on the team in tackles as a freshman (57), had two pass break ups and two tackles for loss out of the middle linebacker spot.

"Nick is a quiet guy but he is an extremely hard worker, is very detail-oriented … he's a tough hard-nosed player that is going to be physical," said Foos, who is all too familiar with Fisanick after recruiting him out of high school while at Baldwin Wallace.

Alongside of him are seniors Wyatt Long and Matt Lauofo, who were regulars in the rotations a year ago.
 

NAMES TO KNOW
When asking Foos about what names fans need to know when this season begins three of the first five names given were out of the defensive backfield, making this position group perhaps the most interesting to observe.

Junior Aralius Walters (Dayton, Ohio/Miamisburg) joined the Crusaders after transferring from Mount St. Joseph University and has locked down one of the starting cornerback positions. The other belongs to sophomore Quincy Edwards (Columbus, Ohio/Pickerington Central), who came on to start the back half of his freshman campaign. He finished the year with 16 tackles and three passes defended.

The third name to know out of the starting defensive backfield is sophomore safety Balor Appiarius (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills), who tallied 21 tackles and two fumble recoveries in his freshman season.
 
SPECIAL SPECIALISTS
Coach Foos gives much credit to new assistant coach, Matt Edgar, in the development of the specialists. Senior Blake Middleton (Miamisburg, Ohio/Miamisburg) is the frontrunner for the placekicking job while Kam Lee will again double up and serve as punter.

In his first two seasons, Middleton connected on 30 point-after tries in both 2017 and 2018 and missed just nine. Last year, Middleton increased his average kickoff output by 5.5 yards and hopes to see similar gains.

Lee's lower body strength was put to good use in 2019 when he subbed in to punt halfway through the season. His longest punt measured in at 65 yards (10/12 at John Carroll), he blasted five 50-plus yard punts, and he pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line four times.
 

FINAL THOUGHTS
Foos is keenly aware that fans and followers of the Purple and White want wins, but to get wins there has to be progress. The progress portion of the equation is what he is focused on in this abbreviated Spring 2021 campaign, but both must be present.

"We're focusing on those fundamentals," said Foos. "You always go back to basics. You have to do those things right first before you can talk about scheme stuff."

Foos wants to keep this year simple. After all, he is just three months on the job and (hopefully) on the backend of a global pandemic. In keeping it simple, he wants his team to "play fast", take care of the ball, spread the field, learn, and continue evaluating a team that is still getting to know its coach and one another.

"They are a hungry group," said Foos. "They are eager and hungry for success. This is a team that needs to focus on the basics rather than the end result. The end result will take care of itself … We're going to challenge them to get out what they are capable of, and they are capable of more than what people may give them credit for."

OPENING DAY
The Crusaders will open the 2020* season against Wilmington College on Friday, March 12 at 7 p.m. Cap will invade Williams Stadium in Wilmington, Ohio and seek to break a five-game skid on Opening Day.

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