Hobart football reached new heights in 2012, setting several team records in the process including wins in a season (12) and consecutive wins in a season (12). Along the way, the Statesmen earned their eighth Liberty League Championship.
 
After completing the program's first undefeated regular season since 1957, Hobart drew the nation's top rushing offense, Washington & Lee, in the first round of the NCAA Playoffs. The Statesmen outgained the Generals 282-188 on the ground on the way to a 38-20 victory.
 
The second round brought No. 24 Wittenberg to Boswell Field. The Tigers entered the game averaging 40.2 ppg and 449.2 yards per game, but struggled against Hobart's dominant defense. When time expired, Wittenberg had managed just 135 yards of total offense and a mere 10 points as the Statesmen punched their first ticket to the NCAA quarterfinals with a 35-10 triumph.
 
Third-ranked St. Thomas halted Hobart's run in Minneapolis, but the Statesmen moved another step closer to the pinnacle of Division III football.
 
The 14th annual D3football.com All-America teams included three Hobart players for the first time. Defensive end Tyre Coleman garnered first team recognition after shattering the school records for tackles for loss and sacks in a season. He produced a league-leading 30.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and terrorized opposing quarterbacks to the tune of 17.5 sacks.
 
Linebacker Devin Worthington earned a spot on the second team. He was just a half tackle for loss short of also breaking the old season record, finishing the season with 21.5 tackles for loss as well as 10 sacks. Offensive guard Art Garvey merited third team honors as the anchor of an offensive line that allowed a league-low eight sacks, despite playing as many as four more games than some conference foes.
 
Coleman was also recognized as the D3football.com East Region Defensive Player of the Year. In addition to Coleman, Worthington and Garvey netted All-East first team honors, running back Bobby Dougherty, offensive tackle Ali Marpet, defensive tackle Nick Auriemma, and running back Steven Webb also earned all-region recognition.
 
While Hobart was fifth in the nation in total defense (241.0 yds/g) and grabbing headlines for its sack attack (3.31/g, 10th in DIII), the Statesmen offense quietly put together one of the most impressive campaigns in school history. Hobart was the only team to feature a 2,000-yard passer (Nick Strang 2,005) and two 1,000-yard rushers (Webb 1,197 and Dougherty 1,024).
 
The Statesmen broke season records for points (469), touchdowns (66), rushing touchdowns (46), and yards of total offense (5,386).
 
Hobart returns 35 lettermen, including six offensive starters and seven defensive starters from last season. The Statesmen will open the season with a bull's eye painted squarely on their backs. D3football.com voters put Hobart at No. 7 in the preseason poll, the program's highest preseason ranking. It also matches the team's highest national ranking during the 2012 season.
 
Here's a position-by-position look at the Statesmen:
 
DEFENSIVE LINE
 
When opponents scout Hobart's defense, they pay extra attention to stopping Coleman. Not that it did much good. His record-breaking rampage through opposing backfields left him with more sacks than 106 of the 240 TEAMS in Division III. Coleman's junior season begins with him just 2.5 sacks shy of Dave Russell's career record (33.0). Coleman is also third in career tackles for loss with 49.5, 9.5 behind record holder Rob Gould and 2.5 behind Worthington.
 
At the other end of the line, Mark Guarino-Hyde looks to build on a solid rookie campaign that saw him start all 13 games, recording 54 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, two pass breakups, and an interception.
 
Junior Jake Currie and sophomores Julian Jackson and Lou Testani are the top returning candidates to earn the second spots on the depth chart at end. Currie is fully recovered from the injury that robbed him of nearly half the 2012 season while Jackson and Testani looked good in spring practice and have continued their improvement through the preseason.
 
At tackle, new defensive coordinator Nick Grange will have to find a way to replace Auriemma. The three-year starter was exceptional at filling running lanes and occupying a pair of blockers, leaving Hobart's inside linebackers free to pursue the ball.
 
Fortunately, the Statesmen welcome back junior Troy Johnson and sophomore Tucker Gumkowski, who both spent time in the starting lineup in 2012. Johnson had 32 tackles, including four behind the line of scrimmage, in 11 games. Gumkowski also saw action in 11 games, notching 17 tackles and a sack.
 
Senior Cory Einbeck enjoyed a good spring and will challenge for a spot on the two-deep.
 
A deep and talented recruiting class of defensive linemen will push Hobart's veterans. First-year ends James Hedger and Brian Rabasca will be hard to keep off the field. Hedger won four straight Section V Championships and the 2010 New York State Championship at Aquinas Institute (alma mater of Devin Worthington) while Rabasca was All-State honorable mention at Saint Peter's Prep in New Jersey. Classmates Zackary Roback and Jake Russell are poised to have an impact in the middle. At 6-foot, 300 pounds, Roback has the potential to clog the running lanes like Auriemma did. Russell stands 6-foot-4 and weighs in at 255 pounds but is nimble enough to have played basketball at Onondaga (N.Y.) High School. Don't be surprised to see all four rookies on the two deep before the season is over with at least one earning a spot in the starting lineup.
 
LINEBACKERS
 
If the first player an offense has to account for is Coleman, player 1A is Worthington. The senior outside linebacker rang up 52 tackles, 21.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, and two interceptions last season. Worthington possesses speed, quickness, and great instincts for identifying a play and blowing it up before it has a chance to get going. He needs just seven tackles for loss to match Gould's career mark and 6.5 sacks to equal Russell's record, although he starts the year four career sacks behind Coleman.
 
Junior Nolan Toran is back for his third season as a starter. He finished his rookie season third on the team with 55 tackles. Toran blocked a punt that led to a Hobart touchdown and forced a fumble against Geneva (Pa.) and notched an interception in the NCAA Playoff win over Washington & Lee.
 
The depth at outside linebacker is strong. Not only do both starters return, but the Statesmen also return both backups in seniors Taylor Delperuto and Austin DiMarco. They were solid in limited action in 2012. Junior Matt McGriff, sophomore Jacob Stanley, and first-year Marcus Jemison make Hobart very deep at the position. The trio is likely to contribute on special teams as well.
 
Inside linebacker is a different story. The Statesmen lost a great deal of leadership and experience with the graduation of Andrew Klindera and Nick Zapp. Klindera boasted a league-high 109 tackles while Zapp recorded 43 stops.
 
Reserves last season, senior Tom Elder and sophomore Trayvon Toney were penciled in as the starters at the start of preseason camp. They are capable of filling the leadership void, if not the experience, of Klindera and Zapp. Unfortunately, Elder suffered a season-ending injury at the end of camp leaving the door open for classmate Cory Davis to start. Davis is a passionate, smart player while Toney is very strong and athletic.
 
Junior Jacob Price, sophomore Kenneth Coughlin and first-year Zach Thornton are the primary challengers for a spot on the two-deep. Price is a tireless worker and key contributor on special teams. Coughlin has shown the potential to be a regular contributor, but is still working on consistency. Thornton is extremely athletic and tenacious, attributes that might make the coach's look the other way if he has the occasional mental mistake that can happen to first-years thrown into the mix right away.
 
SECONDARY
 
Hobart was seventh in the nation in pass defense last year, allowing just 143.22 yards per game. While a relentless pass rush deserves some of the credit, the Statesmen also have an experienced and talented nucleus in the secondary.
 
Corners Connor Garrett and Fajri Jackson and free safety Jolyon Davis are once again expected to hold down the starting jobs. Garrett produced career-highs with 30 tackles (matching his total from his first two seasons combined), a league-high 11 pass breakups, and three interceptions. He broke the Hobart game record with five breakups against Rochester in the regular season finale. Jackson had 35 tackles and four breakups last year. Davis was one of six Statesmen, and the only one in the secondary, to record 50 tackles in 2012. Half of his four pass breakups came in the NCAA Playoffs as did his season-high nine tackles at No. 3 St. Thomas.
 
Senior Rashaun Moore and junior Jordan Smith are the top returning candidates to fill out the two-deep at cornerback, but Hobart welcomes a trio of first-years that have the talent to compete for playing time right away. Matt Cragg (nephew of Head Coach Mike Cragg), Todd Collier, and Gabriel Smith are all smaller (5-7 or 5-8), athletic, speedy corners. In fact, Cragg beat out Webb for the team's fastest 40 time during preseason testing.
 
First-year Michael Harper is expected to backup Davis at free safety.
 
OFFENSIVE LINE
 
Hobart's o-line finished the season 10th in the nation, yielding just eight sacks in 13 games. While starters Art Garvey, an All-American, and Tyler Garvey, a second team All-League pick, graduated, Marpet, senior Michael Green, and junior DeAndré Smith form a strong core to build around.
 
Marpet, a first team All-Liberty League selection, will start at left tackle. He's very strong and Hobart's best blocker. Smith earned All-Liberty League honorable mention as a sophomore and has trimmed down to 335 pounds from 350, and is steadily improving. A Capital One Academic All-American and NFF William V. Campbell Trophy nominee, Green will start at center and handle the long and short snapping duties on special teams.
 
Seniors Trevor Schutte and Alex Bush are the leading candidates to fill out the starting line. Schutte is 6-foot-5 and 285 pounds and will play right tackle while Bush is 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds and will play left guard. Bush is a jack-of-all-trades, capable of playing all five spots on the line.
 
Senior Max Janoff was expected to be the first lineman off the bench, but a preseason-injury will keep him off the field. With an unsurpassed passion for Hobart football, his presence in the locker room and on the sideline will still be an important factor in the team's success this season.
 
Sophomore Justin DiJiulio (6-foot-4, 270 lbs.) and first-year Patrick O'Connell (6-foot-2, 275 lbs.) have stood out in the preseason and will likely be the backups at right and left tackle, respectively. O'Connell is the grandson of former Hobart Head Coach Jack Daniels. First-years Nick Testani and John Hillenbrand could also work their way onto the two-deep.
 
Sophomores Emiliano Acosta (6-foot-3, 280 lbs.) and Brendan Casey (6-foot-2, 285 lbs.) will rotate in at guard. Acosta is an aggressive blocker with improving technical skills while Casey is showing promise as he gains experience.
 
Green's backup at center is likely to be either sophomore Levi Boyer (5-foot-11, 285 lbs.) or sophomore T.J. Scamurra (6-foot, 295 lbs.).
 
TIGHT END
 
With the graduation of senior starter Brent Matazinsky, the starting nod at tight end will fall to junior Mike Berkowitz. The duo split reps last season. Berkowitz was third on the team in receptions (14), receiving yards (260) and receiving touchdowns (4). His most memorable performance came against Union when he made four catches for 89 yards and a pair of touchdowns, earning a spot on the D3football.com National Team of the Week.
 
Sophomores Josh Britton and Nick Liverio are competing for time as Berkowitz's backup. Britton has the inside track as he returns to the position for his second season, while Liverio converted to tight end from defensive end in the spring.
 
WIDE RECEIVER
 
Hobart lost a pair of seasoned receivers to graduation. Junior Woodard finished his career third in receiving yards (1,921) and fourth in receptions (136), earning four All-Liberty League awards. Although injury plagued, Jay Cronze (32 rec, 379 yds) was a steady presence on and off the field and will be just as missed.
 
Senior Yosh Karbowniczak, juniors John Fasano, Troy Robinson, and Elvin Souffrant, and sophomore Cooper Merrill give Hobart an adequate supply of solid possession receivers. After starting 11 games last season, Karbowniczak boasts the most experience. He has 47 receptions for 707 yards and six touchdowns over his career, the best numbers of any of the returning players. Souffrant made 12 catches for 135 yards last year moving on and off the two-deep throughout the year. He has stepped up his game and has the coaches believing he deserves to start. Robinson has also been impressive in his development during the offseason after making nine catches for 84 yards in 2012. Fasano (4 rec, 58 yds) and Merrill (1 rec, 7 yds) have limited experience but have made big strides and are expected to play a bigger role this season.
 
QUARTERBACK
 
Graduation was tough on the Statesmen at quarterback. Two-year starter Nick Strang and Kelly Olney combined to throw 98.1 percent of Hobart's passes over the past two seasons, accounting for 98.2 percent of the passing yards and 100 percent of the passing touchdowns. Strang was a two-time All-Liberty League selection while Olney went on to play professionally with Klindera in Germany.
 
Juniors Patrick Conlan and Kyle Bayly competed throughout spring practice for the right to succeed Strang with Conlan taking the lead by the end of practice. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound passer kept his edge through the preseason and will call the first play for Hobart at Dickinson on Sept. 7. Although short on experience (10 gms, 6-8-1, 72 yds, 0 TDs), Conlan has a strong grasp of the playbook and has shown poise in the pocket. Bayly has not attempted a pass in a varsity game since arriving on campus, but the coaching staff is confident in his ability to manage the offense if called upon.
 
Sophomore Parker Thelander and first-year Troy Anthony will provide depth under center.
 
FULLBACK
 
Junior Dominique Ellis returns to the backfield. He has started games in each of his first two seasons, producing 514 yards on the ground and five touchdowns. A bruising, north-south runner, he could be the thunder to Webb's lightning if he remains healthy.
 
Sophomore Christopher Holoman will also rotate in at fullback. In 2012, he averaged 4.8 yards per carry and caught three passes, taking two to the end zone. Holoman is versatile enough that the coaching staff could also use him as the featured back or move him out to tight end.
 
RUNNING BACK
 
Webb will be Hobart's primary option out of the backfield this season after platooning with Dougherty in 2012. In his first three seasons, he's averaged 5.5 yards per carry, gaining 2,533 rushing yards. Webb has rushed for 33 career touchdowns which puts him in striking distance of the Hobart record of 47 which belongs to Rich Kowalski '76. In the passing game, Webb is a solid blocker and has continued to develop as a receiver (26 rec, 390 yds, 3 TDs).
 
Sophomore Conner Hartigan (5.9 yds/carry) will be the first player to spell Webb. He's showing no ill-effects from the season-ending injury he suffered in the W&L game. Sophomore Justin Burke adds depth at the position. He moved from defensive back to running back during spring practice.
 
First-years Sean Bright and Brad Burns could also compete for playing time this season.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
 
Hobart led the Liberty League in punt return average last season (8.8 yds/r). With sure hands and steely nerves, Robinson will again field punts for the Statesmen with Fasano occasionally lining up deep as well.

Hobart is looking to better its standing in the league in the other special teams categories. The Statesmen were third in PAT rate (.921), fourth in kickoff return (19.8 yds/r), tied for fourth in field goal conversion (.500), fifth in kickoff coverage (35.2 net yds/KO), and sixth in punting (31.8 net yds/p).
 
Kicking duties will fall to first-years Sean Kirshe and Ethan Miller. Kirshe earned the starting nod coming out of camp. He holds his high school's records for longest field goal made (50 yds) and most field goals made in a season (9). By comparison, Hobart hasn't made nine field goals in a season since converting 10 in 2007.
 
The options on kick returns will be dictated by the game situation. When Hobart needs a big play or wants to deliver a knockout punch, the explosive tandem of Webb (22.0 KOR avg, 1 TD) and Hartigan (26.8) will line up deep. If the aim is to be sure-handed or give Webb and Hartigan a rest, Burke and Fasano (22.5) will take the field.
 
Karbowniczak has averaged 35.0 yards per punt over the past three seasons, but will have to stay healthy to avoid losing the job to Kirshe.
 
SCHEDULE
 
Hobart's nine-game schedule will send the Statesmen on the road five times starting with the season-opener at Dickinson. Hobart has faced the Red Devils on opening day in each of the past 21 seasons with the Statesmen holding an 11-10 lead.

The team will make its Boswell Field debut on Sept. 21, when Utica visits Geneva for the first time. The homecoming game will kickoff under the lights at 7 p.m.
 
Hobart's Liberty League title defense begins at Merchant Marine on Sept. 28. A week later, the Statesmen will host WPI. The team will don special camouflage jerseys and raise money in support of the Honor Flight Network, which provides free transportation to Washington, D.C., for U.S. military veterans.
 
Hobart will make its first trip to Springfield on Oct. 12 followed by a home game against Rensselaer on Oct. 26. The contest against the Engineers will be the annual Touchdowns and Tackles for Happiness House game, which raises funds for the Finger Lakes Cerebral Palsy Association.

November begins with a visit to league rival Union. The Dutchmen finished just a game behind the Statesmen in the standings last season and were the only opponent to keep Hobart's margin of victory under 18 points (42-34).
 
St. Lawrence comes to Boswell Field on Nov. 9 for Senior Day and the Statesmen visit Rochester for the regular season finale on Nov. 16.