USD Football 1996

l Hl DmR HHSMANS CO NT I N U ED everybody's All-American last season with 50 catches for 1,283 yards over a 13-game schedule that included the national playoffs. He was also first among Division I-AA receivers in receiving yards per game, enjoying a career day against Southern Illinois with nine receptions for 206 yards. Ward also returns punts. "He was as good as anyone we played," said Mickey Matthews, who is now the linebackers coach at Georgia but last season the defensive coordina– tor at Marshall, which beat Northern Iowa in the quarterfinals of the national playoffs. "We actually changed our cov– erage for him, and we didn't do that for anyone." But will Chris Berg's replacement at quarterback be able to get the ball to Ward? Berg was fourth last season in passing efficiency in Division I-AA. And will opponents relentlessly double-team Ward, as Eastern Illinois did last season? Ward selflessly offered himself as a decoy-Berg didn't throw to him once– and Northern Iowa won the game, but two or three statistical afternoons like that this season and the path will be clear for Delaware quarterback Leo Hamlett or perhaps Virginia Military Institute running back Thomas Haskins. Hamlett, a senior, can befuddle opposing defenses with his double threat of running and passing. Last sea– son he ran for 756 yards and passed for 2,086 yards. He was third in I-AA in pass– ing efficiency and 14th in total offense (232 yards per game) as Delaware fin– ished the season ranked sixth in the country. Entering this season, Delaware is 14-3-1 in his 18 starts. Haskins has not been surrounded by such a gifted cast. In his three seasons at VMI, the Keydets have gone 6-27. But Haskins has hardly skipped a step, gain– ing over 3,600 yards while averaging six yards a carry. Against the three I-AA final-eight playoff teams that VMI faced last season, Haskins ran for 405 yards on 69 carries (5.9 yards per carry). One of those teams was Marshall. "Like all the great backs, he's at full speed after one step," Matthews said.

"When you consider the teams he's played for and the yards he's gained, well, he's a good one." l[]l

TOM SLEAR is a freelance writer and a frequent contributor to Touchdown Illustrated.

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