The future could once again be bright for the Shippensburg football team in 2007. Over the past 10 seasons, the Red Raiders have totaled 67 wins for an average of seven per season, along with a .609 winning percentage.

Since 1997, the team has also posted a mark of 37-23 in PSAC Western Division games, a .617 winning percentage, finishing outside the top three in the standings just three times.

Coming off of last year’s 5-6 record in which the team’s garnered 12 All-PSAC Western Division selections which were the most among any PSAC school, seven return for this season. In addition, the Red Raiders return 15 of 22 starters on offense and defense as well as the team’s kicker, punter and return specialist, all of whom garnered first team all-conference honors in 2006.

However, despite the bright outlook, if Shippensburg is to have a successful season, it must first find the answer to the Red Raiders’ most crucial concerns that will have a direct effect on the team’s record and performance on the field.

"This year has a lot of questions," said 18th-year head coach Rocky Rees. "We are inexperienced at key spots and how they go will dictate how we go."

The chief concern for the Red Raiders in 2007 is a challenging schedule that features seven road games, including week two at Liberty University who was ranked at No. 25 in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), as well as two against teams who advanced to the NCAA Division II Football Championship a year ago in Shepherd, which is also on the road, and West Chester. To make matters worse, all three of those contests come in the first four weeks of the season.

"We have one of the toughest schedules in the conference," said Rees. "We face a top-25 team in Division I-AA, two teams who made the playoffs last year and then have our regular divisional schedule against teams like California (Pa.) and IUP, both of which are on the road."

Perhaps almost as daunting as the team’s 2007 schedule is the task of filling in personnel losses at key positions from a year ago while waiting for the development of experience at others, particularly on defense where Shippensburg ranked ninth in scoring defense and last in red zone defense a year ago.

"Right now, we’re either thin or not where we need to be," Rees commented. "We will rely on the internal leadership of the players."

Offense

As Rees begins his 18th season at Shippensburg running the Wing-T offense, he welcomes back nine starters that feature some explosive and experienced talent, the most notable of which is up front on the offensive line where the team returns four of five starters.

While the quarterback position has been a revolving door at times with two players boasting at least seven games of experience at the position in each of the last five seasons, the offensive line has undergone the biggest transformation over the last two seasons after the group placed three members on the All-PSAC Western Division team, including tight end Brian Sekel, in 2004.

Beginning with the 2005 season when the Red Raiders had to replace all five starters on the offensive line, along with three-time All-PSAC Western Division honoree and current Pittsburgh Steeler John Kuhn at fullback, Shippensburg has totaled 3,168 yards rushing for an average of 144.0 per game and 28 touchdowns while allowing 64 sacks.

In comparison, the Red Raiders amassed 3,112 yards rushing, an average of 259.3 per game, 32 touchdowns and only 18 sacks in 2004.

While Shippensburg returns four of its five starters up front, it also returns its top three leading rushers from last season, and five of its top six.

"The offensive line returns a lot of experience and the fullback and halfback positions have some real promise," said Rees.

The team will also look for some strong production out of its talented and athletic receiving corp.

Position previews:

Quarterback | Fullback | Halfback | Wide Receiver | Offensive Line | Tight Ends

Defense

Traditionally known for having one of the league’s top defenses, Shippensburg will look to a select group of veterans for leadership in 2007 while hoping for the addition and fast development of some new talent.

Of the team’s 12 PSAC Western Division selections a year ago, six were on defense, only two of which return this season.

"I don’t know that we are as strong as we want to be defensively," Rees said. "We have some real fine athletes returning, but we also some real questions that need answered."

The two biggest concerns for the Red Raiders will be the defensive line and the secondary. While the team returns some key players at both, the team is also expecting some good competition to fill those spots, hence the questions as to who will be where.

As a unit a year ago, Shippensburg was in the upper echelon of the PSAC, leading the league in sacks while ranking fifth in pass defense and sixth in both rushing defense and total defense.

However, the team was ninth in scoring defense, allowing the opposition an average of 23.4 points per game. The Red Raiders were also last in the conference in red zone defense, surrendering touchdowns on 20 of the opposition’s 25 trips inside the 20-yard line.

While that may not seem all that bad, the team must also replace the loss of key personnel like three-time All-PSAC Western Division selection Frank Duffy and two-time All-conference pick John Sharbaugh who combined to start 71 career games during their careers. Also gone from a year ago is All-PSAC Western Division First Team selection James Rockymore.

One benefit for the Red Raiders defensively is that Duffy and four-year veteran Brandon Cook will join the team as coaches this season working with the defensive line.

Position previews:

Defensive Line | Linebacker | Defensive Back

Special Teams

For the third-straight season in 2006, Shippensburg laid claim to one of the top special teams units in the conference and possibly the nation and things should be the same in 2007.

After earning All-PSAC Western Division First Team honors in 2005, senior Jamie Reder received Second Team accolades a year ago, hitting 8-of-13 field goal attempts. He enters this season having made 35-of-44 career attempts for 79.5-percent, which is just 0.5-percent off the NCAA Division II all-time record held by Bill May of Clarion (1977-80).

Reder's 35 field goals are the second most in school history while his 192 points are fourth.

Sophomore Kyler Ford earned an All-conference first team selection as a punter, finishing second in the PSAC in punting with an average of 39.7 yards per punt, a mark that was also 20th in Division II. Ford's selection marked the third-straight year that Shippensburg's punter was selected to the first team after Denver Brydon earned back-to-back honors in 2004 and 2005.

Red-shirt senior Howard Chavous was named All-PSAC Western Division First Team as a return specialist in 2006 after averaging 28.6 yards per kick return, a mark that was tops in the PSAC and sixth in Division II. Against Kutztown, returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown that was the third-longest kickoff return in school history.

In addition to Chavous, red-shirt junior David Richards and red-shirt freshman Kevin Marshall are expected to handle some of the kick and punt return duties to fill the void left by Patrick Ferguson who was the team’s primary punt returner last season, totaling 231 yards on 18 returns for an average of 12.8 per return. He also averaged 23.9 yards on 15 kick returns with an 80-yard touchdown return against Edinboro.

Also returning for his second-straight season as the team’s long snapper is sophomore James D’Annibale. He appeared in all 11 games last season as the team’s primary long snapper for punts and extra points.

"We have some of the best specialists in the PSAC," Rees said. "We have arguably the top kicker, punter and returners in the league in Reder, Ford and Chavous and we should only get better with the addition of Kevin Marshall’s speed and ability."

Shippensburg will open its 103rd season of football on September 1 when the team travels to Shepherd for the 10th annual Great Valley Classic.

This year will also be the 48th and possibly last year of competition for Shippensburg in the competitive PSAC Western Division. With the addition of Gannon, Mercyhurst and C.W. Post beginning in the 2008 season, the Red Raiders could move to the PSAC Eastern Division pending approval from conference administrators and presidents.