The news of Jimmy Berezik's second playoff suspension in as many years has begun to make its way around the Allendale campus of Grand Valley State University.
Thankfully, when the Lakers face off against Carson-Newman College today in the NCAA Division 2 national semifinal, they will be well prepared to handle the absence of GVSU's all-time leading rusher.
In last year's playoff loss to Minnesota-Duluth, Berezik's suspension meant all-purpose back Blake Smolen had to spend the majority of the game in the backfield. Although Smolen racked up 139 yards on 27 carries, his absence on the on edges greatly hurt the offense.
This year, P.T. Gates and Justin Sherrod have emerged as legitimate second and third running backs. Gates arguably ran better than Berezik last week in the rematch against Minnesota-Duluth, and he will get his chance to show why he was a Division 1-recruit today against Carson-Newman.
Berezik's absence pales in comparison to the hole left by Andre Thomas on the defensive line. Facing a complicated triple-option scheme, it was imperative for an already banged up Lakers defense to be as close to full strength as possible.
Now with Thomas, his backup Ryan Wheat and reserve linebacker Blair Hollis all suspended for the rest of the season, GVSU's national championship hopes will fall on a patchwork defense.
The Lakers have worked far too hard for a few suspensions to ruin their season. Look for GVSU to punch its tickets to Alabama this afternoon against Carson-Newman.
GVSU 35, Carson-Newman 17
Showing posts with label Grand Valley State University. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grand Valley State University. Show all posts
Saturday, December 5, 2009
1
Thursday, November 26, 2009
0
Cody: GVSU football hits the road to Minnesota
Grand Valley State University coach Chuck Martin won't call the NCAA Division 2 playoffs a revenge tour, but it is hard to believe otherwise.
The story lines are just too perfect.
GVSU rarely loses. Only twice in the past two seasons -- by a measly nine combined points -- have the Lakers been on the wrong side of the box score.
This year, Hillsdale College became the first team since 2004 to defeat GVSU in the regular season.
Ironically, the Chargers were also the first team to face Grand Valley's wrath this postseason. A 37-0 halftime lead for the Lakers last Saturday was plenty to reaffirm GVSU's dominance.
Next up is Minnesota-Duluth.
Duluth stunned the Lakers in Allendale last season on their way to a national championship. Round two will feature much of the same talent.
This Saturday, however, they will be facing a different Laker football team. Ever since the Hillsdale loss, GVSU has looked nearly unstoppable.
The Lakers are hungry -- hungry for their first national title since 2006.
Senior quarterback Brad Iciek is playing perhaps his best football of his college career. Running back trio Jimmy Berezik, P.T. Gates and Justin Sherrod are going strong. Receivers have stepped up through injuries. A young offensive line has gelled together.
The defense has flexed its muscles. Danny Richard and Nick Lawrence have terrorized opposing lines (and quarterbacks). The linebacking core has been great. The patchwork defensive backfield has held its own through numerous injuries.
Minnesota Duluth is a great team. However, this Saturday they will run into a dynasty eager to reassert themselves as the best Division 2 college football program in the country.
Revenge is sweet.
GVSU 28, Duluth 17
The story lines are just too perfect.
GVSU rarely loses. Only twice in the past two seasons -- by a measly nine combined points -- have the Lakers been on the wrong side of the box score.
This year, Hillsdale College became the first team since 2004 to defeat GVSU in the regular season.
Ironically, the Chargers were also the first team to face Grand Valley's wrath this postseason. A 37-0 halftime lead for the Lakers last Saturday was plenty to reaffirm GVSU's dominance.
Next up is Minnesota-Duluth.
Duluth stunned the Lakers in Allendale last season on their way to a national championship. Round two will feature much of the same talent.
This Saturday, however, they will be facing a different Laker football team. Ever since the Hillsdale loss, GVSU has looked nearly unstoppable.
The Lakers are hungry -- hungry for their first national title since 2006.
Senior quarterback Brad Iciek is playing perhaps his best football of his college career. Running back trio Jimmy Berezik, P.T. Gates and Justin Sherrod are going strong. Receivers have stepped up through injuries. A young offensive line has gelled together.
The defense has flexed its muscles. Danny Richard and Nick Lawrence have terrorized opposing lines (and quarterbacks). The linebacking core has been great. The patchwork defensive backfield has held its own through numerous injuries.
Minnesota Duluth is a great team. However, this Saturday they will run into a dynasty eager to reassert themselves as the best Division 2 college football program in the country.
Revenge is sweet.
GVSU 28, Duluth 17
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
2
Cody: Rivalry? What rivalry?
In the week leading up to last Saturday's game between No. 1 Grand Valley and No. 16 Saginaw Valley, the GVSU campus was lit up with talks discussing how the football team would fare when matched against their rival.
After grabbing a two-touchdown lead just a few minutes into the long-awaited game and thrashing SVSU by a final margin of 38-7, the Lakers proved a point.
They have no rivals -- at least not in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. To think otherwise is just ignorant.
If you do a search on Dictionary.com for the word rivalry, there is a word that stands out in the definition: competition.
GVSU has no competition in the GLIAC. They have posted a 75-3 record in their last 78 GLIAC games, and have won 45 straight regular season games dating back to 2004.
Saturday's game posted an official attendance of 16,647 people, far above previous records for GVSU and a new record for the GLIAC.
The attendance figures had a lot to do with hype. Students were lined up six or more deep in standing room only on the south side of the field. They expected to see a hard-fought game.
Instead, they saw a massacre.
Let's think twice before we say GVSU has rivals, shall we?
After grabbing a two-touchdown lead just a few minutes into the long-awaited game and thrashing SVSU by a final margin of 38-7, the Lakers proved a point.
They have no rivals -- at least not in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. To think otherwise is just ignorant.
If you do a search on Dictionary.com for the word rivalry, there is a word that stands out in the definition: competition.
GVSU has no competition in the GLIAC. They have posted a 75-3 record in their last 78 GLIAC games, and have won 45 straight regular season games dating back to 2004.
Saturday's game posted an official attendance of 16,647 people, far above previous records for GVSU and a new record for the GLIAC.
The attendance figures had a lot to do with hype. Students were lined up six or more deep in standing room only on the south side of the field. They expected to see a hard-fought game.
Instead, they saw a massacre.
Let's think twice before we say GVSU has rivals, shall we?