University of Richmond Athletics
Will-Power: Senior QB Will Healy's Blog
RichmondSpiders.com plans to follow the 2008 football season from the inside, as senior captain Will Healy will blog throughout the year on the Spiders' official website. The quarterback is set to give fans a behind-the-scenes look at the Spiders as they defend their 2007 CAA Football Championship and vie for a return trip to the NCAA Playoffs - from the practice field, to the game field and everywhere in between.
The Richmond football team is coming off its most successful season in school history. In 2007, the Spiders won a school record 11 games, captured the CAA Football title and reached the NCAA National Semifinals before falling to eventual Champion Appalachian State.
In his hometown of Chattanooga, Tenn., Will Healy took a knee on the final two plays of the game to put the icing on Richmond's 24-7 win over Montana in the 2008 Division I National Championship Game.
Healy played his last college game in front of his family and the Spiders won the school's first NCAA Championship in any sport.
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The Final Entry: Dec. 22, 2008
National Champion Spider Supporters,
Where do I even start? What a magnificent game in my hometown of Chattanooga! The Spiders have done it! We are the National Champions! I couldn't be more proud of a program. We have overcome a lot of adversity, but the hard work has definitely paid off.
I was so proud to bring this group of players and coaches and well as the Spider Faithful to my old stomping grounds for my last-ever collegiate football game. I have been dreaming of being in this game for years now and to cap it all off with a victory is truly amazing! I have not stopped smiling yet!
The week was very exciting. I thought Chattanooga did a great job of showing how important this game really is and the hospitality was something I'll never forget. Yet with all of the distractions, our team did an outstanding job of staying focused and making sure that we made the most of this unique opportunity.
We came out ready to play and put it to them in the first half. We made enough plays down the stretch to seal the victory and then the celebration began. It was surreal. Having all of my friends and family storm the field along with all of the Spider Faithful was a sight I will not soon forget. We believed in each other and you believed in us! It just goes to show that with a team of believers, you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.
I want to speak one last time about our team this year. I cannot say it enough, but these guys are the greatest group of guys in the world. This is the way college football is supposed to be. We have a group of guys that excel in the classroom, the community, and on the field of play. We have a group of guys that represent the program exceptionally well in all aspects, including the media, and are extremely well spoken.
Yet most of all, we have a group of guys that will be my best friends for life. We worked out tails off for a common goal and got it done. I am so blessed to have been a small part of this remarkable adventure and I will never forget it.
Having said that, I firmly believe this championship season started from the top. Coach London is the kind of guy that you dream of playing for. He cares about his players and coaches more than anyone I've ever met. He is a devout Christian who has played a monumental role in the success of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, but most of all he is one of the greatest men that I have ever come in contact with. He was an answer to many prayers and I am so happy that he has led us to the National Championship.
I just hope one day that I can coach for him again and that our paths can cross sometime in the near future. The program will always be in great hands with him there and I look forward to seeing him build the Spiders into a dynasty.
To the fans, you were awesome! The Spider Walk at Finley Stadium was the coolest thing that has happened since I have been here! It really got us excited to play and we knew that you would cheer us to the victory. I just want to thank you for the support that you have shown over my five years and it has been a tremendous boost for our football team. Many of you I have gotten to know over the last couple of years and you are exceptional people. We are proud to have you as supporters. I'm glad you have joined us on this road to the championship and you have provided a huge spark for our football team.
It is a bittersweet time for me. I am ecstatic over the win, yet I do not want to say good-bye to these guys. They have been my family for the last five years and we have grown so close because we have gone through so much.
It has been an amazing five years and I want to again say thank you. I want to wish all of you a happy holiday season and I hope to see you soon.
As for me, I guess I am going to finally have to go into the real world. I am looking into coaching opportunities and my goal is to one day come back and coach the Spiders to another national title. I bleed Red and Blue and I'm blessed to be a Spider for life!
Thank you for following us through this very special season and I wish all of you the best!
GOOOO Spiders!!!!!!!!!
God Bless Will
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Entry #19: Dec. 19, 2008
Smiling Spiders Everywhere,
It's finally game day! We've had a great week of preparation. I think the guys and coaches have done an excellent job of staying focused and making sure that we prepare in a way that will give us a chance to be successful tonight.
Chattanooga has been wonderful. We've had a busy schedule. On Wednesday we had a full practice at Finley Stadium and then a welcome dinner at the Tennessee Aquarium. I think the guys really enjoyed the trip through the aquarium, especially the scuba diver with the Richmond jersey and helmet.
On Thursday, Lawrence Sidbury, Jr. and I had the honor of speaking at the FCA breakfast. We then went to help build a house for Habitat for Humanity and had a luncheon with Montana at the Convention Center. We had our "Walk Between The White Lines" Thursday at the stadium and then we were honored to have Brain Jordan and Coach Dal Shealy as well as other former Spider greats come to speak to us at our team meeting. It was great to have them around the program and to be a part of this special occasion. All of this was crammed with meetings in between so it has been a busy week. Today we are just meeting and going over any last minute adjustments. Everyone is very anxious for game time and the excitement is building.
We have been very impressed with this Montana football team. They are very well coached and have great players on both sides of the ball. It should make for a very exciting championship game tonight. We know this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and we must take advantage of it. We have worked very hard to get here, overcoming plenty of adversity along the way, and we look forward to making the best of this opportunity.
It has been an honor for me to be around these guys another week. Add this to the fact that I get to complete my career in my hometown and you can see my smile all the way to Richmond. It's a great day to be a Spider and we look forward to making all of you proud tonight at 8 p.m. Hopefully, the next time I talk to you the Spiders will have their first ever National Championship.
Cheer us on as we go for it all! Can't wait!
Go Spiders!
God Bless, Will
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Entry #18: Dec. 16, 2008
Ecstatic Spider Fans Everywhere,
We are going to Chattanooga! What a win for us on Saturday! I thought we truly showed the heart of a champion by coming back in the fourth quarter in Iowa. You have to give them a lot of credit. We all agree that it was the toughest environment we have ever had to play in, but we kept fighting and found a way to win. They were a very good football team and they have a tremendous home field advantage so it made it difficult for us.
Once again, I cannot say enough about these guys and these coaches. Coach London kept telling us on the sideline, "This game is not over, we are going to win" and the guys bought in and made it happen. The reward for winning a big game is to get another big game, so now it is on to the National Championship!
It wasn't always pretty, but we got it done. Our offensive player of the game was without a doubt Eric Ward. First off, he is one of the greatest guys you will ever meet. He is one of my best friends and a major reason I came back for my senior season. It has been incredible to watch him mature as a quarterback and a person over these last couple of years and he has been an outstanding blessing for our football team to have! I wouldn't pick another quarterback in the country to lead our football team into Chattanooga!
He made all the throws needed to win the game and is always a threat with his deceptive speed (gotta keep him humble so can't give him too much credit yet.) He put us on his back and we won the football game. He was very poised and confident and went out and executed the game plan to perfection.
On defense, Jordan Shoop made some huge plays for us! He seemed like he was in on almost all of the tackles and did a great job of keeping their offense in check. On special teams, Derek Hatcher had a huge return to set up the game winning score. He always is very reliable catching punts for us and set us up perfectly with that last return.
Our backs have been against the wall for a while now and we always seem to come out fighting!
Now it is on to Chattanooga -- and "Playoff Week No. 9" for our team. What a dream come true for me, not only to go to Chattanooga and to play in the National Championship in my hometown, but to get another week to play with this amazing group of guys! We are up against a tough Montana team.
They are among the nation's best on defense in every category. They have great players at every position and are a very physical defense that gets to the ball in a hurry. On offense, they are huge. They have an enormous offensive line that opens up holes for a very talented running back and a quarterback that seems to always make the right decisions.
They are very much deserving of being in the National Championship game and will be extremely tough to beat. I remember watching them play James Madison in Chattanooga my freshmen year, so they know what it's like to be there and will look to use that to their advantage. This being said, I wouldn't pick another group of guys to bring home to fight this battle. Chattanooga should be very excited that the Spiders are coming to town!
Our schedule for this week is tough. We practiced Monday night so that everyone could finish up exams and then we'll have a regular schedule Tuesday. We are going to fly out of here tomorrow night after practice so that we can be there for a luncheon on Wednesday. It is the most exciting time of our lives and we look forward to the challenge.
I can assure you will are not just happy to be in this game, we are in it to win it (this has been out motto since the beginning of the year!) We hope all of you can make it out to cheer on the Red & Blue as we look for the first National Championship in school history!
I want to touch on where this program has come from over the last five years. When I came into this program in 2004, we had just hired Coach Clawson. We finished the year at 3-8 and we were everyone's choice for a Homecoming Game opponent.
I remember the team having a meeting with the president of the university to discuss our move to the Patriot League. I remember the support we had from former players to offset this move and I remember getting up early to try and convince the board members to move us to the CAA as they went into the meeting to vote on our future. We then went on to win the Atlantic 10 the next year (2005), and are now we're in the National Championship.
I remember meeting with this team after Coach Clawson left and saying it doesn't matter who is our head coach, we have each other and we will win a national title. I can remember when Coach London was hired and the excitement that surrounded that move. I called my dad and said if our love for Coach London determines the amount of wins and loses we have this year, we will win the whole thing.
Not to say that I can predict the future, but it goes to show what kind of men we have in this program. We have believed in each other the whole time and that is what matters. It has been an amazing experience, something I will never forget and I have been truly blessed to be a part of it!
It is the biggest week in school history! We are very excited and we look forward to getting a chance to play the best for the title! We hope to see you there!
Go Spiders!
God Bless, Will
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Entry #17: Dec. 9, 2008
Proud Spiders Everywhere,
What a week this has been and what a blessing it is to be a Spider! It was an amazing victory for us in a snowy Boone, North Carolina! It was incredible to have another opportunity to play at "The Rock" and to come out with a different outcome. There is something truly special about this team and I think we proved that again on Saturday! We have yet another opportunity to go to battle with one another and we get another chance to prove that Spider Football is on the rise.
The game ball this week has to go to our defense! They were remarkable! Anytime you are able to hold one of the nation's premier offenses to only 13 points, it is a major accomplishment. They gave our offense great field position and we were able to capitalize on our opportunities and cash in.
This week, the player of the game on defense was Patrick Weldon. He had a career day for us and came up huge for us on several occasions. Patrick is a perfect example of what it means to be a Spider. He is a former walk-on, yet has earned his way into a starting role and has been a major reason for our success on and off the field. The guy just does things the right way and we are proud to have him on our team. Seth Williams also played exceptionally well. He had an incredible three interceptions and made it easy on our offense to score.
On offense, Matt McCracken led the way. He and the other offensive linemen did a great job of opening up holes for Josh, Eric, and Garrett so that they could have successful days on the ground. These big boys have put us on there back and will continue to pave the way through the playoffs.
On special teams, Brian Radford did a great job punting, kicking off, and even converting an important field goal attempt. Brian works very hard and does a great job of taking advantage of his opportunities to help our football team win.
It was a great win for us, but once again, we still have many things to improve upon this week. We have to do a little better job on offense of keeping the chains moving and then making plays when they are there to be made. We missed a couple off opportunities to put points on the board and we must take advantage of these chances to be successful down the stretch. We will work very hard this week to correct these mistakes and we should be well prepared come Saturday.
Now it's on to Northern Iowa. They are a very talented football team. They have the conference player of the year at defensive end and some very talented defensive linemen as well as speed and quickness at all positions. On offense, they are huge up front. They have a very talented quarterback and some legitimate threats in the backfield and on the outsides.
They are a great football team, as everyone is at this time of year, and will be an unbelievable test for us in Iowa. They play in a dome, so it will be a different atmosphere for us, but we really look forward to this opportunity.
We plan to fly out Thursday morning and practice in the UNI-Dome on Thursday night, then go through the normal routine on Friday and Saturday. With exams this week, we are looking into practice times that will work with everyone's schedule, so that could be interesting. We're also going to practice on the field hockey turf to get used to a similar surface. Although some little things may be a bit different, we will still not change what we do.
This is "Playoff Week No. 8" for us and we must continue to prepare and practice like champions. It should be a great week and I know it is a great time to be a part of Spider Football!
I want to once again thank all of the students and the fans who came to Boone to support us this past weekend. It was awesome to see the Red cheering us on in the stands and I and assure you that you were heard from!
To those of you who couldn't make the trip, we appreciate your support as well. The excitement is at an all time high and the program is on the verge of something special.
We hope you can be there with us as we try to "get one more week" on Saturday in Cedar Falls, Iowa. The game is at 4 p.m. on ESPN so it should be an amazing atmosphere! Hope to see you there and make sure to cheer on the Spiders! Hope all is well!
Go Spiders!
God Bless, Will
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Entry #16: Dec. 2, 2008
Past, Present, and Future Spiders,
It wasn't always pretty, but we got it done. It was another important victory for us against a fired-up Eastern Kentucky team. They made it very tough for us in the first half, but I thought we rebounded well in the second and put the game out of reach. We did some things very well, yet we still have much to improve on. It's tough to win football games, especially at this time of year, and we are very excited to have another opportunity to go out and compete.
We had some guys that played very well on Saturday. Our Offensive Player of the Game was Eric Ward did a good job of giving him a chance and Tre finished the deal by going up and making some tough grabs.
On defense, Patrick Weldon made some big-time plays for us. He had a very nice interception and had some nice tackles to add to his impressive performance. On special teams, J'Nnamdi Smaugh has done a great job all year long. He continues to go out and give great effort in this aspect of the game and takes his role on our team very seriously. Special teams can be the difference each and every week and we are lucky to have J'Nnamdi performing well for us. Each of these guys played a huge role in our victory on Saturday and we want to congratulate them on their performance.
Well, what can you say? We get another shot to go and play the three-time defending National Champs in their house. I am sure everyone knows about the quarterback Edwards, who had a career day against us last year, but they have plenty of other weapons as well. On defense, they have three of the best linebackers in FCS and plenty of speed to go around. They are tough to beat, especially at "The Rock," but I would not pick another group of guys to go with me into this battle.
We know that it will be a tough task, but as they always say; "To be the best, you have to beat the best!" We must prepare extremely hard this week and make sure that we correct our mistakes so we can give ourselves the opportunity to be successful.
We won't change a thing. We'll go out and practice hard Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and then we will "Walk between the White Lines" at The Rock on Friday. The excitement is high and we look forward to this difficult test.
It's Playoff Week No. 7 for us and yet another win-or-go-home situation. We plan on driving down to Appy on Friday and then getting our walk-thru in early Friday evening. The bus ride will be long, but I'll never complain about being able to spend this time with my teammates. This group of guys is truly special and there is a bond between us that can never be broken!
I want to once again thank all of the families who had team members into their homes for Thanksgiving. I know my experience at the York house was incredible and if I ate like that all of the time I would be fighting for a job at offensive tackle. All of the guys enjoyed the time with each other and really appreciated the love that was shown to each and every one of us by opening up your homes! We give thanks for you generosity!
It's a great day to be a Spider! We hope many of you can make it to Boone on Saturday for a noon kickoff. It would be great to see some red in the stands and show them that Richmond Football is back again!
I hope all is well and that your Thanksgiving holiday was filled with blessings, just as mine was to be able to be with my teammates! Hopefully, I will talk to you again next week and that I will be blessed with one more week with these incredible men!
Go Spiders!
God Bless, Will
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Entry #15: Nov. 25, 2008
Spider Family,
Wow! It has been a great week for Spider Football! The win over William and Mary was huge. We came out ready to play, especially on the defensive side of the ball, and were able to have a nice lead going into halftime. However, we came out very flat in the second half and allowed them to get back into the game. We could not take advantage of the turnovers and had to fight for our lives in overtime.
Once again, our defense and Andrew Howard came up huge for us and we were able to escape Williamsburg with a victory. This could be a very good lesson for us as a team and we must eliminate these mistakes to be successful in the play-offs. Many thanks to all of you who came to support us, I can assure you that the team fed off your enthusiasm and was very excited to see the all of the red and navy in the stands.
Now it is on to the playoffs! We gathered together Sunday night to watch the selection show and found out that the Eastern Kentucky Colonels will once again come to UR Stadium for the first round. I can assure you they will bring their "A" game and will come with revenge on their minds on Saturday. They are a very good football team. They have a defense that plays very well together and do a great job of creating turnovers with an amazing 30 take aways on the year.
On offense, they have the returning conference player of the year at quarterback and some great weapons to get the ball to. They will be a tough challenge for us at home, but I hope we can answer the bell. This is game six of the playoffs for us, so we will not change a thing. We must stay hungry and make sure that we take nothing for granted. It is tough to win football games, especially at this time of year, so we must step our game up to be successful.
This is a special team. We really enjoy each others company and we have a group of hard working and determined football players. I told the guys this week that my reward is to have another week to play with these great people and I hope we can continue this ride through the playoffs with a win over the Colonels.
As Thanksgiving is approaching, I am reminded of how blessed I am to have this football family to spend it with. As much as I love seeing my own family, it is always a blessing to be able to spend this special time with guys that I care about so much. It truly is a family and I believe that will make us tough to beat down the stretch.
\God Bless each and every one of you over this Thanksgiving holiday and I hope you enjoy your time with your family as much as I will enjoy the time with my football family! Coach London has done a tremendous job of making sure that all of the players have some where to eat a terrific Thanksgiving dinner so everyone should be able to have a place to relax. Many coaches and players have been gracious enough to invite people into their homes and for that we are grateful! I just can't wait for a little York Thanksgiving feast! Saturday is a big day! We hope we will have a great crowd at UR Stadium and we look forward to getting the chance to play at home one more time! This is very important to me and this group of seniors in that it could be our last, so let's make it memorable and make sure we go out with a "W!"
Go Spiders! God Bless and Happy Thanksgiving,
Will
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Entry #14: Nov. 19, 2008
Spiders,
It was a great win for our program on Saturday. Anytime you can play the defending National Runner-Up and get a win, especially in our conference, it's a great accomplishment. We still have plenty of things to work on, but the win allows us to keep our goals alive and it sets up a showdown with the Tribe!
Our offensive player of the week was Patrick Weldon made some big time plays for us. Sherman continued to get after the quarterback and make it tough for him to get a pass off. Patrick made a great interception and numerous big tackles that helped our defense have a career day. I don't believe there is a better defense in the country and we are fortunate enough to compete against them on a daily basis.
On special teams, Brian Radford was once again a weapon for us. He pinned them deep on a couple of punts and did a great job of squibbing a kick right into a Delaware player so we could recover it. (Now Brooks York says he told him to do so and Radford says he's just that accurate. so I'll take their word for it!) It was another solid outing for us in all three aspects of the game, but we left too many opportunities on the field. We must make the best of these chances down the stretch to be successful.
Senior Day was great. It was an emotional time for us as seniors, especially with having to speak to the team on Friday night to share our experiences with them. It made it worth all the time and effort we put into this program to hear what these amazing guys had to say about our experience here. I'm so lucky to have these guys as teammates and best friends and I look forward to trying to keep it rolling.
It has also been an emotional week due to the loss of Harry Lee Daniel's mom. He's been a tremendous example for us because he cares so much about this program. He is an AMAZING young man and we are right there for him as he goes through this struggle. It's times like this where our football family must be there for him and fortunately he has a tremendous amount of support from our players and coaches. This whole experience has brought us closer together as a team and as a family and our thoughts and prayers are constantly with Harry Lee and his family. We are lucky to have him as a Spider!
What a week this will be! We have an incredible opportunity to go play one of the top teams in the country in their house. This will be a great task, but we're up for the challenge. They are loaded on offense and very, very good on defense so we must play our best to have a shot to win. It is a great rivalry and with the stakes at hand, this should be a game for the ages! We look forward to seeing you in Williamsburg on Saturday and we will not take this one lightly!
Once again, I cannot say enough about my teammates. They are the greatest group of guys in the world and I am lucky to be able to go to battle with them each Saturday. This is playoff week #5 so we better be running on all cylinders. We will prepare harder than ever and come ready to play this Saturday! We can't wait!
Go Spiders!
God Bless, Will
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Entry #13: Nov. 12, 2008
UR Fans,
It was a very nice win for us on Saturday in a rainy Long Island, New York. It was nice to get back to playing games after a much needed off week. I thought we came out very strong in all three phases of the game. Our offense looked tough to beat in the first half, scoring on our first 5 possessions. Our defense was very stingy as well, making it very tough for the Pride. Our special teams set the tone and then Andrew Howard was able to knock down a 53-yard field goal. However, we must get better at finishing our opponents. We came out very flat in the second half and allowed them to make some plays to get back into the ball game. This cannot happen if we want to achieve our goals. It is always tough to win a game in this conference so we were happy to get out of there with a win.
Our offensive player of the game was Brian Radford were our special teams players of the week for their outstanding performance in the kicking game. They are both huge weapons for us and will win us ball games down the stretch. It was a total team effort and I thought we played very hard, but we still have room for improvement!
Now looking forward... wow! It's Senior Day! I can't believe it. This has been an incredible four and a half years. We've gone from being a team that everyone scheduled for Homecoming to a team that has a chance to play in December. We have a tremendous group of guys that I can't say enough about. Each and every teammate has been a treat for me to be around and I will never forget the bonds that I have formed with them.
This group of seniors has been very instrumental to the success of this program and I have been fortunate to be a part of that. As time is coming to an end, we just want to say thank you for all of the support over the last few years and for sticking with us! To the parents of these players, I just want to say that my life has been blessed to have your son in it. It is a group of guys that truly care about one another and we have been focused on putting the team first. The University of Richmond has been an amazing place for me and these other seniors! We feel like the program is in great hands with Coach London, who has been an unbelievable mentor for us to be around! We look forward to continuing to support Spider Football as this program strives to be the best in the country!
The good news is the year isn't over. We still control our own destiny and have a chance to reach the goals we've set. We must prepare harder than ever and get better each and every day. Delaware will be a true test for our football team. They are loaded on defense and their offense has the capability of scoring each and every play. We will have our hands full so we must come out ready to play!
We look forward to the challenge and we can't wait to see all of you at UR Stadium this Saturday!
Go Spiders!
God Bless, Will
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Entry #12: Nov. 4, 2008
Spider Faithful,
Finally, another game week! We enjoyed our week without a game, but we are excited to get back into action! We had practice on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, which were great days of practice, and then we had Friday and Saturday off. We came back to work today and had a practice to try and get a head start on Hofstra.
Some of the guys got to get away from football a little and travel home, but everyone is back safely and we are well rested for the home stretch.
Hofstra is another talented football team, much better than their record indicates. As many of you know, Coach Durkin is now coaching their offensive line so I am sure he will have the Pride ready to play. We must use these next couple of days to get better ourselves and to prepare for a hard fought battle in New York.
We are very excited about our position right now. We have the opportunity to control our own destiny, yet we know that each game is very, very important. As Coach London says, this is Playoff Week #3 and we must prepare that way!
We think we have some guys healthy who were a little banged up and it seems that the guys are excited for the opportunity at hand. We know that Hofstra will give us their best effort and we must execute very well to have a chance.
We hope that many of you will have the opportunity to come see us play in New York! Your support would be greatly appreciated as we come down this very important home stretch! I hope this finds all of you doing very well and we look forward to seeing you soon!
Go Spiders!
God Bless, Will
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Entry #11: Oct. 22, 2008
Spider Supporters,
It was a big win for us on Saturday verses a very good UMass football team. That's always a tough place to play and it was nice for us to go up there and perform well. Many thanks to all of you who made the trip to support us! Ya'll were great!
I was very proud of the way our team responded this week. I thought we played well in all three aspects, making plays on special teams, offense and defense. The players of the week this week were Justin Rogers for his excellent job of returning kicks. He is a weapon for us and a threat to return one for a touchdown at any given time.
On offense, Jordan Shoop stepped in and played very well. He had 15 tackles and it seemed like he was around the ball all day. These guys, along with many others, played a key role in the victory on Saturday and have done so all season long.
Now we get to come back home to play the Georgetown Hoyas. They will pose another tough test for us this week. They have some playmakers who will make it very difficult for us, so we need to be prepared. We must get better each and every day. Coach London tells us that every game is a play-off game for us, so this is play-off week number two and we must come out firing on all cylinders.
It's Homecoming for us, so let's make sure that UR Stadium is rocking! We only have two home games left, so we want to make sure that we make them count and that the crowds are enthusiastic. Make plans to be at the Spider Walk again this week as these are something that all of us really look forward to.
Thanks again for all of the support and look forward to seeing you on Saturday!
God Bless, Will
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Entry #10: Oct. 15, 2008
Spiders,
It was a heart breaking loss on Saturday. We fought hard. We played with the intensity and motivation that all of the coaches have been looking for us to put forth. We executed pretty well in all three aspects of the game, but in the end you have to play a full 60 minutes of football or a good team like JMU will beat you. You have to give them a lot of credit, they found a way to make the plays needed to win the ball game and we didn't. We left a couple of plays out there on all three units and in the end it will come back to bite you against a team of their caliber.
Ok, now for some positives from Saturday. The crowd was AMAZING! I have never seen UR Stadium like that and it was a sight to see! Believe me when I say that our guys fed off of that Stadium and were that much more excited to play when they saw all of that red in the stands. I thought Eric Ward put the offense on his back and really played well. I think he would tell you that he wishes he had a few plays back that could have made his day perfect, but he will work very hard to make sure that happens this week.
The players of the week were Andrew Howard continued his consistent kicking and knocked down a big field goal for us as well as being perfect on his extra points. The coaches also praised the play of Jared Decker. After his move to the left tackle position, he has really performed well and is getting better each and every week.
Now, we have to move on! We let it sting until yesterday and now we have to get ready to play another top-10 opponent in the UMass Minutemen. They have an excellent quarterback, a running back who can break one on any play, and some big wide-outs who go up and make plays. On defense, they have a big defensive line, a group of linebackers that are very physical; a secondary that I feel like every one of them was a pre-season All-American. This is the biggest game we have played so far! It is tough to go up there and win. They have a big home win streak going, plus it is there homecoming so I am sure they will be fired up! We must come out and play with the same intensity and passion that we had last week!
We need this week of practice to correct some of our mistakes and then get ready to take on another excellent football team! It will be a tough test! Our backs are against the wall and we must come out swinging! We must respond to the adversity of the past by continuing to improve and playing with unbelievable effort and intensity!
I want to once again thank all of you for coming on Saturday! Let's try and do it again when we play at home for homecoming. In the meantime, watch us this weekend as we play UMass and cheer us on! We look forward to the challenge!
Go Spiders!
God Bless, Will
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Entry #9: Oct. 11, 2008
Spider Nation,
It's Game Day! The James Madison Dukes are in town for what should be a match-up of two talented football teams. The preparation is done and now it is time to go and execute. We have worked very hard this week to make sure that we cover every scenario and the guys are very confident in the game plan.
We watched a video yesterday on the Hoyt Story. It is a story about a 66 year old father who runs in the iron man competition with his 42 year old son with cerebral palsy. The father swims while pulling his son in a raft, runs while pushing him in a stroller, and bikes with him on the front. He does all of this just so his son can feel the excitement of the competition. It's an amazing story and was great for us to watch so we can be that selfless and play with every bit of energy we have!
It has been a great week. We need to play with a lot of emotion and as Coach London says, "Let it Loose!" Let's make sure this is a memorable day in Spider Football! See you there!
God Bless, Will
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Entry #8: Oct. 7, 2008
Spider Supporters,
What a beautiful day for football that we had last Saturday. We were able to put all the facets of the game together to get the victory. We scored on offense, scored on defense, and scored on special teams! Our players of the week this week were Justin Rogers, who I know me and Eric are glad that we don't have to go against him on Saturdays, Joe Monteverde for his outstanding day blocking and his two nice receptions, and David Horton for his overall play on special teams and the big hit causing a fumble, that Colin Pehanick was able to pick up and run into the end zone.
I thought our offensive line played very well and was able to open up some holes for Garrett, Josh, and Tyler. Eric was very productive when we decided to throw the ball and the wide-outs made plays when called upon. Our defense played very well. Anytime you can hold an option offense to 17 points, especially when you only see it once a year, it's a tremendous feat. That's a big tribute to our scout team guys for giving them a look to get them prepared. It was a nice victory, but we must put it behind us and move on.
The week is finally here! The #1 JMU Dukes are coming to town! They are a very, very, very good football team. I was able to watch them play App. State and have already watched some film and I have been very impressed. They have great team speed on defense with size and strength. On offense, they have playmakers everywhere starting with their quarterback Rodney Landers. He reminds me a lot of Stacey Tutt in the way that he can beat you running or throwing on any given down, but can also lower his shoulder and run between the tackles. It will be a great test, but we will not back down to anyone!
Monday is a day to get your school work together and to go in and get an early jump on some film watching. Brooks York and I are going to play a little kickball at a local elementary school so that is something we always look forward to on Mondays. It is a big week, but we must approach it like any other. We must get better and continue to improve in every aspect of the game! We know they are a good team, but we feel that we are pretty good too and it should be a tremendous battle!
I want to encourage everyone to bring anyone you know to the game. They have a great following so I am sure they will bring a ton of people, but UR Stadium is our house! Let's make sure we pack our side of the stadium and make sure they hear from us! It would be a great sight and we're looking forward to a great turnout for the Spider Walk and the game. It helps to motivate us and gets us excited! I look forward to seeing you on Saturday at 1:30 for the Spider Walk and 3:30 for the kickoff.
God Bless, Will
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Entry #7: Sept. 30, 2008
Spider Fans,
It was a tough one on Saturday. We have to give it to Villanova. They outplayed us in pretty much every aspect of the game. We didn't execute well though we were put in the position to make plays. They were fired up and played a very physical football game.
After watching the game, it was filled with "could've, should've" plays, but in the end we didn't make the plays needed to beat a good football team. The good part is the mistakes are very correctable so we will go back to work on Tuesday and get things right. The team is very optimistic about what we have in store for the rest of the season and we hope you are as well.
Now, it's time to move on to the VMI Keydets. We have a lot of respect for their program. They always play very hard and are a very physical football team. Coach Hanson, having coached there, will make sure that we know how much this football game means to them and he will make sure we are ready for the task at hand. We're always excited to compete against other schools from Virginia and we know that we must play well in order to win the game. VMI always has a great atmosphere with all of the cadets yelling and screaming, but we hope the Spider Nation will be out in full force to make sure we are heard from!
Saturday was a learning experience for us. We know that we'll always have a huge bull's eye on our back each and every week so we must come ready to play no matter what! We know how hard it is to win a football game, especially in the best conference in the country, but we know what it takes to win these games and we must do everything it takes to win!
We aren't going to change anything we do, we're not panicking; we just must prepare a little harder and make sure we make our own breaks. We must start fast, take advantage of our opportunities, and finish strong. We'll work hard to make sure there are not more "could've, should've" games and to make sure we make the best of each and every chance to put on that Spider uniform.
We hope you will be there on Saturday at 1:30 to cheer us on and we look forward to the challenge of playing a good VMI team. Hope everyone is doing well and hope to see you soon! Go Spiders!
God Bless, Will
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Entry #6: Sept. 22, 2008
Spider Nation,
What a big win Saturday over the Maine Black Bears! It took a tremendous effort, especially in the second half, to come out with a win. So now we are rewarded by being ranked No. 1 in the country. We're very excited about the ranking; however we are much more focused on going 3-0 in the conference after this week's incredibly tough test against top-20 Villanova.
After watching film today, Villanova is a very, very good football team. They have a difficult defense to prepare for with exceptional speed and good size. Offensively, they have a multi-dimensional quarterback with some large wide receivers that go up and make plays. Not to mention the difficulty of playing in their house. It will be a tremendous match-up and we must come out ready to roll!
I want to thank all of you for your support these last two home games. The Spider Walk has been great and your presence is heard loud and clear in the stands! We hope that you can travel with us to cheer us on this weekend in our next battle.
I would like all of you to continue to pray for Richard Bagby. I went to see him this week and he is doing much better. On his behalf, thanks to all of you for your prayers.
Thank you again for all of your support! Spider Football is at the top, but we are no where near where we need to be. We hope that you join us on this journey through the CAA and we look forward to hearing you this weekend!
God Bless, Will
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Entry #5: Sept. 17, 2008
Spider Faithful,
What a great win on Saturday. It was a solid performance by the offense, defense, and special teams, but we still have a lot of room to grow. The "Spider Walk" was awesome! We were a little late because the buses were not at school on time, but I appreciate everyone waiting on us and welcoming us with excitement. I can assure you that Coach London will not have you waiting that long this week!
So it's now time to begin our next One-Week-Season" and the Maine Black Bears are coming to town! This is another talented team in our conference. They have very good athletes and will be a tremendous threat to us. We must get better this week and continue to make progress so we can play to our potential on Saturday. One of our team goals is to go undefeated at home so this is a huge game for us. Each and every week in the CAA presents its own challenge and this week will be no exception. The spirits are up and we look forward to defending our house on Saturday!
This week is filled with a lot of film and game-planning so that we can be successful on Saturdays. The coaches spend an unbelievable amount of time in the office so they make sure we are aware of their tendencies and base strategies. Sunday, we came in for a work-out: 20 striders (run across the field 20 times but not at full speed) and then a pool work-out to help with soreness. Monday is a preparation day where we watch film on our own and the coaches meet to plan out the week. We'll have a full-pad practice on Tuesday and then just shoulder pads and helmets on Wednesday and Thursday. The week is long, but it all pays off when we play on Saturdays!
Thanks again for the support on Saturday! Let's make sure we the excitement building to make sure that we have the best home field advantage in the country! Have a great week and see you Saturday!
God Bless, Will
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Entry #4: Sept. 10, 2008
Spider Family,
I want to first of all say thank you to all of those who ventured west to Charlottesville! The fans were awesome and it was amazing to see all the red in the stands. It was a frustrating game for us offensively, but we fought hard and had more than our fair share of chances. Unfortunately we came out on the short end, but we are moving on and look forward to finally being at home to open conference play with a very good Towson team.
We had a challenging practice today. The motto for this week is "Finish" so we can start to put games away and win the games we should win. The guys seem to be over the disappointing loss to UVa and focused on the difficult schedule ahead.
The CAA Football conference is always unbelievable; this year with 5 of the top 10 ranked teams in the country. We know that we must capitalize on our opportunities to win these tough match ups. We must get better each and every day and continue to work hard, something I am sure this team will do.
We are very excited about playing at UR stadium. Coach London has started yet another new tradition with the "Spider Crawl" about 2 hours and 15 minutes before the start of each home game. We will be dropped off on the visitor side and walk through the Richmond Faithful to our locker room. This should be a lot of fun and we hope all of you are there to be a part of it.
Towson is a tough test. They have a group of great athletes on defense and a very good quarterback who ignites their high-profile offense. We must start fast and finish strong to have any chance to come out with a victory. They have beaten us the last two years, so we will need some enthusiastic fans to help to pull us through.
The game-day experience at UR Stadium should be great! You'll hear some new songs being played to get you on your feet and to pump us up during pre-game and at each kick-off. We hope you'll join in with the excitement.
Thanks again for the support and we look forward to seeing you Saturday at 12:45 for the "Spider Crawl." Let's start this home schedule off with a true advantage and a great atmosphere. See you there!
God Bless, Will
P.S. Continue to pray for Richard Bagby as he is doing better.
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Entry #3: Sept. 5, 2008
Hello again Spider Fans,
What a win at Elon! We were able to put enough big plays together to put some points on the board. I thought Eric Ward played very well. He seems to be becoming the complete quarterback that we all know he would be. The defense played very well and will continue to be a tough group to score on. It was big win for Coach London and it was great for him to enjoy it in front of the huge group of Spider Fans we had there!
Now, we can finally talk about Virginia! This will be a very exciting opportunity for us to go to Charlottesville and compete with the big boys. They are big, strong, fast, and well coached, so it will be a tough battle, but we are going there to win.
This week's practice has been very high tempo, trying to get ready for the speed that we will be playing against on Saturday. Coach London has even dumped a few water bottles on the footballs just to get us ready for the rain. We have prepared well, watched a lot of film and had some good days of practice, so now it is time to go give it our all against the Cavaliers!
We are planning on staying here on Friday and then traveling at lunchtime on Saturday (That is as long as the weather is under control.) Everyone, including redshirt freshmen, can travel and dress for the game so it will be a unique experience for all of us. What better place to see what you are made of than in front of 60,000 at Scott Stadium!
On a more somber note, I would like everyone in Spider Nation to be pray for our good buddy and former teammate Richard Bagby. He has suffered a very serious injury and we have heavy hearts as we prepare this week. We are praying for Richard and his family and hope you will do the same.
The game that many of us have had circled for a long time is finally here. The Richmond Spiders versus the Virginia Cavaliers Saturday at 3:45 on ESPNU! Be there and go Spiders!
God Bless, Will
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Entry #2: Aug. 30, 2008
Hello again,
Game day is finally here and we are still anxiously waiting in the hotel in Greensboro. We fought through the traffic yesterday and arrived at a beautiful stadium at Elon around 5 p.m. Luckily we were occupied by the movie "Friday Night Lights" on the way down here, so the trip went pretty quick.
Coach London has started a new tradition with us this year: At walk-through the day before the game, we get off the bus and interlock arms then walk the length of the football field. He calls this the "Walk Between the White Lines." Coach preaches to us that the only thing that matters is what happens between the boundaries of the field, a.k.a. the "white lines." The team has bought into this concept and we look forward to the challenge tonight when we play Elon.
Friday nights are filled with film and a walk-through to make sure everyone is comfortable with the game plan. We had a team meal, Coach Hourigan gave us a pep talk, and then a highlight video of the hard work we put in this summer in the strength and conditioning program. We concluded the night with a little pizza and FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes).
We got up early this morning because Coach didn't want us to sleep all day. We had a meal, some more meetings, and a little time to watch some football.
I love night games! I really enjoy watching some other teams play, leading up to the spotlight match-up that we have tonight. However, other teammates -- John Crone for one -- would rather play at 7 in the morning than 7 at night. I have to tell him, "Good things come to those who wait!"
The preparation is done. Camp is over, the game plan is finished; now it is time to go out and start a new era of Spider Football! Can't wait! Go Spiders!
God Bless, Will
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Entry #1: Aug. 25, 2008
Hello Spider Fans,
I am honored to be able to share a little inside as to what is happening in Spider Football. Over the last couple of months, Coach London has brought a new level of excitement and energy to our program. We feel very confident in our new staff and look forward to having them lead us into this challenging season.
We have dedicated ourselves to Coach Hourigan and the strength and conditioning program and have made significant gains in those areas. We had a large number of players give up there summer to train at Richmond so we could better prepare ourselves for the upcoming year.
I am most of all excited about the kind of guys that we have in this program. They are some of the most incredible people I will ever meet in my life. It's been a great match with Coach London because he shares the same character and integrity of this football team. I am honored to go out and compete each and every day with these guys. They are exceptional athletes but more importantly friends forever.
As we look forward to Elon, we know that we must be at the top of our game to be successful. They are very talented and well coached and we know that it will be a tough battle, but we look forward to the challenge.
I hope to see all of you at the games and I look forward to a very successful season!
God Bless, Will
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