Offense is Dave Arslanian's specialty. As an assistant, Arslanian helped develop Weber stars like Sean Sanders, Fine Unga, Wade Oton and Jeff Carlson. Arslanian and former Coach Mike Price formulated a passing scheme that's been borrowed by big schools.
So what's the first thing Arslanian talks about regarding the 1989 season, his first in his dream job as head coach of his alma mater? The defense."I know where my bread is buttered," Arslanian says. "The teams that play the best defense in this league (Big Sky) are the ones that are going to have a chance to win."
He points to Montana, a league power without the typically explosive offense. Now, Weber's defense will be coached by the man who ran Montana's for three years, Bill Smith.
Even if Arslanian hadn't lured Smith, defense would still be his ace. "There's more experience over there than on offense," he says.
If Weber has any household names after graduation, injury problems and ineligibilities, they are on defense.
Dave Palaniuk and Mike Glenn are back at tackle and end. There are four used linebackers to fill two slots - Chad Beck at one, and either Reid Leland, Troy Juergens or Bob Croyle at the other, with Leland holding the edge. Beck is Weber's defensive leader. The backfield is all experienced - Maurice Jackson at free safety, Jody Marshall and Austin Peters at corner, Berk King at rover and Darion Scott at strong safety (now called "Wildcat").
Sophomore tackle Bruce Covernton played in six games last season and is expected to fill the hole left when Savea Harrington didn't report to camp.
Count the punter and kicker as defense? Brent Chuhaniuk, had he punted two more times last season, would have led the I-AA nation at 44.3 yards. Greg Patterson has been the top 'Cat kicker for three seasons and has made a good adjustment to kicking off the grass.
On offense, Arslanian's first job was to choose a quarterback to replace Carlson, the school's career passing leader and now a Los Angeles Ram.
Monday morning, Arslanian finally chose redshirted junior Ryan Schmidt to start. The newly named quarterback already knows where he's going to throw the ball most.
To Peter Macon.
Listed as a tight end, Macon, already named to two preseason I-AA All-America teams, will actually line up all over the place. "We'll move him around to keep people off balance and make it harder to double up on him," Arslanian says. Will other teams pay that much attention to him? "They have to," Arslanian declared.
A senior, Macon has three varsity letters earned alternating with Gerald Wilcox, the CFL's No. 1 draft pick.
The other veteran on offense is center Keith Chambers. He'll be flanked by Mike Hopper and Alan Pott (from Ricks) at guard, with part-time 1988 starters Oscar Contreras and Tom Stackaruk at tackles. All-Big Sky guard Kelvin Dexter is academically ineligible. Running backs will be George Jackson and Geoff Mitchell, with Willie Chapman a backup after a spring-practice knee twist.
Receivers are "Young, young, young," says Arslanian, who lost Rick Justice to a mission and Todd Beightol to a career-ending spring spleen rupture. Eric Price, Orton's ex-backup, is the old man. The rest are sophomores Dave Hall and Rob Trebilcock and freshmen Ainsworth Morgan, Melvin Maxwell and Trevor Shaw. Trebilcock, Morgan and Maxwell are 5-foot-9, 160-170 pounds.
Weber, the Sky's smallest squad at 80 players because of budget cuts, looks like a team that could finish eighth, just where the poll says. Especially with a tough early grind.
But, referring to his cellular-phone deal run amok, Arslanian quips, "I think we'll be lucky. I've always been pretty lucky. Who else could make a $2,500 investment and end up owing $100,000?"
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Schedule of games
WEBER
Sept. 9 at UNLV 8 p.m.
Sept. 16 Northern Arizona 7 p.m.
Sept. 23 Idaho 7 p.m.
Sept. 30 Boise St. 7 p.m.
Oct. 7 at Montana 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 14 SUSC 1 p.m.
Oct. 21 at Nevada Reno 2 p.m.
Oct. 28 at Montana St. 1 p.m.
Nov. 4 EWU 1 p.m.
Nov. 11 Southwest St. 1 p.m.
Nov. 18 at Idaho St. 7:30 p.m.