1996 Football Prospectus

Eastern Kentucky University head football coach Roy Kidd will begin his 33rd year in charge of the Colonel football program with 12 starters highlighting the returnees for the 1996 season.

EKU 9-3 overall and ranked 10th in the final NCAA Division I-AA poll ,in 1995, participated last season in the I-AA playoffs for an unprecedented 16th time in the 18-year history of the playoff system .

Two first-team All-Ohio Valley Conference picks and a second-team AII-OVC selection return to lead the Colonels' fortunes for the '96 season.

On defense , first team AII-OVC and second-team AllAmerican (Sports Network and Football Gazette) senior linebacker Tony Mccombs (6-2, 239) will be back to lead the charge for the Colonels. He finished the '95 year as the sixth leading tackler in the OVC (121 total hits for the year) and tied for second in the league i n quarterback sacks (six) and tackles for loss (15)

Another outstanding defensive starter returning is junior end David Hoelscher (6-5 1/2, 247) Hoelscher led the conference in quarterback sacks with seven and was fourth in tackles for loss with 13, while registering 45 hits. He was a secondteam AII-OVC choice.

The remaining starters for Eastern on defense coming back include 1994 second-team AII-OVC senior cornerback

Bob Head (5-11 1/2 , 185); 1993 first-team all-OVC senior safety

Chris Guyton (6-3 1/2, 190); junior linebacker Britt Bowen (62, 217) who registered 101 total tackles (59T, 42A) in 1995 and who was sixth in the OVC in tackles for loss (12-40) ; and senior end Ty Ward (6-2, 235).

The Colonels receive a plus on defense in 1996 with the return of junior linebacker Victor Hyland (5-11 1/2 , 210) who sat out the 1995 season with major knee surgery He finished the '94 year with 102 total hits (65T, 47A) with 10 tackles for loss

Other lettermen on defense back for the Colonels are senior linebacker Anthony Johnson (6-0, 243); junior end Sanford Baskin (6-1, 235); junior tackle Cary Williams (6-0 , 266); junior cornerback Corey Clark (6-0, 186); and sophomore cornerback Dedric Campbell (5-8 , 164). Junior Danny Thomas (5-11 1/2, 190) has been moved to the secondary.

Offensively , first-team all-OVC senior tailback William Murrell (5-8, 183) heads the returnees Murrell closed the season with 1,004 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns He was the fourth-leading rusher and is the leading returning rusher from conference rushing leaders of a year ago

Murrell was also heavily involved in the return game for the Colonels, leading Eastern and the OVC in kickoff returns (23.7) and averaging 12.2 yards per return on punts in limited duty He scored a touchdown by both punt and kickoff returns last season

Other offensive starters back for the Colonels include three senior linemen : tackle Roger Orlandini (6-5, 286), center Son Tran (6-1 , 288) and guard Brandyon Brantley (6-2 1/2, 262)

Also returning as starters on offense are junior honorable mention AII-OVC split end Bobby Washingtonn (5-7 1/2, 165) who caught 31 passes for 558 yards in '95 and four touchdowns and junior fullback Clifford Posey (5-10, 240).

Senior Greg Couch (6-1, 202) is the heir apparent to the Colonels' starting quarterback slot. After starting his freshman season, he has been relegated to the backup slot the past two years behind Division I transfers John Sacca (formerly of Penn State ) and Tommy Luginbill (Georgia Tech)

Couch played in eight of the team's 12 games last season, completing 19-40 passes for 278 yards and two TD's. Junior college transfer Simon Fuentes (5-8 1/2, 180) was redshirted last season and will provide backup for Couch

Also returning to provide offensive punch for the Colonels is senior tailback Daymon Carter (6-1, 215) who finished the 1995 year with 735 yards rushing and scored 10 touchdowns He was the OVC's seventh-leading rusher from last season and is the second-leading returning rusher in the league behind teammate Murrell.

Rounding out the returnees for the Colonels in the backfield are sophomore tailback Ferlando Wilson (5-8 1/2, 190) who picked up 439 yards on the ground and scored five TD's and senior fullback Robert Bouldin (5-10, 214) who rushed for 67 yards and two TD's.

Several Colonel receivers return for '96 after picking up letters last season. These include sophomore flanker Rendel Menendez (5-9, 170) , senior tight end Sal Davis (5-11, 231 ), sophomore tight end Tony DeGregorio (6-3 , 236) and sophomore flanker Brian Brenneman (6-1, 190).

Rounding out the offensive lettermen coming back are sophomore center Reggie Myrtil (6-1, 294), sophomore guard Tyrone Hopson (6-2 1/2, 305) and sophomore center Matt Knight, the long snapper (6-1 1/2, 271).

Kidd, who is currently third among active Div ision I and IAA coaches in coaching victories with 266, signed 20 high school and junior college recruits as additions to the 1996 roster.

The 1995 season marked the 17th straight season Eastern Kentucky has finished among the nation's top 20 Division I-AA teams

Last year also saw EKU extend its consecutive unbeaten string in conference play to 26 games before the Colonels lost to eventual OVC champion Murray State, 17-7 . Eastern finished the season with a 7-1 league mark and in second place in the final league standings.