Royal Purple

Issue date: 4/16/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Photo submitted Running back Justin Beaver was the leader on the sideline throughout the Warhawks' championship season. The team will look for new leaders next season.

UW-Whitewater head football coach Lance Leipold is getting used to dealing with the unknown. It is a concept he has faced since taking the helm of the Warhawks in 2007. The job was his first head coaching position, one where only a few familiar faces remained from his days quarterbacking the Warhawks.

Fast-forward to March 2008, and the situation Leipold originally faced is basically the same. Despite winning UW-Whitewater's first football national championship, the future is still unclear for the Warhawks. Gone are the familiar names, such as Justin Beaver and Danny Jones, and new faces must step in to fill the gaps left by the departure of 24 seniors, 14 who were starters.

At a press conference in front of a journalism class on March 11, Leipold discussed the state of the Warhawk football team and his thoughts on the 2008 season. With the graduation of many of the key players from the national championship run, Leipold said it will be important to determine the team's leaders early on in the season.

"[With] 24 seniors, those juniors from last season didn't have to do a lot, as far as leading goes," Leipold said. "Now we're really asking them to grow into that leadership role in a hurry."

However, Leipold and his coaching staff won't have to wait until August to determine the players capable of filling the team's leadership roles. UW-Whitewater begins its annual spring practice schedule today, using 15 sessions to prepare for the upcoming season. With only seven seniors returning for the Warhawks, several players will have an opportunity to seize an early lead on a starting spot.

Possibly the biggest void Leipold and his coaching staff will have to fill comes with the departure of Beaver, last season's Gagliardi Trophy winner and a three-time All-American. With Beaver gone, the competition at running back may be between sophomores Jake Anderson and Derek Underwood. Underwood gained 421 yards in 12 games during the 2006 season, while Anderson ran for 238 yards in seven games in 2007.

"Derek and Jake have done nice, but we also have Taylor Edwards, C.J. Miller and Antwan Anderson," Leipold said. "The guy that can help us move the chains and win ballgames is going to be the guy."

Continued...

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