Sam Martin
Punter/Place Kicker - P/PK
Height: 6-1 Weight: 180
Freshman
Previous Affiliations
Starr's Mill
Previous Experience
Fayetteville, Ga.
High School: A former soccer standout, played just one year of football ... averaged 69 yards per kickoff ... named all-county following only gridiron campaign ... four-year soccer letterwinner earned all-state recognition as a junior ... also lettered twice in basketball ... coached by Mike Earwood.
Personal: Full name is Sam Joseph Martin ... born Feb. 27, 1990 (18 years old) ... son of Debbie and Tom Martin ... father, Tom, was a three-sport athlete (soccer, basketball and baseball) at Central Michigan University ... sister, Lucy, currently plays soccer at Furman and sister, Alice, played soccer at Furman ... Sam enjoys fishing ... major is undecided.
Andy LaRussa begins his first season as an assistant coach on the Northern Arizona staff. He will work with the secondary with specific aid with the cornerbacks and safeties and all phases of the kicking game.
LaRussa joins the program from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (2005-09) where he was the defensive graduate assistant, working with the defensive line and linebackers for two years each and one season with the secondary. He also served as the assistant special teams coordinator for five seasons. During his time with the Rebels, he also had roles as the assistant video coordinator and assistant strength coach.
He coached four players who earned All-Mountain West Conference honors led by linebacker Beau Bell, who was a member of the first team and Defensive Player of the Year in 2008 before being selected in the fourth round by the Cleveland Browns. Defensive back Eric Wright was a second round pick of the Browns in 2007 after earning second-team honors in 2006. DB Jay Staggs (2006) and defensive linemen Malo Taumua (2008) were honorable mention selections under LaRussa.
LaRussa has spoken at eight clinics since 2006, including two appearances at the Nike Coach of the Year Clinic presenting on special teams.
Prior to joining the UNLV staff, LaRussa was the defensive line coach and special teams coordinator at St. Francis High School from August of 2003 to March of 2005 (LaCanada, Calif.). He also played and coached in NFL Italy with the Ostia Marines from March-July 2003 and in June 2004.
La Russa played his collegiate ball at Southern Utah University (2000-02) after transferring from Glendale College in California (1998-99). He received his bachelor of science in physical education in December 2002 and is currently working on his master’s in education at UNLV.
Andy LaRussa, Secondary/Special Teams
Born: June 11, 1980
College: Southern Utah University, 2002
Playing Experience: Glendale (Calif.) College, 1998-99; Southern Utah University, 2001-02; Ostia Marines, NFL Italy, March-July, 2003, June 2004; Italian National Team, March-July, 2003, June 2004.
Family: Single.
Recruiting Areas: Las Vegas, Nev. And Orange County, Calif.
Defensive Coordinator Keith Dudzinski
Experience: Seventh Season
Alma Mater: New Haven, 1990
Keith Dudzinski enters the fourth season of his second stint on the UMass coaching staff in 2005 as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Dudzinski, who previously worked with the Minutemen from 1998-2001, returned to UMass under Don Brown, after spending two years at Northeastern University.
UMass defense was impressive all season as the Minutemen advanced to the National Championship game in 2006. The Minutemen led the nation in scoring defense until that championship game, finishing fifth, giving up 13.33 points per game. The Minutemen finished in the top 20 nationally in nine defensive statistics.
Dudzinski worked directly with three all-conference linebackers in Jason Hatchell, Charles Walker and Brad Anderson. All three players racked up more than 100 tackles on the season. All-American Hatchell, emerged as one of the nation's top tacklers as he finished second in the conference with 134 stops. Walker and Anderson each earned Second-Team All-Conference as they racked up 131 and 112 tackles, respectively. On defense, UMass had eight all-conference picks, most of any school as part of the all-time conference record 20 honorees.
During the 2005 season, Dudzinski coached UMass to the top defense in the nation in terms of fewest points allowed per game, giving up just 13.27 per contest. The Minutemen led the A-10 in five defensive categories as they ranked in the top nation's top five in four of those statistics. UMass topped the conference in total yardage defense, passing defense, pass efficiency defense and net punting along with scoring defense.
Working with the linebackers, he coached two A-10 second-team honorees in two-time team captain Serge Tikum and Hatchell, who led UMass in tackles with 107 - to rank eighth in the league. The defense also included two-time consensus first-team All-American Shannon James and all-league selections defensive end Keron Williams and safety James Ihedigbo.
In 2004, Dudzinski headed up a UMass defense which featured consensus first-team All-American Shannon James, who led the nation in interceptions. With the linebacker corps, Dudzinski coached a group that included Tikum and Walker, who tied the UMass school record for tackles in a game with 23 vs. Delaware on Sept. 25, 2004.
In 2002 and 2003, Dudzinski spent two seasons as linebackers coach at Northeastern under Don Brown, in addition to serving as defensive coordinator in 2003. He directed the career of first team All-American and two-time first team All-Atlantic 10 selection Liam Ezekiel, who made 140 total tackles in 2003. During the 2002 season, the Huskies allowed opponents only 299.3 total yards and 16.0 points per game, while in 2003 they gave up just 338.2 total yards and 18.2 points per contest. During the 2002 campaign, Dudzinski helped lead Northeastern to an overall record of 10-3, a share of the Atlantic 10 Conference title and the school's first-ever trip to the NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs.
During his first stint as an assistant coach at UMass under Mark Whipple, Dudzinski served in a variety of roles on the defensive side of the ball. He coached the secondary in 2001, the linebackers in 1999 and 2000, and the defensive line in 1998, in addition to directing UMass' special teams from 1999-2001. Dudzinski guided the career of Kole Ayi, who was a two-time first team All-American and two-time Buck Buchanan Award finalist under his direction.
Dudzinski first joined the UMass staff after spending four years at Brown under Whipple as the defensive line coach for the Bears. Dudzinski helped the Brown defense hold opponents to just 194 total points during the 1997 season (19.4 points per game) -- the fewest number of points allowed by the school in 10 years. While at Brown, he helped develop two-time first-team All-Ivy defensive tackle Brendan Finneran (1996 and 1997).
Prior to coaching at Brown, Dudzinski was a defensive assistant at New Haven under Whipple for three years (1991-93), working with the outside linebackers. He has also worked as an assistant coach at Cathedral High School in Bridgeport, Conn., and St. Joseph's High School in Trumbull, Conn.
Dudzinski is a 1991 graduate of the University of New Haven, where he was an All-New England linebacker and team captain as a senior. He and his wife, Kathy, reside in Belchertown with their son, Jack (born April 13, 1996), and two daughters, Mary Kathryn (born March 19, 1998) and Elizabeth (born November 10, 2003).
Dudzinski's Collegiate Coaching File
Years School Assignment
1991-1993 New Haven Outside Linebackers
1994-1997 Brown Defensive Line
1998 Massachusetts Defensive Line
1999-2000 Massachusetts Linebackers / Special Teams
2001 Massachusetts Secondary / Special Teams
2002 Northeastern Linebackers
2003 Northeastern Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers
2004- Massachusetts Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers
“Tolerance and Apathy are the last virtues of a dying society.” Aristotle
Malo periculosam, libertatem quam quietam servitutem.
University of Delaware
#90 Carl Batson
Jr. DL 6-3 260 lbs.
Hometown: Dover, DE
2008: #90 DL 6-3, 260 lbs. So.
2007: #90 DL 6-3, 285 lbs. Fr.r
Ineligible per NCAA transfer rules
2006: # DL 6-3, 275 lbs. Fr.
at (Sacred Heart))
Earned varsity letter as a defensive lineman for head coach Paul Gorham....team went 2-9 overall...played in nine games and collected 25 tackles, including 11 solo stops...had one tackle for loss.
High School: Dover 6-3, 260 lbs.
Competed in football and track and field at Dover High School...earned three letters in football as a defensive end and offensive tackle under head coaches Carlton Brown and Darwin Manges...led team to 8-3 record and the Henlopen Conference title as a senior in 2005...earned third team All-State honors on defense as a senior...first team All-Henlopen at defensive end and second team offensive tackle as a senior...named team’s Player of the Month three times in career...three-year letterwinner in track and field as shot put and discus specialist...team won state titles in 2003 and 2005...National Honor Society...Tri-Music Honor Society
Recruiting Information
Interest: Sacred Heart
Offers: none
Weber State #90 Caldwell Taylor
Defensive End - DE
Height: 6-5 Weight: 210
Sophomore
Previous Affiliations: Bear River
Previous Experience: 1L
Hometown: Deweyville, Utah
2008 Stats:
DEF LEADERS GP Solo Ast Total TFL/Yds Sacks-Yds Int-Yds BrUp QBH Rcv-Yds FF Kick Saf
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90 Caldwell Taylor 9 8 8 16 2.0-10 1.0-8 . 2 1 1-0 1 . . http://www.bigskyconf.com/sports/footba ... ts/wsu.htm
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Courtesy: Weber State
Release: 08/15/2008
WEBER STATE: ...Signed with the Wildcats in Coach McBride’s first recruiting class in February of 2005, but elected to serve a two-year LDS Church mission before enrolling in school. ... Served that mission in Mississippi. ... Returned last Winter and enrolled in 2008 Spring semester. ... Rounded himself into playing shaped and was impressive during practice sessions. ... On the light side for a defensive end, but makes up for it with speed and quickness coupled with his extensive arm reach.
HIGH SCHOOL: .. Was a member of two state Class 3A championship teams at Bear River High under Coach Chris Wise, the 2004 team posted a perfect 13-0 record. ... Named Second Team all-state by the Deseret Morning News and Salt Lake Tribune.
PERSONAL: Full Name: Calvin Caldwell Taylor. Major: Accounting where he carries a 3.51 gpa.
Proud Prince of Purple Pomposity YT is not a communist. He's just a ...young pup.
