CWRU No. 22 in poll, set to scrimmage JCU

Optimism surrounding the Case Western Reserve football team hasn’t been this high since the Dan Whalen years.

That’s the message from Coach Greg Debeljak as the Spartans are about a week away from the start of preseason camp.

The elimination of two-a-day practices across college football means CWRU opens its season a bit earlier than usual. The Spartans start Aug. 11.

Not since Whalen — a South graduate and All-American quarterback — was slinging the ball at DiSanto Field has a Debeljak team begun the season ranked in the preseason.

With Whalen running the show, CWRU went 30-0 in the regular season from 2007 to 2009.

The Spartans haven’t produced a 10-0 regular season since the Whalen era. Last season, the team was 9-0 until a crushing defeat to rival Carnegie Mellon in its final game cost CWRU a likely Division III playoff bid.

A year later, the Spartans will start this season No. 22 in the college football coaches

pr e season poll.

Debeljak, entering his 14th year at CWRU, is excited his team returns nine starters on both sides of the ball, but the biggest returner is dual-threat quarterback Rob Cuda, who hails from Bartlett, Illinois.

Cuda is a senior who last season threw for 2,328 yards and 19 touchdowns, plus another 908 yards rushing with 12 more scores.

“He’s not as good as Dan was,” said Debeljak. “Dan’s one of our greatest players ever, but Rob is really good. He’s special.”

On defense, linebacker Justin McMahon (Mentor) is a key returner. He led the team in tackles in 2016 with 76.

Debeljak said his team should be motivated by the loss to Carnegie Mellon — “It drives me, I’ll tell you that,” he said — but the groundwork for 2017 is in place with the 18 returning staters.

“We came so close last season,” said Debeljak, who grew up in Mentor and is a graduate of the high school. “We know we are pretty good, and we’re pretty deep.”

Injuries were a big factor last season, Debeljak said. That forced younger players to get playing time. The most notable positions hampered by injuries in 2016 were wide receiver, safety and linebacker, Debeljak said.

The Spartans open their season Sept. 2 at the University of Chicago, but first on their plate is a big test.

An Aug. 26 scrimmage at home vs. John Carroll will provide Debeljak a measuring stick for his squad.

The Blue Streaks are ranked No. 8 in the preseason, and are coming off a 12-2 season in which they defeated Mount Union, Wisconsin-Whitewater and advanced to the national semifinal round.

The scrimmage at DiSanto Field begins at 6 p.m.

“I’ll tell you what, if we are overconfident in any way, they might bring us back to reality,” Debeljak said.

“That defensive front seven they have is incredible. They’re elite.”