Dale Carlson New HC

[valpomichigan]

Carlson will assemble a staff as quickly as possible to play catch-up in recruiting. How many coaches he will retain from last year's VU staff is uncertain. At least one member of his former staff is likely to join him. VU grad Bob Muckin served as his offensive coordinator and line coach at Ohio Dominican.

"He worked with me at Tri-State, too," said Carlson, who recognizes the need for haste. "I hope to get the process going and solidified within a week."

panthers.ohiodominican.edu/transfer/DisplayCoach.aspx?Coach=125

Bob Muckian enters his first season with the football program at Ohio Dominican University. Muckian will assume the role as the Panthers offensive coordinator, offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator for the 2009 season.

Muckian's coaching career began in 1997 at Elmhurst College before serving as ODU head coach Dale Carlson's Offensive Line coach at Tri-State University. He will rejoin Carlson's staff here at ODU after stops at Columbia University, Bowdoin College and Assumption College.

Prior to coming to Ohio Dominican Muckian spent one season as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts. In his first year with the Greyhounds he is credited with redesigning a struggling offensive. Muckian brought with him a spread style system that led to set a single season completion percentage and set records for receiving in a single season.

During the 2007 season he acted as the wide receivers coach and assistant recruiting coordinator at Bowdoin College. In that same season under Muckian's tutelage the offense increased their scoring and doubled their passing touchdowns. Coach Muckian also spent 5-seasons on the Columbia University coaching staff. Following his time at Tri-State he joined the staff as the tight ends coach where he spent his first season. He then became the running backs coach at Columbia for one season, before returning to coach the tight ends for the remainder of his stay in New York .

Muckian attended York Community High School in Elmhurst, Illinois where he was a 4-year letter winner in football. He then went on to Valparaiso University to earn two varsity letters in football. Muckian graduated in 1997 from Valpo with his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a double concentration in finance and economics.

[jj]

The early line on VU vs. WIU is WIU by 28. Hell,I will bet that the final score will be greater than that. 3-8 or possibly 4-7 for the year. BOOK IT!

[valporun]

I'm excited by this hire of Dale Carlson. He sounds like a guy with a real forward attitude of things are going to get better. His expectations are above the grain of what it seems our last two coaches were, and his knowledge of football and how to coach it seems to have come from mentors that actually taught him how to make his program succeed, and he's not seeing the lack of scholarships as a challenge that he can't overcome.

I believe those of us who have talked about this hire so much over the offseason need to help Coach Carlson in recruiting next year's high school seniors by letting those kids that we feel could be a good fit in Crusader football why they could be a good fit at our alma mater. If we all use our available time to tell these kids about our Valpo experiences and how excited we are for the new coach, his staff, and his philosophy, then maybe we can help him get some of those kids that wouldn't have thought they could play D-1 football at a school where they really have to reach higher than they believed they could in football and academics.

[valpomichigan]

I just couldn't be prouder of Valpo right now. I felt confident we'd choose a good HC, but this choice is near perfect for what Valpo needs. He's tough, smart, goal-oriented, and success-driven. Valpo Student-Athletes are fortunate to have the chance to play for a coach of this caliber. I have no doubt they will buy into his program and start experiencing some success.

GO CRUSADERS!! :popcorn

[vuweathernerd]

Jan 17, 2010 11:16:38 GMT -5 valpomichigan said:

I just couldn't be prouder of Valpo right now. I felt confident we'd choose a good HC, but this choice is near perfect for what Valpo needs. He's tough, smart, goal-oriented, and success-driven. Valpo Student-Athletes are fortunate to have the chance to play for a coach of this caliber. I have no doubt they will buy into his program and start experiencing some success.

GO CRUSADERS!!

i really hope you're right. maybe they'll give me a reason to start going to football games on a regular basis. in my four years at vu, i've never sat through a full football game, because it was just too painful. maybe, hopefully, carlson can change things.

[valpomichigan]

Upshaw ready to get to work with new coach
Valparaiso players immediately got in the weight room after meeting Carlson

BY PAUL OREN - Times Correspondent | Posted: Saturday, January 16, 2010 12:00 am
nwitimes.com/sports/college/article_81e9d7e7-43c0-5371-af03-29fdaf822075.html

VALPARAISO | For Matt Upshaw, the weights were just a little bit easier to lift on Friday afternoon.

The Valparaiso sophomore quarterback was one of about 35 players that immediately hit the weight room after director of athletics Mark LaBarbera introduced Dale Carlson as the 16th head football coach in school history.

"There was an upbeat attitude around (the football offices) today," Upshaw said. "People were approaching me, not only teammates, but fans as well, just asking questions. The guys are ready to get to work. We're ready to start a winning tradition."

Upshaw has been a source of information for many of his teammates over the last month and a half because he was picked by LaBarbera to sit on the search committee that ultimately netted Carlson.

"I was extremely honored that he approached me, and of course I wanted to be on it," Upshaw said. "To be on the other side of things and to see what the A.D. and the other alumni were looking for was a great experience."

What Upshaw found in Carlson was enough to make the quarterback's eyes widen.

Carlson runs a spread offense, and in 2007 he led Ohio Dominican to an average of 50 points and more than 550 yards per game.

"He told me he had a quarterback that threw for more than 14,000 yards and 120 touchdowns in his four years," Upshaw said. "I got all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at that one, but not just for me and the team, but for the fans to be able to watch a high-octane offense. Hopefully we can come in and execute right away."

Carlson met with the players shortly before being introduced to a crowd of nearly 100 people. The 21-year coaching veteran immediately laid down some ground rules to his new players.

"I got a sense of excitement from them, and it seems like they want to win," Carlson said. "We'll find out in the next couple of weeks if they have the will to win."

Carlson plans to dive immediately into recruiting while putting together his coaching staff and finalizing details in Ohio. Before he broke the team meeting, he left a strong impression on his new team.

"He let us know that he's the man in the room, that he is the one in charge," Upshaw said. "I think the guys reacted well and that the guys will buy into him quickly."

[milanmiracle]

Dear Mr Carlson, please return to Ohio for recruiting and return when you have a full class for next year. Thank you!

[valpomichigan]

VU's Carlson's a man with a plan

January 18, 2010 BY JOHN MUTKA, Senior correspondent [e-mail]
www.post-trib.com/sports/1996047,jmutka-0118.article

In the recent past I have often wondered about the level of commitment to football at Valparaiso University. It was easy to become skeptical, even cynical when the losses kept piling up year after year.

The Crusaders have steadily declined since 2003. Since beating Morehead State in a shootout for the Pioneer Football League championship, they've only won 15 games. Last year's team, weighted down by injuries to its top skill players, and overpowered in the trenches, was borderline wretched on offense.

It was painful to watch, especially for VU alumni such as Kraig Olejniczak, who is the Dean of the School of Engineering. He remembers how it used to be when he was a defensive lineman from 1983-86. His teammates included quarterback Scott Lange, who broke 20 of 22 VU passing records. Lange relied on All-American Mike Healey, who owns school single-season and career records (101 receptions in 1985 and 228 overall); and Dan Bogar. The electrifying wide receivers rank 2-3 all-time, respectively, in total yardage.

"They were fun to watch," said Olejniczak, who was a member of a search committee which plucked Ohio Dominican's Dale Carlson from among 100 applicants for a job vacated by Stacy Adams after a 1-10 season.

Asked how he came to be chosen by athletic director Mark LaBarbera, Olejniczak joked, "certainly there were no payments under the table," then alluded to his football roots and background.

As much as 30 percent of VU's roster is often composed of engineering majors, which gives him a vested interest in the quality and performance of the football program.

The objective was to find a coach capable of removing Valparaiso from the PFL outhouse to the penthouse.

The time-consuming process started almost immediately after a season-ending loss to Morehead State on Nov. 21. Last week it ended after three finalists were interviewed.

In the interim, Olejniczak read every single cover letter and resume line by line. He fielded countless e-mails and phone calls. It was an intense process, heightened by the need to make up for lost time.

"We tried to go as quickly as we could because of recruiting, but at the same time exercise due diligence," he said.

Olejniczak has been at VU since 2002, returning after 11 years at the University of Arkansas. At the Southeastern Conference school he maintained a connection with athletics by serving on the faculty committee.

"We had a lot of interaction with the SEC," said Olejniczak, who enjoyed an exhilarating athletic atmosphere which included an NCAA basketball title in 1994 and runner-up finish in 1995.

Legendary figures such as Frank Broyles (football, athletic director) and John McDonald, who coached 36 national champions in track and cross country made it an athletic paradise.

Broyles coached the Razorbacks to 144 victories, the 1964 national championship and seven Southwestern Conference titles.

Leaving Arkansas, to use the favorite punchline of the Monty Python show, for VU was a case of "and now for something completely different."

Because Olejniczak bleeds brown and gold he feels passionately about VU football, which is refreshing.

"I know the character of many of these players," he said. "They're anxious to win, to prove Crusader football is on its way back."

Carlson comes in with an entirely different outlook than he did at Tri-State and Ohio Dominican, where he started from scratch in 1995 and 2004, respectively.

Here he has a core group which he can build on, such as quarterback Matt Upshaw.

"The president (Mark Heckler) made it clear we don't want to have a football program just to have a football program," Carlson said. "They want to compete at the highest level, to take it to that point."

What needs his immediate attention is building strength, something which the Crusaders were sadly lacking up front. Frequently manhandled, they were bullied by PFL rivals.

"Those things are going to change," Carlson said. "You can't be competitive without being strong. You show that will to win by your effort in the weight room. Our culture is going to change."

It starts with dedication to off-season conditioning.

"Guys have to follow through when they go away," Carlson added. "You show that by your work ethic when we're not standing over you."

Upshaw couldn't agree more.

"We players have to look at ourselves in the mirror," he said. "Everybody wants to be a champion, but you have to be willing to do what it takes to succeed. We need to get stronger as a team so we can go toe-to-toe with others in the PFL. I don't think everybody bought into that in the past."

Upshaw has something to prove, having skipped last season because of a wrist injury.

The medical redshirt avoided surgery, but was hard casted for six weeks, followed by six more in a removable cast.

"I've been rehabbing for the last month," he said, claiming to be almost pain-free. "I've been lifting and the soreness is almost gone."

Not if you're a fan. For them the pain of a punchless offense (last in the PFL) lingers.

[valpomichigan]

WOW - nice welcome for Coach Dale Carlson!!


www.valpoathletics.com/


GO CRUSADERS!!! :thumbsup

[granny]

Why is it all about Upshaw? Haven't heard a word on Goerend & Wysocki, both of them had their moments & games. Hope they all are in the running.

[vusupporter]

Jan 18, 2010 17:39:47 GMT -5 @granny said:

Why is it all about Upshaw? Haven't heard a word on Goerend & Wysocki, both of them had their moments & games. Hope they all are in the running.

Upshaw was on the search committee.

[granny]

Jan 18, 2010 17:43:28 GMT -5 vusupporter said:

Jan 18, 2010 17:39:47 GMT -5 @granny said:

Why is it all about Upshaw? Haven't heard a word on Goerend & Wysocki, both of them had their moments & games. Hope they all are in the running.

Upshaw was on the search committee.

Mutka & oreon articles posted & most other comments talk only of Upshaw is all only reason I wondered.
With 3 experienced QB's coming back, it should be a wide open battle.
Wonder what type of offense each of them ran in HS?
Do we have a good balance of wide receivers & tightends coming back?

[valporun]

Don't know if anyone has looked at the website today, but there is a nice front page that says "A New Era In Valpo Football" with pictures of Dale Carlson. Pretty nice way to get some excitement going.

[valpomichigan]

JIM PETERS: Former players believe in VU's Carlson

nwitimes.com/sports/columnists/jim-peters/article_cf9f46b1-db43-5e76-9e8a-fab229ef19cd.html



By Jim Peters - Times Columnist | Posted: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 12:00 am

Can Dale Carlson win at Valparaiso University?

The Crusaders' new football coach said all the right things at Friday's introductory news conference, but that's what you would expect.

I wouldn't have thought much of anybody's chances. Then I talked to two of his former players at Tri-State University (renamed Trine in 2008).

"If there's a guy out there to do it, I'd put my money on him," said Otto Shragal, who also coached a year with Carlson. "After going to Hobart, I never thought I'd be around such a good coach. The guy's amazing. Go watch (Valpo) in two years and you'll see a completely different team."

Portage product Nick Wellman quarterbacked Tri-State to the national semifinals in just the school's fourth year of football (1999). Carlson did an encore at Ohio Dominican, building a program from scratch to national prominence. He's not having to do the same thing at VU, where they've been playing since 1919, just without much success.

"He's got his work cut out for him," Wellman said. "But within two, three years, he'll have it where he wants to be. He doesn't make any guarantees. He just tells you that if you work hard and do what you're supposed to do, you'll be successful. VU will never go into a game next year that it's not prepared for."

Carlson was a combined 20 games over .500 at Tri-State and Ohio Dominican, a mark that includes 0-10 starts at both. He puts no timetable on his expectations at VU.

"When I started both programs, I told the players on the first day of practice that if you stay and you commit, you'll leave here a champion," Carlson said.

Seems like a hard scenario to imagine, doesn't it? Not for those who know the man.

"Just give him a year or two," Shragal said. "I have no doubt in my mind he will return Valpo to where it's competing."

Why the faith? Both Shragal and Wellman rave about Carlson's ability to X and O. He runs a player-friendly spread offense that puts up crazy numbers and an aggressive defense. They call him a player's coach, tough but fair, who demands a great deal from his players but never more than from himself.

"He's just a guy you want to play for," Wellman said. "I enjoyed my time at Tri-State, and one of the main reasons was him. He let me do things not too many guys at any level got to do. He gave me free reign to be a player."

Four years ago, Carlson came from Columbus, Ohio, to attend Wellman's wedding.

"He cares about more than just what you did on the field," Wellman said.

The Tri-State alums think Carlson will overcome the recruiting hurdle of a school without scholarships not located in San Diego, Jacksonville or Indianapolis. The facilities are good and, thanks to Bryce Drew, Shragal believes, "Everybody knows who VU is."

"Tri-State's a private school that's just as expensive if not more than VU," Shragal said. "You really hear about most kids because of their grades. The teams are comprised of true student-athletes. If the school starts to look at the football program like basketball and baseball and give it a little more in grants, I think there's no reason he can't start recruiting."

This column solely represents the writer's opinion. Reach him at [e-mail].

[agibson]

>Because of his Chicago roots -- Carlson attended Luther North High, then Concordia-River Forest

Somehow this was the first I heard of his Lutheran background!

Sounds like an extremely exciting coach.