Football: Old rivals have ODU aiming high

COLUMBUS — When J.T. McFarland, Dar Stanford and Thomas Wibbeler chose Ohio Dominican over other football programs, they saw themselves helping the Panthers compete for championships.

If all goes to plan, their visions will become reality this season.

The triumvirate were the keystones of Zanesville’s 2013 Division II state semifinal team, with McFarland and Stanford the top two targets for Wibbeler. Each were first-team All-Ohio in their careers.

Wibbeler lost out on the starting quarterback job after an extended camp competition with Newark’s Grant Russell, but McFarland and Stanford figure to weigh heavily in the passing game with Tri-Valley’s Casey Williams and Cincinnati native Dez Stewart, named a preseason All-American by D2football.com.

Another Tri-Valley product, Tyler Edwards-Frick, could factor into the offensive line mix.

The season starts at 7:30 p.m. Thursday against Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conferenece rival Malone in the season opener at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

The Panthers, defending GLIAC South Division champions, are ranked No. 8 in Division II after winning a pair of playoff games in 2014.

“I feel really good going into this year from a team standpoint and from my standpoint,” Williams said. “We have all of our defensive starters back and most of our offensive starters back. We talk about a national championship, and I feel like if we don’t win it or contend for it then it was a bust of a year.”

A serious neck injury, resulting in the loss of feeling in his extremities for some five hours, cost the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Williams the 2014 season.

The fifth-year senior has deemed himself fully healthy, however, and he and Wells are the veterans of the receiving corps.

Williams, who is taking master’s degree classes after receiving his bachelor’s degree in accounting, has 42 catches for 565 yards in his career, including eight last season before the injury.

“I’m definitely taking on more a leadership role with the receivers,” Williams said. “Dez and I lead the stretches (and) we led a couple of installs. In film sessions, (the coaches) use us as examples. Being a fifth-year (senior), you have to take on more responsibilities. That’s part of the job once you get older.”

Two of their understudies are McFarland and Stanford, who are expected to be immediate contributors in the passing game.

McFarland caught 22 passes for 324 yards with four touchdowns in Williams’ absence last season — five for 91 yards and a TD in the playoffs against Colorado State-Pueblo.

McFarland (5-11, 170), a true sophomore, and Stanford (5-10, 165), a redshirt freshman, were two-way dynamos in high school, where they helped Wibbeler break every notable school passing record.

While McFarland made a quick impact at ODU, Stanford started at cornerback as a freshman and switched back to receiver this year.

They spent much of their summer running routes and catching passes from Russell and Wibbeler to build consistency for camp, and it was then that Stanford expressed desire to the coaches about moving to offense.

He said taking the redshirt was good for his confidence and allowed him to gain mastery of the offense.

His role this season is fluid, given the competition, but he hopes to “just be able to step in and make plays when I’m needed to, just be confident in myself and be able to play older, be able to make plays.”

McFarland’s orders are more defined. He was a critical cog to the offense down the stretch, especially in the playoffs.

He admitted the in-game adjustments, such as identifying coverages and being connected with the quarterbacks, are still a work in progress.

“I feel like I’m going to be able to contribute more to the team now that I’m a starter,” McFarland said. “The biggest thing is knowing what I’m doing. Last year, I had no idea and I was just getting the hang of things. This year, it’s just like the back of my hand, knowing defenses and how to run certain things.”

The quarterback derby was among the top stories of camp, as Wibbeler and Russell were given equal repetitions in practice and during scrimmages.

A decision wasn’t made until Monday, just four days before the season started. Cincinnati native Austin Ernst also was in the mix.

“Grant was our backup last year and performed well,” ODU coach Bill Conley told the Columbus Dispatch. “He has had a good camp. He’s still learning. This will be his first start. Any of the three can play and contribute.”

Wibbeler, who said he gets along with all the team’s quarterbacks, won’t lament the coach’s decision.

While disappointed, he said he will continue to practice and prepare as if he were starting in case his name is called.

“The main goal is to win a national championship,” Wibbeler said. “It doesn’t matter who the quarterback is, really. It’s the goal to win a national championship. To be a part of that would be good in any way that you’re on the team.”

sblackburn@zanesvilletimesrecorder.com

740-450-6723

Twitter: @SamBlackburnTR