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University of New Hampshire Athletics
Osho Omoyeni (65) and Isaac Seide (42) will be among those looking to get the UNH offense on track.
Photo by: Cam Heisner
Insider Report: On the Offensive
4/11/2022 11:06:00 PM | Football, UNH Insider
'Cats Will Look to Laube to Lead A Revamped Run Game
DURHAM, N.H. – Junior center Osho Omoyeni and his University of New Hampshire football teammates figure it is high time that the Wildcats get back to their high-scoring, winning ways.
"We're not trying to set a ceiling," Omoyeni said after a practice earlier this spring. "We feel the sky's the limit for us and we've got all the weapons in the world. I feel like we're about to put it all together. It's been a long time coming, but I feel like we're going to get back to that standard."
The Wildcats will showcase what they've been working on under new coach Rick Santos in spring practice for the last several weeks in the annual Blue/White Spring Game on Thursday night at 7 in Wildcat Stadium.
"We'll treat Thursday's game as much like a regular game as we can," Santos said. "We'll have referees and be working through our systems and going over mechanics. One of the reasons we're having it on Thursday night is hopefully the student body and others will come out and support us."
The game is a bit of a dress rehearsal as well: Exactly 20 weeks from Thursday night, UNH will play its 2020 season opener and kick off the Santos Era on Thursday, Sept. 1 in Wildcat Stadium against Colonial Athletic Association newcomer Monmouth University.
Game times for all five UNH home games, a swell as a full promotional calendar for the fall will be announced at the Blue/White game.
Season tickets start at $99 and fans may make a deposit on tickets with a Click here. Information on group tickets is available at 603-862-4000 or by email at unh.ticket.
The primary focus of the offense is to establish a strong running game, Santos said.
The No. 1 offensive weapon is junior running back Dylan Laube, who was third in the CAA in all-purpose yards in 2019 and jumped up to the No. 1 spot last fall by averaging nearly 150 yards a game.
"For us, Dylan has to be the focal point of the offense," Santos said. "He's explosive and has great vision. He has great hands and can make plays out of the backfield and every time he touches the ball he has the ability to score a touchdown. We'll build around him and run the ball a little more. We'll do some play action with him and then take some shots down the field."
Sophomore running back Isaac Seide and tight end Kyle Lepkowski, a 6-foot-4 tight end, have had nice springs and will be featured as well.
"Isaac is a very solid backup and another of the most dynamic guys we have," Santos said. "We're revamping the passing game a little with more quick-game stuff with spacing and we've got to make Kyle a focal point of that. He creates matchup problems and has good range to go get the ball when it's anywhere near him and he does a good job in the running game, too."
Offensive coordinator Brian Scott directs much of the new-look aspect of the offense and coaches the offensive line.
Spring started with Omoyeni at center and senior Patrick Flynn at tackle as the leaders and anchors of the line. Junior David Perry has established himself as another projected starter coming out of the spring and sophomore Dylan Poirier and junior Matt O'Neill are also in the top five among linemen at this point.
Perry is 6-foot-5 and 330 pounds.
"He's the most physically imposing player we have on the team," Santos said. "He's massive and takes up space and I feel confident he can cut it loose and be a real weapon and someone we can run behind on third and short."
The Wildcats have been shorthanded at quarterback during the spring with Max Brosmer still recovering from a knee injury that kept him out all last season. Bret Edwards, who started all but two games last year, required surgery that kept him out of spring practice.
That left sophomore Brody McAndrews to take most of the snaps with the first and second teams during the spring with redshirt freshman Zane Olmstead backing him up.
"Brody's showing a lot of progress," said Drew Belcher, the quarterbacks coach. "He's continuing to get better. He throws the ball on the run. He gets the ball out quickly and he's got a really strong arm and he's a really good runner. He's an athletic kid and he does a lot of things well."
Brosmer, who started 10 games as a true freshman in 2019, has been progressing nicely and has been able to get in some limited work late in the spring. Santos expects him to be fully cleared by the first of June.
Then Brosmer, Edwards, McAndrew and incoming freshman Barry Kleinpeter will compete for positions in preseason camp. Kleinpeter will enroll in summer school and be on campus in June.
Brian Espanet, who led the team in touchdown catches in 2019 and 2021, has not been on campus or participated in spring practice but will be back with the team for his final year of eligibility in the fall. Espanet had seven of UNH's 16 touchdown receptions last season and had five in 2019. He led the team in receiving yards (454) and yards per catch (13.35) last fall as well.
Senior Sean Coyne led the team last fall with 35 receptions, including three for touchdowns.
Junior Charles Briscoe III has made major strides his spring, Santos said, and sophomore Burke Griffin, junior Griffin Helm and redshirt freshmen Joey Corcoran and Caleb Burke have also improved their stock among receivers.
Santos has said several newcomers to the team could be in the running for early playing time at various positions, including freshman receivers DJ Linkin and Noah Cundiff.
Zach Banks, who has played on the defensive side in the past, and grad student Adam Deese are contending for time at tight end with Lepkowski.
Sophomore Aidan Cadogan did a nice job with the punting last year and will continue in those duties. He punted 43 times for 1,768 yads and his average of 41.12 yards a boot was second-best in the CAA.
Sophomore Sean Lehane and redshirt freshman Nick Mazzie are battling to be the starting kicker. Lehane kicked a pair of field goals last year and was 14-for-15 in conversion kicks.
The offense in general will aim to carry a little more of the weight, Omoyeni said.
"We've been riding on the backs of the defense for a couple of years," he said. "We're looking to give them a little more of a break when it comes to Saturdays."
"We're not trying to set a ceiling," Omoyeni said after a practice earlier this spring. "We feel the sky's the limit for us and we've got all the weapons in the world. I feel like we're about to put it all together. It's been a long time coming, but I feel like we're going to get back to that standard."
The Wildcats will showcase what they've been working on under new coach Rick Santos in spring practice for the last several weeks in the annual Blue/White Spring Game on Thursday night at 7 in Wildcat Stadium.
"We'll treat Thursday's game as much like a regular game as we can," Santos said. "We'll have referees and be working through our systems and going over mechanics. One of the reasons we're having it on Thursday night is hopefully the student body and others will come out and support us."
The game is a bit of a dress rehearsal as well: Exactly 20 weeks from Thursday night, UNH will play its 2020 season opener and kick off the Santos Era on Thursday, Sept. 1 in Wildcat Stadium against Colonial Athletic Association newcomer Monmouth University.
Game times for all five UNH home games, a swell as a full promotional calendar for the fall will be announced at the Blue/White game.
Season tickets start at $99 and fans may make a deposit on tickets with a Click here. Information on group tickets is available at 603-862-4000 or by email at unh.ticket.
The primary focus of the offense is to establish a strong running game, Santos said.
The No. 1 offensive weapon is junior running back Dylan Laube, who was third in the CAA in all-purpose yards in 2019 and jumped up to the No. 1 spot last fall by averaging nearly 150 yards a game.
"For us, Dylan has to be the focal point of the offense," Santos said. "He's explosive and has great vision. He has great hands and can make plays out of the backfield and every time he touches the ball he has the ability to score a touchdown. We'll build around him and run the ball a little more. We'll do some play action with him and then take some shots down the field."
Sophomore running back Isaac Seide and tight end Kyle Lepkowski, a 6-foot-4 tight end, have had nice springs and will be featured as well.
"Isaac is a very solid backup and another of the most dynamic guys we have," Santos said. "We're revamping the passing game a little with more quick-game stuff with spacing and we've got to make Kyle a focal point of that. He creates matchup problems and has good range to go get the ball when it's anywhere near him and he does a good job in the running game, too."
Offensive coordinator Brian Scott directs much of the new-look aspect of the offense and coaches the offensive line.
Spring started with Omoyeni at center and senior Patrick Flynn at tackle as the leaders and anchors of the line. Junior David Perry has established himself as another projected starter coming out of the spring and sophomore Dylan Poirier and junior Matt O'Neill are also in the top five among linemen at this point.
Perry is 6-foot-5 and 330 pounds.
"He's the most physically imposing player we have on the team," Santos said. "He's massive and takes up space and I feel confident he can cut it loose and be a real weapon and someone we can run behind on third and short."
The Wildcats have been shorthanded at quarterback during the spring with Max Brosmer still recovering from a knee injury that kept him out all last season. Bret Edwards, who started all but two games last year, required surgery that kept him out of spring practice.
That left sophomore Brody McAndrews to take most of the snaps with the first and second teams during the spring with redshirt freshman Zane Olmstead backing him up.
"Brody's showing a lot of progress," said Drew Belcher, the quarterbacks coach. "He's continuing to get better. He throws the ball on the run. He gets the ball out quickly and he's got a really strong arm and he's a really good runner. He's an athletic kid and he does a lot of things well."
Brosmer, who started 10 games as a true freshman in 2019, has been progressing nicely and has been able to get in some limited work late in the spring. Santos expects him to be fully cleared by the first of June.
Then Brosmer, Edwards, McAndrew and incoming freshman Barry Kleinpeter will compete for positions in preseason camp. Kleinpeter will enroll in summer school and be on campus in June.
Brian Espanet, who led the team in touchdown catches in 2019 and 2021, has not been on campus or participated in spring practice but will be back with the team for his final year of eligibility in the fall. Espanet had seven of UNH's 16 touchdown receptions last season and had five in 2019. He led the team in receiving yards (454) and yards per catch (13.35) last fall as well.
Senior Sean Coyne led the team last fall with 35 receptions, including three for touchdowns.
Junior Charles Briscoe III has made major strides his spring, Santos said, and sophomore Burke Griffin, junior Griffin Helm and redshirt freshmen Joey Corcoran and Caleb Burke have also improved their stock among receivers.
Santos has said several newcomers to the team could be in the running for early playing time at various positions, including freshman receivers DJ Linkin and Noah Cundiff.
Zach Banks, who has played on the defensive side in the past, and grad student Adam Deese are contending for time at tight end with Lepkowski.
Sophomore Aidan Cadogan did a nice job with the punting last year and will continue in those duties. He punted 43 times for 1,768 yads and his average of 41.12 yards a boot was second-best in the CAA.
Sophomore Sean Lehane and redshirt freshman Nick Mazzie are battling to be the starting kicker. Lehane kicked a pair of field goals last year and was 14-for-15 in conversion kicks.
The offense in general will aim to carry a little more of the weight, Omoyeni said.
"We've been riding on the backs of the defense for a couple of years," he said. "We're looking to give them a little more of a break when it comes to Saturdays."
Players Mentioned
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K/P
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