Sterile turning into vocal leader for Lions' defense

By NEIL GEOGHEGAN, ngeoghegan@dailylocal.com^[1].

LOWER OXFORD -- The hoarse voice and strained vocal chords are just the latest indication how much Brucelee Sterile has developed into a vocal leader for the Lincoln University football squad.

"I lost my voice screaming and preaching to the team that we are going to be winners this season," Sterile said recently as the Lions' prepare for their season opener on Saturday at archrival Cheyney.

"I take this seriously. If you don't have someone watching and pushing, you won't reach your full potential."

The senior linebacker is getting an awful lot of personal recognition heading into the 2011 campaign, but Sterile is much more interested in helping orchestrate a breakout season at Lincoln, which reinstituted football in 2008 after a 47 year hiatus. Sterile and 18 other seniors were the program's first recruiting class since the 1950s.

"I have to treat every day as my last," the Miami native said. "Every time I go to the weight room or the practice field, I have to go full speed at all times because I am not going to get that day back. It's not like when I was a junior and I could say I have next year. This is it for me."

Sterile and the Lions are 5-25 under head coach O.J. Abanishe, including a bitterly disappointing 1-9 campaign last fall, their first as the active NCAA Division II program. And Lincoln went 0-7 in its return to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) after having last been a member in 1960.

"Our record in the league didn't speak to how close we were," said Abanishe. "We were on the verge of beating St. Paul's in overtime, plus we were up versus Virginia Union, Chowan and Bowie State. Those were all games we could have won. It came down to us not being able to run the ball or having a quality kicking game."

Not coincidentally, those are two areas that were forcefully addressed in the off-season. Add in 13 returning starters and its easy to see why there is some optimism in southern Chester County.

"Whenever you have as many starters coming back as we do, you have to feel pretty good, especially on defense," Abanishe acknowledged. "We have eight returning starters and all of them played significant time."

Sterile and fellow senior Brandon McElwee form one of the CIAA's top linebacker duos and are the heart and soul of the defense. Sterile has been a tackle machine with 274 stops so far in his career. He was recently named to the preseason All-CIAA team. Continued...^[2]

"Bruce is amazing," said star wideout Matthew Coston. "He's been a leader since he's been here. Everybody is quiet when he talks. He has a lot of pride and he has a love for the game so he is always screaming and hollering. But he makes sure he does everything first."

Lee paced the team with 90 tackles in 2010 and enters his final season with 15 more pounds on his 5-foot-10 frame. He's also improved his bench press by 30 pounds from a year ago.

"If Brucelee was three inches taller, we would be hearing about him being a potential NFL Draft pick. He knows no limitations," Abanishe said. "He is an outstanding leader. He lets his opinion be known of what needs to be done."

McElwee has been the program's No. 2 tackler in each of the last three seasons, including 67 a year ago, and he also led the team with 15 tackles for loss. And a third linebacker -- junior Tim Green -- has also raised some eyebrows.

"(McElwee) is a workout warrior and he makes big plays, especially on third down," Abanishe said. "And Green has the ability to be defensive player of the year in the conference. He can be unblockable at times."

The top returning defensive lineman is massive 350-pounder Eugene Lancaster. But junior college transfers Fuitatu Laumea (6-2, 325) and Jethro Spikes (6-0, 295) are expected to step in and help immediately. Free safety Gerald Foster is the leader of the secondary.

On offense, Coston had 41 catches for 633 yards and six touchdowns in '10, and Philip Jean-Juste was the No. 2 receiver. But the quarterback who got them the ball, Laquan Williams, is going to open the season as the backup to true freshman Doug Cook.

With Williams dealing with undisclosed off field issues during training camp, it opened the door for Cook, who was one of the most highly decorated small-school signalcallers in the country in 2010. As a result, the Dania Beach, Fla., native received significant reps with the No. 1 offense. Abanishe says that the issue won't be settled until either Cook or Williams seize the job.

A more powerful offensive line and a much more productive running game would certainly help ease the pressure on either Cook or Williams, and there is hope. Runners D'Ante Smith and Gerald, Swayne, along with jucos Fidel Cooper and Erik Konop are capable, but it all starts up front.

"A whole new confidence is going through this team," Coston said. "We have the front five we've been looking for and I think that's what's been missing. We actually have a running threat now." Continued...^[3]

Center Jordan Jones and guard Adolphus Barron are the top returnees, but the addition of recruits like Dylan Barton, Daniel Mammah, Derek McKenna, Joseph Guarneri and David Milice should eventually be an upgrade. The Lions gained a total of 652 rushing yards in 10 games last season.

"The key is going to be our run game and if it can complement our passing game," said Williams.

"Whenever your quarterback is the leading rusher, that's a problem," Abanishe pointed out. "It's so important, we went out and signed a bunch of linemen. We've gone from a five man unit to 12."

Another key recruit is freshman kicker-punter Kyle Jaski.

"Everybody knows our kicking game was inept," Abanishe admitted. "Kyle can do it all from punting to field goals to kickoffs."

It certainly sounds like the program is going to have to rely on quite a few first-year starters, but Abanishe says the opportunity to play right away was a big reason the heralded recruiting class decided to come to Lincoln. Abanishe also understands that another sub-par season could be his last with the Lions.

"But I don't feel any more pressure than any other coach," he said. "We put more pressure on ourselves than anybody on the outside ever could."

By NEIL GEOGHEGAN, ngeoghegan@dailylocal.com^[4].

LOWER OXFORD -- The hoarse voice and strained vocal chords are just the latest indication how much Brucelee Sterile has developed into a vocal leader for the Lincoln University football squad.

"I lost my voice screaming and preaching to the team that we are going to be winners this season," Sterile said recently as the Lions' prepare for their season opener on Saturday at archrival Cheyney.

"I take this seriously. If you don't have someone watching and pushing, you won't reach your full potential."

The senior linebacker is getting an awful lot of personal recognition heading into the 2011 campaign, but Sterile is much more interested in helping orchestrate a breakout season at Lincoln, which reinstituted football in 2008 after a 47 year hiatus. Sterile and 18 other seniors were the program's first recruiting class since the 1950s.

"I have to treat every day as my last," the Miami native said. "Every time I go to the weight room or the practice field, I have to go full speed at all times because I am not going to get that day back. It's not like when I was a junior and I could say I have next year. This is it for me."

Sterile and the Lions are 5-25 under head coach O.J. Abanishe, including a bitterly disappointing 1-9 campaign last fall, their first as the active NCAA Division II program. And Lincoln went 0-7 in its return to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) after having last been a member in 1960.

"Our record in the league didn't speak to how close we were," said Abanishe. "We were on the verge of beating St. Paul's in overtime, plus we were up versus Virginia Union, Chowan and Bowie State. Those were all games we could have won. It came down to us not being able to run the ball or having a quality kicking game."

Not coincidentally, those are two areas that were forcefully addressed in the off-season. Add in 13 returning starters and its easy to see why there is some optimism in southern Chester County.

"Whenever you have as many starters coming back as we do, you have to feel pretty good, especially on defense," Abanishe acknowledged. "We have eight returning starters and all of them played significant time."

Sterile and fellow senior Brandon McElwee form one of the CIAA's top linebacker duos and are the heart and soul of the defense. Sterile has been a tackle machine with 274 stops so far in his career. He was recently named to the preseason All-CIAA team.

"Bruce is amazing," said star wideout Matthew Coston. "He's been a leader since he's been here. Everybody is quiet when he talks. He has a lot of pride and he has a love for the game so he is always screaming and hollering. But he makes sure he does everything first."

Lee paced the team with 90 tackles in 2010 and enters his final season with 15 more pounds on his 5-foot-10 frame. He's also improved his bench press by 30 pounds from a year ago.

"If Brucelee was three inches taller, we would be hearing about him being a potential NFL Draft pick. He knows no limitations," Abanishe said. "He is an outstanding leader. He lets his opinion be known of what needs to be done."

McElwee has been the program's No. 2 tackler in each of the last three seasons, including 67 a year ago, and he also led the team with 15 tackles for loss. And a third linebacker -- junior Tim Green -- has also raised some eyebrows.

"(McElwee) is a workout warrior and he makes big plays, especially on third down," Abanishe said. "And Green has the ability to be defensive player of the year in the conference. He can be unblockable at times."

The top returning defensive lineman is massive 350-pounder Eugene Lancaster. But junior college transfers Fuitatu Laumea (6-2, 325) and Jethro Spikes (6-0, 295) are expected to step in and help immediately. Free safety Gerald Foster is the leader of the secondary.

On offense, Coston had 41 catches for 633 yards and six touchdowns in '10, and Philip Jean-Juste was the No. 2 receiver. But the quarterback who got them the ball, Laquan Williams, is going to open the season as the backup to true freshman Doug Cook.

With Williams dealing with undisclosed off field issues during training camp, it opened the door for Cook, who was one of the most highly decorated small-school signalcallers in the country in 2010. As a result, the Dania Beach, Fla., native received significant reps with the No. 1 offense. Abanishe says that the issue won't be settled until either Cook or Williams seize the job.

A more powerful offensive line and a much more productive running game would certainly help ease the pressure on either Cook or Williams, and there is hope. Runners D'Ante Smith and Gerald, Swayne, along with jucos Fidel Cooper and Erik Konop are capable, but it all starts up front.

"A whole new confidence is going through this team," Coston said. "We have the front five we've been looking for and I think that's what's been missing. We actually have a running threat now."

Center Jordan Jones and guard Adolphus Barron are the top returnees, but the addition of recruits like Dylan Barton, Daniel Mammah, Derek McKenna, Joseph Guarneri and David Milice should eventually be an upgrade. The Lions gained a total of 652 rushing yards in 10 games last season.

"The key is going to be our run game and if it can complement our passing game," said Williams.

"Whenever your quarterback is the leading rusher, that's a problem," Abanishe pointed out. "It's so important, we went out and signed a bunch of linemen. We've gone from a five man unit to 12."

Another key recruit is freshman kicker-punter Kyle Jaski.

"Everybody knows our kicking game was inept," Abanishe admitted. "Kyle can do it all from punting to field goals to kickoffs."

It certainly sounds like the program is going to have to rely on quite a few first-year starters, but Abanishe says the opportunity to play right away was a big reason the heralded recruiting class decided to come to Lincoln. Abanishe also understands that another sub-par season could be his last with the Lions.

"But I don't feel any more pressure than any other coach," he said. "We put more pressure on ourselves than anybody on the outside ever could."

References

1. ^{^} ngeoghegan@dailylocal.com (www.dailylocal.com)
2. ^{^} Continued... (www.dailylocal.com)
3. ^{^} Continued... (www.dailylocal.com)
4. ^{^} ngeoghegan@dailylocal.com (www.dailylocal.com)