UR NOTES: Big Spiders fan lives in Bowling Green, Ohio

Big Spiders fan lives in Bowling Green, Ohio

Dave Clawson, Bowling Green's new coach, has a staff to assemble, recruits to woo, and a hundred other things to do. He took a break last night, when the University of Richmond played Montana for the FCS title in Chattanooga, Tenn.

"I will be glued to a TV set, rooting for the Spiders," Clawson, the UR coach 2004-07, said yesterday afternoon.

Clawson left Richmond to become offensive coordinator at Tennessee. He and his UR assistants brought to UR virtually all of the players in Richmond gear last night.

"I watched those guys play last week and I saw [linebacker] Jordan Shoop, and I remember getting up with [defensive coordinator] Russ Huesman at 4 o'clock in the morning and driving 6½ hours to Pittsburgh to visit with [Shoop] and his parents," Clawson said.

"I remember players I recruited and they thought about leaving, and trying to recruit them again to stay, and now they're starting and making plays. So, how do you not feel responsible?

"By the same token, [UR coach Mike London] deserves a lot of credit for getting them to this point. I'm very proud of what the players are doing, but Mike deserves a ton of credit for coaching them to this point."

Ex-Spiders linebacker now pushing bobsleds

Adam Goloboski, a four-year UR starter at linebacker 2003-06, was cut by the Cincinnati Bengals and had a short career in the Canadian Football League. Seen in Chattanooga yesterday, Goloboski has soured on pro football but now is engaged in another sport: bobsledding.

"It used to be just a bunch of drunk mountaineers," said the 6-0, 230-pounder. "It has changed a lot."

A friend of a relative introduced Goloboski to bobsledding. The Baltimore-area resident attended a combine for wannabes. Based on his mix of strength and speed, Goloboski was asked to train for the U.S. team as a "pusher" at Lake Placid, N.Y., where he will spend the winter.

Colonial foes steeled players for FCS playoffs

The CAA, for the second season in a row, advanced five teams to the 16-team FCS playoff field, and "there were probably a few more [CAA] teams that could have been successful in the playoffs also," said Spiders defensive end Lawrence Sidbury.

Richmond finished third in the six-team CAA South Division, which includes UR, James Madison, William and Mary, Delaware, Villanova and Towson.

"Those games get you ready for playoff runs like this," UR quarterback Eric Ward said. "Every week, you've got to bring your 'A' game. You can get beat by any team on any given Saturday. I think that just prepared us to reach this point."

Postseason ran began after loss to JMU

UR coach Mike London repeatedly used the word "resilient" to describe his team in the wake of a 38-31 loss to JMU on Oct. 11. The Dukes scored on a punt return at :01 to win on Richmond's field.

The Spiders were 4-3 following that defeat, and another loss may have pushed them out of the postseason picture. "Every game after that was a playoff game for us," London said. UR then won eight straight heading into the title game, including playoff victories at Appalachian State and Northern Iowa, two of the FCS' most intimidating venues.

There was a team meeting after the JMU loss. Coaches were asked to leave the room. Players discussed their preseason goal of a national championship.

"What do you want to do?" Sidbury, a captain, recalled asking his teammates. "Pack it in?"

Montana's Hauck still fond of bowl setup

Montana coach Bobby Hauck was asked whether he preferred a playoff system or the bowl system. Hauck, a former assistant at UCLA, has been with teams that played in the bowl system.

"This isn't going to make the people in Chattanooga happy," Hauck said, smiling. "I love the bowl games. This [the FCS championship game] is a lot of fun. The people in Chattanooga have been great. "But I don't like the wear and tear on the players and assistant coaches in the playoff system. It's grueling. And it's been a disaster for us academically in the past. That Rose Bowl is pretty good. That's not what we have, so we're going to enjoy the heck out of this."

-- John O'Connor and Paul Woody