ITHACA, N.Y. -- It's time to take an in-depth look at the 2010 Big Red football team position group by position group. Today we check out the safeties under Coach Brian Young.
Practice Photo Gallery Day 1 I Day 2 I Day 3 I Day 4 I Day 5 I Day 7 I Aug. 31
Big Red 101 - Special Teams I Defensive Tackles I Tight Ends I Linebackers I Safeties
Senior
Ben Heller (6-2, 207) returns for his final seasons. A potential All-Ivy player, Heller will spearhead a defense that was among the conference's best against the pass in 2009.
Heller's football instincts are fantastic, and he was able to step up his game in 2009 despite battling injuries. He made 57 tackles a year ago, led the team with three interceptions, posted four pass breakups and chipped in with a tackle for loss and a fumble recovery. He intercepted passes against Yale, Harvard and Brown and notched a career-high nine tackles against Harvard, Dartmouth and Penn. The former walk-on will play a huge role in leading the defense in 2010.
Heller will have plenty of competition at the position. Juniors
Travers Schmidt (6-0, 203),
Robert Gurley (5-8, 189) and #K.C. Aharanwa# (6-3, 207), sophomore
Andrew Brown (6-1, 188) and freshman
Brian Gee (6-0, 174) lead the way.
Schmidt made a splash in 2009, registering 11 tackles in just four games in the defensive backfield and on special teams. In his first varsity action, Schmidt made five stops against Colgate and added four vs. Brown. Schmidt has good speed and athleticism to go along with excellent football instincts.
Gurley and Aharanwa have taken different paths to suit up for the Big Red in 2010. Gurley transferred in from Mississippi State, where he played in eight games in 2008 for the Bulldogs, primarily on special teams. Aharanwa, meanwhile, lettered as a freshman for the Big Red before sitting out the 2009 season with medical issues. He posted 14 tackles, including a tackle for loss, in earning a letter as a freshman in 2008.
Brown saw reserve time in the defensive backfield and on special teams as a freshman in 2009. He recorded 11 tackles in five varsity appearances, including a career-high seven stops against Colgate. Brown is a hard hitter who will push for significant playing time.
Also looking for time on travel squad will be senior
Alex Taheri (6-2, 196), sophomores
Adam Albitar (6-1, 191),
Sidney Balman (6-2, 201) and
Michael Hernandez (6-0, 182) and freshmen
Nnamdi Abalihi (6-1, 185) and
Kevin Laird (6-2, 195) will have plenty of opportunity to make an impact in 2010.
