Team USA Overview - Defense
Iowa State’s Shawn Moorehead, Michigan’s Jeremy Van Alstyne, Montana’s Dustin Dlouhy, Missouri Western’s Michael Cobbins, Western Michigan’s Matt Ludeman, Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Ryan Kleppe and Syracuse’s Chris Thorner will man the defensive line for Team USA.
Moorehead ended his college career as Iowa State’s all-time sack leader. Van Alstyne was a four-year letterman and major contributor defensively and on special teams at Michigan. Dlouhy is one of Montana’s career leaders in sacks and tackles for loss.Cobbins was a four-time all-conference selection at Missouri Western. The versatile Ludeman could see time at both defensive tackle and defensive end. Thorner plugged the middle for the Syracuse defense. Kleppe was the Division III Defensive Player of the Year at Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Team USA will feature a speedy linebacker corps: Princeton’s Brig Walker, Harvard’s Ryan Tully, Holy Cross’ Dan Adams, Sioux Falls’ Adam Paulson and Northwestern’s Demetrius Eaton.
Walker was the team leader in tackles and tackles for loss for Ivy League champion Princeton in 2006. Adams accomplished the same feat at Holy Cross. Tully was an All-Ivy League selection for the Crimson. Paulson was the defensive leader on Sioux Falls’ NAIA championship team in 2006. Eaton racked up 54 total tackles at Northwestern in 2006.
The secondary will be manned by Northwest Missouri State’s Diezeas Calbert, Maine’s Manauris Arias, Wisconsin-La Crosse’s Steve Teeples, Christopher Newport’s Rob Rodriguez, Cal Poly’s Kenny Chicoine, Mary Hardin-Baylor’s Josh Kubiak, North Dakota’s Jason Hoffschneider and Virginia Tech’s Cary Wade.
Calbert was one of the top tacklers in the secondary for Northwest Missouri State. Arias was a first team All-Atlantic 10 selection for the Black Bears. Teeples and Rodriguez were members of the U.S. Division III national team that defeated Mexico in the 2006 Aztec Bowl. Chicoine was a two-time All-American at Cal Poly. Kubiak was a two-time American Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year at Mary Hardin-Baylor. Hoffschneider is the No. 2 tackler in North Dakota football history. Wade was part of Virginia Tech’s regular defensive rotation at both free safety and rover.
Special Teams
Southern Illinois’ Craig Coffin will handle the kicking and punting duties for Team USA. Coffin is SIU’s career record holder in points scored and field goals and set an NCAA Division I-AA record for PATs.