SD MInes 2009 Football Media Guide

then sophomore Joe Sanchez suffered a leg injury on the first day of practice and was lost for the season. Russell stepped up and delivered all season long. He finished the year with almost 2,000 passing yards. He was 196-298 for 61 percent accuracy and threw 13 touchdown passes.

Expect both of these athletes, who are both from San Diego, Calif., to deliver even more in 2009 with a year of college football experience under their belts.

The Hardrockers will have a number of players who can play multiple spots. One of those is Dustin Meneley, from Naples, Fla. Meneley was recruited as a defensive back and kick returner. He did both those jobs for the 'Rockers in 2008 very well. So much so that he was named to the Victory Sports/Fanz All American second team as well as receiving DAC All-Conference first team honors on special teams and honorable mention as a DB. Look for Meneley to do more of the same this season and also look for him to make an impact on offense. With his speed, the coaching staff hope to exploit that and hope to make him a potent part of the offense.

Senior tight end Jason Beilstein, from Lodi, Calif., will also have a big role in the Hardrockers' success this year.The 6-foot-5-inch receiver has made an outstanding adjustment after making the transfer last year from the quarterback position. He led the team in reception yards in 2008 with 508. He also had five touchdown catches to boot.

Defensively, look for senior linebacker Tyrell Anderson to have a big role in helping the Hardrockers to the next level.Anderson also earned DAC first team All Conference accolades and has 240 tackles, four sacks, six fumble recoveries, five pass break ups and one interception to his credit.Anderson does very well in the middle of the field and can sniff out the ball like a blood hound. As a senior he should have no problem stepping into a leadership role as he's been doing that anyway for the past two seasons.

Another Hardrocker that is making a name for himself is junior defensive backTom Lunzman. Lunzman is fast become a DB that opposing quarterbacks do not want to throw near.Already in his first two seasons he has I I interceptions to his credit and has broken up eight others. He is very quick and when he does steal the ball can gain a large chunk of those yards back.

Junior Everett Brill is another of those multi-position football players that will do some good for the Hardrockers this season. He came to SD School of Mines with his defensive skills in mind, but 2009 may see him on the other side of the ball from time-to-time. Defensively, Brill can get to the ball very quickly and is very good at bringing an opponent to the ground. Offensively, Brill is an aggressive runner that can power the ball forward when the situation calls for it. Look for good things from him all over the field in 2009.

Some other names that will become familiar with Hardrocker football are: junior kicker Andy Smith, junior linebacker Tim Luchini, senior offensive lineman Kayne Ree, sophomore defensive back Eric Yeash, junior running back Tyler Barth, freshman punter Kolten Jelden and wide receivers Tony Ostheimer (sophomore) and EdWaliczek (junior) to name a few.They will all contribute this season, making the 2009 Hardrockers one of the more balanced teams in decades.

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