For Head Coach Peter Fuller, thrice named NAIA Coach of the Year, defending a national championship is less about trying to necessarily repeat such a feat and more about focusing on the various building blocks that went into taking last year’s national championship squad to the limit. Those foundational elements will be first put to the test as the preseason 2^nd-ranked and defending NAIA Men’s Soccer National Champions open up their season against Brescia University on Friday, August 22, at 6 p.m. at the Spring Hill College Invitational.

“Brescia is going to be a very good team,” Coach Fuller said. “Bill Ashby, who has taken over, after a successful tenure at Mary College , has done a terrific job with their program. They beat Mid-Continent College (ranked 5^th in the NAIA pre-season poll) during the regular season last year and made it to the semi-final of their region.”

While the key to defeating such tough opponents last year was found in an effective low-pressure defense coupled with a lightening fast counter attack, this season coach Fuller feels that Mobile will possess a couple different options on offense.

“This year we have guys who can keep control of the ball in the midfield and that will be a huge help,” the Rams coach explained. “That will give us just one more option. If Thiago Ramos [a Brazilian who apprenticed with the same professional club that former UM player and three-time 1^st Team All-American Adauto Neto apprenticed with] and Ellis Dyett [a U-23 national team player for Trinidad] are as quick and as good as they might be, then we’ll have the option of playing like we did last year or a plan “B” to play it through the midfield.”

While there are some dynamic new personnel that have been added to this year’s team, there are some welcomed familiar faces that are returning; particularly in the backfield. The defense returns two 1^st Team All-Americans, a three-time national PDL (Player Development League) player, and a Finnish goalkeeper with semi-pro international experience, all return to form perhaps the best backfield in the NAIA.

“We have Jami Ferguson and Steven Linpow in the center back positions,” Coach Fuller said. “Linpow was a 1^st Team All-American two years ago, and Jamie was a 1^st Team All-American last season. On paper, they should be the best center back combination in the country. Brady Bryant [who earned PDL Player of the Week with the West Michigan Edge] will play either at right back or as a wide player. He’s an excellent tackler, an excellent 1 vs. 1 marker, tracks very well, and he can attack from right back.”

With UM expected to play in a flat four formation to start the season, Rob Longhurst, a freshman from Lickfield , England , is expected to start at the left back position. In addition to Longhurst, there are several players that have had a solid preseason and will come in and do a job for Coach Fuller. These players include Jordan Wilson, Darren Tobey (a U-23 Trinidad national team member) and Scott Yadon who spent the summer with Bryant in West Michigan playing for the PDL Edge.

Helping out the backfield will be senior Mike Fricke and freshman Mark Robinson, both of whom are defensive-minded midfielders. Fricke, who scored a timely goal in the national final against Park University , will be looked upon for his leadership.

“He does a great job defensively and organizing in the midfield,” Coach Fuller said of Fricke. “Mark, in a lot of ways, is a carbon copy of Fricke. He’s a tiger, a fighter and a tough tackler. He’s not afraid to get stuck in.”

With the defense shored up, question marks surround who will be Mobile ’s prolific scorers. In the early goings, several players come to coach Fuller’s mind.

“Right now we only have one true attacking midfield player, and that is Johani Koivuranth from Helsinki , Finland ,” Coach Fuller said. “He’s our one dynamic guy who can push the ball forward and get out of the midfield. Ruben Risco, a local kid from Mobile , has done a great job and he might be able to do a job for us at the forward position. Jason Miniaci has improved by leaps and bounds. In training, [this past week] he has gotten himself into great positions to score goals, but he hasn’t finished. I want to see him putting the ball in the back of the net.”

“Thiago Ramos is supposed to be a very good goal scorer,” Coach Fuller said of his Brazilian freshman who arrived on campus early this week. “We’re expecting a lot from him.”

“Ellis Dyett,” Coach Fuller saying of his athlete who will report just prior to Mobile’s first game, “I would compare to Boni [Boniventure Maruti currently plays in the Swedish Premier League and was a 1^st Team All-American at UM in ‘99].”

Defending the national championship will be a tall order according to Coach Fuller. “There are 15 teams that are certainly capable of beating us,” said Coach Fuller.

“It’s difficult as it always is,” Coach Fuller said. “But I think we’re capable of a final eight bid at the national tournament, perhaps even a semi-final. And if you make it to the semi-final, anyone can beat anyone at that particular point. Then it’s a matter of who gets hot at that moment. Last year we were hot at that time and we won it.”