LEWISTON – Quarterbacks call signals and coaches bark commands over the constant whirring of power tools and earth-moving equipment.
The echo somebody might hear when walking past Garcelon Field could be the result of a resounding, open-field hit in full pads. These days, however, it’s just as likely the din of a hammer knocking steel girders into place.
Signs of progress were all around the Bates College football complex this late summer and early fall, and they weren’t confined to the Bobcats’ new offensive and defensive schemes.
Bates opened practice Sept. 1 at its newly renovated Garcelon digs. A $2.6 million facelift of the venerable facility included FieldTurf and stadium lighting that already are in place.
Construction continues on bleachers and a press box that are expected to be finished when Bates plays its home opener against Williams on Saturday, Oct. 9. That date coincides with the school’s annual parents and family weekend.
“It’s phenomenal. Look around you. It’s awesome,” said Bates offensive lineman and senior tri-captain Brendan Murphy. “Compared to what we had, I mean the bleachers were falling apart before. Now we’ve got this whole state-of-the-art thing. The field surface is incredible.”
Bates opens the 2010 season with back-to-back road games: Amherst on Saturday, followed by Tufts on Oct. 2.
Having endured life without a winning season since 1981, Bates lagged behind many of its New England Small College Athletic Conference rivals in gridiron amenities.
Approximately half the teams in the league, including neighboring nemesis Colby, had upgraded with turf, lights and improved spectator and storage facilities in recent years.
Bates formerly practiced on an isolated baseball and softball field behind Underhill Arena and Merrill Gymnasium, far away from foot paths and other campus life. Now, all work takes place at Garcelon.
“It just has made everything from a practice standpoint better,” said Bates coach Mark Harriman, entering his 13th season. “Everybody meets at 4:15 (p.m.), and if it gets dark we turn the lights on. The spacing because of the lines and everything makes a huge difference.”
“It’s revamped the whole program,” said Myles Walker, a linebacker and captain. “We’re real excited about the new facilities obviously. We have a whole new scheme offensively and defensively.”
Indeed, the ultimate goal is to breathe life into a program that has become increasingly competitive without much to show for it in the win column.
Bates was 1-7 last year, but the victory over Bowdoin was significant. It was the Bobcats’ 300th triumph in school history and their first over the rival Polar Bears since 2003.
Five of the seven defeats came by 10 points or fewer.
“I think this definitely could be a turnaround year,” Walker said. “Every game we were in we were competitive. It came down to the fourth quarter.”
Nine starters return to a defense that was among the NESCAC leaders in several key categories, including forced turnovers (second, with 20) and first downs allowed (fourth).
Last year’s linebacker corps of Walker, fellow senior captain Ted Durkin and juniors Brett McAllister and Kevin Helm returns intact. That group will feature a new look as the Bobcats switch from a 4-4 to a 3-5-3 alignment under defensive coordinator Chris Kempton.
“It allows for more blitz packages for the linebackers,” Walker said. “We’re kind of an undersized defense. We rely on being fundamentally sound.”
Devin Horvath, a tackle, joins Durkin and Walker as the only senior starters. Another spotlight shines on free safety, where Cam Evans will move from cornerback and attempt to replace ball-hawking, two-time all-conference performer Kyle McAllister.
Bates will have something in common with the Philadelphia Eagles and Carolina Panthers — a potential quarterback quandary.
Harriman considers it a happy problem, as both junior Ryan Katon and sophomore Trevor Smith saw time as the starter last season.
Katon is the veteran with 13 career appearances and 11 touchdown passes. Smith was sensational as a short-term injury replacement last season, setting school records for single-game completions and yardage in his initial start.
The job is Katon’s for now, at least, after Smith underwent an emergency appendectomy the first week of camp.
“They’ve both got experience running the offense,” Harriman said. “(Katon) has started a few games for us, and (Smith) is very athletic.”
Murphy, who enters his third year as the starting center, is one of three full-time returnees to the offensive line along with guard Matt Conetta and tackle Mark Sylvester.
Patrick George, a sophomore, spearheads a potential two-pronged attack at running back. Bates hopes that senior Jared Jammal may be ready to share the load after sitting out last year with an injury.
One thing frequently missing from the Bates sideline in recent years is a Maine flavor, but that appears to be changing.
Four of the seven in-state players on the roster are freshmen, including defensive back and Mountain Valley High School graduate Matt Duka.
“He set the tone the first day we were in pads,” Harriman said of Duka. “He laid a kid out on a block that made everybody take notice.”
Three assistant coaches with local ties join the Bates staff this season: Walter Polky of Winthrop, Duncan Averill of Farmington, and former Jay assistant Tyler Hanson. They join former Maine high school coaches Kempton, Skip Capone and Daryle Weiss.
But the new sights and sounds at Garcelon likely are what will grab prospective players’ and fans’ attention first.
“Every practice people stop by and watch. We’re right in the middle of campus now,” Durkin said.
“I work over at the alumni office with Coach Harriman’s wife, and I couldn’t believe how quickly it went from being just something people were talking about to something that was happening,” added Murphy. “And it was all donor-funded. It’s a good feeling that people stepped up to show what Bates athletics means to them, specifically football.”
Bates football schedule
Sept. 25 at Amherst
Oct. 2 at Tufts
Oct. 9 Williams
Oct. 16 Wesleyan
Oct. 23 at Middlebury
Oct. 30 Colby
Nov. 6 at Bowdoin
Nov. 13 Hamilton
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