What was already a young group of linebackers will get even younger as senior Chad Slapnicka will miss the season with a disk problem in his back.
Slapnicka, who registered 41 tackles last season, had a bad back coming out of spring practice, and after visits to doctors, it did not improve to the point where he could play.
However, it will not just be the 41 tackles that will be missed.
"He was like a coach on the field," said junior Kory Gedin, who appeared in nine games last year beside Slapnicka.
"He brings a lot of savvy, brings a lot of experience, brings a lot of versatility," coach Al Bagnoli said of Slapnicka, who was able to play multiple linebacker positions.
With Slapnicka's departure, there will only be two upperclassmen left in the linebacking corps -- Gedin and senior captain Ric San Doval.
The rest will now be up to the youngsters.
"It's putting a lot of pressure on some sophomores, the Joe Anastasios and K.C. Croals of the world to take that next step," Bagnoli said.
Unfortunately for the Quakers, the inexperienced players will have to jump into perhaps the most important position on the field, considering the opposition.
They will have the unenviable task of going up against Brown senior running back Nick Hartigan and Harvard junior Clifton Dawson. Both are on the watch list for the Walter Payton Award, given to the best offensive player in Division I-AA football.
"We'll definitely miss Chad this year," San Doval said. "Whenever you have someone with that kind of versatility, it really lightens the load."
