Storylines Aplenty, Excitement Bountiful as Valpo Football Prepares to Kick Off Fall Camp
For those who play, coach or simply enjoy the sport of football, it’s a special time on the calendar.
As the summer heat prepares to give way to a chill in the air that means autumn is around the corner, the Valparaiso University football team is set to kick off fall camp as players report to campus on Tuesday, July 30 in advance of the season’s first official practice on Wednesday, July 31.
“It’s always exciting to start a new season,” head coach Landon Fox said. “The 2024 season started back in December, but now you’re adding some new pieces to start the fall and getting the opportunity to develop this team. Every team is unique to itself, so getting an opportunity to work with this team for the next four months is exciting. We’ll get the chance to build relationships over the next four months because we’re spending more time with the players, and that gives us the opportunity to impact people’s lives.”
Inside the Quarterback Room
Two things are developing inside the Valpo quarterback room, both unique in their own way – a bond and a competition.
On one hand, the question that every fan wants to know at the start of every training camp is driving the competition – who will start at quarterback in Week 1? – is as ordinary as it gets. But what makes this situation unique is that two of the candidates are both returning starters at the position. Redshirt junior Michael Appel Jr. (Springboro, Ohio / Springboro) started five games a year ago before an injury to Appel opened the door for current redshirt sophomore Rowan Keefe (Park Ridge, Ill. / Maine South) to make five appearances and four starts.
“Going into last year, I knew I wouldn’t get my chance Week 1 or Week 2, but I knew my chance would come,” Keefe said. “I had to stay prepared like I was the starter each week, so when my time did come, I was ready. I didn’t feel like I was playing catch up. When my time came against Davidson, I felt like I had taken the steps leading up to that to put myself in a position to succeed. My coaches and the other QBs in the room put me in that position. It was special to have the opportunity and have my first collegiate snaps. Now that I have those first-snap jitters out of the way, I’ve approached this year with a more veteran mindset.”
Appel expressed gratitude for being back to full health.
“This was the first time I dealt with a major injury,” he said. “It takes a toll on you physically and mentally. It’s a special feeling, and this is always a really exciting time. We’ve been putting in work since January, and we’re finally getting ready to start up camp again. We have big goals and dreams for this season with a championship in mind. Everyone’s excited and ready to get to work.”
Appel, Keefe, redshirt freshman Caron Tyler (Temecula, Calif. / Chaparral) and two true freshmen are excited for the friendly competition that will exist in the QB room leading into Week 1.
“Our quarterback room dynamic has been great all along,” Keefe said. “There’s no animosity in the room. Everyone wants the best for everyone. We’re there to push each other and make sure that whoever is getting the snaps is putting the team in the best position we can to win. I’m thankful for my relationship with Mikey, Caron and the rest of the quarterbacks. Whatever my role is, we’re there to help the best quarterback be the best version of themselves. The better Mikey does, the better I’ll do and the better our team will do.”
Appel echoed Keefe’s sentiments.
“We’re both great players who are very capable of leading an offense,” Appel said. “I think Rowan did a fantastic job leading the offense after I got injured last season, there’s no question about that. Coach has been very open with sharing that it’s going to be a competition to see who is going to be the starter Week 1. I know either way, the offense is going to be in a good spot.”
Back in Action
One game.
That’s all that redshirt senior Tyler Eberhart (Barberton, Ohio / Barberton) appeared in during the 2023 season, when the starting offensive lineman’s would-be senior year was practically over before it started due to an injury that occurred during the season opener at Youngstown State. The 2023 season was slated to be Eberhart’s last in a Valpo uniform, but that abrupt ending did not sit right with the 2023 team captain, setting the stage for his final tour in 2024.
“I thought last year was going to be my last go-around, and then the injury happened and I had to take a step back and think about what I was going to do next,” Eberhart said. “Evan Annis was a big part of that because he had an injury his senior year and came back for the extra year. I prayed a lot about it. It led me to make the decision to come back and play my fifth year because I love my teammates. Being around them made this an easy decision.”
Eberhart has graduated with his degree in mechanical engineering and is now pursuing an MBA. This summer, he completed an internship at Cleveland-Cliffs steel mill as a mechanical engineering intern in the iron-producing department. He’s ready to approach his job on the gridiron with the same work-ethic that he uses in the engineering realm.
“The excitement for our season is everywhere; the guys are ready to get at it,” Eberhardt said. “We’ve been working hard all offseason starting in November and December, all the way until now. Everyone is excited to get out on the field.”
Finishing Games
The final record of 3-8 could have easily been flipped to 8-3 with the Beacons on the wrong end of five one-score games. Although the focus has long since shifted on 2024, that doesn’t mean that lessons learned during those close contests in 2023 won’t be used to help the Brown & Gold this season.
“Coach (Luke) Campbell (the team’s strength & conditioning coach) has been drilling all offseason that nothing goes unnoticed,” Appel said. “Every little thing matters. It’s a game of inches. We know we can win; we just have to go out there and execute for 60 minutes every game. The guys are very optimistic right now.”
After starting the season with trips to Missouri Valley Football Conference opponents UNI (Aug. 31) and Youngstown State (Sept. 7), Valpo will host Indiana Wesleyan (Sept. 14) and Roosevelt (Sept. 21) before opening PFL play on Sept. 28 at Morehead State. The first PFL home game will be Homecoming on Oct. 5 vs. Drake.
“The details are very important,” redshirt senior defensive lineman Sam Hafner (Green Bay, Wis. / De Pere) said. “When it’s a close game, each inch matters so much. In my opinion, it’s not luck, it’s preparation that gives you those chances. If we prepare and work hard, we’ll have more ‘lucky’ things happen for us.”
Hafner – an All-PFL First Team choice who started every game in 2023 – made the choice to come back for a fifth year of college football.
“I felt like there was unfinished business,” Hafner said. “I didn’t feel comfortable leaving because I hadn’t done what I wanted to do yet, so that’s why I decided it would be best for me to come back this year. We’ve got a lot of hungry guys who want to win. We’re working really hard and those close games are going to be our games, not the other way around.”
