2010 Clemson Men’s Soccer Outlook

New Head Coach Mike Noonan takes over the Clemson soccer program in 2010 with enthusiasm and an eagerness to lead the storied program that has won two NCAA Championships, made 12 Elite Eight appearances, and won 13 ACC titles. This season he welcomes back five starters and 10 lettermen from last year’s team. The Tigers are coming off of a spring season that could be labeled as a learning time and an adjustment period for the new coaching staff and players.

“I’m doing what I love to do,” said Noonan. “And that is coaching soccer,” as he entered the preseason training at Clemson.

“I think the spring went well for us, and the most important thing we got out of the spring was how to compete, and that it is OK to compete. We tried to eliminate the element of being uncertain. The spring was important for all of us, and we got better with each match we played. The team got to know each other better and the coaching staff accomplished a lot in learning the players and their capabilities.

Noonan’s first team will be young and inexperienced, but the new Clemson coach has a couple of good leaders in Tommy Drake.

“There’s no question that we have a good core group of players returning. It’s not a large core of players returning, but it’s a good group of players. The most significant issue is that we don’t have a lot of experience.

“Tommy Drake (Sr.) will be our captains this season. Keegan has already graduated from Clemson and is working on his MBA. He is a very mature player and is only a junior eligibility wise. Drake is a talented senior who could play on any team in the country. He has to be consistent day in and day out and game in and game out.

“The catalyst of our team is Riley Sumpter (Jr.). We are trying to impress upon this young man that he needs to be a significant part of our team. Riley is a very versatile player who can play in nine different positions, and this year we will need that.

“Eric Cava (Sr.) is another player with experience and is versatile enough to play in the back and wide in the midfield. “

Noonan is optimistic about his defense. “We have a lot of depth in goal. Joe Bendik graduated and moved on to the pros, but JD Spearman (Sr.), Cody Mizell (Fr.) and Erik Mozzo (So.) will be competing for playing time.

“These three players will have a great competitive internal battle for the starting slot. We have quality depth, and this position is wide open. Spearman served as the back up to Bendik the last two seasons, while Mizell has been featured with the USA Youth National Team. Mozzo is a transfer from St. Leo and was a starter as a freshman last year.

“In the back, we are going to rely on Francklin Blaise (Jr.) and Cava. We will be getting help from newcomers as well. Everyone will have to defend. Team defense will be critical to our success.

“The midfield is the war room of the team. Tommy Drake, Cava, Priest, and Sumpter are some players that we’ll be counting on this fall. This is our most experienced area and they did a great job and competed well this spring. What we lack in their physical presence, we make up in our hearts. They have hearts of lions.”

Drake finished the 2009 season with three goals and three assists for nine points. Cava finished last season with three assists and one goal. Sumpter had two goals and one assist in 2009.

“Up front we have K.C. Onyeador. The main question offensively is who’s going to score goals and how are we going to score these goals. We do have people that can score goals. Austin Savage and Sumpter can both step up and be productive.”

Savage is the Tigers’ leading returning scorer from 2009 with six goals and three assists for 15 points as a freshman. Burton led the team with four assists.

“Maybe I’m different than some coaches. Instead of looking at deficiencies, I look at what we do well (the previous year). I don’t like to focus on what we can’t do, instead we embrace what we do best.

To return Clemson to a championship level, Noonan knows he must recruit. “Recruiting is the lifeblood of the program and you think about this area every minute of the day. We have two international players and two transfers coming into the program. We also have another four freshmen coming into camp. We feel as if we brought some people in that can help us. We have a good stable base and we are working to bring back the excitement of Clemson soccer.

“We expect to be championship level at everything we do. We may not win the championship every time, but we are going to compete like champions. We are going to compete with consistency–that is what we’re asking. I know we have challenges. There’s a championship level everybody expects and our job is to bring it out of the players as this is what Clemson expects.

“In any sport there’s courage, commitment, competitiveness, and confidence. Courage is coming out and crossing the white line. That’s where its starts. Commitment, competiveness, and confidence are the keys that we emphasize repeatedly.

“We want to graduate all of our players and help young men become grown men. It’s all about educating young people. Winning is the by-product of doing things the right way. I dream and desire championships like anyone would, but by doing things the right way, and with the support that we receive, I like our chances of recreating some of the magic and tradition that is Clemson Men’s Soccer.”