TERRE HAUTE —
The course work at the University of Chicago is quite a bit different than that at Rose-Hulman, but the test scores required to get the chance to do that work are similar.
So Jeff Sokol, for the past 11 seasons the offensive coordinator and — just as importantly — the recruiting coordinator at Chicago, looks to be a good fit as the new head football coach for the Engineers.
Sokol was introduced to the media and some of his new players for the first time Monday afternoon at Rose-Hulman, and indicated he was ready to build on a winning tradition established by Steve Englehart and Jayson Martin, who was interim coach last fall.
“The winning tradition here is a testament to coach Martin and coach Englehart,” Sokol told the assembled crowd. “We don’t expect to miss a beat.”
Although Martin was passed over in the search for a permanent coach, Rose athletic director Jeff Jenkins said Monday that was no reflection on the season he had.
“Jayson did a good job,” said Jenkins, who noted there were about 100 candidates nationwide for the job, “but Jeff brings more Division III experience and more experience dealing with and recruiting Division III kids.
“It’s not that Jayson was not ready; it’s that [Sokol] is more ready.”
Sokol, who said he didn’t wait long to answer Jenkins when the Rose-Hulman job was offered, indicated his recruiting experience would be a plus for the Engineers — and that there was plenty to offer prospective football players at Rose-Hulman.
“This is a place you can sell to kids … an outstanding product,” he told the Tribune-Star. “I can sit in living rooms and tell parents their investment [in their son’s education] will pay off … the most challenging thing about [recruiting, for Rose-Hulman or Chicago] is the significant financial obligation to these families.”
Glancing around the facilities in the Sports and Recreation Center, Sokol added, “There is everything you need here … and this is a national institution, so we cast a pretty wide net [for recruiting].”
Most Engineer players were seeing their new coach for the first time, and Sokol said his emphasis would continue to be on the offensive side.
“We’ll try to be really aggressive on offense: a fast tempo, with as many [offensive plays] as we can. Keep the pressure on the defense … and we’ll structure what we do around our personnel.”
One of his first priorities, Sokol said, was to find a defensive coordinator — and then to basically leave him alone.
“We need to get a defensive coordinator in place,” he said, “and the most important thing [in the search] is someone who can teach the fundamentals, have a philosophy of defense he believes in, and fits that philosophy around our personnel.”
Rose-Hulman is coming off five consecutive winning seasons for the first time in 20 years and finished 6-4 during the fall. Chicago set a modern-era school record with eight wins during the fall and with 13 wins the past two seasons. The Maroons won three University Athletic Association championships while Sokol was their offensive coordinator.
“We’ve heard great things about him … only good things,” said Rose-Hulman wide receiver Sutton Coleman after the press conference. “Everybody [on the team] is real excited, ready to get into winter conditioning and spring training.”
Playing fast on offense sounded good to Coleman — although it could be said that the Engineer sprinter during track season plays fast all the time.
“He has a lot of offensive knowledge and good experience with the type of athletes we are,” Coleman said. “I think we’re definitely a championship-caliber team.”
Sports
Rose introduces new football coach to its campus
‘Don’t expect to miss a beat,’ Sokol says
- Sports
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Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Small ball: Ciara McClain bunts to advance a teammate early in the Viking�s sectional matchup with Brown County.
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West Vigo comes up short against 19-9 Brown County softball
West Vigo got off to a good start but Brown County finished better in Class 3A high school softball sectional semifinal action Tuesday night at Edgewood.
The Eagles bested the Vikings 7-5 and will meet South Vermillion, a 12-7 winner over Owen Valley, for the sectional championship on Thursday starting at 6 p.m.
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Valley baseball teams have been keeping busy heading into sectionals
When high school baseball sectionals begin around the Wabash Valley today, one complaint that’s not expected to be heard from any coach is that his team has had too much time off.
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Northview powers way past Terre Haute South in sectional semifinal
Northview unleashed power rarely seen in high school girls softball Tuesday night to eliminate Terre Haute South 8-1 in the Class 4A Sectional at Martinsville High School.
The Knights hit three home runs in an eight-run third inning to reach the championship game. -
TRACKSIDE: Local drivers, owners looking to have strong night at Tony Hulman Classic
In its rich 43-year history, the Tony Hulman Sprint Car Classic has long carried on a strong local racing tradition.
From its early beginnings starting in 1971, the U.S. Auto Club-sanctioned event has been the annual centerpiece of the racing calendar at the Terre Haute Action Track as well as a key stop on the USAC sprint schedule and one of the most sought after wins in big league sprint-car racing. -
Terre Haute North dominates field at regional
Keirra Porter took first place in two individual events and helped Terre Haute North win one of its relays as the Patriots captured the Evansville Central Regional team championship in girls high school track and field Tuesday night.
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Manaea's shoulder causing him latest pain
Indiana State pitcher Sean Manaea has battled through so many aches and pains during the 2013 season that it can be hard to discern the serious pain from the pain he pitches through.
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PREP ROUNDUP: South tennis cruises into regional final
Terre Haute South didn’t lose a game en route to blanking Seeger 5-0 in girls high school tennis Tuesday to advance to today’s championship match against Crawfordsville in the Greencastle Regional.
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Terry enjoys strong year with Wildcats, and still enjoying suiting up to play
South Vermillion’s Tim Terry is the longest tenured coach in Wabash Valley high school baseball as his Wildcats are set to begin sectional play Thursday against Owen Valley.
But on the Yankees, a 35-and-over team in the Terre Haute Men’s Senior Baseball League, Terry is “just a youngster” if you ask Larry Roesch, his 68-year-old teammate on the Volkers Group Yankees. -
ISU's Negele answers call in big way in wake of Manaea injury
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West Vigo softball holds off nemesis Edgewood in softball sectional
Ice cream was enough of a reward Monday night after the West Vigo Vikings beat eight-time defending champion Edgewood 6-2 in extra innings in the opening game of the Class 3A softball sectional at Edgewood High School. But that’s not what Vikings want.
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West Vigo comes up short against 19-9 Brown County softball
- Local Interest
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Coach: Tim Terry is the South Vermillion baseball coach and plays in the senior league on Sunday afternoons.
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Terry enjoys strong year with Wildcats, and still enjoying suiting up to play
South Vermillion’s Tim Terry is the longest tenured coach in Wabash Valley high school baseball as his Wildcats are set to begin sectional play Thursday against Owen Valley.
But on the Yankees, a 35-and-over team in the Terre Haute Men’s Senior Baseball League, Terry is “just a youngster” if you ask Larry Roesch, his 68-year-old teammate on the Volkers Group Yankees. -
Softball sectionals up for grabs
All three Vigo County high schools and Northview appear to have a realistic chance of winning sectional championships in softball this week.
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Indiana State baseball series canceled
Heavy rain from Thursday through Saturday has forced Indiana State and Tennessee Martin to cancel their three-game weekend baseball series in northwest Tennessee.
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METRO ROUNDUP: Rose-Hulman baseball to play DePauw on Thursday after Tuesday's rain
The Rose-Hulman baseball team has rescheduled its non-conference game with DePauw to Thursday night.
The start time remains 7 p.m. for the single nine-inning game that was originally scheduled for today. Tuesday’s scheduled Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference game at Anderson was moved to Sunday because of rain. -
Vigo County Youth Soccer Association to host Indiana Soccer Cup Games
The Vigo County Youth Soccer Association will welcome more than 7,000 people to its Springhill Drive facility through two tournaments in the next five weeks.
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Terry enjoys strong year with Wildcats, and still enjoying suiting up to play
- High School
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West Vigo comes up short against 19-9 Brown County softball
West Vigo got off to a good start but Brown County finished better in Class 3A high school softball sectional semifinal action Tuesday night at Edgewood.
The Eagles bested the Vikings 7-5 and will meet South Vermillion, a 12-7 winner over Owen Valley, for the sectional championship on Thursday starting at 6 p.m.
- Valley baseball teams have been keeping busy heading into sectionals
- Northview powers way past Terre Haute South in sectional semifinal
- Terre Haute North dominates field at regional
- PREP ROUNDUP: South tennis cruises into regional final
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- College
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Manaea's shoulder causing him latest pain
Indiana State pitcher Sean Manaea has battled through so many aches and pains during the 2013 season that it can be hard to discern the serious pain from the pain he pitches through.
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ISU's Negele answers call in big way in wake of Manaea injury
When Indiana State starting pitcher Sean Manaea slumped on the mound in obvious pain after he took his warm-up pitches, red flags raised for ISU’s Missouri Valley Conference tournament hopes.
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ISU baseball hoping Manaea can get its MVC Tournament moving in right direction
Indiana State’s baseball team has been waiting all season for its stars to align.
But this is the 2013 Sycamores, after all, and after a season in which seemingly little has gone right, it appears its stars will remain crossed at the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. -
ISU track sending record 22 to postseason
On the heels of their thrilling double victory at the 2013 Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships both the Indiana State men and women moved up in the national rankings which were released Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
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ISU's athletic treasure trove
Think of every championship that Indiana State has won in each of its sports, past and present. Think of every tournament — postseason or regular season — which the Sycamores have claimed as their own.
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Manaea's shoulder causing him latest pain
- Sports Columns
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TRACKSIDE: Local drivers, owners looking to have strong night at Tony Hulman Classic
In its rich 43-year history, the Tony Hulman Sprint Car Classic has long carried on a strong local racing tradition.
From its early beginnings starting in 1971, the U.S. Auto Club-sanctioned event has been the annual centerpiece of the racing calendar at the Terre Haute Action Track as well as a key stop on the USAC sprint schedule and one of the most sought after wins in big league sprint-car racing. - Shooters compete to fight cancer
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TRACKSIDE: Local drivers, owners looking to have strong night at Tony Hulman Classic
- Pro Sports
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Colts hoping for more high marks on draft picks
A year ago, the Indianapolis Colts received high marks for the impact players the team added through the NFL draft.
Of the 10 players selected, five ended up either starting or seeing extensive playing time (quarterback Andrew Luck, tight ends Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen, wide receiver T.Y. Hilton and running back Vick Ballard) during the Colts’ 11-5 season.
While this year’s class may not rival that group in terms of name recognition and flash, it may produce just as many major contributors once the 2013 season gets underway. - Colts in wait-and-see mode for tonight’s NFL draft
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Colts hoping for more high marks on draft picks
- Terre Haute Rex
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Consultation: Rex manager Brian Dorsett talks with his pitcher and players during a time-out Sunday, July 15, at Sycamore Field. (Tribune-Star file/Bob Poynter)
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2012 an up, down season for Rex
The Terre Haute Rex went through plenty of trials and tribulations during the summer of 2012.
The team got off to a sluggish start to settle for third place during the first half of the Prospect League race, but manager Brian Dorsett rallied the troops to a second-half title. - Metro Roundup: Dorsett, Rex players honored in Prospect League postseason awards
- Rex out of playoffs
- Rex mix, match their way to win
- Rex turn eye to Prospect playoffs
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2012 an up, down season for Rex
- Colts
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Colts' coordinators enjoying getting rookies acclimated
While the Indianapolis Colts put their rookies and a handful of second-year players through workouts this weekend at the team’s Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center, a pair of first-year coordinators are getting a chance to do some valuable on-field work as well.
- Werner, 36 others open Colts’ mini camp
- Colts hoping for more high marks on draft picks
- Werner at top of game
- Colts select pass rusher Werner in first round
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Colts' coordinators enjoying getting rookies acclimated
- Auto Racing
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TRACKSIDE: Local drivers, owners looking to have strong night at Tony Hulman Classic
In its rich 43-year history, the Tony Hulman Sprint Car Classic has long carried on a strong local racing tradition.
From its early beginnings starting in 1971, the U.S. Auto Club-sanctioned event has been the annual centerpiece of the racing calendar at the Terre Haute Action Track as well as a key stop on the USAC sprint schedule and one of the most sought after wins in big league sprint-car racing. - Carpenter arrives as Indy 500 threat
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TRACKSIDE: Local drivers, owners looking to have strong night at Tony Hulman Classic
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