Baumholder football preview capsule
Baumholder Bucs
Head coach: B.J. Walker
Last year: 2-3, lost to Aviano 48-24 in D-II quarterfinals.
Key games: Sept. 8 at Alconbury, Sept. 29 at Rota
New coach B.J. Walker will guide Baumholder, a fixture in D-II for most of the century, in its first season playing nine-man ball.
Returning All-European wide-out Ben McDaniels should fall in love with all the extra space where he’ll be able to operate, as will the rest of the athletic Bucs.
Walker takes over from Carter Hollenbeck, a 1987 Bitburg graduate who guided the Bucs to the 2007 D-III title. Hollenbeck transferred to Ramstein this school year.
McDaniels and do-everything performer Isaac Giefer will serve as the field generals for the Bucs, for whom center Dasante Brown will anchor the offensive line, Walker said by telephone on Tuesday.
In spite of the difficulties in covering the field brought about by the nine-man scheme, Walker indicated his team relishes its new game.
“They’re very excited,” he said.
2012 schedule
Sept. 8: at Alconbury
Sept. 15: Sigonella
Sept. 21: Brussels
Sept. 28: at Rota
Oct. 5: Bamberg
Oct. 13: Local national team TBD-x or bye