2015 VMI Keydets football team

2015 VMI Keydets football
Conference	Southern Conference
Record	2–9 (1–6 SoCon)
Head coach	Scott Wachenheim (1st season)
Offensive coordinator	Dustin Ward (1st season)
Offensive scheme	Pro-style
Defensive coordinator	Tom Clark (1st season)
Base defense	3–4
Home stadium	Alumni Memorial Field
Seasons ← 2014 2016 →

The 2015 VMI Keydets football team represented the Virginia Military Institute in the 2015 NCAA Division I FCS football season. It was VMI's 125th football season and the Keydets were led by first year head coach Scott Wachenheim. They played their home games at 10,000–seat Alumni Memorial Field at Foster Stadium, as they have since 1962. This was VMI's second season as a member of the Southern Conference, following 11 seasons in the Big South Conference, which followed 78 years in the Southern Conference. They finished the season 2–9, 1–6 in SoCon play to finish in last place.

VMI will be led by first-year head coach Scott Wachenheim, a native of California and a 1984 graduate of the United States Air Force Academy.^[1] Wachenheim was previously the offensive line coach at Virginia under head coach Mike London. He replaces Sparky Woods, who compiled a 17–62 record in seven seasons at VMI.^[2] Shortly following a home loss to The Citadel, VMI chose not to renew Woods' contract, and several weeks later announced the hire of Wachenheim.

Wachenheim introduced an almost entirely new coaching staff his first year on post. Coordinating the offense is Dustin Ward, while the defensive coordinator is Tom Clark who served two stints at William & Mary as a defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach.^[3] There were only two holdovers from Woods' staff: wide receivers and tight ends coach Brad Robbins, and linebackers coach Justin Hamilton, a 2006 graduate of Virginia Tech.^[3] Also new to the staff is running backs coach Tim Maypray, who played football at VMI and graduated in 2010 before a brief stint in the Canadian Football League.

2015 VMI Keydets football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class QB 4 John Burton  Jr QB 4 Jake Paladino Fr WR 6 Dane Forlines Jr QB 8 Al Cobb  So WR 9 Taylor Stout Jr WR 11 Darrian Johnson  Jr TE 13 Ryan Swingle  So WR 15 Joey Brown  So QB 16 Jade Maher  So RB 17 Brice Tucker  So QB 18 Austin Coulling Fr WR 21 Aaron Sanders Jr WR 22 Dontae Mauck Fr FB 23 Cody Shirley  Jr RB 24 Quan Myers Fr RB 26 Mason Dermott Fr RB 37 Chris Gavin Fr FB 39 Derrick Ziglar  Sr RB 40 Hunter Marshall  So WR 43 Kyle Harrell  So TE 47 Zander Royston Fr WR 48 John Wilkins  Jr RB 49 Kyle Vardo  So C 50 Chase Smith  So G 57 Bradley Hann  Jr OT 61 Stephen Miller  So C 62 Patrick Doucette  So G 63 Nate Murray  Sr G 65 Matt Milner  So OT 66 Iyan Roseborough  Jr OT 71 Christian Williams  So OT 72 Andrew Lewis Jr OL 73 Cole Brummit Fr OL 76 Will Morris Fr OL 77 Tyler Thacker Fr G 78 Chad Reed  Jr OL 79 Garrett Barker Fr WR 80 Samuel Patterson Sr TE 81 Chad Jacob  Jr WR 82 Matthew Nicholson Jr WR 83 Isaiah Parker Fr TE 85 Kevin Carson So TE 86 John Mobley  So WR 89 Will Wampler Fr	Defense Pos. # Name Class CB 1 Caleb Furlow  Sr LB 2 Bradley Lipscomb  Jr LB 3 Tony Richardson So LB 5 Darnell Ashton Jr CB 7 Damian Jones  Jr S 14 Greg Sanders So CB 19 Doug Moore Sr S 20 Alex James Sr S 25 Alex Keys  Jr DB 28 John Porter Fr DB 29 Karee Carter Fr DB 30 Gabe Sutherland  So DB 31 Eddie Stawowczyk  So DB 32 John Strozyk  So CB 33 Tyruig Trotman Fr LB/P 34 Bill Hogan  So DB 35 Scott Frazier  So CB 36 Michael Williams  So S 38 Alijah Robinson Jr DB 41 Uzoma Kpaduwa Fr LB 42 Troy Barden  So LB 44 Ryan Francis  Jr LB 45 Tyler Fedison Fr LB 46 Allan Cratsenberg So DE 52 Zack Baker So LB 53 Arnold Roots Fr DL 55 Daniel Rader  So LB 56 Brian Ellis  Jr LB 58 Brian Lipscomb  So LB 59 Chris Copeland  Sr DL 60 Thad Stevenson-Panchisin Fr LB 67 Derek Wilson Fr LB 68 Brad Mallory Fr LB 69 Jameson Donahue Fr DL 73 Connor Mildrum  Jr DB 84 Mandela Kabi Fr LB 87 Cody Peregoy Fr DE 88 J. C. Garvin  Jr DE 90 Robert de Wolff  Jr DL 91 Xavier Greenfield So DT 92 Walker Hays Jr DT 93 Denton Ensminger Sr DT 94 Amon-Ra Clay  So DL 95 Shavon Henderson  So LB 96 Seth Mallory  Jr DE 97 Jarrod Richmond Fr DL 98 Casey Phillips Fr DE 99 Joe Nelson  Jr	Special teams Pos. # Name Class P/QB 12 Hayden Alford  Jr PK 27 Dillon Christopher Jr PK 64 Tommy Smith Fr	Head coach Scott Wachenheim – 1st year Coordinators/assistant coaches Dustin Ward (Offensive Coordinator – 1st year Tom Clark (Defensive coordinator/Secondary) – 1st year Tim Maypray (Running Backs) – 1st year Justin Wood (Inside Linebackers) – 1st year Justin Hamilton (Outside Linebackers) – 2nd year Brad Robbins (Wide Receivers) – 3rd year Gordon Sammis (Offensive Line) – 1st year Josh Zidenberg (Secondary) – 1st year Mike Saint Germain (Defensive Line) – 1st year Jimmy Whitten (Strength & Conditioning) – 12th year Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt Roster Last update: August 27, 2015

VMI released its schedule on February 3, 2015. The schedule features six home games and five road contests. VMI will face Ball State on the road in the season opener on a Thursday night. The home opener will be September 12 against Pioneer League member Morehead State. The Keydets will play one team from the commonwealth of Virginia, Richmond, after not playing a team from Virginia in 2014. VMI will host conference rivals Samford, Chattanooga, Wofford, and Western Carolina, and will travel to Furman, Mercer, and The Citadel.

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 3	7:00 pm	at Ball State*	Scheumann Stadium Muncie, IN	ESPN3	L 36–48	10,473
September 12	1:30 pm	Morehead State*	Alumni Memorial Field Lexington, VA	ESPN3	W 43–40	5,016
September 19	6:00 pm	at No. 22 Richmond*	Robins Stadium Richmond, VA (Rivalry)	CSN MA+	L 10–42	8,700
September 26	3:00 pm	at Furman	Paladin Stadium Greenville, SC	ESPN3	L 21–24	7,915
October 3	1:30 pm	Bucknell*	Alumni Memorial Field Lexington, VA	ESPN3	L 22–28 OT	3,713
October 10	1:30 pm	Samford	Alumni Memorial Field Lexington, VA	ESPN3	L 13–49	4,875
October 17	1:30 pm	No. 6 Chattanooga	Alumni Memorial Field Lexington, VA	ESPN3	L 27–33	6,104
October 24	3:00 pm	at Mercer	Moye Complex Macon, GA	ESPN3	W 28–21	9,754
October 31	1:30 pm	Wofford	Alumni Memorial Field Lexington, VA	ESPN3	L 20–41	4,437
November 7	2:00 pm	at No. 25 The Citadel	Johnson Hagood Stadium Charleston, SC (Military Classic of the South)	ESPN3	L 14–35	14,925
November 21	1:30 pm	Western Carolina	Alumni Memorial Field Lexington, VA	ESPN3	L 20–24	4,523
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

• Source: Schedule