Verona's Chris Looney, who is now a sophomore wide receiver at Colgate University, enjoyed a splendid senior season as a Hillbilly with school-record 86 catches in 2008. (Photo by Doug Allen)

The combination of Chris Looney (84) and Carlo Calabrese (4) was lethal for the opposition during their memorable senior seasons together in 2008. (Photo by Bill Allen-N.J. Sport/Action)

Verona's Chris Looney (84) was a handful for the Hoboken secondary as he helped lead Hillbillies past the Redwings for the 2008 North 2, Group 1 playoff title. (Photo by Todd Mundt)

A Now Fully Recovered Looney Excited
About His Upcoming Season At Colgate
By Steve Tober
For sidelinechatter.com

Even though he came out of Verona High School as a first-team All-Essex wide receiver with quite a resume that included having set a new Hillbilly single-season reception record his senior year, Chris Looney certainly knew that he was going to have plenty of challenges ahead in the next stage in his football life, that as a freshman at Colgate University.

The fact he saw action on just one play during the entire 2009 season, that being on an onsides kick team, did not discourage the cerebral first-year college football player who took the time to observe how everyone went about their business and to practice as hard as he could to try and build his stock in the program.

What he did not envision was suffering a knee injury when he was diving for a ball in the first skill drill of the very first spring practice this past March 27, an injury to the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), which fortunately did not require surgery, but forced him to the sidelines for nearly two months as he also fell behind the other wide receivers competing for playing time, at least for the moment.

Now fully recovered and excited about competing for time his sophomore season with the Red Raiders, Looney is bigger and stronger than when he first arrived at the Hamilton, N.Y. based college last summer as a still rather slender 175-pounder on a 6-foot-3 frame.

The bigger and stronger 200-pound former Hillbilly star is raring to get started and is already ensconced on the Colgate campus anxiously awaiting the start of official pre-season practice on Aug. 8.

“I’m excited and looking forward to competing for a starting job this season,” said Looney when reached by phone in his college residence this past Monday night. “I know I lost a lot in terms of getting the opportunity to try and prove myself in spring ball because of the injury, but I also feel I’ve learned a lot since coming here from high school, and I’m very pleased with my progress after recovering from the injury and I’m back to full strength, doing all the drills and conditioning I’m supposed to do in order to prepare for the new season.”

For a young man who caught a Hillbilly single-season record 86 passes (for 1,250 yards and 14 touchdowns) for an 11-1 squad that won the North 2, Group 1 playoff championship in Giants Stadium, the journey at the next level is still very much in its burgeoning stages, and he’s more than willing to put the time and effort into doing the necessary work in order to get there as a Red Raider college receiver.

“The difference between high school and here is that the players in college are just a lot bigger and stronger, and you have to adjust to that,” said Looney. “I came in at 175 pounds and I simply have had to put on a lot of weight, doing it in a healthy way by eating good food, but eating a lot of it.

“I’ve added 25 pounds and I feel good. The conditioning is a lot tougher in terms of doing a lot of running. I wouldn’t say the weight room work is any more than high school, but here we’re doing plenty of 110’s and 300’s (meter runs).”

With the graduation of standout Pat Simonds (team-leading 66 receptions for 1,012 yards and 14 TDs), who received a brief look by the Philadelphia Eagles, Colgate has some opening in the wide receiver corps this fall as the Red Raiders try to keep up the success evidenced with last year’s 9-2 campaign. With injuries and academic casualties added in, there are eight wide outs expected in camp, Looney said, and four of those are freshmen.

“We have some young wide receivers and we have a real good slot receiver in Doug Roznick (29 receptions for 396 yards in 2009), who runs the best routes on the team,” said the ex-Hillbilly Group 1 all-state selection. “I’m going to work as hard as I can, run good routes and catch as many balls as I can.”

A big plus for the Colgate offense is that veteran starting quarterback Greg Sullivan (58.7 % completion rate, 18 TD passes in 2009), one of the top leaders on the team, is back for his senior season.

“Greg is a real good college quarterback and having him back is a tremendous plus going into the season,” said Looney. “It’s a totally different game as a receiver in college with all the different coverages you have to learn, and having Greg there as the passer is going to really help our receivers.”

Colgate, which is ranked No. 9 in the country by Lindy’s in one Division 1-AA pre-season poll, returns 15 starters from last fall’s very successful 9-2 squad, including first-team All-Patriot League tailback Nate Eachus.

If it’s athleticism that you’re looking for when it comes to Verona’s up-and-coming Red Raider Looney, all-around sports skills are a definite plus in the Colgate sophomore’s corner. He was a tremendous basketball player at Verona in addition to making himself into one of the top football players in Essex County.

“I still miss hoops a lot, but we’re not supposed to play so I have to stay away from pick-up games,” said Looney. “Football is a big commitment, but I love it, and I make sure I spend time keeping up with my studies because Colgate is a great academic school.”

Looney is majoring in international relations and says he has an interest in government, perhaps even working one day in a state department, but isn’t sure what he’ll wind up doing.

For now, he’s simply enjoying competing in college football and in the classroom. Plus, he’s healthy and ready to go for the 2010 fall campaign.

“We have a great schedule, including a game in the (Carrier) Dome against Syracuse (Sept. 25), which will be a great experience, but right now we’re just focusing on our opener with Monmouth (Sept. 8 at Colgate).

“For me, it’s being ready to go and having the chance to show what I can do on the field that is most exciting for me right now!”

LOONEY/VERONA TIDBITS- Chris’ very athletic family includes younger brother Nick, who will be a junior on the Verona soccer team this fall, a squad coached by the brothers’ dad, Wayne Looney. Mom Kathy is a fourth grade teacher in the Paramus school system. Wayne teaches physical education for grades 3-8 in Morris Plains…Chris is excited about the progress of his former Hillbilly teammates also striving for playing time or already shining at the college level. All-state linebacker Carlo Calabrese is raising his stock at Notre Dame. “Carlo had an interception and five tackles, including one for a loss, in the spring game, and is really coming along great at ND,” said Looney. “(Wide receiver) Dan DePalma had a breakout year at Westchester with 45 catches for 832 yards and 9 TDs. Chris Mallory-Hughes is a sophomore cornerback at Westchester. Lou Greco is a lineman at Muhlenberg, Mitch Roshong is the quarterback at Salve-Regina, (running back) Mike Canfora has done some great things at Bryant, and Hunter Mason is an O-lineman at Catholic. Plus, Brian Hardenberg will be a freshman at Ithaca and Jusin Bruso will be in his first year at TCNJ (The College of New Jersey)”…Colgate’s head coach is Dick Biddle, who is now in his 15 th season as the winningest coach (113-51) in Red Raider history, while Looney’s wide receiver coach is Chris Young, a 35-year-old former Nutley High School gridder…Among the other Colgate Red Raiders from Northern New Jersey are senior tight end Nick Cvetic (Clifton), junior D-lineman Greg Kafaf (Don Bosco Prep), sophomore DB Kurt Roskelly (Pope John), sophomore O-lineman Brian Crockett (St. Mary’s of Rutherford) and freshman quarterback Gavin McCarney (Jefferson).

Verona's memorable 2008 playoff championship team that defeated Hoboken in the final at Giants Stadium was led by a veteran, core group of seniors. From left, are: Chris Looney, Carlo Calabrese, head coach Lou Racioppe and Chris Scheper. (Photo by Bill Allen-N.J. Sport/Action)

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