Profile on Running Back Dan Dash
Dan Dash, the Holy Cross High School Senior Running Back, recently took time to do an interview with njsi.net. His Q & A Feature Interview is about his playing career.
njsi.net: You are from Willingboro. Did you ever think about going to Willingboro High School? And why did you chose to go to Holy Cross?
Dan Dash: “I thought about going to Willingboro High School. Both my two older brothers and sisters go there now. And my two younger brothers and sister are going to go there, as she is a cheerleader and would like to be a cheerleader there. I wanted to be different and go somewhere different than them. I knew Holy Cross had good academics and a good football team.”
njsi.net: You have been the starting running back for the past three seasons. What does that mean to you?
DD: “It means you lead with leadership, so there’s a lot of people that’s looking up to me. And we have a lot of tradition here with good running backs. Its just me following the tradition and leading this team. Maybe one day I could be called one of the greats from here.”
njsi.net: Holy Cross has a rich tradition with running backs. Wali Lundy, who went on to play in the NFL with the Houston Texans, among others, have played that position for the Lancers. What do you think about being next in line?
DD: “Pretty much I’m trying to be my own running back. I have some big foot steps to follow into to follow next in line. And I am just trying to do what I can do to be a good running back here.”
njsi.net: Speaking of running backs, do you pattern your running style after a certain running back in college or the pros or in the past? If so, who?
DD: “I do not pattern my game after another running back. I am just trying to do my best to do what I can do to help the team.”
njsi.net: During the past few years, you were able to get hand-offs from Tom Reilly, who broke a lot of school and Conference records last year, before graduation and moving on to Marist. Why was he so good at the high school level?
DD: “Tom Reilly’s a great quarterback. He knew the defenses well and could come up with an audible at the line that would work. He was a great all-around player — he could pass, he could run.”
njsi.net: Charlie Pirillo, the former Holy Cross head coach, who retired after last season, coached at Holy Cross for two-years after coming out of retirement at Northern Burlington after the 2005 season. Could you talk about him as your former coach?
DD: “Coach P was a great coach. He was hard on us sometimes and sometimes he was easy on us. We didn’t have a lot of time to relax. He wanted us to work hard to become a better team and better players. At the same time, he was a good coach and his record showed it.”
njsi.net: Last year, Holy Cross only had one loss on the season to Florence in November, but ended up winning the State Championship, the first State Championship since 2000. Could you talk about winning the State’s in Charlie’s last game as your coach?
DD: “That was great to win the State Championship. We had a good team last year, and it was a great feeling to come out and win that Championship, as a team. It was great to win it for Charlie in his last game with us last year.”
njsi.net: After Charlie retired, defensive coordinator Tim McAneney, who was previously the head coach at Bishop Eustace Prep for 9-years, took over the coaching duties. Could you talk about Coach Mac as your current coach?
DD: “Coach McAneney is a great coach. He came in and is very disciplined. He’s real strict on what we do, but at the same time, we have a lot of fun. We learned a lot from him this year in just the few months that he’s coached us. Its good to learn from Coach Mac, who was the defensive coordinator last year.”
njsi.net: Holy Cross liked to throw a lot last year, as well as letting you run a lot, as well, in Charlie’s high-powered offense. But Coach McAneney, when he was the head coach at Bishop Eustace Prep, liked to run the ball first and throw the ball second. How does your game relate to his coaching style?
DD: “It pretty much stays the same. We love to pounds the ball and get 4-to-5-yards-per-carry. Teams know that we are going to run against them, but they can’t figure out ways to stop us. Getting 4-to-5-yards-per-carry is good in any body’s book. That’s kind of what we do, besides passing the ball.”
njsi.net: Earlier this season, you had to sit out a few games due to an ankle injury. Do you see that injury hampering you the rest of this season?
DD: “No, I don’t. I just have to stay off of it and rest it, so it doesn’t become a problem again. I’ve been doing pretty good in practice and the last couple of games of not re-injuring it. So, no, I don’t think it will be a problem again.”
njsi.net: Its very hard for team to win back-to-back State Championships at any level in high school athletics. Could you talk about how Cross will try to win 2 State Championships in a row this year?
DD: “We have a good team. We’re pretty strong still, but we lost a lot of people (to graduation). At the same time, we got a lot of young kids that stepped up and this year and has done their thing in replacing the seniors that we lost. So, yes, I think we could possibly go back and with it again this year.”
njsi.net: Elijah Phillips has been a talented wide receiver for Holy Cross the past couple of years; Reilly’s second favorite target during the time behind Mark Singer, the current Toledo wide receiver. Why is Phillips a good wide receiver?
DD: “Elijah’s got great hands and great speed. He’s very talented, and I grew up with him, so he’s like my brother almost. We’re very close.”
njsi.net: As a senior, you have been able to get recruited by college football teams. Have you heard from any schools yet? And do you have any recruiting firms helping you with recruiting?
DD: “I have received looks from two schools already. I have heard from Stony Brook University and Holy Cross College. I am going to visit them, but as of right now, I don’t know if I’m going there. A school might come in late (in the recruiting process), and I might like them better.”
Written by Anthony Caruso III for NJSI
