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West Media Day Photo Gallery (courtesy of Slippery Rock)
East Media Day Photo Galley (courtesy of Kutztown)
Lock Haven, Pa. - For the sixth straight season, the California Vulcans have been tabbed the favorite to win the PSAC West while Bloomsburg has been selected unanimously to win the PSAC East. This marks the second time in the last three seasons that the Huskies have been picked to win the East. The Vulcans and Huskies top the divisions in the 2011 PSAC football coaches' preseason poll that is being announced today as a part of PSAC football media day.
Bloomsburg will be looking to advance to the PSAC Championship game for the second straight season while California will look to return to the "State Game" this year after missing it last season for the first time since it was reinstated for the 2008 season. The Vulcans claimed the PSAC title in 2008 before falling to Shippensburg in the 2009 game. Last season, Mercyhurst won its first PSAC title by topping the Huskies in the championship game. Additionally, the Vulcans will be looking to make their fifth straight appearance in the NCAA playoffs. California had its run of three straight regional title snapped last season as Bloomsburg knocked out the Vulcans in the first round of the playoffs. The Huskies will be looking to return to the playoffs for the third time in the last four seasons and the fourth time in the last seven years.
In a complete reversal of last year's Eastern Division preseason poll when four different teams received first place votes, not including the team that finished first in the poll in West Chester, Bloomsburg received all eight first place votes to be the consensus pick to win the division. Kutztown, which finished just one game behind the Huskies in last year's standings and advanced to the NCAA playoffs for the first time in school history, came in second as the Golden Bears were listed in second on six of the eight ballots. West Chester and C.W. Post follow in third and fourth place, respectively, as those two teams were separated by just one point. East Stroudsburg came in fifth, just two points ahead of sixth place Shippensburg, while Millersville and Cheyney rounded out the poll.
The Western Division featured a very close race for the top spot as both California and second place Mercyhurst received four first place votes apiece and the Vulcans edged out the Lakers by just two points for the top spot. This represented a departure for the preseason polls of the past three seasons when the PSAC started tracking first place votes in its preseason polls as California received a majority of first place votes in each of the last three polls. IUP and Slippery Rock tied for third place while Gannon came in fifth, two points ahead of sixth place Edinboro. Clarion and Lock Haven rounded out the poll.
The results of the coaches' poll are listed below. First place votes are in parenthesis.
Eastern Division
1. Bloomsburg (8)
2. Kutztown
3. West Chester
4. C.W. Post
5. East Stroudsburg
6. Shippensburg
7. Millersville
8. Cheyney
Western Division
1. California (4)
2. Mercyhurst (4)
T3. IUP
T3. Slippery Rock
5. Gannon
6. Edinboro
7. Clarion
8. Lock Haven
Eastern Division
Bloomsburg (10-3, 7-0) is the favorite in the PSAC East for the second time in the last three years as the defending Eastern Division champion Huskies are coming off their second NCAA playoff appearance in the last three seasons. They are loaded on experience on offense and although they lost seven defensive starters from last season, including PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year Mike Varanavage, they return two of their top three tacklers from a year ago in linebacker Jarrett Pidgeon and defensive back Oscar Rivera.
The offense is keyed by senior quarterback Pat Carey and sophomore running back Franklyn Quiteh, who will both enter their second season as starters. Carey stepped in nicely to fill the shoes of four-year starter Dan Latorre last year as he ranked fourth in the PSAC in passing efficiency, threw the fifth-most touchdown passes in the league and threw the third-fewest interceptions of any starting QB in the PSAC with just 10 - all while running the PSAC's second-highest scoring offense and third-highest yard-producing unit in the conference. His job was made easier by the production of Quiteh. After entering the season as a fourth-string running back and looking at a possible redshirt season, Quiteh was elevated to the first string due to injuries and responded by becoming just the fourth back in PSAC history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season. He led Division II in total rushing yards and rushing average and was one of only two backs in all four NCAA divisions to finish the season with over 2,000 rushing yards. The 2010 Harlon Hill Trophy finalist and the PSAC East Freshman of the Year, Quiteh now returns to see what he can do for an encore to the greatest season for a freshman back in Bloomsburg and PSAC history and he will have a very experienced supporting cast around him. His lead blocker returns in senior fullback Matt Cox as do three offensive linemen, including All-PSAC East first teamers Daryl Kurtz and Chris Steck. Second-string running back Codie Butler also returns, all making for what should once again be one of the PSAC's top rushing units. The Bloomsburg passing game also proved to be productive when needed last year and it returns two of its top four targets from last year in junior Kyle Fisher and senior Tyler Guise.
The Bloomsburg defense was also one of the PSAC's top units last season, particularly against the run, but the Huskies return just one starter on the defensive line in John Pettine and one starting linebacker in Pidgeon, so they will have some holes to fill up front. The secondary will be looking to improve as it allowed the third-most passing yards per game on average in the PSAC. Veterans Rivera and Vince Browning will lead the way in the defensive backfield. Rivera broke up a PSAC-leading 16 passes last season while Browning led the Huskies in interceptions with four. Bloomsburg also appears to be solid once again on special teams as top kicker returner Wallace Jamison returns after helping the Huskies rank second in the PSAC on average kickoff returns last season while sophomore kicker Dan Fisher returns as well after leading the conference in field goals with 20 (out of 24 attempts) last season as a freshman.
Along with PSAC champion Mercyhurst, Kutztown (10-2, 6-1) was the surprise of the league last year. After being picked to finish sixth in the preseason poll, Kutztown raced out to a 9-0 record, the best start in school history, and finished with the most wins in school history, both overall and in the PSAC East, en route to the first NCAA playoff appearance in school history. It was the offense and special teams that were largely responsible for those historical numbers and nearly all of the pieces are back from the offense that led the PSAC in scoring and passing.
PSAC East Offensive Player of the Year Kevin Morton returns to lead the Golden Bears' high-powered air attack a year after putting up the third-highest total offensive output in PSAC history (behind only former Harlon Hill Trophy winner Jimmy Terwilliger) and the fourth-highest total passing yards in league history. Morton also completed the third-most passes in conference history and had the fifth-most touchdown passes. All four starter receivers return in Erik Frazier, Josh Smith, Colby Tuell and Chris McCormick, who all averaged at least 50 receiving yards per game and totaled at least 40 receptions and 650 receiving yards in 2010. That quartet also combined for 30 touchdown receptions. The team's fifth-leading receiver was running back Josh Mastromatto, who also returns. Mastromatto was almost as productive of a receiver as he was a runner as he averaged just over 26 yards per contest in receiving yards and caught six touchdowns while averaging just over 37 on the ground while rushing for eight scores and putting up an impressive 5.3 yards per carry average. As a team, while Kutztown averaged the third-fewest rushing yards per contest, the Golden Bears tied for the sixth-best rushing average per carry in the conference as they proved more than capable of running when needed. Two experienced offensive linemen return in seniors Aaron McGlynn and Nick Maloney to lead what should be a solid running game, which also adds a potential impact running back in Connecticut transfer Robbie Frey.
The Kutztown defense is the side of the ball that will likely need improvement if the Golden Bears are going to build on their historic season of a year ago. Kutztown ranked better against the run than the pass, which included leading the PSAC in fumble recoveries, and three starters return from the defensive line in seniors Jason Henshaw, Colin Henny and Bill McMonigle. The Golden Bears will have to replace its entire group of starting linebackers, however, and the team's top four tacklers from last year are all gone. Strong safely Jason Ulmer is the team's top returning tackler and he and fellow junior Alex DiNolfi will look to lead a secondary that will be looking to improve on what was the PSAC's worst passing defense last year. Kutztown will also need to plug some holes on special teams, which were a big part of its success in 2010. Kicker/punter Matt Dineen graduated after ranking second in the league in punting average and making 8-of-11 field goals while punt returner Kendell Coleman has also departed after helping the Bears rank second in the PSAC in punt return average. On the bright side, Mastromatto returns after ranking second in the conference in kick return average at 24.6 yards per return.
Coming off its first losing season since 2002, West Chester (4-7, 4-3) will be looking to return to the top of the PSAC East standings. In order to do so, the Golden Rams will need to return its defense to the place it had resided up until last year - at or near the top of the PSAC - all while continuing to get production out of the offense that traditionally ranks among the best in the PSAC, especially in its passing game.
A year after leading the PSAC in rushing and total defense in 2009, the Golden Rams fell to near the bottom of the league in most defensive categories last year as it had the fewest returning starters in the league on defense. This year, West Chester returns five starters on a defense that will be a bit more experienced. Linebackers Anthony McCloskey and Mike Pereira will lead the group while cornerback Matt Colyar is entering his third year as a starter and will be joined in the secondary by junior free safety John O'Donnell. The defensive front is one area the Rams will need to improve on as just one starter returns in sophomore Nick Garcia from a unit that struggled stopping the run, allowing the third-most rushing yards in the PSAC.
The Golden Rams have had one of the best passing games in the PSAC in recent years, ranking in the top five in each of head coach Bill Zwaan's eight years as head coach, and that should be the case this year once again as junior Mike Mattei returns. He will be pushed by sophomore Sean McCartney, who threw seven touchdowns and just one interception and started one game for an injured Mattei in the sixth game of the year and then saw action in four of the final five games. Transfers Matt Carroll and Brent Gillespie are also in the mix for starting QB. Top receiver Dan DePalma, who was responsible for nearly half of the team's touchdown receptions last year, has departed. Running backs Jackson Fagan and Rondell White are the next two leading returning receivers while Tim Keyser and LaRonn Lee return after a solid freshman campaigns. Fagan and White, who also doubled last year as the team's primary punt and kick returners, respectively, also have the potential to be a strong combination in the backfield as they will run behind three returning senior starters on the offensive line. Fagan led the team in carries last year while being part of a two-back rotation while White averaged an impressive 5.8 yards per carry in limited backfield duty.
C.W. Post (7-4, 5-2) has improved its record in each of its three years in the PSAC, going from 3-8 in 2008 to 6-5 in 2009 and 7-4 last year. In order to continue that improvement and return to the NCAA playoffs for the first time as a member of the PSAC, the Pioneers will need to replace one of the most productive quarterbacks in the league over the last two years in Erik Anderwkavich, the top rushing QB in the conference last year who also finished second in total offense and passing to help Post have the top total offense in the conference. With the exception of the QB position, the Pioneers look to have an experienced squad on both offense and defense for the most part.
Redshirt freshman Steven Laurino appears to have the inside track to the starting position under center while true freshmen Tyler Heuer and Andrew Vital will also compete for the starting job in preseason camp. Laurino will have his older brother, Grayson Laurino, to throw to as he along with Joe Botti return after ranking third and second on the team, respectively, in receptions and receiving yards last year. Their presence should help lessen the loss of leading receiver Darnel Williams, who led the PSAC in receptions per game last year. Top backs Anthony Brunetti and Thomas Beverly, the 2009 PSAC East Freshman of the Year, both return after putting up nearly identical numbers last year, which contributed to the Pioneers having the third-best rushing game in the league. They combined for over 1,100 yards on the season and 100 yards per game in the ground while both averaged over 5.0 yards per carry. With three experienced starters back on the offensive line, prospects are good for the Pioneer running game.
The Pioneer defense will be looking to improve on 2010 numbers that had it ranked in the lower half of the PSAC in most categories. However, several key players return, which should help that process. Linebackers Billy O'Connor and Ronnie Modik, who ranked first and fourth in the PSAC in tackles per game, both are back to lead a strong group of linebackers while defensive lineman Lou Scala, who ranked third on the team in tackles, also returns and is one of three returning starters on the defensive line. C.W. Post's strongest part of its defense last year was against the pass but only one starter returns in the secondary.
East Stroudsburg (3-8, 2-5) will have some big holes to fill on both sides of the ball as quarterback Matt Marshall, the starter for the last two seasons, has departed along with two of his top receivers, as has standout linebacker Matt Freed. But several experienced players also return for the Warriors, who will be looking to get back into the upper half of the PSAC East standings just two years after qualifying for the NCAA playoffs in 2009.
While the Warrior defense lost its leader from the past few years in Freed as well as a mainstay in its secondary in David Castillo, it does have six returning starters that are all seniors. Among this group is the second and third-leading tacklers from last year in free safety Herschel Thornton and linebacker Taylor Cave. Also returning for their third season as starters are Rudy Cerami on the defensive line and Shawnte Carroll at cornerback. East Stroudsburg should be helped by a solid group of special teams as the Warriors return kicker Taylor Groff (16 FGs in 21 attempts) as well as kicker returner Joe Klebon and punt returner Jordan Hallman. Those individuals all helped the Warriors rank among the best in the PSAC in kickoff returns and tops in the league in kickoff coverage.
Senior Ray Wagner will slide into the starting quarterback position after serving at Marshall's backup the past two seasons. He played in seven games last year and although leading receiver Ed Kiser as well as Jeff Giglio are gone, several Warriors that played a big part in ESU's highly-productive air attack return. Ten players caught at least 10 passes for the Warriors last year and seven of those return, led by sophomore Dusty Reed and junior Wade Williams, who each caught 31 balls in 2010, tied for the second-most on the team. Although East Stroudsburg has ranked in the lower half of the league in rushing in recent years, the Warriors may be more equipped to run this season as all five starters return on the offensive line, including senior Dan Caffrey, a four-year starter at center. Three experienced backs also return in juniors Kendrick Williams, a returning All-PSAC East selection, and Eric Deery as well as Klebon, a sophomore.
Shippensburg (5-6, 3-4) will be entering a new era as Mark Maciejewski, the team's secondary and assistant head coach for the past five seasons, takes over as head coach after longtime leader Rocky Rees retired after last season following a 21-year run as head coach of the Raiders. While the majority of players from the 2009 PSAC championship team have moved on, the Raiders do have some experience on both sides of the ball, which should make for an easier transition for the new head coach.
The Raider offense ranked at or around the middle of the PSAC in most offensive categories last season. Junior quarterback Steven Adams returns after turning in a decent year in his first year as starter. Adams, who entered as a starter in the second game of the 2010 season and remained the starter for the rest of the year, finished the year in the top 10 of the PSAC in both passing average and pass efficiency, as he threw more touchdowns than interceptions. However, he only completed just over half of his passes, so improving on that number will be a key to the Raiders' offensive success. A big factor in helping that along will be the return of junior wide receiver Bryan Barley, who led the Raiders in receiving yards and receiving yards per game last season as he was the team's split end in the Wing-T attack. As the Raiders tinker with their offensive sets, they will have two experienced running backs that excelled in that system in juniors Kevin Herod and Mike Frenette. That duo combined for nearly 900 yards and seven touchdowns last year as they were just two of five backs that received at least 50 carries.
Only five starters return to the Raider defense but that group looks to be strong up the middle. Linebackers Vinnie Ranauto and Cody Fleming, the team's second and third-leading tacklers last season, respectively, both return and will be counted on to provide leadership to what should be a young Raider defense. In front of them will be junior nose tackle Mark Kahlil Smith, and sophomore defensive end Dainen Green. Both recorded 24 total tackles last year on the defensive line as starters. The secondary returns Avery Coleman and Corey Hunt in the defensive backfield. Special team are an area in which improvement could really give a boost to the overall team as the duo of Drew Newcomer and Nate Schmidt, while combining to go a respectable 8-for-11 on field goals, also combined to miss eight PATs last season. Shippensburg also has a big hole to fill in the return game as Kevin Marshall, one of the PSAC's best kick return men the past few seasons, exhausted his eligibility.
Despite having one of the best passing offenses in the PSAC last year, Millersville (2-9, 0-7) struggled overall, finishing last in the PSAC East. This year, the Marauders ability to climb out of last place will largely hinge on how well the can replace the production of their only two lost starters on offense and how well an almost all-new defense can improve on numbers that have ranked near the bottom of the PSAC for the last few years, including last in overall defense last season.
Millersville returns nine starters on offense but the two starters it does not return from last year were responsible for a large part of the Marauders' offense the last few seasons. QB Bill Shirk, who finished fourth in passing yards per game in the PSAC, and Jamal Smith, the PSAC's leading receiver and the only one to accumulate over 1,000 receiving yards last year, are both gone. Senior Kevin Fowle is the only quarterback on the roster that has attempted a collegiate pass, and he threw just two last season. Fowle, or whoever wins the job, will have some experience around him, as Matt Egenrieder, the Marauders' second-option behind Smith in the passing game for the past few years, returns after averaging over 60 receiving yards per game last year. Also returning is sophomore Dominic Sanders, who showed flashes of potential last year, and senior tight end Greg Frantz, an All-PSAC East second team selection. The Marauders also may turn to more of a ground attack this year behind Mike Jones, who averaged an impressive 4.5 yards per carry and over 60 yards per game in eight games last year in his first season as a Marauder. He will have the luxury to running behind an offensive line that has all five starters returning.
The defense is the area the will need the most improvement as Millersville gave up over 400 yards of total offense in seven of 11 games in 2010. Not surprisingly, in two of the four games in which the Marauders held their opponent to under 400 yards, they won. Only three starters are back, but the return of junior linebacker Pat Maloney should give the defense a boost. Maloney ranked among the nation's top tacklers through five games before he was lost for the season due to a shoulder injury. Despite only playing in five games, Maloney still finished fourth on the team in total tackles, illustrating how important he was and will be to the defense. Strong safety Gary Tillman, who had just one fewer tackle than Maloney in nine games played, also returns and should be a key in the secondary.
Although Cheyney (1-10, 1-6) lost its head coach of the last three seasons in Jeff Braxton when he elected to take another position during the offseason, there is reason for some optimism around the Wolves' program. Not only did Cheyney take a step forward last year by snapping a long losing streak, but the Wolves also have some experience back on both sides of the ball and on special teams heading into 2011 under new interim head coach Ken Lockard.
Headlining this list of experienced returnees is sophomore running back Marcus Jones. As a true freshman last season, Jones finished fifth in the PSAC in rushing yards per game at just over 100. While averaging an impressive 5.6 yards per carry, which was second in the PSAC among starting running backs, Jones totaled 917 yards on the ground in just nine games, as he did not debut until Cheyney's third game of the season. His performance garnered him first team All-PSAC East honors and helped the Wolves have the fourth-best rushing offense in the PSAC. It may be a bit more of a challenge for Jones to run this year as the Wolves will have five new starters on the offensive line. However, Cheyney should be helped by the fact that its starting quarterback from last year returns in senior Chris Anderson. Stability under center has been a problem for Cheyney in recent years but Anderson will bring some to the position this year. He completed just 42.5 percent of his passes last season in his first year as starter but only threw six interceptions and had seven touchdowns. Getting the passing game to produce more should help Cheyney to get out of last place in the PSAC in passing offense. Senior Dominic Crowell and sophomore Prince Stewart are returning starters at receiver.
Cheyney's defense also showed and marked improvement last season as it allowed nearly 20 fewer yards per game than it did in 2009. The bulk of that improvement came in its run defense, which has been a problem for the Wolves in recent years, all while keeping its strength of pass defense at nearly the same level as 2009. Only Stan Banks returns as a starter in the secondary, but with three returning starters on both the defensive line and at linebacker, this year is as good as any for the Wolves to further improve on rushing defense. Leading the way among the returning starters up front is senior Tim Hume, who had nearly 10 sacks and 15 tackles for loss a season ago. Linebacker Thomas Stewart, the team's leading tackler from last year, also returns as do fellow starting linebackers Frank Lyburn and Cory Brown. The Wolves should also be experienced on special teams as junior kicker/punter Tyler Wilkinson returns for his third year as a starter.
Western Division
For the first time since 2006, California (10-2, 6-1) did not win the NCAA regional title last year. That, however, did not stop the Vulcans from winning at least a share of the PSAC West title for the sixth straight year and qualifying for the NCAA playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. The Vulcans are favored to continue both of those streaks this year as once again, their defense looks to be one of the strongest in the PSAC.
The Vulcans led the PSAC in most defensive categories last season, including rushing, passing, overall and scoring defense. They allowed more than 30 points just twice and held nine of 12 opponents under 300 yards. Eight starters return from that unit, led by Cal's two leading tacklers in senior linebacker Brett Diamond and senior safety Erik Harris, who in addition to combining for over 120 tackles also tallied 15 tackles for loss and eight passes defended. Cal's secondary should be especially strong as Harris is joined by veterans Shawn Anderson, Rontez Miles and Patrick Swearinger. That quartet combined for 10 interceptions last season and helped the Vulcans co-lead the PSAC in picks with 21. Linebacker is the most inexperienced position for the Vulcans as Diamond is the only returning starter at that position but three returning seniors on the defensive line should help with that as Marcus Cook, Kevin Crawford and Thomas Mulabah all return to head up a rush defense that held seven opponents to under 100 yards rushing last season and only twice allowed opponents to gain over 150 yards on the ground.
The Vulcan offense sustained more losses than the defense, particularly at the quarterback position, but two returning starters at the skill position are capable of putting up big numbers. Running back Lamont Smith returns after ranking fourth in the PSAC in rushing yard and rushing yards per game in his inaugural season with the Vulcans. Although Cal's second and third-leading receivers from last season are gone, leading receiver Chedrick Cherry returns after leading the teams in catches, receiving yards and touchdown catches. Also a potentially explosive kick returner, Cherry averaged 25.4 yards per kick return last fall. Tight end is also a position of experience for Cal as junior Blake Williamson returns. Charged with getting the ball to talented receivers like Cherry will be Peter Lalich, a redshirt junior transfer from Oregon State who started his career at Virginia. He takes over the position from Josh Portis, who was one of the PSAC's most productive signal callers for the past two years. The Vulcans' kicking game will need to be reworked as well as Cal will be breaking in a new starting kicker and punter.
Mercyhurst (10-3, 6-1) will go from being the surprise of the PSAC last season to one of the favorites to win the title this season after the Lakers captured their first football conference championship in school history last season en route to the NCAA regional championship game. That followed being picked to finish seventh in last season's preseason poll.
The Lakers were carried last year by their defense, which held opponents to the second-fewest yards per game and were equally good against both the run and the pass. However, several key cogs from that defense have departed, including 2010 PSAC West Defensive Player of the Year Bryan Boyce. Only two players from the front seven return, but they are good ones in senior defensive lineman Dan Kruper and senior linebacker Kevin Williams. Kruper led the team in tackles for loss with 17.5 and was second in sacks with nine while Williams finished fifth on the team in tackles and was often overshadowed by teammates Boyce and Tim Herbener, who were the team's top two tacklers last season. The secondary looks to be the most experienced part of the Mercyhurst defense as first team All-PSAC West back Ian Wild returns as does Bryant Kimball. That duo finished third and fourth, respectively, on the team in tackles last season and helped contribute to the Lakers' 21 interceptions, which co-led the PSAC.
The Mercyhurst offense is loaded after taking about half of last season to develop. As a result, the Lakers only finished around the middle of the league in both scoring and total yards. However, after averaging just over 20 points per contest in its first five games, Mercyhurst averaged nearly 30 points per game in its last eight contests last season, which also coincided with Travis Rearick assuming the starting quarterback position. Rearick, who had the seventh-most passing yards in the PSAC despite starting just eight games, returns for his first full season as starter and he will have a plethora of weapons around him. Leading the way is senior wide receiver and PSAC West Offensive Player of the Year Trevor Kennedy, who led the PSAC in total catches and was third in reception per game. He is also perhaps the PSAC's best punt returner, as he averaged a league-leading 17.3 yards per return last season and took two back for touchdowns. Sophomore Terrance Coon combines with Kennedy to form a potent duo at receiver as they combined for over 1,700 yards and 19 touchdowns last fall. Fullback Jeff Groene was the team's third-leading receiver and he also returns, although he will be blocking for a new running back as leading rusher Gerald Anderson is the lone offensive starter from 2010 that is not returning.
A familiar name will take the reins of the IUP (6-5, 3-4) program as Curt Cignetti, former assistant coach at Alabama and son of longtime Crimson Hawk coach and athletic director Frank Cignetti enters his first year as head coach. The younger Cignetti will be looking to get the Crimson Hawks back to the top of the Western Division after the program finished with back-to-back sub-.500 records in PSAC West play the last two years for the first time since the 1977 and 1978 campaigns.
A big part of IUP's struggles the last few years have been due to injuries. With several players that missed significant time last year slated to return, the Crimson Hawks appear to have a solid nucleus to build around, particularly on offense. IUP's biggest and most significant injury last year was to its quarterback, Pat Smith, who broke his thumb in the team's second game and missed the remainder of the season. His absence contributed to the Crimson Hawks having the second-worst passing game in the PSAC but on a positive note, the Hawks had the league's second-best running game. Smith's return to action should boost IUP's passing game while the running game is also in good shape again as junior Harvie Tuck returns after rushing for over 1,100 yards in 2010 while backups Teddy Blakeman and James Johnson also return. The Crimson Hawks also return five players with starting experience on the offensive line, including tackle Louis Mobley, who missed all of last season with an injury after starting for two years prior to that. Development of a top, go-to receiver should also improve the passing game, as injuries have plagued IUP receivers for most of the last two years as well. A pair of seniors in Javon Rowan and Roy-al Edwards both return looking to wrap up their careers with productive seasons after both have missed several games over the last two seasons.
IUP was largely carried by its defense last season as it ranked in the upper half of the PSAC in most categories, allowing the third-fewest yards and fourth-fewest points. Although the offense figures to be improved this year, the Crimson Hawks will still likely need a strong defense to improve on its record. Junior Carl Thornton leads the way on the defensive line as he is entering his third season as a starter. Senior Mark Jackson, a safety throughout his career, will make the move to linebacker where he will help shore up an area that was hit hard by graduation. Jackson has since become even more valuable as last year's leading tackler, linebacker Mike Katch, was lost this season due to injury. Katch, Thornton and Jackson were the team's top three tacklers last season. The secondary returns senior starter Johnny Franco, along with sophomores Zach Severance and Mike Meriwether who, due to injuries, were thrust into starting roles last season as freshmen. On special teams, the Hawks will also have some holes to fill as four-year kicker Craig Burgess is gone as is punter Jared Kaufmann and primary kick returner Tobias Robinson.
In each of the past two seasons, Slippery Rock (6-5, 3-4) started impressively at 5-1 before staggering to 1-4 finishes to end each year at 6-5. With an abundance of experience returning on both sides of the ball, Slippery Rock may be poised to return to the upper half of the PSAC West and keep its hot start going through the entire year as it returns 18 starters, including nine on offense and seven on defense.
The strength of Slippery Rock's offense the past few years has been its running attack and this year figures to be no different as Akeem Satterfield, who accumulated the second-most rushing yards in the PSAC last season, both overall and per game, returns to lead what should be a strong Rock rushing attack, which also adds James Zubik, a former WPIAL standout that transfers in from Division III power Mount Union. Top backup running back LaQuinn Stephens-Howling also returns after averaging a solid 5.2 yards per carry while backing up Satterfield last season. The Rock should also have a strong offensive line once again despite the loss of NFL draft pick Brandon Fusco, who anchored the line over the past four seasons at center. Seniors A.J. Hopp, Austin Fedell and Dan Perz all return to block for Rock's rushing game. The passing game is what will likely need to have the most improvement for Rock to improve overall as its air game has struggled in recent seasons. Starting quarterback Ryan Sabo returns but he will compete with Cody Endres, a transfer from Connecticut, for the starting job. The starting quarterback will have some experienced receivers to throw to, led by senior Devin Goda, who had nearly half (54) of the team's total receptions (127) last season. Kevin Sanders and Mike Bongivengo, who entered last season in competition for the starting quarterback job before moving to receiver, also return.
The Rock's defense greatly improved last season, moving into the upper half of the PSAC in fewest points allowed. Rock's strength on defense for the last few years has been its pass defense and this year should be no different as three senior starters return to the secondary in cornerback Andre Freeman and safeties Jayson Nickson and Brandon Watters. That group combined to help allow the second-fewest passing yards in the PSAC last season, all while having the second-fewest number of interceptions. Rock's rushing defense will likely need some improvement if the team is going to contend for the West title but with two seniors returning on both the defensive line and at linebacker, the defense is poised to do just that. Leading the way up front is senior linebacker Zach Sheridan, who finished fifth in the PSAC in tackles last season and was one of just five individuals to record over 100 stops in 2010. Special teams were a strength for Slippery Rock last season and the punting unit should be just as strong as James McCombie returns for his second season as starter after helping Rock lead the PSAC in punting. However, C.J. Bahr, one of the top kickers in Rock history, has graduated, leaving the team with a big hole to fill. Junior Kurt Brackman, who filled in admirably for Bahr in two games last season, kicking three field goals and five extra points in as many attempts in those two contests is the heir apparent for the starting job at kicker, but will be challenged by incoming freshman and Big 33 Game kicker Michael Wainauskis.
Gannon (6-5, 4-3) is coming off back-to-back 6-5 seasons, which has marked the first time since 1994-95 that the Golden Knights finished with winning records in consecutive seasons. In order to make it three straight years with winning records, Gannon will need to find some immediate replacements on offense for several skill-position players that have graduated and its defense, which returns seven starters, will need to maintain its standing in the upper half of the PSAC after posting one of the best defensive improvements in the conference last season.
Gone from the offense is quarterback Zach Boedicker, who started the last two years, as well as backup Bob Bartley, who also started during his career. Sophomores Daniel Tapscott, Ty Watson, Nathan McKillip and Cody Crosby as well as freshman Gabe Hernandez are the five quarterbacks on the roster that will compete for the starting job, but none of them owns a collegiate pass attempt. Gannon's two leading rushers from last season in running back Tyler Batts and Boedicker are both gone. Senior Tony Sims, who had just 26 carries last season, is the top returning rusher for the Knights. The Golden Knights also lost their top three receivers from a year ago in Batts, Levar Goff and Geoff Hicks. Their top returning receivers are junior Khalid Walker (15 rec.) and senior Jerry Smith (12 rec.). A notable positive for the Gannon offense is that four starters return on the offensive line, which should help with the inexperience around it at the skill positions.
Gannon's defense posted one of the biggest improvements in the PSAC last season, allowing what was tied for the second-fewest amount of points in the league (down from 10th in 2009) and the fifth-fewest yards per contest as well (also down from 10th in 2009). The defense's ability to replicate these numbers will probably play the biggest part in the team's overall success as the Golden Knights did not allow more than 20 points in its six wins last year and in two losses, held its opponent to under 15 points. Despite losing its top three tacklers, experience is plentiful for Gannon on both the defensive line and in the secondary. Senior Randy Colling, a two-time first team All-PSAC West selection who notched 12 sacks last fall, leads the way on the defensive line, where four starters return, including Ian Jeffers and Matt Jones, who made 11 and 10 starts last season, respectively. In the backfield, seniors Chris Cook and Khayree Connors-McChristian lead the way. Cook is a four-year starter who was named to the All-PSAC West second team last year while Connors-McChristian returns after missing most of last season with an injury. He was a starter in 2009 and finished second on the team in tackles. Gannon's special teams will also need to fill some holes as the Knights will have new starters at all of the specialist positions.
Edinboro (7-4, 3-4) was hit hard by injuries last season and that combined with the loss of one of the greatest quarterbacks in PSAC history in Trevor Harris, led to the Fighting Scots taking a step back from the level of its 2009 season. But with a league-high 19 starters returning, including a few key players that missed most of last season with injuries, the Fighting Scots are optimistic that they can get back to the level of 2009 when they qualified for the NCAA playoffs.
This will mark the sixth straight year that a member of the Harris family will start at quarterback for the Fighting Scots. Following his older brother Trevor's outstanding career, Cody Harris stepped in last season and put up solid numbers in his redshirt freshman campaign. The younger Harris completed over 65 percent of his passes, threw just five interceptions - the fewest among PSAC starting quarterbacks - and 11 touchdowns. The problem was he only threw for 164.6 yards per game, ranking just ninth in the PSAC and over 100 yards less per contest than Edinboro's averaged per game in 2009, and combined with Edinboro's rushing game that only generated 126 yards per game, it led to Edinboro being ranked near the bottom of the PSAC in both scoring and yardage. This year, Harris will not only have the fortune of a year of experience under his belt, but he also will have a group of experienced receivers to throw to. Leading the way is senior David Bostic, the team's second-leading receiver last season, and tight end Shawn Walker, who also excels in blocking. Also returning after missing the 2010 season are sophomore Marcus Johnson and senior Nick Marino, who combined for 50 catches, over 800 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 2009. In the backfield, Edinboro's top five rushers return, led by All-PSAC West second teamer Drew Herrell and D'Andrea Vaughn. That sophomore duo combined for over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns as freshmen last year. Also returning is senior Michael Battles, who was limited to just five games last season. Edinboro's rushing game should also be bolstered by the return of all five starters on the offensive line last season and by guard Rob Stoner, a first team All-PSAC West selection in 2009 who missed all but one game in 2010.
Defense was what carried the Fighting Scots last season as Edinboro was tied for allowing the second-fewest points in the PSAC and was also ranked in the upper half of the conference in rushing and total yards allowed. Seven starters return from that group, including three of the team's top five tacklers from last year in senior linebacker Ryan Skelton, junior safety Kenny Pettis and senior defensive end Keir Jeter, who totaled 14.5 tackles for loss last season. Jeter will team with James Thomas (13.5 TFLs) to form a formidable defensive front while Skelton and Jordan Krentz provide veteran leadership at linebacker. In the secondary, the return of junior Branden Williams should provide a boost to help the Scots improve on having allowed over 200 yards per game through the air last season. Williams, who missed all but one game last season, owns 10 career interceptions and five career touchdown returns - three on picks, one on a fumble return and one on a blocked kick return. He should team with sophomore James Jackson, who co-led the PSAC in interceptions with five and was second in passes defended with 15 in 2010, to form one of the league's best cornerback tandems.
Just one year after Clarion (4-7, 3-4) produced a second place finish in the PSAC West, the Golden Eagles had some growing pains last season and that amounted to falling to a tie for fourth place as the Eagles struggled with inexperience at the quarterback position. This season, with the quarterback position hopefully stabilized and a league-best 10 starters back on defense, the Golden Eagles will aim to get back into the upper half of the PSAC West standings.
Junior Eric Coxon began last season as the starting quarterback but sophomore Ben Fiscus took over as the starter in the sixth game of the season and led the team to a 4-2 mark to finish the year after a 0-5 start. Both return this season and both bring a different strength to the offense. Coxon is a better thrower as he completed over 50 percent of his passes and threw for nearly 1,000 yards in five starts but also threw nine interceptions with just three touchdowns. Fiscus brings a dual threat to the position as he ran for nearly 600 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 64.7 yards per game rushing in just six starts but was only able to complete just under 50 percent of his throws for just under 80 yards per game, although he did throw for more touchdowns (7) than interceptions (6). Coxon or Fiscus will have three returning starters on the offensive line to run or throw behind but the Golden Eagles lost former PSAC West Offensive Player of the Year and leading rusher Alfonso Hoggard and their top two receivers from last fall. Matt Ward is the team's top returning receiver and he along with Anthony Becoate, who combined for just under 500 receiving yards and four touchdowns, will be counted on to increase their numbers from last season.
The Clarion defense is abundant in experience as five seniors are featured among the 10 returning starters. Leading the way is defensive end Barrington Morrison, whose 16.5 tackles for loss last season ranked third in the PSAC and whose 10.5 sacks co-led the conference. Junior John Hackel returns to provide the defensive line a boost after missing the entire 2010 season. Senior Reggie Robinson is the only returning starter at linebacker but he is backed by five returning starters in the secondary, including senior Shawn Sopic, who had 56 tackles and seven pass break-ups in 2009 before missing last season. Junior Andrew Paronish is also back in the secondary as he is the team's leading returning tackler after making 54 stops last season.
It is a new era at Lock Haven (0-11, 0-7), where John Allen takes over as head coach. A former assistant coach with the Bald Eagles from 1996-2003 before embarking on a head coaching career in NFL Europe, Allen takes over for John Klacik and heads up a program with nowhere to go but up as the Bald Eagles will be looking to snap a 32-game losing streak.
The Bald Eagle offense posted a modest improvement last season over its numbers from 2009 but still ranked last in the PSAC in most categories, except for passing. Three different quarterbacks started games for the Eagles in 2010 and all three of them return and will compete for the starting position. Senior Jarryd Burkett has the most experience and had the best complete percentage at 60.5 percent last year and also threw for the most yards per game. Junior Jarrett Kratzer saw the most action of the three last season and had the most completions, total yards and touchdown throws. Sophomore Robert Meade brings a dual threat to the position as he is also capable of running the ball. The Bald Eagles running game returns its top three rushers in Rashad Johnson, Brandon Brader and Jeremiah Dunchack, who combined to average over 70 yards per game but Lock Haven will have five new starters on the offensive line. Reducing the number of sacks it allows will be a priority for that unit as the Bald Eagles allowed a league-high 47 sacks last season, which greatly reduced its rushing yardage total.
Improving on its rush defense will be a top priority for the Lock Haven defense as the Bald Eagles gave up the second-most rushing yards in the conference last season for the second straight year. Senior Skylar Wool leads the way on the defensive line while linebackers Ryan Good and James Goins return to lead that group after ranking fourth and fifth on the team, respectively, in tackles last season. A year after having the best pass defense in the PSAC, Lock Haven finished around the middle of the league in that category in 2010 and will need to stay at the level at least to improve overall. The Eagles have two starters returning in the secondary in junior Zsone Olds and sophomore Ray Mosby.
The Top 11 Things to Know About the PSAC for the 2011 Season
- Bloomsburg is the unanimous choice to win the PSAC East. The Huskies are the first unanimous pick to win a division in the preseason poll since the PSAC began recording first place votes in the 2008 preseason poll.
- Only three times in the history of the PSAC have four teams qualified for the NCAA Division II playoffs, and two of those times have been in each of the last two seasons. The PSAC also had four teams in the 2004 playoffs.
- The PSAC has had at least three teams qualify for the NCAA Division II playoffs in six of the last seven seasons with 2006 being the lone year in which fewer than three qualifyed.
- Teams from the PSAC will be looking to bring the NCAA Super Region One championship back to the conference this season. Last year marked the first season since 2003 that a PSAC team did not win the NCAA regional championship in the region in which the league competed.
- At the end of last season, exactly half of the PSAC’s head coaches - eight - had at least 100 career wins. Two of those have left, leaving the PSAC with six coaches in that category, and four of them are in the PSAC East. They are Danny Hale (Bloomsburg), Bill Zwaan (West Chester), Bryan Collins (C.W. Post) and Denny Douds (East Stroudsburg) fron the East, and John Luckhardt (California) and Dr. George Mihalik (Slippery Rock) from the West.
- The PSAC currently has three head coaches that have been at their respective schools for 20 or more years: Denny Douds of East Stroudsburg (38th year) and Dr. George Mihalik of Slippery Rock (24th year). The PSAC is the only Division II conference in the country that has that many football coaches that have been at their current school for ast least 20 years. The league had three entering last season but former Shippensburg coach Rocky Rees retired at the end of last year. The conference could be back up to three in that category next season, as Bloomsburg coach Danny Hale is entering his 19th season with the Huskies.
- There were eight individual 200-yard rushing performances in the PSAC last season, the most since 2005, and seven of the 11 weeks of the regular season featured a 200-yard rushing performance. Three of the five running backs responsible for those eight 200-yard games return in 2011 - Franklyn Quiteh of Bloomsburg, Akeem Satterfield of Slippery Rock and Marcus Jones of Cheyney.
- California had its 24-game PSAC West winning streak snapped last season when it lost to Mercyhurst. With the Vulcans streak being broken, Bloomsburg enters the 2011 season as the team with the longest divisional winning streak, which is at seven after a perfect 7-0 mark in the PSAC East last season.
- California has won at least a share of the PSAC West championship for the last six consecutive seasons dating back to 2005. Either Bloomsburg or West Chester has won or shared the PSAC East title in 11 of the last 12 seasons, with Shippensburg’s outright title in 2009 being the lone exception.
- Only five kickers in PSAC history have ever made five field goals in a game and two of them have come in the last two seasons. Former Kutztown kicker Matt Dineen did it in 2009 while current Bloomsburg kicker Dan Fisher accomplished the feat last season. Last year, Fisher also became just the seventh kicker in PSAC history to score at least 90 points in a season and just the second to kick at least 20 field goals in a year and he did it as a freshman.
- Two individuals in the PSAC this season accomplished feats last year that have been quite rare in league history. Bloomsburg running back Franklyn Quiteh became just the fourth back in PSAC history, and the first freshman, to rush for over 2,000 yards with his final total of 2,015. Kutztown quarterback Kevin Morton last year became the first quarterback in PSAC history to throw for at least 3,600 yards (3,633), complete at least 270 passes (270) and accumulate ast least 3,800 yards of total offense (3,894). In fact, up until Morton last season, only two previous QBs in PSAC history have have had at least 3,600 passing yards and 270 completions in the same season - Trevor Harris of Edinboro (2007) and Dave MacDonald of West Chester (1994).