The FCS Wedge

Holy Cross Crusaders

2018 Record: 5-6 (4-2)

Head Coach: Bob Chesney, 2^nd year (5-6, 4-2)

Last Patriot League Title: 2009

Last FCS Playoff Appearance: 2009

2019 Schedule

8/31 @ Navy

9/7 vs New Hampshire

9/14 BYE

9/21 @ Yale

9/28 @ Syracuse

10/5 @ Bucknell

10/12 @ Brown

10/19 Harvard

10/26 Colgate

11/2 @ Lehigh

11/9 Lafayette

11/16 @ Fordham

11/23 Georgetown

Overview

Bob Chesney’s first season at Holy Cross was a bit of a roller coaster ride. The Crusaders struggled in the OOC, 1-5 but bounced back in Patriot League play to finish in a tie for second place. The season concluded with a wild 32-31 win over Georgetown. The victory was the largest comeback win (26 points) in the program’s history. Despite some of the high notes in league play the season ultimately ended with a disappointing 5-6 record. It was Chesney’s first losing record as a college head coach (9 years) and the Crusader’s third straight overall, 5^th in the last 6 seasons.

Holy Cross will be a more a talented team in 2019 yet they might be hard pressed to improve upon last year’s 5 wins. The defense must replace several key contributors along the front seven while the offense has to find more consistency week in and week out in order for the Crusaders to take the next step this season.  The biggest hurdle in Holy Cross’s way appears to be schedule, it’s borderline insanity; 2 FBS games and 7 road contests.

Offense

The biggest question on Mount Saint James  is who will be the starting quarterback when the team travels to Annapolis to kickoff the 2019 season. Senior Emmett Clifford started three games in 2018 but struggled in those opportunities (204 yards 1 TD 3 INTs). Who ultimately takes the reigns will go a long way in determining the Crusader’s fortunes on offense (24.4 ppg in ’18). The strength of the offense will be an experienced offensive line and a talented group of running backs.

The starting quarterback job will likely come down Wake Forest transfer Matt Considine and junior Connor Degenhardt. Both are tall, 6’6, guys with arm talent to burn. Degenhardt does have an extra year of experience in (OC) Patrick Murphy’s system. Emmett Clifford will give Holy Cross an experienced back-up which can often prove to be a tremendous asset.

Whoever is under center will have the good fortune of working behind an excellent offensive one. The leader of the unit is 5^th year senior tackle Jackson Dennis. He will be joined by fellow seniors Brett Boddy (Preseason All-PL) at guard and Max Daurella at center. Junior Brian Foley (T) is Holy Cross’s second Preseason All-PL selection along the line. The other guard position will likely come down to junior Jack Bowler and sophomore Nick Olsofka. Senior Joe Mattingly and sophomore Noah Fitzgerald figure to be key backups.

No one should benefit more from the Crusader’s road grading offensive line than senior Preseason All-PLrunning back Domenic Crozier (643 yards 8 TDs in ‘18). Senior Miles Alexander (373 yards 3 TDs) gives Holy Cross a quality second option in the backfield. Jordan Forest is a highly decorated freshman who has a great chance to see an increased role as the season progresses.

Holy Cross might have to rely on the ground game (138 ypg in ’18, 2^nd in PL) early in the season while the pass attack finds is footing. The Crusaders lost their top three pass catchers to graduation so whomever assumes the quarterback spot will be working with a relatively inexperienced group of wide outs. Leading the way in 2019 will likely be junior Tenio Ayeni (14 rec 170 yards 1 TD in ’18). The Texas native should be the Crusader’s big play threat out wide. Senior Jon Jon Roberts (kick return specialist) and sophomore Spencer Gilliam (2 starts in ’18) are the only other receivers with significant experience. Freshman Ayir Asante is a tremendous talent who should see significant time. TE Derek Mountain (Sr) gives the Crusader offense an excellent red zone weapon (14 rec 212 yards 4 TDs).

Defense

The Crusader defense evolved into a rather stout unit during the second half of the 2018 campaign. In order to build off of last year’s momentum, defensive coordinator Scott James must replace several key players from the 2018 “D”. Defensive line and linebacker were especially hard hit by graduation.

The defensive line must replace three starters from last year’s unit. Senior DE Mark Ebo (3 sacks in ’18) is the lone returner in the trenches. Juniors Jordan Jackson and Benton Whitley (6 TFL) were key reserves in 2018; as was senior Kevin Bucceroni. Sophomore Jason Modak should see his role increase significantly. Freshman Thomas Kiessling comes to Worcester after a tremendous high school career at national power St. Xavier (OH). There is a good amount of talent returning, especially at DE, but the lack of size in the middle of the line has to be a concern.

Linebacker returns very little experience and depth (6 on roster). Sophomore Cullen Honohan (33 TT in ‘18) is easily the most experienced of the six having started four games last season. A pair of Liams, Anderson and Doran saw some action in 2019; albeit mostly on special teams. Highly regarded freshman Jacob Dobbs should see significant time given the lack of experience and numbers at the linebacker position.

Heading into the season the secondary is easily the strength of the Crusader “D”. The safety position has three very good players returning in 5^th year senior Corey Stefanik (6 TFL in ’18), senior Alex Johnson (62 TT in ’18) and junior Joe Lang (77 TT in ’18). A pair of experienced juniors, Grant Hollorman and Josh Hicks along with sophomore John Smith should lead the way at corner back. Chris Riley (Sr), Kendrick Knight (Jr) and Terrell Prince (So) will provide valuable depth.

Special Teams

Sophomore Derek Ng had a very good rookie campaign handling the field goals (6/9, long of 45). Ng and senior Cody Wilkinson split the punting duties last year. The senior did fair a little better, 39 yard per punt average vs NG’s 35 yard per punt average. Wilkinson is expected to keep his kick off duties in 2019. Jon Jon Roberts will likely once again serve as the Crusader’s primary return man.

Outlook

Bob Chesney has done an excellent job bringing energy to a Crusader program that has struggled to gain traction since their last Patriot League Title a decade ago. The two big questions heading into 2018 are; can Holy Cross notch a winning season and can they make serious run at a league title? It will be extremely difficult to accomplish either goal given the schedule and question marks on defense.

For a program desperately trying to build momentum this year’s schedule almost reads like a horror novel. Bob Chesney and his staff will be severely tested right out of the gate as the Crusaders will likely be underdogs in their first four games. Holy Cross needs to find a way to win at least one of those games otherwise the season could get away from them before the leaves change color in New England.

Prediction: 5-7 (3-3)

Fordham Rams

2018 Record: 2-9 (2-4)

Head Coach: Joe Conlin, 2^nd year (2-9, 2-4)

Last Patriot League Title: 2014

Last FCS Playoff Appearance: 2015

2019 Schedule

8/31 vs Central Connecticut State

9/7 @ Ball State (FBS)

9/14 @ Bryant

9/21 @ Stony Brook

9/28 Richmond

10/5 @ Yale

10/12 @ Georgetown

10/19 Lehigh

10/26 BYE

11/2 @ Lafayette

11/9 @ Colgate

11/16 Holy Cross

11/23 Bucknell

Overview

Fordham football has been able to establish a Top 10/15 ceiling over the last 20 years thanks to two excellent coaches that have gone onto to Power 5 FBS success. Current Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson laid an incredible foundation during the five years (’99-’03) he spent at the helm of the Fordham program. Recently, Fordham alum Joe Moorhead (’12-’15) once again displayed the potential of the Ram program. Unfortunately, the Rams have also shown the ability to flame out in rather epic fashion over that same time frame. Joe Conlin’s first year as a college head coach was a prime example of those bottoming out years. The Ram’s 9 losses were the most since 2011 when they went 1-10 in Tom Masella’s final season. The former Yale offensive coordinator inherited a talented roster that had lost its way under Andrew Breiner’s brief tenure. Conlin’s fingerprints are now all over the program so its time to see if he can begin to elevate the program to the heights of Clawson and Moorhead.

Offense

Joe Conlin and offensive coordinator Kevin Decker need to make sure the Ram’s “O” makes significant strides in year two. Fordham averaged just 12.8 ppg in their 9 losses last season. Outside of the 43 points they scored against Lehigh’s poor defense in a win the 41 they notched against Bryant in a loss, the Rams failed to score more than 17 points in their other 9 games.  Fordham enters 2019 with a sophomore QB who has shown legitimate potential and a strong stable of running backs. The main concerns revolve around a fairly inexperienced group of wide receivers and an offensive line that has been pushed around the last two seasons.

Sophomore QB Tim Demorat (163 ypg 11 TDs 6 INTs  in ’18) appears to be firmly entrenched as the starter heading into the 2019 season. The Florida native played well last year as freshman despite the offense’s overall poor production. Demorat lost his top three receivers (Longi, Searight and Caddle) to graduation so he must develop a new rapport with basically an entirely new crop of pass catchers. Indiana transfer/5^th year senior Austin King and sophomore Sean Holland give Fordham two solid backups.

One of the two big questions for Decker’s offense heading into the season is at wide receiver. Seniors Joe Ferraro (13 rec 144 yards in ’18) and Jonathan Lumley (7 rec 100 yards 1 TD) will provide Demorat with some experience and two big targets (6’3 and 6’4). Junior Hunter Harris (7 rec 116 yards 1 TD) should also see meaningful snaps. Nothern Illinois transfer Fotis Kokosioulis has the potential to be the Ram’s next great slot receiver. Syracuse transfer Tyler Gilfus and several talented freshman should push for time as well. The TE spot appears to be wide open with the graduation of Isaiah Searight. Juniors Jack Gildea and Jack Lynch appear the most likely to battle it out for the starting spot.

The other concern on offense is the line. The unit has been pushed around the last two years which has been one of the main factors in the offenses precipitous decline; 40 ppg in ’16, 21.9 ppg in ‘17, 15.6 ppg in ‘18. Junior Nick Zakelj (OT) and two sophomores Phil Saleh (C) and Austin Glazier (G) appear to be safe bets to start. Junior Will Conley and Sophomore Anthony Marinelli should be in the running for the other two starting spots. Junior Jake Trautman and freshman Wyatt Kawiter should also be in the mix for quality minutes. The size is there for this to be the physical unit Fordham has been searching for. How well it gels will go a long way in ultimately determining the offense’s fate in 2019.

If the offensive line improves, the rushing attack has the potential to be rather potent after failing to gain traction in 2018 (50.7 ypg). Senior Tyriek Hopkins led the team in rushing last year (476 yards 4 TDs). Sophomore Naim Mayfield (157 yards 2 TDs in 8 games) and Zach Davis (94 yards 1 TD in 2 games) will back in the fold after battling through injuries in 2018.  The return of Mayfield and Davis (391 yards in ’17) combined with the addition of Rutgers transfer Trey Sneed gives Fordham tremendous depth and versatility at running back.

Defense

The good news for the Fordham defense in 2018 was the fact they held opponents to less than 30 ppg (28.2) for the first time since 2014. The bad news is the unit still ranked near the bottom of the PL in several key defensive categories; Total “D” (408.8 ypg, 6^th), Rush “D” (191 ypg, 6^th) and Pass “D” (217 ypg, 6^th). On paper defensive coordinator Paul Rice has the personnel for a major turnaround.

The key to the Rams “D” appears to be how much defensive line can improve. Like on offense, Fordham has been pushed around in the trenches far too often in recent years. Heading into the 2019 season there is size and perhaps more importantly depth for the first time since Joe Moorhead was rooming the sideline in the Bronx. The Rams return six juniors with significant playing experience; Anthony Diodato (34 TT), Ellis Taylor (4.5 TFL), Mike Marinelli, Sawyer Schwarz, Jeremy Imperati and Deondre Carter. Senior DT Michael Ware (started 11 games in ’17) returns after missing all of last season with an injury. Senior Anthony Solano (6’5 295) switch from the OL to DL during the offseason and the addition of junior college transfer Jonathan Coste (6’3 295) will give the Rams added depth and size in the middle of the line.

The unquestioned strength of the Fordham “D” is at linebacker. A reasonable argument can be made the duo of junior Glenn Cunningham (1^st Team All-PL, 3^rd Team STATS All-American) and sophomore Ryan Greenhagen (15 TFL) is as good as it gets in FCS. Sophomore Jaden Vasquez is expected to be the third starter. The Pennsylvania native is quite adept at playing the LB/S position that has become popular in recent years.  After the starting three there’s not much experience/depth outside of junior Ricardo LLanio. There’s a good chance freshman Jeston Moore (1^st Team All-State WV) will be called upon early and often to contribute.

Senior CB Jesse Bramble (1^st Team All-PL) leads a fairly inexperienced secondary into the 2019 season. Getting senior James Biggs-Frazier back for a 5^th year is certainly a huge boost for the secondary. Bigg-Frazier was a key reserve in 2017 that was expected to be a main contributor last season before he was sidelined with an injury. Junior Cooper Weis and sophomore Natani Drati saw time last year and will be in the mix at safety. Dervin Hylton (Jr) and Cameron Blair (So) should find their way onto the 2-deep as key contributors.

Special Teams

The Rams will have one of the better special teams units in the Patriot League this season. Junior Andrew Mevis (2^nd Team All-PL in ’18) is an excellent all-around kicker (6/6 FGs, 44.1 punt avg, 24 touchbacks on kickoffs) who’s been overshadowed by Bucknell’s Alex Pechin. Northern Illinois transfer Fotis Kokosioulis has the potential to an electric return man. Biggs-Frazier also has experience in the return game.

Outlook

Dave Clawson and Joe Moorhead have shown the heights that Fordham football is capable of reaching. On the flip side, last season’s 2-9 record was once again a reminder the depths the program can sink to when things really go wrong. In an attempt to speed up the rebuilding process, Coach Conlin and his staff went the transfer route to infuse some talent in areas of need. The Rams will need those pieces to take hold and the offense to improve significantly in order to challenge for a Patriot League Title and finish the year with a winning record.

Fordham will have little margin for error given their difficult schedule in 2019. Seven of their twelve games are on the road and their bye doesn’t come until week ten, October 26^th. The Rams will be significantly better in 2019 but their record might not fully reflect it thanks to a daunting 12 game slate.

Prediction: 6-6 (3-3)

Colgate Raiders

2018 Record: 10-2 (6-0)

Head Coach: Dan Hunt, 6^th Season (36-23, 24-6)

Last League Title: 2018

Last FCS Playoff Appearance: 2018, Quarterfinalist

2019 Schedule

8/24 Villanova

8/31 Air Force

9/7 BYE

9/14 @ William & Mary

9/21 Maine

9/28 @ Dartmouth

10/5 Lehigh

10/12 Bucknell

10/19 @ Cornell

10/26 @ Holy Cross

11/2 @ Georgetown

11/9 Fordham

11/16 @ Lafayette

11/23 BYE

Overview

Colgate enters 2019 on the heels of one their best seasons ever at the FCS level. The 2018 team was led by one of the statistically great defenses in the subdivision’s history. The Raiders gave up a grand total of 29 points (3.6 ppg) in their 9 games against FCS competition (FBS Army scored 28)! The Raider’s “D” pitched five shutouts and had a stretch of 32 scoreless quarters! The offense, while not overly explosive, was extremely steady throughout the year (30.1 ppg). Even special teams had their moments to shine. Chris Puzzi’s game winning FG against James Madison punched Colgate’s ticket to the Quarterfinals. Unfortunately for Colgate, Puzzi’s FG would be the final points of the year as the eventual national champion North Dakota State Bison blanked the Raiders 35-0 the following week in Fargo.

The question now is what does Colgate do for an encore? They return a handful of All-League selections and plenty of experience in key positions. The major concerns are at wide receiver, linebacker and in the secondary. There’s also a pretty daunting schedule to navigate.

Offense

There’s a lot to like (1^st Team All-PL QB and excellent OL) about the Colgate offense heading into the 2019 season but there’s also two serious question marks, WR and RB. The unit was extremely efficient last year against the weaker competition but when facing the better teams it often struggled. With offensive coordinator Chris Young moving on to Elon after 16 seasons in Hamilton and no replacement being named, it appears Hunt will have more of an influence on the offense this season.

Leading the way on offense is not only the best returning QB in the Patriot League (Preseason Offensive POY), but one of the better signal callers in all of FCS, junior Grant Breneman (160.5 ppg 6 TDs 4 TDs passing, 7 TDs rushing in ‘18). The preseason Payton Award candidate is especially dangerous when he gets outside of the pocket. If there’s one area he could use some improvement it’s throwing to the second and third level from the pocket. Making that task a little trickier will be a very green group of wide receivers.

Amazingly, due to graduation and players leaving the program Colgate does not return a single wide receiver that caught a pass in 2018. While experience is clearly lacking, the one thing Colgate does have at the WR position is size; senior’s Nick Gill and Frank Rica III are 6’3 as it junior Nick Draught. Then there’s 6’4 freshman Ryan Cekay who could blossom into a redzone terror. Keep an eye on shifty fellow freshman Rory Boos in the slot as the season progresses. Breneman will likely lean on 1^st Team All-PL TE Nick Diaco (9 rec 114 yards) in key situations before the new crop of wide receivers settle in.

Another area of concern on offense heading into the season is at running back. The loss of fifth year stud James Holland will hurt the rushing and passing attack. Taking over the RB duties will be the duo of senior Alex Mathews (147 yards 5 TDs in ’18) and junior Malik Twyman (292 yards 1 TD). Diminutive sophomore John Cox (5’7 200) should see his role increase in 2019. Mathews (Preseason 1^st Team All-PL) and Twyan should from a solid duo behind what will be one of the top offensive lines in all of FCS.

Along with Breneman at QB, the strength of the Raider offense will be the OL. A pair of 1^st Team All-Patriot Leaguer’s OT Jovaun Woolford and G Jack Badovinac lead the way. Senior Charlie Holsopple, Juniors Sam Diehl and Jayvion Queen seem like the leaders in the clubhouse to start at the other OL positions. All three have All-League potential. Sophomores Michael Griggs and Shiva Puttagunta should also be in the mix to see time as the season goes along.

Defense

It’s safe to say that an encore performance of the 2018 Raider defense will be impossible. Between graduation and an uptick in competition, the historical stats and complete domination the Colgate “D” reveled in last season is a thing of the past. That’s not to say the 2019 edition won’t be the best unit in the league, because it will, or it won’t be quite good nationally, because it will be.

The strength of the defense in 2019 will be the defensive line. 1^st Team All-American (STATS) DE Nick Wheeler is the ultimate disrupter off the edge while Cam Rohr (6’2 315)is an excellent cog in the middle. Junior Abdoul Kouyate will see significant time at the other end position. Senior Jacob Escaro, junior Owen Rosenberger, sophomore E.J. Simmons and freshman Will Anderson (Navy transfer) should all see important snaps as well.

The linebacker unit will be led by senior 1^st Team All-PL selection Nick Ioanelli (6 TFL, 28 solo in ’18). Senior Shane Shaffner, juniors Blane Briggs and Trevor Thompson seem likely to start in defensive coordinator Paul Shaffner’s 3-4 alignment. Freshman Tyler Flick was an excellent athlete (All-State HS RB) who could see significant time. Replacing the caliber of T.J. Holl (17 TFLs, 121 total tackles) and Dillon Deluliis (73 total tackles) will be nearly impossible but there is some good experience returning. However, depth could be an issue.

Like at linebacker, the secondary returns a stud in 1^st Team All-PL (STATS 2^nd Team All-American)senior CB Abu Daram-Swaray but lost a lot of experience and production. Taking over at the other CB position will likely be either senior Jordan Jefferson or sophomore Collin Heard. Both got a lot of reps last year in reserve roles. Aiden Gaertner and Marques Bruce seem to have the inside track to the starting safety positions. Kyan Brumfield and talented freshman Keshaun Dancy should see significant time as well in the secondary.

Special Teams

1^st Team All-PL PK Chris Puzzi leads the specials teams unit. The senior’s most memorable kick last year was his 38 yard buzzer beater against JMU in the second round of the FCS playoffs. Abu Daramy-Swaray will likely again have a significant role in the return game. TySean Sizer and perhaps fresham Rory Boos will get a few opportunities in the return game as well. The punting duties will likely be handled by senior Tommy Halkyard (37.4 avg in ’18).

Outlook

While Colgate returns a strong talent base and experience at key positions, the Raiders will be hard pressed to come close to last year’s magical run. First, Colgate lost a tremendous amount of production due to graduation. Every team suffers graduation losses but rarely do so many key players leave at once. Wide receiver, linebacker and the secondary are without question a major concern heading into the season.  Secondly, the schedule is going to be much harder in 2019. Colgate benefited greatly by feasting on one of the weakest schedules in all of FCS last season; 28-58 record of FCS competition/0 teams with a winning record.

Heading into the season Colgate appears to have just enough to squeeze out another league title and trip to the playoffs. However, neither is a foregone conclusion. The Raiders margin for error this season will be much smaller than it was in 2018. They certainly can’t afford Breneman getting banged up like he was down the stretch in 2018.

Prediction: 8-4 (5-1)

Bucknell Bison

2018 Record: 1-10 (1-5)

Head Coach: Dave Cecchini, 1^st year (17-38 career record)

Last League Title: 1996

Last FCS playoff Appearance:  Never

2019 Schedule

8/31 @ Temple

9/7 @ Sacred Heart

9/14 Villanova

9/21 BYE

9/28 Princeton

10/5 Holy Cross

10/12 @ Colgate

10/19 @ Towson

10/26 @ Lafayette

11/2 BYE

11/9 Lehigh

11/16 Georgetown

11/23 @ Fordham

Overview

2019 ushers in the Dave Cecchini era in Lewisburg. This comes after the Bucknell administration opted not to bring back Joe Susan for a 10^th season. Susan was let go after a disastrous one win 2018 campaign; the Bison’s fourth straight losing season. Cecchini comes to Central Pennsylvania after serving as Valparaiso’s head coach for the last five seasons. Prior to that, the former Lehigh All-American WR served as the offensive coordinator at his alma mater from 2010 thru 2013. Before his stint at Lehigh, he was the OC at Harvard and The Citadel.

There’s no question Cecchini knows offense and Patriot League football. He also knows what it’s like to try and turn around a morbid program. Bucknell is without question one of toughest jobs in all of FCS due to its location, ho-hum tradition and general apathy that surrounds the program. All things considered, Valparaiso might be the most difficult job in the subdivision.

Offense

It will be up to Cecchini and offensive coordinator Jason Miran to formulate a strategy to get the Bison offense out of their multi-year slump (13.4 ppg in ’18). The lack of offense under Joe Susan’s watch further drained the life out of a Bucknell program that has struggled for decades to stir up excitement. One of the best ways to get people interested in Bison football is to have an offense that scores points and generates big plays. Losing is bad enough. But losing in a boring, lifeless manner is arguably the worst way to go down.

The straw that stirs the drink on offense is obviously the quarterback. Heading into the 2019 season Bucknell has three signal callers with significant experience. Sophomore QB Tarrin Earle (386 yards 3 TD, 2 INT in 4 games) should have the inside track to the starting position. Earle was a highly touted prospect out of New Jersey and did some good things when given the opportunity late last season. Senior John Chiarolanzio (434 yards 0 TDs, 6 INTs in 4 games) and Junior Logan Bitikofer (1050 yards, 7 TDs, 8 INTs in 6 games) will vie for playing time. Bitikofer is the most likely to push Earle in fall camp.

The strength of Bucknell’s offense should be the running game. In fact, heading into the season the Bison have the deepest, most proven stable of running backs in the Patriot League. The return of Chad Freshnock (1,139 yards/16 TDs career) is significant. The bruising senior RB was injured last August and missed the entire 2018 season. Joining him will be shifty sophomore Jared Cooper (525 yards, 2 TDs). Cooper also emerged as a reliable pass catcher (38 rec 287 yards 2 TDs). Marquis Carter gives the Bison a third quality back. Carter was expected to be the starting RB last year but he was lost for the season following an injury in the 2018 opener against William & Mary.

Sophomore WR Brandon Sanders (44 rec 516 yards 0 TDs) is coming off a great rookie season and will be the focal point of the passing attack. Sanders numbers in 2018 were especially impressive when factoring in the revolving door at QB during the course of the season. Senior Justin Bethea (21 rec 250 yards 1 TD) seems likely to be penciled in at the other receiver position. Slot WR/RB Stefone Moore-Green is talented enough to find an important role in Miran’s offense. Senior Marcus Ademilola (missed all of ’18 with an injury) should vie for all league honors at TE.

The offensive line returns a plethora of experience and versatility. Junior guard P.J. Barr anchors the unit. Fellow Juniors Simor Krizak and Justis Peppers (6’4 330) seem like a safe bet to start at the tackle positions. Seniors Chuck Sanders, Erik Lukner and Justin Falcone (missed ’18 w/injury) along with sophomore Michael Killiri figure to be key contributors along the OL as well.

Defense

Like in 2017, the Bucknell defense was rather feast or famine (28.3 ppg/388 ypg allowed) last season. The Bison emerged as one of the top defensive units in the country during Susan’s first 5-6 years but there’s been a steady decline in recent seasons. The ups and downs on defense combined with an inept offense created the perfect recipe for  10 losses in 2018. First year defensive coordinator Ryan Manalac will be in charge of retooling the once proud Bucknell “D”.

Leading the way on defense is hybrid LB Simeon Page (9 TFL/4.5 sacks in ’18). Despite missing 4 games in 2018, the junior still garnered 1^st team All-PL honors. Senior Sam Chitty (74 tackles in ’18) and Rick Mottram (10 TFL in ’18) are expected to join Page as starters in Manalac’s 4-3 base “D”. Jon Fox, Gerrit Van Itallie and Ryan Brida should also see significant time.

In the trenches, Fifth year senior Joe Shiano and junior Roger Mellado give the Bison two quality/experienced defensive ends. Senior John Hunt (6’0 300) figures to anchor the middle of the line. Hunt started the first 4 games of 2018 before suffering a season ending injury. 6’7 270 pound junior NNamdi Unachukwu will also start/see significant time assuming Manalac sticks with the 4-3 alignment. Seniors Sean Naiman, Blake Fletcher and Jimmy Sheehan, Junior Clay Myers and Sophomore Grayson Cherubino will to be key rotation players along the “D” line.

The Bison enter 2019 with serious question marks in the secondary. The cornerback and safety positions appear to be wide open heading into the season opener against Temple. Senior Mike Caruso, Junior Eric Butler and Sophomores Sterling Deary and Micah Dennis were all mainly role players in 2018. As a result, the door could be open for talented freshman Jonathan Searcy to work his way up the depth chart at cornerback. Gerrit Van Itallie will start at the hybrid safety/LB position while juniors Brandon Benson and Conner Romango should battle it out for the other starting spot. Freshman Justin Murray is a highly decorated DB out of Texas who will play safety in college. Expect Murray to get on the field early and often.

Special Teams

Fifth year senior Alex Pechin just might go down in history as the best punter/kicker in PL history. The 1^st Team All-American (STATS) has a great chance to continue his career in the NFL if he so chooses. Junior Ethan Torres will handle the FG duties (5/8, long of 37 yards in ’18). Marquis Carter and Brandon Sanders should be Bucknell’s main punt/kickoff return weapons.

Outlook

To be frank, Dave Cecchini inherits a mess in 2019. While Bucknell reached a level of respectability during Susan’s first few years, the wheels really started to fall off the last 2-3 seasons. There’s no doubt  Bucknell has quality individual pieces dotting the roster. The sophomore class is especially strong. Getting several key players back from season ending injuries in 2018 should provide a huge boost. Still, top to bottom the Bison lack the personnel to finish in the upper half of the league.

The schedule is extremely difficult for a team coming off a 1-10 record. Heading into the season it’s hard to see Bucknell managing more than two wins (Sacred Heart and Lafayette). If Cecchini can work his magic with the offense and the secondary comes together then another win or two is possible. The Bison are probably two or three years away from having a legitimate chance of ending their league title and playoff droughts.

Prediction: 2-9 (1-5)