The FCS Wedge

Patriot League: Week 2 Preview

#9 Villanova (1-0) at Lehigh (1-0) 12:30 P.M. Goodman Stadium Bethlehem, PA

Last Week: Villanova upset their Big 5 and FBS rival Temple 19-17 at Lincoln Financial Field. The Wildcats out gained the Owls 405-251. Bednarczyk’s TD pass on 4th and 9 midway through the final quarter proved to be the winning the score. The Wildcats kicking woes did pop up again in game one. Temple returned a blocked FG for a TD. The Owls also blocked an extra point.

Lehigh blocked Saint Francis’s 41 yard field goal attempt with 33 seconds left to preserve a 21-19 win. Dominic Bragalone led the way on offense with 139 yards and 3 TDs. The defense flexed some muscle too by limiting the Red Flashes to a mere 58 yards on the ground for the game. Lehigh quarterback Brad Mayes was suspended for the 1st quarter due to academic reasons. Junior Tyler Monaco go the start.

The Matchup: Villanova leads the all-time series 9-6 (won 6 straight, 38-35 in 2017). The last two have come down to the wire with the Wildcats making plays on both sides of the ball to preserve the win. In order for Lehigh to change their fortunes against Villanova, the Mountain Hawks must hold up in the trenches on both sides of the ball for 60 minutes. The Wildcats physically beat Temple along the line of scrimmage for much of their game last week. The Mountain Hawk’s defense will be tested by Bednarczyk’s mobility and creativity outside of the pocket. RB Aaron Forbes and TE Ryan Bell are also extremely dangerous weapons for ‘Nova. Lehigh usually plays Villanova tough and this likely won’t be any different. In order for the Mountain Hawks to win the defense must be physical and the skill players must generate big/clutch plays.

Prediction: Villanova 31 Lehigh 20

Campbell (1-0) at Georgetown (1-0) 12:30 P.M. Cooper Field Washington D.C.

Last Week: Campbell took care of Division II Chowan 49-26. The Camels took a 42-6 lead early in the 3rd quarter before taking their foot off the gas pedal. Campbell QB Daniel Smith had a phenomenal opener. The red shirt sophomore threw for 260 yards and 3 TDs on just 11 completions. He also had 80 yards and 2 TDs on the ground.

Georgetown started the 2018 season with an emphatic 39-14 win over Marist. It was the Hoyas most impressive season opener in several years. Hoya QB Gunther Johnson’s career day (26-37 369 yards 4 TDs) led the offense. The defense did their part by limiting the Marist offense to 178 total yards.

The Game: Georgetown won the first ever meeting between the two schools in 2017 16-10 . It would end up being the lone Georgetown win of the season. This year’s battle figures to come down to the quarterback play. Smith is a preseason Payton Award candidate while Johnson remains a bit of an unknown despite a strong opening game. Whichever defense can get pressure on the QB and force a mistake or two will escape with the “W”. Kristian Tate and the rest of the Hoya front 7 should be up to the task.

Prediction: Georgetown 24 Campbell 16

Holy Cross (0-1, 0-1) at Boston College (1-0) 1 P.M. Alumni Stadium Chestnut Hill, MA

Last Week: The Crusaders opened their 2018 campaign with a tough 24-17 loss to league foe Colgate. Holy Cross fell behind 24-0 at the half and couldn’t quite complete the rally during the final 30 minutes of play. QB Emmett Clifford and the passing game struggled to gain any type of consistency against the tough Colgate secondary. The Crusaders did find success on the ground (169 yards).

Boston College dominated their Bay State FBS brethren UMass to the tune of 55-21. The Eagles jumped out to a 48-7 halftime lead then emptied the bench in the second half. Boston College’s highly touted QB Anthony Brown was extremely efficient (15-21 279 yards 4 TDs) in the victory. The Eagles rolled up a whooping 598 total yards in the 34 point win.

The Game: This will be the first meeting since 1986 (56-26 BC win) between the two former and now current rivals. Before Holy Cross dropped their program to 1-AA in the early 1980’s this was easily the best football rivalry in New England. Boston College leads the all-time series 48-31-3. Before the 32 year hiatus, Boston College dominated the rivalry by winning 17 of the last 19 meetings. The trend will surely continue for at least another year. Boston College is simply too talented and too deep right now for the Crusaders to pose any sort of threat.

Prediction: Boston College 59 Holy Cross 13

Sacred Heart (1-0) at Bucknell (1-0) 3 P.M. Christy Matthewson Stadium Lewisburg, PA

Last Week: Sacred Heart began their season with a surprisingly easy 35-6 win over Lafayette in Easton. The Pioneer’s ground attack (261 yards) shredded the Leopard’s defense all evening. RB Jordan Meachum racked up rushing 132 yards on just 17 carries (7.8 ypg). QB Kevin Duke had a good outing as well (17-22 146 yards 2 TDs 1 INT). Needless to say, the Pioneers did not look like a team that was predicted to finish at, or near the bottom of the NEC standings.

Bucknell suffered a tough 14-7 loss to CAA member William & Mary. The Bison had a chance to tie the game late but WR Alan Butler fumbled at the Tribe 40 yard line with less than 2 minutes left in the 4th quarter. Bucknell’s offense struggled to find their groove all night (257 yards but only 11 first downs). The Bison “D” did look strong in their 2018 debut. They limited the Tribe to 81 yards on the ground.

The Game: The Pioneers are looking for a 2 game sweep against Pennsylvania based Patriot League teams while the Bison will be trying to avoid their first 0-2 start since 2010 (Susan’s 1st year). As is often the case with Bucknell, they must develop some consistency on offense. QB John Chiarolanzio made some nice throws last week but also missed on a few big plays. Without Freshnock in the backfield for the rest of the season, it’s up to Chiarolanzio to carry much of the load. Bucknell will keep the Pioneers offense in check for the most part. The question once again is whether or not the offense can score enough to win.

Prediction: Sacred Heart 21 Bucknell 17

Lafayette (0-1) at Delaware (0-1) 3:30 P.M. Delaware Stadium Newark, DE

Last Week: The Leopards opened their 2018 season with a performance they and their fans would rather forget. Lafayette was thoroughly whooped for 60 minutes by Sacred Heart in a 29 point loss. Sophomore QB Sean O’Malley struggled mightily (12-22 107 yards 2 INTs) in the season opener. The running game did manage to crack 100 yards (117) which was the lone positive on offense. The Leopard defense, which once upon a time was considered a strength, was taken behind the woodshed in the loss. Bad defense and an even worse offense is what plagued the Leopards in Garrett’s 1st year as head coach.

Delaware was shocked 21-19 at home by traditionally lowly Rhode Island in their season opener. The Hens had 3 costly turnovers in the loss to the Rams. Delaware running back Kani Kane’s fumble in Ram territory with less than 5 minutes left in regulation basically ended the Hen’s hopes. Delaware’s defense had trouble containing URI’s balanced (170 yards passing, 160 yards rushing) for much of the night.

The Game: Both teams enter week number two with far more questions than answers. Delaware started the season ranked in the Top 25 and figured to be a major player in the CAA race before laying an egg against URI. Lafayette’s recent struggles have been well documented. In order for the Leopards to upset the Hens in their house, the offense must display a drastic improvement from week 1 to week 2. Lafayette QB Sean O’Malley will get the start but if he struggles expect to see Cole Northrup for the second straight week. The Hens have won 13 straight over the Leopards. They’ll easily make it 14.

Prediction: Delaware 34 Lafayette 9

Fordham (0-1) at Richmond (0-1) 6 P.M. Robins Stadium Richmond, VA

Last Week: Fordham battled travel issues, inclement weather and FBS Charlotte to open the season. The Rams hung tough for a half (trailed 13-7 at the break) before the 49er’s ground attack wore down the defense over the final two quarters. Fordham’s inexperienced and undersized front 7 really struggled to contain Charlotte’s physical running game (221 yards). Meanwhile, the Rams “managed” a grand total -9 yards rushing of their own. Without any semblance of a rushing attack, Charlotte was able to tee off on Ram QB Luke Medlock as the game went on.

Richmond held an early 10-7 lead against FBS Virginia before the Cavaliers woke up and outscored the Spiders 35-3 the rest of the way. Spider QB Kevin Johnson had a rough first career start (11-28 194 yards 2 INTs). The junior QB is taking over for current New York Giant signal caller Kyle Lauletta. The Spiders offense in general (9 first downs, 225 total yards) was held in check by Cavalier “D”. Richmond’s defense had all sorts of trouble containing Virginia’s dual threat QB Bryce Perkins.

The Game: Surprisingly, this is only the second ever meeting (3-3 tie in 1985) between the two proud academic institutions. Both teams still have major question marks on offense heading into the second week of the season. The Rams must figure out a way to establish a rushing attack without Chase Edmonds while Richmond needs QB Kevin Johnson to settle in and limit mistakes. If the Fordham offensive line can give Medlock time and open some running lanes, the Ram’s have the weapons outside to test Richmond’s defense. Spider QB Kevin Johnson must do a better job this week protecting the ball against a good Ram secondary. This game should go down the wire.

Prediction: Richmond 27 Fordham 24

Colgate (1-0, 1-0) at New Hampshire (0-1) 6 P.M. Wildcat Stadium Durham, NH

Last Week: Preseason Patriot League favorite Colgate opened up a 24-0 halftime lead before having to hold on for a 24-17 win against Holy Cross. It was the Raiders 6th straight Patriot League win dating back to last year. Sophomore QB Grant Breneman paced the Raider “O” with 194 yards and 2 TDs through the air. He was also Colgate’s leading rusher with 37 yards. Despite a veteran OL and the return of James Holland for a 5th year, Colgate finished with only 91 total yards rushing. Colgate’s defense flexed their muscle early on. Holy Cross’s first 5 possessions of the game resulted in 3 turnovers and 2 punts.

New Hampshire started their 2018 season with an ugly 35-7 loss to arch-rival Maine in the battle of the Brice-Cowell Musket. Things really spiraled out of control in the 2nd quarter for the Wildcats. That’s when Starting QB Trevor Knight was knocked out of the game with an injury and Maine put up 22 unanswered points. UNH managed just 108 total yards for the game while yielding 454 to the Black Bear offense. The Wildcats entered the season with a Top 10 ranking and figured to be one of James Madison’s biggest threats in the CAA.

The Game: New Hampshire owns a commanding 6-2 all-time mark against Colgate but the Raiders won the most recent battle 27-20 in the 1st round of the 2015 FCS playoffs. With QB Trevor Knight out with injury, UNH will be turning their offense over to sophomore Christian Lupoli. Lupoli will have his hands full against a very good Raider defense. If Colgate can take away Lupoli’s top target, All-American WR Neil O’Connor, the UNH passing game will really struggle. The one thing New Hampshire has on their side is history. The Wildcats have not started a season 0-2 since 2002. They have not lost a regular season non-conference game since 2000. And if those two feats weren’t impressive enough, UNH has won 13 straight home openers dating back to 2005. Despite those stats heavily favoring New Hampshire, Colgate has to feel extremely confident heading into this game. The Raiders have a huge edge at quarterback and a defense capable of making life miserable for opposing offenses.

Prediction: Colgate 30 New Hampshire 17

The FCS Wedge – 2018-0905 – Wk2 PREVIEW

This week in the preview we look ahead to some upcoming early conference games and a few other big FCS games.

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The FCS Wedge – 2018-0905 – Wk1 REVIEW

Lance & Kris take a look back at the big losses and big wins in week 1 for teams around the country. They go over how the poll shifted this week due to those W&L’s.

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AGS Poll: Week 1 Top 25 Results

After an opening weekend filled with upsets there was some serious movement in and out of the AGS Top 25. Despite that the top 5 remained virtually unchanged with North Dakota State, James Madison, South Dakota State, and Sam Houston State coming in at #1, #2, #3, and #5 respectively. The only change in the top 5 was Big Sky favorite Eastern Washington jumping in at #4 to take the place of Kennesaw State who slid two spots down to the #6 spot previously occupied by EWU.

There was a bunch of big risers on the week headlined by North Carolina A&T who jumped up 12 spots to #7 following their big FCS Kickoff Classic win over Jacksonville State. Villanova and Northern Arizona used FBS wins to move up 12 and 13 spots respectively to #9 and #16. FCS heavyweight Montana made their first appearance in the top 25 this year moving up 14 spots to #14 after an impressive win over UNI in coach Bobby Hauck’s first game back on the sidelines for the Griz. Maine shot up 19 spots to #19 on the back of their convincing victory over CAA rival New Hampshire. Montana State and UC Davis each picked up 15 spots following their impressive first game performances to move up to #24 and #25 respectively. Joining Montana, NAU, Maine, Montana State, and UC Davis in the top 25 for the first time this year is South Dakota who moved up to #22 after giving Big 12 foe Kansas State all they could handle in their first game.

Naturally with all those big movers up there had to be some teams going the other direction. As for teams that dropped but stayed ranked in the top 25 aforementioned Jacksonville State slid 7 spots to #15 and Northern Iowa dropped 10 spots to #21. New Hampshire, Stony Brook, Western Illinois, Delaware, Southern Utah, and Youngstown State all dropped out of the top 25 following some surprising and not-so-surprising losses sustained in week 1.

In terms of conference representation the Big Sky led the way putting 6 teams in the top 25 following an impressive opening weekend for the conference as a whole. They were followed by the MVFC with 5, the CAA and Southland with 4 each, and the SOCON with 3 teams in the top 25.

Full results below:

Rank	Change	Team	Total Points	First Place Votes
1	–	North Dakota State Bison	2123	84
2	–	James Madison Dukes	1992	1
3	–	South Dakota State Jackrabbits	1842
4	2	Eastern Washington Eagles	1698
5	–	Sam Houston State Bearkats	1666
6	-2	Kennesaw State Owls	1579
7	12	North Carolina A&T Aggies	1494
8	2	Samford Bulldogs	1349
9	13	Villanova Wildcats	1314
10	7	Nicholls State Colonels	1250
11	2	Wofford Terriers	1158
12	-3	Weber State Wildcats	1122
13	2	Illinois State Redbirds	902
14	14	Montana Grizzlies	881
15	-7	Jacksonville State Gamecocks	800
16	11	Northern Arizona Lumberjacks	752
17	-1	Central Arkansas Bears	680
18	-4	Elon Phoenix	665
19	19	Maine Black Bears	610
20	-2	Furman Paladins	519
21	-10	Northern Iowa Panthers	507
22	7	South Dakota Coyotes	395
23	2	McNeese State Cowboys	392
24	15	Montana State Bobcats	378
25	15	UC Davis Aggies	351
ORV:
26	-19	New Hampshire Wildcats	249
27	-7	Stony Brook Seawolves	236
28	-7	Western Illinois Leathernecks	128
29	-17	Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens	109
30	2	Sac State Hornets	88
31	-5	Austin Peay Governors	71
32	NR	Rhode Island Rams	63
33	-2	San Diego Toreros	45
34	2	Colgate Raiders	37
35	-2	Yale Bulldogs	28
36	NR	Prairie View A&M Panthers	18
37T	NR	Butler Bulldogs	15
37T	-14	Southern Utah Thunderbirds	15
39	NR	The Citadel Bulldogs	14
40	-8	Richmond Spiders	13

Most Significant Win: North Carolina A&T Aggies
Most Significant Loss: Youngstown State Penguins

Dropped out of the poll:
Youngstown State Penguins
Idaho Vandals
Grambling State Tigers
Monmouth Hawks

Join the discussion here: http://www.anygivensaturday.com/showthread.php?211551-AGS-Poll-Results-WEEK-1-POLL-2018-SEASON

Patriot League: Week 1

Week 1 has finally arrived! After all the waiting, all the discussion, all the practices, the meetings, the rehab etc. it’s time for the games to begin! Before the opening weeks picks are made here’s one last look ahead to the 2018 season.

Final Order of Finish

Fordham, Automatic Playoff Bid
Colgate
Holy Cross
Lehigh
Lafayette
Bucknell
Georgetown

The Wedgie’s 1^st Team All-Patriot League Team

Offense

QB – (Sr.) Brad Mayes, Lehigh

RB – (Sr.) Dominic Bragalone, Lehigh

RB – (Sr.) James Holland, Colgate

WR – (Sr.) Austin Longi, Fordham

WR – Jorge Portorreal, Lehigh

OT – (Sr.) Jovaun Woolford, Colgate

OG – (Sr.) Liborio Riccottilli, Lehigh

C – (Sr.) Max Hartzman, Colgate

OG – (So.) P.J. Barr, Bucknell

OT – (So.) Nick Zakelj, Fordham

TE – (Sr.) Isaiah Searight, Fordham

Defense

DL – (Sr.) Nick Wheeler, Colgate

DL – (Sr.) Teddy Capsis, Holy Cross

DL –(Jr.) Khristian Tate, Georgetown

DL – (Sr.) Tony Giudice, Lafayette

LB – (Sr.) Ryan Brady, Holy Cross

LB – (So.) Glenn Cunningham, Fordham

LB – (Sr.) Jerry Powe, Lafayette

DB – (Jr.) Abu Daramy-Swaray, Colgate

DB – (Sr.) Bryan Marine, Bucknell

S – (Sr.) Alec Wisniewski, Colgate

S – (Sr.) Antonio Jackson, Fordham

Week 1 Picks

We’ve waited nearly 9 months for this day so let’s not over think the first week. Sit back, relax and enjoy the games!

Saint Francis Red Flashes at Lehigh Mountain Hawks

12:30 P.M. Goodman Stadium Bethlehem, PA

Streaming: Patriot League Network

Saint Francis was slated for 4^th in the preseason NEC Poll after finishing 5-6 in 2017. The Red Flashes are led by STATS 2^nd Team All-America WR Kamron Lewis. There’s no question Lehigh’s secondary will have their work cut out trying to stop the 6’4 WR. Like Lehigh, Saint Francis struggled on defense for much of last year. The Mountain Hawks plethora of weapons on offense should win out over 60 minutes. Lehigh must avoid turnovers and the defense must get off the field more often than not on 3rd downs

Prediction: Lehigh 38 Saint Francis 27

Georgetown Hoyas at Marist Red Foxes

1 P.M. Tenney Stadium Poughkeepsie, NY

Streaming: Red Fox Network

Georgetown will be looking for their first win since the 2017 season opener (Campbell) when they travel to the Hudson Valley to take on Marist. The Red Foxes are coming off a 4-7 season that included a 14-12 win over the Hoyas in D.C. Marist was picked 7^th in the non-scholarship Pioneer League. They’re led by LB Willie Barrett on defense and the dynamic WR Juston Christian on offense. Hoya QB Gunther Johnson needs to find a way to get the offense moving.

Prediction: Marist 24 Georgetown 16

Holy Cross Crusaders at Colgate Raiders

1 P.M. Andy Kerr Stadium Hamilton, NY

Streaming: Patriot League Network

The opening weekend is highlighted by a very enticing league matchup between Holy Cross and preseason favorite, Colgate. The Bob Chesney Era starts with a very tough road trip against a veteran Colgate team. The Crusaders defense will need to play a complete 60 minutes in order to pull off the first game shocker. Chesney will have Holy Cross flying around but the Raiders will prove to be too stout at home.

Prediction: Colgate 30 Holy Cross 17

Lafayette Leopards at Sacred Heart Pioneers

6 P.M. Campus Field Fairfield, CT

Streaming:NECfrontRow.com

Lafayette will try to avenge last year’s 38-20 loss to the Pioneers in Easton. Sacred Heart, 4-7 in ’17, was picked 6^th in the 7 team NEC. Sacred Heart failed to place a single player on the Preseason All-NEC team. That’s not to suggest the Pioneers lack talent but there are no standouts heading into the season. The experienced Leopard “D” has to rise up and shutdown the Pioneers offense. This is an early season must win for Lafayette given the upcoming schedule.

Prediction: Lafayette 24 Sacred Heart

William & Mary Tribe at Bucknell Bison

6 P.M. Christy Matthewson Stadium Lewisburg, PA

Streaming: Patriot League Network

Bucknell was dealt a devastating blow at the end of camp when RB Chad Freshnock was lost for the season due to an injury. The bruising running back is easily the most important player on the Bison offense. Without Freshnock, William & Mary should have no trouble repeating last year’s 30-9 win over the Bison. The Tribe were picked to 11^th in Jimmy Laycock’s final season as head coach. The Bison defense will need to pitch a shutout, or close it, in order to steal a win.

Prediction: William & Mary 27 Bucknell 6

Fordham Rams at Charlotte 49ers (FBS)

6 P.M. Jerry Richardson Stadium Charlotte, NC

Streaming: ESPN+

Charlotte enters the 2018 season as arguably one of the 3 or 4 worst teams in FBS. The 49ers are coming off a 1-11 record in 2017 that included a 35-31 loss to FCS North Carolina A&T. They were picked 7^th(last) in Conference USA’s East Division. Fordham has the weapons on offense to make this interesting. The question is can their defensive front withstand a steady does 49er RB Benny LeMay . The pressure is clearly on Charlotte to win this given the state of their program.

Prediction: Charlotte 38 Fordham 34

The FCS Wedge – 2018-0830 – WEEK 0 PREVIEW

Lance & Kris are back for another year on The FCS Wedge Podcast and they kickoff this year with a bit of a welcome back to the Idaho Vandals. AGS Preseason Poll is up next with a once over to start things off this season. They discuss the games already in the books and a look ahead to what we all are looking forward to. Listen up if you want a little extra fun before the Saturday start of the season.

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Patriot League: 2018 Lehigh Preview

Lehigh Mountain Hawks

2017 Record: 5-7 (5-1), PL Co-Champions

Head Coach: Andy Coen, 13^th year, 82-56 (51-19)

Last Patriot League Title: 2017

Last Playoff Appearance: 2017

Schedule:

9/1 Saint Francis

9/8 Villanova

9/15 @ Navy

9/22 @ Penn

10/6 @ Princeton

10/13 Fordham

10/20 @ Georgetown

10/27 @ Holy Cross

11/3 Bucknell

11/10 Colgate

11/17 @ Lafayette

Overview

Lehigh enters the 2018 season seeking their third straight Patriot League Championship. Motivation should not be an issue after the Mountain Hawks won the league title with a losing record in 2017. The season ultimately ended with a second straight blowout loss in the 1^st Round of the FCS Playoffs. At this point last year Lehigh was a preseason Top 25 team with legitimate national aspirations. Then the games started and the defense proceeded to have the worst statistical year in school history. This year expectations are far more tempered as a result.

They key to a 3-Peat is obviously improving the defense. The downright offensive “D” gave up a staggering 41 ppg. They surrendered a whopping 243 ypg on the ground. Teams were able to run over, around and through the Lehigh front 7 for massive chunks of yards. Not even one of, if not the best, set of skill players in FCS could offset such a putrid defense.

Offense

Best Returning Player: RB Dominic Bragalone

Freshman to Watch: RB Reshawn Allen

Heading into the 2018 season it’s hard to find a better QB/RB combo than Brad Mayes and Dominic Bragalone in FCS. The two seniors have shredded opponents during their time in Bethlehem. Following the 2017 campaign Bragalone (1,388 yards, 18 TDs in ’17) was named a 1^st Team All-American by numerous media outlets while Mayes (64% Completion, 323 ypg 31 TDs 12 INTs) garnered 1^st Team All-Patriot League honors at QB. Backing up the two stars will be junior QB Tyler Monaco and highly touted freshman RB Rashawn Allen.

The biggest question facing Head Coach Coen and OC Scott Brisson is the OL. The unit was hit hard by graduation and then injuries in camp compounded the problem. Despite these issues the Mountain Hawks still possess the talent needed to have a quality unit. Preseason 1^st Team All-PL OT Chris Fournier and senior guard Liborio Ricottilli are entrenched in their positions. Junior Derek Lomax and freshman Justin Gurth will battle for the other tackle position. Jackson Evans (Jr.), Time Wagner (Sr.), Ryan Oneidas and Matt Fest (So.) will be in play for the center and LG spot.

The WR unit was also hit hard by graduation. 2^nd Team All-American Troy Pelletier and 1^st Team All-Patriot League selection Gatlin Casey were arguably the greatest WR duo in Lehigh history. Replacing their big play ability will not be easy but Lehigh has a history of churning out elite wide receivers. Waiting in the wings are several candidates who could become household names in FCS football before the end of the year. Jorge Portorreal (56 rec. 729 yards 2 TDs) put up really good numbers as the third option in 2017. Senior Luke Christiano is another candidate for a breakout year. Christiano had two huge games at the beginning of the 2017 season before a broken arm sidelined him. Seniors Sasha Kelsey, Cam Richardson and junior Devon Bibbens will also have an opportunity to make plays. Senior Dan Scaserra will likely get the nod at TE.

Defense

Best Returning Player: SS Sam McCloskey

Freshman to Watch: DL Bartek Rybka

The fate of Lehigh’s 2018 season will be determined by how much the defense improves. New Linebacker Coach Mike Kashurba was brought in to shake things up and re-instill and overall toughness. The defense has fallen so far in recent years that a modest improvement likely won’t be enough to win the league and climb into the national rankings. The unit must make significant strides in order to seriously compete for the league title and a return trip to the playoffs.

The Mountain Hawks must do a better job at stopping the run. They lost the battle at the line of scrimmage in often embarrassing fashion last year. There’s plenty of experience returning along the DL but there’s also one key cog missing. Defensive Coordinator Craig Sutyak must get better play from the unit without the unquestionable leader on defense, Tyler Cavenas (graduated). Seniors Julian Lynn and Harrison Kauffman will be called upon to lead the defensive front. Jack Kircher (So.) who returns from injury will also have a key role. Colin Nace (Jr.), Jason Dooling (So.) and Juwan Morrow (Sr.) will hopefully provide productive depth. Freshman Bartek Rybka was a disruptive force in high school and could see meaningful snaps as the season progresses. Overall, the defensive line still lacks size which one again might prove to be major issue against power running teams.

Like the DL, the LB unit is experienced but a bit undersized. To combat some of the size issues Lehigh be starting Davis Maxie (6’4 235) as a starting Rush End/LB. Junior Keith Woetzel led the team in tackles. He’s an extremely athletic backer who can make plays all over the field. Senior Mike Walker is also quite capable of making plays sideline to sideline. A trio of sophomores, Erik Slate, Nate Norris and Pete Haffner will be called upon to provide depth. Senior Brian Olshanski (6’2 235) has the size and experience to have an impact.

If the defense has a clear strength it’s the secondary. Senior Sam McCloskey and junior Riley O’Neill give the Mountain Hawks two really good safeties. The cornerback position is loaded with really good athletes. Donovan Harris and Kareem Montgomery have the experience and coverage skills to be lock down corners. Marquis Wilson and Tre Neal provide additional depth at CB. Freshman Divine Buckrham is expected to get the starting nod at the rover position.

Special Teams

Lehigh should have one of the better special teams units in the league. Ed Mish has proven he can successfully handle all 3 facets of the kicking game. If there’s one area he can work on it’s becoming more of a weapon kicking field goals. The return game should be good hands with Jorge Portorreal, Luke Christiano and Sasha Kelsey all having experience.

Outlook

Lehigh has the firepower on offense to put a scare in anyone in FCS. The ultimate question remains if the defense can improve enough to turn those scares into wins. While experience is bountiful, time will tell if it’s good enough to get the job done on a consistent basis. The front 7 continues to be a bit undersized which will be problematic against teams with potent rushing attacks like Villanova, Navy, Fordham and Colgate.

The non-league schedule features 4 games that could go either way for the Mountain Hawks. Only the mid-September trip to Navy appears to be unwinnable. Lehigh opens the season with home games against St. Francis and Villanova. The Red Flashes have become a tough out in recent years while Lehigh-Villanova almost always comes down to the final minutes. A pair of quality Ivy Leaguers, Penn and Princeton, conclude the out of conference portion of the schedule. While wins will be hard to come by, a repeat of last year’s 0-5 OOC record should not happen.

The odds of Lehigh winning 3 straight Patriot League Titles seems unlikely given the talent and experience that resides in Hamilton, NY and the offensive firepower Fordham possesses. That doesn’t mean Lehigh won’t make a legit run at it. With so much elite FCS talent at the skill positions Lehigh might have the highest ceiling of anyone in the league. They also seem the most likely to come up well short of expectations if the defense continues to struggle.

Prediction: 6-5 (4-2)

Patriot League: 2018 Lafayette Preview

Lafayette Leopards

2017 Record: 3-8 (3-3)

Head Coach: John Garrett, 2^nd Year 3-8 (3-3)

Last Patriot League Title: 2013

Last Playoff Appearance: 2013

2018 Schedule

9/1 @ Sacred Heart

9/8 @ Delaware

9/15 Monmouth

9/22 @ Colgate

9/29 Central Connecticut State

10/13 Georgetown

10/20 @ Bucknell

10/27 @ Fordham

11/3 Holy Cross

11/10 @ Army

11/17 Lehigh

Overview

The positive take away from Garrett’s first season in Easton? The Leopards were in the Patriot League title hunt until their second to last game of the season. The negative take away? The 3-8 record was program’s 8^th losing season in a row. There was also the 3^rd straight loss to arch rival Lehigh to conclude the 2017 season.

If Lafayette is to once and for all end their current decade long run of misery they’ll need some unexpected names to step up. While the Leopards have several known commodities, there remains major depth concerns at key positions. Garrett’s first priority needs to be assembling a quality offensive line that can protect the QB and pave the way for a competent rushing attack. The Leopards simply could not run the football (39.1 ypg, 7^th in PL) in 2017. With the multitude of uncertainties on “O” the defense will once again be counted on to keep Lafayette competitive.

Offense

Best Returning Player: WR Nick Pearson

Freshman to Watch: OL Ben Wild

There are numerous question marks on offense facing Coach Garrett and Offensive Coordinator John Van Dam. Last year’s “O” was a no go (12.0 ppg, 7^th in PL) despite having a talented group of wide receivers. The offensive line, quarterback and running backs struggled to find any sort of consistency. Until the OL starts winning the battle along the line of scrimmage, production from the skill positions is not going to improve unless a real dynamic playmaker emerges.

The quarterback situation is rather unsettled heading into the year. Sophomore Sean O’Malley (60.7 completion %, 1,967 yards, 12 TDs, 15 INTs in ’17) started every game as a freshman but has been pushed in spring and fall practice. Fellow sophomore Cole Northrup has emerged as a viable candidate for the starting position during that time. O’Malley appears to be the odds on favorite to start game 1 but his grasp on the starting position seems to be tenuous at best. Of all the quarterbacks on the roster, highly touted freshman Troy Fisher might have the most upside.

Questions also surround who will be catching the ball. The Leopards lost their top four receivers to graduation so they’ll need some new names to step up. Senior Joey Chenoweth (17 rec 229 yards 1 TD) and junior Nick Pearson (21 rec 246 yards 2 TDs) should see significant time. Pearson showed real promise before an injury derailed his season. Freshman Tim Payne has had a great fall camp and will be a major factor at WR. Junior Julian Spigner (6’3) gives the Leopards some needed size beyond the hash marks.

The RB position is fairly set with the quick-footed C.J. Amil (129 yards, 1 TD) and bruising Selwyn Simpson (174 yards, 2 TDs) splitting the majority of the carries. The question now is if their production can reach a competent level. The Leopards rushed for an anemic 430 total yards during the 2017 season. The struggles along the OL are obviously a big reason for the lack of production at the RB position. Even so, Amil and Simpson need to step up and make a few game changing individual plays time to time. Sophomore J.J. Younger has big play potential if he’s completely healthy.

The offensive line could be a revolving door due to injuries and lack of cohesion. Junior Jake Marotti and sophomore Gavin Barclay should man the tackle positions given their experience. Kevin Zataveski will likely be the center. The senior started 11 games at center in 2016 before missing all of last season. Fellow senior Logan Grieser, sophomores Taron Ham and John Burke figure to battle it out for playing time at the two guard spots. A trio of freshmen OL, Ben Wild, Josh Roberts and Casey McCollum, possess the physical assets to make a push early on for playing time if things need to be shaken up.

Defense

Best Returning Player: LB Jerry Powe

Freshman to Watch: DL Malik Hamm

The Lafayette defense battled admirably in 2017 to keep the Leopards in the league title hunt until the final month of the season. What made some of their efforts even more impressive is how little help they got from the offense. The unit was often on the field way too much but hung in for parts of the 2017 campaign. The “D” was not without warts however. In 7 of Lafayette’s 8 losses the opposition averaged 38 points.

The leader of the defense is unquestionably senior LB Jerry Powe (Preseason 1^st Team All-PL) now that fellow backer Brandon Bryant graduated. Powe’s versatility makes him one of the most difficult defensive player in the league to account for. Michael Root is an extremely good (2^nd on team in tackles in ’17) LB in his own right. Major Jordan and Ryan Dickens will be in play at the third LB spot. While there’s no questioning the front line talent, depth is a major concern.

The defensive line was hit hard by graduation but the cupboard is not completely bare. Syracuse transfer and Preseason 1^st Team All-PL DT Tony Giudice is a great piece to build around. Senior Lavel Ramsey and junior Demetrius Breedlove will join Guidice inside. Andrew Chuma, Keith Earle and Ryan Barnett will battle for time at DE. Freshman Malik Hamm has impressed in fall camp and should see meaningful minutes.

The pass defense will once again be a strength (202.4 ypg allowed, 3^rd in PL) with 3 starters returning. The safety combo of Yasir Thomas and the undersized Trent Crossan is formidable. Junior Eric Mitchell will man one of the CB positions while Tre Jordan should have the inside track to the other spot. Jordan missed 6 games last year due to an injury. Depth could be an issue as there’s not a lot of experience after the starters.

Special Teams

Michael Turk’s surprising decision to transfer to Arizona State could be a huge loss given the Leopards struggles on offense. With Turk’s departure, sophomore Jeffrey Kordenbrock (5-12 field goals, long of 43) and senior Jacob Bissell (missed all of ’17 with an injury) will battle it out for all 3 kicking duties. C.J. Amil and Joey Chenoweth are experienced return men.

Outlook

Those that don’t follow the Patriot League closely might not realize how difficult of job John Garrett took on. The Leopards have had pockets of success over the years but generally speaking it has been an uphill battle during the Patriot League era. Things have gotten especially worse recently as Lafayette is currently on pace for the worst decade in program history. If Lafayette’s fortunes are going to change Garrett needs to use all of his offensive intuition to come up with a solution to improve the offense.

The schedule has to be concern for a program searching for its first winning season in 9 years. The Leopards will be decided underdogs in 4 out of the first 5 games. If they fail to notch a “W” against Sacred Heart to open the season an 0-5 start is quite possible, if not probable. The conclusion to the season is not much better. Playing what should be a bowl bound Army team the week before Lehigh could prove to be rather detrimental.

With so many question marks on offense and a defense that lacked consistency, it’s hard to predict Lafayette seriously threatening the top half of the league in 2018. Exceeding last year’s 3 win total will not a foregone conclusion unless numerous players on both sides of the ball emerge as playmakers.

Prediction: 3-8 (2-4)

Patriot League: 2018 Holy Cross Preview

Holy Cross Crusaders

2017 Record: 4-7 (3-3)

Head Coach: Bob Chesney, 1^st season

Last Patriot League Title: 2009

Last Playoff Appearance: 2009

2018 Schedule

9/1 @ Colgate

9/8 @ Boston College

9/15 Yale

9/22 Dartmouth

9/29 Bucknell

10/6 @ New Hampshire

10/12 @ Harvard

10/27 Lehigh

11/3 @ Lafayette

11/10 Fordham

11/17 @ Georgetown

Overview

For the first time in several years there’s genuine excitement surrounding the Holy Cross football program. New head coach Bob Chesney comes to Mount Saint James with an extremely impressive track record of success. Prior to taking over the Crusader head job Chesney spent the previous five seasons leading Worcester neighbor Assumption College to a 44-16 record and 3 Division II Playoff appearances. Before guiding the Greyhounds, Chesney reeled off a trio of winning seasons at Division III Salve Regina.

Chesney’s first season at Holy Cross will likely be his toughest to date. The Crusaders will face a very difficult schedule without their unquestionable leader on offense, QB Peter Pujals and the heart and soul of the defense, LB Nick McBeath. Both were for 4 year starters at their respective positions. If Chesney, in his first year at the Division 1 level, can keep his streak of winning seasons (currently 8) alive the Patriot League Coach of the Year Award will be heading to Massachusetts.

Offense

Best Player: WR Richie DeNicola

Freshman to Watch: Justin Bruno

New offensive coordinator Patrick Murphy’s first order of business will be deciding who will take over the quarterback position. Peter Pujals was the Crusader QB for so long it felt as though he immediately followed the great Dominic Randolph. Senior Geoff Wade and Junior Emmett Clifford are the two most likely candidates to take over the starting spot. While Geoff Wade has the experience advantage (5 starts his sophomore year), Clifford appears to have to have a higher ceiling skill wise. 6’6 Sophomore Connor Dagenhardt has the tools to potentially push for playing time at some point as well.

Running back is another area of concern for the offense heading into the year. The two leading rushers from 2017 have graduated which leaves Miles Alexander (72 carries 351 yards 3 TDs) and Dominic Cozier (39 carries 216 yards) as the primary duo heading into the season. While the combo has experience, neither one has been called upon to be the bell cow in key situations. Freshman and Georgia native Justin Bruno was a dangerous dual threat RB in high school. Given his versatility, Bruno could see an increased role as the season moves along.

If Holy Cross can get quality quarterback play they have the weapons outside to be an excellent passing team. Preseason 1^st Team All-Patriot League WR, and former quarterback, Blaise Bell (46 rec 601 yards 8 TDs) leads the way in terms of name recognition. However, fellow senior Richie DeNicola might put up more impressive stats in 2018. After a breakout sophomore year, DiNicola was sidelined early last year with an injury. His return is a huge boost to the offense. Martin Dorsey (43 rec 590 yards 2 TDs) gives the Crusaders an excellent 3^rd option at WR. With only three tight ends on the roster (Derek Mountain, Cole Pitwitz and Henry Teeter) there’s a good chance they all see time important snaps during the season.

The offensive line returns a good amount of experience from a unit that had its ups and downs last year. Rory Costello, John Brekke, Max Daurelle, Brian Foley, Jack Bowler, Jackson Dennis and Joe Mattingly are names worth paying attention to as the season begins. Brett Boddy, who missed all of last season, is another experienced lineman who will vie a starting spot. Sophomore Mike Pizziketti (6’8 289) clearly has the physical tools to be noticed as well.

Defense

Best Player: DE Teddy Capsis

Freshman to Watch: DL Matt Cedeno

The Crusader defense was the definition of a mixed bag in 2017. Some games it looked like one of the most formidable “Ds” in the league while other times it had more holes than Swiss cheese. The unit was quite stout against the run (120.5 ypg allowed, 2^nd in PL) but got lit up (247.5 ypg allowed, 7^th in PL) through the air. New defensive coordinator Scott James does have a lot of returning experience in secondary. That alone is reason to believe the Crusaders will be better equipped to slow down opposing passing attacks. Coach James also has one of the best defensive lineman, Teddy Capsis (6 sacks in ’17), in the Patriot League leading the pass rush.

Joining Capsis along the defensive line is a host of players who saw significant time last year. Fellow seniors Neil Vorster, Kevin Bucceroni and Jake McArdell give the Crusaders a ton experience in the trenches. Add in Mark Ebo, Jordan Jackson, highly touted recruit Matt Cedeno and the potential is there for the best DL in the Patriot League.

The linebacker position should also be an area of strength for the Holy Cross “D”. Preseason 1^st Team All-Patriot League selection Ryan Brady will be leading the way. Joining him will be fellow senior Andre Chevalier. Chevalier was fifth on the team in TFL’s last season despite missing 3 games. Jack Haddon, Keiston Lowery and Jack McCade will also be in the mix for starting roles.

If the pass defense improves it will be te result of a lot of familiar names stepping up. Akeem Walcott and Damion Baker are good bets to get the starting nod at CB. Josh Hicks and Grant Holloman will also have key roles at CB. Chris Riley returns from injury to man one of the safety spots. Riley has the potential to be major force in the back end of the defense if he’s back to 100%. Kendrick Knight and Alex Johnson will be in the running for other starting safety spot. Senior Corey Stefanik gives the Crusaders a playmaker at the hybrid LB/DB position.

Special Teams

Cody Wilkinson is the lone returning kicker with experience. Wilkinson was responsible for kick offs in 2017 but did not handle any punting duties or attempt a field goal. As a result, junior Derek Ng and freshman Andrew Beatty will be in the mix. Richie DeNicola is well versed in the return the game.

Outlook

Given Chesney’s track record of success there’s plenty of optimism surrounding the Holy Cross football program. The first year coach inherits a team that returns a lot of talent and depth at certain positions. He also faces several question marks, most notably at QB. The defense should be good enough to at least keep the Crusaders in the majority of their early season games until the “O” finds its stride.

The biggest obstacle facing Holy Cross in 2018 is their schedule. It’s absolutely brutal from the get go. The Crusaders open the season on the road against league favorite Colgate in Hamilton. The Raider’s Andy Kerr Stadium has been a house of horrors for Holy Cross over the years. After that the Purple rekindle a bitter rivalry with Boston College at Alumni Stadium. Then it’s home to face defending Ancient Eight champion Yale and an always tough Dartmouth squad. Road trips to preseason Top 15 New Hampshire and Bay State rival Harvard round out the non-league portion of the schedule.

Chesney is too good of a coach to fail at Holy Cross if the administration fully backs him. He’s already hit a few homeruns in the early portion of the 2019 recruiting season. Unfortunately for Crusader fans they’ll likely have to endure one more subpar season before the program takes off. With that said, don’t be shocked if the Crusaders have at least one head turning win before the 2018 season comes to an end.

Prediction: 5-6 (4-2)

Preview: FCS Kickoff 2018

Football season is almost here and this year we are starting off right with an excellent match-up between the reigning HBCU National Champions, North Carolina A&T, and the four-time defending OVC Champions, Jacksonville State. Like last year’s kickoff match-up, where the Gamecocks beat Chattanooga 27-13, this year’s game will be played in Montgomery, Alabama at the Historic Cramton Bowl as well as feature on Saturday night ESPN prime time television.

The Teams:

#19 North Carolina A&T Aggies

2017 Record: 12-0

Players to Watch:

Lamar Reynard, SR. QB

Elijah Bell, SR. WR

Darryl Johnson, JR. DE

The Aggies are coming off an undefeated season that ended with a win over Grambling State for the Aggies’ second Celebration Bowl victory in the event’s short three-year history. The Aggies enter 2018 looking to repeat their success with new head coach, Sam Washington. Washington is no stranger to Aggie football as he has spent the past seven seasons serving as the Aggie’s defensive coordinator. After two HBCU Championships in three years the Aggies are looking to shrug off the notion that the MEAC’s reputation as a weaker league affects their legitimacy as an elite FCS program.

Redshirt Senior Quaterback Lamar Reynard

The Aggies have play makers on both sides of the ball and on offense feature one of the top offensive trios in the FCS with quarterback Reynard, wide receiver Bell, and running back Cartwright. Despite having a talented group of skill players on offense, the key for the Aggies will be to play well up front. The Aggies’ offensive line’s sole returning starter will have to work well with new faces to open holes for Cartwright and opportunities available for Reynard and Bell against a Jacksonville State front seven that has been one of the best units in the country over the past few seasons.

The Aggies return most of their defensive unit which was ranked top five nationally in 2017 in scoring defense, total defense, and rushing defense. Headlined by junior defensive end Darryl Johnson and Redshirt sophomore defensive back Mac McCain the Aggies are an experienced group that is excellent at stopping the run and forcing turnovers.

#8 Jacksonville State Gamecocks

2017 Record: 10-2

Players to Watch:

Marlon Bridges, JR. FS

Randy Robinson, SR. NT

Whoever Starts at QB

For the past several years Jax State has been on the short list of national contenders. Now after going losing in the second round of the FCS playoffs three of the past four years, JSU must prove that they still have a place in the national arena of FCS football. After losing to Sam Houston State in 2014 (National Semifinalist) and Youngstown State in 2016 (National Runner up) JSU was given the benefit of the doubt due to their 2015 campaign which saw them end the season in Frisco, but the prestige of making the National Championship game officially lost its meaning for JSU after a 7-17 loss to Kennesaw State in another second-round mishap last season.

The main story for the Gamecocks this season has been the battle between Redshirt-Freshman Zion Webb and 4-Star Clemson transfer Zerrick Cooper for the role of starting QB. Head Coach John Grass has stated that the starting quarterback will be revealed as the offense gets onto the field in Montgomery. Whoever the Gamecock’s play at QB will have plenty off assets to help them as the Gamecocks offense features veteran offensive line, talented group of receivers and tight ends, and a deep stable of running backs. Much like the Aggies, offensive line play for the Gamecocks will set the tone for the offense and the Aggie front seven will provide a worthy test.

Defensively the Gamecock’s motto seems to be “Reload.” After losing 5 starters, 4 of which were given NFL opportunities, including 2017 Buchannan Award winner Darius Jackson, the Gamecocks have brought in 4-star SEC transfers Tre Threat and Denzil Ware to supplement the Gamecocks Defensive front. The Gamecocks will also return junior safety and Buchannan candidate, Marlon Bridges, who lead a young group of defensive backs. The defensive backs will be the question mark for JSU’s defense and they will be thrown straight into the fire against Reynard and the Aggie’s strong passing attack.

The Prediction:

Both teams are entering 2018 on a mission to legitimize themselves a staple in the ranks of the FCS elite. This game may not provide the winner the recognition they deserve but a loss for either team could be a very big setback as far as reputation is concerned. Call me a homer, but I’m banking on the Gamecock’s 41-game regular season winning streak against non-FBS competition to extend.

Gamecocks 34

Aggies 24