[Kutztown Football] KU SELECTED TO FINISH FIFTH IN PRE-SEASON PSAC FOOTBALL POLL

Tue Aug 2 16:58:22 EDT 2005

 August 2, 2005
KU SELECTED TO FINISH FIFTH IN PRE-SEASON PSAC FOOTBALL POLL

BLOOMSBURG, PA - Kutztown University's football team was picked to finish fifth in the pre-season Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division coaches poll, released Tuesday at the annual media luncheon at Bloomsburg University.

East Stroudsburg, an NCAA regional finalist in 2004, has been chosen as favorites by the league's coaches to capture the 2005 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division title. The Warriors are followed by last year's regional and PSAC East champion West Chester.  Bloomsburg comes in at No. 3, with Millersville, Kutztown, Mansfield and Cheyney rounding out the fourth through seventh spots, respectively.

The Golden Bears, under eighth-year head coach Dave Keeny, report to camp on Sunday, August 7.  The 2005 season opener vs. Shippensburg is August 27 at University Field.

The remainder of this release is courtesy of the PSAC.

EAST STROUDSBURG suffered only two losses in 2004, both in tight games with West Chester.  Ten players return as starters on offense, headlined by two-time PSAC East Offensive Player of the Year QB Jim Terwilliger.  The record-setting quarterback led Division II in passing efficiency last year with a 174.1 rating and setting a league single-season record with 4,294 yards of total offense.  He has his top five pass catchers returning, including WRs Tim Strenfel (69 rec, 1,388 yds, 11 TD) and Evan Prall (52, 832, 7).  FB Anthony Carfagno rushed for 360 yds and 15 TD and caught 45 passes for 707 yards and 4 more scores.  The defense returns nine starters, which includes standouts Matt Crispell (10 INT, 8 PB) and Michael Wiggins (8 INT, PB) in the secondary.

WEST CHESTER reeled off three straight playoff wins before bowing to eventual national champion Valdosta State in the NCAA semifinals in 2004.  Along the way, the Golden Rams set a school record with 11 wins and claimed its first Eastern Division title since 1999.  A replacement for QB Bob Findora (9,326 career pass yds) is the key to success on offense.  The new starter will have the luxury of throwing to WR Brandon Simmons, who led PSAC receivers with 1,534 yds and 20 TDs, and handing off to RB Osagie Osunde (1,151 yds, 17 TD).  LBs Lateef Ferguson (82 TT, 6 TFL) and Dan Faubel (78 TT, 10 TFL), and DE Jared Souders (57 TT, 8 TFL) are expected to lead a group of newcomers on defense.     

BLOOMSBURG was unable to win at least a share of the Eastern Division title in 2004, marking the end of four straight crowns.  The Huskies may be able to start a new streak as seven offensive and six defensive starters are back for another season.  The offense flows in the direction of massive tackle Jhari Evans, a two-time East First Team selection.  The 6-4, 340-lb standout is one of four players back on the line helping protect three-year starting QB Jack Lydic (1,161 yds, 63.6%).  The RB position is secure with Jamar Brittingham (991 yds, 16 TD) and Josh Heck (790 yds, 4 TD in 2003) ready to carry the load.  DE Dominick Esgro (32 TT, 5 Sk) and LB Rodney Johnson (58 TT, 3 TFL, 2 INT) head up the defense.

MILLERSVILLE ushers in a new era in 2005 with the hiring of head coach Joe Trainer.  The defensive coordinator the past five seasons at Division I-AA Villanova takes over a squad that has seven starters back on both sides of the ball.  QB Dan Csencsitz completed 62.8 percent of his passes last year, accumulating 2,649 yards and 17 TD.  His favorite target is WR Ryan Clift (55 rec, 768 yds, 6 TD).  RB Juan Jones rushed for 254 yards and 8 TD in his final three games of 2004.  At least two starters return in each unit of the defense, with LB Chris Donati (75 TT, 11 TFL), DB Dan deBrauwere (51 TT, 2 TFL) and DE Chuck Koch (29 TT, 5 Sk, 8 TFL) as the leaders of each group. 

KUTZTOWN has a strong chance of improving on its 4-6 record of a year ago with 49 lettermen and 18 starters returning for 2005.  Three RBs with starting experience are back, as well as all five starters on the offensive line.  WR James Brooks (38 rec, 519 yds) and TE Jason Henley (20, 202) will be to the benefit of a new starting QB.  The veteran defense has four starters back on the line, and leaders like LB Greg Mitchell (80 TT, 5 TFL, 2 FF, 3 FR) and DB Michael Baldwin (59 TT, 5 PB) heading up their groups.     

MANSFIELD aims to improve under second-year mentor Jim Shiffer.  RB Poohbear McNeal rushed for 1,684 yds in 2003 and added 823 yards in eight contests last year.  Paving the way for McNeal is 6-3, 320-lb lineman Jamar Foulks, a first-team selection in 2004.  Though only four regulars are back on defense, the group does return three of its top five tacklers.  LB Andre Turner (88 TT, 8 TFL) and DE Keith Slezak (48 TT, 9 TFL) handle the challenge up front, while CB Ronnie Montgomery (44 TT, 3 INT) sparks the secondary. 

CHEYNEY went through some growing pains in 2004, featuring a roster with a freshman majority.  Fifteen players from that class return as sophomore starters this year, with the only other two returning starters entering their junior years.  WRs Kevin Gresham and Charles Johnson will form an explosive tandem for QB Derrick Murry.  LB Brandon Hawkins registered 89 tackles on his way to first-team Eastern Division honors.  Other talents include DE Mark Wilkins (42 TT, 12 TFL) and DB Tyree Cooper (71 TT, 3 TFL, INT).  

1.   East Stroudsburg  10-2, 5-1 - 2nd

Head Coach:  Denny Douds
Returning Starters:  10 off, 9 def
1st Team Returnees:   WR Tim Strenfel, QB Jim Terwilliger, FB Anthony Carfagno, P Mark  Brubaker, DL Andrew Marstellar, DB Matt Crispell, P Ken Parrish

2.   West Chester         11-4, 6-0 - 1st

Head Coach:  Bill Zwaan
Returning Starters:  4 off, 2 def
1st Team Returnees:  WR Brandon Simmons, RB Osagie Osunde, LB Dan Faubel

3. Bloomsburg 7-3, 4-2 - 3rd

Head Coach:  Danny Hale
Returning Starters:  7 off, 6 def
1st Team Returnees:   G John Moser, T Jhari Evans, DL Scott Keating, DL Dominick Esgro

4. Millersville 5-5, 3-3 - 4th

Head Coach:  Joe Trainer
Returning Starters:  7 off, 7 def
1st Team Returnees:   DB Dan deBrauwere

5. Kutztown 4-6, 2-4 - 5th

Head Coach:  Dave Keeny
Returning Starters:  9 off, 9 def
1st Team Returnees:  TE Jason Henley, DB Mike Baldwin

6. Mansfield 1-9, 1-5 - 6th

Head Coach:  Jim Shiffer
Returning Starters:  6 off, 4 def
1st Team Returnees:   C Jamar Foulks

7. Cheyney 1-10, 0-6 - 7th

Head Coach:  Tim Newsome
Returning Starters:  10 off, 7 def
1st Team Returnees:   LB Brandon Hawkins 

--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Josh Leiboff
Kutztown University Sports Information
Phone: (610) 683-4182
Fax: (610) 683-4676
Email: leiboff at kutztown.edu
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.kutztown.edu/pipermail/footballreleases/attachments/20050802/256026a3/attachment.html 