[Kutztown Football] 2005 KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Tue Aug 9 15:54:28 EDT 2005

August 9, 2005

2005 KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL PREVIEW

      2005 KU Schedule

      AUGUST

      SAT  27   SHIPPENSBURG                3:05 PM

      SEPTEMBER

      SAT  3      at Clarion                              6:00 PM 

      SAT  10   S. CONNECTICUT ST.       1:05 PM

      SAT  24   *at Mansfield                        1:00 PM

      OCTOBER

      SAT  1      *WEST CHESTER               1:05 PM

                           (Family Day)

      SAT  8      *at Bloomsburg                    1:30 PM

      SAT  15   *at East Stroudsburg           1:05 PM

      SAT  22   *MILLERSVILLE                  1:05 PM

                           (Homecoming)

      SAT  29   at Edinboro                           1:00 PM

      NOVEMBER

      SAT  5      *CHEYNEY                           1:05 PM

      Home games in BOLD CAPS

      *PSAC East contest

KUTZTOWN, PA - The Kutztown University football team will take to the newly renovated University Field with the most upperclassmen in recent memory, hoping to improve upon a sub-.500 2004 campaign that was filled with injuries the key personnel.

            Last year's team finished the season 4-6 overall, including a 2-4 mark in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division.  The season was marred by an abundance of injuries.  A total of 11 players who were projected as starters in the preseason or who opened the year in the starting lineup missed at least one game.  Those 11 players missed a combined 43 games.  

            What better way to put behind the thoughts of 2004 and focus on the promise of 2005 than with a new home field.  Over the summer, Kutztown University installed a brand new, state-of-the-art, artificial surface at University Field.  The new surface, by A-Turf, features a sand and rubber infill mix designed for long-term durability and to reduce the effects of impact on the body.

            The 2005 Golden Bears feature 18 seniors on the pre-season roster, and will have eight players on the roster who have earned All-PSAC East honors in their careers.  Nearly 100  players reported to camp on August 7 for head coach Dave Keeny, who has a 36-37 record in seven seasons.

            Kutztown was selected to finish fifth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division annual pre-season coaches poll, announced on Tuesday, August 2, at the league's media luncheon in Bloomsburg.  East Stroudsburg was picked to finish first, followed by West Chester, Bloomsburg, Millersville, KU, Mansfield and Cheyney.

            The Golden Bears return 19 of 24 starters, nine on offense, eight on defense and two specialists, along with 45 letterwinners.  

OFFENSE

QUARTERBACKS

            Quarterback will be the top question mark on offense heading into pre-season camp.  Lost to graduation is two-year starter Jeremy Copeland.  Gabe Maiocco (jr. Media/Marple Newtown) has spent the past two seasons serving as backup QB.  Maiocco completed 17-of-29 passes for 169 yards and three touchdowns vs. one interception in 2004.  Most of those numbers came in the season finale vs. Cheyney, when he started for an injured Copeland and completed 12-of-17 passes for 124 yards and two TDs.  Jim Kelly (jr. Ambler/Upper Dublin) also returns.  In addition to fighting for time under center, Kelly will serve as the team's long snapper. The veterans will battle several newcomers for the starting position.  Kyle Spotts (so. Tamaqua/Tamaqua), a transfer from Division I Colgate, and freshmen Joe McMonagle (fr. Chalfont/Central Bucks West) and Shane Martin (fr. New Holland/Garden Spot) are all expected to vie for the starting position.

RUNNING BACKS

            The Golden Bears have three players on the roster with All-PSAC East running back honors on their resumes.  Two of them are likely to share the workload in the backfield, while the third will probably switch to wide receiver.  Maurice Adams (so. West Chester/Henderson), a second-team All-PSAC East pick in 2004, came on strong at the end of his rookie season and is expected to be the starter in '05.  Adams rushed for 702 yards and six touchdowns on 125 carries.  His 5.9 yards per carry were the most by a KU running back since 1997.  All but 11 of his 702 yards came after he became the primary running back in the final seven games.  Stephen Gammage (sr. Phoenix, AZ/Brophy), an All-PSAC East second team selection in 2002 and 2003, started all 10 games at fullback last season, rushing for 530 yards and six scores on 107 carries.  He has 2,056 yards in his career, eighth all time at KU.  Gammage also ranks among the program's career leaders in rushes (508, fifth) and rushing touchdowns (25, third).  Tony Bria (sr. Warminster/William Tennent), who earned All-PSAC East honors in 2003, suffered a season-ending knee injury in the fourth game last year.  He had 253 yards and three TDs on 63 carries to that point.  Bria is expected to shift to wide out this fall.  Newcomers Chris Mitchell (fr. Philadelphia/Roxborough), Tyler Dinnis (fr. Doylestown/Central Bucks West) and Damian Jorden (Philadelphia/Bishop McDevitt) will vie for time.

WIDE RECEIVERS

            Should Bria move to wide receiver, the Golden Bears would have three experienced playmakers at the two wideout positions.  Second team All-PSAC East selection James Brooks (jr. Lancaster/McCaskey) leads the corps.  Brooks caught a team-high 38 passes for 519 yards and two touchdowns in 2004.  His 85-yard reception vs. East Stroudsburg set a single-play school record.  Bria has caught 36 passes for 329 yards and two TDs in his career.  Also returning is Brett Harbach (jr. West Lawn/Wilson).  Harbach was limited to just one game at receiver last year, catching five passes for 45 yards in the season opener vs. Shippensburg.  After serving as an emergency punter in the next game, a leg injury sidelined him for the remainder of the year.  Harbach received a hardship waiver to remain a junior in eligibility.  Larry Baumgardner (so. New Oxford/New Oxford) and Mike Zulkowski (jr. Shenandoah/Shenandoah Valley) also return.

TIGHT ENDS

            Two-time first-team All-PSAC east tight end Jason Henley (jr. Gilbertsville/Boyertown) returns at starting tight end.  He caught 20 passes for 202 yards last year.  As a rookie in 2003, Henley caught six touchdown passes.  Also returning are Andre Coles (sr. Philadelphia/Abraham Lincoln), 5 catches for 43 yards, Mike Costello (sr. Yardville, NJ/Steinert), a converted fullback and Dan Onorato (r-fr. Malvern/Malvern Prep), a converted quarterback.

OFFENSIVE LINE

            All five offensive line starters return, but only three of those starters may be in the trenches when the season begins.  Center Raymond Yannuzzi (jr. Wallingford/Strath Haven), right guard Eric Barr (jr. Orefield/Northwestern Lehigh) and left tackle Charlie Kehs (sr. Gilbertsville/Boyertown) are slated to be back in the starting lineup to begin the season.  Last year's starting left tackle, Eric Newell (sr. Bethlehem/Bethlehem) may miss some time at the beginning of the season due to an off-season injury.  Brian Long (jr. Souderton/Souderton), who started at right tackle last year, is slated to move to the defensive line.  Projected to fill the two open spaces are left guard Adam Ogorek (sr. West Chester/Henderson) who started for two seasons at defensive tackle, and right tackle Dustin Woodward (jr. Lancaster/Penn Manor), who has five o-line starts over the past two seasons.  Don Keen (sr. Lancaster/McCaskey) and Ryan Contento (jr. Levittown/Neshaminy) add depth with previous starting experience.

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE LINE

            The Golden Bears' defensive line returns four players who started last year.  Defensive end Mike Grosso (jr. Hackettstown, NJ/Pope John) looks to return from a leg injury that sidelined him for the final seven games.  He had 16 tackles and two sacks before the injury.  Long, who moves over to defensive tackle from the o-line, should start at one spot, while Chris Branco (sr. Hellertown/Saucon Valley), Tony Garipoli (sr. Reading/Antietem) and Scott Smith (so. New Oxford/Delone Catholic) will fight for the other position.  Branco started nine games at defensive end last year, racking up 16 tackles and two sacks.  Garipoli started at DT last year and tallied 20 tackles.  Smith is expected to shift inside from the end, where he had 19 stops.  Also in the mix will be Kevin Branco (r-fr. Hellertown/Saucon Valley), Nick Cresta (r-fr. Wallingford/Strath Haven) and Mark Irwin (r-fr. Newtown/Council Rock North).  Other returners include Rick DiStefano (so. Quarryville/Solanco), Jason Harrison (so. Wayne/Radnor), Melvin Nusum (jr. Lancaster/McCaskey) and Warren Spivey (sr. Philadelphia/St. Joseph Prep).

LINEBACKERS

            Kutztown's top two leading tacklers from 2004 return at two of the starting linebacker positions.  Outside linebacker Drew Hicks (sr. Allentown/William Allen) led the team with 85 tackles, including 10 for loss and a sack last season.  He also had four pass breakups.  Co-captain Greg Mitchell (sr. Bethlehem/Bethlehem Catholic) returns for his fourth season at starting middle linebacker.  Mitchell, who has twice been named to the All-PSAC East second team, had 80 hits last fall, including five for loss and two sacks.  He added two forced and three recovered fumbles.  Tom Cressman (so. Sellersville/Pennridge) is slated to move into the starting lineup at the other outside position.  Cressman had 12 tackles and a sack as a rookie last year.  Vying for time will be Brian Burke (jr. Langhorne/Neshaminy) (15 tackles), James Crognale (r-fr. Boyertown/Boyertown) and Dan Chominski (jr. Boothwyn/Chichester), who missed four games due to injury.  Keith Fox (fr. Perkasie/Pennridge) joined the team in the spring and will fight for playing time.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

            Three starters return to the defensive secondary.  Three-year starting free safety Michael Baldwin (sr. Philadelphia/Dobbins Tech), a first-team All-PSAC East pick and co-captain, anchors the unit.  He had 59 tackles, five pass breakups and an interception.  Fellow starting safety Matt Millard (sr. Ridley/Ridley Twp.) also returns.  He had 33 tackles, an interception and three pass breakups.  Justin Gibbs (jr. Pottstown/Pottstown) returns to start at one cornerback slot.  Gibbs notched 40 tackles, a team-high six pass breakups, one interception and returned a fumble for a TD vs. Millersville.  Brian Bingnear (so. Boothwyn/Chichester) and Ryan Waltner (jr. East Stroudsburg/Pius X) will contend for the other starting cornerback position.  Bingnear had 15 tackles, while Waltner tallied eight stops in '04.  Newcomers expected to contribute are Brent Howard (fr. Perkiomenville/Boyertown), Lenny Brown (fr. Broomall/Marple Newtown) and Louie Gibbs (jr. Pottstown/Pottstown).

SPECIAL TEAMS

            Kutztown returns both its starting kickers, with placekicker Matt Scartozzi (sr. Malvern/Bishop Shanahan) and punter George Radu (sr. Philadelphia/George Washington) back in the fold.  Scartozzi, a second-team All-PSAC East selection in 2003, connected on 4-of-7 field goals and 16-of-26 PAT attempts last season.  He will face steep competition from Steve Sandberg (r-fr. Quakertown/Northeast) for this year's starting duties.  Radu averaged 34.7 yards on 46 punts last season.  He placed 10 inside opponents' 20 yard line.  Ryan Nye (fr. Reading/Holy Name) could figure into the mix at either of the kicker spots.

            The Golden Bears' special teams played a big part in the scoring efforts in 2004.  KU scored three touchdowns on special teams last year.  Millard returned two punts blocked by teammates for touchdowns, and  Brooks returned a kickoff for a TD.  Baldwin had two blocked kicks.  

            Bria, Harbach  Brooks, Gibbs and are expected to share the return duties.  Bria and Harbach should return punts.  Bria averaged 5.2 yards on nine returns last year, while Harbach averaged 6.5 yards in 2003.  Brooks netted 24.3 yards on 16 kick returns, and Gibbs averaged 16.6 yards on 14 last fall.

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Josh Leiboff
Kutztown University Sports Information
Phone: (610) 683-4182
Fax: (610) 683-4676
Email: leiboff at kutztown.edu
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