[Kutztown Football] KU Football Fact Sheet #06-2005 - KU vs. Bloomsburg

[Josh Leiboff]

 KU Football Fact Sheet #06-2005 - KU vs. Bloomsburg 
Golden Bears to Face Undefeated Bloomsburg 

This Week

         Kutztown University's football team will travel to Bloomsburg University on Saturday, October 8, for a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division matchup.  Kickoff is set for 1:30 PM at Redman Stadium.

         Kutztown is coming off a 48-21 loss to West Chester.  The setback drops KU's record to 1-4 overall, 1-1 in the PSAC East.

Bloomsburg notched a 31-24 overtime victory over previously undefeated East Stroudsburg.  The Huskies are 6-0 overall, 1-0 in the division.  BU also has wins over Slippery Rock (40-24), Fairmont State (33-0), Shippensburg (49-21), Lock Haven (63-0) and Indiana (PA) 27-0.

 Electronic Coverage

The game will be broadcast live on WEEU, AM 830, based out of Reading.  Matt Santos and Steve Hahn will call the action.  Listeners throughout the world can also hear the broadcast on KU's Website at kubears.com.  The broadcast will begin 15 minutes before kickoff.   

The Coaches

Dave Keeny (Kutztown, '82) is in his eighth season as head coach of the Golden Bear football program.  Keeny has a 37-41 career record.  He has the third-most coaching victories in school history.  Keeny is 0-7 vs. Bloomsburg.  KU defensive backs coach Al Holcomb returns to Bloomsburg for the first time since coming to Kutztown last year.  He coached linebackers at BU for six seasons.

Danny Hale (West Chester, '68) is in his 13th season at Bloomsburg, compiling an 101-38-1 record. In 17 overall seasons, Hale has a record of 139-51-1. He is 12-0 against KU while at Bloomsburg, and 17-0 all-time, including a 5-0 record while head coach at West Chester. 

The Series

The game will mark the 59th meeting between Kutztown and Bloomsburg, dating back to 1927. Bloomsburg holds a 37-20-1 advantage, including last year's 37-12 victory at KU's University Field.  The Huskies rushed for 413 yards and four touchdowns in the game.  Three backs went over 100 yards - Jamar Brittingham (142 yards, 3 TD), Mike Ceroli (109 yards) and Julius Brown (101 yards, TD).  Jason Henley led Kutztown with 62 yards on five catches, while Drew Hicks had 13 tackles and three tackles for loss.  The last time the teams met at Bloomsburg, KU suffered a heartbreaking 35-28 overtime loss.  Ceroli scored the game-winning TD in overtime, after BU overcame a 17-0 halftime deficit.  DB Matt Millard had two interceptions in the game.  

Bloomsburg has won the last 12 meetings between the teams.  Prior to last year, the previous five meetings had been decided by 10 points or less.  KU last defeated Bloomsburg in 1992 (17-10), which was also the last time the Golden Bears won at Redman Stadium. 

Notable

Kutztown's loss to West Chester was its first by more than seven points in 2005...Artificial turf has been unkind for KU: Golden Bears are 0-4 on turf this year, and 1-0 on natural grass...Bloomsburg's Redman Stadium is natural grass...For the first time this season, KU did not force a turnover by its opponent. 

Tracking the Golden Bears

Offense

Kutztown's offense struggled against the talented West Chester defense.  KU managed 311 yards, including 218 passing, but just 98 on the ground.  Kyle Spotts (so. Tamaqua/Tamaqua) completed 18-of-36 passes for 218 yards and three touchdowns, with one pick.  It was Spotts' second-straight game completing 50% or better of his passes, and third in five games this year.  WR James Brooks (jr. Lancaster/McCaskey) caught five passes for 99 yards and two touchdowns.  His 56 yard score gave KU a 7-0 lead, but WCU rattled off 24 points to jump ahead.  His 16 yard TD catch from Spotts in the third quarter made it 31-21, but the Rams iced the game with 17 fourth-quarter points.  Larry Baumgardner (so. New Oxford/New Oxford) had two catches for 20 yards, including a 12-yard TD grab.  Brett Harbach (jr. West Lawn/Wilson) had four catches, while Jason Henley (jr. Gilbertsville/Boyertown) caught three passes for 34 yards.  Maurice Adams (so. West Chester/Henderson) rushed for 64 yards on 13 carries, and Tony Bria (sr. Warminster/William Tennent) added 31 yards on 10 rushes.  Tyler Dinnis (fr. Doylestown/Central Bucks West) had a 29-yard run, finishing with 31 yards on two carries.

For the season, the Golden Bears are averaging 335.4 yards per game, including 200.2 passing and 135.2 rushing.  Spotts has completed 97-of-190 passes for 1,001 yards and 10 touchdowns.  He has been picked off eight times.  Baumgardner has caught 25 passes for 300 yards and seven TDs.  Brooks has 23 catches for 264 yards and a score.  Brooks, who has played in one fewer game than Baumgardner, ranks second in the PSAC in receptions per game (5.75).  Baumgardner is tied for third (5.0).  TE Jason Henley (jr. Gilbertsville/Boyertown) has 11 grabs for 96 yards and a TD.  

Adams leads the ground game with 397 yards and two TDs on 78 carries.  He also has 11 catches for 83 yards.  Bria has 218 yards and a score on 52 rushes, and 11 catches for 41 yards.  

KU's offensive line consists of tackles Brian Long (jr. Souderton/Souderton) and Charlie Kehs (sr. Gilbertsville/Boyertown); guards Adam Ogorek (sr. West Chester/Henderson), Don Keen (sr. Lancaster/McCaskey) and Dustin Woodward (jr. Lancaster/Penn Manor) and center Raymond Yannuzzi (jr. Wallingford/Strath Haven). 

Defense

KU's defense was on its heels most of the day vs. West Chester, surrendering 441 yards of total offense, including 242 rushing and 199 passing.  For the first time this season, the defense did not force a turnover or record a sack.  DT Scott Smith (so. New Oxford/Delone Catholic) led the defense with 12 tackles, doubling his season tackles total to 24.  LB Greg Mitchell (sr. Bethlehem/Bethlehem Catholic) had 11 stops and a pass breakup.  DE Leroy Azubuike (so. East Stroudsburg/East Stroudsburg South) had 10 hits.  Safety Michael Baldwin (sr. Philadelphia/Dobbins Tech) knocked down two passes and had six tackles.  LB Drew Hicks (sr. Allentown/William Allen) recorded six stops, while Nick Cresta (r-fr. Wallingford/Strath Haven) had five tackles, including one for loss.  

KU's defense allows 378.8 yards by opposing offenses, including 200.8 rushing and 178.0 passing.  The Golden Bears rank third in the PSAC in sacks.  Mitchell ranks second in the league with 11.4 tackles per game, 57 total.  He has three tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries.  Hicks is fifth in the league in tackles per game (9.6), with 48 stops.  He had seven tackles for loss and two breakups.  Azubuike has 43 hits, four for loss and three sacks.  DE Mike Grosso (jr. Hackettstown, NJ/Pope John) has 29 tackles, eight for loss, and five sacks.  Safety Brian Bingnear (so. Boothwyn/Chichester) has 29 tackles, while LB Tom Cressman (so. Sellersville/Pennridge) has 27 tackles, including five for loss and four sacks.  Baldwin has chipped in 27 tackles.  He has two interceptions and nine pass breakups for a PSAC-best 11 passes defended.  Baldwin also has a fumble returned 98 yards for a TD.  Cresta has three tackles for loss and a sack, while DE Kevin Branco (r-fr. Hellertown/Saucon Valley) has four tackles for loss, two sacks and a PSAC-best three fumble recoveries.  CB Justin Gibbs (so. Pottstown/Pottstown) has four pass breakups, two interceptions and a fumble recovery. 

Special Teams

Punter Ryan Nye (fr. Reading/Holy Name) was a standout vs. West Chester.  He averaged 39.9 yards on eight punts, including a 52 yarder.  He also had two tackles on punt returns.  The Golden Bears, however, allowed 141 yards on punt returns.  Azubuike blocked a punt that led to a Golden Bear touchdown. 

Matt Scartozzi (sr. Malvern/Bishop Shananan) has connected on 3-of-5 field goals this season, with a long of 42.  He is also 13-of-15 on PATs.  Nye averages 37.3 yards on 32 punts, including four inside opponents' 20 yardlines.  

Gibbs is averaging 19.8 yards on 12 kick returns.  Bria averages 8.2 yards on five punt returns, while Harbach nets 6.2 yards on six punt returns.  

Baldwin has blocked two kicks, including a punt vs. Southern Connecticut and a field goal attempt in overtime against Clarion. 

Scouting the Bloomsburg Huskies

Bloomsburg enters Saturday's game with a perfect 6-0 record, including a 1-0 mark in the PSAC East, after Saturday's 31-24 overtime victory over East Stroudsburg.  RB Jamar Brittingham rushed for 200 yards and four touchdowns on 33 carries.  He had the game winning TD run in overtime.  BU racked up 346 rushing yards on 56 carries in the game.  Safety Tyler Trettin broke up ESU's final attempt in overtime.  Safety Phil Riccardi had 12 tackles.

For the season, Bloomsburg leads the PSAC in rushing offense, averaging 299.0 yards per game.  Brittingham averages 182.2 yards rushing per game, good for second among NCAA Division II players.  He has rushed for 17 touchdowns, having already passed the 1,000 yard mark this season with 1,093 yards.  Backup Josh Heck has 380 yards and four TDs on 71 carries.  QB Jack Lydic is 65-of-115 for 923 yards, with seven TDs and three picks.  WR Donny Patrick, a Division I transfer, has 15 catches for 216 yards and two TDs.  Greg Masters has 14 grabs for 191 yards and two scores.  The Huskies offensive line is anchored by senior All-America tackle Jhari Evans (6-4, 335 lbs.)

Defensively, the Huskies rank third in the PSAC in total defense, allowing 289.2 yards per game, including 100.2 rushing and 189.0 passing.  BU allows just 11.5 points per game, second in the league.  The Huskies are first in the PSAC in turnover margin at +2.8 per game, including a PSAC-high 13 interceptions.  LB Rob Biernat has 37 tackles, including six for loss and two sacks.  CB Keith Davis has 30 hits, with two sacks, four interceptions and four breakups.  Trettin has 27 hits, with three picks, while LB Keith Sosnovik has 26 stops.  DE Zac Barton leads BU with four sacks.

Kicker Garrett Bloom is 1-of-2 on field goals.  Punter Adam Cherry averages 36.4 yards per kick.  Ryan Schuck nets 11.9 yards on 11 punt returns, and Greg McGhee averages 17.1 yards on eight kick returns. 

Kelly's Sports, Ltd.
Player of the Week

James Brooks (jr. Lancaster/McCaskey)  caught five passes for 99 yards and two touchdowns in the loss to West Chester.  He had TD grabs of 56 and 16 yards. 

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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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