Warren Ruda

Wilkes looks to bounce back with a win against Stevenson Saturday at 12:00 p.m. at Schmidt Stadium

WILKES FOOTBALL GAME NOTES VS. STEVENSON

10/24/2013 2:09:00 PM

WILKES FOOTBALL GAME NOTES VS. STEVENSON

Wilkes Colonels (2-4, 1-4) vs. Stevenson Mustangs (3-3, 2-3)
Saturday, October 26, 2013 - 12:00 p.m.
Schmidt Stadium

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THE MATCHUP
Wilkes University returns home for the first time in three weeks hosting Stevenson University in a MAC matchup at 12:00 p.m. at Schmidt Stadium. Last week Wilkes fell 30-12 at Albright College in Reading, Pa. Stevenson dropped its third straight contest at home against King's College 31-24.

THE HEAD COACHES
Colonels coach Frank Sheptock (Bloomsburg '85) enters his 18th year on the Wilkes sideline, racking up a 105-79 (.570) record. With the 105 victories, Sheptock is the all-time winningest coach in school history, passing Colonel legend Rollie Schmidt's (1962-1981) 90 wins three seasons ago. Sheptock has led the Colonels to two NCAA and seven ECAC playoff berths during his tenure, along with a MAC championship (2006). Wilkes made the NCAA playoffs in 2005 and 2006, going 19-4 overall, including a 42-0 win over Washington & Lee in the first round of the 2006 playoffs. Since 1996, Sheptock has coached 12 All-Americans and 133 All-MAC performers.

Ed Hottle (Frostburg State '99) enters his third season at the helm of the Stevenson University football program. The first head coach in the program's history, last season Hottle guided the Mustangs to two victories in the Middle Atlantic Conference, with a 35-7 victory at Misericordia and a 28-13 win in the season-finale over FDU-Florham. In two short seasons, Hottle has already coached multiple all-conference honorees at Stevenson, including 2012 Middle Atlantic Conference Rookie of the Year, K.K. Smith. Hottle led Stevenson to the first win in team history with a 46-43 double overtime victory over Christopher Newport on Sept. 10, 2011 in front of a sellout crowd of 3,500 fans at Mustang Stadium.

THE SERIES
This will be the third meeting between the two schools as Wilkes holds a 2-0 advantage in the series. Last season the Colonels posted a 38-35 win in Owings Mills, Md. and in 2011 Wilkes claimed a 43-34 decision in Edwardsville.

UP NEXT
The Colonels take to the road Friday, November 1, for one of its final two road contests left in 2013 when they face FDU-Florham at 7:00 p.m. in Madison, NJ. It will mark the 30th meeting between the two schools as Wilkes holds a 27-2 advantage in the series. The Colonels have never lost to FDU-Florham under Coach Sheptock (16-0).

THE MAGIC 300
Wilkes earned its 300th win in the program's 68 years of existence in week 4 at Misericordia. The Colonels currently boast a 300-303-8 (.497) overall mark heading into today's contest with Stevenson.

ON TOP OF THE RECORD BOOK
Going into today's game against Stevenson, Sheptock's 105 wins stands as the school's all-time leader. Sheptock's 105 career wins has been built up over 17 seasons of work and includes a program-record 11 wins in 2006. He reached the 100-win plateau last season in a 37-27 victory against FDU-Florham on September 29. In 183 career games, Sheptock has a winning percentage of .573.

COLONELS NOTES
• The short series between the Colonels and Mustangs have featured high-scoring affairs. Over the past two seasons, Wilkes holds a 2-0 advantage in the series averaging 40.5 points per-game in the two wins, including a 43-point performance in 2011 (43-34 win). Stevenson has been steady offensively in the series too averaging 34.5 points each contest.

• Sophomore running back Patrick Ingulli (Hawley, PA/Wallenpaupack) ran for a season-high 127 yards in the loss at Albright eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark for his career and becoming the 12th player in school history to hit the century mark. It brings his career total to 1,026 yards. Ingulli has a rushed for 64.1 yards per-game through 16 career games.

• Senior All-MAC linebacker Tate Moore-Jacobs (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) continues to rack up the tackles finishing with eight stops in the loss at Albright. With the eight stops, Moore-Jacobs currently has 419 career tackles over his four-year stint in the Navy and Gold. Moore-Jacobs has reached double-digit tackles in 28 of 36 career games.

• Freshman quarterback Taylor Young (Catawissa, PA/Southern Columbia) finished his third career start at Albright with a 10-for-18 performance through the air for 138 yards. He was picked off once and sacked four times, the second consecutive game Young has been sacked at least four times. As a starter this season, Young has thrown for 446 yards on 36-for-72 passing and three touchdowns.

SCOUTING WILKES OFFENSE (SPREAD)
• The Wilkes ground attack is widely known throughout the MAC as one of the top rushing offenses in the conference, but the Colonels have struggled this season averaging just 138.3 yards per-game (7th in MAC). Wilkes finished second in the conference last season averaging 232.4 yards per-game and led the league in 2011 (242.8 yards per-contest).

• Rookie wide receiver David Claybrook (Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway) is quickly emerging as one of the top outside threats in the league posting 18 receptions for 218 yards (15th in the MAC). His 43.6 yards per-game receiving ranks 14th in the conference. Claybrook is averaging over 3.6 receptions per-game through five games played for Wilkes.

• In the special teams department, Jonathan Conklin (Sussex, NJ/Vernon) and Mason Smith (Wyomissing, PA/Wyomissing) are providing positive yardage in the kickoff return and punt return game for Wilkes through the first half of the season. Conklin is averaging 15.4 yards per-kick return in seven attempts while Smith averages 28.9 yards per-return in eight tries. Smith went for a season-high 96-yard return to open the game at Albright leading to a Colonels score.

SCOUTING WILKES DEFENSE (4-3)
• The Colonels defense has been using a bend but not break style allowing 23.7 (6th in the MAC) points per-game, but using turnovers (6 interceptions/11 fumble recoveries) and situational stops to get off the field and setup the Wilkes offense.

• Wilkes has been winning the turnover battle thus far this season collecting six interceptions and forcing a MAC-high 14 fumbles, with 11 being recovered by the Colonels. Teams are also converting just 45 percent (38-84) of the time on 3rd down and 17 percent (2/12) on fourth down. Wilkes caused three fumbles against Lebanon Valley three weeks ago recovering one of the Dutchmen miscues while picking off one pass. In the Colonels last three games, the defense has caused seven fumbles (recovering four) and one interception.

• Tate Moore-Jacobs (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) is the league's top tackler averaging 12.3 stops per-game. His 33 total solo stops rank fourth in the MAC, while his 41 assisted tackles lead the conference.

SCOUTING STEVENSON OFFENSE (MULTIPLE)
• Stevenson enters the contest ranking sixth in the MAC in scoring offense averaging 25.8 points per-game and over 357 yards of total offense in six games. The Mustangs feature a nice balance between the run and the pass ranking third in rushing (180.5 ypg) and eighth in passing (176.8 ypg). The offensive line also does a great job controlling the line of scrimmage allowing the third fewest sacks in the league (8).

• Quarterback John Gasparovic is eighth in passing in the MAC totaling 894 yards on 67-for-127 passing. He has accounted for six touchdowns through the air, four going to wide out Chris Cooper.

• Running back Trey Lee is the fifth best rusher in the MAC averaging just under 100 yards per-game (98.0) through six games. He has reached the end zone five times totaling 581 yards on 107 carries, good for 5.4 yards per-attempt.

SCOUTING STEVENSON DEFENSE (4-4)
• The Stevenson defense features 12 players with at least 20 tackles and five players with 30+ stops. As a unit, the Mustangs have forced and recovered four fumbles and picked off seven opponent passes.

• All-MAC linebacker Donnell Brown leads the middle of the defense with a team-high 49 tackles (8th in the MAC). Two seasons ago, Brown posted a MAC-best 126 tackles as a sophomore.

• As a team, the Stevenson defense ranks eighth in the MAC allowing 361.6 total yards per-game and 27.2 points per-contest.

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