Warren Ruda

Head coach Frank Sheptock takes his 16-0 record against FDU-Florham into Madison, NJ Friday night

WILKES FOOTBALL GAME NOTES VS. FDU-FLORHAM

10/30/2013 11:00:00 AM

(Complete Game Notes)

WILKES FOOTBALL GAME NOTES VS. FDU-FLORHAM

Wilkes Colonels (3-4, 2-4) vs. FDU-Florham Devils (1-6, 0-6)
Friday, November 1, 2013 - 7:00 p.m.
Robert T. Shields Field

Live Stats

Live Audio: (ESPN Williamsport: Zach Barlage, play-by-play)

THE MATCHUP
Wilkes University travels to Madison, NJ for an Middle Atlantic Conference matchup at FDU-Florham Friday night at 7:00 p.m. Last week Wilkes recorded a thrilling 21-17 come-from-behind win against Stevenson University after trailing 17-0 in the fourth quarter. FDU-Florham dropped its sixth straight game falling 59-14 at Widener University.

THE HEAD COACHES
Colonels coach Frank Sheptock (Bloomsburg '85) enters his 18th year on the Wilkes sideline, racking up a 106-79 (.572) record. With the 106 victories, Sheptock is the all-time winningest coach in school history, passing Colonel legend Rollie Schmidt's (1962-1981) 90 wins three seasons ago. He reached the 100-win plateau last season with a 37-27 victory against FDU-Florham at Schmidt Stadium. 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.

Brian Surace (Gettysburg '95) enters his third year at the helm for FDU in the Devils 40th year of football. Surace is the fourth Head Coach in Devils' football history. Surace arrived at FDU from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he was the Offensive Coordinator for two stints (1999-2004, 2010). During his first tenure at RPI, he helped the team win two Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association Championships and in 2001, the Engineers earned the top seed in the East Region of the NCAA Tournament. In 2003, RPI went 11-2 and advanced to the Semifinals of the NCAA Tournament while Surace was named the American Football Magazine Offensive Assistant Coach of the Year.

THE SERIES
This will be 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).

UP NEXT
The Colonels host Delaware Valley College next Saturday on senior day in Wilkes' home finale at 1:00 p.m. at Schmidt Stadium.

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 301-303-8 (.498) overall mark heading into tonight's contest with FDU-Florham.

ON TOP OF THE RECORD BOOK
Going into tonight's game against FDU-Florham, Sheptock's 106 wins stands as the school's all-time leader. Sheptock's 106 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 185 career games, Sheptock has a winning percentage of .572.

COLONELS NOTES
• Wilkes has dominated the series versus FDU-Florham posting 19 straight victories against the Devils dating back to 1993. The last Colonels loss against FDU-Florham came in 1985 when the Devils posted a 23-6 win at home in Madison, NJ. Sheptock is a perfect 16-0 against FDU-Florham since taking over at Wilkes in 1996, including his 100 career victory last season (37-27).

• Sophomore running back Patrick Ingulli (Hawley, PA/Wallenpaupack) ran for a team-high 73 yards in the win against Stevenson as Wilkes rushed for a total of 140 yards against the Mustang defense. It brings Ingulli's career total to 1,099 yards. He stands 254 yards behind Courtney McFarland '89 (1,353 yards) for eleventh all-time on the school's rushing list. Ingulli has a rushed for 64.6 yards per-game through 17 career games.

• Senior All-MAC linebacker Tate Moore-Jacobs (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) continues to rack up the tackles finishing with 10 stops against Stevenson. With the 10 tackles, Moore-Jacobs currently has 429 career tackles over his four-year stint in the Navy and Gold. Moore-Jacobs has reached double-digit tackles in 29 of 37 career games. He added a game-clinching interception in the fourth quarter running out the clock to seal the victory over the Mustangs.

• Freshman quarterback Taylor Young (Catawissa, PA/Southern Columbia) finished his fourth career start against Stevenson with a 13-for-28 performance through the air for 167 yards and two scores. He was picked off once and sacked five times, the third consecutive game Young has been sacked at least four times. He saved his best for last in the fourth quarter throwing for both touchdowns including a play-action one-yard throw to tight end Dan Curry for the game-winner. As a starter this season, Young has thrown for 613 yards on 49-for-100 passing and five 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 138.6 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 23 receptions for 328 yards (10th in the MAC) and two scores. His 54.7 yards per-game receiving ranks 10th in the conference. Claybrook is averaging over 3.8 receptions per-game through six games played for Wilkes. He showed his versatility against Stevenson throwing a 65-yard touchdown to Jonathan Conklin (Sussex, NJ/Vernon) on a designed end-around pass play.

• 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. Conklin is averaging 15.4 yards per-kick return in seven attempts while Smith averages 27.3 yards per-return in ten 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 22.7 (7th in the MAC) points per-game, but using turnovers (7 interceptions/14 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 seven interceptions and forcing a MAC-high 17 fumbles, with 14 being recovered by the Colonels. Teams are also converting just 45 percent (43-96) of the time on 3rd down and 23 percent (3/13) on fourth down. Wilkes caused three key fumbles against Stevenson, all in the fourth quarter, that led to the late comeback win. In the Colonels last three games, the defense has caused eight fumbles (recovering six) and two interceptions.

• Tate Moore-Jacobs (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) is the league's top tackler averaging 12.0 stops per-game. His 42 total solo stops rank second in the MAC, while his 42 assisted tackles lead the conference.

SCOUTING FDU-FLORHAM OFFENSE (SPREAD)
• FDU-Florham enters the contest ranking ninth in the MAC in scoring offense averaging 19.0 points per-game and 321.9 yards of total offense in seven games. The Devils have used a balanced attack of running and throwing averaging 116.1 yards per-game on the ground and 205. 7 yards per-game through the air. FDU-Florham has accounted for 17 total touchdowns on the year with nine being rushing and eight coming in the aerial attack.

• Quarterback Michael Santos is fifth in passing in the MAC totaling 1,387 yards on 125-for-226 passing. He has accounted for eight touchdowns through the air, but has been intercepted a conference-high 10 times.

• Running back Craig Kimbrough is the tenth best rusher in the MAC averaging 65.6 yards per-game through seven games. He has reached the end zone three times totaling 459 yards on 84 carries, good for 5.5 yards per-attempt.

SCOUTING FDU-FLORHAM DEFENSE (MULTIPLE)

• The FDU-Florham defense features seven players with at least 30 tackles and two players with 50+ stops. As a unit, the Devils have forced ten fumbles, recovering five, and picked off seven opponent passes.

• Linebacker Mike Mancino leads the middle of the Devils defense with a team-high 73 tackles.

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