Wilkes Football Game Notes vs. FDU-Florham

Wilkes Football Game Notes vs. FDU-Florham

Wilkes Colonels (1-2, 1-1 MAC) vs. FDU-Florham Devils (1-1, 0-1 MAC)
Friday, September 25, 2015 - 7:00 p.m.
Robert T. Shields field

Game Notes

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Live Audio: (ESPN Williamsport: Mark Inserra, play-by-play)

THE MATCHUP
Wilkes University takes to the road on Friday night for the third time in four weeks traveling to MAC foe FDU-Florham for a 7:00 p.m. matchup at Robert T. Shields Field in Madison, NJ. The Colonels are coming off a tough road defeat at Lycoming last week while the Devils stand even on the year at 1-1 following an overtime loss at King's last week.

THE HEAD COACHES
Colonels coach Trey Brown (Colorado '93) enters his second year at the helm of the program in 2015. Brown comes to Wilkes after four years serving as the quarterbacks and special teams' coordinator at Muhlenberg. In his role with the Mules, Brown was responsible for coaching the quarterbacks, wide receivers, and special teams as well as the installation of the pass game. Prior to his time at Muhlenberg, Brown spent four seasons as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Lehigh University. The Mountain Hawk offense scored 30 or more points 15 times during his tenure and led the Patriot League in scoring in 2006, when its quarterback was named to the All-Patriot League first team. Brown coordinated an offense that averaged 32.3 points in league games in 2008 and 27.3 points in 2009. Lehigh scored more than 80 percent of the time it reached the Red Zone both seasons, including a Patriot League-best 87.9-percent efficiency in 2008.

Brian Surace (Gettysburg '95) is in his fifth season as head football coach at FDU-Florham. Surace is the fourth Head Coach in Devils' football history. Last season, FDU finished with a 0-10 record overall and went 0-9 in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC). During his first season with the Devils, Surace's squad posted a 1-9 record and a 1-7 mark in the MAC. 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 32nd meeting between the two schools as Wilkes holds a 29-2 advantage in the series. The Colonels posted a 52-21 victory in Edwardsville last season, its highest scoring output of the 2014 season.

UP NEXT
Wilkes returns home to host Widener University next Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at Schmidt Stadium on Homecoming 2015. It will mark the 31st meeting between the two schools, as Widener holds an 18-11-1 advantage in the series after posting a 59-12 victory in Chester, Pa. last season.

SCOUTING WILKES OFFENSE (SPREAD)
• Wilkes is ninth in the MAC in scoring offense (14.3), fourth in total offense (367.3), ninth in rushing offense (86.3) and second in passing offense (281.0).

• Ryan Dailey (Easton, PA/Wilson) threw for his first 300+ yard game and third straight 220+ game finishing 39-for-59 for 357 yards and three touchdowns, all career-highs for the junior signal caller.

• Dailey's 357 yards passing keeps him at eighth all-time on the school's all-time passing list. He currently stands with 3,022 career yards and only 225 yards away from Jeff Giberson '72 (3,247) for seventh on the list. Dailey leads the MAC in passing yards per-game with 281.0 while standing first in attempts (147) and completions (93). His six touchdown passes rank second in the league.

• PJ Incremona (Wood Ridge, NJ/Wood Ridge) leads the Colonels ground attack standing tenth in the league with an average of 59.7 yards per game. Aaron Coyne (Springfield, PA/Springfield), the team's top receiver, is fifth in the MAC with an average of 69.0 yards per game. He also has scored three touchdowns ranking third in the MAC for all receivers.

SCOUTING WILKES DEFENSE (3-4)
• Wilkes is sixth in the MAC in scoring defense (30.0), ninth in total defense (407.3), eighth in rushing defense (190.0) and seventh in passing defense (217.3).

• The Colonel defense struggled at Lycoming allowing a season-high 48 points, including 21 unanswered in the fourth quarter and 417 yards of total offense. Wilkes will look to rebound against a Devils team they have been able to limit in recent years.

• Linebacker Tanner Stengel (Allentown, PA/Parkland) leads the league with 13.3 tackles per game and 2.5 tackles for loss per game. Jared Powell (Easton, PA/Easton) and Isaiah Robinson (Pittsburgh, PA/Milton Hershey) pace the secondary, as Powell has 15 tackles and three breakups and Robinson has 19 stops, 2.5 for loss and two breakups.

SCOUTING FDU-FLORHAM OFFENSE (MULTIPLE)
• FDU-Florham is tops in the MAC in scoring offense (31.0), fifth in total offense (364.5), eighth in rushing offense (116.5) and third in passing offense (248.0).

• The team has been led by its ground game early in the season, with Anthony Ognibene fourth in the MAC with 82.0 yards per game and one touchdown.

• Quarterback Tyler Maurer leads the conference with a 190.2 passing efficiency rating, while standing seventh in yards (420), second in completion percentage (62.5) and third in touchdown passes (6). His primary target has been Malik Pressley, who is tops in the league with 19 catches and 343 yards (171.5 yards per game).

SCOUTING FDU-FLORHAM DEFENSE (4-3)
• FDU-Florham is eighth in the MAC in scoring defense (32.0), third in total defense (321.0), fifth in rushing defense (144.0) and fourth in passing defense (177.0).

• Chris Fitzgerald has paced the secondary, as he is tops on the team with 20 total tackles including 14 solo stops. He also has claimed one interception on the season.

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Players Mentioned

#10 Ryan Dailey: QB; 6' 1"; Junior

#32 PJ Incremona: RB; 5' 11"; Senior

#2 Jared Powell: DB; 5' 9"; Senior

#1 Isaiah Robinson: DB; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#31 Tanner Stengel: LB; 5' 11"; Junior

#85 Aaron Coyne: WR; 5' 10"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#10 Ryan Dailey
: 6' 1"; Junior
: QB

#32 PJ Incremona
: 5' 11"; Senior
: RB

#2 Jared Powell
: 5' 9"; Senior
: DB

#1 Isaiah Robinson
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: DB

#31 Tanner Stengel
: 5' 11"; Junior
: LB

#85 Aaron Coyne
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: WR