Wilkes Football Game Notes vs. No. 25 Muhlenberg

Wilkes Football Game Notes vs. No. 25 Muhlenberg

Wilkes Colonels (0-0) vs. Muhlenberg Mules (0-0)
Friday, September 4, 2015 - 7:00 p.m.
Scotty Wood Stadium

Game Notes

Live Stats

Live Video

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

THE MATCHUP
Wilkes University opens its 2015 regular season against Muhlenberg College at Scotty Wood Stadium on Friday night. Both teams will be taking the field for the first time this year. Muhlenberg enters the game ranked 25th according to the d3football.com preseason poll.

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.

Mike Donnelly (Ithaca '75) is the winningest head coach in the history of Muhlenberg College football with a record of 123-69 (.641) in 18 years. Since taking over a program that struggled in the years prior to his arrival, Donnelly has turned the Mules into a perennial championship and postseason contender and national top-10 team. Donnelly was named regional coach of the year by the American Football Coaches Association and D3football.com in 2007 after leading Muhlenberg to its first undefeated regular season in the 106-year program history. The Mules won the Centennial Conference championship, finished the regular season with a 10-0 record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA playoffs. The Mules are 121-55 (.688) in their last 176 games and have earned 11 postseason invitations since 2000. They tied for the Centennial Conference championship four straight years (2001-04) and made their first national playoff appearance in 2002.

THE SERIES
This will be the fifth meeting between the two schools as the series is tied at 2-2. Muhlenberg posted a 34-0 victory last season at Schmidt Stadium. Wilkes' last win came in 2009 over the Mules when the Colonels posted a 14-12 victory in Edwardsville.

UP NEXT
Wilkes opens Middle Atlantic Conference play against Delaware Valley University on Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Schmidt Stadium. Wilkes fell 54-35 against the Aggies last season in Doylestown, Pa.

FOR OPENERS
Wilkes is 5-6 in the season's first game over the past eleven years, including 2-3 on the road.

SCOUTING WILKES OFFENSE (SPREAD)
- Second-year starter Ryan Dailey (Easton, PA/Wilson) returns under center to lead the Wilkes offense in his junior season. After barely playing as a freshman, Dailey emerged as the starter during camp last year and progressed as a signal caller throughout the season. He threw for 2,179 yards and 13 touchdowns going 195-for-362 through the air.

- PJ Incremona (Wood Ridge, NJ/Wood Ridge) returns as the top back after leading the team in 2014 with 306 yards and seven touchdowns. Incremona rushed for over 30.6 yards per-game in a pass heavy offense.

- After heavy losses to graduation at receiver, one key returner is back in William Deemer (Washington Township, NJ/Warren Hills), who enjoyed a breakout sophomore season in 2014. Deemer proved to be one of the toughest matchup on the perimeter in the MAC hauling in 36 passes for 480 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged over 48.0 yards per game receiving playing in multiple spots in the Wilkes spread formations.

SCOUTING WILKES DEFENSE (3-4)
- Wilkes boasts two of the best defensive ends in the MAC with the return of Michael Fitz (Phillipsburg, NJ/Phillipsburg) and Jason Ugwu (Collegeville, PA/Perkiomen Valley). Ugwu earned his second straight All-MAC Honorable Mention selection last season and is poised for a stellar senior year in 2015. He finished with 31 total tackles (22 solo and nine assisted) while finishing second on the team with 3.5 sacks and 9.0 tackles-for-loss. His size and speed creates havoc for opposing tackles. Fitz was just as impressive as a sophomore last season posting 20 total stops (12 solo and eight assisted) while finishing with 2.0 sacks and 5.5 tackles-for-loss. The duo also combined for three forced fumbles.

- Wilkes returns two of four starters from last year to their linebacker core. Second Team All-MAC selection Tanner Stengel (Allentown, PA/Parkland) returns to lead the unit after a breakout sophomore season. Stengel showed his promise on the Colonels defense finishing the season as the league's top tackler with 102 total stops in ten games played. He averaged over 10.2 tackles per-game while recording 10.0 tackles-for-loss and 3.0 sacks from his inside linebacker position.

- Wilkes is steadied in the secondary thanks to its two returning starters at safety in Jared Powell (Easton, PA/Easton) and Isaiah Robinson (Pittsburgh, PA/Milton Hershey). Powell was a playmaker on the defense all season last year finishing with 53 total tackles, 36 solo and 17 assisted, and a team-high three interceptions. Robinson was just as impressive as a rookie a year ago, starting in all ten games making 36 total tackles including 26 solo stops.

SCOUTING MUHLENBERG OFFENSE (SPREAD)
- Junior quarterback Nick Palladino is back to run the Mules offense after throwing for 2,998 yards and 25 touchdowns going 266-for-385 through the air. Last year he went 15-for-22 for 167 yards and three touchdowns against the Colonels defense.

- Max Cepeda leads the Mules rushing attack after finishing with 972 yards and 14 touchdowns on 199 carries in 2014.

SCOUTING MUHLENBERG DEFENSE (3-4)
- Senior linebacker Lenny Smith anchors the Muhlenberg defense after posting 64 tackles, 5.5 tackles-for-loss last year.

- John Feaster leads the secondary in 2015 after a season where he accumulated 44 tackles, 3.0 sacks and one interception.

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Players Mentioned

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

#6 William Deemer: WR; 5' 9"; Junior

#92 Michael Fitz: DL; 6' 0"; 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

#91 Jason Ugwu: DL; 6' 1"; Senior

Players Mentioned

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

#6 William Deemer
: 5' 9"; Junior
: WR

#92 Michael Fitz
: 6' 0"; Junior
: DL

#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

#91 Jason Ugwu
: 6' 1"; Senior
: DL