Wilkes Colonels (1-3, 1-2) vs. FDUDU-Florham Devils (0-3, 0-2)
Saturday, October 1, 2016 - 1:00 p.m.
Schmidt Stadium
Homecoming 2016
 
Live Stats
 
Live Video
 
Live Audio: (ESPN Williamsport: Chris Del Sordo, play-by-play)
 
THE MATCHUP
Wilkes University returns home for Homecoming 2016 when the Colonels host FDU-Florham at 1:00 p.m. at Schmidt Stadium. Both teams are coming off losses, as Wilkes dropped a tough 25-23 decision at Widener University last week while FDU-Florham suffered a 54-15 setback at Stevenson University.
 
THE HEAD COACHES
Colonels coach Trey Brown (Colorado '93) enters his third year at the helm of the program in 2016. In just two years, Brown has coached fifteen Colonels who earned All-MAC honors including first team tight end Jeremy Hartman in 2014 and Jason Ugwu (Collegeville, PA/Perkiomen Valley) in 2015. Under Brown's guidance, the Colonels offense ranked in the top five in several offensive statistical categories including passing yards and plays per-game. In a game at Delaware Valley in 2014, the Wilkes offense ran 113 plays, a Division III regulation game record. Brown came 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.
 
Brian Surace (Gettysburg '95) is set for his sixth season at the helm of the Devils program. Surace is the fourth head coach in the program's history. He has successfully developed many players in his five seasons with the team. Last season, under Surace's guidance, freshman wide out Malik Pressley became the program's first-ever Middle Atlantic Conference Player of the Year after setting the conference's record for receptions in a season (89) and single-game mark (18). Previously, he coached Mike Mancino who is second on the Devils all-time leading tackles list. Surace arrived at FDU from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he was the Offensive Coordinator for two stints (1999-2004, 2010).
 
THE SERIES
This will be the 33rd meeting between the two schools as Wilkes holds a 29-3 advantage in the series. FDU-Florham posted a 29-26 victory in Madison, NJ last season.
 
UP NEXT
Wilkes remains idle as it enters its bye week on October 8 before returning to action on Saturday, October 15 with a road MAC matchup at Delaware Valley University at 12:00 p.m. in Doylestown, Pa.
 
SCOUTING THE WILKES OFFENSE (SPREAD)
- Quarterback Ryan Dailey (Easton, PA/Wilson) continues to climb the Wilkes record book standing fourth all-time in passing with 5,651 yards through three season as a starter. For the season Dailey totals 963 yards on 81-for-126 passing with seven touchdowns averaging over 240.8 yards per-game through the air ranking second in the MAC.
 
- Dailey's top target has been William Deemer (Washington Township, NJ/Warren Hills) who was named MAC Offensive Player of the Week after a breakout performance against Misericordia in week three. Deemer caught nine passes for 168 yards and two scores in the home win. He followed that performance with his second straight 100+ yard game finishing with nine catches for 126 yards at Widener last week. For the season, Deemer leads a deep and
talented receiving core posting 27 receptions for 376 yards and three touchdowns. He ranks first in the MAC with 94.0 yards per-game receiving.
 
- The Colonel rushing game boasts a balanced and deep attack with three players netting over 100+ yards. Jacob Brook (Layton, NJ/Kittatinny) tops the unit with 211 yards and three touchdowns on 46 carries. Devon Fink (Pottstown, PA/Pottsgrove) follows with 109 yards and one score on 30 attempts.
 
- Wilkes sits in the top five in the MAC in several statistical categories on offense including total offense (401.5 ypg/2nd), rushing (148.5 ypg/5th) and passing 253.0 ypg/2nd)
 
SCOUTING THE WILKES DEFENSE (3-4)
- Tanner Stengel (Allentown, PA/Parkland) remains one of the best tacklers in the MAC standing second in the conference with 44 total stops including 26 solo. Stengel is averaging 11.0 tackles per-game and continues to climb the all-time tackles list in the school's history.
 
- The Colonel secondary has been strong and has anchored the backline with senior corners Marcellus Hayes (Camp Hill, PA/Camp Hill) and Ondre Roberts (Dunellen, NJ/Dunellen) and safeties Isaiah Robinson (Pittsburgh, PA/Milton Hershey) and Michael Legg (Whitehaven, PA/Crestwood). The group has combined for 88 tackles and 15 pass breakups. Robinson and Roberts also have one interception each with Robinson returning his pick for a touchdown against Misericordia in week three. Hayes ranks tenth in the MAC with two picks.
 
- As a unit, Wilkes is allowing 193.0 yards per-game on the ground (8th in MAC) while giving up 185.5 yards per-game through the air (4th in the MAC).
 
SCOUTING FDU-FLORHAM OFFENSE (SPREAD)
- The FDU-Florham offense is averaging 12.3 points per-game ranking last in the MAC in rushing (47.7) and fifth in the MAC in passing (223.3). Quarterback Jagger Green has thrown for 447 yards on 46-for-81 passing with one touchdown and five interceptions.
 
- Steve Iannone is the Devils' leading rusher totaling 73 yards on nine carries.
 
- FDU-Florham features four receivers with 100-plus yards including Esaun Mobley who tops the group with 13 catches for 233 yards. John Pellegrini follows with 12 receptions for 115 yards and a team-best two touchdowns.
 
SCOUTING FDU-FLORHAM DEFENSE (4-3)
- Troy Scales tops the FDU-Florham defense posting 14 tackles. Giovann Achurra follows with 11 tackles, 2.0 tackles-for-loss and one sack. As a team, FDU-Florham has sacked the opposing quarterback 3.0 times this season for 25 yards (last in the MAC).
 
- The Devils defense is allowing 39.7 points per-game, ranking next to last in the MAC. Last week Stevenson put up 54 points in a 39-point win against FDU-Florham.