Wilkes Colonels (3-3, 2-2) vs. FDU-Florham Devils (4-1, 2-1)
Friday, October 12, 2018 - 7:00 p.m.
Robert T. Shields Field
 
Game Notes
 
Live Stats
 
Live Video
 
Live Audio: (NEPA: Local Sports Media: Tom Ferguson, play-by-play)
 
THE MATCHUP
Wilkes University rides a two-game win streak into the Friday night matchup with FDU-Florham at 7:00 p.m. in Madison, N.J. The Colonels scored a touchdown with 11 seconds remaining to defeat Albright College 47-43 last week to improve to 3-3 overall and 2-2 in Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) games. The Devils are 4-1 overall and 2-1 in conference and enter after a bye week.
 
THE HEAD COACHES
Jonathan Drach (Western Michigan '04) was named head coach of the Wilkes University football team on February 8, 2018 becoming the ninth mentor of the program since its inception in 1946. Drach will also serve as the offensive coordinator. He comes to Wilkes after 11 years at Hobart where he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. There he was instrumental in leading the Statesmen to six Liberty League Conference championships, seven NCAA playoff appearances and three consecutive undefeated regular seasons. He began his career as the quarterbacks coach in 2007 until adding offensive coordinator to his responsibilities in 2014. Drach coached the Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year in 2007, 2014, 2016 and 2017 and the ECAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2007 and 2016. He also coached seven All-League quarterbacks and a Bill Middleton Memorial Football Award Winner. A native of St. Charles, IL, Drach earned his bachelor's degree in business finance and economics from Western Michigan University in 2004 where he was a three-year starter. As a senior he completed a single season record 67 percent of his passes for 1,499 yards and 13 TDs.
 
Brian Surace (Gettysburg '95), the fourth head coach in program history, is in his eighth season at the helm of the Devils program. The 2017 Devils recorded numerous school records. Jagger Green broke the school record with 593 yards in the season-opening win over TCNJ, while also completing a school-best 52 passes against Lycoming. Additionally, Mike Panzarino caught 23 passes against Lycoming, while teammate Malik Pressley re-wrote the FDU record book as the leader in career receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and total touchdowns. In 2015 as sophomore Pressley became the program's first-ever MAC Player of the Year after setting the conference's record for receptions in a season (89). Surace arrived at FDU from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he was the Offensive Coordinator for two stints.
 
THE SERIES
This marks the 35th meeting between the two schools with Wilkes holding a 29-5 advantage. A season ago FDU won 49-31 in a game also played at FDU-Florham and are on a three-game winning streak in the series. The last Colonels victory came at Schmidt Stadium in 2014, 52-21.
 
UP NEXT
Wilkes heads to Stevenson University for its final road game of the season next Saturday, October 20 for a MAC contest. Last season the Mustangs won 44-12 at Schmidt Stadium. The Colonels won the 2016 meeting 38-35 in Stevenson.
 
SCOUTING THE WILKES OFFENSE (MULTIPLE)
- Wilkes is fourth in the MAC in scoring offense (31.7), second in total offense (411.0), eighth in rushing offense (117.7) and second in passing offense (298.3).
 
- Quarterback Jose Tabora (Egg Harbor Township, NJ/St. Augustine Prep.) was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season after setting a school record with six touchdown passes in the 47-43 victory over Albright last week. The junior's sixth and final touchdown, a 14-yard strike to Jeff Steeber (Shickshinny, PA/Berwick), put Wilkes ahead for good with 11 seconds remaining. Tabora finished the game 28-of-47 for 368 yards through the air and added 22 carries for 111 yards. After six weeks of play Tabora ranks second in all of Division III in total offense with 2,085 total yards and ranks seventh with 347.5 total yards-per-game. His 1,710 passing yards rank sixth in the country and he is tied for seventh with 126 points responsible for this season.
 
- Steeber went over the 100 yard receiving mark for the fourth time in six games this season with seven receptions for 100 yards. He set a career high with three touchdowns in the process. The senior now has 94 receptions, nine touchdowns, and went over the 1,000 yard receiving mark as he now has 1,086 career yards. His 546 receiving yards this season ranks him 28th in the country. Sophomore Nick Yanik (Edison, NJ/Edison Twp.) caught one touchdown and a team-high 127 yards on six catches last week. He ranks fifth in the MAC and 50th in the country with 488 receiving yards.
 
- Derek Nelson (Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock) caught his fourth touchdown of the season against Albright and is sixth in the MAC with 30 receptions. Freshman receiver Juan Salas-Negron (Laurys Station, PA/Parkland) set a career-best mark with five receptions.
 
- Freshman running back Jason Wiley (Port Chester, NY/Port Chester ) rushed for 31 yards last week and freshman fullback Joseph Leszczynski (Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock) caught his first career pass for a six-yard touchdown.
 
SCOUTING THE WILKES DEFENSE (4-2-5)
- Wilkes is sixth in scoring defense (30.0), sixth in total defense (356.3), fifth in rushing defense (140.0), and seventh in passing defense (216.3).
 
- Shane Montague (Yorktown Heights, NY/Trinity Pawling) provided the defensive play of the game for Wilke last week as the freshman intercepted an Albright pass and brought it back 56-yards for a touchdown to give the Colonels a 26-21 lead with 1:37 left in the third quarter.
 
- Junior linebacker Bud Moyer (Tamaqua, PA/Tamaqua) had five tackles last week and now has 60 for the season to rank second in the MAC and tied for 14th in the country. His 6.5 tackles-for-loss leads the team and ranks in a tie for sixth in the conference.
 
- Senior Devon Fink (Pottstown, PA/Pottsgrove) and freshman Andrew Chang (Mountain Top, PA/Crestwood ) also had interceptions against Albright while Zachary Weber (Douglassville, PA/Twin Valley) led Wilkes with six tackles and 2.0 for loss.
 
SCOUTING THE WILKES SPECIAL TEAMS
- Freshman kicker David Kutteroff (Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) made 5-of-6 extra point attempts last week as every point mattered in the shootout victory. Kutteroff and sophomore Alexander DeSpirito (Wilkes-Barre, PA/Crestwood ) have made now made 22-of-23 of the Colonels PAT attempts this season.
 
- Wilkes ranks in a tie for second in the conference averaging 20.9 yards-per-kickoff return this season. Senior Jacob Kadis (Westminster, MD/Delone Catholic) had two returns for 42 yards against Albright.
 
SCOUTING THE FDU-FLORHAM OFFENSE (SPREAD)
- The Devils are third in scoring offense (36.8), third in total offense (398.2), tenth in rushing offense (58.2), and first in passing offense (340.0).
 
- Senior quarterback Jagger Green ranks seventh in the country with 322.2 passing yards-per-game and is fourth with 20 passing touchdowns. Green was named the ECAC Division III - South Offensive Player of the Month for September. He was the MAC Offensive Player of the Week on September 30th after tying his own school record of six touchdown passes against Albright.
 
- Mike Panzarino leads the country with 59 receptions and 11.8 receptions per game, is tied for third in the country with 11 receiving touchdowns, fourth with 758 receiving yards and second with 151.6 receiving yards per game. All of those stats lead the MAC.
 
- FDU's 340.0 passing yards-per-game are ninth in the nation.
 
SCOUTING THE FDU-FLORHAM DEFENSE (MULTIPLE)
- FDU is third in scoring defense (22.6), third in total defense (319.8), first in rushing defense (78.0), and ninth in passing defense (241.8).
 
- Senior linebacker Isaiah Turner leads the MAC with 61 tackles and 7.5 sacks. His 12.2 tackles-per-game are tied for seventh in the country. Turner was named the ECAC Division III - South Defensive Player of the Month for September.
 
- Senior defensive back Ryan Wilson leads the conference and is tied for ninth in the nation with four interceptions.