Wilkes Colonels (4-3, 3-2) vs. Stevenson Mustangs (5-2, 4-1)
Saturday, October 20, 2018 - 12:00 p.m.
Mustang Stadium
 
Game Notes
 
Live Stats
 
Live Video
 
Live Audio: (NEPA Local Sports Media: Tom Ferguson, play-by-play)
 
THE MATCHUP
Wilkes University rides its first three-game winning streak since the 2009 season into a matchup of two of the top four teams in the current Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) standings when the Colonels travel to Stevenson University Saturday for a 12:00 p.m. kick. The Colonels held a high-powered FDU-Florham offense to just 16 points in a 31-16 victory last Friday. The Mustangs also had their best defensive effort of the season last Saturday as they came away with a 20-6 victory at Widener.
 
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.
 
Ed Hottle (Frostburg State '99) enters his eighth season at Stevenson in 2018. In just seven years, Hottle has built the Mustangs into a contender on a regional and national level. In 2016, Stevenson won its first eight games and captured its first Middle Atlantic Conference championship with an 8-1 conference record. The Mustangs appeared in the NCAA field for the first time and finished 9-2 overall. Hottle was named the ECAC Division III South and MAC Coach of the Year. Stevenson finished the year ranked No. 20 in the final D3football.com poll and No. 22 in the final AFCA poll, while reaching as high as No. 12 during the season. Prior to Stevenson, Hottle served as the head football coach and assistant athletics director at Gallaudet University.
 
THE SERIES
This game marks the eighth meeting between the two schools with Wilkes holding a slight 4-3 edge. A season ago Stevenson won 44-12 at Schmidt Stadium. The Colonels won the 2016 meeting against No. 12/14 Stevenson 38-35 in Mustang Stadium.
 
UP NEXT
Wilkes returns to Schmidt Stadium for a home game against Lycoming College on Saturday, October 27 at 1:00 p.m. Last season the Warriors won 34-7 in Williamsport, Pa. The Colonels won the 2016 meeting 28-26 at home.
 
SCOUTING THE WILKES OFFENSE (MULTIPLE)
- Wilkes is fourth in the MAC in scoring offense (31.6), second in total offense (415.7), eighth in rushing offense (119.6) and second in passing offense (296.1).
 
- Quarterback Jose Tabora (Egg Harbor Township, NJ/St. Augustine Prep.) had another standout performance last Friday against FDU. The junior was 25-of-38 for 313 yards and four touchdown passes. He added 11 carries for 41 yards. Tabora is the Division III leader in total offense after seven weeks with 2,439 yards. His effective play behind center has positioned Wilkes near the top of several statistical categories in the nation. Wilkes ranks in a tie for third with 174 total first downs, is seventh in third down conversion percentage at 52.8% and ranks
19th in time of possession at 33:44.
 
- Jeff Steeber (Shickshinny, PA/Berwick) starred in the win over FDU with his second consecutive game with three touchdown receptions. He caught nine passes for 127 yards, to over the 100-yard receiving mark for the fifth time in seven games this season. He also recorded his 100th career reception in the game and was announced as the MAC Offensive Player of the Week on Sunday. The senior has 103 receptions, 12 touchdowns, and 1,213 career yards. His 673 receiving yards this season rank him 20th in the country and his nine touchdown receptions are tied for 12th.
 
- Freshman receiver Juan Salas-Negron (Laurys Station, PA/Parkland) caught his first career touchdown on a 49-yard pass play to open the scoring against FDU. He finished the game with five receptions and a career best 75 yards.
 
- Sophomore Nick Yanik (Edison, NJ/Edison Twp.) is fifth in the MAC with 36 receptions and 513 yards. Junior Derek Nelson (Pompton Plains, NJ/Pequannock) is six in the conference with 32 receptions and eighth with 386 yards.
 
- Brandon Taragna (Telford, PA/Souderton) rushed a career high nine times for 62 yards to lead the Colonels ground game against FDU. The sophomore ripped off a season long run of 18 yards. Freshman Jason Wiley (Port Chester, NY/Port Chester ) rushed 12 times for 36 yards last week and fellow freshman running back Kelvin Gonzalez (Wanaque, NJ/Lakeland Regional) added two rushes and one reception.
 
SCOUTING THE WILKES DEFENSE (4-2-5)
- Wilkes is sixth in scoring defense (28.0), fifth in total defense (338.1), third in rushing defense (127.9), and eighth in passing defense (210.3).
 
- Senior cornerback Devon Fink (Pottstown, PA/Pottsgrove) intercepted two passes last week against FDU. He now has five interceptions for his career and is tied for third in the MAC with three picks this season.
 
- Nahjir Woods (Piscataway NJ/Piscataway ) came away with his second interception of his freshman season and senior Michael Murphy (Boyertown, PA/Boyertown) intercepted his first career pass as the Wilkes defense picked off FDU four times.
 
- Junior linebacker Bud Moyer (Tamaqua, PA/Tamaqua) led the Colonels with eight tackles last week and now has 68 for the season to rank second in the MAC and 17th in the country. His 7.5 tackles-for-loss leads the team and ranks in a tie for fourth in the conference.
 
SCOUTING THE WILKES SPECIAL TEAMS
- Freshman kicker David Kutteroff (Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) converted a 31-yard field goal and was 4-of-4 on extra point attempts last week. He is now 3-of-3 on field goals and 16-of-17 on extra points this season.
 
- Wilkes leads the MAC averaging 21.6 yards-per-kickoff return this season. Fink helped that average with two returns for 59 yards against FDU and is averaging 31.67 yards on his six returns this season.
 
SCOUTING THE STEVENSON OFFENSE (SPREAD)
- The Mustangs are seventh in scoring offense (29.4), seventh in total offense (355.7), sixth in rushing offense (141.6), and sixth in passing offense (214.1).
 
- Sophomore quarterback Ty Crabb led Stevenson to a victory over Widener as he went 7-of-11 for 53 yards and one touchdown through the air. He added 19 rushes for 61 yards and another touchdown on the ground.
 
- Freshman running back Kevin Joppy saw his first action with a team high 91 rushing yards on 16 carries last week.
 
- Chaz Lyles ranks third in the conference with 44 receptions and is sixth with 438 yards. The junior wide receiver hauled in four catches for 45 yards and a score against Widener.
 
SCOUTING THE STEVENSON DEFENSE (3-4)
- Stevenson is second in scoring defense (19.9), second in total defense (303.9), fifth in rushing defense (134.7), and second in passing defense (169.1).
 
- Junior linebacker Hanif Jones was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week Tuesday after his two interception performance last week against Widener. He is tied for the conference lead with four interceptions this season.
 
- Senior linebacker Ashton Leschke is third in the MAC with 58 total tackles. He was also selected to the D3football.com Team of the Week on September 25th after 10 tackles, three pass breakups and one forced fumble/recovery against King's.