Wilkes Colonels (6-2, 5-2) vs. Delaware Valley Aggies (8-0, 6-0)
Saturday, November 6, 2021 - 1:00 p.m.
Schmidt Stadium (Senior Day)
 
Game Notes
 
Live Stats
 
Live Video
 
THE MATCHUP
Wilkes University returns home for Senior Day and its last regular season game at Schmidt Stadium as the Colonels welcome Delaware Valley University (8-0, 6-0 MAC)for a Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) matchup at 1:00 p.m. Wilkes (6-2, 5-2 MAC) suffered its second defeat of the year falling 30-27 at Lycoming College last Saturday. Delaware Valley continues to lead the conference standings remaining unbeaten after a 31-3 home victory over Lebanon Valley College last 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 continue to serve as the offensive coordinator during the 2021 season as well as working with the quarterbacks. Wilkes continued its success under Drach in 2019 when he led the Colonels to an 8-3 overall record, finishing 6-2 in Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) play and earning a postseason berth for the first time since 2010 and the program's first trip to the Centennial-MAC Bowl Series. The eight wins were also the most since 2006 for the program. Drach pioneered one of the biggest turnarounds in Division III football in 2018 when he led the Colonels to a 6-4 record after the team went winless in 2017. Four Colonels were named All-MAC under Drach in 2018 and 2019. Drach came to Wilkes after 11 years at Hobart. As the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, he was instrumental in leading the Statesmen to six Liberty League Conference championships, seven NCAA playoff appearances and three consecutive undefeated regular seasons. 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, Ill., Drach earned his bachelor's degree in business finance and economics from Western Michigan University in 2004. A three-year starter, he enjoyed his finest year as a senior, completing a single season record 67 percent of his passes for 1,499 yards and 13 TDs.
 
Duke Greco (Delaware Valley '03) enters his eighth year as his alma mater's head coach in 2021. He holds a 59-11 record with postseason berths each year, including four NCAA appearances, two trips to the NCAA quarterfinals, three consecutive (2017-18-19) Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) championships, two Centennial-MAC Bowl Series championships, and two MAC Coach of the Year honors. Prior to becoming head coach, Greco had n 11-year stint as an assistant coach at his alma mater, including eight as the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator. Greco first joined the staff after finishing his playing days as one of DelVal's all-time leading passers. Despite playing just 20 games at quarterback (he started his career as a defensive back), Greco graduated as the school's second all-time leading passer with 299 completions, 3,974 yards and 41 touchdowns. Greco graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sports management.
 
THE SERIES
This game marks the 57th meeting between the two schools with the series edge favoring Wilkes at 31-25. Delaware Valley has won the last four meetings and 10 of 11 dating back to 2008. Wilkes' last win against the Aggies came in 2015 when the Colonels posted a 12-7 victory in the program's first home night game.
 
UP NEXT
The Colonels finish of the regular season on the road in the 25th annual Mayor's Cup game against cross-town rival King's College at 12:00 p.m. at McCarthy Stadium. It will be the 34th meeting of the schools with Wilkes holding a 22-11 advantage in the series including a 24-14 win in 2019.
 
SCOUTING THE WILKES OFFENSE (MULTIPLE)
- Wilkes ranks third in the MAC in scoring offense (28.3), first in total offense (407.3), second in rushing offense (181.3), and third in passing offense (226.0).
 
- Wilkes has used a balanced attack on offense reaching the end zone 14 times on the ground and 15 times through the air. The Colonels rank second in the MAC in first downs per-game at 20.1 and stay on the field by converting third downs at 40.2 percent (fourth in the MAC).
 
- Senior quarterback Jose Tabora (Egg Harbor Township, NJ/St. Augustine Prep.) became the school's all-time passing yards leader as well as touchdown passes thrown earlier this year. Tabora enters today's game with 7,575 career yards passing. He has 62 career touchdown passes and 612 completions, a record he broke two weeks ago against LVC. Tabora was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season after accounting for all three scores for the Colonels in the win against the Mustangs in week five. He ranks fifth in the conference with 180.9 passing yards per-game and fourth with a 135.6 QB efficiency.
 
- The run game has been strong all season thanks to the duo of sophomore Kamaal Reed (Egg Harbor City, NJ/Cedar Creek) and first year Elijah Jules (Red Bank, NJ/Red Bank Catholic). Reed is the third leading rusher in the MAC averaging 74.3 yards per-game and four touchdowns.  His 6.8 yard per-carry average is also good for fourth best in the conference. Reed was the MAC Offensive Player of the Week in week one following his performance during a 46-7 win over Keystone. Teammate Jules ranks sixth in the MAC in yards per-game (67.3) and fifth in yards per-carry (6.1). The duo has rushed for over 1,000 yards and nine of the Colonels 14 rushing scores on the season. Jules went for a career-high 124 yards on 16 carries and one score against LVC two weeks ago.
 
- Sophomore Nate Whitaker (Upper Darby, PA/Haverford School) has emerged as the Colonels top threat on the outside hauling in 27 catches for 527 yards and five touchdowns on the year. Whitaker was named MAC Offensive Player of the Week following the loss at Lycoming after a seven-catch, 227-yard performance including three touchdowns. It marked the second weekly conference award for Whitaker. Fellow sophomore Jason Schweizerhof (Warninster, PA/William Tennent) follows with 22 receptions for 244 yards and two scores while sophomore Cory Pelzer (Somerset, NJ/The Pennington School) posts 19 catches for 344 yards and three touchdowns. Pelzer recorded his longest score of the season in the loss at Widener when he hauled in a 68-yard pass from Tabora.
 
- Junior tight end Jacob Katz (New City, NY/Clarkson North) has posted 13 catches for 123 yards and one touchdown on the season while first year Devin Higgins (Pennington, NJ/Hopewell Valley) totals eight receptions for 120 yards and one score. First year tight end Jason Dean (Auburn, PA/Blue Mountain) made his first collegiate touchdown catch in the win against LVC.
 
SCOUTING THE WILKES DEFENSE (4-3-4)
- Wilkes is third in the MAC in scoring defense (18.0), third in total defense (298.4), sixth in rushing defense (135.0), and fourth in passing defense (163.4).
 
- For the season the Colonel defense has intercepted the second most passes in the MAC (12) and recovered three fumbles while posting 21 sacks (third in the MAC).
 
- Sophomore linebacker Dante Gazzola (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) leads the Colonels defensive unit with 55 total tackles, 4.0 tackles-for-loss, 1.5 sacks and two interceptions while breaking up two passes in coverage duties. He is 12th in the MAC in tackles and 14th in tackles per-game (6.9). Twin brother Nick Gazzola (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) follows with 54 total tackles, 8.0 tackles-for-loss, 3.5 sacks and one interception.
 
- Sophomore defensive back Dylan Walck (Hamlin, PA/Western Wayne) posts 50 total tackles anchoring the Colonels secondary. Walck is 13th in the league with 7.1 tackles per-game. First Year defensive back Leroy Marshall (Cambria Heights, NY/Chris the King) finished with two solo tackles and his team-best third interception of the year at Lycoming last week.
 
- Sophomore Adam Piston (Laurys Station, PA/Parkland) has been solid on the Wilkes front four this year adding 39 tackles and a team-high 9.0 tackles-for-loss. First year defensive lineman Steele Hess (Palmerton, PA/Whitehall) adds 34 tackles, 5.0 tackles-for-loss and 2.0 sacks.
 
SCOUTING THE WILKES SPECIAL TEAMS
- Sophomore Nate Whitaker (Upper Darby, PA/Haverford School) was selected the MAC Special Team Player of the Week after taking the opening kickoff of the second half back for a 91-yard touchdown to give Wilkes a 10-0 lead against Alvernia in week four.
 
- Sophomore kicker Justin Pollack (Sloatsburg, NY/Suffern) is 3-for-5 in field goal attempts this year including a season-long of 29 yards against Alvernia. Pollack added a 28-yard field goal in the win against LVC two weeks ago. He went 3-for-3 on PAT attempts last week and is now 22-for-25 on the season.
 
- First year kicker/punter Alex Orlando (Allentown, PA/Emmaus) ranks first in the MAC with a 41.9 yards-per-punt average. He made five punts last week averaging 39.2 yards with two inside the 20. Orlando has also handled the kickoff duties with a 52.7 yard per-kick average on 35 attempts.
 
- Jules is averaging 12.0 yards per-punt return on 14 attempts. Whitaker has taken 12 kickoff returns for 336 yards and one touchdown averaging 28.0 yards per-return.
 
SCOUTING THE DELAWARE VALLEY OFFENSE (MULTIPLE)
- Delaware Valley is first in the MAC in scoring offense (40.5), second in total offense (397.8), first in rushing offense (218.3), and sixth in passing offense (179.5).
 
- Senior quarterback DaQuan Bohannan is seventh in the MAC with 161.3 passing yards-per-game and ninth with a 50.0 completion percentage. He has gone 105-for-210 for 1,290 yards with 16 touchdowns (third in MAC) and five interceptions through eight games.
 
- Bohannan has also used his legs to hurt opposing defenses rushing for 193 yards on 54 carries reaching the end zone a team-best nine times. Senior Donte Simmons, the MAC's leading rusher, follows with 778 yards on 135 attempts and eight touchdowns.
 
- Sophomore Tahmir Barksdale is the top outside threat for the Aggies hauling in 27 catches for 271 yards and two scores. Senior John Davis adds 13 receptions for 169 yards and one touchdown while first year Nahsir Morgan posts a team-high five receiving scores on nine catches for 212 yards.
 
SCOUTING THE DELAWARE VALLEY DEFENSE (4-3-4)
- Delaware Valley ranks first in the MAC in scoring defense (7.1), first in total defense (106.9), first in rushing defense (28.5), and first in passing defense (78.4).
 
- Senior linebacker Anthony Tedesco tops the unit with 70 total tackles, 8.5 tackles-for-loss, 0.5 sacks and one interception. He has posted atleast seven or more tackles in every game this season.
 
- Junior defensive tackle Michael Nobile has a team-high 8.5 sacks and one forced fumble while posting 27 total tackles in six games.
 
SCOUTING THE DELAWARE VALLEY SPECIAL TEAMS
- Sophomore kicker Jack Hughes is 1-for-2 on field goals this season including a season-long of 26 yards. He is also 21-for-27 in PAT's.
 
- Barksdale has taken 25 punt returns for 341 yards (13.6 yards per-return) including one for a touchdown of 66 yards.