Wilkes Colonels (4-1, 3-1) vs. Misericordia Cougars (2-4, 1-3)
Saturday, October 15, 2022 - 12:00 p.m.
Schmidt Stadium
 
Game Notes
 
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THE MATCHUP
Wilkes University return home as they compete in Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) action against Misericordia University, with kickoff scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 15 at Schmidt Stadium. Wilkes (4-1, 3-1 MAC) comes back to Schmidt Stadium after a road win over Alvernia 35-14. Misericordia (2-4, 1-3 MAC) looks to turn around their season after falling to Lebanon Valley 47-12 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 2022 season as well as working with the quarterbacks. In 2021 Wilkes finished its third season with six or more wins under Drach as the Colonels finished 6-4 including 5-0 start to the season. Five Colonels earned All-MAC honors including returners wide receiver/return specialist Nate Whitaker (Upper Darby, PA/Haverford School) and punter Alex Orlando (Allentown, PA/Emmaus) as Honorbale Mentions. In 2019 he led the Colonels to an 8-3 overall record, finishing 6-2 in 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. In 2018 and 2019, four Colonels were named All-MAC under Drach. Drach came to Wilkes after 11 years at Hobart. As the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Drach 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, 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.

John Davis (Liberty '07) enters his second year as Misericordia's head coach in the fall of 2022. Previously, he compiled a 15-7 record in three years as head coach at the Apprentice School. In 2019, he led Apprentice to 6-3 record to give the Builders their first varsity winning season since 2006.  The Builders made their first NCAA Postseason Bowl appearance when they qualified for the inaugural Neptune Bowl. Davis spent two seasons as head football coach at John Handley High School in Winchester, Va. He also served as head football coach and assistant athletics director at Central Florida Christian Academy where he led the Eagles to 7-2 record and playoff berth. From 2008-2014, Davis was the assistant head football coach and defensive coordinator at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC.  His responsibilities also included Recruiting Coordinator and Admissions Liaison. In 2014, he was named the American Football Coaches Association Division III Assistant Coach of the Year. In Davis' six seasons at Gallaudet, the Bison posted a 24-17 (.585) record and won the 2013 ECFC championship. Davis coached 35 all-conference defensive players, 12 ECFC All-Academic performers along with the 2012 ECFC Defensive Player of the Year and two ECFC Rookies of the Year (2009, '10). Davis has coached two D3football.com All-Americans on defense and three D3football.com All-East Region second team players. Gallaudet experienced a record-breaking season in 2013 as the Bison won their first nine games, the best start in program history, had an 11-game winning streak dating back to the 2012 season, won its first ECFC championship, was nationally ranked for the first time in program history and went to its first NCAA tournament.

THE SERIES
Wilkes holds a 6-3 series lead over Misericordia. The Colonels won last season 35-15 on the road. Misericordia's last victory over the Colonels was in 2018, where they won a tight matchup 47-45 at Schmidt Stadium.

UP NEXT
The Colonels will go back on the road as they face No. 16 Delaware Valley in MAC action on Saturday, October 22 at 1:00 p.m. It will be the 58th meeting between the two schools with Wilkes holding a 31-26 edge in the series. Delaware Valley won last season as they blanked Wilkes 30-0 at Schmidt Stadium, continuing a five game win streak over the Colonels. Wilkes last win came in 2015, where they scored a late touchdown with 2:14 left in the game to beat the Aggies 12-7.

SCOUTING THE WILKES OFFENSE (MULTIPLE)
- Wilkes ranks first in the MAC in scoring offense (34.6), total offense (412.0), passing offense (242.8), and third in rushing offense (169.5).

- Wilkes kept their offensive momentum going as they produced 471 yards of total offense in their 35-14 victory over Alvernia. The passing game stepped up for the Colonels, as they threw for 335 yards and three touchdowns. They kept the balance with their rushing game, going for 136 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

- Sophomore quarterback Isaiah Rodriguez (Lebanon, PA/Lebanon) completed 16 of 35 passes on the day for 335 passing yards and throwing for three touchdowns. Rodriguez also ran for 28 yards on three carries as well. He ranks first in the MAC in passing yards (1186), average yards per game (237.2), completion efficiency (159.5), and is tied for first in passing touchdowns (10) while not throwing an interception through five games on the year.

- Junior running back Elijah Jules (Red Bank, NJ/Red Bank Catholic) ran for 64 yards and a touchdowns on 17 rushing attempts against Alvernia. Jules scored in the second quarter on a five-yard run to give Wilkes a 14-0 lead over the Golden Wolves. Senior running back Walter Lewis (Sicklerville, NJ/Timber Creek) ran for 62 yards on 10 rushing attempts while scoring on a 16-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to extend the Wilkes lead to 28-7. Jules leads the MAC in rushing yards-per-game with 92.8, rushing touchdowns (6), and rushing yards (464).

- Whitaker led the Colonels with three receptions, going for 110 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Whitaker scored late in the third quarter with a seven-yard catch from Rodriguez. He would later pull the game away for Wilkes as he would make a 93-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter to put the Colonels up 35-7. Zane Grover (East Stroudsburg, PA/Stroudsburg) would have 55 yards on two catches, including a 7-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter to get Wilkes up on the board first. Whitaker ranks fourth in the MAC in receiving yards with 340 while being third with 68.0 average yards-per-game. Grover leads the MAC in average yards-per-catch with 29.0.

SCOUTING THE WILKES DEFENSE (4-3-4)
- Wilkes is second in scoring defense (15.8), third in passing defense (140.2), and total defense (263.0), and fourth in rushing defense (122.8).

- Wilkes forced three turnovers for Alvernia on the day as they held Alvernia to 312 yards of offense. The Colonels had two interceptions on the day, while recovering a fumble in the fourth quarter at the goaline to stop Alvernia from scoring late in the game. Wilkes also recorded four sacks on the day.

- Brandon Holcomb (Boynton Beach, FL/Boca Raton) tied for first in tackles on the team with eight along with Adam Piston (Laurys Station, PA/Parkland), Leroy Marshall (Cambria Heights, NY/Christ the King), and Steele Hess (Allentown, PA/Whitehall). De'Von James (Mount Holly Springs, PA/Boiling Springs) followed behind with seven tackles, while Kellen Redmond (St. Petersburg, FL/Calvary Christian) recorded six on the day. Holcomb is fourth in the MAC with 49 tackles.

- Piston finished the day with a career-high 2.5 sacks. Redmon finished with one tackle-for-loss, while Holcomb, Matt Williams (Wheatley Heights, NY/Half Hollow Hills East), and Lance Priestas (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty) had .5 apiece. Piston is tied fourth in the MAC with 3.5 sacks with fellow teammate Angel Ramos (Allentown, PA/Parkland).

- Marshall recorded two interceptions on the day and a pass break up against Alvernia. He got his first interception in the beginning of the second quarter and second late in the third, with both turnovers turning into points for the Colonels. His performance against the Golden Wolves helped him earn MAC Football Defensive Player of the Week honors for week 6. This is the second time Wilkes has had a player earn MAC Defensive Player of the Week honors, with Ramos earning that distinction in week 1. 

SCOUTING THE WILKES SPECIAL TEAMS
- First Year kicker Nick Volpone (Delco, PA/Ridley) converted on all of his extra points last week. Volpone did not hit his lone field goal attempt of the game.

- Orlando, the sophomore punter for the Colonels, punted three times last week that went for 122 yards, with one of the punts being pinned at the 11 yard line for Alvernia in the fourth quarter. He is tied for fourth in the conference with a 37.4 punting average on the season.

SCOUTING MISERICORDIA OFFENSE (MULTIPLE)
- Misericordia is first in rushing offense (178.5), seventh in total offense (299.7), and tenth in scoring offense (17.5) and passing offense (121.2). 

- Sophomore quarterback Tamar Sample leads the Cougars with 599 passing yards on 66 completions from 146 passing attempts. Sample has thrown two touchdowns to six interceptions on the year. Senior quarterback Dallas Engle has also played, going 16-32 for 128 passing yards in his two appearances for Misericordia.

- Senior running back Michael Gawlik leads Misericordia with 457 rushing yards, which ranks him second in the MAC. Gawlik recorded 139 rushing yards and a touchdowns on 26 carries in Misericordia's win over Keystone College in week 2. He also has 7 receptions with 56 receiving yards on the year for the Cougars. First year running back Dominic Caruso has 125 yards on 42 carries this season.

- First year wide receiver Anthony DePalma has 195 receiving yards and two touchdowns on the year from 15 receptions. Sophomore wide receiver Owen McGuffey follows behind him with 127 yards and a touchdown on 10 catches.

SCOUTING MISERICORDIA DEFENSE (3-4-4)
- Misericordia is fifth in passing defense (167.7), and eighth in rushing defense (183.3), total defense (351.8), and scoring defense (29.0).

- Junior linebacker Eric Glass ties for second in the MAC with 51 tackles. Glass has recorded two double digit tackle games on the season, 10 against FDU-Florham in week 4 and 12 against Lebanon Valley in week 5. Junior defensive lineman Xander Shaner ranks second on the team with 28 tackles in five games this season.

- Shander leads the team with 3.0 sacks on the year, with one sack apiece against Keystone, FDU-Florham, and Lebanon Valley. Senior defensive back Justin Moreno follows suit with 2.0 sacks along with fellow senior T.J. Prather, while Glass, seniors Mason Geary, Logan Baxter, Matthew Carter, and sophomore Chris Hayes have one apiece.

- First year cornerback Taron Gale has recorded two interceptions on the year, both early on in the season against Alfred State and Keystone. Shaner, Prather, and senior defensive back Alex Hafner all have one interception apiece.

SCOUTING MISERICORDIA SPECIAL TEAMS
- Graduate student kicker Nicholas Neidlinger is three of seven on the year for field goals, while converting on all of his 16 PAT attempts. Neidlinger earned MAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors in week two when he recorded 5-5 PAT kicks and converted on his lone field goal to help the Cougars beat Keystone 38-20. Neidlinger also has 22 kickoffs on the year, averaging 56.6 yards a kick.

- Sophomore punter Chris Moyer has 29 punts on the year, with 1011 yards punted on the season. He averages 34.86 yards a punt this year through five games, with two punts going inside of the 20.

- Senior wide receiver Carlos Artson has 154 kickoff return yards this season, averaging 15.40 yards per return. Senior wide receiver Eric Jeffries had a 74 yard kickoff return for a touchdown in week three against Albright that helped Misericordia pass the Lions 27-21.