Wilkes Colonels (3-1, 2-1) vs. Alvernia Golden Wolves (1-3, 0-2)
Saturday, October 8, 2022 - 12:00 p.m.
Turf Stadium
 
Game Notes
 
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THE MATCHUP
Wilkes University will travel to Reading, Pa. as they compete in Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) action against Alvernia University, with kickoff scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 8. Wilkes (3-1, 2-1 MAC) returned to the win column as they blanked Albright College 27-0. Alvernia (1-3, 0-2 MAC) look to get their first win in the MAC as they fell to Lebanon Valley 32-6 last week at home.

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.

Steve Azzanesi (Wesley '00 & '04) enters his first year as Alvernia's head coach in the fall of 2022. Azzanesi joined the Alvernia staff after most recently serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for NCAA Division I (FCS) Delaware State University, where he spent two seasons with the Hornets. Azzanesi helped lead the Hornets to a steady increase in success in his two seasons with the program. Prior to his time at Delaware State, Azzanesi enjoyed a highly successful 18-year career as an assistant coach at Wesley College - one of the top programs in NCAA Division III history. During his 18-year tenure at Wesley, Azzanesi held various positions within the Wolverine staff.  Before leaving Wesley, Azzanesi's most recent role was as the Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator. During his 18-year stint, the Wolverines were 180-42 overall, including 63-13 in conference play. Wesley also made 14 NCAA Division III Tournaments, won six South Region titles, and played in the national semifinal six times. Azzanesi was a member of the offensive staff for the entirety of his Wolverine career before becoming the offensive coordinator in 2018. In 2015, while Azzaensi was serving as the pass game coordinator and assistant head coach, Wesley's offense was one for the record books. The Wolverines led NCAA Division III with an average of 591 total yards per game. They averaged 399 yards in the air and 192 yards on the ground. Their quarterback, future NFL player Joe Callahan, was one of only two quarterbacks in NCAA history to pass for both 5,000 yards and throw for 55 touchdowns in one season. Callahan would go on to make his NFL debut with the Green Bay Packers in December of 2017.

THE SERIES
Wilkes holds a 3-0 series lead over Alvernia. The Colonels won last season at Schmidt Stadium 23-0. Wilkes won 45-12 at home in 2019 and won 34-14 in the first-ever meeting between the programs during 2018 at FirstEnergy Stadium at Reading, Pa. 

UP NEXT
The Colonels will return back home as they host Misericordia in MAC action on Saturday, October 15 at 12:00 p.m. 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.

SCOUTING THE WILKES OFFENSE (MULTIPLE)
- Wilkes ranks first in the MAC in scoring offense (34.5), total offense (397.3), passing offense (219.8), and rushing offense (177.5).

- Wilkes outpaced Albright last week, totaling 395 yards of total offense on their way to a 27-0 victory over the Lions. The ground game was what led Wilkes up and down the field, gaining 232 yards while scoring all three of their touchdowns on the ground. This was led by the offensive line, who was selected to the D3football.com Team of the Week earlier in the season. 

- Sophomore quarterback Isaiah Rodriguez (Lebanon, PA/Lebanon) completed 11 of 27 passes on the day for 163 passing yards, marching the Colonels for three different scores. Rodriguez called his own number in the second quarter, scoring on an 8-yard touchdown to give Wilkes a 14-0 lead. Rodriguez finished with 21 rushing yards on five attempts. He still ranks first in the MAC in quarterback efficiency (145.7), while ranking second in passing yards (851) and passing yards-per-game (212.8).

- Junior running back Elijah Jules (Red Bank, NJ/Red Bank Catholic) ran for 115 yards and two touchdowns on 15 rushing attempts against Albright. Jules scored in the first quarter on a 10-yard run to get the Colonels on the scoreboard first. He would then run for another 10-yard touchdown in the third quarter to extend Wilkes lead 21-0. Senior running back Walter Lewis (Sicklerville, NJ/Timber Creek) ran for 55 yards on nine rushing attempts, while first year tailback Ben Contella (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Hills) earned 33 yards on five carries. Jules leads the MAC in rushing yards-per-game with 100.0 while tied for first in rushing touchdowns (5) and second in rushing yards (400).

- Whitaker led the Colonels with four receptions on the day, earning 49 receiving yards. Jules led the team with 62 receiving yards, which included a 60 yard catch and run that helped set up Wilkes to score in the second quarter. Whitaker is fifth in the MAC with 230 receiving yards. He also is fourth in average yards-per-game with 53.0

SCOUTING THE WILKES DEFENSE (4-3-4)
- Wilkes is second in scoring defense (16.3) and passing defense (137.5), third in total defense (250.8), and fourth in rushing defense (113.3).

- Wilkes recorded their first shut out of the season, not letting Albright score any points during the game. This was the first shutout for the Colonels since last season, when they blanked Alvernia at Schmidt Stadium 23-0. Wilkes held Albright to 87 yards of total offense. This is the first time since 2007 that the Colonels have held an opponent to less than 100 total yards of offense when they allowed 7 yards to King's College in a 35-0 victory.

- Brandon Holcomb (Boynton Beach, FL/Boca Raton) led the Wilkes with eight tackles last week, with Steele Hess (Allentown, PA/Whitehall) and Angel Ramos (Allentown, PA/Parkland) following behind with seven and six tackles respectively. Ramos led Wilkes with 1.5 sacks on the day, which helped him to record 2.5 tackle-for-loss as well. 
- Kellen Redmon recorded 1.5 tackle-for-loss, while Leroy Marshall (Cambria Heights, NY/Christ the King) and Donell Mackey-Woodson (Hartford, CT/Southington) both had one apiece. Holcomb is tied for third in the MAC with 41 total tackles, while Ramos is fourth in the conference with 3.5 sacks.

- Holcomb recorded a pass breakup on the day, along with Marshall and Quincy Banks (Bronx, NY/Kennedy). Holcomb, Jeremie Hernandez (Bronx, NY/Kennedy), and John Washington (Brooklyn, NY/Eagle Academy) all have one interception this season for the Colonels. 

SCOUTING THE WILKES SPECIAL TEAMS
- First Year kicker Nick Volpone (Delco, PA/Ridley) went 2-2 on FGs last week, hitting both his attempts from 27 and 31 yards out in the fourth quarter to extend the Colonel lead. Volpone also went 3-3 on his PATs.

- Orlando, the sophomore punter for the Colonels, punted twice last week that went for 54 yards. He ranks sixth in the conference with a 36.5 punting average on the season.

SCOUTING ALVERNIA OFFENSE (MULTIPLE)
- Alvernia is second in total offense (345.0) and passing offense (215.3), fifth in scoring offense (22.3), and sixth in rushing offense (129.8). 

- First year quarterback Colin Payne leads the Golden Wolves with 778 passing yards on 59 completions from 103 passing attempts. Payne has thrown eight touchdowns to just four interceptions on the year. Senior quarterback Kevin Washington Jr. has also played, going 14-20 for 78 passing yards in his two apperances for Alvernia.

- Graduate student running back EJ Lee leads Alvernia with 329 rushing yards, which ranks him sixth in the MAC. Lee recorded 148 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 19 attempts in Alvernia's win over Oberlin College in week 2. He also has 14 receptions with 136 receiving yards and a touchdown in four games for the Golden Wolves. Junior running back Lorenzo Green has 51 yards on 16 carries this season.

- Graduate student wide receiver Neeko Scurlock has 158 receiving yards on the year from 15 receptions. Senior tight end Owen Morton follows behind him with 144 yards and two touchdowns on 10 catches.

SCOUTING ALVERNIA DEFENSE (4-3-4)
- Alvernia is tenth in passing defense (223.3), rushing defense (201.3), total defense (424.5), and eleventh in scoring defense (41.5).

- Senior linebacker Tajoin Whiten ties for third in the MAC with 41 tackles. Whiten has recorded two double digit tackle games on the season, 10 against Ursinus in week 1 and 15 against Stevenson in week 3. Junior defensive back Jyleen Neals ranks second on the team with 28 tackles in four appearances this season.

- Junior defensive lineman Luke Ammarell leads the team with 2.0 sacks on the year, with one sack against Ursinus and Stevenson. Senior defensive lineman Jeromy Sayles follows suit with 1.5 sacks, while Nyeals, sophomore defensive back Marc Kauffman, and sophomore linebacker Antonio Lazar have one apiece.

- Sophomore cornerback Taron Gale has recorded two interceptions on the year, both of them coming in week 2 against Oberlin. Neals and Lazar are second on the team with one interception.

SCOUTING ALVERNIA SPECIAL TEAMS
- First year kicker Brett Conrad is one of three on the year for field goals, while going 8-11 in PAT attempts. Conrad also averages 57.3 yards on kickoffs.

- Junior punter Hunter Bojanic has 22 punts on the year, with 833 yards punted on the season. He averages 37.9 yards a punt this year through four games.

- First year running back Ozmere Jones has 176 kickoff return yards this season, averaging 16.00 yards per return. Sophomore wide receiver Kyle Stanton has 118 return yards on seven attempts, averaging 16.86 yards per return.