Golden Bears to Face Non-Conference Foe AIC

The Game

        The Kutztown University football team will host non-conference foe American International College this Saturday, Sept. 29.  Kickoff is set for 6:05 p.m., under the lights at University Field.

        Kutztown is coming off a difficult 45-9 setback at Slippery Rock.  The Golden Bears (2-2) saw their two-game winning streak snapped with the loss.  After losing to Southern Connecticut (52-30) to start the season, KU rattled off wins at Clarion (35-13) and at home over Shippensburg (28-16). 

        American International is coming off a thrilling 36-35 win over Southern Connecticut.  The Yellow Jackets (1-2) opened the year with losses to Bryant (13-6) and Bentley (48-23).  AIC was 6-4 last year.

Electronic Coverage

        The game will be broadcast on WEEU, AM 830, based out of Reading.  The game will be taped delayed until after the Philadelphia Phillies/Washington Nationals game that starts at 3:55 PM.  Mitch Gerhart and Matt Santos will call the action.  A live Webcast, beginning at 5:50 PM, will be available at kubears.com via redzonmedia.com. 

The Coaches

        Kutztown’s second-year coach, Raymond Monica (North Alabama, ’90), is 6-8 in his career, after finishing 4-6 in his inaugural season. Monica came to the Golden Bears from Division I-A Temple University, where he spent eight seasons as defensive coordinator.  Prior to Temple, Monica coached for nine seasons at the University of North Alabama, during which time the Lions won three NCAA Division II national championships from 1993-95.   He has not faced AIC.

        Art Wilkins (Bucknell, ’72) is in his 14th season at American International.  He has an 80-57 record.  He is 1-0 in his career against Kutztown. 

The Series

        This game marks just the fourth meeting between Kutztown and American International, dating back to 1980.  The Yellow Jackets hold a 2-1 lead in the brief series, with the three previous meetings have been decided by a total of 20 points.

         The teams have not met since 1996, when AIC won a 7-3 decision on its home field.  The only other two meetings came in the early 1980s.  KU lost 17-7 at AIC in 1980, and won 14-7 in the teams’ only meeting at University Field in 1981. 

Notable

        Kutztown has not beaten a team from north of Pennsylvania since 2000 (Siena, 40-8)...KU head coach Raymond Monica’s three-game winning streak against the PSAC West was snapped vs. Slippery Rock...WR Elfren Quiles’ five-game streak with a TD catch, dating to last season, was halted...QB Kyle Spotts moved into third place on KU’s career passing attempts chart (676), passing Greg Buchman (1985-88)...punter Ryan Nye moved into third place on KU’s career punting yards list (4,642), passing Tim DeLaney (1994-96).

Tracking the Golden Bears

        OFFENSE: Kutztown’s offense was hampered by turnovers and costly penalties against Slippery Rock.  KU committed a season-high nine penalties, including eight on the offensive side of the ball.  The Golden Bears also turned the ball over four times, with one interception returned for a TD.  Despite trailing 31-9 at halftime, KU held a 22-8 advantage in time of possession and a 61-20 edge in plays.  KU, however, added just 66 yards to its total in the second half, finishing with 298 total yards.  Ty Dinnis (so. Doylestown/Central Bucks West) rushed for a season-high 72 yards on 17 carries.  He added 38 yards on four receptions.  Kyle Spotts (sr. Tamaqua/Tamaqua) completed 20-of-37 passes for 190 yards, but was picked off three times.  Elfren Quiles (sr. New Britain, CT/New Britain) caught five passes for 44 yards.  Alex Zukus (r-fr Tuscarora/Tamaqua) finished with 46 yards on four grabs. 

                With four games under its belt, the Kutztown offense averages 352.8 yards of total offense per game.  The Golden Bears net 110 yards rushing and 242.8 yards passing.  Spotts has completed 74-of-136 attempts for 963 yards.  He has eight touchdowns and seven interceptions.  Quiles leads the PSAC with 27 receptions, 467 yards and four TDs.  Will Brown (fr. Trenton, NJ/Ewing) has 13 catches for 155 yards and three scores.  TE Dan Onorato (jr. Malvern/Malvern Prep) has 10 grabs for 78 yards.  Dinnis, who missed the Shippensburg game due to injury/illness, leads the ground game with 163 yards and a TD on 46 carries.  He is tops in the PSAC in all-purpose yards, averaging 174.7 yards per game.  Dontay Wilson (jr. Stamford, CT/Stamford) has 128 yards and a score on 37 rushes.  

        KU’s offensive line consists of center Evan Reese (so. Centre Hall/State College), guards Shane Kadlac (r-fr. Toms River, NJ/Toms River East) and Darrell Martin (jr. Stroudsburg/Stroudsburg), and tackles Mike Casciano (sr. Birdsboro/Twin Valley) and Tyler Romberger (so. Muir/Williams Valley).

        DEFENSE: The Golden Bear defense was touched for 436 yards and six scoring drives by Slippery Rock on Saturday.  Safety Brian Bingnear (sr. Boothwyn/Chichester) led the defenders with 11 tackles, including one for loss.  CB Justin Gibbs (sr. Pottstown/Pottstown) and safety Cory Porrino (sr. Orwigsburg/Blue Mountain) notched six tackles apiece.  CB Cameron Parchment (so. Tannersville/Pocono Mountain East) and LB Tom Cressman (sr. Sellersville/Pennridge) chipped in five hits apiece.  DT Chris Medina (so. Kennett Square/Kennett) had two tackles, one for loss, and a pass breakup. 

        For the season, KU’s defense averages 409.8 yards allowed per game, including 221 passing and 188.8 rushing.  Cressman tops the team with 39 tackles, including four for loss and a sack.  He returned an interception for a TD vs. Clarion, and has two fumble recoveries.  Bingnear has 38 tackles, with two for loss.  He has two interceptions and a breakup.  Gibbs has 31 tackles, an interception and five breakups.  Safety Mike Gardier (so. Dunmore/Dunmore) has 26 tackles, with two for loss and a pair of breakups.  Porrino has 23 stops, with four for loss and an interception.  DE Leroy Azubuike (sr. East Stroudsburg/East Stroudsburg South) leads the team with three sacks and has four tackles for loss among his 18 hits. 

        SPECIAL TEAMS: Special teams were a bright spot for the Golden Bears against the Rock.  Matt Dineen (r-fr. Wilmington, DE/Concord) tied a school record with three field goals.  Hitting from 35, 21 and 30 yards out, Dineen matched the mark held by Mike Attardi (1986) and Emerson Johnson (1995).  Wilson had 106 yards on four kick returns, including a 67-yard return that set up one of the field goals.  Parchment recovered a fumble on a muffed punt return for KU’s only takeaway of the contest.  Ryan Nye (jr. Bernville/Holy Name) averaged 39.3 yards on six punts, matching his season best with a 54 yarder.  Nye also had a 10-yard run for a first down on a fake field goal.

        Dineen is 4-for-5 on field goals, with a long of 35.  He is also 12-of-13 on PAT kicks.  Wilson averages 32.3 yards on nine kick returns.  Nye leads the PSAC with a 43.1 punting average. 

Scouting the American International Yellow Jackets

        American International upset Southern Connecticut, 36-35, for its first win of the year.  Mark Prezbylek’s 34-yard field goal with five seconds left lifted the Yellow Jackets to the comeback victory.  AIC trailed 35-26 with seven minutes left in the game.  Prezbylek was 3-for-3 on field goals in the contest.  QB Rob Parent completed 25-of-41 passes for 299 yards and three TDs. Tyler Scaccia had eight catches for 117 yards and a TD.  Travis Poole had two scores and 53 yards on six catches.  Calvin Hall rushed for 93 yards and a TD on 25 carries.  Terrence Holley led the defense with 12 tackles with a forced and recovered fumble. 

        AIC averages 331.7 yards per game, including 157 rushing and 174.7 passing.  Parent has completed 32-of-63 passes for 448 yards.  He has thrown four TDs and four picks.  Scaccia is his favorite target, with 13 catches for 190 yards.  Kertis Hussey has 10 grabs for 133 yards.  Hall has 241 yards and a TD on 58 carries. 

        The Yellow Jacket defense allows 339.7 yards per game, including 116.7 rushing and 223 passing.  Mike Szawlowski has 18 tackles on the season.  Michael Daley and Louis Saunders have 17 apiece.  George Hudson has a sack and four tackles for loss among his 14 hits. 

        Prezbylek is 4-for-4 on field goals, hitting from a long of 34 yards.  Jonathan Thorpe averages 35.1 yards on nine punts.  Hussey handles kickoff returns, netting 17.8 yards on 10 tries.  Julius Walker has 7 yards on two punt returns.

Kelly’s Sports, Ltd.

Player of the Game

        Matt Dineen is this week’s Kelly’s Sports, Ltd., Player of the Game.  Dineen tied a KU record with three field goals, accounting for all nine Golden Bear points vs. Slippery Rock.  Dineen hit from 35, 21 and 30 yards.­