Kutztown to Open PSAC East Play vs. Bloomsburg

The Game

        The Kutztown University football team will get its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Schedule under way this Saturday, Oct. 6, when the Huskies of Bloomsburg University come to KU.  Kickoff is set for 6:05 p.m., under the lights at University Field.

        Kutztown is coming off 55-20 pounding of American International last Saturday.  The Golden Bears (3-2) bounced back from a 45-9 loss at Slippery Rock the week before.  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). 

        Bloomsburg (2-3, 0-1 PSAC East) fell at West Chester last Saturday, 44-28.  Bloomsburg opened with a win over C.W. Post (42-28), before losing at California (31-13) and at home against Edinboro (42-41).  The Huskies then downed Clarion (52-10).

Electronic Coverage

        The game will be broadcast on WEEU, AM 830, based out of Reading.  Mitch Gerhart and Matt Santos will call the action.  The broadcast time may be affected by the time of the Philadelphia Phillies playoff game on Saturday.  A live Webcast, beginning at 5:50 p.m., will be available at kubears.com via redzonmedia.com. 

        The game will be televised by KUTV.  Mike Miller and Ashley Hartman will call the action.  Viewers in Kutztown and Eastern Berks County can see the game on Service Electric Cablevision (Channel 24) or Hometown Utilicom (Channel 41).  The game will be replayed on Sunday at 6:00 p.m., Monday at 3:00 p.m. and Tuesday at noon.  Service Electric/TV2 Sports in the Lehigh Valley is tentatively slated to rebroadcast the game.  Air time and date to be announced.

The Coaches

        Kutztown’s second-year coach, Raymond Monica (North Alabama, ’90), is 7-8 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 is 0-1 vs. Bloomsburg

        Danny Hale (West Chester, ’68) is in his 15th season at Bloomsburg, compiling a 120-44-1 record. In 19 seasons, Hale has a record of 160-57-1. He is 14-0 against KU while at Bloomsburg, and 19-0 all-time, including a 5-0 record while head coach at West Chester.

The Series

        The game will mark the 61st meeting between Kutztown and Bloomsburg, dating back to 1927. Bloomsburg holds a 39-20-1 advantage, including last year’s 41-14 win at Redman Stadium.  Christian Allen and Josh Heck combined for 365 rushing yards and five TDs for BU.  Dan Latorre passed for 143 yards and a TD.  BU’s Jamar Brittingham did not play in the game due to injury.  For KU, Elfren Quiles had four catches for 80 yards and a TD.  Kyle Spotts was 13-of-29 for 189 yards and two scores. 

        Bloomsburg has won the last 14 meetings between the teams.  BU won 12-0 in 2005 and 37-12 in the last meeting at KU in 2004.  Prior to that, the previous five meetings had been decided by 10 points or less.  KU last defeated Bloomsburg in 1992 (17-10).  The last time KU defeated the Huskies at University Field was in 1991 (67-19). 

Notable

        Kyle Spotts and Elfren Quiles have connected on 16 TD passes over the last two seasons, one shy of the KU record for QB/receiver tandem (Andy Breault/Mark Steinmeyer)…a KU player has not led the team in rushing yards in consecutive games.

Tracking the Golden Bears

        OFFENSE: Kutztown’s offense clicked on all cylinders against AIC.  KU scored 55 points, its most since scoring 63 against Cheyney to end the 1992 season.  The Bears struck for 41 first-half points, the most since jumping on Bloomsburg for 46 in 1991.  The Golden Bears’ offensive line paved the way for a season-high 246 rushing yards and 543 total yards.  The 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).  Four players ran for more than 30 yards, with RB Cory McFadden (so. Freemansburg/Bethlehem Catholic) running 16 times for a season-high 97 yards.  RB Ty Dinnis (so. Doylestown/Central Bucks West) ran for 33 yards and two TDs on 10 carries.  FB Joe Strauss (jr. Lititz/Warwick) gained 49 yards and a TD on seven carries before leaving the game with an injury.  His backup, Chris Diaferio (fr. Collingdale/West Catholic) rushed for 33 yards.  FB Travis Barron (sr. Coatesville/Bishop Shanahan) scored a TD.  QB Kyle Spotts (sr. Tamaqua/Tamaqua) was superb, completing better than 70 percent of his passes (17-of-24) for 297 yards and four TDs.  He and Elfren Quiles (sr. New Britain, CT/New Britain) connected on an 88-yard TD pass, eclipsing the duo’s school record of 87 yards set vs. Shippensburg earlier this season.  Quiles finished with 178 yards on eight catches.  Will Brown (fr. Trenton, NJ/Ewing) had two TD catches.  Alex Zukus (r-fr. Tuscarora/Tamaqua) had 46 yards and a TD on four catches.

        Through five games, KU’s high-powered offense is averaging 390.8 yards, including 137.2 rushing and 253.6 passing per game.  Spotts has completed 91-of-160 passes for 1,260 yards.  He has thrown 12 TDs and seven interceptions.  Quiles leads the PSAC, and ranks among the nation’s leaders, with 35 catches for 643 yards and five scores.  Brown shares the team lead in TD catches and has 15 total grabs for 175 yards.  Zukus has 11 receptions for 146 yards and two scores.  KU’s three running backs have combined for 499 yards and five TDs on 133 carries.  Dinnis leads the way with 196 yards and three scores on 56 carries.  McFadden has a TD and 165 yards on 36 rushes.  Dontay Wilson (jr. Stamford, CT/Stamford) has 138 yards and a TD on 41 carries.

        DEFENSE: The Golden Bear defense bounced back in a big way, holding the athletic Yellow Jackets off the board on their first five possessions, by which time KU led 41-0.  KU allowed 293 total yards, including just 99 on the ground.  Safety Brian Bingnear (sr. Boothwyn/Chichester) and LB Tom Cressman (sr. Sellersville/Pennridge) had nine tackles each.  Safety Mike Gardier (so. Dunmore/Dunmore), CB Justin Gibbs (sr. Pottstown/Pottstown) and DT Nick Cresta (jr. Wallingford/Strath Haven) had five tackles apiece.  Gardier added a 10-yard sack. DE Leroy Azubuike (sr. East Stroudsburg/East Stroudsburg South) had three tackles, including two for loss and a 9-yard sack.  He also forced a fumble.  DT Chris Medina (so. Kennett Square/Kennett) had a sack, while DE Scott Smith (sr. New Oxford/Delone Catholic) and DE Greg Rotkowski (fr. Macungie/Emmaus) recovered fumbles. 

        For the season, KU’s defense averages 386.4 yards allowed per game, including 215.6 passing and 170.8 rushing.  Cressman tops the team with 48 tackles, including four for loss and a sack.  He returned an interception for a TD vs. Clarion, and has two fumble recoveries.  Bingnear has 47 tackles, with two for loss.  He has two interceptions and two breakups.  Gibbs has 36 tackles, an interception and six breakups.  Gardier has 31 hits, with three for loss, a sack and a pair of breakups.  Safety Cory Porrino (sr. Orwigsburg/Blue Mountain) has 27 stops, four for loss, and an interception.  Cresta and Azubuike have 21 tackles each.  Cresta has two for loss and a half sack, while Azubuike leads KU with four sacks and six tackles for loss. 

        SPECIAL TEAMS: McFadden and Wilson both had kickoff returns of more than 30 yards.  Matt Dineen (r-fr. Wilmington, DE/Concord) was 7-for-8 on PAT kicks.   Ryan Nye (jr. Bernville/Holy Name) did not have to punt.  

        For the season, Dineen is 4-for-5 on field goals, with a long of 35.  He is 19-of-21 on PAT kicks.  Wilson averages 32.7 yards on 10 kick returns. Dinnis nets 27.4 yards on nine kick returns.  Nye leads the PSAC with a 43.1 punting average. 

Scouting the Bloomsburg Huskies

        Bloomsburg fell to 2-3, losing its PSAC East opener at West Chester, 44-28, last week.  Dan Latorre threw four TDs, passed for 273 yards and ran for 81 more.  WR Brahin Bilal caught five passes for 145 yards and three TDs.  Kyle Ream had a touchdown and 85 yards on three receptions.  Jamar Brittingham was limited to 60 yards on 23 carries.  LB Rob Biernat and safety Jeremy Lightner had eight tackles each, while DT Corey Gipe notched a pair of sacks. 

        The Huskies average 438.6 yards of total offense per game, including 227.4 passing and 211.2 rushing.  The all-time leading scorer in PSAC history, Brittingham has 501 yards and 12 TDs on 109 carries.  Latorre has completed 62-of-103 passes for 1,087 yards and six TDs.  He has been picked off three times. Latorre has 102 rushing yards and three scores on the ground.  Bilal has 27 receptions for 603 yards and four scores.  Ream has three TDs and 266 yards on 16 grabs.

        The BU defense allows 395.6 yards, including 256 passing and 139.6 rushing per game.  Biernat has 41 tackles.  Lightner has notched 35 hits, with two fumble recoveries.  Gipe leads the team with 2.5 sacks.  Safety Phil Riccardi has two interceptions. 

        Brittingham averages 16.8 yards on four punt returns, and Bilal nets 22.6 yards on 14 kickoff returns.  John Koenig is 3-for-4 on field goals, with a long of 30.  Drew Snyder averages 36.2 yards on 10 punts.

Kelly’s Sports, Ltd.

Player of the Game

        Kyle Spotts is this week’s Kelly’s Sports, Ltd. Player of the Game.  Spotts passed for 297 yards and four touchdowns, completing 17-of-24 passes, to lead KU to a 55-20 win over American International.