KU Football Fact Sheet #08-2007 - KU vs. CHEY

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KU Hosts Cheyney for Family Day at University Field

The Game

        The Kutztown University football team will host the Wolves of Cheyney University in the school’s annual Family Day on Saturday, Oct. 20.  The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division contest at University Field is set for a 1:05 p.m. kickoff.

        Kutztown fell to 3-4 on the season, 0-2 in the PSAC East, after Saturday’s 21-0 loss at West Chester. The Golden Bears have wins against Clarion (35-13), Shippensburg (28-16) and American International (55-20), with losses to Southern Connecticut State (52-30), Slippery Rock (45-9) and Bloomsburg (49-32). 

        Cheyney (1-6, 0-1 PSAC East) is coming off a 42-6 loss against East Stroudsburg.  The Wolves defeated Lock Haven (30-19) on Sept. 29.  Cheyney has lost to Central State (28-22), Indiana (PA) (80-14), California (PA) (57-0), Edinboro (41-23) and Howard (41-14). 

Electronic Coverage

        The game will be broadcast live on WEEU, AM 830, based out of Reading.  Mitch Gerhart and Matt Santos will call the action. The pre-game show begins at 12:50 p.m.  A live Webcast will be available at kubears.com via redzonemedia.com. 

        The game will also be televised by KUTV, with Mike Miller and Ashley Hartman calling 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 p.m., Monday at 3 p.m. and Tuesday at noon. 

The Coaches

        Kutztown’s second-year coach, Raymond Monica (North Alabama, ’90), is 7-10 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 1-0 against Cheyney.

        Tim Newsom (West Virginia ’92) is in his third season at Cheyney.  He has a 1-28 record, which includes forfeits of three victories from the 2005 and 2006 seasons, due to NCAA sanctions.   Newsom came to the Wolves from Johnson C. Smith, where he was defensive coordinator for seven seasons.  He is 0-2 against Kutztown.

The Series

        This game marks the 58th meeting between Kutztown and Cheyney, dating back to 1949.  Kutztown holds a 46-10-1 advantage, taking the last 13 meetings.  Kutztown won last year’s meeting 28-6 at Cheyney.  Kyle Spotts ran for two TDs, while Joe Strauss ran for a career-high 109 yards and a score.  Cory McFadden also hit paydirt.  CU’s Dominque Curry had five catches for 60 yards.  QB Derrick Murry did not play in the game.

        The last time the teams met at University Field, KU recorded a 29-12 win in the 2005 season finale.  The Golden Bears took advantage of Wolf miscues, scoring a safety, a TD after the ensuing free kick and another touchdown, all after bad snaps went over the Cheyney punter’s head.   Shane Martin, playing in place of an injured Kyle Spotts, was 7-of-12 for 78 yards and two TDs.  KU held the Wolves to minus-6 yards rushing, thanks in part to the punting miscues. 

        Cheyney has not beaten Kutztown since 1993 (30-19), while the Wolves have not won at University Field since a 17-14 victory in 1988, losing their last eight games at KU.

Notable

        As part of Saturday’s Family Day, a family member of a KU student will attempt a field goal at halftime to win a semester’s tuition for his/her KU student, sponsored by Kutztown University Student Services, Inc....Kutztown will play all 11 games this season on artificial turf, a first for the program…the same player has not led KU in rushing in consecutive games this season.

Tracking the Golden Bears

        OFFENSE: A week after setting numerous offensive records, KU’s offense struggled vs. West Chester.  The Golden Bears were shutout for the first time since a 12-0 loss to Bloomsburg in 2005.  Despite being held off the scoreboard, Kutztown had five possessions in West Chester territory, but two ended on downs, two by interceptions and one by punt.  KU was held to a season-low 232 yards.  QB Kyle Spotts (sr. Tamaqua/Tamaqua) completed 19-of-41 passes for 185 yards.  WR Elfren Quiles (sr. New Britain, CT/New Britain), the NCAA Division II leader in receiving yards, was limited to 6 yards on one catch before being sidelined in the third quarter due to injury.  In his place, three Golden Bears notched career highs.  TE Dan Onorato (jr. Malvern/Malvern Prep) had five catches for 60 yards, both career bests.  WR Alex Zukus (r-fr. Tuscarora/Tamaqua) caught a season-high five passes for 41 yards.  WR Jason Uhlig (r-fr. Blue Bell/Wissahickon) had his first three collegiate catches, totaling 46 yards.  Dontay Wilson (jr. Stamford, CT/Stamford) led the ground game with 36 yards on four carries.

                The Golden Bears average 401.6 yards per game, including 273.7 passing and 127.9 rushing.  KU missed Quiles’ contributions against WCU.  The senior wideout has already set the school’s single-season record with 957 receiving yards.  He leads the PSAC in receptions/game (6.9), yards/game (136.7) and touchdown catches (7).  Spotts has connected on 131-of-245 passes for 1,908 yards and 15 scores.  He has been intercepted nine times.  His 272.6 yards per game are second in the league.  WR Will Brown (fr. Trenton, NJ/Ewing) has six touchdown grabs and 225 yards on 21 catches.  Zukus has 19 receptions for 229 yards and two scores.  RB Ty Dinnis (so. Doylestown/Central Bucks West) has 313 yards and three touchdowns on 89 carries.  He has caught 16 passes for 220 yards.  Cory McFadden (so. Freemansburg/Bethlehem Catholic) has 193 yards and a TD on 44 carries.  Wilson has 186 yards and a score on 49 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: Kutztown’s defense put up a valiant effort against West Chester’s high powered offense.  KU held the Rams 14 points below their season average.  The Bears notched four takeaways, including interceptions by LB Tom Cressman (sr. Sellersville/Pennridge) and safety Cory Porrino (sr. Orwigsburg/Blue Mountain).  DT Nick Cresta  (jr. Wallingford/Strath Haven) and CB Justin Gibbs (sr. Pottstown/Pottstown) recovered fumbles.  DE Kevin Branco (jr. Hellertown/Saucon Valley) had four tackles for loss, totaling 21 yards.  Two of them were sacks for 18 yards.  Gibbs and safety Mike Gardier (so. Dunmore/Dunmore) led the team with eight tackles apiece.  Gardier and CB Cameron Parchment (so. Tannersville/Pocono Mountain East) forced fumbles.  DE Leroy Azubuike (sr. East Stroudsburg/East Stroudsburg South) had seven hits, while Cressman notched six, with one for loss. 

        Through seven games, Kutztown’s defense averages 396.4 yards allowed per game, including 221.4 passing and 175 rushing.  The defenders share with West Chester the lead among PSAC East squads with 16 sacks.  Cressman paces the team with 66 tackles.  Among them are six tackles for loss and a sack.  He also has two interceptions and a pair of fumble recoveries.  Safety Brian Bingnear (sr. Boothwyn/Chichester) has 60 stops, with two for loss, two picks and four breakups.  Gibbs has 51 hits with an interception and six breakups.  Gardier has recorded 43 tackles, with three for loss and two sacks.  Porrino chipped in 34 tackles, with four for loss and two interceptions.  Azubuike leads the Golden Bears with five sacks and eight tackles for loss among his 33 stops.  Branco has three sacks, while DT Chris Medina (so. Kennett Square/Kennett) has two. 

        SPECIAL TEAMS: KU’s special teams were led by the steady punting of Ryan Nye (jr. Bernville/Holy Name).  Nye averaged 45.3 yards on six punts, none of which was below 40 yards.  Wilson picked up 103 yards on four kickoff returns.  The Bears were hampered by a pair of muffed punt returns, both recovered by the Rams. 

        Nye leads the PSAC with a 43.3 punting average.  He’s placed five of his 26 punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.  Wilson averages 26.9 yards on 22 kick returns. He had a TD return of 94 yards against Shippensburg.  Dinnis averages 3.4 yards on eight punt returns.  Kicker Matt Dineen (r-fr. Wilmington, DE/Concord) has connected on 5-of-9 field goals, with a long of 35.  He is 21-of-23 on PAT kicks.  Nye doubles as KU’s holder, while Pat Healey (r-fr. Washington Twp., NJ/Washington Twp.) serves as the long snapper.

Scouting the Cheyney Wolves

        Cheyney is 1-6 overall, 0-1 in the PSAC East, and enters Saturday’s game with a two-game losing streak.  QB Derrick Murry accounted for the Wolves’ points in the 42-6 loss to East Stroudsburg last week, scoring on a QB sneak.  Murry was 6-of-18 for 65 yards.  Billy Mitchell ran for 102 yards on 21 carries.  Charles Johnson had 43 yards on three catches.  Safety Tyree Cooper led CU with 10 tackles.  In Cheyney’s sole win over Lock Haven on Sept. 29, Murry completed 15-of-26 passes for 267 yards and three TDs.  Dominique Curry caught two scores and had 193 yards. 

        Through seven games, CU averages 251.6 yards, including 198.9 passing and 52.7 rushing.  Murry has completed 76-of-146 passes for 1,081 yards and nine TDs.  He has thrown eight picks.  Curry has 434 yards and three TDs on 26 catches.  Eric Frazier has four scores and 276 yards on 23 catches.  Mitchell leads the ground game with 264 yards on 74 carries. 

        The Wolves defense allows an average of 409.6 yards, including 186.4 passing and 223.1 rushing.  LB Brandon Hawkins tops the squad with 68 tackles.  He has four tackles for loss and a sack.  LB Justin Allen has 67 hits, with three for loss and 1.5 sacks.  LB Joe Okafor has a pair of sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss among his 45 stops.  Cooper has three interceptions and two breakups.  Ends Brandon Tymous and Kelven Quick have 2.5 sacks each.

        Mitchell serves as the team’s punter, averaging 33.2 yards per kick.  Andrew Effiong is 2-for-3 on field goals, with a long of 41.  Frazier averages 23.2 yards on 17 kickoff returns.  

Kelly’s Sports, Ltd.

Player of the Game

        Kevin Branco is this week’s Kelly’s Sports, Ltd. Player of the Game.  Branco had six tackles, including four tackles for loss and two sacks, in leading KU’s defensive effort against West Chester.