Kutztown University

Last year, Kutztown finished 5-6 overall, a one game improvement from the year before. The Golden Bears were also 2-3 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division. KU tied for third in the PSAC East, up two spots in the standings from 2006.

Hoping to continue the upward climb are 55 letterwinners and 16 starters returning from last year’s squad.

A deep running back corps and experienced offensive line will headline the Golden Bear offensive unit. KU is coming off a solid offensive performance a year ago, when the team ranked in the top six in the league in passing, rushing and total yards per game. The team set a program record for first downs with 235.

Kutztown loses the record-setting quarterback-receiver tandem of Kyle Spotts and Elfren Quiles; however, the Golden Bears return eight starters and another who sat out the 2007 season.

QUARTERBACKS: Spotts, a three-year starter, is expected to be replaced by three-year backup Shane Martin (jr. New Holland/Garden Spot). With Spotts taking all the meaningful snaps last fall, Martin was able to preserve his redshirt season. The fourth-year junior last saw game action in 2006, completing 6-of-12 passes for 67 yards and a TD. He also ran for 132 yards and a score on 18 carries. He was impressive in the 2008 Maroon & Gold spring game, completing 11-of-20 passes for 208 yards, while running for 51 yards and a TD.

Redshirt-freshmen Justin Clark (r-fr. Kennett Square/Kennett) and Storm Miller (r-fr. Jamison/Central Bucks South) will battle for the backup spot.

RUNNING BACKS: The most experienced positions on the Golden Bears roster are the running backs, where five veterans return, including two who have All-PSAC East honors to their credit.

Joe Strauss (sr. Lititz/Warwick) returns for his third year as the starting fullback. Despite missing five games due to injury, Strauss was fifth on the team with 133 rushing yards and a TD. Battling for playing time at FB will be Chris Hoyt (sr. Budd Lake, N.J./Mount Olive) and Josh Schildt (so. Red Lion/Red Lion).

WIDE RECEIVERS: Aside from Quiles, last year’s wide receiver corps was young and inexperienced. Now with a year of playing time under their belt, the youngsters are poised to step into the spotlight.

Will Brown (so. Trenton, N.J./Ewing) is the team’s top returning wideout. Brown caught 21 passes for 225 yards and six touchdowns in 2007, before being sidelined for the final four games due to injury. He is expected to be joined in the starting lineup by Jason Uhlig (so. Blue Bell/Wissahickon), who had 19 grabs for 204 yards and a score, all in the final five games. Alex Zukus (so. Tuscarora/Tamaqua), who had 19 catches for 204 yards and two TDs, along with Mike Dietrich (jr. York/York Catholic), who notched 57 yards on eight catches, will battle for playing time, along with Preston Barron (r-fr. Coatesville/Coatesville), Tony Braciszewski (sr. Southampton/William Tennent), Doug Coughlin (so. Wyomissing/Wyomissing), Jim Domzalski (so. Bensalem/Conwell-Egan) and Matt Lawhorne (jr. Macungie/Brandywine Heights), a converted quarterback.

TIGHT ENDS: Dan Onorato (sr. Malvern/Malvern Prep) returns for his second year as starting tight end. A second-team All-PSAC East selection in 2007, Onorato was second on the team with 26 catches for 263 yards and two touchdowns. Nick Aspromonte (so. Tobyhanna/Pocono Mountain West) had four catches for 75 yards as the backup last year. Jake Thierjung (so. Bensalem/Bensalem) also returns, along with newcomer Tony Genoble (jr. Mountaintop/Crestwood).

OFFENSIVE LINE: Four starters and four other letterwinners return on the offensive line. Leading the way is second-team All-PSAC East selection Darrell Martin (sr. Stroudsburg/Stroudsburg). Martin started all 11 games last year at right guard, but is expected to switch to right tackle this year. Other returning starters are center Evan Reese (jr. Centre Hall/State College), guard Shane Kadlac (so. Toms River, N.J./Toms River East) and Tyler Romberger (jr. Muir/Williams Valley), a two-year starter at tackle. Steven Frymoyer (so. West Lawn/Wilson) is expected to battle for a starting spot at tackle, while Brian Kutzleb (so. Nutley, N.J./Nutley) will back up at center. Also returning are Mike Clark (so. Philadelphia/Lincoln) and Chris Chylack (so. Souderton/Souderton). Redshirts Aaron McGlynn (r-fr. Harleysville/Souderton) and Josh Alger (r-fr. Wyomissing/Wilson) at tackle, and Chris Oliver (r-fr. Philadelphia/Germantown) and Nick Stramara (r-fr. Orwigsburg/Blue Mountain) at guard, are expected to round out the depth chart.

The 2007 Golden Bear defense improved as the season progressed. After allowing an average of 48.7 points during early-season losses, KU did not allow more than 23 points in its five wins, and just 26.7 points in the late-season losses. Returning to continue the progress are six starters, but KU must replace All-America safety Brian Bingnear and four other starters.

DEFENSIVE LINE: Two starters, five key backups and several letterwinners return to man the defensive line.

Nick Cresta (sr. Wallingford/Strath Haven) and Craig Moose (jr. Dillsburg/Northern York) return as starters on the interior. Cresta had 31 tackles, with two for loss and two fumble recoveries last year. Moose notched 20 hits with two for loss. Also returning on the interior line are Christopher Medina (jr. Kennett Square/Kennett) and Craig Croman (jr. Pine Grove/Pine Grove). Medina had 25 tackles, with three for loss and two sacks. Croman had 10 stops with two for loss and a sack. Jared Haas (so. Linglestown/Central Dauphin) and Colin Henny (r-fr. Lititz/Manheim Twp.), along with Justin Giles (r-fr. Boyertown/Boyertown) and Jason Henshaw (r-fr. West Chester/Henderson) look to add depth.

On the outside, neither starter returns, but three key returners, Kevin Branco (sr. Hellertown/Saucon Valley), Kevin Bolinski (so. Ashland/North Schuylkill) and Greg Rotkowski (so. Macungie/Emmaus), will look to fill the vacant roles. Branco led Kutztown in 2007 with six sacks for 44 yards. Of his 20 tackles, 10 were for losses totaling 49 yards. Bolinsky had five hits with a half sack, and Rotkowski had 20 stops, eight for loss, including 4.5 sacks. Zac Fowler (r-fr. Croydon/Truman), Dan Hassell (r-fr. Lititz/Wawick), Trevor Morley (r-fr. Westminster, Md./Delone Catholic {PA}) and Dan Schwartz (jr. Gilbertsville/St. Pius X) will also look to contribute.

LINEBACKERS: The Golden Bears will look to four veterans to fill the two starting linebacker spots. David Cressman (jr. Sellersville/Pennridge) is expected to take over at strong-side linebacker in place of his brother, Tom, a three-year starter who graduated. The younger Cressman had 39 tackles, playing in all 11 games with two starts a year ago. Pushing for playing time will be Keith Massey (so. Allentown/William Allen), who had 11 hits last fall. At weakside linebacker, Sam McKellar (sr. Allentown/Dieruff) is expected to start. McKellar had 28 tackles, including two behind the line, last season. He was a starter in 2006, but came off the bench in 2007. Joel Irwin (so. Coatesville/Bishop Shanahan) had 15 tackles a year ago and will vie for playing time.

SAFETIES: KU’s three-safety set made its debut in 2007, with the starters at those positions accounting for three of the top five tacklers on the team. Mike Gardier (jr. Dunmore/Dunmore) and Cory Porrino (sr. Orwigsburg/Blue Mountain) are returning starters. A second-team All-PSAC East pick, Gardier is the team’s top returning tackler with 74 hits last fall. He added four tackles for loss, two sacks and had an interception and six pass breakups. Porrino tallied 56 tackles, with four for loss. He also had two interceptions and three breakups. The two should split time at weak-side safety. Sean Alboucq (jr. Lehighton/Lehighton) started at linebacker last season, but is expected to move to strong safety this year. He had 37 tackles with one for loss in 2007. Nick Hosford (so. Slatington/Northern Lehigh), who sat out last fall due to injury, is expected to battle for time after switching over from running back. At free safety, Khalief Evans (so. Philadelphia/Imhotep Charter) leads a group of players looking to replace Bingnear. Evans, who was named most improved defensive player last spring, had five tackles in limited action in the fall. Also looking for playing time are returning veterans Jay McKnight (so. Robesonia/Conrad Weiser), Joey Iannello (jr. Media/Strath Haven) and Nate Rabenold (jr. Lehighton/Lehighton).

CORNERBACKS: KU has two starters returning at cornerback, one from last year and another from 2006. Cameron Parchment (jr. Tannersville/Pocono Mountain East) had 38 tackles and four pass breakups as a full-time starter in 2007. On the opposite corner is expected to be either Brent Howard (jr. Gilbertsville/Boyertown) or Ardee Burno (so. Harrisburg/Susquehanna Twp.). Howard sat out in 2007 due to injury. He started all 10 games in 2006, with two interceptions and seven pass breakups. Burno played in 10 games a year ago, with eight tackles. Chris Diaferio (so. Collingdale/West Catholic) moves over to defense from running back and will backup at corner.

Also looking for playing time will be Brandon Emerich (r-fr. Pine Grove/Pine Grove) and John Kreuer (r-fr. York/York Suburban).

Kutztown returns both starters in the kicking department. Ryan Nye (sr. Reading/Holy Name) is back at punter and Matt Dineen (so. Wilmington, Del./Concord) returns as the place kicker.

Nye is a two-time All-PSAC East second team selection, also earning Daktronics All-Northeast Region second-team honors last season. He led the PSAC with an average of 41.6 yards per punt, the second-highest average in KU history. He also served as KU’s kickoff specialist, and filled in as place kicker, connecting on 3-of-5 field goals, with a long of 34, and 11-of-14 PAT kicks. Nye chipped in on kick coverage as well, with 13 tackles.

Dineen was 5-for-10 on field goals, including three against Slippery Rock to tie KU’s single-game record. His longest field goal was 35 yards. Dineen was 23-of-25 on PAT kicks.

Dontay Wilson and Maurice Adams are expected to handle kickoff returns. Wilson set KU’s single-season record with 646 yards on 25 returns last year, including a 94-yard touchdown. Adams was an All-PSAC East return specialist in 2005 and has 459 yards on 22 career kickoff returns. Kendell Coleman and Jason Uhlig are expected to lead a committee of punt returners.

The 2008 season begins on Thursday, Aug. 28, when the Golden Bears host St. Anselm at University Field at 6:05 p.m. The schedule also includes PSAC East contests against new division members Shippensburg and C.W. Post. With the re-instatement of the PSAC Championship game, the two PSAC division winners will face off on Nov. 8. KU is scheduled to travel to Indiana (Pa.) that day, unless either team is involved in the championship game, which will be at the site of the PSAC West champion.