2015 CFB Preview – Patriot


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2015 Patriot League Preview

By Rich Cirminiello | @RichCirminiello

Bucknell

What You Need To Know About The Offense: From the team that won eight games in 2014, the Bison’s most in 17 years, 16 starters return. Plus, QB R.J. Nitti is healthy again after suffering a season-ending injury late last year. Nitti, though, must do a better job of maximizing his top playmakers, RB C.J. Williams and WR Will Carter, in spite of the loss of three bedrock offensive linemen. Williams and Carter each accounted for nine touchdowns last season to provide the attack with balance and big-play potential at the skill positions. And second-leading rusher Matt DelMauro is back in the fold as well. Now, someone other than LT Julie’n Davenport must block more consistently, because another year of yielding 29 sacks will lower this group’s ceiling.

What You Need To Know About The Defense: While the offense is improving, the D remains the calling card in Lewisburg. Yeah, there are serious holes to fill, but coordinator Matt Borich has the blueprint and the building blocks, namely DT Abdullah Anderson and safeties Clayton Ewell and Louis Taglianetti, for continued success. Ewell had a team-high four picks a year ago, while Taglianetti has been named a captain for 2015. The Patriot League’s premier front seven was the reason Bucknell allowed a league-low three yards a carry, while notching a league-high 38 sacks in 2014. However, even approaching similar results will require a next-man-in mindset, because all-star NG Demetrius Baldwin-Youngblood and linebackers Evan Byers and Lee Marvel have exhausted their eligibility and won’t be easily replaced.

Colgate

What You Need To Know About The Offense: Head coach Dan Hunt went with plenty of youth in his debut as the heir to Dick Biddle, and it showed in a 5-7 campaign. But Colgate is now older and deeper. And the return of versatile QB Jake Melville, along with all of his top backs, bodes well for the Patriot League’s top rushing attack of 2014. Still, after throwing more picks than touchdowns last fall, the Raiders must take a significant step forward in the passing game to keep opposing defenses off balance. The onus falls squarely on the shoulders of Melville, who showed a lot of potential at the end of his sophomore season. He’ll be helped by the return of his top three receivers, particularly 6-6 all-league TE John Quazza.

What You Need To Know About The Defense: Colgate needs to improve when the ball is in the air … both on offense and on defense. A defensive backfield that allowed the league’s highest completion percentage for 2014 must now regroup without its leader and top playmaker, S Mike Armiento. Fortunately for the Raiders, stuffing the run won’t be quite as worrisome. After ranking second in Patriot League run defense at 145 yards per game, coordinator Paul Shaffner is banking on more of the same stout results from his kids this fall. Spearheaded by senior DE Victor Steffen and steady LB Kyle Diener, the leading tackler a year ago, Colgate is talented, experienced and well coached throughout the front seven.

Fordham

What You Need To Know About The Offense: The Rams have won 29 games over the past three seasons, but 18 starters are gone from 2014, including two-time All-American QB Michael Nebrich. Fordham is basically starting over at every unit, which also means depth is going to be a concern throughout the fall. Fortunately, the offensive backfield brings hope. Kevin Anderson transferred from Marshall to succeed Nebrich, and RB Chase Edmonds is the reigning winner of the Jerry Rice Award, given to the most outstanding FCS freshman. Edmonds was FBS-caliber in his debut, rushing for 1,838 yards and 23 touchdowns. But the holes won’t be as wide now that the O-line is being retooled and massive two-time All-American has opted to finish his career at Florida.

What You Need To Know About The Defense: Heart-and-soul LB Stephen Hodge is back in the Bronx after missing all of 2014 to injury. After the linebacker corps, though, the Rams have far more questions than answers. Last season’s top four tacklers are gone, as is pass rush specialist Brett Biestek. Along with Hodge, Fordham will attempt to build around linebackers George Dawson and Marlon Crook, a 6-5 terror off the edge. In the offseason, the team added Jihaad Pretlow, who started nine games at Temple in 2014. But for all of the potential this program has in the back seven, it’ll be vulnerable at the point of attack. And if Fordham can’t win the line of scrimmage, it’ll once again allow more than four yards per carry.

Georgetown

What You Need To Know About The Offense: Since the defense has been hammered by graduation, the offense will be asked to pick up more slack in 2015. Fortunately, the attack was young last year, so not many first-timers will need to be broken in. QB Kyle Nolan, who showed flashes as a passer and a runner, welcomes back seven of his top pass-catchers. Meanwhile, all-league RB Jo’el Kimpela will get more help from a front wall that employed a lot of rookies. With expectations lowered for the Hoya D, it’s imperative that the offense operates with more pop and crunch-time execution. Kimpela aside, the unit was feeble in 2014, ranking last in the league in total offense, rushing, passing efficiency and scoring at just 13 points per game.

What You Need To Know About The Defense: The Hoyas were surprisingly stingy a year ago, tying for second in the league in points allowed. But a repeat is unlikely now that stalwart DE Alec May and LB Nick Alfieri are out of eligibility. In fact, of Georgetown’s four defensive all-stars from 2014, only CB Ettian Scott had eligibility remaining in 2015. LB Matthew Satchell is poised to become one of the new defensive leaders after finishing second to Alfieri with 92 tackles. But May was indispensable, and his 16.5 sacks were more than half of the entire team’s total. And if one of the untested edge guys can’t offset some of the pass rush production, Georgetown will be painfully vulnerable over the top.

Holy Cross

What You Need To Know About The Offense: The Crusaders have had nagging problems closing out opponents under head coach Tom Gilmore, going 4-17 over the last three years in games decided by a touchdown or less. However, the hope around Worcester is that Peter Pujals, the league’s top returning quarterback, can carry the program to new heights with his poise and his run-pass ability. He earned second-team All-Patriot League in 2014 by accounting for 16 touchdowns and pacing the team on the ground. And while Pujals’ protection is a question mark entering 2015, his supporting cast is not. Jake Wieczorek and Kalif Raymond form one of the Patriot League’s best pass-catching tandems, and RB Gabe Guild will flourish in new coordinator Brian Rock’s run-oriented system.

What You Need To Know About The Defense: Pujals may be the face of the program, but the defense has the potential to lug a lot more of the weight this season. The Crusaders are particularly excited by the upside of a veteran front seven that’s going to be headlined this fall by DT Mike Galantini and LB John Zakrzewski. But it’s time for the potential to match the production. Holy Cross bagged just 19 sacks in 11 games, while allowing 4.3 yards per carry. Zakrzewski was one of only two Crusaders to make more than 43 stops, a clear sign he wasn’t getting enough support. Lineman Dean Doe and LB Ryan Smith, in particular, will be counted on to raise the bar after combining for eight sacks last fall.

Lafayette

What You Need To Know About The Offense: There will be life after current Pittsburgh Steeler Ross Scheuerman, one of the best running backs in program history. Life just won’t be as much fun for Leopard fans. Lafayette lost its signature player, as well as four starting linemen, creating an enormous vacuum on offense. However, unlike this time last year, the program has options and experience behind center. Juniors Drew Reed and Blake Searfoss both played extensively in 2014, and will continue to push each other for reps this summer. Meanwhile, junior DeSean Brown is the favorite to be Scheuerman’s successor on the ground. Brown wasn’t needed much last year, but he has track speed and the 200-pound frame to shoulder the load.

What You Need To Know About The Defense: Fingers are crossed on campus that the Leopards can stay the course after tying for second in the league in scoring defense. The foundation will again be built upon one of the Patriot League’s premier linebacker corps. Chris Brockman and Mark Dodd are the reliable vets, while explosive sophomore Brandon Bryant is a budding star at the position. The leader of a secondary that allowed just 50.9% of passes to be completed will again be all-star CB Matt Smalley. However, Smalley and his fellow DBs will benefit from more help from the pass rush. Leading sacker James Coscia has graduated, and not a single returning lineman got to the quarterback more than one time in 2014.

Lehigh

What You Need To Know About The Offense: Rich Sodeke’s graduation and the unexpected departures of Brandon Yosha and Christopher Leigh have the Mountain Hawks putting out an APB for a reliable feature back. It’s a good thing the team can hit opposing defenses this fall with one of the league’s best pitch-and-catch combos. Agile QB Nick Shafnisky is back for his junior year, determined to be a more complete—and durable—playmaker. He’ll have access to 6-3 rising star Troy Pelletier, who debuted in Bethlehem with 49 receptions for 815 yards and seven touchdowns. Meanwhile, no returning back even posted statistics in 2014, which ought to create opportunities for rookies Dominick Bragalone and Micco Brisker to contribute right away.

What You Need To Know About The Defense: Lehigh had—by far—the Patriot League’s lousiest D in 2014, giving up more than 475 yards a game. So, it should come as no surprise that the team is undergoing significant changes in both scheme and personnel this offseason. In an effort to play to their strengths and accentuate the athletic linebackers, the Mountain Hawks have shifted to a three-man front. And to slow the Patriot League’s better passing teams, Lehigh will freely use nickel packages in the secondary. Coordinator Joe Bottiglieri is preaching a more aggressive approach designed to unleash emerging linebackers Colton Caslow and Pierce Ripanti. Caslow and Ripanti form the nucleus of a pass rush that notched a league-low 15 sacks in 2014.


2015 Team Previews
Bucknell
Colgate
Fordham
Georgetown
Holy Cross
Lafayette
Lehigh
Best Patriot Players
Bucknell WR Will Carter
Colgate RB DeSean Brown
Fordham RB Chase Edmonds
Georgetown LB Matthew Satchell
Holy Cross QB Peter Pujals
Lafayette RB Desean Brown
Lehigh QB Nick Shafnisky