SEASON PREVIEW | Bears hungry for more in 2022 after taste of the big time - Kutztown University Athletics (2024)

Football 09.01.22 C.J. Hemerly, Assistant Sports Information Director and Matt Heffelfinger, Sports Information Director

KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Following the most successful season in program history, Kutztown University football is ready for an encore performance in 2022.

It was a banner year for the Maroon and Gold in 2021, winning 11 games for the second consecutive season, capturing the program's second PSAC championship and advancing to the NCAA Division II quarterfinals. A bitter ending one play shy of the national semifinals undoubtedly fuels Kutztown's appetite heading into a new campaign.

It has been a steady uphill climb for Kutztown under head coach Jim Clements, who arrived on campus in 2014. The two-time reigning AFCA Region 1 and PSAC East Coach of the Year guided the Golden Bears to winning records in each of his previous seven seasons at the helm and has 14 winning seasons in 15 overall going back to his time at Division III Delaware Valley (2006-13).

Clements is a true players' coach, with a commitment to greatness evident in the way his teams prepare, develop and compete. Clements and his staff are innovative and intelligent. They regularly put their student-athletes in positions to maximize their talents and succeed. The process is tried and true. KU has won 15 straight PSAC East games dating back to 2018 and appeared in the NCAA playoffs each of the last three seasons. Clements is poised to become the program's all-time winningest coach, entering the season two wins shy of tying George Baldwin's current record of 61.

The Golden Bears are ranked 13th in the AFCA Preseason Top 25 and 14th in the D2Football.com Preseason Top 25. Here is how they shape up for 2022:

OFFENSE

Quarterbacks
Redshirt junior Donny Blaine (Jefferson Township, Pa./North Pocono) was thrown into the fire last season with veteran starter Eric Nickel (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) battling early season injuries and showed flashes of what he can bring to the table as QB1. In four games, the North Pocono product went 34-for-61 (55.7%) with 513 yards and five touchdowns. He also added a pair on the ground.

Blaine was called upon at nationally ranked IUP, where he threw for a season-high 244 yards and two scores. In the national quarterfinal game against conference rival Shepherd, Blaine came off the bench and accounted for four touchdowns (two passing, two rushing) as the Golden Bears rallied from three scores down to take a late fourth quarter lead before falling 30-28.

Blaine is the only quarterback on the roster that has attempted a pass heading into 2022. He is expected to be backed up by junior Ian Haynes (Franklin, Pa./Franklin) in week 1.

Running Backs
Kutztown's ability to run the ball effectively was one of its greatest strengths in 2021. The Golden Bears averaged just under 190 yards per game on the ground, ranking 31st in all of NCAA DII and second in the PSAC.

It was a true committee approach, however, as the Bears' top four rushers sat between 654-455 yards. Junior Jordan Davis (Franklin, N.J./Saint Joseph Metuchen) paced the team in attempts (124), yards (654) and yards per game (59.45), while redshirt senior Darryl Davis-McNeil (Roslyn, Pa./Abington) led the backs with five touchdowns and averaged a team-best 6.5 yards per carry. Davis-McNeil also topped 50 yards per game (51.82) and landed on the All-PSAC East Second Team in 2021.

Wide Receivers
With dual-threat quarterback Eric Nickel (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) behind center most of last season, KU had a propensity to be a run-first team. Blaine's appearances painted a very different picture, one where the Golden Bears were much more eager to air it out.

It will be interesting to see if that trend continues with Blaine stepping into the starter's role and what that will do for the receiving corps. Redshirt senior Jerome Kapp (Barto, Pa./Boyertown) is coming off a career best year in which he brought in 43 receptions for 812 yards and eight touchdowns, all of which led the team.

Kapp, an All-PSAC East First Team pick, is a gamebreaker who had three scores of 49 yards or longer last season, including a 72-yard TD reception in a victory at nationally ranked Shepherd during the regular season and an 84-yard score in the PSAC championship game against Slippery Rock.

Fellow redshirt senior Jake Novak (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) has 63 receptions for 806 yards and nine touchdowns over the last two seasons. He is coming off a 24 receptions-291 yards-4 TDs performance during the 2021 season.

The coaching staff likes what Carlisle, Pa., native Kurtis Ravenel Jr. (Carlisle, Pa./Carlisle) has been bringing to the table this offseason. The redshirt junior was featured mainly in the return game last season, but caught nine passes for 100 yards and a TD during his time at wideout.

Kaden Hastie (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) worked his way into a meaningful role within the receiver rotation (17-220-2) last fall, but suffered an injury in camp that will take some time to recover from. Jaden Helton (Ardmore, Pa./Lower Merion) is a returnee that could find a similar role this year, while Jake Cook (Somers Point, N.J./Mainland Regional) transfers into the program from Saint Anselm. There are a number of freshman also vying for roles at receiver.

Offensive Line
Any successful team starts from the trenches out and that was especially true for Kutztown in 2021. Three offensive linemen garnered All-PSAC East recognition, led by first teamers and all-region honorees Albert Glasgow (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./Archbishop Wood) and Devin Hannan (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon).

That duo returns to anchor the front five along with junior Adam Kase (Wernersville, Pa./Conrad Weiser) and redshirt junior Parker Zimerofsky (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville). Sophom*ore Ryan Schernecke (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland) and junior Gavin Euker (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) stepped in when injuries hit last season and helped the train stay on the tracks. Schernecke is likely to start at left tackle in the opener, while Euker's versatility at either tackle position is valued.

Behind its line, the Golden Bears were one of the top rushing teams in the conference and nation. Kutztown also sustained drives very well and kept opposing offenses off the field, with its 32:29 time of possession ranking second in the PSAC and 20th nationally.

Tight Ends
Tyreek Husser (Woodstown, N.J./Woodstown)is the most experienced of the unit as the junior played in 12 games last season. He finished with three receptions for 42 yards with a long of 24. Alex MacKenzie (Sinking Spring, Pa./Conrad Weiser) and Austin Moyer (Souderton, Pa./Souderton) are also upperclassmen that will bring leadership to the group.

DEFENSE

The Kutztown defense, which finished ranks second in the PSAC allowing just 14.6 points per game, will be experienced at all three levels, including defensive line, linebacker and defensive backfield. KU returns six starters from the 2021 defense that appeared in the starting lineup in the NCAA Quarterfinal Round game against Shepherd. This includes Nigel Wilson (Bound Brook, N.J./Bound Brook), Amani Justice (Salem, N.J./Salem), Domenico Italiani (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic), Tyler Whary (Hereford, Pa./Upper Perkiomen), Antaun Lloyd (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) and Justin Harris (Deptford, N.J./Salem). Justice earned All-PSAC First Team recognition, while Whary and Lloyd were voted to the Second Team.

On the national stage, the Golden Bear defense ranked 14th in total defense, 17th in third down conversion defense (29.8%) and 19th in interceptions among DII schools. Kutztown's 266.3 yards allowed per game were its fewest since 1995 (261.2) and the Bears produced 34 team sacks, tied for fifth most in a season in program history.

Defensive Line

It will be important for Kutztown, especially if it wants to keep up the success in the run game, to win in the trenches. Once again, KU should have the firepower to do so in 2022.

Wilson tallied 30 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks, which were all near the top of the team leaderboard.

Italiani finished with 23 tackles, three tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, playing in 12 games.

Tom Griese (Dover, N.J./Morris Knolls) played in all 13 games and had 20 tackles and five for loss.

Linebackers

This group may have the most experience of the defense as a whole.

Justice was seemingly always around the football in the middle of the defense. He ranked second in the PSAC with 106 tackles and added 5.5 tackles for loss and one sack for the KU defense that ranked seventh in Division II, allowing just 78.3 rushing yards a game and 10th in scoring defense, giving up just 14.6 ppg.

Whary had a breakout season in 2022, recording career-highs in tackles (78), tackles for loss (14) and sacks (4.5). The TFLs led KU, while he ranked second in tackles and third in sacks. Whary also had four quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.

Kyle Sapp (Westampton, N.J./Rancocas Valley Regional) is another experienced member of the unit, playing in all 13 games last season, recording 34 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

Defensive Backs

The cornerback and safety group enters this season as arguably the most decorated of the defense.

Lloyd was a lockdown defender in 2021 with not many receivers finding success running routes against him. He finished with four interceptions, which is tied with Harris and tied for second-best in the PSAC, and was also tied for fourth with 13 passes defended (nine breakups, four interceptions). Lloyd also had 46 tackles on the year and was a two-time Eastern Division Defensive Athlete of the Week. Lloyd and Harris helped KU to a PSAC-best 15 interceptions on the year.

Along with his team-lead in interceptions, Harris was also top-five on KU with 50 tackles.

Cody Scherer (Lehighton, Pa./Lehighton), who missed all but three games last season due to injury, is a team leader and will be an experienced member of the back end.

Kam Wolfe (Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin) is another integral part of this unit, who can play many different positions. Last season, he had 37 tackles, three for loss and two sacks.

SPECIAL TEAMS

The special teams unit saw one of its most decorated members in program history expire eligibility last season in All-American punter Dean Krcic (Saylorsburg, Pa./Pleasant Valley). He concluded the best season of his career, being named First Team All-PSAC and Second Team All-Region by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association. He is also the first punter and specialist in program history to achieve All-America status, and the first AFCA All-American at KU since Jordan Morgan in 2016. His 42.4 yards per punt was the best mark in the conference. Krcic punted 57 times for 2,419 yards and has 185 punts for 7,727 yards in his career, both are fourth-most in program history.

Kutztown will rely upon some new faces as specialists this season. Freshman Nathan Millard (Birdsboro, Pa./Daniel Boone) is set to be the starting place kicker. Dawson Evitts (Auburn, Pa./Schuylkill Haven) will be the primary punter and Nick Coppolino (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage), who handled extra point and some field goal duties last season, will also be in the mix for action.

UP NEXT

Kutztown opens its 2022 campaign on the road at Assumption University on Saturday, Sept. 3, at noon. The home opener from Andre Reed Stadium is slated for the following Saturday, Sept. 10, against California (Pa.) at noon.