Valparaiso (1-3, 0-1 PFL)
at Drake (1-3, 1-0 PFL)

Game #5 Saturday, Oct. 7, 1 p.m. CT
Drake Stadium (14,577) – Des Moines, Iowa

This Week in Valpo Football: The Valparaiso University football team will make its first Pioneer Football League road trip of the season on Saturday afternoon as the Beacons head to Des Moines, Iowa for a matchup with Drake. Valpo will look to make it back-to-back wins after closing the nonleague slate in victorious fashion while also extending its recent run of success in games played at Drake.

Previously: A theme of close games continued as Valpo edged its way to a 16-15 victory over Southwest Minnesota State last week thanks to a go-ahead 35-yard touchdown run by Michael Appel Jr. with 5:14 remaining in the game. The defense forced eight punts, recovered a fumble and caused a turnover on downs as part of a dominant day in which the Valpo defense permitted just six points (the other nine points were scored with Valpo’s offense on the field). The special teams unit also had bright moments in the victory, including a blocked punt by Max Samuel, a 40-yard field goal by Ryan Hawk and a pair of kickoff returns of 60+ yards by Jashon Butler.

Series Notes: The all-time series is slanted heavily in favor of Drake, with the Bulldogs winning 26 of the 31 matchups. But recent history has been a bit of a different story, with Valpo claiming two of the last three collisions. One of the banner accomplishments of recent Valpo vintage is breaking through in Des Moines. Entering the Spring 2021 season, Valpo was 0-13 all-time at Drake before recording its first ever road win against the Bulldogs, 10-7 on April 3, 2021. The team prevailed 24-21 at Drake on Sept. 25, 2021, accomplishing a feat twice in the same calendar year that had not previously been achieved in program history. Valpo will seek its third straight road win over the Bulldogs after snapping a 13-game losing streak in Des Moines that dated back to the PFL’s founding. In order to do so, the Beacons will need to turn around last season’s Brown Field matchup that saw the Bulldogs record a 24-0 victory on a frigid November afternoon that featured an icy game-time temperature of 26 degrees.

Following the Beacons: Saturday’s game will air on ESPN+. In addition, the radio commentary featuring Todd Ickow (play-by-play) and Brandon Vickrey (analyst) will be available on 95.1 FM WVUR, The TuneIn Radio App and ValpoAthletics.com. For in-game updates, follow @valpoufootball on Twitter. Links to live video, audio and stats will be available on ValpoAthletics.com.

Head Coach Landon Fox: Landon Fox (15-30) is in his fifth season as the head coach of the Valparaiso University football program in 2023. Over the last three seasons, Fox has led Valpo to 12 Pioneer Football League victories, the most in a three-year period in program history. The program finished with a PFL record of .500 or better for a third consecutive season in 2022, the first time that has occurred since 1998-2000. Prior to that, Valpo had not had a stretch of three straight years with a league record of .500 or better since 1961-1964. The program won four PFL games in the same season just once in the 26 seasons prior to Fox’s arrival. Now, the program has reached that threshold in three straight seasons and three of the first four years under his direction (Spring 2021, Fall 2021, 2022). During his four years in charge of the program, Valpo has boasted 43 All-PFL honorees and 22 academic all-PFL selections.  During his second season at the helm in Spring 2021, Fox was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award – which is presented annually to the FCS National Coach of the Year – after guiding Valpo to its best winning percentage since 2003 and tying for the squad’s best winning percentage since 1999. He led his team to Pioneer Football League runner-up honors, the program’s highest finish in the league standings since the PFL championship season of 2003. Fox’s defensive roots paid dividends on that side of the football in his second year at the helm, as the team enjoyed its best defensive season in four decades. Valpo held opponents to 283.3 yards per game, the program’s best total defense in the last 40 years. In Year 1 of the Fox Era in 2019, Valpo ranked in the Top 5 in the PFL in scoring defense (32.0, fifth), total defense (381.6, fourth), rushing defense (184.2, fourth) and passing defense (197.3, fifth). After spending the previous 11 seasons as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at the University of Dayton, Fox was named the head football coach at Valpo prior to the 2019 season. He helped the Flyers finish with 10 winning seasons in his 11 years on staff and guided a defensive backfield that produced one All-American, four Academic All-Americans, two PFL Special Teams Players of the Year and three corners who were invited to NFL Rookie Minicamp. Prior to joining Dayton’s staff, Fox served as the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at Wayne State University in Detroit from 2005-2007. He also spent time as a defensive graduate assistant at Ball State University (2004), Dayton (2002-2003) and Lakeland College (2001). Fox began his coaching career as an assistant varsity coach at Preble Shawnee High School in Camden, Ohio during the 2000 season. During his playing days, Fox was a team captain and all-conference performer at Defiance College in Defiance, Ohio from 1995-1999 and graduated with a degree in physical education and health in May 2000 before earning his master’s degree in education from Lakeland in May 2002.

Down to the Wire

• In Landon Fox’s 45 games as Valpo head coach, 21 (46.7 percent) have been decided by seven points or fewer, most recently a 16-15 victory over Southwest Minnesota State in Week 5 of this season.
• Valpo is 8-13 in those one-score games. Since Fox took over the program, 62 percent of the team’s games have been either victories or defeats by seven points or fewer.
• Just four games into his fifth season and with one of those first four seasons being shortened to six games, Fox has already coached more one-score games at Valpo than the program’s previous two head coaches – Dave Cecchini (13 in five full seasons) and Dale Carlson (six in four seasons) – combined.
• In 45 games under Fox, Valpo has played the same number of one-score games as it did in 110 games from 2007-2018.
• The Week 5 win over SMSU was Valpo’s third straight game decided by fewer than seven points. This was the third straight outing where regulation ended with Valpo and the opponent separated by two points or fewer.
• Since the start of last season, six of the eight games played at Brown Field have been on-score affairs, so the home fans have been treated to no shortage of thrilling football.
• The one-point win over the Mustangs was Valpo’s first such victory since edging San Diego 20-19 in the final game of the Spring 2021 campaign. Valpo is now 2-1 under Fox in game’s decided by a single point, with the loss coming 26-25 vs. Butler on Oct. 15 of last season.

Des Moines Dubs

• As mentioned in the series notes, Valpo will seek to secure its third straight win in Des Moines after dropping all 13 all-time visits to Drake prior to the Spring 2021 campaign.
• If Valpo earns a victory on Saturday at Drake, it would mark the first time the program owns a three-game road winning streak against a specific PFL opponent since wins at Butler in 1995, 1997 and 1999.
• The Beacons also have an opportunity to win a third straight at Butler later this season on Oct. 28.

Block Party

• Valpo has blocked three kicks so far this season, one of 10 teams nationally in FCS with three or more blocked kicks. The most recent block came in Week 5 vs. Southwest Minnesota State, when freshman Max Samuel blocked a punt.
• As a team, this was Valpo’s third blocked kick of the season as Wade Abrams turned away a punt in Week 2 at Indiana Wesleyan and Kurt Kessen blocked Marist’s potential go-ahead PAT after their game-tying score in the closing seconds of regulation to send the Week 4 game to overtime.
• During the Fall 2021 season, Valpo led the nation in blocked kicks with nine.

Comeback Kids

• Valpo rallied from down 15-0 to win 16-15 in Week 5 vs. Southwest Minnesota State. This marked the third time Valpo has come from double figures down to win during the Landon Fox Era, joining Sept. 24, 2022 vs. San Diego (trailed 14-0, won 28-21) and March 27, 2021 vs. Butler (trailed 17-7, won 28-25).
• The 15-point comeback was Valpo’s largest of the Landon Fox Era. The last time Valpo erased that wide of a margin to prevail was nearly a decade ago on Sept. 20, 2014 at William Jewell, when the team was down 22-7 and pulled out a 39-30 victory.
• Another memorable rally came on April 10, 2021, when Valpo fell behind Morehead State 21-0 before coming back to tie the game, but the Eagles pulled out a 28-24 win. Had Valpo completed that comeback, it would have been the program’s biggest rally since 1995, overcoming a 22-0 deficit to win 41-30 at St. Xavier.

Keeping Points Off the Board

• The 15 points allowed by Valpo in Week 5 vs. Southwest Minnesota State marked the fewest permitted by the team since holding Butler to three points on Nov. 13, 2021.
• The 15 points were the fewest Valpo had allowed in a game at Brown Field since Oct. 26, 2019 vs. Stetson, a 19-10 victory.
• Valpo pulled out the victory despite being outgained by 64 yards of total offense, 243-179. This was the first time Valpo won despite being outgained since Nov. 6, 2021 vs. Presbyterian.

Among PFL and National Leaders

• Valpo has not been penalized frequently this season, ranking among PFL and national leaders in fewest penalties at 18 (second PFL, 11^th FCS), fewest penalties per game at 4.50 (second PFL, 12^th FCS), fewest penalty yards at 145 (first PFL, ninth FCS) and fewest penalty yards per game at 36.25 (second PFL, ninth FCS).
• Moving the chains against Valpo has been no easy task, as the defense has allowed just 63 first downs, the fewest permitted in the PFL and 12^th fewest nationally.
• Valpo leads the league in total defense at 316.5, ranking 23^rd
• The Beacons also own the league lead in kickoff return average at 24.3, 12^th
• Jashon Butler leads the PFL in combined kick return yards (354, sixth FCS) and kickoff return average (32.2, fifth FCS).
• Evan Matthes leads the league in punting average at 45.9, ranking fifth in FCS.
• Tyler Geiman ranks second nationally in passes defended per game at 2.5.

Additional Notes Wrapping Up Sept. 30: Valpo 16, SMSU 15

• A testament to the play of the defense, the 16 points were the fewest Valpo had scored in a win since beating Drake 10-7 on April 3, 2021.
• Jashon Butler totaled 121 yards on two kick returns, averaging 60.5 yards per return with a long of 61.
• Solomon Davis made three catches for 31 yards, while Brandon Jimenez had two for 29 including his first career score.
• Michael Appel Jr.’s 35-yard touchdown run was his longest career rushing play, outdoing his previous career long of 13 by 22 yards. That marked his fourth career rushing score and second of the season.
• Freshman Brian Thomas had a team-high 34 rushing yards on eight carries.
• Ryan Hawk hit from 40 yards out to improve to 2-for-2 on field goal tries in his collegiate career, both this season.
• Evan Matthes averaged 45.8 yards per punt on six attempts with a long of 53.

Scouting The Bulldogs

• Drake is coming off a 16-9 victory at Morehead State in the team’s conference opener.
• During the nonconference slate, the team played two road games against nationally-ranked, full-scholarship FCS competition, falling 55-7 at No. 17 North Dakota and 70-7 at No. 1 South Dakota State.
• Picked to finish eighth in the PFL Preseason Poll, two spots behind Valpo, according to the preseason survey of the league’s head coaches.

A Big Day for Davis

• Solomon Davis had 10 receptions for 175 yards and two touchdowns in the Week 4 game vs. Marist, posting career highs in all three areas.
• Davis became the first Valpo player with 10 receptions in a game since Tanner Kuramata on Nov. 22, 2014 vs. Davidson.
• Davis had the most receiving yards by a Valpo player since Kuramata’s 200 on Nov. 16, 2013 vs. Dayton.
• Davis became just the third player in the FCS nation with 175 or more receiving yards in a game this season, joining New Hampshire’s Dylan Laube (295) and UIW’s Brandon Porter (201).

Captain Corner: Valpo has four team captains for the 2023 campaign – redshirt senior linebacker Evan Annis, senior offensive lineman Tyler Eberhert, redshirt junior defensive lineman Sam Hafner and redshirt senior wide receiver Solomon Davis. Annis is a captain for the third straight season, while the others hold the distinction for the first time this year.

Preseason Picks

• Valpo was picked sixth of 11 in the preseason poll.
• WR Solomon Davis and TE Evan Jernegan were recognized with Preseason All-PFL honors.
• Evan Matthes was named to the FCS Punter of the Year Award Watch List.
• Six Valpo players earned Phil Steele First All-PFL honors – WR Solomon Davis on the first team; TE Evan Jernegan, DL Sam Hafner, DL Kevin Spelman and P Evan Matthes on the second team and LB Evan Annis along with Spelman (as a long snapper) on the third team.

2022 Valpo Football Feats

• Winning on the road is never easy, but Valpo finished out a successful season in terms of Pioneer Football League games away from Brown Field with the 45-24 win at Marist in Week 11. The team finished 3-1 in league road games, the first time Valpo has won three PFL road games in the same season since the league was founded in 1993.
• In addition, 2022 marks the first time Valpo has won three league road games in the same season since 1962.
• Valpo finished with a PFL record of .500 or better for a third consecutive season. This is the program’s first such stretch since 1998-2000. Prior to that, Valpo had not had a league record of .500 or better in three straight years since doing so in four straight seasons from 1961-1964.
• The program has won four PFL games in the same season for the third straight year and just the fourth time ever. Prior to the Spring 2021 season, Valpo had won four league games in a season just once since 1968, with the one instance coming in 2017.
• To put the last note in further perspective, Valpo had won four Pioneer Football League games once in 26 seasons prior to Fox’s arrival. Now, the program has reached that threshold for league wins in three of his first four seasons. (Although, in fairness, the program played only four to five league games per year in each of its first 13 PFL seasons.)
• Fox’s team achieved yet another program first with the Week 11 win at Marist. That marked the program’s first-ever win in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. (previously 0-4) and the team’s second win over Marist in any location (previously 1-9, last win in 2017 at Brown Field.)
• That one was the latest on a growing list of the program’s feats, as earlier in the season Valpo garnered the program’s first win at Morehead State since 2006.
• Also during the Fox Era, Valpo has achieved its first-ever win at Drake, its first win over Drake in any location since 2003 and its first win over San Diego since 2003.
• During the 2021 campaign, Valpo prevailed 47-3 in a game at rival Butler, setting a program record for margin of victory in a game against a Division-I opponent. Valpo and Butler are instate foes who play for the Hoosier Helmet rivalry trophy.

2022 PFL Postseason Plaudits

• Seven members of Valpo’s program earned All-PFL First or Second Team status, while three others received Honorable Mention nods as the league announced its postseason awards on Tuesday, Nov. 29.
• Redshirt junior wide receiver Solomon Davis, fifth-year senior running back Aaron Dawson, redshirt senior offensive lineman Aaron Byrd and redshirt senior linebacker Ben Hines were named to the All-PFL First Team.
• Redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Sam Hafner, fifth-year senior defensive back Kohlton Sherman and redshirt senior punter Evan Matthes were tabbed to the All-PFL Second Team.
• Redshirt freshman tight end Evan Jernigan, redshirt junior wide receiver Matt Ross and redshirt freshman defensive lineman and long snapper Kevin Spelman (at both positions) received PFL Honorable Mention.
• All 10 players recognized were first time All-PFL honorees, with the exception of Byrd, who had earned All-PFL Honorable Mention twice previously but was a first time First Team choice.

2022 Academic Accolades

• ­Five members of the program were recognized as Academic All-District selections by College Sports Communicators (CSC, formerly known as CoSIDA).
• Redshirt sophomore linebacker James Doerer (communication), redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Sam Hafner (biology), junior defensive lineman Kurt Kessen (mechanical engineering), redshirt junior wide receiver Matt Ross (digital media) and fifth-year senior defensive back Kohlton Sherman (business) were all recognized.
• In order to qualify for the honor, an individual must have at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average, be a starter or important reserve, have reached at least sophomore academic and athletic status and have been at their institution for at least one calendar year.
• Valpo shattered a program record for PFL Honor Roll members in 2022, placing 64 individuals on the honor roll. The previous program record of 60 was established in 2018 and tied in 2021.

Inside the Staff: Head coach Landon Fox has welcomed several newcomers to his staff for the 2023 campaign.

• Matthew Symmes (offensive coordinator / quarterbacks coach) is in his first season. He has an impressive resume that features Power-5 FBS and NFL coaching experience. Prior to his most recent assignment as senior defensive analyst/assistant linebackers coach at East Carolina University, he was a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff from 2018-2020, serving as quarterbacks coach and offensive assistant. He was the NFL’s youngest QB coach in 2019, and helped the Steelers to the 2020 AFC North Championship. He was also on staff at ECU when the team went to bowl games in 2021 and 2022.
• David Marquis (defensive coordinator / defensive backs coach) is in his first season at Valpo after previously serving as defensive coordinator at Wittenberg University. He was the linebackers coach at Dayton under then Flyers defensive coordinator Landon Fox from May 2017 to March 2019.
• RJ Ghilarducci (co-defensive coordinator / recruiting coordinator / linebackers coach) is in his fourth season at Valpo, the staff’s longest-tenured assistant. He was promoted to co-defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator prior to the 2023 campaign and shifted to linebackers coach after previously working with the defensive line.
• Andrew Prevost (offensive line coach / run game coordinator / assistant head coach) is in his first season at Valpo after a stint on staff at the University of South Dakota since 2016. He helped the Coyotes reach the FCS Playoffs in 2017 and 2021. Prevost was elevated to offensive line coach at South Dakota in 2018.
• Other offensive coaches include Bryan Parker (wide receivers), Trevor McConnell (running backs), Nate Van Asperen (tight ends) and Cam Burnette (quality control). Other defensive coaches include Jackson Smith (defensive line), Curtis Harper (assistant defensive line) and Owen Chandler (assistant defensive backs).
• Symmes, Van Asperen and Burnette will be in the press box for the offensive staff, while Prevost, Parker and McConnell will be on the field.
• Ghilarducci and Chandler will be in the press box for the defensive staff, while Marquis, Smith and Harper will be on the field.
• The staff also features Nathan Richards (Director of Football Operations), Luke Campbell (Associate Director of Sports Performance), Nicole Mioduski (primary football athletic trainer) and Mason Williams (head equipment management).

Transfer Tracker: While developing homegrown talent remains a key element of Valpo’s program, the team has also found success recruiting via the transfer portal. Defensive back Tyler Geiman (Dubuque), linebacker Mohamed Kamara (Hope), wide receiver Johnny Foley (Lehigh), linebacker Kobey Fitzgerald (UCLA), wide receiver Brandon Jimenez (Albany), wide receiver Brandon Barthel (American River), linebacker Jimmy Pouba (College of the Sequoias), defensive back Kalil Brown (Albion), wide receiver Moise Tezzo (Millsaps), running back Jashon Butler (Arizona), tight end Mike York, offensive lineman Ryan Pauley (Presbyterian), kicker Liam Shepherd (Ball State) and defensive lineman Onye Nwosisi (Miskingum) have all joined the program as transfers.

Roster Rundown: The program has continued to bring in talent from all over the United States. This year’s roster features athletes from nearly half of the 50 states as 22 states are represented. Illinois is the state most represented on Valpo’s roster as 21 players hail from the Land of Lincoln. Other states in double figures are Indiana (17), California (15) and Ohio (14). The program has over doubled its instate talent, featuring 17 Hoosiers this year after having eight a year ago.

Who’s Back: The 2023 Beacons boast five returning starters on offense and seven on defense.

Family Tree

• LB Evan Annis has a pair of older brothers who played college football. Brett played at Division-III Capital, while Kyle played at – and we’re going to whisper this one – Butler.
• Wide receiver Cam Livingston is a third-generation Division-I football player. His grandfather Brian played at Ohio State and his father Robert played for – here we go again – Butler.
• QB Michael Appel Jr. has two family members who played football at Morehead State University – father Mike (1993-1997) and uncle Jim (1989-1992)… The Morehead State annual academic award is named after his father and uncle as both were Academic All-Americans at MSU.
• Kicker Patrick Oliva’s cousin is Tad Boyle, the head men’s basketball coach at the University of Colorado.
• WR EJ Locke’s father Eric Locke Sr. played football at Illinois State.
• LB Hayden Bedell’s cousin is former Valpo offensive lineman Drew Parrish.
• DB Etwood Williams’ father Arthur played football at Illinois State from 1991-1993, cousin Rodney Peete played at USC and went on to a long NFL career from 1989-2004. His cousin Shawn Buchanon played baseball at Nebraska and went on to a five-year minor league career in the Chicago White Sox organization.
• DL Amar Elmore’s cousin Markus Wheaton played college football at Oregon State and went on to play in the NFL for the Pittsburgh Steelers (2013-2016), Chicago Bears (2017) and Philadelphia Eagles (2018).
• TE Jalen Jones’ uncle Derrick Coleman was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft. Coleman went on to play in the NBA from 1990-2005, was the 1991 NBA Rookie of the Year and was an NBA All-Star in 1994.
• DL Sam Hafner’s great aunt Louise Erickson played professional women’s basketball for three years (Racine Belles one year, Rockford Peaches two years).
• DL Logan Chastain’s father Dan was a catcher at the University of Portland, was drafted out of high school by the Montreal Expos in the 57th round of the 1991 MLB Draft and played minor league baseball in the Marlins organization.
• QB Caron Tyler’s father is rapper Aaron Tyler, better known by stage name MC Eiht.
• DB Mark Johnson’s father Mark played football at Vanderbilt form 1986-91.
• OL James Owsley’s father Kent played football at Iowa from 1986-1990.
• WR Bennett McCormick’s paternal grandfather Thomas McCormick signed to play football at Wisconsin when they had a freshman football team before he was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies, but instead left to join the Korean War.

Did You Know? #BeaconBits

• Quarterback Jeffrey Jackson was a 2010 Jiu-Jitsu World Champion.
• Linebacker Evan Annis played lacrosse for 10 years.
• Both of WR Solomon Davis’ parents retired from the Navy.
• DB Ousmane Dabo is ambidextrous, as is OL James Owsley.
• DB Austin Chilton lives a few minutes from Walt Disney World and can hear the Magic Kingdom Fireworks from his neighborhood every night. His career goal is to design and build rollercoasters for Disney World.
• DB Andy Cole was adopted from Ethiopia, Africa when he was 8 years old.
• LB Justin Jurmu’s oldest brother Jordan was a national finalist in the Drive, Chip and Putt Championship in 2015 at Augusta National.
• DL Alex Goworowski has never seen Star Wars, Rocky, Harry Potter, Indiana Jones or Caddyshack.
• DL Dawson Rye had a pet aquatic frog for over 15 years.
• TE Evan Jernegan has built out the biggest Lego set, the UCS Millennium Falcon.
• DL Kurt Kessen was his high school’s valedictorian.
• K Ryan Hawk is a certified advanced scuba diver.
• NFL QB Colt McCoy came to DB Johnny Bebie’s house and drove him and his brothers to school in first grade.
• OL Noah Kline’s extended family is so large that at one point he had a relative living in every state except Maine.

Player-by-Player Quick Hits – Projected Offensive Starters

*Based on two-deep, starters subject to change

• WR-x #10 Solomon Davis, R-Sr. – Ranked among the PFL leaders in receptions per game (3.48, ninth), receiving yards per game (62.33, fifth), yards per catch (17.4, fifth), total receptions (43, fifth) and total receiving yards (748, second) last season after he had just one career catch in his first three seasons on Valpo’s campus… Preseason All-PFL choice, Phil Steele Preseason All-PFL First Team... Hauled in a 53-yard catch in Week 1 at Youngstown State... Had his first TD catch of the season and the fifth of his collegiate career in Week 2 at Indiana State… Had the most receptions (10) and receiving yards (175) by a Valpo player since 2014 in the Week 4 game vs. Marist.
• LT #55 Brett Gray, R-So. – Played in 11 games and made eight starts in 2022.
• C #62 Carter Woody, Sr. – Started all 12 games in 2022.
• QB #12 Michael Appel Jr., R-So. – During the 2022 campaign, had the best single-game passing output by a Valpo player in five years with a career-high 323 passing yards in Week 9 at Dayton… Ranked among the PFL leaders in the following categories in 2022 – total offense (155.36, seventh), passing yards per game (170.7, fifth), total passing yards (1,878; fifth), pass efficiency (129.55, fifth), pass attempts (253, sixth), yards per completion (12.6, third), completions (149, fifth), yards per attempt (7.42, third), passing TDs (10, eighth) and completion percentage (58.89, third)... Had a 35-yard TD run in Week 5 of 2023 vs. Southwest Minnesota State, his longest career rushing play.
• LG #50 Nico Paic, R-Fr. – Was converted from offensive line to defensive line prior to the 2023 campaign.
• RG #65 Mason Smith, R-Fr. – Saw action in two games in 2022 including the season finale at New Mexico State.
• RT #78 Keith Szczepanski, R-Jr. – Played in all 12 games and made four starts in 2022.
• TE #89 Jake Vickers, R-Jr. – Made seven catches for 105 yards and one touchdown while playing in nine games in 2022.
• WR-z #8 Brandon Jimenez, Jr. – Joined the program prior to the 2023 season as a transfer from Albany.
• RB #34 Ryan Mann, R-So. – Played in all 12 games in 2022 after transferring from Northern Illinois... Scored his first career touchdown, plunging in from two yards out, in Week 1 at Youngstown State.

Player-by-Player Quick Hits – Projected Defensive Starters

*Based two-deep, starters subject to change

• DE #90 Sam Hafner, R-Jr. – Named to the All-PFL Second Team, Academic All-PFL First Team and CSC Academic All-District Team in 2022... Played in all 12 games... Had 65 tackles (26 solos), nine TFL, five sacks, three forced fumbles and three QB hurries... Ranked ninth in the PFL in sacks per game at 0.42... Tied for the PFL lead with three forced fumbles... Had a season-high 10 tackles in the Sept. 3, 2022 opener vs. Indiana Wesleyan... Shared the team lead with eight tackles in Week 2 of 2023 at Indiana Wesleyan including a pair of TFLs.
• DT #93 Kurt Kessen, Sr. – Named to the Academic All-PFL First Team, CSC Academic All-District Team and was the team’s Scholar-Athlete Award winner last season... Played in all 12 games, totaling 46 tackles (12 solos), a sack, eight QB hurries, three pass breakups and one blocked kick... Accrued a season-high 10 tackles on Sept. 24, 2022 vs. San Diego... Blocked an extra point on Oct. 15, 2022 vs. Butler… Blocked a PAT in Week 4 of 2023 vs. Marist to keep the score tied in the final minute and send the game to overtime.
• NG #96 Logan Chastain, So. – Named the team’s Newcomer of the Year last season... Played in all 12 games in 2022 and had 23 tackles (eight solos), 2.5 TFL, two sacks and three QB hurries... Had two sacks on Oct. 8 at Presbyterian.
• DE #91 Kevin Spelman, R-So. – Was the only PFL player and one of 25 players nationally named to the Jerry Rice Award Watch List for the honor presented annually to the nation’s top FCS freshman last season… Tied for fifth in the PFL in sacks and was one of nine players in the league with multiple forced fumbles in 2022... Ranked fourth in the nation in sacks by a freshman in 2022... Earned All-PFL Honorable Mention at both defensive line and long snapper last season.
• LB (W) #40 Wade Abrams, R-Fr. – Played in three games during his first year on campus in 2022, retaining four seasons of eligibility.
• LB (M) #2 Evan Annis, R-Sr. – Earned all PFL honors in Spring 2021 (Second Team) and Fall 2021 (HM) but missed all of last season with a knee injury... Tied for the team lead in tackles with eight in Week 2 at Indiana Wesleyan.
• LB (nickel) #3 Mohamed Kamara, Sr. – Transfer from Hope College, where he was MIAA all-conference.
• CB #6 Caleb Rao, R-So. – Had an interception and a fumble return touchdown in Week 2 of 2022 at Illinois State… Recorded 22 tackles (16 solos), had 1.5 TFL, two fumble recoveries, five pass breakups and an interception last season.
• S #20 Austin Chilton, R-Sr. – Had 28 tackles (16 solos) while seeing action in all 12 games last season.
• S #26 Colin Graves, Jr. – Had 61 tackles (23 solos), four TFL, 0.5 sacks, an interception and four pass breakups last season... Paced the team with eight tackles in Week 1 at Youngstown State.
• CB #1 Tyler Geiman, R-Sr. – Transfer who was a Division-III All-American at Dubuque.

Specialist Quick Hits – Projected Starters

• P #11 Evan Matthes, 6^th – Ranked second in the league in punting average at 41.38 yards per punt last season... Named to the All-PFL Second Team, the Phil Steele All-PFL Second Team and was tabbed the team’s Special Teams Player of the Year in 2022... Booted a 70-yard punt in Week 1 at Youngstown State, the second-longest punt in the FCS nation that week.
• K #99 Ryan Hawk, R-So. – Did not see game action last year… Played in two games in Fall 2021... Made a 47-yard field goal in Week 2 at Indiana Wesleyan on the first attempt of his collegiate career.
• K #21 Patrick Oliva, R-So. – Has played in one career game prior to this year, Sept. 18, 2021 vs. Dartmouth, when he made one kickoff... Made his first career field goal in Week 1 at Youngstown State, a 33 yarder.