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OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
TJ PRATT • Rowan University
Freshman • Wide Receiver • Swedesboro, NJ/Kingsway

Pratt becomes the second different Prof to earn NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Week honors after helping Rowan secure a 28-13 NJAC road victory at William Paterson. In the win, he recorded the first collegiate reception of his career en route to finishing the day with two catches for 39 yards. Pratt finished the game as the Profs’ leading receiver in the victory which marked the 300th career win in the history of the  Rowan football program.

Rowan is back in the hunt for the NJAC crown with a win over William Paterson.  The win marks the 300th victory of the Prof football program for an overall record of 300-183-8.

Quarterback Frank Wilczynski was back in action after missing last week with an ankle injury.  He led the team in rushing with 69 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns.  He also threw for 220 yards on 15 completions, spreading the ball around to seven different receivers.   Superback Ryan Leafey added 45 yards and touchdown on 10 attempts.  Jon Downes contributed 26 yards and one touchdown on 14 touches. Tight end Kevin DelleDonne caught three passess for 54 yards.  Freshman wideouts TJ Pratt and James Kinloch  contributed with 39 and 37 receiving yards respectively.

Linebackers Kevin Taylor and Andrew Yezzi had 10 tackles and one sack apiece. Defensive end Matt Hoffman added nine tackles and two sacks. Defensive tackle Frank Olexson forced one fumble. Safety Rocky Aliberti  recorded one interception and safety Mike Barone had a fumble recovery.

For William Paterson, quarterback Matt Marshall threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns. He completed 24 of 32 pass attempts. Running back Marcus McKinney carried the ball 19 times for 75 yards. Wide receiver Joel Rivera  made six grabs for 72 yards and one touchdown. Tight end Chris Schule chipped in with six receptions for 70 yards and touchdown. Wideout Bruce Katkowski had three receptions for 51 yards.

Rowan is home for the first time this season next week hosting Brockport in an early 12 noon start.

During his 32-year career at then-Glassboro State, Richard Wackar was known to everyone simply as “Coach.” But on Saturday, he also will be known as the man for whom the Rowan football stadium is named.

In a halftime ceremony during Rowan’s Homecoming football game against Buffalo State, the new athletic facility will officially be christened Coach Richard Wackar Stadium at John Page Field.

“I’m humbled by the honor, but it is a tribute to the thousands of wonderful students, athletes and coaches I’ve met in my journey at the college and university,” said Wackar, who coached from 1956 to ’88, in a university-issued news release.

Wackar, who also coached golf, basketball and cross country, is the only coach in the New Jersey Athletic Conference to have ever won a conference championship in four sports.

As head football coach (1963-80), he guided the Profs to five conference titles and one Eastern Conference Championship.

Rowan Athletics link

Profs will be looking to get back on track in the NJAC race against the Pioneers this Saturday. Rowan owns a 31-7 series advantage, last losing 21-20 in 2007.  Profs will also make their second attempt to win the 300th game of the program.

Frank Wilczynski was out nursing an ankle injury last week.  He is listed as the starter on the two deep.  He was also listed as the starter on the two deep last week.  Hopefuly Frank can go.  If not, Tim Hagerty will have a second full week of taking most of the practice snaps..  The offense should not ba as conservative as they were against Cortland.  Hagerty should be expected to do many of the same things as Wilczynski.

William Paterson (1-1) lost to NJAC opponent Brockport 22-19 last week. The Pioneer offense is a balanced. Running back Marcus McKinney has rushed for 214 yards and one touchdown on 56 carries. He leads the NJAC in rushing yards per game (107.0) and is fourth in all-purpose yards (116.0).  Quarterback Matt Marshall has completed 37 of 65 pass attempts for 396 yards and two touchdowns. Marshall is sixth in the conference in passing yards per game (198.0) and total offense(201.5). Joel Rivera is the big threat at wide receiver. He has caught nine passes for 136 yards and one touchdown. His 68.0 receiving yards per game ranks seventh in the NJAC.  Tight end Chris Schule is another big target.  He has grabbed 6 passes for 93 yards and one touchdown.

The Pioneers’ defense  has stepped up this year. William Paterson limited King’s to seven points and 160 yards of total offense (81 passing and 79 rushing). In the conference, the Pioneers are first in scoring defense (14.0) and pass defense (89.5). William Paterson is also second in total defense (238.2) and pass defense efficiency (95.4).

Marshall ranks eighth in pass efficiency (112.1) and Rivera is sixth in all-purpose yards (106.5). Rivera is tied for seventh with 4.5 receptions per game. Hamill’s 12.5 tackles per game are second. Defensive end Dyon Moore is tied for seventh in tackles for a loss (2.5). Brzycki ranks first in field goals (2.0) and fourth in scoring (7.5). He is tied for the lead in PAT (100.0) and field goal percentage (100.0). Punter Dan DeCicco is seventh in punting (36.1) and eighth in kickoff return average (26.0). Thomas is first in punt returns (17.0).

The Pioneers lead the NJAC in punt return average (17.0).  The Pioneers are second in punting (34.6), third in total offense (353.5) and fourth in rushing offense (155.5).

The strength of Rowan’s offense comes from its running game. Leading the way is Ryan Leafey with 192 yards and one touchdown on 39 carries. He is third in the NJAC in rushing (96.0) and seventh in all-purpose yards (104.5). The Profs missed Wilczynski who compiled 86 yards and one TD in Rowan’s win over Lycoming. He is fourth in the conference in rushing (86.0), tied for seventh in scoring (6.0) and ninth in total offense (165.0).

Yezzi is tied for fifth in tackles (10.0), while Taylor is tied for eighth (8.5). Kane is tied for third in sacks (2.0) and tied for ninth in tackles for a loss (2.0). Defensive end Matt Hoffman ranks fourth in tackles for a loss (4.0) and is tied for seventh in sacks (1.5). Linebacker Steve Hague is tied for third in passes defended (1.5). Kicker Mark Getsinger is second in field goals (1.5) and sixth in scoring (6.5). Safety Steve Wall is second in punt return average with 10.6.

In the conference team statistics, the Profs are first in total defense (193.5), rushing defense (62.5), pass defense efficiency (90.2) and inteceptions (four). Rowan is tied for first in turnover margin (+1.0). The team ranks second in rushing offense (182.0) and pass defense (131.0). Rowan is tied for second in scoring defense (15.5) and sacks (six). The Profs are third in punt return average(10.6) and fourth in punting (33.6) and field goal percentage (.750).

Keys to winning will be to nutralize the runnning game, stopping wide receiver Joel Rivera, and winning the time of possession battle. Force third and long and get pressure on the quarterback Marshall.  The Pioneers have only allowed one sack this season.

Note: Coach Jay Accorsi is 11-3 after a loss.

Junior Tim Hagerty started at quarterback replacing the injured Frank Wilczynski.  Hagerty  threw for 114 yards on nine completions in 17 attempts with one interception. Hagerty also had a 34 yard touchdown run.

The Profs stayed pretty consevative and tried to rely on the defense to keep them in the game.  The defense had two interceptions, one of which led to one 15 yard touchdown run by Ryan Leafey.  The inability of Rowan to convert of third down deep in their own territory combined with poor kickoff coverage, gave Cortland and average starting field position of the 50 yard line for Red Dragon scoring drives. The field position disadvantage plus a 13 minute time-of-possession deficit wore down the Profs dedense in the second half.

Rowan rushed for 177 yards on 41 attempts led by Ryan Leafey who had 124 yards on 24 attempt with one touchdown and an early fumble that led to Cortland’s first touchdown. Freshman wide receiver James Kinloch had three receptions for 52 yards. Wideouts Val Terebizh  and Mark Lisa contributed with 40 and 32 yards receiving respectively.

Profs defense was led by linebackers Kevin Taylor and Andrew Yezzi registered 10 tackles apiece. Taylor also forced a fumble. Safety Mike Barone made eight stops. Defensive end Kyle Kane tallied two sacks. Cornerbacks Husain Shakir and Malcolm Dock each had one interception. Safety Steve Wall forced a fumble and defensive lineman Steve Williams chipped in with one fumble recovery.

Quarterback Dan Pitcher threw for 192 yards and two touchdowns before leaving the game in the forth quarter with an apparent season ending injury to his right leg.  Red Dragons’ defensive end Brian Wiley posted a game-high 15 tackles, three tackles for a loss and 0.5 sacks.

The season is far from over and the NJAC title is still up for grabs and two teams from the NJAC could make the playoffs. Rowan heads to William Paterson next week at 1 pm.

Like most young football stars, Clinton Tabb always wanted to play in the NFL.

But he had another dream, too. He wanted to coach at his alma mater.

Tabb calls himself “a Pennsauken guy, through and through.” The 30-year-old former star for the Indians as well as Rowan University isn’t on an NFL roster, but he has landed in a place that’s nearer and dearer to his heart.

It’s called home.

“I always wanted to do two things,” Tabb said. “Number one, I wanted to play in the NFL. Number two, I wanted to come back and coach at Pennsauken.”

In a year of significant turnover, Tabb is one of 15 new football coaches in South Jersey. He has replaced Reggie Lawrence, who left Pennsauken after last season to become the coach at Willingboro.

Tabb has a great sense of the tradition of Pennsauken football. He was part of the program for the final two years of Vince McAneney’s legendary 25-year run as the Indians’ coach.

Asked his coaching philosophy, Tabb said, “I always go back to what Coach Mac used to say: ‘Tempo and hustle.’ We have the talent. We just need to get everybody on the same page. You do that by setting the tempo and making sure there’s hustle on every play.”

McAneney, who retired after the 1994 season, said he was “thrilled” to see Tabb become Pennsauken’s coach.

“I called Clinton the day after he got the job,” McAneney said. “I said, ‘Clinton, you’re the first Pennsauken graduate to become the Pennsauken coach.’ I was so glad about that. He knows about the tradition. He wants to follow in those footsteps.”

Tabb has a veteran staff of assistants that includes John Martino, Mark Lilley, Cetshwayo Byrd, Eric Williams, Jason Pare, Steve Wallace, and Chad Pierce.

Plus, he’s got a few hundred other assistants in the community.

“This is Pennsauken,” Tabb said. “You go to the supermarket and it’s, ‘How you doing, coach?’ Plus, all my friends are guys I grew up with and played Pennsauken football with.

“They’re all like: ‘This is Pennsauken, right? We’re going to win, right?’ ”

Pennsauken has three top running backs in seniors Talir Satterfield-Rowe, Harry Williams, and Jamir King, as well as an emerging star in junior wide receiver Marcus Jones.

Tabb said the Indians might toy a bit with the wing-T to get all three backs on the field, although the power ‘I’ still will be their base offensive formation.

Tabb was the Indians’ defensive coordinator the last four years. The team still will run a base 4-3 defensive formation.

“That’s what we played when I was at Rowan,” said Tabb, who was a two-time Division III all-American for the Profs.

Pennsauken athletic director Billy Wright calls Tabb “a role model” for many of his players.

Tabb, who also is a physical education teacher at Pennsauken, said he is a demanding individual who will push his players.

Full Story

The 2009 season heats up early for the Profs.  Rowan begin its second week on the road seeking to snaps Cortland’s two game win streak against the Profs.  A win would be the program’s 300th victory. The last time Rowan lost two in a row to the Red Dragons was during the 1964-65 season. The Profs are 10-5-1 against Cortland on two streaks of five consecutive wins (1996-2000, 2002-06). Last year,  Cortland scored a touchdown with 45 seconds left winning 27-20.

Cortland beat Morrisville last week 26-17. Colgate transfer Dan Pitcher, a junior now, leads the Red Dragons at quarterback. He compiled over 300 yards of offense. He threw for 233 yards and two touchdowns, and led the team with 98 yards rushing and one touchdown. Wide out Eric Hajnos grabbed six passes for 88 yards and a touchdown. Defensive end Evan Wyler paced the defense with 12 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, and a forced fumble.  Linebacker James Lenhart followed with 10 tackles and two sacks.

The Profs must get pressure on Pitcher who seems to be similar to the Profs’ Frank Wilczynski.  Give Pitcher running lanes and he may take off.  The Rowan defense must stay in their gaps as they apply pressure.  With the graduation of running back Andrew Giuliano, the Red Dragon backfield may take a step back this year.  Giuliano ran well against Profs, including 136 yards and two touchdowns last year.

The keys to this game will be how often Cortland is forced into third and long, which team performs better on special teams, and if the Profs improve in the passing game over week one. Rowan was really good at forcing third and longs last week.  And except for one breakdown, Profs specials teams helped win the position battle against Lycoming. I think special teams may decide this one.

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
MARK GETSINGER • Rowan University
Senior • Kicker • Deptford, NJ/Deptford

Getsinger earns NJAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors after playing a key role in the Profs’ season-opening 29-7 non-conference road win at Lycoming. In the victory, he scored a game-high 11 points with a pair of successful extra points and three successful field goal attempts of 26, 20, and 36 yards apiece. Getsinger currently leads the NJAC in field goals made per game (3.00), and is tied for the conference lead in field goal percentage (1.000).

OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
JAMES KINLOCH • Rowan University
Freshman • Wide Receiver • Westampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional
Kinloch earns the first NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Week selection after contributing to the Profs’
season-opening 29-7 non-conference road win at Wilkes. In the first collegiate contest of his career,
he produced a 39-yard touchdown reception to extend Rowan’s lead to 9-0 early in the contest.
Kinloch’s touchdown, which came on the first reception of his collegiate career, was the longest pass
play from scrimmage in the win for the Profs.

NJAC Sports link to story

It always seems to take forever for football season to start once it ends. Rowan opened their first of three straight games on the road yesterday at Lycoming. Great defense, enough offense, and only one special team’s lapse gave the Profs an opening day win 29-7.

The defense held the Warriors to 104 yards of total offense and only 34 on the ground. The team had four sacks, recovered one fumble and returned one interception 14-yards for a touchdown. Linebacker Kevin Taylor led the team with seven tackles. Defensive end Matt Hoffman added five tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss and 1.5 sacks. Linebacker Steve Hague had one sack and one interception, which he returned 14 yards for a touchdown. Safety Mike Barone also intercepted a pass, while linebacker Jerome Gordon had one sack. Linebacker Dom Marchiani forced a fumble and recovered it.

Profs opened the scoring by gaining the field position advantage gaining by good defensive and special teams. The offense drove 38-yards ending with a 26-field goal by Mark Getsinger midway through the first quarter. Early in the second quarter Freshman wide receiver James Kinloch hauled in 39-yard pass from quarterback Frank Wilczynski putting the Profs up 9-0. A personal foul after the touchdown made the try for point a 33-yard attempt, which was missed. Late in the second quarter Rowan began an 11 play, 56 yard drive ending with a Getsinger 20-field goal, giving the team a 12-0 halftime lead.

Lycoming kick returner Ray Bierbach returned an early third quarter line drive punt from Andrew Smith 45-yards to the Rowan 21-yard line. Wide out Ryan Wagaman grabbed a 21-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Colin Dwyer on the next play, closing the gap to 12-7. Rowan took advantage on the next possession by creating a big return of their own. Steve Wall returned the ensuing kickoff 33-yards to the Warrior 45-yard line. Wilczynski executed a fake draw and took it 45-yards to the house for 16-7 lead. Midway through the third quarter linebacker Steve Hague returned an interception 14-yards for touchdown and a 26-7 lead. Mark Getsinger capped the scoring with 36-yard field goal and a 29-7 win.

Rowan travels to Cortland to take on the Red Dragon at 1 PM next Saturday.

The Profs begin the 2009 campaign with the first of three games on the road.  The team travels to Williamsport, PA… famous for the Little World Series, but also home to a historically successful Lycoming College football program.  Last year Rowan rebounded from its first sub .500 season in over 20 years by finishing 8-2 in 2008.  Losses to Cortland and Montclair State left the Profs on the playoff bubble in which selection criteria put lesser teams in.  Looking to control their own destiny, begins with the Lycoming Warriors on Saturday.

The series is tied 1-1 between the two teams and both games were playoff games. In 1996, the Profs defeated the Warriors, 33-14 in the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Championship to advance to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl. One year later, Lycoming recorded a 28-20 victory over Rowan in the semifinals of the national tournament.

Last year, Lycoming, Delaware Valley College and Albright College all finished tied for first (5-2) in the conference. Lycoming won the tie-breaker to receive the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championships Tournament. It marked the first time since 2003 that Lycoming won the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC). The Warriors have won 13 conference titles overall, nine outright and four shared.  Lycoming lost in the first round to Hobart 33-15.

Mike Clark begins his second season at the helm of the Warrior football program. Clark, a 1993 graduate of Lycoming, earned his MBA in 1996 from Rowan while serving as a graduate assistant and tight ends coach.

In Clark’s first season, he guided the Warriors to their first playoff appearance since 2003. Lycoming went 7-4 overall and finished in a three-way tie in the Middle Atlantic Conference with a 5-2 mark.

Jay Accorsi begins his eighth season as head coach after nine years as an assistant at Rowan. He has a 59-20 record (.633) and has captured four NJAC titles. He’s also led the team to four playoff appearances, including two semi-finals in 2004 and 2005.

Lycoming returns several key players on offense. Senior quarterback Colin Dwyer will once again be under center. In 2008, he compiled 2,035 yards and 13 touchdowns, completing 165 of 322 pass attempts. Running back Josh Kleinfelter was the Warriors’ leading rusher with 1,123 yards and 11 TDs on 236 carries. He also racked up 360 yards receiving on 29 grabs. Wideouts Ryan Wagaman and Brad Shellenberger will be Dwyer’s main targets. Wagaman led the team with 47 catches for 570 yards and four touchdowns, while Schellenberger posted 670 yards and six TDs on 45 receptions. Wagaman earned All-Conference first team honors and Dwyer and Kleinfelter were on the second team. The only two returning starters on the offensive line are guard Matt Landsiedel and tight end Jimmie Stevenson. The offense averaged 333.1 yards per game (207.2 passing and 125.9 rushing).

Team captain and All-Conference first team tackle Ted Geurds leads the defensive unit. He registered 58 tackles, 12.5 tackles for a loss (-59 yards), seven sacks (-48 yards), two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Also back on the line is end Kyle Murren. He tallied 42 tackles (17 solo, 25 assisted), 8.5 tackles for a loss (-30 yards), 3.5 sacks (-22 yards), eight pass breakups and one fumble recovery. Veterans Pat McAfee, Dan Cassidy and Kevin Hoben will start at linebacker. Last year, McAfee compiled 45 tackles (20 solo, 25 assisted), Hoben made 15 stops (seven solo, eight assisted) and Cassidy had six (four solo, two assisted). Safeties Chuck Bellitto and Travis Leonarczyk are back in the secondary. Bellitto
was second on the team with 86 tackles (54 solo, 32 assisted). He also accumulated 2.5 tackles for a loss (-11 yards), 0.5 sacks (-5 yards), seven pass breakups and one interception. Bellitto was named to the All-Conference second team. Leonarczyk added 38 tackles (29 solo, nine assisted), three pass breakups and one interception.

Senior Frank Wilczynski will begin his second campaign at quarterback. Last year, he completed 113 of 214 passes for 1,471 yards and 19 touchdowns. He led the Profs in rushing with 803 yards and 11 TDs on 116 carries. Superbacks Ryan Leafey and Jon Downes are back. Leafey racked up 497 yards and four touchdowns on 105 attempts, while Downes ran for 134 yards and two TDs on 33 rushes. The starting receiving corp will consist of veterans Dan Lisa and Anthony Barone and rookie James Kinloch. Dan Lisa caught 13 passes for 219 yards and one touchdown and Barone had two receiving TDs. Kevin DelleDonne is the new starting tight end. He saw action in five games last year and made three catches for 46 yards. Rowan returns its entire offensive line including tackles Ken Siano and Mark Zielinski, guards Josh Weiss and Justin Mitchell and center Tommy Menendez. Wilczynski, Siano, Weiss and Menendez earned NJAC All-Conference honors.

Six All-Conference performers return on defense, including linebackers Andrew Yezzi and Kevin Taylor, defensive ends Matt Hoffman and Kyle Kane and safeties Mike Barone and Steve Wall. Hoffman was first on the team with 15.5 tackles for a loss (-70 yards). He also totaled 48 tackles (25 solo, 23 assisted), seven sacks (-54 yards) and two forced fumbles. Kane was the sack leader with 7.5 (-45 yards) to go along with 37 tackles (18 solo, 19 assisted), 14 tackles for a loss (-62 yards) and two forced fumbles. Frank Olexson will start at nose guard. He made 16 tackles (one solo, 15 assisted) and 2.5 tackles for a loss (-8 yards). Yezzi led the squad with 80 tackles (40 solo, 40 assisted) and four interceptions. He added 13.5 tackles for a loss (-44 yards). Taylor followed with 52 stops (15 solo, 37 assisted) and three tackles for a loss (-8 yards). Linebacker Jerome Gordon will also start. He had 14 tackles (seven solo, seven assisted). Rocky Aliberti, Barone and Wall will start at the safety positions. Barone posted 44 tackles (30 solo, 14 assisted) and three interceptions. Aliberti had 16 tackles (10 solo, six assisted) and two picks, while Wall made 12 stops (five solo, seven assisted). The starting cornerbacks are Malcom Dock and rookie Husain Shakir. Dock contributed with 14 tackles (eight solo, six assisted) and two interceptions.

With the experience up front the Profs need to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Frank Wilczynski is a great rusher and a good passer. I expect the passing game to improve since Wilczynski has a full off season with the offensive system.

Lycoming brings a nice balance on offense between run and pass. Running back Josh Kleinfelter is a dual threat running and catching passes out of the backfield. The Rowan defense needs to slow him down and get pressure on Dwyer and force long 3rd downs. The majority of the Warriors’ offensive production from 2008 will be on the field in the at the same time. In addition to Kleinfelter and Dwyer, wideouts Wagaman and Shellenberger are a productive pair. All four players combine for 1,600 yards in the air and 1,123 yards on the ground with 24 touchdowns.

This is basically the same team that got beat by Hobart in the playoffs. If Rowan deserved a playoff bid in 2008, Saturday could be the start of redemption in 2009.