ESU Football Media Guide (PDF)  l  Preseason Quick Facts (PDF)  l  PSAC preseason information

Related: Follow the Warriors in 2015-16
Twitter - @ESUWarriors  l  ESU President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D. (@PresidentWelsh)  l  @ESUniversity
Facebook - facebook.com/ESUWarriors
Instagram - instagram.com/ESUWarriors


EAST STROUDSBURG - East Stroudsburg University is tied for third in the PSAC East preseason poll in the annual survey of the division's coaches, it was announced Monday at the PSAC East football media day at Kutztown University.
 
The Warriors return 14 starters, including nine on offense, for their 42nd season under record-setting head coach Denny Douds, who enters his 50th year at ESU overall including eight seasons as an assistant coach from 1966-73.
 
ESU is coming off a 6-5 season, opening 6-1 before an injury to redshirt senior quarterback Matt Soltes early in the second half of a 31-16 loss to Kutztown on October 25.
 
A Harlon Hill Trophy regional candidate for the second straight season, Soltes enters his final year in elite company among ESU, PSAC and NCAA Division II quarterbacks. He is averaging 342.3 yards of total offense per game in his career, fourth in DII history, and his career pass efficiency rating of 163.7 is second in PSAC history behind ESU's Jimmy Terwilliger (170.7, 2003-06). Soltes leads active DII quarterbacks in both categories.
 
Soltes, redshirt junior tailback Robert Healy and redshirt senior wide receiver Jon Schnaars lead an explosive offense that ranks second in DII in yards per play (6.9), sixth in total offense (485.0 ypg) and seventh in passing offense (325.0 ypg) since the start of the 2012 season.
 
Douds, the PSAC career record-holder with 250 career wins, ranks third among active coaches in career victories, third in DII history and 20th in NCAA history entering the 2015 season.
 
Douds has coached 429 games, more than any active coach, a DII record and ninth in NCAA football history. His 42 seasons at ESU are the sixth-most by one coach at an institution.
 
 
2015 Warriors
 
Soltes, Healy and Schnaars - all named to the All-PSAC East second team in 2014 - make ESU the only PSAC school with a returning all-conference player at quarterback, running back and receiver entering this fall.
 
Defensively, senior cornerback Teron Dobbs was second team All-PSAC East, leads active PSAC players and is tied for second among active DII players with 13 career interceptions. He paces five returning starters for Douds' defense.
 
Soltes and Healy are the only active tandem in DII to record 3,000 yards total offense (Soltes) and 1,000 yards from scrimmage (Healy) in both 2013 and 2014.
 
Soltes ranks eighth in PSAC history in career total offense (9,928 yards), throwing for 8,644 yards and rushing for 1,284 in 29 games, including 26 starts. He has five career games of 500+ yards total offense, tied for the most in DII history, and also leads active DII QB's in career games with 300+ total yards (18) and 400+ yards (9). He can become the fifth QB in DII history with 3,000 yards total offense in each of his four years.
 
Soltes ranked third in DII in total offense (402.0 ypg) and passing (358.9 ypg), seventh in pass efficiency (167.5) and first in TD responsible for (31) entering the eighth week of the season last fall.
 
Healy and Schnaars lead the Warriors' offensive playmakers and both reached the end zone 14 times last season.
 
Healy has posted the top two seasons in yards from scrimmage by a back in program history in his first two years, accounting for 1,333 yards (1,129 rushing) in 2013, when he was the PSAC East Freshman of the Year, and 1,378 yards (817 rushing) as a sophomore. His 1,946 career rushing yards are within 700 yards of the Warriors' school record.
 
Last fall, Healy was one of two DII players with 500 yards both rushing and receiving. He caught 46 passes for 561 yards and six TD, while adding eight TD on the ground. Healy has notched at least 100 yards from scrimmage in 17 of his first 22 games at ESU, and his career average per game (123.2) leads all active PSAC players.
 
Redshirt senior tailback Gerald Van De Cruz obtained a medical redshirt after missing the final nine games last year. He complemented Healy as a short-yardage back in 2013, scoring 11 TD and gaining 334 yards on 72 carries.
 
Schnaars had a breakout season in 2014, with 58 catches for 807 yards and 14 TD. He had a TD catch in each of the last seven games, the longest active streak in DII entering 2015. He tied ESU's school record with 14 catches (152 yards, 2 TD) in a 37-33 win at Shippensburg, and enters his final season ranked in ESU's career top 20 in receptions (125), yards (1,837) and TD (23).
 
Seniors Joe Welk (20 catches, 423 yards, TD) and Gerard Wendowski (14 catches, 182 yards) are also proven receivers. Welk also added a 26.7-yard average on 15 kick returns, including a 93-yard TD vs. Kutztown.
 
ESU must replace two former All-PSAC East selections in receiver Dusty Reed (3rd at ESU with 183 career receptions and 2,820 yards) and tight end Steven Jones (87 catches, 1,444 yards).

The offensive line returns all five starters in junior left tackle Fran McMenamin (11 career starts), redshirt sophomore left guard Devon Ackerman (11), redshirt sophomore center John Appice (11), redshirt sophomore Norman Rogers III (7) and senior right tackle Eric Burleson (20).
 
On defense, the Warriors replace six starters, including three All-PSAC East selections. ESU produced key stops in its six victories, including the season opener at LIU Post and victories at Edinboro and Shippensburg, but ranked last in the PSAC in total defense (458.2 ypg) and rushing defense (251.0 ypg) in 2014.
 
Dobbs is one of three returning starters in the secondary. He has made 30 straight starts at corner since moving from wide receiver two weeks into his freshman season in 2012, and leads all active PSAC defensive players in both career starts and consecutive starts.
 
Junior free safety Dean Vitale (130 career tackles, seven interceptions) has started all 22 games the last two seasons, and sophomore safety Marc Gaudet (56 tackles, 4 TFL) started all 11 games as a freshman. Four-year safety Anthony Singlar (288 career tackles) is gone, and the Warriors also look for a new starter at cornerback opposite Dobbs.
 
Redshirt senior outside linebacker Kaje Cowans (136 career tackles, 12 TFL, 5 sacks) has made 21 starts to lead that group. Middle linebacker Cody Simcox, a two-time All-PSAC East second team selection, departed after making 252 tackles in 30 career starts.
 
Redshirt junior defensive end Ahmad McFarland (31 tackles, 4.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks) made nine starts last fall and paces the returning linemen. The other two starters - Bryan Thomson and Brandon Gattelli - were mainstays in the lineup; Thomson (218 tackles, 31.5 TFL, 21.5 sacks, school-record 16 blocked kicks, 33 starts) was three-time first team All-PSAC East and the 2012 PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year, and Gattelli (155 tackles, 36 TFL, 23.5 sacks, 40 starts) was first team All-PSAC East as a senior.
 
On special teams, the Warriors replace four-year starter Jordan Bair at punter (2014 All-PSAC East first team, All-Region second team) and kicker Matt Smith.
 
 
PSAC Preseason Poll
 
Bloomsburg, the two-time defending PSAC East regular season champion, is the division's preseason favorite. The Huskies were 11-2 (9-0 PSAC) last year, falling 28-26 to Slippery Rock in the State Game and 32-26 at Concord in the NCAA DII regional title game.
 
West Chester, which must replace Harlon Hill finalist Sean McCartney at quarterback, is picked second in the PSAC East.
 
ESU and Shippensburg are tied for third. Shippensburg replaces receiver Trevor Harman, who set PSAC career records for receptions and touchdowns in an All-America career.
 
ESU is looking for its first PSAC East divisional title since earning back-to-back titles in 2002 and 2003. The Warriors have won nine PSAC East titles under Douds (1975, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1991, 2002, 2003) and four overall conference titles (1975, 1976, 1978, 1982) prior to the elimination of the State Game following the 1987 season. The State Game was reinstated in 2008.
 
Kutztown is picked fifth, with Lock Haven and Millersville tied for sixth and Cheyney eighth. Lock Haven enters its first season under Dave Taynor, and Cheyney is guided by Chris Roulhac, who also coached the Wolves from 1992-94.
 
In the PSAC West, 2014 division co-champion Gannon is the preseason favorite, followed by defending PSAC champion Slippery Rock. Both schools appear on ESU's 2015 schedule.
 
Gannon brings back quarterback Liam Nadler and running back Brock Jones among 16 returning starters. Slippery Rock is paced by running back Shamar Greene and defensive end Marcus Martin, two of 17 returning starters.
 
Mercyhurst, California and IUP are all traditional division powers and picked third through fifth in the preseason. Seton Hill, Edinboro and Clarion are sixth through eighth.
 
ESU faces Slippery Rock (away, Sept. 12), Edinboro (home, Sept. 19) and Gannon (away, Nov. 14) in its non-divisional schedule.
 
The PSAC returns to its standard divisional format in 2015. Last year, the first two crossover games counted towards the conference standings. This season, only the seven divisional games will determine the PSAC East and PSAC West division champions.
 
 
2015 Schedule
 
ESU opens the season on Thursday, September 3 at 7:05 p.m. under the lights at Eiler-Martin Stadium, the final game of a tripleheader that includes ESU's PSAC champion women's soccer team hosting Lock Haven at 3:30 p.m.
 
The Warriors won 43-35 at LIU Post in the 2014 opener, scoring 20 unanswered points in the final 8:25 of the fourth quarter after a lightning delay of almost 90 minutes. Soltes had 467 yards of total offense, after setting a PSAC and NCAA freshman record with 666 total yards in a 45-37 win at LIU Post in 2012.
 
ESU travels to Slippery Rock, Douds' alma mater (class of 1963), for a 7 p.m. game on September 12. Douds faces the Rock for the 13th time, going 3-9 in the first 12 meetings. The Warriors fell 56-24 at home last year after winning the previous two games, 54-28 at home in 2009 and 38-21 at the Rock in 2008.
 
The Warriors host Edinboro on September 19 at 1:05 p.m. The Fighting Scots are one of ESU's most frequent PSAC West opponents, meeting for the 13th time since 2000, with ESU going 8-4 in that stretch including a 47-34 road win last fall. Soltes threw for 502 yards and six TD, with four going to Reed. The Warriors are 12-6 vs. Edinboro overall and 10-6 under Douds.
 
ESU heads to Lock Haven on September 26 at 12:00 p.m. The Warriors have won six straight vs. LHU (10-6 in the series) and posted a 48-21 win a year ago, scoring TD's on six of their first nine possessions. ESU has won each of the last three years, all at home, and makes its first trip to the Haven since a 58-13 win in 2007.
 
On October 3, ESU hosts Shippensburg at 6:05 p.m. in a rematch of one of the PSAC's most entertaining games of 2014. Sensational performances by Soltes (416 yards passing, 111 rushing) and Schnaars (14 catches, 152 yards, 2 TD) led ESU to a 37-33 win at Ship last year in a game that featured four fourth-quarter lead changes.
 
The Warriors head to Cheyney for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff on October 10. ESU won 49-21 last year, its 35th straight over the Wolves to extend its NCAA all-division record for consecutive wins in an uninterrupted series. Soltes threw five TD's to four different receivers in the first half last year. Cheyney's only win in the series, which ESU leads 58-1, was in 1979.
 
Homecoming hits ESU on October 17 when the Warriors host Millersville at 2:05 p.m. Healy had 117 yards rushing and 115 receiving in ESU's 35-13 road win last fall, and the Warriors have won 12 of the last 14 meetings since 2001 (averaging more than 41 points per game).
 
The Warriors go to Kutztown on October 24 for a 1:05 p.m. start after falling 31-16 at home last year. Soltes suffered a season-ending injury on ESU's first possession of the second half, throwing for 266 yards and a TD at that juncture. Kutztown has won four of the last five after ESU won nine straight from 2001-09. The Warriors are 26-15 vs. Kutztown under Douds.
 
ESU welcomes rival Bloomsburg to Eiler-Martin Stadium for a 1:05 p.m. kickoff on October 31. The Huskies have won nine straight since ESU's 52-39 win in the 2005 NCAA Playoffs, including 34-13 last year.
 
The final PSAC East game is at West Chester on November 7 at 1 p.m. An undermanned ESU team battled the defending regional champions last fall in a 35-24 loss. The Warriors' most recent win in the series was a 35-28 victory at home in 2012, Soltes' second career start.
 
The final weekend of the regular season (November 14) has the Warriors slated to host Gannon at 12:05 p.m. This match-up would be adjusted if either school wins its division and advances to the PSAC championship game. The Golden Knights won 66-41 in Erie last year for its first win in the series, after the Warriors won 23-10 at home in 2008 and 38-21 on the road in 2009.
 
 
The 2015 ESU football schedule is below:
 
Sept. 3 (Thurs.) - 7:05 p.m. vs. LIU POST
Sept. 12 - 7:00 p.m. at Slippery Rock
Sept. 19 - 1:05 p.m. vs. EDINBORO
Sept. 26 - 12:00 p.m. at Lock Haven
Oct. 3 - 6:05 p.m. vs. SHIPPENSBURG
Oct. 10 - 1:00 p.m. at Cheyney
Oct. 17 - 2:05 p.m. vs. MILLERSVILLE
Oct. 24 - 1:05 p.m. at Kutztown
Oct. 31 - 1:05 p.m. vs. BLOOMSBURG
Nov. 7 - 1:00 p.m. at West Chester
Nov. 14 - 12:05 p.m. vs. GANNON
 
 
PSAC East Coaches Poll
1. Bloomsburg
2. West Chester
t-3. ESU
t-3. Shippensburg
5. Kutztown
t-6. Lock Haven
t-6. Millersville
8. Cheyney
 
PSAC West Coaches Poll
1. Gannon
2. Slippery Rock
3. Mercyhurst
4. California
5. IUP
6. Seton Hill
7. Edinboro
8. Clarion