EAST STROUDSBURG -- After a hard-fought loss road loss against Kutztown, the East Stroudsburg University football team welcomes ESU alumni back to campus on Saturday, when the Warriors (3-2, 1-1) host Millersville (1-4, 1-1) on Homecoming Weekend. Kickoff at Eiler-Martin Stadium is set for 2:05 p.m. against the Marauders.
How To Follow
- Fans are allowed inside Eiler-Martin Stadium. All fans are encouraged to wear masks when they cannot socially distance. Masks are required when inside any University building on campus. Ticketing information can be found here.
- TV: For the 34th consecutive season, Blue Ridge TV 13 will broadcast all home games to the region, with Chris Doty and Jim Riley calling the action.
- Stream: Fans can watch a stream of the Blue Ridge TV 13 broadcast online via the PSAC Sports Digital Network. The PSAC Sports Digital Network is available on the web, along with streaming applications for television and mobile devices for Android TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku (TV), iOS, Android (mobile) and Amazon Fire Tablet. Search "PSAC Sports Digital Network" to download the app. All ESU broadcasts are archived on the PSAC Sports Digital Network and can be watched on-demand.
- Radio: Bigfoot Country 103.1 FM 840 AM enters its 56th year broadcasting Warriors' football. Chuck Seese and Bob Brittain are on the call for every home and away game on the radio dials and online. 90.3 FM WESS Radio will also broadcast the game.
- Live stats are available on esuwarriors.com.
Welcome Home
- One the best weekends to be a Warrior is upon us!
- The ESU Student Activity Association will be hosting the annual Homecoming Bonfire on Friday at 8:00 p.m. on the Old Rugby Field.
- ESU volleyball kicks off the athletics portion of Homecoming Weekend on Friday night against Bloomsburg at 7:00 p.m. inside Koehler Fieldhouse.
- The nationally-ranked ESU field hockey team hosts Slippery Rock on Saturday morning at 11:00 a.m. at Whitenight Field, prior the ESU-Millersville football game at 2:05 p.m.
- ESU volleyball closes out A Warrior Day of Spirit on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. against Lock Haven.
- For the full schedule of Homecoming events around campus, visit esu.edu/homecoming.
The Series
- ESU leads the all-time series against Millersville, 43-27.
- Since 2001, the Warriors boast a 15-4 record against the Marauders, including a 50-7 thumping in the last meeting in 2019.
- In that victory, ESU scored 35 points in the second quarter, the second-most in a period over the last 50 years.
Last Time Out: After allowing two touchdowns on its first two defensive possessions, ESU buckled down, with seven consecutive stops, but ultimately fell to Kutztown, 21-14 last Saturday at Andre Reed Stadium. A 76-yard completion setup the Golden Bears with the game-winning touchdown with 44 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. PSAC leading rusher Gunner Anglovich rushed for 108 yards and both of ESU's touchdowns in the loss.
Runnin' and Gunnin': Gunner Anglovich's 504 rushing yards on the season leads the PSAC, for an average of 100.8 yards per contest. He currently ranks third in all-purpose yards per game in the conference, posting 135.80 yards (rushing + receiving + returns) per contest. He has reached triple digits in yards from scrimmage in four of five contests this season. He looks to become the first Warrior to lead the PSAC in rushing since all-time ESU rushing leader Robert Healy ran for 116.3 yards per game as a redshirt-senior in 2016.
Control the Line of Scrimmage: The big boys up front on ESU's offensive and defensive lines have helped the Warriors to a 3-2 start. The Warriors have allowed just five sacks in five games, while the defensive pass rush has produced 17 sacks through five contests. The offensive line has made holes for Anglovich, the PSAC's leading rusher, as the Warriors rank second among PSAC teams in rushing yards per contest (182.7 yards per game). Along with not allowing sacks, ESU ranks third in the country and leads the PSAC in tackles for loss allowed, allowing just 2.2 per contest. ESU has led in possession in four of five games this season, averaging 31:14 with the ball, which ranks 47th in the country.
McCarthy the Menace: Deshawn McCarthy has caused headaches in the opponent's backfield all season, ranking seventh in the country and second in the PSAC with 1.70 sacks per game. He also ranks ninth in the country in tackles for loss, with 2.0 per contest. His 7.5 sacks this season have already eclipsed his ESU leading mark in 2019 of six quartback takedowns from behind the line of scrimmage. He is on pace to set the ESU single season sack record, with Joe Ruedt and Des Hussey each recording 15 sacks in 1992 and 1991, respectively. His four sacks against Pace are the most by a Warrior since 2001, and is tied for the third most sacks in a single game in program history. Only Notre Dame's (Ohio) Noah Harris-Lyles has recorded more sacks in a game this season at the DII level, with 4.5 against West Virginia State last week.
My Dear Watson: Tyler Watson has made his presence felt from the free safety position, collecting an interception and forcing a pair of fumbles through the first five games of the 2021 campaign. Watson, a captain, ranks fifth in the PSAC in passes defended, averaging 1.2 passes defended per contest. He's tied for the team lead with Aiden Hayward with two forced fumbles this season, which is tied for 28th in DII. He recorded a career-best 13 tackles in his last outing against Kutztown.
Taking Care of The Rock: An interception on ESU's last pass attempt against Kutztown snapped a school-record 219 pass attempts without an interception. The streak lasted exactly 700 days and featured six entire games and parts of eight games and 27 entire quarters without a pick thrown by the Warriors. Five players attempted passes during the stretch including ESU alumnus Ben Moser, Jake Cirillo, Matt DeLaurentis, Aaron Tobias and even ESU linebacker Jacob Keane, who completed a pass on a fake punt. With just three turnovers in five games, the Warriors rank ninth nationally in turnovers lost and 25th in turnover margin.
Big Boot: Freshman punter Nate Reed has impressed, with ESU ranking second in the PSAC and 12th nationally in net punting., with an average net punt of 38.72 yards. Reed's average punt of 39.5 ranks third in the PSAC and 42nd in the country.
Dirty Laundry: ESU looks to improve on its penalty woes, ranking in the bottom 20 of Division II in fewest penalties (154th of 163), fewest penalties per game (153 of 163), fewest penalty yards (145 of 163) and fewest penalty yards per game (141 of 163).
Scouting Millersville:
Up Next: After facing Millersville, ESU is back on the road, heading south to West Chester on Sat., Oct. 16. Kickoff against the Golden Rams is slated for noon.
