EAST STROUDSBURG -- After 653 days and a global pandemic, the East Stroudsburg University football team returns to the gridiron to face Pace in the 2021 season opener at Eiler-Martin Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 2 at 7:05 p.m.

HOW TO FOLLOW

• Fans will be allowed inside Eiler-Martin Stadium. To view the full spectator policy, click here.
• TV: For the 34th consecutive season, Blue Ridge TV 13 will broadcast all home games locally, with Chris Doty (pxp) and Jim Riley (color) calling the action. 
• Stream: Fans out of the area can watch the broadcast online on psacsportsdigitalnetwork.com/esu.
• Radio: Bigfoot Country 103.1 FM and 840 AM enters its 56th year broadcasting Warriors football. 2021 marks the first season ESU will be broadcasted on FM airwaves. Chuck Seese (pxp) and Bob Brittain (color) are on the call for every home and away game on the radio dials and online.
• Live stats are available here.

• ESU sports a 2-0 record over the Pace all-time, with both contests coming in season openers in the 2010 and 2011 season.
• The series has heavily favored ESU, with the Warriors downing the Setters 57-0 in Pleasantville, N.Y. to begin the 2010 season, while ESU defeated Pace 56-14 at Eiler-Martin Stadium the last time the teams played in 2011.
• Both contests rank in the top-five in the program history for most points in a season opener for ESU.

OPENERS

• ESU is 58-33-1 all-time in season openers, including a 24-14 win over FCS Wagner in 2019.
• Since 2008, the Warriors have posted wins in 10 of its past 12 season opening games. 

THE OFFENSE: Eight starters return, including quarterback Jake Cirillo, wide receiver Rece Bender along with four of five offensive linemen.

• Cirillo was among the most efficient quarterbacks in ESU history in his latest campaign, with his 62.3 percent completion percentage ranking second only to his coach, Jimmy Terwilliger (64.2 %, 2006). He completed at least 60 percent of his passes in five contests, including of where he completed 80 percent plus against Edinboro (81.5%) and Lock Haven (82.6%). His best game of 2019 came against Lock Haven, where he threw for a season-best 280 yards and five touchdowns. Despite not throwing for over 300 yards in a game in 2019, Cirillo has shown the ability to sling it. His 418 passing yards as a freshman against Ohio Dominican ranks as the second most passing yards in a single game by a freshman in program history.
• Matt DeLaurentis is slated as the backup quarterback, with Ben Moser graduating. DeLaurentis completed his lone attempt in 2019 for 12 yards. He was named the Pioneer Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year in high school at Pope John Paul II and was a nominee for PA Mr. Football in high school.
• In the backfield, the Warriors will turn to tailbacks redshirt-senior Gunner Anglovich and sophomore Tyriq Lewis in the week one two-deep. Anglovich, a native of Bethlehem, has 235 career rushing yards. His ability to make a big play showed against West Chester when he scampered on a career-long 52 yard rush. He posted a career-best 71 yards rushing against Ohio Dominican in 2018.
• Lewis, a product of Downingtown West, will make his Warrior debut. He was named the 2019 Daily Local News All-Area Football Player of the Year after scoring 34 touchdowns on the ground, rushing for 1,778 yards and catching 38 passes for 516 yards and five touchdowns.
• Fullback David Akinwande is back. He was named to the Football Gazette Super Region 1 3rd team, earning ESU's Red Shirt Award. He helped average 123.0 yards per game rushing with 1,353 yards and 18 TD in 11 games.
• Bender is ESU's leading returning receiver, catching 30 passes for 528 yards and six touchdowns. His big play ability shined all season, with a 95-yard kick return touchdown against Clarion and a 76-yard punt return against Shepherd. The all-purpose yard machine recorded 312 yards against Shepherd in 2019, which ranks third all-time in program history. He averaged an impressive 17.60 yards per catch in his last season.
• Syracuse transfer James Cherry looks to make an impact his first season in the Poconos after two seasons at the Division I level. Cherry appeared in two games for the Orange in 2019. His illustrious high school career at Saint Joseph's Prep included being named the Big 33 Football Classic and was named to the All-Philadelphia Catholic League First Team.
• Clifford Brinkley who caught five passes for 94 yards is listed as the other starting wideout. Ezequiel Lopez (23 catches, 266 yards), Elie Lavarin and Benny Pembleton provide depth to the position.
• Quarterback turned tight end Dawson Stuart looks to make his Warrior debut at his new position along with Joel Gland, who made three 3 receptions for 40 yards in 2019 as a starter. 
• Four of five starting offensive linemen return including Tim Kinney (LT), Anthony Capitini (LG), Elias Marte (RG). Raymond Christas and Jose Diaz are slated to start at center and right tackle. Kutory Alexander provides depth at tackle as a starter in 2019.

THE DEFENSE

• Led by All-PSAC East First Team selection defensive tackle Andre Eldridge, the Warriors return four starters on a much-improved defense from 2018 to 2019.  
• Guided by second-year defensive coordinator Mike Lackey, the ESU defense improved dramatically from 2018 to 2019. The defense allowed 491.4 yards per game (15th in PSAC) in 2018 to 366.3 yards per game (9th in PSAC). The pass defense especially shined, jumping from 11th in the PSAC (238.5 passing yards allowed per game) to fourth in the conference (203.5) in passing yards allowed in 2019.
• Along with Eldridge, Deshawn McCarthy looks to provide pressure to opposing quarterbacks after registering a team-high six sacks in 2019. 
• Graduate student Teddy Mitchell and Devon Banks provide experience at defensive back.
• Safety Tyler Watson recorded four interceptions in the secondary in 2019. Jahmere Crumpton joins him in the defensive backfield to prevent any big-play threats.

• Gone is All-American Jordan Walters at kicker and punter due to graduation. Devin Bartholomew, who redshirted in 2019 and freshman Nate Reed look to fill in. Bartholomew is a second-team all-area selection from Parkland, while Reed earned all-conference honors in football, soccer and track at Manheim Central.
• The Warriors return holder Matt DeLaurentis and long snapper Cole Fryer from 2019.
• Bender, who was named to the All-PSAC East Second Team as a return specialist in 2019 looks to continue his success in the return game, alongside Ezequiel Lopez.

RelentlesS GET IN THE GAME MARROW DRIVE: The East Stroudsburg University athletic department is partnering with Be The Match and the Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation to sponsor a "#RelentlesS Get in the Game" (GITG) donor registration drive in honor of Ryan Smith on Thursday, Sept. 2.  The drive will be in conjunction with the ESU football team's season opener against Pace University and will allow individuals to join the Be The Match Registry® to become a blood stem cell or potential marrow donor starting with a simple swab of the cheek. The drive is named in memory of Ryan Smith, a former men's basketball student-athlete at ESU, who courageously battled acute myeloid leukemia (AML) for 19 months until his passing on March 22, 2021. The donor drive, which is open to students and the public ages 18-44, will run from Noon to 4:00 p.m. in the University Center on campus. ESU student-athlete volunteers will run registration stations. At 6:00 p.m., the event will move inside the Eiler-Martin Stadium gates, prior to the 7:05 p.m. kickoff. Those who cannot attend can register for a kit to be mailed to their address by texting ESUSAVES to 61474.

DEI IN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: ESU fullback David Akinwande and wide receiver Rece Bender spoke in the sixth edition of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in College Athletics: A Call to Action on Monday night. David and Rece are both ESU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) officers. The duo presented and answered questions about the importance of diversity on campus and presented a call to action on how the ESU community can improve. David was born in Nigeria and moved to Levittown, Pa. as a small child, while Rece grew up in Lancaster, Pa. with little diversity. To view the presentation, visit esuwarriors.com/DEI or the ESU Warriors YouTube Channel.