Wilkes-William Paterson Football Preview
By: Import User
Updated: August 31, 2007
The
Wilkes enters the year ranked 13th in the
Street & Smith Division III Pre-Season Top-25 Poll. They are also ranked
15th in the d3football.com Top-25 Poll.
William Paterson will be looking to bounce
back from a tough 2006 campaign. The Pioneers went just 1-9 overall and 1-6 in
New Jersey Athletic Conference action. One of William Paterson’s losses was a
31-3 defeat at the hands of Wilkes in the season opener for both sides.
The Colonels return seven starters on the
offensive side of the ball, including first team All-MAC and All-ECAC
quarterback Al Karaffa. Karaffa, a senior, threw for 1,966 yards and 17
touchdowns during his junior campaign to help Wilkes average 339.7 yards in
total offense and a conference-leading 26.2 points per game. Sophomore Drew
Letcavage, who will move from running back to tight end this season, is the
team’s top returning receiver after hauling in 15 passes as a
rookie.
The Wilkes ground attack will have to
replace graduated senior Tom Andreopoulos, who rushed for 1,285 yards and 12
touchdowns last season. However, the Colonels do return their top two
fullbacks in seniors Ryan Gallagher, who was a second team All-MAC selection in
2006, and Paul Signora. They also welcome back four starters on the offensive
line, including second team All-American senior Jordan
Purdy.
The Wilkes defense will have to replace
seven starters from last season’s unit that ranked among the nation’s best. The
Colonels surrendered a mere 205.6 yards per game, including only 61 yards per
game on the ground, and 8.7 points per game to lead the MAC in all three
categories.
Two-time All-American Kyle Follweiler is
back for his senior season after leading the Colonels in tackle during each of
his first three campaigns. Follweiler, a three-time first team All-MAC
selection, is a two-time MAC Defensive Player of the Year and was named the ECAC
Defensive Player of the Year a season ago after racking up 102 tackles.
Seniors Jason Acquaye and Erik VanGilst are
returning starters on the defensive line. Acquaye, who had 45 tackles and eight
sacks, was selected to the All-MAC first team as a junior. VanGilst contributed
19 tackles, 12 of those coming behind the line of scrimmage, and 4.5 sacks in
his first season as a starter.
The Colonels secondary, which registered 19
interceptions last year, has just one returning starter in sophomore Corey
Gilroy.
William Paterson returns seven starters from
an offense that averaged 209 yards in total offense and 15.9 points per game in
2006. Senior wide receiver Kareen Moon and junior running back Mike Vicci
headline the list of returnees for the Pioneers. Moon was a first team All-NJAC
selection after snagging 35 passes for 621 yards and five touchdowns. Vicci
rushed for 331 yards and four touchdowns and caught a team-leading 38 passes for
200 yards on his way to garnering honorable mention All-NJAC honors.
Defensively, William Paterson allowed 363.1
yards in total offense and 28.5 points per game. The Pioneers surrendered 167.7
yards per game on the ground and 195.4 yards per game through the air, while
forcing 24 turnovers in only 10 games.
Junior defensive back Harold Green was the
team’s leading tackler last season on his way to earning a berth on the All-NJAC
second team. Green finished the season with 80 tackles, four sacks, five
interceptions and one fumble recovery. He also forced one fumble and was
credited with one blocked kick.
The Pioneers also have a weapon in senior
kicker/punter Ricky Krautman. Krautman was an honorable mention All-NJAC
selection last season after averaging36.8 yards per punt and leading William
Paterson with 39 points. Krautman connected on 7-of-14 field goal attempts and
was successful on 18-of-19 extra point tries.
Wilkes will return home next Saturday when
they entertain
