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KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Kutztown University football team ended its season as one of the hottest teams in the country in 2012. With many new faces on the field and on the sidelines, the Golden Bears look to build on that success and take it into their upcoming 2013 campaign.
 
Kutztown opened the season with a dominating win over Saint Anselm College, but suffered three consecutive setbacks including a pair of heartbreakers in the final minutes of play against nationally-ranked opponents. It responded, however, by winning six of its final seven games while topping the 50-point mark in four of those victories to finish with a 7-4 record.
 
Leading that offense was then-offensive coordinator and now first-year head coach Drew Folmar. This is Folmar's first head coaching position, making him the 15th head coach in Kutztown's modern football history. He replaces Raymond Monica, who resigned last December to accept the head coaching position at Arkansas Tech. Led by the prolific offense he guided to such great success, Folmar holds his team in high regard for the tremendous comeback over the final seven weeks of the season.
 
"Coming down the stretch and winning six of seven games is not easy to do, especially in this conference," Folmar said. "It would have been easy for our guys to pack it in after our disappointing start last year, but I give a lot of credit to our team for its fight to win every week."
 
Folmar has directed KU's offense and coached its quarterbacks since 2009. Over the last three seasons, KU has tallied a record of 28-8, the winningest three-year period in the program's 97 seasons. With such a rich winning tradition now in place due to the team's great success during Folmar's tenure including two straight NCAA playoff appearances and a conference championship, the Golden Bears know that reaching the pinnacle of success is within arm's reach.
 
"Beginning in 2009, the culture of this program has grown into a winning tradition, and that is a testament to the continuity our players had and the staff we had on board," Folmar said. "This year we have a lot of new faces on our team and on our staff, and I'm confident this group will continue to build on that winning culture."
 
COACHING STAFF – One of the most significant changes this year will be on the sidelines. Folmar is one of 10 members of staff, nine of which are new to the program or in different roles than last season.
 
Following the hiring of Folmar in January, Kutztown brought Ross Pennypacker on board from Bucknell as the defensive coordinator. He will also guide the linebackers and act as the head recruiting coordinator. 
 
Jim Ketner returns for his second season and will coach the cornerbacks after working with the defensive line a year ago. Ketner brings great experience to the staff and spent 16 seasons on the defensive staff at Millersville. Andy Casale returns to the program and will take over the defensive line. This will be his first season working with the defensive line after coaching the linebackers in 2012. Marcel Quarterman rounds out the defensive staff with the safeties as well as special teams after four years at Division I Lafayette College.
 
On the offensive side of the ball, Folmar will act as the offensive coordinator, a role he thrived in during his first four years in the program. Jared Haas was promoted to coach the offensive line and act as the academic coordinator. He will also act as one of the leaders in the strength and conditioning program. A former Golden Bear and member of the 2010 playoff team, Haas enters his third year on the staff after working with the running backs in his first two seasons.
 
Steve Heck enters his sixth season as the wide receivers coach and is the longest tenured coach on staff. Kutztown welcomes back Corey Woods to coach the tight ends and Dan Csencsitz to help guide the quarterbacks. Zach Snyder (Lititz, PA/Warwick), a four-year player at Kutztown and an Academic All-District player in 2012, joins the staff as an assistant coach and will work with the running backs.
 
OFFENSE
 
QUARTERBACK – The most important position on the field will have a question mark next to it heading into pre-season camp. Kutztown will have to replace Kevin Morton (Abington, PA/Abington), arguably one of the most decorated players in program history. Morton re-wrote the Kutztown record books, owning nearly every single-season and career passing record, and finished his career ranked fourth all-time in Division II in passing touchdowns (109) and 11th in passing yards (11,612).
 
Moving forward, five quarterbacks will compete for the starting position, but only one has seen legitimate playing time. Sophomore Josh Luckenbaugh (York, Pa./Dallastown) has the most experience of the group after filling in for an injured Morton last season. He made his debut in a tough situation and kept the Golden Bears in the game up to the final minutes against then-12th-ranked Bloomsburg. He finished the season 54-of-80 passing (67.5 percent) for 522 yards and three touchdowns.
 
Even with Luckenbaugh's experience last year, the competition remains open with two other returners and two incoming freshman looking to start the season under center. Sophomore Chad Barton (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg) and redshirt freshman Aaron Channing (Horsham, PA/Hatboro-Horsham) will compete for the position as well as incoming freshman Chris Kane (Maple Glen, Pa./LaSalle) and Alec Werner (Harrisburg, PA/Bishop McDevitt). Both Kane and Werner experienced great success in their high school careers and will look to translate quickly to the college-style gameplay.
 
RUNNING BACK – Senior Curtis Wortham (Philadelphia, PA/Father Judge) returns as one of Kutztown's most significant threats on offense. An All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) selection at tailback and as a return specialist last season, Wortham enjoyed a breakout season as a junior. He tallied 932 yards and rushed for more than 100 yards three times. His 15 rushing touchdowns were just two shy of KU's single-season record. He returned 26 kicks for 656 yards, including one for 98 yards for a touchdown against West Chester. Wortham will be counted on this season not only for his explosive play on the field, but for his experience and leadership off the field.
 
Redshirt sophomore Adrian Sterling (East Stroudsburg, PA/East Stroudsburg North) returns with the only other in-game experience at running back. Last season he ran for 346 yards and two touchdowns including a career-high 165 yards and a score against Millersville. Darrell Scott (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone) redshirted last year and will also compete for time.
 
Senior fullback Justin Michalak (Dover, PA/Northeastern) returns as the projected starter and is one of the most experienced players on the team. In three years, he has played in 36 games at fullback and helped guide three All-PSAC running backs in his career. Redshirt junior Dan Mummau (Hummelstown, PA/Central Dauphin) will also see playing time behind Michalak.
 
TIGHT END – With the tight end position slowly fading out of depth charts at the college level, the Golden Bears will hope to use more of their tight ends this season to aide an inexperienced offensive line. Senior Alex Wagner (Reading, PA/Reading) transitioned to tight end from his previous wide receiver position. He's gained weight and gotten much stronger to help give Kutztown an extra push up front.
 
Maciej Mazur (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast (Lackawanna)) is a junior transfer from Lackawanna College and is expected to move into the rotation this season. With the addition of freshman Andrew Garbarino (Peckville, Pa./Valley View) from Valley View High School, Folmar is confident in stating that this is the best group of tight ends he has seen in the program since joining the staff in 2009.
 
OFFENSIVE LINE – The offensive line is one of the youngest position groups on the team for Kutztown. It graduated four of its five starters from last season and despite carrying 18 linemen into pre-season camp, only two have seen legitimate playing time. With the lack of experience up front, leadership from its returners will be crucial.
 
Senior Chase Fraley (Elysburg, PA/Southern Columbia) returns as a captain and a projected starter. He's played in each of Kutztown's 23 games the past two seasons in which it set numerous records for offensive production. Fraley's leadership qualities will be counted on to lead this group.
 
Redshirt sophomore Mike Nowak (Limerick, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) played in seven games last season and is expected to compete for a starting job. Other returners expected to battle for playing time and starting positions are Peter Finegan Jr., (Newtown Square, PA, Marple Newtown)  Greg Bamberger Jr., (Blandon, PA, Fleetwood)  Andrew Paradise (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee), Jordan Morgan (Philadelphia, Pa./Parkway Northwest) and Tim Gamber (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin). Folmar saw great progression from his core in the spring and is excited to see great competition in pre-season camp. However, don't be surprised to see a couple of true freshman in the rotation early on.
 
WIDE RECEIVER – Kutztown has had an all-conference receiver in each of the past two seasons and will feature two wide outs on the outside who hope to continue that tradition. Brett Fox (Laureldale, Pa./Muhlenburg) appeared in all 11 games for the Golden Bears last season and brought in 48 catches for 765 yards and nine touchdowns during the year. He topped 100 receiving yards in four games and scored two touchdowns on two separate occasions.
 
Alongside Fox is redshirt sophomore Kodi Reed (Hanover, Pa./Delone Catholic). Reed also played in all 11 games last season as a redshirt freshman. He had 31 receptions for 456 yards and six touchdowns during the year. His best game of the season came against Bloomsburg when he recorded eight receptions for 119 yards and two touchdowns.
 
Redshirt sophomore Casey Perlstein (Red Hill, PA/Upper Perkiomen) enters his third year with the Golden Bears in 2013 and earned the Most Improved Player award at this year's spring game. He came in as a quarterback in 2011, but moved to wide receiver just before the 2012 season and has steadily improved at the new position. His speed and 6-1 frame could see great time in the slot this season.
 
Redshirt sophomore Anthony Kelly (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville Area) played in nine games last year and caught a pair of touchdown passes. With the outstanding passing numbers Kutztown has posted in past seasons, it has attracted a talented incoming class of freshman this season that could make an immediate impact.
 
DEFENSE
 
DEFENSIVE LINE – The Golden Bears return a young, but experienced defensive core from a year ago. The experience that was missing in 2012 has been groomed and trained for significant improvement this season.
 
Junior defensive end Zach Greenwald (Gibbstown, N.J./Paulsboro) is the defensive captain for this year's squad and has proven to be one of the toughest ends to block in the conference. A second team All-PSAC selection a year ago, Greenwald excelled in his first year as a starter after transitioning from the linebacker position. He was second on the team with 84 tackles, while his 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks both led the team.
 
Sophomore Tyrone Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) made an immediate impact in his freshman campaign last season. He played in all 11 games and made 30 tackles with four pass deflections. A defensive tackle, Brown is joined up front by fellow sophomore Eric Condron (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge). Condron saw great playing time as well in 2012 as the duo brings great strength up front for Kutztown.
 
Senior Michael Gallagher (Clarksboro, N.J./Kingsway Regional) and junior Jarvis Cummings (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield), who will move from his previous position at linebacker, give the Golden Bears added depth on the defensive line.
 
LINEBACKER – Two of Kutztown's top linebackers return this season. With Kutztown primarily only using two linebackers in most sets, senior Matt Connors (Mechanicsburg, PA/Trinity) and junior Sam Dixon-Dougan lead one of the most experienced groups on the team.
 
Connors racked up 46 tackles last season including an interception and a forced fumble. Dixon-Dougan took tremendous strides last season in his first year as a starter. He had 90 tackles including 36 solo stops during the season and also recorded two sacks and two forced fumbles.
 
Redshirt sophomore Adam Goeringer (Dallas, Pa./Dallas) has shown great progression in his time in the Maroon and Gold thus far and is expected to see great playing time. Gee White (Baltimore, Md./Mount St. Joseph) could also see time at the linebacker position.
 
CORNERBACK – Junior English Peay (Philadelphia, Pa./George Washington) headlines this year's cornerbacks. He racked up 42 tackles last year to boast his career total into triple digits after just two seasons on the field. Peay can be a playmaker with his tremendous hands in the secondary and is expected to help lead the Golden Bear defense on the outside while going against some pass-heavy offenses in the Eastern Division. Not only does Peay's physical ability put him atop the cornerback group, but he is the only returning corner with game experience. So it's safe to say that someone will be starting their first collegiate game on Sept. 7 at Clarion.
 
Kutztown brings in a bevy of defensive backs who will look to fill the void. Time will tell during pre-season camp which player shows the defensive staff that they can be counted on alongside Peay.
 
SAFETY – It was a tremendous blow to the Kutztown secondary last season when senior Alex DiNolfi (Norristown, PA/Norristown) went down with a season-ending injury in the second game of the season. Looking forward, DiNolfi seems to have fully recovered from his injury and will be ready to play in the opener.
 
DiNolfi has often been referred to as the quarterback on the defensive side of the ball. He hopes to return to his 2011 form when he hauled in a record-setting 11 interceptions.
 
Junior Cody Kelso (East Aurora, N.Y./East Aurora (Wagner)) played in 10 games last season and returns as a potential starter heading into the season. The Wagner College transfer in 2012 had 33 total tackles, two fumble recoveries, and three interceptions during the season. Fellow junior Cody Waltimyer (York, Pa./York Suburban) saw some time last season and could see time in one of three safety positions.
 
Sophomore Drake Brumfield (Marietta, Pa./Donegal), the Defensive Most Improved Player last spring, has also shown tremendous growth and will battle for playing time.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS – Junior kicker Jack Ruggieri (West Grove, PA/Avon Grove) returns as Kutztown's placekicker. He has kicked in every game the past two seasons and has made 131 of his 132 PAT attempts. He set the NCAA Division II record for consecutive extra points last season by making his first 127 kicks.
 
Both punters on the roster could see time throughout the season. Senior Nathan Fehr (Bernville. PA/Conrad Weiser) was Kutztown's main punter last season and averaged 37.1 yards per punt. Sophomore Andrew Deutsch (Kutztown, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) could also see time in punting duties.
 
OVERALL – There is no shortage of able bodies ready to take Kutztown football back to the postseason. With all eyes on Folmar and his fresh staff, the Golden Bears will aim to start their season off on a hot note with road contests at Clarion on Sept. 7 and California (PA) on Sept. 14.
 
"We lost a lot of our leadership and veteran players to graduation this year, but we feel we have a good nucleus of younger guys who have been here and have experienced what it's like to win," Folmar said. "That's important because their game experience and leadership will help us win a lot of the close games we know we'll have in this new era of Kutztown football."