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KUTZTOWN, Pa. – A last-second Hail Mary and a thrilling overtime win on the road in last year's season-finale capped the fourth winning season in the last five years for the Kutztown University football team. In a year that will celebrate the history and tradition of the program with its 100th season, KU football aims to use 2015 to build on its winning ways from a year ago and establish itself toward the top of the division.
 
The Golden Bears finished 6-5 last year with a 5-4 record in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) under first-year head coach Jim Clements. Even though the program improved by two wins from the year prior, there's no question that some late-game miscues could have cost the team a shot at two or three additional wins.
 
In the season-opener, Kutztown was tied with the eventual PSAC Champions in Slippery Rock entering the fourth quarter, but was outscored by 11 in the final 15 minutes. KU rebounded with a statement 44-7 win over a powerful Indiana (PA) team, only to have its momentum hindered again on another trip out West. Leading by one at halftime, Kutztown scored a mere seven points in the second half to allow Gannon to escape with a victory on its home turf.
 
The Golden Bears hovered around the .500 mark all season. They built a two-game winning streak late in the year, but let Shippensburg score 34 points in the second half in a five-point comeback win over Kutztown to leave yet another possible road win on the table. In the season-finale at Clarion, Clements nearly saw his Golden Bears let another road game out West slip through their grasp; but big plays down the stretch avoided the upset and sent KU into the sunset with a winning record.
 
"It could have been worse, but it could have been better," Clements said when assessing his team's final record last season. "We lost some games that I thought we were the better team and should have won, and then there were some losses that I just didn't think we had the firepower to take down some of the better teams in the league. If we were able to finish games the way we started them, we easily could have been looking at a seven- or eight-win season.
 
"IUP was a huge win for our program," Clements continued. "It was a miserable day with rain throughout the game, but our guys fought hard and wanted to win in front of their home crowd. KU had never beat IUP before, and I think the final score really opened people's eyes to the quality of our team."
 
Picked to finish fifth in the Eastern Division, Kutztown tied for third in the East last year with East Stroudsburg and Shippensburg, two games that could have gone either way.
 
Looking ahead to the 100th season of Golden Bear football in 2015, a strong group of returners can help propel this once-again winning program to new levels of success that could be remembered for the next 100 seasons. Kutztown returns 37 letter winners and 17-of-24 starters from last year, including nine on offense. Clements believes that with good health and steadied progression on both sides of the ball, could come an explosive team capable of making big plays.
 
"I'd like to believe that the greatest strengths of this team are at the skill positions," Clements said. "Our wide receivers have great experience with a wide array of talents. We return our entire running game and nearly all of our wide-outs from last year. We have plenty of options on offense; we just have to be able to get them the ball in space.
 
"The question mark for us on offense will once again be the offensive line," Clements continued. "We lose two starters from last year and have only a few upperclassmen with no seniors up front. We're confident in the returning starters we have, but staying healthy throughout the year will play a large role in our success up front. Our skill players are only going to be as good as our offensive line, so if we can continue to progress up front and get our skill guys the ball in space, we will score some points.
 
Defensively, KU graduated starters at all three levels of the defense. It returns six starters and 17 letter winners from last year, so expect some new faces to have opportunities at extended playing time throughout the year.
 
OFFENSE
 
QUARTERBACK – Chad Barton (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg) returns for his senior season with the Golden Bears. At this time last year, Barton had only seen limited action under center with zero starts. He went on to win the starting job in preseason camp last year and start all 11 games. He debuted at Slippery Rock and threw a school-record 64 passes in his first start. Barton went on to throw for 2,891 yards and was touted for his ability to protect the ball. He held a 29/8 touchdown/interception ratio and set the school-record for 162 consecutive passes without an interception, spanning over six games.
 
Keeping Barton healthy and in the game should be an early goal for the offense, as Barton is the only quarterback on the roster with game experience. Brennan Scott (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township (Old Dominion)) joined the team last year after transferring from Old Dominion and has a strong arm. Chris Kane (Maple Glen, Pa./La Salle College) is mobile and can run the zone-read offense.
 
Freshman Collin DiGalbo (Secane, Pa./Monsignor Bonner) steps onto campus with great ability. DiGalbo is a proven winner and a strong competitor from a successful career at Archbishop Prendergast High School, with great leadership qualities.
 
RUNNING BACK – Kutztown returns three running backs that played significant time last year. Terry Williams (West Orange, N.J./Cosby (Phoenix College)), James Wah Jr. (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) and Darrell Scott (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone) were a three-headed rushing attack that not only were able to share the ball throughout games and the season, but set KU history against Millersville last year as the first trio in school history to each run for 100 yards.
 
It took Williams nearly a month into the season to showcase his toughness and top-end speed and get double-digit carries, but the New Jersey native took advantage of his opportunity. He took 25 handoffs against Cheyney for a career-high 180 yards and four touchdowns. It jumpstarted his season that earned him All-PSAC Second Team honors in his first year in the Maroon and Gold. Williams led the team with 684 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.
 
Wah Jr. took on the largest load of his young career last year as a sophomore. He led the team with 133 attempts and ran for 543 yards and three scores. Wah Jr. is extremely explosive out of the gate and can make any defender miss with his quick first and second steps. By getting him the ball out in space, including in special teams, his elusiveness can put him in position for big play potential.
 
Scott was the third of the three-headed rushing attack last year. He ran for 344 yards and three touchdowns while battling injuries throughout the season. He looked strong in the spring and is back to full health for his redshirt junior season.
 
Kutztown's running back threats do not end with its three key returners. Redshirt freshman Craig Reynolds (Willow Grove, Pa./Abington), the team's Offensive Scout Player of the Year, worked hard and impressed the coaching staff during his redshirt year. Reynolds has great vision out of the backfield, and can catch and block really well. Clements praises his ability to always move forward and rarely take negative yardage.
 
Clements feels confident that any of the four backs could take 20+ carries right away, so expect great competition and many different schemes out of the backfield this season.
 
WIDE RECEIVER – Kutztown returns nearly the entirety of its receiving core, making the wide-outs and running backs the strongest position groups entering preseason camp. KU has multiple all-conference type of players on the outside with lots of game experience and big play ability.
 
Junior Kellen Williams (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) had a breakout year last year on his way to All-PSAC First Team honors and USA Football Pre-Season All-America First Team accolades this summer. The Chambersburg native is arguably Kutztown's top overall returner and hauled in 856 yards for eight touchdowns last year. Midway through his college career, Williams ranks in the top 15 in KU history in career receiving yards (1,199), touchdowns (13) and catches (93).
 
Redshirt senior Kodi Reed (Hanover, Pa./Delone Catholic) has the chance to set multiple receiving records in his final year at KU. He currently has 1,862 career yards, 133 receptions and 19 touchdowns, and if he continues his extremely steady pace of consistency, should not have a problem hauling in 256 yards and four touchdowns this year to set KU history. Reed needs 33 catches to move into second all-time at KU and would need to have a career year to surpass KU Hall of Famer Mark Steinmeyer's school-record 200 catches from 1988-91.
 
Fellow redshirt senior Anthony Kelly (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville Area) played a significant role in Kutztown's statement win over Indiana (PA) in the home-opener last year. On just six catches, Kelly hauled in 152 yards and a school-record-tying four touchdowns to catapult his season. He led the team with nine receiving touchdowns with 539 yards on 28 catches. He needs 31 yards for 1,000 in his career and his 15 career touchdowns rank 11th in school history.
 
Redshirt freshman Troy Parton (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury) stood out in the spring of the redshirted receivers and should expect to see snaps this season.
 
OFFENSIVE LINE – Kutztown returns three starters on the offensive line, but enters preseason camp the same way it did last year: expecting young talent to come in and earn playing time. Clements noted that the returners looked good in camp and will come back in the fall bigger, stronger and more experienced. However, there is still potential for growth on the line and staying healthy throughout the season will play a large role in the success up front due to depth issues.
 
Returning All-American Jordan Morgan (Philadelphia, Pa./Parkway Northwest) anchors the offensive line from his left tackle position. He was the team MVP last year and earned his first All-PSAC First Team award. He has greatly progressed in his first three years at KU, as the redshirt junior continues to have high expectations and a leadership role in his position group.
 
KU returns no experience at left guard, so expect growing pains with a potential first-year player up front.
 
Ben Cregger (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove) started all 11 games as a sophomore center last year. He may not have even missed a snap during the course of the year, and is expected to do the same again this year until the depth at the position improves.
 
Brian Robbins (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) started seven games at right guard as a redshirt freshman last year. He should progress coming into this year now having game experience under his belt. Also at the guard positions, Ryan Baron (Garwood, N.J./Academy for Allied Health Sciences) has a big body and could earn himself extended playing time as a young player.
 
Skyler Panchari (Pottsville, Pa./Blue Mountain) rotated positions at tight end and right tackle last year, but is expected to be utilized as a right tackle as a true sophomore. His game experience should help him ease into the position, as time in the weight room could make him a dominant right tackle for many years to come.

DEFENSE
 
DEFENSIVE LINE – KU was sad to see its senior class go last year. Highlighted by a trio of 200 career tacklers, the defense will now look to its up-and-comers to fill holes in all three levels of the defense.
 
Up front, seniors Eric Condron (Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge) and Tyrone Brown (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) return at defensive tackle, both of whom have great experience and the capabilities to finish their careers on a high note. Condron earned his first all-conference honor last season with All-PSAC First Team and All-Region Third Team honors. The Pre-Season All-American has played in 32 games with 119 tackles in his career, including 18.5 TFL and eight sacks. Brown played in all 11 games last year and in 27 in his career, giving KU a solid duo up front.
 
Chris McMonagle (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) looks to add depth to the group. He came out in the spring as a tight end, moved to offensive line and now resides on the defensive line. He can certainly push some people around up front and should fight for snaps.
 
KU graduated both starting defensive ends last year. Ronny Tomasetti (Dickson City, Pa./Mid-Valley) returns after working his way into the rotation midway through last season as a redshirt freshman. He had 40 tackles with a team-leading 4.5 sacks. He continued to grow and get stronger in the spring and could have a breakout year as a full-time starter.
 
Redshirt sophomore Steve Plousis (Philadelphia, Pa./Ridley) didn't see many snaps last year, but has gotten stronger and has a really good motor. He played with a cast on his hand for most of last year and has the ability to surprise some people.
 
Fellow redshirt sophomore Zameer McDowell (Royersford, Pa./Spring-Ford (California (PA))) brings the most intrigue to possibly the entire defensive side of the ball. He transferred from California (PA) prior to last year, and redshirted the entire year while transitioning from a tight end to the defensive line. He got a lot of work in last year and practiced with the team all-year. At 6-3, 257 pounds, McDowell can have some big things in front of him if his potential comes to fruition.
 
LINEBACKER – Zack Delp (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) not only leads the position group, but he's set to lead the entire defense as a team captain. He was second on the team in tackles last year with a career-high 90, while leading the way with 13 TFL, three sacks and an interception. Delp, an All-PSAC Second Teamer that earned Pre-Season All-America honors as well, is an intelligent player at the middle linebacker position and is one of the hardest-working players on the defensive side of the ball.
 
Redshirt freshman Tajier Jefferson (East Orange, N.J./Queen of Peace) ran with the first team in the spring, earning him the team's Defensive Scout Player of the Year. At 5-8, he plays with a lot of energy with great speed and strength. Clements feels he plays with a chip on his shoulder and should cause problems for offenses. Those two returners will highlight the linebacker group, as other youth and newcomers hope to help build depth.
 
CORNERBACK – KU graduated a four-year starting cornerback and will be looking for new leadership this year. Redshirt junior Darryl Mintz (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic) will be looked upon early to help fill that role at cornerback. He has improved in his first three years and can play multiple positions on defense. He was second on the team last year with six pass breakups.
 
When healthy, Lance Deane Jr. (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) has a chance to be a shut-down corner. However, the junior has been battling injuries for most of his first two years at KU. He's played in 19 career games thus far with eight passes defended and two interceptions.
 
SAFETY – While trying to find a core starting rotation to start the season, Clements hopes that two juniors can fill in and hold their roles at safety positions. Jalen Nieves (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem) is a returning starter who was third on the team with 77 tackles last year, mostly because of how well he supports the run. He is a physical player and can get even better on the back side as he builds his abilities on stopping the pass.
 
Redshirt junior Kenny Williams (Conshohocken, Pa./Plymouth-Whitemarsh (West Chester)) played in all 11 games last year after transferring from West Chester. He is an athletic defensive back who played a lot of snaps last year and looks to be an early favorite to fill in next to Nieves in the secondary.
 
Fellow redshirt juniors Tyler Pratt (Northumberland, Pa./Shikellamy) and Kurt Kenny (Duncannon, Pa./Susquenita) played in all 11 games last year as Pratt brought in a pair of interceptions. Both should see increased playing time this year. Marquise Poston (Philadelphia, Pa./Frankford) saw action as a true freshman last year and can help out at multiple positions.
 
Opportunity is certainly there for players to step up and earn significant playing time in the secondary.
 
SPECIAL TEAMS – As unsure as the kicker/punter situation was last year, that much certainty and confidence can be placed in the returning unit this year. Donning a pair of All-PSAC performers, KU got into a strong rhythm early in the season in the punting and kicking game.
 
One of the significant factors to last year's success was the emergence of then-freshman kicker Alec Rosenfeld (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem). Named All-PSAC First Team and All-Region Third Team, Rosenfeld set the school-record for field goal percentage in a season at 85.7 percent. He made 12-of-14 field goals including a season-long of 46 yards. Entering his sophomore season, look for Rosenfeld to continue to impress with his long-range and consistent abilities.
 
After pulling double-duty a year prior, Andrew Deutsch (Kutztown, Pa./Northwestern Lehigh) settled in as the full-time punter last year. He earned his first career All-PSAC honor and dons Pre-Season All-America accolades as well. He averaged 39 yards-per-punt with 25 inside the 20-yardline, one of the best ratios in the PSAC. Deutsch enters his final season at KU.
 
UP NEXT – The Golden Bears open the 2015 season on Saturday, September 5 at home against Assumption. Kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m. It will mark the beginning of the 100th season in program history.