The undefeated Delaware Valley University football team, ranked as high as 9th in Division III, will look to improve to 6-0 when it welcomes Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) rival Lycoming College to Doylestown for a 12 p.m. kickoff at Robert A. Lipinski field on Saturday.
After last week's 26-7 road win over 25th ranked Stevenson University, the Aggies moved up to number nine in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Coaches' Poll and 15th in the D3football.com top 25 poll.
The Mustangs were picked to finish second behind DelVal in the MAC preseason coaches' poll, but the Aggies handled them comfortably. The defense got the team out to a 6-0 lead four minutes into the game thanks to an Anthony Nobile interception and return to the Stevenson one-yard line. DelVal built its lead to 19-0 with 5:52 left in the third quarter, and didn't allow the Mustangs on the board until 4:18 in regulation. After the Stevenson touchdown, the Aggies marched 91 yards for a touchdown with 13-straight run plays that chewed 7:17 of game time and ultimately sealed the 26-7 victory.
When the Warriors visit DelVal on Saturday, it will be for the final time as member of the Middle Atlantic Conference. Beginning next year, Lycoming and Wilkes University will join the Landmark Conference to become the ninth and 10th full-time members.
Saturday's contest will be the 60th meeting between the Warriors and the Aggies on the gridiron. Lycoming owns a 33-25-1 record. The lone tie came in a 7-7 game played in Doylestown when Dick Bedesem was the head coach for the Green and Gold. The Warriors last win was a narrow 43-42 win on their home field in 2015.
DelVal has won each of the last five meetings including last year's 32-7 victory in Williamsport. The Aggies put up 275 yards of total offense in that game and held Lycoming to 222 including just 64 yards rushing. The defense forced six turnovers including two interceptions by Blaine Netterman, a pick-six by Jamir Prevard, and 46-yard scoop-and-score by Yusuf Aladinov.
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SCOUTING THE AGGIES
Eighth-year head coach Duke Greco, coaching in his seventh season due to the COVID-19 pandemic that canceled the 2020 campaign, is the program's all-time winningest coach with an astounding record of 75-12 overall and an .862 win-percentage. Greco, a 2003 graduate of DelVal, and his staff are 68-7 in regular season games and 58-5 against MAC opponents.
The Aggies are 5-0 to start the season for the second year in a row with league wins over King's, Misericordia, and Stevenson, and non-conference wins over Westminster (Pa.) and Montclair State.
The 2022 Aggies are once again led by a defense that ranks among the best units in the country led by four preseason All-Americans in seniors Yusuf Aladinov, Blaine Netterman, Anthony Nobile and Michael Nobile.
Michael Nobile has six sacks this season and 42 for his career. He became the program's all-time sack leader when he surpassed Kyle Gesswein's mark of 39 set in 2010. Nobile's 42 career sacks and 83.5 career tackles for loss both lead all active players in college football across all divisions. This year he has 18 tackles and six tackles for loss to go with a force fumble and five quarterback hurries.
Aladinov is coming off an All-American junior season that saw him earn Regional Defensive Player of the Year honors. He finished second in the nation last season with 23.5 tackles for loss and ranked 11th with 11.5 sacks. This season, Aladinov is fifth in Division III with a team-high 11.5 tackles for loss – five of which have been sacks.
Anthony Nobile is coming off a game where he had four tackles, half a sack, and an interception that he returned 27 yards to the one-yard line to setup a touchdown. For the year, he has 16 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and six quarterback hurries. Â
Netterman, a three-time all-MAC first team member, has 11 career interceptions but is still in search of his first one this season. He needs just three more picks to move into third all-time and six to move into second all-time at DelVal. Netterman has recorded 24 tackles this season from his safety position.
As a whole, the Aggie defense, led by the 2021 coordinator of the year, Nick Brady, is second in the nation in total defense with 154.6 yards per game allowed. They are tied fifth in points per game allowed at 5.4 per showing, eighth in rush defense (44.8 ypg.), eighth in pass defense (109.8 ypg.), tied-fourth in fumbles recovered (8), and tied-ninth in team tackles for loss (42).
Linebackers Nick Chapman, Ahmad Jones, and Anthony Puntolillo are the team's top-3 tacklers with 33, 32, and 26, respectively. The trio, combined with the fourth linebacker, Tyler Fullmore, have combined for 14.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, and an interception.
Safety Cole Kitchen has been a player to watch all over the field with 25 tackles, 1.5 TFL, an interception, and a pass breakup.
On the other side of the ball, the offense returned three all-conference starters in senior full back Walt Truxell, junior wide receiver Tahmir Barksdale, and senior left tackle Bam Bannavti. Senior center Kieren Saunders is another player with significant experience on the offensive line.
DelVal has posted 129 points through five games (25.8 avg.) and continues to show a balanced attack that posts 150.02 yards per game rushing and 159 yards per game passing.
Junior quarterback Louie Barrios was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Week after going 12-for-17 for 190 yards and two touchdown passes with another two rushing scores and nine carries for 40 yards. In the last three weeks, Barrios is 27-for-40 (67.5%) with 337 yards and five touchdowns. For the season he has seven passing touchdowns and 741 passing yards.
Junior Tahmir Barksdale, a two-time All-American punt returner, had his best game of the season last week from his wide receiver position. He torched Stevenson for 113 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions.
Sophomore tailback Jay White is the squad's leading rusher with 85 carries for 418 yards and four touchdowns. Backing him up is Tim Weldon who has 28 runs for 66 yards and ran hard at the end of last week's contest. Â
On special teams, senior Pat Moran handles the punting duties and averages 33.5 yards per punt on 29 attempts with two boots over 50 yards, six punts inside the opponent's 20, and a long punt of 55 yards. Nick Choi is 1-for-1 on field goal attempts with a successful 22-yard kick in week one. Barksdale has not seen many return opportunities in the return game. His longest return through 13 attempts came on a 25-yard scamper last week.
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SCOUTING THE WARRIORS
Head Coach Mike Clark and his Warriors are 2-2 this year and 1-1 in MAC play. They defeated Albright, 45-0, for their first league win before dropping a 28-23 decision at home against King's last week. In non-conference play, Lycoming dropped its season opener to Susquehanna at home, 45-16, but defeated Lebanon Valley on the road, 21-20.
The Warriors post 26.3 points per game and allow 23.3 per game to their opponents. They run the ball over 38 times per game and average 116.5 yards per showing with five touchdowns via the ground. Through the air, they average 29 attempts per game and 141.8 yards per game with six touchdowns.
The defense allows 119.8 yards per game on the ground and over 218 yards per game through the air. The Warrior pass defense ranks ninth in the league and their defensive efficiency is next to last.
Senior quarterback Elijah Shemory completes 41.6% (47-of-113) passes with 550 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions. A threat to run, Shemory has a team-high 49 carries and four rushing touchdowns with 94 yards.
Heath Jones, a sophomore, is the primary back and also has 49 attempts for 206 yards this year. Michael VanHorn, a first-year tailback has 71 yards on 19 carries and a rushing touchdown.
Junior Brandon Timothy is the team's leading receiver with 11 catches for 170 yards and two touchdowns while nine other players have caught at least one pass including Jones who has three receiving touchdowns out of the backfield.
The defense is led by senior linebacker Cole Senior and his 39 tackles, four tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks with one forced fumble. Hunter Campbell and Austin Rowley each have two interceptions this season with 31 and 28 tackles, respectively. Lycoming has 26 tackles for loss as a team but ranks ninth in the MAC with just seven sacks.
On special teams, Ian Plankenhorn is 5-for-9 on field goal attempts with four made from 30-39 yards and a long of 39 yards. He has had two attempts blocked. Michael Coe is the punter and averages just shy of 37 yards per punt with five inside the 20-yard line.
The MAC contest will kickoff at 12 p.m. at Robert A. Lipinski Field in Doylestown.
