For the 2016 season, I have decided to do the season previews differently. In past years, the individual team capsules did not get many clicks. It was a lot of work to prepare 16 individual blogs, most of which received very little readership, so this year, there will be one blog for the East and one for the West. The PSAC East Division 2016 Preview1. IUP

Team Website
2016 Schedule
2016 Roster
2015 Statistics
Preseason Notes

Five Year HistoryFive Players to watch
QB Lenny Williams (So.)
RB Chris Temple (Jr.)
OL Ethan Cooper (Sr.)
LB Kevin Clarke (Sr.)
DB Steve Franco (Sr.)

Last year:This year: Everyone is sure of what to expect from IUP heading into this year. They were a play away from taking down Shepherd in the playoffs, which would have put them in the regional final against Slippery Rock - A matchup, which at the time would have been favorable for the Crimson Hawks. Most of that team is back this year, and they are year more experienced and very, very hungry.

Williams is hardly the only top talent returning. Chris Temple (1212 rushing yards, 17TD in 2015) will probably be the best running back in the league and possibly the region. Luigi Lista-Brinza is also back and this trio of ball carriers will operate behind a strong offensive line that returns a lot of experience, led by All-Conference selection Ethan Cooper. Leading receivers Walt Pegues (57 catches, 753 yards, 3TD) and Swahneek Brown (27 catches, 357 yards, 2TD) are in the lineup as well.

The defense does not return the same numbers that the offense does, but the quality of the returning talent is enough to be excited about. The secondary, which was responsible for 22 interceptions last year, returns four hard-hitting starters, led by Steve Franco, who had three of the interceptions and contributed 65 total tackles. The front seven will need some new bodies in the rotation, but linebacker Kevin Clarke and linemen Jemal Averette and Jay Watkins were All-Conference defenders in 2015.

The schedule is set up nicely too. The Indiana faithful will have to wait until October to see the Crimson Hawks at home for the first time, but the early season road trips are all very winnable games. IUP should be able to simply out-talent the first four opponents. Cheyney is a freebie. ESU, Edinboro and Seton Hill will put up fights, for sure, but none have the same level or depth or talent. The first real test will come in week five at California. The schedule gets tough at that point, but five of the last seven games are at home, which is fantastic when making a push towards the post season.

Bottom Line:2. Slippery Rock

Team Website
2016 Schedule
2016 Roster
2015 Statistics

Five Year HistoryFive Players to watch
DL Marcus Martin (Jr.)
DL Joe Phillips (Sr.)
DB Titus Howard (Jr.)
RB Shamar Greene (Sr.)
OL Joe LoSchiavo (Sr.)


Last year:Bottom line:3. California

Team Website
2016 Schedule
2016 Roster
2015 Statistics

Five Year HistoryFive Players to watch
DB Aaron Terry (Sr.)
WR Gary Brown (Sr.)
TE Desimon Green (Sr.)
DB Jordan Bowman (Sr.)
OL Tyler Peerson (Sr.)

Last year: The Vulcans won 8 games in 2015, but lost the two critical west division match ups with Slippery Rock and IUP, and lost at home to Bloomsburg in week two. All three of those teams had exceptional defenses and California just could not muster enough offense against any of them. That problem kept them out of contention for the PSAC west and out of the playoff picture for the fourth straight year. Despite those struggles, QB James Harris earned PSAC West offensive player of the year honors and receivers Gary Brown and Kowan Scott each had over 1,000 receiving yards. Unfortunately, the program was slightly surprised by the resignation of head coach Mike Kellar, who accepted the head coaching position at Lenoir-Rhyne in Hickory, North Carolina.

This year:Bottom line: 4. Clarion

Team Website
2016 Schedule
2016 Roster
2015 Statistics

Five Year History
2015: 7-4
2014: 2-9
2013: 4-7
2012: 4-7
2011: 3-8

Head Coach: Chris Weibel (2nd season, 7-4)
Defensive Coordinator: James Thomas
Offensive Coordinator: Weibel

Five Players to watch
QB Connor Simmons (Sr.)
WR Matt Lehman (Sr.)
WR Kevin Genevro (Sr.)
PK Phil Esposito (Sr.)
DB Myles Edmonds (Jr.)

Last year: This year:Bottom line: With the amount reloading they have to do, pushing into the top three in the PSAC West will be tough to do, but the rest of the division is wide open. They have the talent to score points and should be a lot of fun to watch. They could be in some pretty thrilling shootouts.


5. Gannon

Team Website
2016 Schedule
2016 Roster
2015 Statistics
Preseason Notes


Five Year History
2015: 6-5
2014: 8-2
2013: 6-5
2012: 3-8
2011: 4-7

Head Coach: Brad Rzyczycki (5th season, 23-20)
Defensive Coordinator: Josh Hoeg
Offensive Coordinator: John Thompson

Five Players to watch
WR Eli Quinter (So.)
WR Quad Law (Sr.)
WR Brandon Mansell (Jr.)
DB Mike Zanders (Sr.)
DL Mathew Gawlik (Sr.)

Last year:This year: Expectations outside the program will not be as high as 2016 approaches. The Knights lost a lot of depth on defense and all of their most explosive weapons on offense. Nadler was one of the best players in school history and replacing him will be hard. Zach Phillips did take a decent number of snaps last year in relief and should be the top competitor for the starting job. He is the only QB on the roster that has taken a snap in the Gannon offense. His primary competition will be Saginaw Valley State transfer Tyler Palka, who saw limited action in seven games for the Cardinals last year Leading rusher and All-conference RB Brock Jones is also gone, as is leading receiver Jesstin Hamm.

Head Coach Brad Rzyczycki embraces the challenge of a young roster and emphasized the competition it produces for starting positions. I see some sense in that point of view, but inexperience will be hard to make up for against the top half of the PSAC West.

Bottom line:6. Seton Hill

Team Website
2016 Schedule
2016 Roster
2015 Statistics

Five Year History
2015: 3-8
2014: 3-8
2013: 1-10
2012: 0-11
2011: 1-10

Head Coach: Isaac Collins (4th season, 7-26)
Defensive Coordinator: Ralph Clark
Offensive Coordinator: Charles Eger

Five Players to watch
QB Christian Strong (Jr.)
WR Jarvis McClam (Sr.)
WR Ardell Brown (So.)
LB Nicholas Boynton (Sr.)
LB Dexter Williams (Sr.)

Last year: Three wins does not tell the full story for Seton Hill. The competitive form shown by the Griffins was a huge step in the right direction for this building program. The win over conference champion Slippery Rock was no fluke. Sure, they caught the Rock by surprise but they battled all day and never let Rock take control of the game. Near misses with West Chester, California and Bloomsburg further emphasized how far they have come.

This year: Bottom line: 7. Edinboro

Team Website
2016 Schedule
2016 Roster
2015 Statistics

Five Year History
2015: 0-11
2014: 3-8
2013: 5-6
2012: 4-6
2011: 7-4

Head Coach: Justin Lustig (1st season, 0-0)
Defensive Coordinator:
Offensive Coordinator: Chris Limbach

Five Players to watch
TE: Nick Helmick (Sr.)
QB Jake Sisson (Jr.)
OL Zack Hartin (Sr.)
DL Josh Kibbie (Sr.)
LB Austin Mietz (Sr.)

Last year:This year:Bottom line: A new staff will bring some much needed optimism and a fresh outlook. The players really need that and hopefully it will pay off in the form of wins. Expectations will be low after a winless season, but this year could deliver some surprises. There are winnable games on the schedule. This roster has to learn how to win, but the excitement brought by a new staff will be worth something.

8. Mercyhurst

Team Website
2016 Schedule
2016 Roster
2015 Statistics

Five Year History
2015: 5-6
2014: 7-4
2013: 7-4
2012: 9-2
2011: 4-7

Head Coach: Marty Schaetzle (15th season, 75-80)
Defensive Coordinator: Jeff Gutowski
Offensive Coordinator: Schaetzle

Five Players to watch
DL Beji Abercrombie (Sr.)
DB Tarique Ellis (Sr.)
LB Bruno Natter (Sr.)
OL Ryan Michaels (Jr.)
QB Logan Weaver (Jr.)

Last year: 2015 started with tons of promise after a win over NE10 Bentley, followed by upsets of PSAC East powers West Chester and Bloomsburg. Unfortunately, the season collapsed in a hurry with a 0-4 start in divisional play, including a tough 3 point loss to rival Gannon. Victories over Edinboro and Seton Hill were the only West division wins of the season, as the Lakers turned a 3-0 start into a 2-6 finish. Injuries were costly, especially at the quarterback position. The highlight of the season was a Thursday night televised victory at Edinboro. As a team, the Lakers rushed for 306 yards.

This year: Bottom line: [email protected] and you can follow me on Twitter @D2Chuck