Bloomsburg football

[NewFootballDad]

The defensive performance from week 1 is what I envisioned it could be. The last couple of classes have been loaded with talented kids. It took a year or so and they might still have some growing pains going forward but the Bloom defense is legit this year and should keep them in every game. The QB1 was looking very good until he was injured. That stings as I’m not sure how well the backups can throw it. I feel like they’ll have to be heavy dose of running plays with an occasional play action mixed in and let the defense and kicking game win some games until the QB1 hopefully gets back. The Bloom kickers looked outstanding last week as well which was GREAT to see!! On to Edinboro!!

Agree on all points! Looking forward to Saturday!

[BloomFootballDad]

The defensive performance from week 1 is what I envisioned it could be. The last couple of classes have been loaded with talented kids. It took a year or so and they might still have some growing pains going forward but the Bloom defense is legit this year and should keep them in every game. The QB1 was looking very good until he was injured. That stings as I’m not sure how well the backups can throw it. I feel like they’ll have to be heavy dose of running plays with an occasional play action mixed in and let the defense and kicking game win some games until the QB1 hopefully gets back. The Bloom kickers looked outstanding last week as well which was GREAT to see!! On to Edinboro!!

[Bart]

Not sure if it counts, but K Decker is a freshman starter. PK Kashynski was listed as a freshman but is a transfer.

Coach Sheptock put a lot of effort into recruiting two of PA's top K/Ps from the 2026 HS class, bringing in Reagan Decker from Delaware Valley and Cole Richards from Whitehall.

QB Ruhland stepped in when needed and proved that he is still in the fight for QB1

It was a fun game to be at!

The kicking game was great. I overlooked that part of the starting lineup. Good catch. But I did notice it during the game in a previous post. It will be a difference maker this year.

[NewFootballDad]

Preview up. Only 3 freshmen on the two deep, no starting freshmen.

https://bloomsburgathletics.com/news...ont-state.aspx

Not sure if it counts, but K Decker is a freshman starter. PK Kashynski was listed as a freshman but is a transfer.

Coach Sheptock put a lot of effort into recruiting two of PA's top K/Ps from the 2026 HS class, bringing in Reagan Decker from Delaware Valley and Cole Richards from Whitehall.

QB Ruhland stepped in when needed and proved that he is still in the fight for QB1.

It was a fun game to be at!

[TheBigCat2192]

OK. Rushing yards was 278. Lost 59. Net 219.

In fairness, Ruhland had two dropped passes, including a beautiful throw that would have been TD. The QBs only attempted 12 passes total, and maybe the lead had something to do with that. This is going to be a run first team.

It was still an encouraging performance for a team that’s working in a new guy or two at QB and wasn’t great on defense last year. My comment was primarily pointing out that the official score keeping actually undersold the team in some ways.

[Bart]

The rushing number is really more like 257 - remember that the botched snap on a punt that lost them 36 yards technically counts as a rush, and they "lost" two yards on a kneeldown at the end of the game. The third down conversions need to be better, but that "14" attempts is counting the kneeldown as well, so the number is more like 4/13. While that's still not great, I'm willing to give the team more time, and also think it's worth remembering our expectations may be too high after an absurdly effective 3rd/4th down attack last year. I'm hopeful for Etheridge to be healthy enough to go next week because Ruhland really didn't do much passing the ball. He only had one first down on seven passing attempts, no TDs, and no really explosive plays (long of 17).

OK. Rushing yards was 278. Lost 59. Net 219.

In fairness, Ruhland had two dropped passes, including a beautiful throw that would have been TD. The QBs only attempted 12 passes total, and maybe the lead had something to do with that. This is going to be a run first team.

[TheBigCat2192]

QB Etheridge was having himself a game before the 2nd quarter "apparent hamstring injury" per Press Enterprise. In pregame radio interview HC Sheptock praised him as a confident dual threat with a soft touch in passing and a good teammate. Backup QB Ruhland came in and didn't miss a beat, rushing for 66 yards including a 35 TD run. Rushing game totaled 219 yards compared to 63 for Fairmont, holding them to 1.7 yards per carry. The OL was also missing about 3 players due to injuries who would have been in the rotation. The passing game was limited to 109 yards, with WR Wolfe pulling in a 48 yard reception and a 30 TD reception, along with a 19 run.

The D was dominant. LB is deep and likely the strongest area of the whole team.

It was good to see the kicking game excel. Kickoff specialist Decker was hitting the end-zone, and PK Kashynski hit every extra point which didn't happen in the kicking game last year, and barely missed wide on a 54 yard FG attempt. Last year Bloom lost to Fairmont on the last play of the game because they went for 2 because they didn't have faith in the extra point try. Kicking game could be a difference maker given they lost 6 games by 8 or fewer points last year.

They need to clean up the 5 fumbles, although they didn't lose any. One was on a 4th down attempt. There also was a bad snap on a punt that lost 36 yards. They also need to improve on 3rd down conversions as they went 4 for 14.

Fairmont will be at Bloom for the next two seasons.

The rushing number is really more like 257 - remember that the botched snap on a punt that lost them 36 yards technically counts as a rush, and they "lost" two yards on a kneeldown at the end of the game. The third down conversions need to be better, but that "14" attempts is counting the kneeldown as well, so the number is more like 4/13. While that's still not great, I'm willing to give the team more time, and also think it's worth remembering our expectations may be too high after an absurdly effective 3rd/4th down attack last year. I'm hopeful for Etheridge to be healthy enough to go next week because Ruhland really didn't do much passing the ball. He only had one first down on seven passing attempts, no TDs, and no really explosive plays (long of 17).

[Bart]

QB Etheridge was having himself a game before the 2nd quarter "apparent hamstring injury" per Press Enterprise. In pregame radio interview HC Sheptock praised him as a confident dual threat with a soft touch in passing and a good teammate. Backup QB Ruhland came in and didn't miss a beat, rushing for 66 yards including a 35 TD run. Rushing game totaled 219 yards compared to 63 for Fairmont, holding them to 1.7 yards per carry. The OL was also missing about 3 players due to injuries who would have been in the rotation. The passing game was limited to 109 yards, with WR Wolfe pulling in a 48 yard reception and a 30 TD reception, along with a 19 run.

The D was dominant. LB is deep and likely the strongest area of the whole team.

It was good to see the kicking game excel. Kickoff specialist Decker was hitting the end-zone, and PK Kashynski hit every extra point which didn't happen in the kicking game last year, and barely missed wide on a 54 yard FG attempt. Last year Bloom lost to Fairmont on the last play of the game because they went for 2 because they didn't have faith in the extra point try. Kicking game could be a difference maker given they lost 6 games by 8 or fewer points last year.

They need to clean up the 5 fumbles, although they didn't lose any. One was on a 4th down attempt. There also was a bad snap on a punt that lost 36 yards. They also need to improve on 3rd down conversions as they went 4 for 14.

Fairmont will be at Bloom for the next two seasons.

[Bart]

Bloom using coach to player helmet communication for the first time. Multiple players will have it, but only 1 can be active at a time and it has to cut off in 15 seconds per rules. QB and FS will be using them. Also the team will have instantaneous video on the sideline due to WiFi.

[Bart]

Preview up. Only 3 freshmen on the two deep, no starting freshmen.

https://bloomsburgathletics.com/news...ont-state.aspx

[Bart]

QB commit: Colton Sams Southern Lehigh All State QB 2x (1st team) and 2025 State Champion, Top 25 Mr. PA football— 6’1 180 all time record holder in yards, touchdowns, completions. Class of 27

https://www.hudl.com/profile/18838862/Colton-Sams

[Bart]

"According to longtime Bloomsburg Football radio broadcaster Jim Doyle, Etheridge is primed to start for the Huskies when the season rolls around."
https://buvoice.com/9215/sports/new-...tball-is-back/

[Bart]

Most guys on these rosters had great high school careers. My guess would be that Etheridge, the transfer from IUP, will get the nod since he’s the only guy on the roster that actually has collegiate experience. Another oddity I noticed on the roster is that OL Schulz, who’s started 21 games across two years split by an injury season, is listed as a TE. He was never all-conference or someone I thought was an elite OL but I find it odd he’d be converted now.

Schultz started every game at center last year. The offensive line might be deeper this year in order to replace him and put him as a blocking TE. Tells me the offense is going to be run oriented.

[Ship69]

Feel like the divisions have been mostly fine, even with Bloom and Ship on leaner times. ESU has risen up a bit, and Shepherd basically replaced Bloom as the division contender against the favorite in Kutztown. Just cycled through to different programs. Ship and LHU basically swapped pole positions for a few years there, which was more of a surprise when you read it.

Don't think I agree. Shepherd hasn't really been in a good East Division with anything like the strong Bloom, Ship, and West Chester programs of the past. Lock Haven has certainly improved, but having a barely winning record hardly put it into a pole position, and now the Bald Eagles are in the West anyway. Other than Kutztown, East Stroud is about the only one of the old guard that has really made significant program in the past few years. Money and the transfer portal have shifted football, and it's hard to know how it will all shake out,

[TheBigCat2192]

Gee had a great high school career before enrolling at Robert Morris. If he didn't get the Bloom QB job and left the program, maybe they wanted him to play slot due to his quickness. May not know how the QB situation turns out until starting lineup and backups released. QB Smith de-committed from Lafayette and should be in the running along with the IUP transfer and 4 others. It is difficult to keep up with roster changes. Someone said youth is wasted on the young.

Most guys on these rosters had great high school careers. My guess would be that Etheridge, the transfer from IUP, will get the nod since he’s the only guy on the roster that actually has collegiate experience. Another oddity I noticed on the roster is that OL Schulz, who’s started 21 games across two years split by an injury season, is listed as a TE. He was never all-conference or someone I thought was an elite OL but I find it odd he’d be converted now.