August 28th, 2024 4:00pm
Welcome to the 2024 PSAC football season. It all starts with five PSAC teams in Week Zero action this week. The rest of the PSAC will start their season next week as Week One action commences. Before we start taking a look at the preseason predictions, there are a couple of changes in the PSAC worth mentioning. The PSAC West has lost a team heading into 2024. Mercyhurst has made the move to the Northeast Conference and will now be playing a Division I FCS schedule this year. In the PSAC East, we have a coaching change heading into the season. Bill Zwaan retired after last season as the winningest coach in West Chester football program history. Duke Greco, coming from a successful run at Division III Delaware Valley College where he was 91-15 over nine seasons, is the new head coach of the Golden Rams.
In the PSAC East, Kutztown was picked as the favorite by the head coaches in the preseason poll and also came in at number nine, the highest ranked PSAC team, in the D2Football Preseason Top 25 Poll. The Golden Bears are coming off a historic run in 2023 winning both the PSAC and the Super Region One Championships. Head Coach Jim Clements was also named the PSAC East and Super Region One Coach of the Year in 2023. PSAC East Freshman of the Year, Judd Novak, returns at quarterback this season. Kutztown’s defense was ranked first in the league last year allowing only 16.7 points per game. Shepherd was picked second behind Kutztown and East Stroudsburg was picked third. Rounding out the field in order of predicted finish was West Chester, Lock Haven, Millersville, Shippensburg, and Bloomsburg. Kutztown is certainly the team to beat but Shepherd and East Stroudsburg will also be top tier teams in the PSAC East looking to make a run for the title and earning a playoff spot. Lock Haven is on the rise and should make things interesting this season.
In the PSAC West, Slippery Rock was the coaches pick to take the top spot. The Rock, the 2023 PSAC West Champions, has made the playoffs each of the last five years. They return the PSAC West and Super Region One Offensive Athlete of the Year in quarterback Brayden Long. Long was also a Harlon Hill Trophy finalist last season. California (PA) was picked second and IUP was picked third heading into this season by the coaches. Gannon was picked fourth followed by Seton Hill, Edinboro, and Clarion. Slippery Rock could run the table in the PSAC West but California (PA) and IUP are certainly gearing up to make some noise of their own in the quest for the PSAC West title and securing a playoff spot.
Week Zero Games – Thursday 8/29/24
Clarion (0-0, 0-0 PSAC West) at Millersville (0-0, 0-0 PSAC East) – 7 PM
Clarion was picked to finish last out of the seven teams in the PSAC West by the head coaches in the preseason poll. Head Coach Raymond Monica is entering his 15th season and third at Clarion where he is 5-17. Monica was the head coach at Kutztown in the PSAC East from 2006-2012. On offense for Golden Eagles, dual threat quarterback Anthony Guercio returns this season. On defense, two All PSAC West Second Team players , defensive end Jake Tarburton and linebacker Griffin Buzzell, return to anchor the defense.
Millersville was picked to finish sixth out of the eight teams by the coaches in the PSAC East preseason poll. Head Coach J.C. Morgan enters his seventh season with a record of 14-41. The Marauders return quarterback Robert Footman Jr. and 2023 Second Team All PSAC East running back Jaheim Morris who had 822 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns last season. Lex Rivera and Zac Shelley return on the offensive line. On defense, Millersville is looking for linebacker Hez Faison, along with defensive backs Gus Ross and Imir Lilliston, to lead the charge.
My Prediction: Millersville – The Marauders have the edge in this one at home.
East Stroudsburg (0-0, 0-0 PSAC East) at Edinboro (0-0, 0-0 PSAC West) – 7 PM
East Stroudsburg was picked to finish third out of the eight teams in the PSAC East by the coaches before the season. Head Coach Jimmy Terwilliger is entering his fifth season at the helm with a record of 25-22. After using several quarterbacks in 2023, Sean McTaggart is the projected starter for this season. Second Team All PSAC East running back Tyriq Lewis also returns for the Warriors. Also coming back in 2024 are the top six receivers including Second Team ALL PSAC receiver John Siggins who led the team with 442 receiving yards and seven touchdowns a year ago. Four of the five offensive linemen are also returning anchored by First Team All PSAC East left tackle Tim Kinney. On the other side of the ball, defensive backs Adewale Obayanju and Noah Hambrick will be tasked with leading a unit that has lost six starters from last season.
Edinboro was picked to finish sixth out of the seven PSAC West teams by the coaches before the season. Head Coach Jake Nulph enters his fifth season leading the Fighting Scots with a 12-20 career record. On offense, Edinboro returns the quarterback tandem of Isaac Bernard and Matt Carlisle. They also return four starters on the offensive line. On defense, First Team All PSAC West linebacker C.J. Waldier and Second Team All PSAC West defensive back Toby Cline both return this season. Standout punter Reed Martin, who was also All PSAC West, returns to lead the special teams.
My Prediction: East Stroudsburg –The Warriors offense should be the difference in this one.
Seton Hill (0-0, 0-0 PSAC West) at Fairmont State (WV) (0-0, 0-0 MEC) – 7 PM
Seton Hill was selected by the coaches in the preseason to finish fifth out of the seven teams in the PSAC West. Head Coach Dan Day is entering his sixth season at Seton Hill and is 15-29 in leading the Griffins. First Team All PSAC West running back Ky’Ron Craggette returns to lead the offense. Seven starters return on defense including linebackers Richie McCormack and Musa Tama who will be called upon to lead the way.
Fairmont State was picked to finish fourth out of the ten teams in the MEC in their conference’s preseason poll. They return over 40 players from last years squad which went 8-3 in 2023. Luke Barker is in his first season as Head Coach of the Falcons after coming on board in February. Barker was most recently the Offensive Coordinator at the University of Charleston and served as an assistant in the PSAC at IUP prior to that. On offense, Will Adkins is returning with some experience at quarterback and there is a lot of depth at the running back position. The defense returns a core group from last season with the defensive backfield being a strength.
My Prediction: Fairmont State – The Falcons prevail in this one at home.