Kutztown U, fueled by several Berks products, poised for another strong run
After the most successful football season in program history Kutztown University is positioned for another strong run.
The Golden Bears, who have won 11 games in each of the past two seasons, are ranked 13th in the AFCA preseason Top 25 and 14th in the D2Football.com preseason rankings. They were picked to finish second in the Pennsylvania Conference Eastern Division, behind Shepherd.
They open Saturday at Assumption at noon. The home opener is Sept. 10 against California at noon.
Jim Clements’ roster is stuffed with Berks County products, eight altogether, including three freshman. Several will play prominent roles.
Boyertown’s Jerry Kapp, now a grad student and team captain, returns at wide receiver after a career-best year in which he had 43 receptions for 812 yards and eight touchdowns, all of which led the team.
Kapp, an All-PSAC East First Team pick, is a gamebreaker who had three scores of 49 yards or longer last season, including a 72-yard TD reception in a victory at nationally ranked Shepherd during the regular season and an 84-yard score in the PSAC championship game against Slippery Rock.
Gov. Mifflin’s Kam Wolfe, a senior defensive back, is an integral part of the defense. He started three games at linebacker last year, making 37 tackles, three for loss, with two sacks. The former Mustangs quarterback will likely end up in the defensive backfield and play a key role on special teams.
Nate Millard, an All-State pick last season at Daniel Boone, has won the starting placekicker’s job. He hit 4-of-7 field goals and 23-of-25 PATs for the Blazers. His best kick, from 46 yards, matched the Boone record for longest field goal.
Conrad Weiser’s Adam Kase earned high marks as a starter at offensive tackle last season before being knocked out with a knee injury, which required ACL surgery.
Weiser grad Alex MacKenzie, a redshirt junior, is in line for time at tight end.
The Golden Bears roster also includes redshirt linebacker Brandon Strausser of Gov. Mifflin and freshmen JJ Jackson of Wyomissing, a defensive lineman, and Eden Johnson of Gov. Mifflin, a defensive back.
Kutztown captured its second PSAC championship and advanced to the NCAA Division II quarterfinals. The Bears ended up one play shy of the national semifinals.
It has been a steady uphill climb for Kutztown under Clements, who arrived in 2014. The two-time reigning AFCA Region 1 and PSAC East Coach of the Year guided the Golden Bears to winning records in each of his previous seven seasons at the helm and has 14 winning seasons in 15 overall going back to his time at Division III Delaware Valley (2006-13).
KU has won 15 straight PSAC East games dating back to 2018 and appeared in the NCAA playoffs each of the last three seasons. Clements is poised to become the program’s all-time winningest coach, entering the season two wins shy of tying George Baldwin’s current record of 61.
Here’s a closer look at the team:
OFFENSE
Quarterbacks
Redshirt junior Donny Blaine (Jefferson Township, Pa./North Pocono) was thrown into the fire last season with veteran starter Eric Nickel (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) battling early season injuries and showed flashes of what he can bring to the table as QB1. In four games, the North Pocono product went 34-for-61 (55.7%) with 513 yards and five touchdowns. He also added a pair on the ground.
Blaine was called upon at nationally ranked IUP, where he threw for a season-high 244 yards and two scores. In the national quarterfinal game against conference rival Shepherd, Blaine came off the bench and accounted for four touchdowns (two passing, two rushing) as the Golden Bears rallied from three scores down to take a late fourth quarter lead before falling 30-28.
Blaine is the only quarterback on the roster who has attempted a pass. He is expected to be backed up by junior Ian Haynes (Franklin, Pa./Franklin) in Week 1.
Running Backs
Kutztown’s ability to run the ball effectively was one of its greatest strengths in 2021. The Golden Bears averaged just under 190 yards per game on the ground, ranking 31st in all of NCAA DII and second in the PSAC.
It was a true committee approach as the Bears’ top four rushers finished with between 654-455 yards. Junior Jordan Davis (Franklin, N.J./Saint Joseph Metuchen) paced the team in attempts (124), yards (654) and yards per game (59.45); redshirt senior Darryl Davis-McNeil (Roslyn, Pa./Abington) led the backs with five touchdowns and averaged a team-best 6.5 yards per carry. Davis-McNeil also topped 50 yards per game (51.82) and landed on the All-PSAC East Second Team in 2021.
Wide Receivers
With dual-threat quarterback Eric Nickel (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) behind center most of last season KU had a propensity to be a run-first team. Blaine’s appearances painted a very different picture, one where the Golden Bears were much more eager to air it out.
It will be interesting to see if that trend continues with Blaine stepping into the starter’s role and what that will do for the receiving corps.
Fellow redshirt senior Jake Novak (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) has 63 receptions for 806 yards and nine touchdowns over the last two seasons. He is coming off a 24 receptions, 291 yards, four TD performance.
The coaching staff likes what Kurtis Ravenel Jr. (Carlisle, Pa./Carlisle) has been bringing to the table this offseason. The redshirt junior was featured mainly in the return game last season, but caught nine passes for 100 yards and a TD during his time at wideout.
Kaden Hastie (Tabernacle, N.J./Seneca) worked his way into a meaningful role within the receiver rotation (17-220-2) last fall, but suffered an injury in camp that will take some time to recover from.
Jaden Helton (Ardmore, Pa./Lower Merion) is a returnee that could find a similar role this year, while Jake Cook (Somers Point, N.J./Mainland Regional) transfers into the program from Saint Anselm. There are a number of freshman also vying for roles at receiver.
Offensive Line
Any successful team starts from the trenches out and that was especially true for Kutztown in 2021. Three offensive linemen garnered All-PSAC East recognition, led by first teamers and all-region honorees Albert Glasgow (Huntingdon Valley, Pa./Archbishop Wood) and Devin Hannan (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon).
That duo returns to anchor the front five along with junior Adam Kase (Wernersville, Pa./Conrad Weiser) and redshirt junior Parker Zimerofsky (Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville).
Sophomore Ryan Schernecke (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland) and junior Gavin Euker (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) stepped in when injuries hit last season and helped the train stay on the tracks. Schernecke is likely to start at left tackle in the opener, while Euker’s versatility at either tackle position is valued.
Behind its line, the Golden Bears were one of the top rushing teams in the conference and nation. Kutztown also sustained drives very well and kept opposing offenses off the field, with its 32:29 time of possession ranking second in the PSAC and 20th nationally.
DEFENSE
The defense, which finished ranked second in the PSAC allowing just 14.6 points per game, will be experienced at all three levels.
KU returns six starters from the NCAA Quarterfinal Round game against Shepherd. This includes Nigel Wilson (Bound Brook, N.J./Bound Brook), Amani Justice (Salem, N.J./Salem), Domenico Italiani (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic), Tyler Whary (Hereford, Pa./Upper Perkiomen), Antaun Lloyd (Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon) and Justin Harris (Deptford, N.J./Salem). Justice earned All-PSAC First Team recognition; Whary and Lloyd were voted to the Second Team.
On the national stage the Golden Bears ranked 14th in total defense, 17th in third down conversion defense (29.8%) and 19th in interceptions among DII schools. Kutztown’s 266.3 yards allowed per game were its fewest since 1995 (261.2) and the Bears produced 34 team sacks, tied for fifth most in a season in program history.
Defensive Line
It will be important for Kutztown to win in the trenches. Once again, KU should have the firepower to do so in 2022.
Wilson tallied 30 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks, which were all near the top of the team leaderboard. Italiani finished with 23 tackles, three tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, playing in 12 games. Tom Griese (Dover, N.J./Morris Knolls) played in all 13 games and had 20 tackles and five for loss.
Linebackers
This is the most experienced group on defense.
Justice was seemingly always around the football in the middle of the defense. He ranked second in the PSAC with 106 tackles and added 5.5 tackles for loss and one sack for the KU defense that ranked seventh in Division II, allowing just 78.3 rushing yards a game and 10th in scoring defense, giving up just 14.6 ppg.
Whary had a breakout season, recording career-highs in tackles (78), tackles for loss (14) and sacks (4.5). The TFLs led KU, while he ranked second in tackles and third in sacks. Whary also had four quarterback hurries and a forced fumble.
Kyle Sapp (Westampton, N.J./Rancocas Valley Regional) is another experienced member of the unit, playing in all 13 games last season, recording 34 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.
Defensive Backs
The cornerback and safety group enters this season as arguably the most decorated of the defense.
Lloyd was a lockdown defender in 2021 with not many receivers finding success running routes against him. He finished with four interceptions, which is tied with Harris and tied for second-best in the PSAC, and was also tied for fourth with 13 passes defended (nine breakups, four interceptions).
Lloyd also had 46 tackles on the year and was a two-time Eastern Division Defensive Athlete of the Week. Lloyd and Harris helped KU to a PSAC-best 15 interceptions on the year.
Along with his team-lead in interceptions, Harris was also top-five on KU with 50 tackles.
Cody Scherer (Lehighton, Pa./Lehighton), who missed all but three games last season due to injury, is a team leader and will be an experienced member of the back end.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The special teams unit saw one of its most decorated members in program history, All-American punter Dean Krcic (Saylorsburg, Pa./Pleasant Valley), expire eligibility last season. He concluded the best season of his career, being named First Team All-PSAC and Second Team All-Region by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association.
He is also the first punter and specialist in program history to achieve All-America status, and the first AFCA All-American at KU since Jordan Morgan in 2016.
Kutztown will rely upon some new faces as specialists this season. Freshman Nathan Millard (Birdsboro, Pa./Daniel Boone) is set to be the starting place kicker.
Dawson Evitts (Auburn, Pa./Schuylkill Haven) will be the primary punter and Nick Coppolino (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage), who handled extra point and some field goal duties last season, will also be in the mix for action.
