Complete Game Notes
SEASON OPENER
The Bullets open the 121st season of football at Gettysburg College on Saturday at 1 p.m. when they visit the Misericordia University Cougars in their lone non-conference outing of the year.
GAME COVERAGE
Fans unable to attend Saturday's game may follow the action through live stats, live video, or live audio.
QUICK HITS
1. Last season Gettysburg played Misericordia in the Cougars' inaugural game, and the Bullets cruised to a 70-0 victory.
2. Gettysburg is coming off a 7-3 season - its best record since the 1994 team went 8-2. Misericordia is looking for its first win in program history after going 0-10 in its inaugural season.
3. The Bullets are 18-8 over their last 26 games, dating back to Oct. 9, 2010.
4. Gettysburg will feature nine first-time starters, including six on defense.
SERIES HISTORY
Gettysburg and Misericordia are meeting for the second time, with the Bullets capturing last year's affair.
LAST TIME OUT
Gettysburg held off a late Franklin & Marshall rally and knocked off the Diplomats 38-31 in its season finale last year at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium. Tailback Ted Delia '13 rushed for a season-high 153 yards, including a 44-yard dash that set up the Bullets inside the 10 and led to a crucial late-game field goal. He also ran for a touchdown and tied the single-season school record for TD runs (15). Quarterback Kody Smith '13 rushed for 64 yards and a touchdown for the Bullets, which never trailed after leading 14-0 in the first quarter and 21-14 at the half. Smith also passed for 141 yards and a TD while breaking Frank Gagliardi's 59-year school record for touchdowns responsible for with 25 (13 passing, 12 rushing). Numerous Bullets made their final appearance in Musselman Stadium a memorable one. In addition to Delia and Smith's performances, cornerback D.J. Thompson '13 returned an interception 80 yards for a touchdown, receiver Kyle Davis '13 hauled in a 71-yard touchdown pass, linebacker Larry DelViscio '13 made 12 tackles, defensive end Joe Ventresca '13 forced a fumble on a sack, and safety Drew Olsen '13 made a touchdown-saving tackle on F&M's final play from scrimmage, leading to a field goal.
LAST YEAR'S MATCHUP
Gettysburg rushed for a school- and Centennial Conference-record 546 yards and the Bullets ran away with a 70-0 victory at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium. The Bullets, who did not finish with a 100-yard rusher but had 14 different players with at least one carry, raced out to a 43-0 halftime lead against the Cougars, who were starting 19 freshmen. Gettysburg's 70 points were a modern school record and the most in program history since 1928. The Bullets outgained Misericordia 665-153 and held the Cougars to 36 yards rushing en route to the team's first shutout since 2004. Tailback Ted Delia rushed for 94 yards and tied a career-high with three touchdowns while Eddie Hutchins added 90 yards on the ground. Fred Caruso returned the opening kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown.
AMONG THE NCAA LEADERS
The Bullets finished among the NCAA Division III leaders in numerous categories last season, led by its No. 12 rushing offense (267.0 ypg). Gettysburg also finished 21st in scoring offense (37.5 ppg), tied for 34th in sacks (2.90 spg), 34th in total offense (439.3 ypg), 39th in tackles for loss (7.50 tflpg), and 52nd in total defense (113.1 ypg). Individually, linebacker Larry DelViscio '13 was ninth in tackles (12.3 tpg), tailback Ted Delia '13 tied for 26th in points per game (9.00), senior Tommy LeNoir tied for 39th in punt return average (10.08), and Chris Nolan '13 tied for 53rd in sacks (0.70 spg).
THE GETTYSBURG OFFENSE
Gettysburg brings back five starters to its Spread Wing attack, including senior receiver Aden Twer, who led the Bullets in receptions (22), receiving yards (350), and touchdown catches (four) last season. Twer also made a school-record 12 touchdown receptions in 2012. Senior Matt Pennella also returns at receiver while junior tailback Eddie Hutchins, who platooned last season, returns to lead the rushing game after running for 491 yards (5.3 yards per carry) and five touchdowns a year ago. Junior Zach Miller will make his first collegiate start at quarterback, replacing two-time all-conference selection Kody Smith '13. The Bullets return both of their starting wings in sophomore Kevin McCarthy and senior Peter Fessenden while junior Fred Caruso, who started as a freshman, also returns after missing nearly all of the 2012 season with an injury. Five offensive linemen who started at least one game return, including junior Matt Gentile, who started all 10 games at left guard. Junior Michael Reali is also back after starting five games at center.
THE GETTYSBURG DEFENSE
Gettysburg brings back four defensive starters, including a pair of linebackers in senior Cody DiAmore and sophomore Kodie McNamara. DiAmore finished second among the Bullets with 87 tackles a year ago while adding three interceptions, five pass breakups, three fumble recoveries, and three forced fumbles. McNamara piled up 83 tackles in his rookie campaign. Senior cornerback Hugo Nolasco (six pass breakups) and junior strong safety Gordon Prince (39 tackles, one blocked kick, one interception) return as starters in the secondary. The Bullets must replace middle linebacker Larry DelViscio '13, who finished as the fourth all-time leading tackler in school history, and six players who saw regular time on the defensive line, including all four starters.
THE GETTYSBURG SPECIAL TEAMS
The Bullets special teams remains nearly intact, with all of its primary contributors returning. Sophomore Robby Fay handled the team's punting, place-kicking, and kickoff duties last season and went 47-for-50 on extra points to tie the school record for PATs made. Junior Tommy LeNoir averaged a Centennial Conference-leading 10.1 yards per punt return while Twer comes back after making the majority of the team's kick returns in 2012.
SCOUTING MISERICORDIA
The Cougars bring back several significant players from its inaugural season. Sophomore Jeff Puckett returns as the team's starting quarterback after throwing for 625 yards, four touchdowns, and six interceptions last season. He also rushed for 231 yards and a TD. Misericordia's top returning rusher is sophomore Robin Custodio, who ran for 234 yards a year ago. Sophomore receiver Kurt Kowalski returns after making 12 catches last season while classmate Dean Lucchesi grabbed a pair of touchdown receptions. The team's top returning tackler is sophomore linebacker Hunter Pates, who made 50 stops, while senior cornerback Phil Arnold returns after leading the team with five passes defended.
MOVIN' ON UP
Senior receiver Aden Twer enters the season ranked among Gettysburg's all-time top-10 in all three receiving categories, including yards (sixth, 1,429), receptions (eighth, 78), and touchdowns (tied-second, 16). He broke Gettysburg's oldest single-season offensive record when he caught 12 touchdown passes in 2011, breaking the 47-year-old mark of 11 TD grabs set by Ken Snyder '65 in 1964. Twer also became just the second Bullet to post 1,000 receiving yards in a season, finishing with 1,079 in 2011 to finish behind only Chris Notarfrancesco's 1,115 in 1994.
THE COACHES
Gettysburg is coached by Barry Streeter, now in his 35th year at the helm of the Bullets. With 174 career victories, Streeter is eighth among active Division III coaches in wins. He is also tied for 20th on the all-time Division III coaches win list. Streeter, who owns a career record of 174-165-5, is Gettysburg's all-time winningest and longest-tenured football coach in program history. In addition, his 105 Centennial Conference football wins are second in conference history.
Mark Ross enters his second year as head coach of the Cougars. He comes to Misericordia after a 10-year stint as an assistant coach at Ithaca College, where he served as the Bombers defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2007-10. He also spent four years as an assistant coach at East Stroudsburg University.
LIGHTING UP THE SCOREBOARD
The Bullets have scored a point in 75 consecutive games, dating back to the team's 14-0 loss to Johns Hopkins on Oct. 14, 2005. It is the longest such streak in the Centennial Conference by 31 games, with Ursinus second at 44 straight games with a point.
FOUR NAMED CAPTAINS
Four Bullets are sharing the duties of team captain for Gettysburg in 2013. Senior linebacker Cody DiAmore, junior quarterback Zach Miller, senior cornerback Hugo Nolasco, and senior wide receiver Matt Pennella are all serving as captains for the first time for the Bullets.
MURRAY JOINS COACHING STAFF
The Bullets added a new coach to its staff this season with the addition of Cameron Murray, who will work with the outside linebackers. Murray was part of three outstanding college programs as a player, and as a senior helped Delta State reach the NCAA Division II championship game. He graduated from Iowa State University, where as a defensive end he was part of a team that won the 2009 Insight Bowl. Murray also played for Copiah Lincoln Community College and helped the Wolfpack win the Sea Island Golden Isle Bowl in 2006.
BULLETS PICKED 5TH IN CC PRESEASON POLL
In the Centennial Conference Preseason Poll, the Bullets were picked to finish fifth in 2013, as shown below. The poll is voted on by the conference's head coaches and sports information directors.
Pl Team Points (1st Place)
1. Johns Hopkins 161 pts. (17)
2. Franklin & Marshall 139 pts. (3)
3. Ursinus 122 pts.
4. Muhlenberg 120 pts.
5. Gettysburg 98 pts.
6. Susquehanna 86 pts.
7. Juniata 57 pts.
8. Dickinson 54 pts.
9. Moravian 39 pts.
10. McDaniel 24 pts.
