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EDINBORO, PA – Head football coach Scott
Browning has yet to coach a game at Edinboro, but the pressure is
already on the long-time Fighting Scot assistant coach. The
Fighting Scots are ranked 15th in Lindy’s Magazine
NCAA Division II Top 25. Edinboro finished the 2005 campaign with
an 8-2 record and won its third straight PSAC West title.
“We go right into the fire, man,”
laughed Browning. “We’re honored to be so
highly-regarded. But we have some key positions that need to be
filled, and we’re going to be filling them with players who
have no game experience.”
Edinboro opens the season on Saturday,
September 2 against West Chester, a team which was 8-4 a year ago
and made the NCAA Division II Playoffs. Week number three finds
the Fighting Scots hosting Bloomsburg, last year’s PSAC East
champion and a team which is ranked third in Lindy’s
preseason poll. The Huskies were 11-1 a year ago, losing to East
Stroudsburg in the regional semifinals.
The middle portion of the schedule features
three very difficult contests, albeit all three at Sox Harrison
Stadium. On September 30 Indiana(Pa.), with former Scot head coach
Lou Tepper at the helm, invades Sox Harrison Stadium, followed by
the Homecoming game with California(Pa.) providing the opposition
on October 7. On October 14, Edinboro hosts East Stroudsburg and
Harlon Hill Trophy winner Jimmy Terwilliger. The Warriors finished
with an 11-3 record, winning the Northeast Region title before
losing to Grand Valley State in the Division II semifinals. East
Stroudsburg is ranked sixth according to Lindy’s.
“I don’t think people
realize that our schedule is not going to allow us a lot of time
to build momentum,” Browning added.”
The Fighting Scots return 38 letterwinners,
with seven starters returning to a defense which was ranked number
one in three statistical categories. Edinboro led Division II in
scoring defense (9.3 ppg.), rushing defense (53.7 ypg.), and total
defense (211.2 ypg.). Five starters are back on offense, although
Justin Bouch, one of Edinboro’s all-time leading passers,
must be replaced.
In addition to the lofty rankings, a pair of
Fighting Scots were accorded first team preseason All-American
honors. Chris Amico (Webster, NY/West Irondequoit) was
named to the first team as a defensive lineman, while Chris
Kaczor (Brook Park, OH/Berea) was chosen as a first team
offensive lineman.
Amico was named the 2005 PSAC West Defensive
Player of the Year. The junior defensive tackle (6’0”,
250 lbs.) finished the season with 49 tackles, with 14.5 tackles
for losses and a team-leading 8.5 sacks. He also forced two
fumbles. A year ago Amico was a first team Football Gazette
All-American and a second team Daktronics All-American.
Kaczor continues the tradition of standout
offensive linemen at Edinboro. The 6’2”, 300 lb. senior
has played center the last two years, and was an All-PSAC West
first team selection in 2005 and a second team choice in 2004. He
will likely move from center to left guard this season. Kaczor
played guard as a redshirt freshman, earning second team All-PSAC
West accolades. In addition to averaging 199.3 ypg. Rushing in
2005, the Fighting Scots led the PSAC in fewest sacks allowed for
the second straight year, surrendering seven.
2006 LINDY’S MAGAZINE DIVISION
II PRESEASON TOP 25
1. Grand Valley State
2. Saginaw Valley State
3. Bloomsburg
4. Albany State
5. Presbyterian
6. East Stroudsburg
7. South Dakota
8. Northwest Missouri State
9. West Texas A&M
10. Nebraska-Omaha
11. Valdosta State
12. North Alabama
13. Washburn
14. Pittsburg State
15. Edinboro
16. North Dakota
17. Shepherd
18. Tuskegee
19. Northwood
20. C.W. Post
21. Minnesota-Duluth
22. West Georgia
23. Delta State
24. Central Washington
25. Texas A&M Kingsville |
