After a 2013 season started off slippery but ended with a 7-4 record, Mercyhurst is hoping to rebound and become on of the better teams in the PSAC West this year. Picked to finished fourth in the league, the Lakers return a seasoned running game and strong secondary in 2014.
The 2013 season started off bleak for Mercyhurst, which began 1-3 in the first part of the season. But the team finished 6-1 to bring some momentum back for 2014. The Lakers didn’t have a highly potent passing attack, but starter Anthony Vendemia was effective, throwing for 1,355 yards on 104-of-185 passing with 12 scores and nine picks – good enough for an efficiency rating of 129.6. The offense, however, hinged on a rushing attack which featured primarily two backs but could toss anyone in the backfield and seem to pick up yardage. Brandon Brown-Dukes ran for over 1,000 yards as a redshirt sophomore while Allen Jones II nearly topped the 1,000-yard mark as a senior.
This year, the backfield will be led strictly by Brown-Dukes, a 5-foot-8, 195-pound speedster who can hit you with the force of a linebacker. Brown-Dukes became the first player in program history to have back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons on the ground after running for 1,008 yards and eight TDs last year and ranks third all-time on the school’s list with 2,303 career rushing yards. He was an All-PSAC West first-team selection for the second straight time following the season.
Taking care of the passing game this year will be Zack Emerick. Emerick threw 25 passes last season, completing 15 for 143 yards and a score. The top receiving threat will return as Jaquan Williams is back for his junior season. He led the team last year with 33 catches for 493 yards and was second with three TD grabs. Helping keep Emerick safe in the pocket will be three returning starters on the offensive line including redshirt senior Ben Gysin, an All-PSAC West first-team selection.
On the defensive side of the ball for the Lakers, a top-notch secondary returns, led by senior Colin Kimball. Kimball was selected to the All-PSAC West second team last year after picking off six passes and wrapping up opposing ball carriers 57 times all while breaking the school’s single-season records for interception return yards, interception return TDs and interception return yards in a game. He’ll be joined by Deonte Huggins and Michael Foster.
Manning the linebacking corps is redshirt senior Pat Behm, who led the team with 71 tackles (52 solo) last year. Senior Garrett Wild will also return for the Lakers at linebacker. On the D-line, sophomore Ryan Carroll is poised to continue his impressive campaign after finishing with 24 tackles, 2.0 sacks and 8.0 tackles for loss last season.
Special teams is as much of a toss up as any position on the field with several competing for kicking opportunities this summer but sophomore Jordan Spangler returns as punter and could see some kicking chances.
Photo Credit: Mercyhurst
