FULL GAME NOTES
 
Ursinus (0-0) vs Alvernia (0-0)
When: Friday, September 1st
Where: Collegeville, Pa.
Stadium: Patterson Field (1,700)
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Live Video: VIDEO
Live Stats: STATS
 
 
SERIES BREAKDOWN
All-Time Series: Ursinus leads 2-0
First Meeting: 2021 – Ursinus won 42-6
Last Meeting: Sept. 3, 2021 @ Ursinus – Ursinus won 42-6
Streak: Ursinus +2
 
The Ursinus Bears Football Team will open its 2023 season by taking on the Alvernia Golden Wolves.
 
These teams are no strangers to each other in opening seasons up as they have opened the last two seasons by facing off. The Bears blitzed the Golden Wolves 59-27 in last season's opener in Reading. Ursinus came out red hot on offense as they amassed a 31-6 lead in the first half. The Bears pulled away in the second half by out-scoring the Golden Wolves 28-7 in the second half.
 
 
TAKING THE REINS: With program record-setting quarterback Jack Psenicska graduating, the Bears will have a new signal caller under center this season in junior Jalen Bradford. Bradford has flashed his potential for Ursinus in limited action over his first two seasons in Collegeville. He appeared in four games during his debut 2021 season before serving as the backup last season and making appearances in six games. Bradford used his speed to his advantage and even saw time as a lead back against McDaniel last season where he rushed for a career-high 123 yards on nine carries in addition to scoring two touchdowns. Bradford tossed a pair of touchdown passes as well against Juniata.
 
HOLDING THE ROCK: Junior running back Tony Holden emerged as one of the best running backs in the Centennial Conference last season even despite missing four games due to injury. Holden rushed for a team-leading 758 yards and seven touchdowns in six games to earn All-Centennial second team honors. Holden rushed for at least 100 yards in four of the six games and scored a career-high three touchdowns along with 145 yards on just 14 carries against Alvernia last season. Holden established a career-high of 156 yards against Muhlenberg.
 
 
THE LAST DANCE: Three Bears returned for a fifth and final season this year in linebacker Brett Gross, tight end/punter Billy Cook, and defensive lineman Joshua Payne. Gross helped power the Bears defense last season with a career-high 94 tackles (30 solo) that helped him earn All-Centennial first team honors. Gross was also named MVP of the Bears MAC-Centennial Bowl Series win following a dominant performance that saw him rack up 14 tackles. Cook will once again serve as the team's punter and starting tight end. Cook was one of the more consistent punters in the Centennial last season by averaging 37.3 yards per punt and earned All-Centennial Honorable Mention in 2021. Payne appeared in six games last season on the defensive line and made a career-high four tackles against Susquehanna.
 
 
EXPERIENCED SECONDARY: One of the Bears strengths heading into 2023 will be the defensive back seven. Ursinus returns three of its five members in the secondary with two of them earning All-Centennial honors last season. Senior Ryan DiVergilis was a first team selection at safety after ranking second on the team in tackles with two interceptions and junior cornerback Anthony Esposito was honorable mention behind a team-leading three interceptions. Junior Aaron Anderson will line up opposite of Esposito and has started in every game since his debut in 2021. Anderson picked off two passes in 2022 and ran a fumble back for a touchdown against Johns Hopkins.
 
 
STARTING IT RIGHT: With their win over the Golden Wolves last season, the Bears continued their strong run of winning their home openers since the 2012 season. Ursinus has won nine of their last 10 season opening games including the past five-straight. Under head coach Pete Gallagher, the Bears are 14-7 in season opening games since the 2001 season.
 
 
RECORD CHASING: Senior defensive end Ryan Bodolus enters the 2023 season aiming at the Bears all-time career sacks record. He needs just seven more sacks to break the current record held by Frank Hennessey, who played for the Bears from 1984-1987. Bodolus has posted 10.5 sacks in each of his two seasons at Ursinus and already has one school record, the single-game total, of six that was set in 2021 against Dickinson. Bodolus earned All-Centennial First Team honors last season to mark his second-straight season with All-Centennial honors.
 
 
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN WOLVES: The Golden Wolves anxiously await the return of sophomore quarterback Colin Payne to open the season. Payne showed promise after starting his first collegiate game against the Bears last season by throwing for 778 yards in just three games before a season-ending knee injury. Payne set the Alvernia school record for single-game passing yards against Ursinus last season with 380 and two touchdown passes. Payne had three touchdown passes in each of his next two games following that contest. The Golden Wolves return experienced wide receivers Joseph Perkins and Jacob Montalto while adding Franklin Pierce transfer Dachan Thompson to the core. Sophomore Ozmere Jones is expected to take lead back duties from now assistant coach, EJ Lee. He rushed for 48 yards last season and scored one touchdown.
              
On defense, junior linebacker Antonio Lazar had the most tackles on the team among all the returners with 52 (30 solo) which ranked third on the team in 2022. Senior Delva Jean-Baptiste is one to watch on the defensive line after posting 2.5 TFL and 1.5 sacks last season.  Junior defensive back Taron Gale earned All-MAC Second team honors after snatching a team-high three interceptions and senior Jakeem Jackson posted 43 stops (37 solo) and a team-leading five pass break-ups.