Thursday, September 1, 2016
by Cody Bush, PFL Media Relations

SAINT LOUIS – With the 24th Pioneer Football League campaign kicking off Thursday night, the PFL website presents kickoff capsules for all 10 contests involving PFL teams during the opening week. Nine contests can be seen through various streaming opportunities listed below, including three games on ESPN3.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 1
Bluefield at Campbell, 7 p.m. | Video: BigSouthSports.com
Campbell will be the first PFL squad to open the 2016 season when it hosts NAIA foe Bluefield, Thursday night. The Camels will seek back-to-back season-opening victories after snapping a four-game losing streak in season openers last season with a 41-20 victory against Pikeville. Campbell senior running back De’Shawn Jones, a preseason All-PFL pick and named to the CFPA Performer of the Year Watch List, will try to get his campaign off on good terms. He rushed for 189 yards in last season’s opener en route to a 1,079-yard rushing season. Jones will have Preseason All-PFL picks Brian Stryffeler and Laurin O’Briant manning the offensive line in his quest for another 1,000-yard rushing year. Bluefield opened its season with a 24-20 loss to Pikeville, Saturday, despite running back Alex Martin’s 127-yard rushing performance.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 3
Davidson at Georgetown, 1 p.m. | Video: GUHoyas.com
Davidson starts a season-opening two-game road trip when it heads north to the nation’s capitol for a contest against Georgetown. The Wildcats ended 2015 with a road win at Stetson and hope to carry that momentum forward into 2016. Junior quarterback Taylor Mitchell returns after taking over the reins in 2015 and passing for 11 touchdowns. However, the Wildcats will be looking for players to fill the holes left be the loss of Jeffrey Keil and William Morris, their leading rusher and receiver last season.

Butler at Indiana State, 3 p.m. | Video: ESPN3
For the second consecutive season, Butler will travel to Indiana State to open a season. The Bulldogs return to Terre Haute where its 2015 season got off to a rough start, but will do so with two key pieces of its offense returning. Running back Sam Schrader and offensive lineman Michael Demos both return after missing most and all of 2015, respectively. They will be asked to anchor an offensive unit that lost both its starting quarterback and leading wide receiver to graduation. Senior linebacker Sean Horan will be tasked with marshalling the Bulldogs defensive unit after receiving Preseason All-PFL honors.

Bucknell at Marist, 6 p.m. | Video: GoRedFoxes.com
Marist opens 2016 with a two-game homestand, beginning with Saturday’s contest against Bucknell. The Red Foxes will look to avenge their only shutout suffered last season, a 17-0 decision at Bucknell. Marist has had a spirited quarterback competition in August camp with senior Anthony Francis and junior Mike White sparring for the starting job. White played in 10 games last season, tossing 14 touchdown passes and running for another three, while Francis threw just four passes last season. They will have Preseason All-PFL pick Juston Christian to throw to and leading running back Marcellus Calhoun to run the ball.

Morehead State at James Madison, 6 p.m. | Video: JMUSports.com
For a second-straight season, Morehead State will travel to nationally-ranked James Madison to open a season. Last season, the Eagles were held to season lows in total offense and points scored in a season-opening loss to the Dukes. Senior quarterback Austin Gahafer, the reigning PFL Offensive Player of the Year, looks to get his final season in an Eagles uniform off to a better start while also beginning to track down the league’s career passing yards mark that lies just 2,717 yards away. The Eagles defense will be led by Preseason All-PFL picks Ryan Bennett and Colt Briggs. Bennett led MSU in tackles (96) while Briggs had a team-best 10.5 tackles for loss last season.

Central State at Dayton, 7 p.m. | Video: None
Dayton begins a two-game season-opening home stand when it hosts Central State. The Flyers defense returns three Preseason All-PFL picks in linebacker Christopher Beaschler and cornerbacks Cameron Stubbs and Christian Searles – all three ranked among the PFL’s top 40 in tackles per game. The Flyers riches extend to the offensive side of the ball where they return their starting quarterback, leading rusher and two of its top three receivers from last season’s PFL co-championship squad.

Quincy at Drake, 7 p.m. | Video: GoDrakeBulldogs.com
Drake will play three of its first four contests at home in 2016, beginning with a season-opening contest against Quincy. While the Bulldogs will turn the offense over to fifth-year senior Cody Thibault, who threw 105 passes last season. He will have the luxury of experience around him as leading rusher Conley Wilkins returns as does consensus Preseason All-America pick Eric Saubert. Wilkins rushed for nine touchdowns last season while Saubert caught seven touchdowns from his tight end position. Defensively, the Bulldogs return just four starters from last season’s squad, but one of those is defensive end Mack Marrin who led the league with 8½ sacks last season.

Valparaiso at Illinois State, 7 p.m. | Video: ESPN3
Valparaiso will open its 2016 slate with a trip to Missouri Valley Football Conference defending co-champion Illinois State. The Crusaders return quarterback Ryan Clarke for his second season as the primary signal-caller as well as leading receiver Jean Rene, who also was VU’s leading scoring last season. However, Valparaiso does not return a 100-yard rusher from last season’s team. Defensively, defensive back J.J. Nunes returns after a 76-tackle campaign and is the team’s top returning pass defender.

Sacred Heart at Stetson, 7 p.m. | Video: ESPN3
Stetson will get a stern test of its own when it hosts Sacred Heart in a season-opening affair. The contest will match up Preseason All-America picks on the defensive side of the ball as Stetson defensive back Donald Payne and Sacred Heart linebacker James Rentz garnered preseason attention. Payne, who has won the PFL’s Defensive Player of the Year honor in back-to-back seasons, has posted more than 110 tackles in each of his first three seasons and enters his senior year with 414 career tackles. However, the Hatters will enter the year with questions on offense as primary quarterback and leading rusher Ryan Tentler graduated after accounting for over 2,000 of the team’s nearly 3,500 offensive yards.

Western New Mexico at San Diego, 9 p.m. | Video: WCCSports.com
PFL defending co-champion San Diego brings a six-game win streak into the new season and will put it on the line against Western New Mexico in the opening-day finale. The Toreros return plenty of experience offensively with quarterback Anthony Lawrence returning after passing for nearly 2,400 yards and 23 touchdowns last season. He will have a pair of Preseason All-PFL wideouts to choose from in Brian Riley and Justin Priest, who combined for 1,315 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Defensively, USD will pose a threat with Preseason All-PFL cornerback Jamal Agnew returing along with Devyn Bryant, that pair combining for nine interceptions last season.