PAC Preview: How the conference stacks up in 2023
Aug. 5—Football was good in the Presidents' Athletic Conference in 2022.
Carnegie Mellon University won its second consecutive PAC title, had a convincing 45-14 win against DePauw in the first-round of the national tournament and played eventual champion North Catholic into the fourth quarter in a 28-7 loss.
Three schools — Grove City College, Westminster College and Washington & Jefferson College received invitations to ECAC bowl games. Grove City beat Fairleigh Dickinson University — Florham 31-14, W&J beat Hobart 35-18 and Westminster's game against The College at Brockport was cancelled due to a blizzard in New York.
This will be the first season that each team's entire regular season schedule consists of conference games that count. With 11 teams in the conference and a 11-week schedule, each team will have one bye week during the season.
Expectations are high for the PAC in 2023. Here is an outlook for all 11 teams in order of the PAC preseason poll.
Carnegie Mellon — 11-1 overall, 8-0 PAC in 2022
The Carnegie Mellon Tartans had a very successful 2022. The Tartans and first-year head coach Ryan Larsen won the PAC with an 8-0 record en route to a NCAA playoff berth.
CMU opens the 2023 season atop the PAC preseason poll and is ranked No. 16 in the country, according to D3football.com. All the success of last season is simply that, last season, according to Larsen.
"Last year is last year. The past is our foundation, but the second we start getting get all nostalgic about what we did in the past and rest on our laurels, that's when you let up and that's when losses come," Larsen said. "We're excited and we're prideful of what we've done, but we also have to understand that it doesn't matter. All that matters is our first game on Sept. 2 versus Geneva."
The Tartans are led by a dominant defense that allowed less than 13 points per game last season and boast D3football.com Second-Team All-American Robert Coury at linebacker.
On offense, CMU returns Ben Mills, who passed for 2081 yards and 16 touchdowns, as well as leading rusher Tre Vasiliadis. Top pass catcher Kris Hughes graduated and will be tough to replace after catching 52 passes for 723 yards and eight touchdowns.
Players to watch for include Robert Coury (LB), Thomas Coury (LB), Aryan Hegde (DB), Ben Mills (QB), Tre Vasiliadis (RB) and Adrian Williams (DB).
Washington & Jefferson College — 9-2 overall, 6-2 PAC in 2022
Washington & Jefferson finished last season with an ECAC bowl win in a two-loss season for the Presidents. The team's losses were by a combined nine points.
Despite a second-place finish in the PAC a year ago, head coach Mike Sirianni wants the team to reach greater heights.
"We have gone from great to very good in recent years. I think we have to admit that if we want to get back to where we were," Sirianni said. "2018 was our last NCAA playoff appearance. We want to be great. It's a real challenge in this league. The PAC is so strong with so many good teams and coaches."
Sirianni thinks junior quarterback Jacob Pugh will help take the Presidents to great. Pugh took over starting quarterback duties midway through 2022 and finished the season with 15 passing touchdowns.
Washington & Jefferson will open its season at Saint Vincent on Sept. 2. The Presidents will face Westminster on Sept. 16 and Carnegie Mellon on Oct. 21.
Players to watch are Dawson Dietz (DL), Angelo Fratini (OL), Justin Johns (LB), Jacob Pugh (QB), Jaren Thimons (DL), Tanner Volpatti (LB).
Crawford County connection: Meadville graduate Brady Walker is an incoming freshman linebacker.
Westminster College — 7-3 overall, 6-2 PAC in 2022
Westminster College had an interesting 2022 football season. The Titans were the PAC-favorite in the preseason poll, lost to Carnegie Mellon by 10 and Washington & Jefferson by three, but ended the season on a five-game winning streak.
The Titans were invited to an ECAC bowl against The College at Brockport, but the game was canceled due to a blizzard in western New York. The team also lost three different quarterbacks due to injury.
"I've never lost three starters at quarterback over the course of a season," head coach Scott Benzel said. "Ty McGowan did an excellent job, but was injured leading up to the Case game, but we had a chance to get Billy Levak in there. It was was short-term pain, but hopefully long-term gain. We'll have a good competition between those two guys."
Despite the roller coaster of a 2022, Westminster is picked to finish third in the PAC preseason poll. The Titans a top-10 scoring defense in the country and the PAC Offensive Player of the Year in Ryan Gomes.
Gomes rushed for 1,024 yards and eight touchdowns last year and will return for a fifth season. On defense, Brice Butler had six interception and two forced fumbles in his sophomore season as defensive back.
Players to watch include Bryce Butler (DB), Carter Chinn (DL), Chevy Dawson (TE/P), Ryan Gomes (RB), Tyler McGowan (QB) and Danny Thimons (DB).
Westminster will open its season on Sept. 2 at Grove City in a cross-county rivalry game.
Crawford County connection: Conneaut graduate Nathan Bortnick is a junior defensive back. Cambridge Springs graduate Terry Klinginsmith is an incoming freshman offensive lineman.
Grove City College — 8-3 overall, 5-3 PAC in 2022
The Grove City College Wolverines dropped three conference games last season to the top three teams in the preseason poll, but cleaned up the rest of its schedule to earn an ECAC bowl game against Fairleigh Dickinson University — Florham.
This season, Grove City could challenge for the top spot in the conference as the team returns 19 starters, including all 11 on offense.
The two-headed monster of Nico Flati and Clayton Parrish, who combined for 1,513 yards and 17 touchdowns, return in the backfield. Logan Pfeuffer is back after throwing for more than 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns and his favorite target, Scott Fraser, returns. Fraser recorded 70 catches for 1,145 yards and 10 touchdowns on his way to an All-ECAC selection.
On defense, conference newcomer of the year Ben Bladel returns after recording 12 tackles for loss and 50 total tackles as a freshman. Ryan Fleming and his seven sacks are back to pair with Bladel at linebacker. The Wolverines return starters across all defensive positions, but will need to replace All-PAC kicker Nick Morrow and All-PAC punter Jared Cluster.
Grove City's home and season opener is against Westminster — a long rivalry that has been fiercely competitive the last several years.
"No matter what the flow of Westminster and Grove City is we know it will come down to the fourth quarter. Last year was no different," head coach Andrew DiDonato said. "It came down, everyone there on the edge of their seat, to the last play of the game on a throw into the end zone that got batted down."
Players to watch are Trevor Beck (DB), Ben Bladel (LB), Ryan Fleming (LB), Scott Fraser (WR), Vinny LePre (OG) and Logan Pfeuffer (QB).
Crawford County connection: Cochranton graduate Wyatt Barzak is a sophomore wide receiver.
Case Western Reserve University — 6-4 overall, 5-3 PAC in 2022
For the first time in five years, Case Western Reserve will have a signal caller not named Drew Saxton taking snaps. Saxton was a four-time All-PAC first-team selection and owns nearly every program passing record. This season, the Spartans will incorporate more wrinkles into the offense.
"We will be different. Even last year I felt we had four quarterbacks that could play at the collegiate level and they're very different than Drew. Drew was a classic pocket passer, accurate, these guys are more dual threat," head coach Greg Debeljak said. "I think it will look very different than what we did with Drew.
Beyond the quarterback position, Case Western returns 18 starters. Now a mostly junior and senior-laden team, Debeljak is confident last season's missteps will prove beneficial this season.
"I think the big difference this year is we can finally have since the pandemic an experienced and mature team primarily of juniors and seniors," Debeljak said. "That doesn't guarantee success, but certainly in my years coaching D3 football the more experience on the field the better."
Case Western Reserve is coming off back-to-back 6-4 seasons. The Spartans open their season at Thiel on Sept. 2. They close the season at Carnegie Mellon on Nov. 11.
Players to watch include Nate Cikalo (DB), Noah Coyne (WR), Riley Knurek (WR), Jace Merritt (OL), Kaden Tong (DL) and Marco Toth (LB).
Saint Vincent College — 5-5 overall, 5-3 PAC in 2022
After a 1-4 start to the 2022 season, Saint Vincent College closed hot to finish .500 and 5-3 in the conference.
It marked the second straight 5-5 season for the Bearcats. Head coach Aaron Smetanka thinks improving the team's consistency will help make a jump above .500 this year.
"For us, it is being consistent. We saw in the second half of the season after our bye week our players were more consistent," Smetanka said. "That correlated to a lot of good things and finishing the season strong."
The Bearcats will need to replace quarterback Brady Walker after Walker posted 2,015 yards and 21 touchdowns last season.
Whoever wins the quarterback job will have the privilege of throwing to Molayo Irefin. Irefin caught 62 passes for 732 yards and eight touchdowns in 2022. He also returned a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown and was an All-PAC First-Team selection at returner and all purpose. He was also a D3football.com Third-Team All-American.
Defensively, Cam Norris recorded seven sacks while Ahmad Shaw and Marvelle Cromerdie each had three interceptions.
The Bearcats open the season will a pair of tough opponents in Washington & Jefferson and Carnegie Mellon.
Players to keep an eye on are Nathan Bettwy (OL), C.J. Ciecierski (OL), Dwight Collins (DL), Ethan Facey (DB), Molayo Irefin (WR) and Ahmad Shaw (DB).
Waynesburg University — 4-6 overall, 3-5 PAC in 2022
In 2022, first-year head coach and former Waynesburg Yellow Jacket Dr. Cornelius Coleman led the program to its best finish since 2018.
This season, the Yellow Jackets seem poised to continue to improve. Quarterback Tyler Raines graduated, but the backfield of Justin Flack and Hunter Cameron both return. Flack is back for his fifth-year after being selected to the All-PAC First-Team a season ago. Cameron rushed for 623 yards and five touchdowns on 92 carries.
"We started re-recruiting Justin the day after our last game," Coleman said. "We know about his athletic capabilities, but he brings so much more to our ball club. He is the type of player that leads by example."
The offensive line helped the team average the third-most rushing yards per game in the conference and most of the line returns.
Overall, Coleman is excited for how much depth his team will have this season.
Waynesburg will host Allegheny on Sept. 2 to open its season.
Players to watch are Brennan Boron (DB), Frank Cortazzo IV (OL), Justin Flack (RB) Dakota Romantino (WR), Alex Torrance (OL) and Joel Zellem (DL).
Crawford County connection: Meadville graduate Logan Hawn is a senior defensive lineman.
Geneva College — 3-7 overall, 3-5 PAC in 2022
Geneva College had its first 1,000-yard passer in 2022 since switching to a triple option offense seven seasons ago. Brutus Ogilvie also ran for 421 yards and seven touchdowns.
This year, head coach Gene DeMarco will aim to create more mismatches in his triple option offense and take advantage of defenses that load the box. He also returns four senior starters on the offensive line.
"If you have an offensive line, those guys becoming the building block of the entire team," said DeMarco. "They get no glory, but they have a work ethic that is unsurpassed. We've got some really good kids and good players, and they're all back, and they're definitely the leaders of our football program."
Senior receiver Hilton McClain Jr. was an All-PAC First-Team selection after posting 1,628 all-purpose yards.
Geneva opens its season with a tough home test against Carnegie Mellon.
Players to watch include Hilton McLain Jr. (WR/KR), Kadin Mersing (OL), Nicolas Ottaviani (LB), Jared Ozias (TE), Derrick Sneed (DB) and Eric White (OL).
Allegheny College — 3-7 overall, 2-6 PAC in 2022
One year after the program's return to the conference, the Gators welcome first-year head coach Braden Layer to the PAC. Layer had previously only coached played in the NCAC.
"I am an NCAC guy at heart as far as where I played and where I first coached at Allegheny, but now being in the PAC I don't think you can separate that the top of this league is probably better," Layer said.
This year, the Gators return their top passer, rusher and receiver from last year in Jack Johnson, Tre Worship and Declan O'Brien, respectively. 17 starters return for the Gators as the team looks to make an improvement in the PAC.
Last year, Allegheny's defense allowed nearly 40 points per game. Layer expects to use his offense to help his defense this season.
"The game plan specific things, tempo plays a big factor into that, ball control, turnovers and really building a team approach rather than this is what the offense or defense needs to do," Layer said. "They work hand-in-hand with one another."
Allegheny will open its season at Waynesburg on Sept. 2.
Players to watch are David Babb (DB), Travis Dear (LB), Jack Johnson (QB), Carson Messemer (OL), Declan O'Brien (WR) and Tre Worship (RB).
Crawford County connection: Cambridge Springs graduate Van Jones is an incoming freshman running back.
Thiel College — 1-9 overall, 1-7 PAC in 2022
The Thiel Tomcats and first-year head coach Chris Bauman improved on its 2021 win total by one last year and aim to continue to improve in 2023.
Thiel returns 20 starters and Bauman hopes his upperclassmen starters will translate to wins.
"We really learned how to be a competitive football program and that's the idea this year. To not only compete in some games, but in all games," Bauman said. "That's the biggest step we're looking to take. We want to be consistent and be able to go into every game not hoping we can win, but knowing that we can."
Defensively, the team has had a year to learn Bauman's 4-2-5 scheme. The unit should be able to focus on technique and playing at a faster pace this season.
Thiel hosts Case Western on Sept. 2 for its season opener.
Players on the watch list are Jared Curcio (LB), Luke Faber (DL), Darnell Jordan (DB), Blake Joseph (WR), Donny Pattison (TE) and Chris Slaven (OL).
Crawford County connection: Cochranton graduate Dustin Miller is an incoming freshman running back.
Bethany College — 1-9 overall, 0-8 PAC in 2022
Bethany College had a tough season under first-year head coach Brandon Robinson in 2022. The Bison's only win came in Week 1 against Hiram.
This season, Bethany returns 13 starters. Jordan Aldridge, who had 28 tackles at linebacker last season, will make the switch to tight end in an effort to utilize his strength on the offensive line.
"He is a tremendous leader," Robinson said. "His day in and day out as far as his habits. He is also a vocal leader in terms of how he holds guys accountable."
The Bison will have a new starter at quarterback and running back after Marquise Robinson's and Tre Owens' graduation. At wide receiver, De'Vaughn McWhorter is back after catching six touchdown last season.
"Coming off a season like we had last year there are a lot of areas we need to improve. I think our team speed is an area that could be a strength...," Robinson said. "Kayrus Sam started our last game of the season here at Saint Vincent and go the majority of the snaps of the spring and did a really good job. I think we have guys coming in that can push him for a spot."
Player to watch include Jordan Aldridge (TE), Tre Dean (WR), Rondell Lewis (LB), De'Vaughn McWhorter (WR), Markell Ross (DB) and Dadrick Vickers (DB).
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2023 PAC Football Preseason Poll (Predicted order of finish)
School Points (first place votes) 2022 Record (PAC)
1. Carnegie Mellon University 415 (36) 11-1 (8-0)
2. Washington & Jefferson College 363 (1) 9-2 (6-2)
3. Westminster College 326 7-3 (6-2)
4. Grove City College 312 (1) 8-3 (5-3)
5. Case Western Reserve University 283 6-4 (5-3)
6. Saint Vincent College 204 5-5 (5-3)
7. Waynesburg University 179 4-6 (3-5)
8. Geneva College 152 3-7 (3-5)
9. Allegheny College 145 3-7 (2-6)
10. Thiel College 72 1-9 (1-7)
11. Bethany College 57 1-9 (0-8)
Alex Topor can be reached at (814) 724-6370 or by email at atopor@meadvilletribune.com.
