DIV 2
PLAYOFF BOUND! ESU Football Heads to Slippery Rock for First NCAA DII Playoff Appearance Since 2009
EAST STROUDSBURG – In a tense and antsy scene inside the Hoeffner Science and Technology Center auditorium, the East Stroudsburg University football heard its name called during the NCAA Division II Selection Show for the first time since 2009. The Warriors will head to No. 4 seed Slippery Rock on Sat., Nov. 18 for a matchup at Mihalik-Thompson Stadium.
The Warriors completed the regular season with a 9-2 record after downing California (PA) 37-30, recording the program's most wins since 2008, as ESU posted a 6-0 season at Eiler-Martin Stadium for the third time in program history and the first time since 2002.
ESU's offense and defense can be described with just one word this season: Balance. The Warriors have had success at quarterback with three different gunslingers, combining for 2,270 passing yards, 29 touchdowns to eight interceptions and have completed 63.71 percent of its passes. The Warriors rank second in the PSAC in passing touchdowns.
ESU's running backs in Tyriq Lewis and Tahir Mills have combined for 1,207 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging 5.4 yards per carry. ESU's receivers in John Siggins, Justin Cook, DJ Thomson, Randy Fizer and Evan Roche have totaled between 442 to 221 yards each for 17 touchdowns. Warrior tight ends Dawson Stuart and Jonathan Post have combined for seven touchdowns receiving. A total of 11 Warriors have recorded at least one receiving touchdown, while six have found paydirt on the ground.
Defensively it's much of the same. The Warriors' 19 interceptions this season rank second in NCAA Division II, with 11 different players recording at least one pick. Eight different players have forced a fumble with four Warriors recording two forced fumbles. Additionally, eight different Warriors have recovered one fumble.
The Warriors will face a tough opponent in Slippery Rock, who started the season 10-0 before a 31-7 loss on Saturday against Kutztown in the PSAC Championship game. The Rock closed the regular season with the top offense and defense in the PSAC in terms of yards gained and yards allowed. QB Brayden Long leads the PSAC in passing yards and has helped SRU to the tenth-best scoring offense in NCAA DII. Long's favorite target is Kyle Sheets, who ranks third in NCAA DII with 15 receiving touchdowns and ninth in receiving yards (93.5 ypg.). Defensively, The Rock allows just 21.5 points per game and 321.6 yards per contest. PSAC West foe Slippery Rock leads the all-time series by a 15-3 mark, with the Rock holding on to defeat ESU, 22-7, in the latest meeting in 2021. SRU as won four consecutive matchups, with the Warriors stringing a pair of wins together in 2008 and 2009, the last time the Warriors made the NCAA DII Playoffs.