Football Set to Open 2014 Season This Weekend Against Adrian (Mich.)

DEFIANCE, OHIO  - The Defiance College Yellow Jackets will open the 2014 season this Saturday, Sept. 6 against Adrian (Mich.) College at Justin F. Coressel Stadium at 1:30 p.m.

The Yellow Jackets will look to build upon a 3-7 overall record in 2013.  Defiance returns 28 letterwinners, including 14 starters this fall.  DC ended last season as one of the top offenses in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference finishing third in total offense averaging 347.5 yards per game.  Defiance also had one of the better ground attacks with 152.4 yards per game placing them third in the conference.  DC will also be strong defensively following a season that saw the Jackets ranked nationally in several categories including: total defense (seventh) allowing an average of just 257.4 total yards of offense per game, rushing defense (sixth) giving up just 74.1 yards per game, tackles for loss (14th) with 89 and interceptions (T-15th) with 18.

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Series History

Saturday's meeting will be the 61st meeting in the history of the two programs. Adrian holds a slim 31-28-1 series advantage over the Jackets.  The Bulldogs won last year's meeting, 14-0, at Coressel Stadium for their seventh straight win against the Yellow Jackets and have won 10 of the last 11 meetings.

Burrell Approaching 1,000 Yards Rushing

Senior running back Trevon Burrell (Auburn Hills, Mich./Avondale) enters the 2014 season with 791 career rushing yards in only two years as a varsity player and needs 209 yards to reach the 1,000-yard plateau.  He has a 4.9 yards per carry lifetime average with two games of 100 yards rushing or more.

Defiance in Season Openers

Defiance is 37-42-2 in season openers all-time. The last season opening victory for the Yellow Jackets was back in 2009 against Muskingum University (W, 13-7).

Yellow Jackets Picked to Finish Tied for Fourth in HCAC

The Yellow Jackets were picked to finish in a tie for fourth in the 2014 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Football Preseason Coaches Poll.  Defiance returns three All-Conference players in junior Andrew Feldhaus (Lutz, Fla./Steinbrenner), senior Jamario Belton (Tampa, Fla./Spoto) and senior Eric Strickland (West Palm Beach, Fla./Seminole Ridge).

Scouting the Yellow Jackets

The offense will be led by sophomore quarterback Alex Larson (Highland, Mich./Milford). Last season as a freshman, Larson completed a team-high 105-of-204 passes (51.5 percent) for 1,303 yards and nine TD. He also carried the ball 106 times for 220 yards (2.1 yards per carry) and a pair of TD.  

Back to lead the running backs is Burrell who ended the 2013 season with 275 yards in 65 attempts to go along with two TD. In two seasons as a varsity player, Burrell has rushed for 791 career yards and will need 209 yards to top 1,000.  

At the wideout position, look for sophomore Darius Harper (Jacksonville, Fla./Robert E. Lee). Also, sophomore Tom Woehnker (Kendallville, Ind./East Noble) and senior Garrett Teague (Webberville, Mich./Webberville) will provide targets at the tight end position. Teague missed all of the 2013 campaign due to injury and will be moving to TE from the quarterback spot.

The defensive line will be led by senior Jemario Belton. Last year, Belton posted 40 total tackles (10 solo and 30 assisted) to go along with six tackles for loss and 1.5 quarterback sacks. Following the season, he was tabbed honorable mention All-HCAC.

The linebackers will have a lot of new players, but will return All-HCAC senior Eric Strickland. Strickland was tabbed honorable mention following a season where he played in all 10 games and had 48 tackles (26 solo and 22 assists) to go along with 9.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a pass breakup and a fumble recovery. His 9.5 tackles for loss were tied for second most on the team.

The Jacket secondary will bring back first-team All-HCAC award winner junior Andrew Feldhaus. Last season, Feldhaus led the team, and finished in the top-10 in the conference, in tackles with 83 (57 solo and 26 assists). He was also fifth on the squad in tackles for loss with 8.5 to go along with a sack, a team-tying high five interceptions, five pass breakups and team-bests of six forced fumbles and four recoveries. His six forced fumbles were the most in the NCAC and he averaged .60 forced fumbles per game which was tops in the nation amongst Division III schools. In addition to being tabbed first-team All-Conference at the end of the year, he also garnered second-team All-Region accolades and All-Ohio honors.

Scouting the Bulldogs

Last year, the Bulldogs averaged 311.4 yards of offense. Adrain will line up five seniors, including quarterback Aaron Tenney who completed 84-of-171 passes for 1,168 yards with 10 TD and three interceptions.  

The running backs will be anchored by senior Dae'Von Robinson who started seven of 10 games last year and was second on the team in rushing with 402 yards on 109 carries and had a team-high four TD.  

Adrian returns an experienced wide receiver corp with three players who saw playing time a year ago led by senior duo Nathan Hartline and Josh Delaney. Hartline earned All-MIAA honors last year after catching 49 passes for 819 yards with seven TD. His 819 yards ranked in the top-five in the MIAA. Delaney was tied for second on the team in receptions with 20 for 198 yards and a score.

On defense, the Bulldogs will feature a 4-3 scheme and return eight starters. Adrian gave up an average of 282.4 yards per game last season which ranked 19th-best amongst Division III schools.  

The defensive line will be anchored by seniors Jack Carter and Tommy First. Carter and First ended the 2013 campaign third and fourth on the team in tackles with 52 and 51 respectively. Carter led the team in quarterback sacks (7.5) and was second in tackles for loss (16.5). First tallied three sacks in addition to 7.5 tackles for loss, and a blocked kick.

The linebackers also have a pair of returning seniors in Wallen Augustin and Matt Sullivan. Augustin recorded the most stops amongst returning LBs with 33, including 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and two forced fumbles. Sullivan added 14 tackles in 10 games with 2.5 tackles for loss and a pair of forced fumbles.

The Bulldog secondary returns an All-MIAA selection in senior Ellis Ewing. Ewing started all 10 games in 2013 and had 34 tackles. In addition to Ewing, Adrian returns seniors Charles Fleck, Curtis Rhoden and Nate Cunningham. Fleck and Rhoden are listed as starters along with Ewing. Fleck led the team in tackles last season with 79 and had 3.5 tackles for loss. Rhoden added 43 tackles to go along with a team-tying high five interceptions.