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August 28, 2010

Gators look sharp in scrimmage against Thiel

By Dominick DiRienzo Meadville Tribune The Meadville Tribune Sat Aug 28, 2010, 07:00 AM EDT

Aug. 28, 2010 7:00 a.m. — Sean Acosta’s strong running and another stout performance by the defense had Allegheny coach Mark Matlak pleased after Friday’s scrimmage with Thiel.

The problem was a stuttering start by the Gators’ first-team offense was a bad sign for a team that struggled to run the ball last season.

“I was pretty pleased with the defense,” Matlak said. “I don’t think we were very good on the offensive end. The offense was disappointing I thought, with all the guys we have back ... We have a lot of work to do.”

The Gators return 10 players on offense from a team that finished 8-2 last season and was picked third in the North Coast Athletic Conference’s preseason poll.

Ryan Zipf kicked a 34-yard field goal in the first period and the Gator defense took care of the rest. The Gators added two more touchdowns when the second- and third-stringers were on the field and also two more field goals.

“It was pretty even when it was ones against ones,” Matlak said. “But I think we were sharper with the second and third guys.”

Two of those guys were quarterback Jordan Fowler and Acosta.

Jordan Fowler got the most reps and repaid that trust with a 39-yard pass to Loren Hurst and a 31-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Cunningham. Hurst played well catching the big pass and drawing a pass interference call earlier in the scrimmage.

Acosta scored on a 5-yard run and ran hard on several of his handoffs.

“Sean Acosta, I thought from camp we had a really good running back. (We) just saw it in living color,” Matlak said. “Sean, obviously, has to be a big piece of what we are doing. He’s got skill and he’s got toughness. We haven’t had that kind of running back since I have been a head coach.”

Running back Matt Deivert, who had a nifty burst for a 15-yard gain — the longest run with the potential first-teamers on the field, and starting quarterback T.J. Salopek, who is on the verge of becoming the school’s career passing yardage leader, said the slow start offensive was a case of first-game rust.

“This was the first time against somebody other than ourselves,” Deivert said. “This was a tuneup. It’s better than having it in the first game.”

Salopek said a couple injuries on the offensive line also kept the Gators from running smoothly. Offensive lineman Sam Taylor was hurt and some other linemen were being shuffled around to cover for another injury, but he said the line should be healthy when they play Bethany in the season opener Sept. 4.

“The expectations are high,” Deivert said. “We expect more from our offense. I think we will be better than last year. We have a lot of guys back.”

The defense also was faced with three Injuries. Defensive linemen Matt Myschisin and Steve Sliger were held out of the game as was starting cornerback Craig Stamm, Matlak said. He said they should be back, but did not know when.

The defense was pitching a shutout until Derrel McCaleb broke a 77-yard run up the middle in the fourth scrimmage period. More than half of Thiel’s roughly 140 yards came on McCaleb’s big run.

“They come to play every game,” Salopek said of the defense. “Every game we rely on the defense, but we are going to be able to move the ball.”

The Gators also are auditioning at wide out.

Jake Vite and Mark Sutton combined for 1,092 yards receiving with six touchdowns last season and both were lost to graduation.

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Gators look sharp in scrimmage against Thiel

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