Game Notes (PDF)
William Paterson (2-5, 1-5 NJAC) will play two of its final three games at home, starting with a contest against Buffalo State (0-7, 0-6 NJAC) Saturday, Nov. 1. Kickoff at Wightman Stadium (3,000) will be at
1:00 p.m. Live online statistics will be available at wpupioneers.com.
SCOUTING WILLIAM PATERSON
William Paterson is 2-5 overall and 1-5 in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play following a 38-0 road loss to No. 9 SUNY Cortland (7-0, 7-0 NJAC) Oct. 25.
Junior Matt Marshall (6-3, 195, Burlington, N.J./Burlington City) is 128-for-229 (.559) for 1,396 yards, 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions under center. He ranks fourth in the NJAC in passing yards/game (199.4 yards/game).
Senior Shaun Puluse (5-10, 210, Haledon, N.J./Passaic Tech), a 2007 honorable-mention all-NJAC selection, leads the Pioneers' ground game with 98 carries for 372 yards (3.8 yards/attempt) and a score, averaging 53.1 yards/game to rank eighth in the conference. He has also caught 14 passes for 47 yards and a TD. Sophomore Marcus McKinney (5-11, 220, Paterson, N.J./John F. Kennedy) has carried 30 times during the last four games for 153 yards (5.1 yards/attempt) and a score, and has caught 10 passes for 61 yards. Junior Joel Rivera (6-1, 190, Hoboken, N.J./Hoboken), the Sept. 28 NJAC and ECAC Southeast Region Offensive Player of the Week, has caught a league-best 48 passes (6.9 per game, tied-24th in Division III) for 648 yards and five touchdowns. His 92.6 receiving yards/game rate third in the NJAC (tied-39th in NCAA), and his 115.0 all-purpose yards/game rank seventh in the conference statistics. At Rowan Sept. 27, he established new school records with 16 catches and 226 yards.
Junior linebacker and 2007 second-team all-NJAC pick Jared Burke (6-1, 220, Egg Harbor Twp., N.J./Egg Harbor Twp.) leads the Pioneers with 50 total tackles (25 solo, 8.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks). He is 16th in the NJAC in tackles/game (7.1), tied for ninth in TFL/game (1.14), and has added a forced fumble and a blocked PAT. Sophomore defensive lineman Dyon Moore (6-2, 260, Brooklyn, N.Y./Hudson Catholic) has made 46 stops (20 solo, 19th in NJAC with 6.6 tackles/game), is the team leader with 10.5 TFL (1.50 pg, fifth in league), and 4.5 sacks (sixth in NJAC). Moore, the Sept. 7 NJAC Defensive Player of the Week, has forced a conference-best three fumbles, and has recovered a pair (0.29 pg, tied-fifth in league). Junior defensive lineman Keith Sayball (6-0, 220, Milford, Conn./Foran) has made 38 stops (18 solo, 7.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks) and is tied for 13th in the NJAC statistics in TFL/game (1.00).
The Pioneers returned 51 letterwinners, eight offensive starters and six defensive starters from a 2007 team that posted a 5-5 overall record and a 3-4 mark in NJAC play.
SCOUTING BUFFALO STATE
The Bengals are 0-7 overall and 0-6 in NJAC play following a 20-7 home loss against Rowan Oct. 25.
Five different quarterbacks have called the signals for the Bengals, most recently freshman Kenny Murphy (6-3, 208, Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster), who is 42-for-95 (.442) for 620 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions this season. Junior Sammy Smith (5-5, 178, Buffalo, N.Y./Hutch Tech) has carried 100 times for 389 yards (3.9 yards/carry) and four touchdowns, while senior Greg Meyer (6-0, 189, Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) has caught a team-best 33 passes for 385 yards and four scores. Senior Joe Russell (5-11, 188, North Tonawanda, N.Y./North Tonawanda) has 25 receptions for 365 yards and three touchdowns.
Senior linebacker Matt Pacana (5-11, 200, North Tonawanda, N.Y./North Tonawanda), the current NJAC Defensive Player of the Week, leads the Bengal defense and is tied for second in the conference with 63 tackles (22 solo, 6.0 TFL, 1.0 sack). Junior linebacker Jermaine Rose (6-1, 224, Niagara Falls, N.Y./Niagara Falls) follows with 55 tackles (23 solo, 11.0 TFL, 6.5 sacks), while senior strong safety Scott Forster (5-10, 195, East Otto, N.Y./Cattaraugus-Little Valley) has 54 tackles (29 solo).
Buffalo State posted a 2-8 overall record and a 1-6 mark in the NJAC during the 2007 season.
