LORETTO, Pa. – Here is a look at 10 things to watch for as Saint Francis begins the 2013 season Saturday night at No. 10 Georgia Southern.
 
1. Kyle Harbridge (Easton, Pa./Easton Area) returns as the starting running back after setting single season records for yards rushing (1,474) and touchdowns (14) as a junior in 2011. He sustained a season-ending injury during the preseason last year but has returned to lead the Red Flash backfield. With 2,507 rushing yards for his career, he currently sits 907 yards shy of tying Todd Harris' school record.
 
2. A pair of redshirt freshmen will guide the Saint Francis offense, as the team will run a two-quarterback system to open the season. Capri Thompson (Clairton, Pa./Clairton) and Max Ward (Steelton, Pa./Middletown) will split time under center with the Red Flash looking to create and exploit mismatches. With both players lacking a collegiate passing attempt, it will most assuredly become a focal point of attention as the season gets underway.
 
3. The Red Flash defense was much improved in 2012, and it will look to continue that trend this season. After allowing 44.1 points and 489.3 yards per game in 2011, the defense drastically cut those numbers to 30.3 points and 411 yards per game last year. After allowing over 240 yards rushing per game in 2011, that number fell below 200 yards in 2012. A similar improvement this season would put the defense in the upper echelon of the NEC.
 
4. The writing is on the wall for the defense to have that type of improvement due to the return of 10 starters in the unit. With the amount of experience and talent coming back for the Red Flash, the expectations will be higher for a group that ranked seventh in scoring defense and eighth in total defense in the conference a year ago. Though the rankings seem a bit low, the arrow is pointing up after the massive improvement on the 2011 numbers in those categories.
 
5. If there was any positive from Harbridge's injury, it allowed a pair of freshmen to shine in his place. Anthony Abeid (Youngstown, Ohio/Youngstown Christian) and Khairi Dickson (Cleveland, Ohio/Cleveland Central Catholic) combined to rush for nearly 600 yards. Abeid was also named NEC Offensive Rookie of the Year after rushing for 258 yards and making seven grabs for 122 yards. Dickson was named NEC Rookie of the Week twice, including after his 21 carry, 148-yard and a score performance against Bryant in September.
 
6. Saint Francis is expected to feature a strong rushing offense, but there are some weapons in the receiving game. Senior Dane Domonkos (Windber, Pa./Bishop McCort) led the team with 20 catches last year for 255 yards and a pair of scores. He's also dominant in the return game. He averaged over 32 yards per kick return and won an NEC Special Teams Player of the Week award.  He's on the CFPA Kickoff Returner Award Watch List. Juniors Terell Smith (West Haverstraw, N.Y./North Rockland) and Franklyn Williamson (Bowie, Md./Bishop McNamara) will also contribute in the passing game. Williamson averaged 23.6 yards per reception last season.
 
7. Jake DeMedal (New Wilmington, Pa./Wilmington) returns to conclude a very successful career in the Red Flash defensive backfield. A First Team All-NEC safety last year, he led the team in tackles with 88. He's played in all 33 games and has accumulated 229 tackles. He has an outside shot at reaching the top five in school history in tackles with a career season.
 
8. The Red Flash performed extremely well in the red zone last season, especially on defense. The Saint Francis defense allowed just 26 touchdowns on 46 opponents' trips into the red zone (56.5 percent), while the offense scored 25 touchdowns on 36 trips (69.4 percent). Overall, the Red Flash scored on 30 of 36 red zone possessions while allowing scores on 37 of 46.
 
9. The Red Flash will start three returners along the offensive line. Senior left tackle and Second Team All-NEC selection Thurston Kino (Honolulu, Hawaii/Punahou) joins senior right guard Lloyd Hill (Steelton, Pa./Steelton-Highspire) and junior right tackle Colin Gdula (Dunlo, Pa./Forest Hills) up front for Saint Francis. Junior Brandon Bunting (Champion, Pa./Mount Pleasant Area) at left guard and true freshman Michael Boyd (Honolulu, Hawaii/Farrington) at center join them. The line will play a huge role in the success of an offense that set a record with 2,610 yards rushing without the services of Harbridge. The Red Flash also picked up 143-of-220 first downs (65 percent) running the football.
 
10. Six home games dot the 2013 schedule, tying the school record for home contests in a season and making it the first such occasion in seven years. The key to the season could come down to the final two weeks as the Red Flash host both Wagner and Robert Morris in NEC tilts. Wagner was selected to win the conference in the preseason, and Robert Morris will be looking to send longtime head coach Joe Walton out with a win in his final regular season game.