Flash Points:

• SFU Football travels to Bryant on Saturday for a big NEC matchup.
• The Red Flash and the Bulldogs are set for a 1 p.m. kickoff on NEC Front Row.
• Saint Francis is 3-2 overall and 1-0 in the NEC, while Bryant is 2-3 and plays its first NEC game this weekend.
• The SFU defense ranks third in the FCS in scoring defense and fifth in turnovers forced.
• Bryant ranks third in the FCS in total offense, averaging 484.4 yards per game.

SFU Notes | Bryant Notes | SFU Two-Deep | Bryant Two-Deep | NEC Front Row | Live Stats | Scouting Report
 
LORETTO, Pa. – The Saint Francis Football team travels to Bryant on Saturday for a key NEC matchup.  The Red Flash and the Bulldogs are set for a 1 p.m. kickoff at Beirne Stadium on NEC Front Row, with Tristan Hobbes and Tim Lynch on the call.
 
Saint Francis, led by Head Coach Chris Villarrial, is 3-2 overall after falling 26-14 at Presbyterian last Saturday.  Three special teams mistakes contributed to Presbyterian scores.  Louie Gartner (Bloomfield, N.J./Paramus Catholic) returned a fumble 49 yards for a touchdown.  SFU is 1-0 in the NEC with a 31-6 win over Wagner.
 
Bryant, coached by James Perry, is 2-3 this season and plays its NEC opener on Saturday.  The Bulldogs are coming off a bye week after a 45-17 setback against No. 15 New Hampshire on September 30.
 
SERIES HISTORY
Saint Francis trails the all-time series, 6-3, against Bryant.  SFU is 1-3 on the road against the Bulldogs.  Last year, SFU earned a 38-3 win, its largest win over an NEC opponent in program history.  Kamron Lewis (Fresno, Calif./Edison) caught 10 passes for 129 yards and a touchdown, while Jalen Wells (Westerville, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) had a 40-yard pick-six and Zane Stewart (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) had two sacks.
 
LAST WEEK
The Red Flash dropped a 26-14 decision on the road at Presbyterian.  Saint Francis made a few costly mistakes on special teams, which led to Presbyterian's first 12 points.  SFU's field goal attempt in the first quarter was blocked and sparked a drive by Presbyterian, which ended with a field goal by Brett Norton.  On SFU's next possession the snap on a punt went over Andrew Zecca (Berkeley Heights, N.J./Gov. Livingston)'s head and rolled out of the end zone for a safety.  Later in the second quarter, the Blue Hose blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown.
 
SFU twice cut the deficit to one-possession, with a 49-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Louie Gartner (Bloomfield, N.J./Paramus Catholic) and a 15-yard touchdown reception by Jymere Jordan-Toney (Philadelphia, Pa./Franklin).
 
Bear Fenimore (Austin, Texas/Westwood) threw for 185 yards, a touchdown and an interception.  Kamron Lewis (Fresno, Calif./Edison) caught seven passes for 58 yards and Jorge Solano (Coral Springs, Fla./Coral Springs Charter) had four receptions for 53 yards.  Jymere Jordan-Toney (Philadelphia, Pa./Franklin) rushed for 89 yards and added the touchdown reception.
 
Linebacker Sean Orsini (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) led the Red Flash with a career-high 13 tackles.  Linebacker Ben Bruni (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) set his own career-best with 11 stops and two pass breakups.  Da'Jon Lee (Fairfax, Va./Robinson) made five stops, forced a fumble, a QB hurry and blocked a field goal. 
 
Orsini's 13 tackles were the most by an SFU player since Semo Sila had 14 vs. Towson in 2015.
 
RED FLASH RECEIVING VOTES
The Red Flash is receiving votes in both the STATS FCS Media Poll and the FCS Coaches Poll.  Saint Francis received one vote in this week's STATS FCS Poll, the sixth straight week receiving votes this season.  SFU got nine votes in the FCS Coaches poll, also the sixth straight week receiving votes in the Coaches Poll.

KAM BEING KAM
Junior Kamron Lewis (Fresno, Calif./Edison) is off to a strong start in 2017.  He caught seven passes for 58 yards against Presbyterian.  Although he snapped an eight-game touchdown streak, 14th in the FCS with five touchdown catches.  Lewis has 34 catches for 417 yards this season, averaging 83.4 yards per game and 12.3 yards per catch.
 
The All-American now has 2,002 career yards, he is now 18 yards behind Luke Palko (2003-06) for third all-time at Saint Francis.  He is also 24 catches away from fifth all-time at SFU and four touchdown catches away from third all-time.
 
CONTROLLING THE BALL
Saint Francis leads the FCS in turnover margin this season.  While the SFU defense has forced 15 turnover this year, good for fifth in the nation, the SFU offense has lost just three turnovers. 
 
With the forced fumble against Presbyterian, SFU has now forced a turnover in eight straight games and 21 of its last 22 games, dating back to the 2015 season.
 
THE DARKSIDE
The Saint Francis defense, known as "The Darkside", has been lights out this year.  The Red Flash currently ranks third in the FCS, allowing just 11.6 points per game. 
 
The Red Flash also ranks fifth in the nation in turnovers forced, with seven interceptions and eight fumble recoveries.  SFU also has 24 tackles for loss and seven sacks.
 
Saint Francis is 27th in the FCS in total defense (316.8 yards per game), 45th in rushing defense (132.4), 28th in passing defense (184.4) and leads the FCS in Red Zone defense, allowing conversions on just 50 percent of opponents' trips into the Red Zone. 
 
SFU's defense is a balanced effort with six players recording 30 or more tackles through the first five games.  Nine players have at least one tackle for loss, five players have recorded at least one sack, five players have forced a fumble and four players have at least one interception.  Linebackers Ben Bruni (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) and Sean Orsini (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) are tied for the team lead with 37 tackles, with Bruni registering two for loss and four pass breakups.  Safety Hakeem Kinard (York, Pa./York Catholic) has filled the stat sheet with 32 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack, two interceptions, three pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.  Linebacker Da'Jon lee leads the team with 5.5 tackles for loss and three sacks to go with 30 tackles, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick.  Delondo Boyd (Indian Head, Md./Henry E. Lackey), Shawn McCord (Aberdeen, N.J./Red Bank Catholic) and Zane Stewart (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) have recorded one sack each.  Malik Duncan (Cleveland, Ohio/Cleveland Central Catholic) and Nick Rinella (Wyndmoor, Pa./La Salle College) are tied with Kinard for the team-lead with two interceptions and Boyd has one.  Boyd has forced two fumbles this year.
 
THIS BEAR IS BEST
Graduate transfer Bear Fenimore (Austin, Texas/Westwood) has been a steady presence at quarterback for the Red Flash.  He currently has 11 touchdowns and only two interceptions this year.
 
Fenimore has completed nearly 63 percent of his passes and has 1,132 yards passing.  He ranks 22nd in the FCS in passing touchdowns and 28th in passing efficiency (146.3).
 
ZECCA'S STRONG START
Junior punter Andrew Zecca (Berkeley Heights, N.J./Gov. Livingston) has had a strong start to the 2017 season.  He currently leads the NEC with 39.2 yards per punt.  Zecca's hit 30 punts for a total of 1,175 yards, with his longest punts going 61 and 62 yards.  He has landed 13 punts inside the 20 and caused 13 fair catches. 
 
He needs just two more punts to qualify for the SFU yards per punt career record.  Zecca has averaged 40.8 yards on 73 career punts. 
 
Zecca was the STATS FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week after the Red Flash's 13-7 win at No. 22 Liberty, tying a school record with 12 punts and breaking a school record with 480 yards. 
 
VILLARRIAL NAMES TEAM CAPTAINS
The 2017 team captains were named before SFU's scrimmage on August 26.
 
Senior safety Delondo Boyd (Indian Head, Md./Henry E. Lackey), senior cornerback Malik Duncan (Cleveland, Ohio/Cleveland Central Catholic), junior tackle Mederick Flavius, Jr. (Lauderhill, Fla./Northeast) and senior tight end Matt Valenzuela (Sterling, Va./Dominion) were elected by their fellow players to represent the program as captains.  Boyd is in his second year as a captain after being the only underclassman captain last season.
 
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
Bryant is led by first-year head coach James Perry, who became the head coach after spending seven years as the offensive coordinator at Princeton.  The Bulldogs are 2-3 this season and make their NEC debut this year after a bye week.
 
The Bulldogs have improved dramatically on offense this year, averaging 29.2 points and 484.4 total yards per game.  They rank eighth in the FCS in total offense.  Bryant has the third-best passing attack in the FCS, averaging 354.2 yards per game.
 
Junior quarterback Price Wilson, a transfer from Louisiana Tech, is currently seventh in the FCS with 1,767 passing yards and third in passing yards per game.  He has thrown 10 touchdowns, but has also thrown 11 interceptions.
 
Freshman Isaac McCray and junior Brenden Femiano are a talented duo at running back.  McCray is averaging 57.4 rushing yards per game, with three touchdowns, and Femiano is averaging 54.5 yards per game.
 
Bryant has five receivers with 12 or more catches this year.  Senior Tom Kennedy leads the group with 25 catches for 360 yards and two touchdowns, while Matt Sewall has 21 catches for 268 yards and four touchdowns and sophomore Jean Constant is third in the FCS in all-purpose yards, averaging 161.6 per game.
 
The Bulldogs use a 4-3 defensive scheme.  Bryant is allowing 42.8 points and 480 total yards per game, giving up 293.6 passing and 186.4 rushing yards.  Bryant has forced five turnovers, with three interceptions, and recorded 11 sacks.
 
Junior tackle Kevin Lazo leads the defensive line with 16 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack, a fumble recovery and two blocked kicks.  Preseason All-NEC junior end Dillon Guthro has 13 tackles, a tackle for loss and half a sack.
 
Middle linebacker Thomas Costigan leads the NEC with 45 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and six sacks.  Sophomore Richard Ukele has 39 stops and two pass breakups.
 
In the secondary, safeties Danny Hughes and Pat Champagnie have 18 and 17 tackles, respectively.  Sophomore cornerback Eulogio Portugal has 18 tackles and five pass breakups.