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LORETTO, Pa. – Saint Francis University football is set to open the season at Akron on Thursday, Sept. 1 for a 6 p.m. kickoff. The matchup marks the second Red Flash meeting with an FBS team in program history.
 
SAINT FRANCIS QUICK HITS
» Three Saint Francis players, Donnell Brown, Seth Osborne and Alex Schmoke were selected to the 2022 Preseason All-NEC Team. All-three were All-NEC selections in 2021 and Schmoke added HERO Sports Freshman All-America honors.
» The Red Flash return 66 players from the 2021 team and added 31 true freshmen and 15 transfers. They returned 17 players with at least one start last season and returned all-six offensive linemen with starting experience.
» In 2021, Justin Sliwoski ranked fifth in the FCS with a 162.2 passing efficiency. Brandan Lisenby finished the season top-10 in the NEC with 36 catches and 471 receiving yards.
» Gregory Reddick is the reigning NEC Defensive Rookie of the year after he led the conference with 10 pass breakups. Brown was tied for second in the NEC with four solo sacks and seventh with five total, while Sebastian Benjamin ranked top-15 with four sacks.
» Schmoke ranked seventh in the FCS with an 88.2 field goal percentage and led the NEC with 70 points scored and 15 converted field goals last season. Jordan Slaiby led the conference with seven punts of at least 50 yards and 22 punts inside the 20-yard line.
 
SCOUTING AKRON
Akron enters the 2022 season after they went 2-10 overall and 1-7 in conference games last season. They were selected to finish sixth (last) in the Mid-America Conference East Division and earned a conference-low 28 voting points in the 2022 Preseason Coaches' Poll. Quarterback DJ Irons, running back Jonzell Norrils, tight end Tristian Brank, linebacker Jeslord Boateng and defensive back Charles Amankwaa lead Akron returners. Brank was Second Team All-MAC last season after he had 25 catches for 269 yards and three touchdowns. Irons had a 65-percent completion rate and threw for 892 yards, rushed for 309 yards and scored 10 total touchdowns. Norrils led the Zips with 117 carries for 571 rushing yards. Boateng led the Zips with 80 total tackles, while Amankwaa was tied for third in the MAC with three interceptions. The Zips enter the 2022 season under the direction of new head coach Joe Moorhead. He previously served two seasons as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Oregon after six seasons of head coaching experience at Mississippi State (2018-19) and Fordham (2012-15).
 
ALL-TIME VS. AKRON
Saint Francis and Akron will meet for the first time in program history. The game marks Saint Francis' second FBS opponent after a 35-15 loss to Eastern Michigan last season. Akron will face its second NEC opponent after a 34-14 defeat of Bryant last season.
 
AROUND THE NEC
Duquesne became the first NEC team in action with a 47-7 defeat at Florida State on Aug. 27. LIU and Wagner join Saint Francis as the two teams to begin on Sept. 1 with matchups against Toledo and Fordham, respectively. Stonehill plays its first game as an NCAA Division I FCS program on Sept. 3 at Bloomsburg, while Central Connecticut, Merrimack and Sacred Heart open their season the same day. Central Connecticut travels to UConn, Merrimack hosts Holy Cross and Sacred Heart travels to Lafayette. Duquesne plays its second game of the season that day with a trip to Youngstown State.

2021 SEASON IN REVIEW
Saint Francis finished the 2021 season 5-6 overall and 4-3 in conference play. The 4-3 conference record was the third time Saint Francis finished above .500 since joining the NEC in 1996 - all-three were since 2015. The Red Flash lost their three conference games by a combined five points - 18-17 at Bryant, 14-13 against Sacred Heart and 24-21 at Central Connecticut. With a 17-10 victory over Duquesne, Saint Francis defeated the Dukes for the first time since 2016 and the first time on the road since joining the NEC (previously 0-9 on the road). The 2021 season-opener at Eastern Michigan, a 35-15 loss, marked Saint Francis' first game against an FBS opponent in program history.
 
NEXT
Saint Francis returns to the field on Saturday, Sept. 10 for a 5:30 p.m. kickoff at Richmond.