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LORETTO, Pa. – Saint Francis University football returns to non-conference play with a matchup at Norfolk State on Saturday at 2 p.m. The Red Flash are off a 27-7 victory over Wagner in their first conference game of the season.
 
Offense 
Freshman wide receiver Makai Jackson was named FCS National Freshman Player of the Week and earned all-three major Northeast Conference weekly awards he was eligible for. He recorded 11 catches, the first Saint Francis player with over 10 since 2019, with 117 receiving yards, one receiving touchdown, and three carries for 15 yards. He ranks third in the FCS with 8.7 receptions per game and tied for seventh with 107 receiving yards per game. Both marks lead FCS freshmen and the entire NEC. In the midst of Jackson's success, Dawson Snyder still ranks sixth in the NEC with 67 yards per game and 10th with four catches per game. After quarterback Justin Sliwoski led the team in pass attempts and yards the first two week, Cole Doyle led the way with 122 yards on 12-for-18 passing. Running backs Damon Horton and Lovell Armstead each recorded at least 14 carries and 65 yards against Wagner. Horton continues to lead the Red Flash with 173 rushing yards, which ranks third in the NEC. The offensive line has held the past two opponents, Wagner and Richmond, without a sack and is tied for ninth in the FCS with 0.67 sacks allowed per game.
 
Defense
Gregory Reddick tied a game-high with eight tackles at Wagner and is tied for the NEC lead with 26 total and is first with 16 solo tackles. His 8.7 tackles per game is tied for 43rd in the FCS. Willie O'Hara earned his first weekly honor as an NEC Prime Performer after he tied a game-high with eight tackles and forced Saint Francis' third fumble of the season. He ranks third on Saint Francis with 18 total tackles and two tackles for loss, both top-20 in the NEC. In three games this season, the Saint Francis defense has help two opponents, Akron and Wagner, to less than 100 yards rushing. The Red Flash have 10 different players with at least half a sack and are still led by Sebastian Benjamin, who posted all-four of his sacks in the season opener at Akron.
 
Special Teams
Jackson recorded the first Saint Francis kick return touchdown of the season with his 79-yard return on the ensuing kickoff after a Wagner touchdown. Jackson was positioned shorter than the Red Flash returners and the Seahawks elected to kick it his way. Kicker Alex Schmoke went 2-for-3 on field goal attempts and is now 7-for-9 on the season with a long of 38 yards. Punter Jordan Slaiby continues to pace the NEC with a 41.1 net punting average and has a season-long of 56 yards. His average ranks 38th in the FCS.
 
Last Time Out
Saint Francis earned its first victory of the season and moved to 1-0 in conference play with a 27-7 defeat of Wagner. The Seahawks started the scoring with a 17-yard touchdown in the first quarter before Jackson scored a 79-yard kick return touchdown on the ensuing kickoff. Tied 7-7, Horton scored his second touchdown of the season with 39 seconds remaining in the first half to give Saint Francis a 14-7 lead. In the third quarter, Schmoke extended the lead to 17-7 before Jackson scored his second touchdown of the game, a 16-yard catch-and-run, to open a 24-7 lead. Schmoke converted another field goal in the fourth before Saint Francis sealed its 27-7 victory. 
 
Scouting Norfolk State
The Spartans enter Saturday's matchup with an 0-3 record after losses to FBS opponents Marshall and James Madison and FCS opponent Hampton. Norfolk State has been outscored by opponents 135-7 and has given up 72 first downs and only earned 28. Wide receiver Da'Quan Felton leads the offense with seven catches, 170 yards and has scored Norfolk State's only two touchdowns. He scored a 90-yard touchdown against James Madison. Otto Kuhns has the bulk of Spartan snaps at quarterback with 23-of-46 passing for 354 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Ikeem Wright leads Norfolk State's rushing game with 52 yards, which came on one run against Hampton. J.J. Davis has the most carries, 30, and has averaged 1.2 yards. Defensively, Tyler Long leads the unit with 25 total tackles and is tied for the team lead with one sack and one interception. Marquis Hall is the only other Spartan with a sack and has one interception, while Joseph White is the other Spartan with an interception. Running back Davis was selected a BOXTOROW Preseason All-American and the MEAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. He was the 2021 MEAC Rookie of the Year and All-MEAC First Team. Hall, center Colby Byrd and Brandon Savage garnered First Team MEAC selections, while Felton, Long and defensive back Justin Toler were Second Team.

All-Time vs. Norfolk State
Norfolk State took the first and only matchup between the programs last season with a 28-16 victory. The game, played in Loretto, Pa., was 10-7 Saint Francis at halftime before Norfolk State produced a 14-point third quarter. While the Red Flash only allows 99 passing yards, they yielded 328 rushing yards. Quarterback Justin Sliwoski was part of an early season battle during the game and went 5-for-8 with 96 yards and one touchdown.

Around the NEC
Saint Francis was the only NEC team with a victory over the weekend with a win over Wagner. Merrimack kicked off NEC action on Friday with a 28-21 loss to Harvard in overtime. On Saturday, Central Connecticut lost 70-6 against Southeastern Louisiana while LIU lost to Kent State 63-10. Sacred Heart took a 24-9 loss at Morgan State before Duquesne wrapped up the weekend with a 24-14 loss at Hawaii. Saint Francis and Sacred Heart now only a share of first place in the NEC at 1-0. Five teams are in action this weekend, all non-conference games.
 
Jackson Named FCS National Freshman Player of the Week
Jackson earned the FedEx Ground FCS National Freshman Player of the Week, presented by Stats Perform, on Sept. 19 after a win over Wagner. He was the first Saint Francis FCS weekly selection since Josh McGrigg was the FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week on Oct. 11, 2021. At the time of his selection, he was third in the FCS with 8.7 catches per game and tied for seventh with 107 receiving yards.
 
Jackson Earns Three Major NEC Weekly Awards, Two Named Prime Performers
Jackson earned a weekly honor in all-three major awards he was eligible for with a Co-Offensive Player, Special Teams Player and Rookie of the Week selection on Sept. 19. Both the offensive and rookie selections were a second straight week he garnered the honor. At the time of his selections, Jackson earned five major NEC weekly awards through the first three weeks of the season. O'Hara added his first weekly honor with the Red Flash when he joined Jackson as an NEC Prime Performer.
 
Next
Saint Francis has its home opener against Central Connecticut on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 12 p.m.