Bearcats to Open Season with Homecoming Game against Trinity

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- The Willamette University football team has experienced significant success in recent years. The Bearcats have built a 45-16 since the start of the 2008 season. Willamette went 10-0 in the regular season in 2008 and reached the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs. The Bearcats are 15-4 the past two seasons, including 7-2 in 2013.

The season will begin on Saturday, Sept. 13 when the Bearcats take on Trinity University in the Homecoming Game as part of Alumni Weekend. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. (PDT) at McCulloch Stadium. Trinity enters the game with a 0-1 record after losing to Howard Payne University 30-27 last weekend.

Willamette seeks to continue its success in 2014. It will be a challenge, following the graduation of a solid group of seniors, including starting quarterback Josh Dean, who threw for 2,489 yards last season. He completed 192 of 303 passes (63.4%) and threw for 28 touchdowns. He also ran the ball 119 times for 493 yards and four touchdowns.

In two seasons as a starter, Dean was 468 of 729 passing for 5,877 yards and 62 touchdowns. He set a school record with seven touchdown passes against Lewis & Clark College last fall. He threw for a school record 3,345 yards and a school record 34 touchdowns in 2012.

Trent Spallas (So., Elk Grove, CA/Franklin HS) is the top returning quarterback. He saw action in three games as a freshman, and completed 5 of 10 passes for 62 yards. Several other returning players and freshmen will battle Spallas for the starting position and will compete for playing time at quarterback this season.

The Bearcats return a key running back who will lead the ground game in 2014.

Dylan Jones (Sr., Santa Maria, CA/Ernest Righetti HS) rushed for 319 yards and four touchdowns for the Bearcats last year despite missing three games due to injury. He rushed for a career-high 716 yards and scored seven touchdowns in 2012. He was named Second Team All-NWC in 2012 and was Honorable Mention All-NWC in 2013.

The top returning wide receiver for the Bearcats is Derek Traeger (Sr., WR, Mount Angel, OR/John F. Kennedy HS). He hauled in 67 passes for 808 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2012. He ranked 17th in NCAA Division III with 7.4 receptions per game and was chosen First Team All-NWC. Traeger gained a career-high 17 yards on 11 catches against Whitworth.

Jones has rushed for 1,258 career yards, while Traeger has gained 1,017 career receiving yards. The duo has accounted for more than 2,200 yards overall during the past three seasons.

Joining Traeger as key returning wide receivers are Beau Smith (Sr., Roseville, CA/Roseville HS), Austin Jones (So., Oakdale, CA/Oakdale HS) and Erik Baker (Jr., Moraga, CA/Campolindo HS/Whitworth Univ.).

Smith caught 17 passes for 311 yards and four touchdowns a year ago. He scored twice against Sewanee, including a 36-yard catch for the winning touchdown with 6:46 left in a 33-28 victory. He caught five passes for 120 yards against Pacific University.

Austin Jones finished his freshman year with 12 catches for 162 yards and one score. Baker, who transferred in a year ago from Whitworth University, caught 11 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns.

Several top offensive linemen return this season. Bryan Martz (Sr., Salem, OR/South Salem HS) is back at offensive tackle. Ryan Morgan (Sr., Lone Tree, CO/Arapahoe HS) returns at offensive guard.

Ryan Springer (Sr., Eureka, CA/Eureka HS) provides strength at center. Springer was chosen Second Team All-NWC last season.

Overall, Willamette scored 370 points and gained 4,247 yards of total offense. The Bearcats ranked 15th in the nation in scoring with 41.1 points per game and were 19th in total offense with 471.9 yards per contest. WU threw for 283.4 passing yards per game and achieved 188.4 yards per game on the ground.

Willamettes starting inside linebackers from a year ago provided outstanding leadership on defense. Both players are back for the 2014 season.

Jack Nelson (Sr., Portland, OR/Jesuit HS) registered a team-high 112 tackles last fall, including 67 solo tackles and 45 assists. He tied for the team lead with 9.5 tackles for loss and recorded 2.5 sacks. He also intercepted two passes, broke up two passes, recovered two fumbles and forced a fumble. Nelson was chosen First Team All-NWC for the second year in a row. He ranked ninth in NCAA Division III in total tackles per game and was seventh in solo tackles per game.

Jimmy Roberts (Jr., Galt, CA/Galt HS) contributed 39 total tackles with 20 solo stops. He earned 1.5 tackles for loss to go along with one sack and two pass break-ups.

Henry Adelman (Jr., Arroyo Grande, CA/Arroyo Grande HS) saw action at inside linebacker in all nine games and recorded 15 tackles, including eight unassisted tackles.

At outside linebacker, Brendan Manion (Sr., Los Altos, CA/Archbishop Mitty HS) achieved 52 tackles in 2013 to rank third on the team. He made 39 unassisted tackles and recorded 7.5 tackles for loss. He led the Bearcats with three forced fumbles.

Corey Walsh (Sr., OLB, San Pedro, CA/San Pedro HS/Western New Mexico Univ.) added 48 tackles and matched Manion with 7.5 tackles for loss. Walsh had 2.5 quarterback sacks. He was named Honorable Mention All-NWC.

Willamette will be looking to rebuild the defensive line following the graduation of all three starters.

Top returning defensive linemen are Tyler Ropp (So., Corvallis, OR/Santiam Christian HS), Aric Burks (So., Gilbert, AZ/Hamilton HS), , Alex Franchetti (Sr., Stockton, CA/Lincoln HS) and Nikk Ryan (So., Oakdale, CA/Oakdale HS).

Last year, Ropp made 28 ttotal tackles, with 13 solo tackles and 15 assists. He registered 5.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. Burks earned 11 total tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks.

Ryan recorded 18 total tackles in 2013, with nine solo tackles and nine assisted stops. He also blocked a kick. Franchetti played in three games and earned two tackles.

The Bearcats also graduated all four starters in the defensive secondary, including Tyson Giza, who was named Third Team All-America by Beyond Sports Network. Giza was selected Third Team All-West Region and First Team All-NWC. He finished with 13 interceptions in his WU career and set a Bearcat record with 1,537 kickoff return yards.

Rayvon Owens (So., CB, El Cajon, CA/Christian HS) and Donny Torres (Jr., DB, Long Beach, CA/St. Anthony HS) both return to the defensive backfield after providing key plays off the bench. Owens played in all nine games and earned 23 tackles, including 17 solo stops. Torres saw action in seven games.
In 2013, the Bearcats recorded a total of 27 quarterback sacks to rank 23rd in NCAA Division III. Including an additional 30 sacks in 2012, Willamette has amassed 57 sacks in its last 19 games, an average of 3.0 sacks per game.

There will be a battle at place-kicker following the graduation of Kyle Derby, who set Willamettes career records for extra points by making 147 of 154 kicks. Derby scored 195 points in four years with the Bearcats.