SAINT JOSEPH'S Pumas (8-3 in 2014) at EDINBORO Fighting Scots (3-8 in PSAC West)
 PSAC Weekly Release

The Game Story
Edinboro opens the 2015 campaign with a special Thursday night edition against first-time opponent Saint Joseph's(Ind.). The Pumas are members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference and come off an 8-3 finish a year ago, marking their second straight eight-win season. They were picked to finish third in the GLVC. Edinboro seeks an end to a string of three straight losing campaigns after posting a 3-8 record in 2014. However, the Fighting Scots enter the season riding a two-game winning streak after ending the year with wins over Seton Hill and Millersville. It marked the first time Edinboro ended a season with back-to-back wins since 2008. The Fighting Scots open a season at home for the first time since 2011. This also marks the third straight year Edinboro has opened the season with a Thursday night game. 

The Fighting Scots are looking to snap a string of three straight losing seasons. That marks the first time with three consecutive losing campaigns since a stretch of six straight losing seasons from 1997-2002. 

This marks the first of three Thursday night contests in 2015, with two of those taking place at Sox Harrison Stadium. In addition to the Saint Joseph's contest, the Fighting Scots will play on back-to-back Thursdays in October. On October 15, Edinboro will play at Gannon. The following week, on October 22, the Fighting Scots host Mercyhurst. Thursday night has not necessarily been a good day to play on for the Fighting Scots. Edinboro has a 1-4 record on Thursday nights during Scott Browning's tenure as head coach.  

Edinboro is staring at another demanding schedule in 2015. Eight of the 11 teams on the 2015 slate posted winning records, with Slippery Rock and Gannon winning nine games, Saint Joseph's and California(Pa.) eight games, and Mercyhurst seven. The combined record of the eleven 2015 opponents is 65-56, but the combined records of the eight teams with winning records was 59-29. 

The Fighting Scots will sport a new look this coming season, with a significant change in uniforms. For the first time black will be incorporated into the uniforms, with the Fighting Scots able to choose from red or black pants, along with red and white jerseys. Edinboro will don red jerseys and black pants for the season opener. 

Edinboro will have someone other than a Harris opening the season as the starter at quarterback for the first time since 2005. Trevor Harris was the starter from 2006-09, and younger brother Cody took over in 2010 and would be the starter to open the year for the next five years. Jake Sisson, who made one start a year ago as a true freshman, will open the season under center. 

While six starters return on offense and six more on defense, youth will once again be served in 2015.  The 2015 roster features 38 true freshman and 10 redshirt freshman. Many are expected to see time as head coach Scott Browning and his staff tries to reap the benefits of a strong recruiting class. A year ago a total of 43 games were started by true freshman.

Saint Joseph's has featured one of the top ground games in the country the last two years. The Pumas ranked 13th in Division II in rushing a year ago with 242.6 ypg. behind Braxton Shelton. Shelton led the GLVC and ranked 26th in Division II in rushing with 1,211 yards. In 2013, Saint Joseph's averaged 224 ypg. rushing, good for 28th nationally. Shelton has 2,774 career yards rushing with 29 TDs. The defense, meanwhile, was stingy against the rush, allowing just 104.1 ypg. That figure ranked 16th in Division II. 

Edinboro was picked to finish seventh in the PSAC West in the coaches' preseason poll after being picked to finish sixth the previous two years. The Fighting Scots finished in a tie for sixth in 2014. Saint Joseph's was picked to finish third in the Great Lakes Valley Conference preseason poll. The Pumas tied for second a year ago.

On TV/Radio
The Edinboro-Saint Joseph's game can be heard live on WFSE FM 88.9, with Mike Fenner providing the play-by-play and Trevor Trumbauer the commentary. ETV, Edinboro's student television station, will also televise the contest. In addition, all Edinboro radio broadcasts will be aired by the Keystone Sports Network. The games will be broadcast on ESPN 92.7 FM in Erie and WWCB 1370 AM in Corry, Pa., in addition to being streamed live.  . 
 
The All-Time Series
First Meeting
This marks the first meeting between Edinboro and Saint Joseph's.
                  
The Coaches
Scott Browning (Ohio State '81) took over as Edinboro's 13th head coach on January 5, 2006, and in his first six seasons he tied the record for most wins by a coach during that period.  Browning is entering his tenth season with a 57-43 record, and is in his 30th season as a member of the Edinboro staff.  With the season-opening 35-34 win over Walsh in 2013, he became the third coach at Edinboro to reach 50 wins, joining Tom Hollman and Bill McDonald.   The 2014 win over Clarion was his 55th, moving him into sole possession of second place in career victories.  Browning was certainly no stranger to Fighting Scot football when he was hired as head coach, serving as an assistant coach for the previous twenty years. While at Edinboro he has coached the offensive linemen, defensive backs and running backs, along with serving as the offensive coordinator.  Browning became the first head coach at Edinboro to debut with a win since McDonald in 1969 when the Fighting Scots opened the 2006 season with a 28-14 win at West Chester.  He went on to lead Edinboro to a 6-5 finish, the most wins ever by a first-year coach.  That was followed by a 7-4 finish in 2007.  His next two Fighting Scot editions recorded a school-record tying nine wins.  In 2008 Edinboro ended the year at 9-2 and was ranked 20th in the final AFCA Top 25.  The Fighting Scots had a 9-4 record in 2009, making the NCAA playoffs for the first time in his tenure.  Edinboro would end the year 24th in the AFCA poll.  The Boro posted back-to-back 7-4 finishes in 2010 and 2011.  The 4-6 finish in 2012 represented Browning's first losing season as head coach.  

Daniel Day (Seton Hill '09) was appointed the 19th head coach at Saint Joseph's on December 5, 2014 after spending the previous four seasons as SJC's offensive line coach. Day's roots are in the eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. A native of Youngstown, Ohio, he enjoyed a successful playing career at Seton Hill. As the Pumas' offensive line coach, he helped SJC rank 28th in Division II in 2013 with 224 rushing yards per game. In 2014 the Pumas ranked 13th nationally with 242.6 yards per game while standing 16th in Division II against the run. The offensive line allowed just 15 sacks.         
     
Browning Comments ... on the Fighting Scots
"It will be interesting. I think we'll find out a lot about ourselves. We're playing a good football team that was 8-3 a year ago. It will be a big test. I think we're on track. It's time to play a game."

Browning Comments ... on the Pumas
"Saint Joseph's is physical, very physical. They're an athletic team and play a high-tempo offense. Defensively, they do some things to create problems for you. They're very aggressive on both sides of the  football. They're well-coached and have some very strong running backs. Their secondary is very athletic. Their kicking game is more than solid. They present quite a challenge."
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