HERO Sports welcomes you to "Two-a-Days", where we will preview every single one of the 125 FCS programs, with two being released each day from June 18 to August 18 (with the final day having three in one day). Today we give you … Bucknell.
[divider]MORE: Compare Any Two FCS Players or Any Two FCS Teams[divider]
FCS TEAM BY TEAM PREVIEW: The countdown
FCS PRESEASON TOP 25: The poll
FCS PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA: The teams
Bucknell (5-6 IN 2017)
Patriot League (Bucknell was 6th in 2017)
COACH: Joe Susan – 9th Season (37-51)
2017 OFFENSE: 16.8 ppg. (106th in FCS)
2017 DEFENSE: 22.6 ppg. (38th in FCS)
SUM IT UP: With the exception of Colgate, who brings back 16 of its starters from 2017, no Patriot league team brings back more than 10 starters. That leaves a massive vacuum of power in the middle of the league, which could bode well for a team like Bucknell. The Bison have some offensive question marks — particularly at the quarterback spot, which has been a revolving door for the last couple of seasons thanks to injuries and uneven play. Still, thanks to a mostly in-tact O-Line, the offense should smooth out of some of the wrinkles and find the end zone more easily the fall. In the context of how wide open the conference is, that alone makes Bucknell a team worth paying some attention to in 2018.
BEST-CASE SCENARIO: Bucknell has the look of a team that will play a lot of 50/50 games this fall, and the schedule supports that idea. A home game with Colgate, plus road tilts with Villanova Lehigh, should be the most challenging part of the schedule, but those other eight games all seem pretty winnable. A good preseason and a little bit of luck could push the Bison back over .500 for the first time since 2014, and most of the good folks in Lewisburg would likely call that a successful season.
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BEST FCS PLAYER BY NUMBER: We count down, No. 99 through No. 1[divider]
TOP RETURNEE: DL/LB Simeon Page (Second Team All-Patriot – 46 tackles, 9 Sacks).
THE NEXT FIVE: DL Blake Fletcher (22 tackles, 2.5 TFL before season-ending injury); LB/DB Brandon Benson (Freshman Hybrid Safety with 68 tackles); RB Chad Freshnock (Led team in AP Yards); TE Marcus Ademilola (Led team in receptions); OL Pat Finn (10 starts at center in 2017).
TOP NEWCOMER: QB Tarrin Earle (Father played for Pittsburgh Steelers).
DID YOU KNOW?: Bucknell won the first-ever Orange Bowl, beating Miami 26-0 in 1935.
THE QUOTE: "It's an honor to have the opportunity to play in the NFLPA game. I'm glad that all my hard work and determination is being recognized. I give thanks to my family, team and coaches for helping me through this process." -Former Bucknell Defensive Lineman Abdullah Anderson, who stands to become the second Bison player in two years to make an NFL roster.
"I want to dominate." – Julién Davenport '17 #StartTheStampede #rayBucknell https://t.co/QAY6ensDxN
— Bucknell Football (@Bucknell_FB) June 19, 2018
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