FCS 2019 PREVIEW: Georgetown Football Is Set To Compete For Conference Title

HERO Sports welcomes you to "Three-a-Days", where we will preview every single one of the 126 FCS programs, with three teams being released each day from June 17 to July 28. Then, we'll preview all 13 conferences from August 1-4. Today, we present … Georgetown.

We'll leave no stone left unturned when it comes to giving the FCS diehards all they could ask for this offseason. Learn about every program in the country, with HERO Sports.

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Georgetown (5-6 IN 2018)

Patriot League (Georgetown finished T2nd in 2018)

COACH: Rob Sgarlata – At School: 6th year (16-39) Overall: Same
LAST FCS POSTSEASON: None
2018 OFFENSE: 15.6 ppg. (117th in FCS)
2018 DEFENSE: 21.1 ppg. (15th in FCS)
KEY GAME: Nov. 23 @ Holy Cross: While the Nov. 2 game against defending conference champs Colgate is a big one, the Hoyas no doubt have the game at Holy Cross circled. Last year saw a 32-31 Holy Cross victory to tie the two teams in the Patriot League standings at 4-2. Expect this matchup to shake up the league race again.

SUM IT UP: When a struggling program turns around its winning ways, there's always that one year you can point to and say "that was the year things started to head in the right direction." That season was 2018 for Georgetown.

Coming off a 2017 season where the Hoyas went 1-10 overall and 0-6 in the conference, they improved to 5-6 overall and 4-2 in the Patriot League last year. Those four conference wins were the most for the team since 2001. And the five overall wins are the most since 2012. And everything on paper suggests this team should be even better in 2019.

The offense has seven returning starters back. That includes the starting QB (Gunther Johnson), top RB (Herman Moultrie III) and WR (Michael Dereus). The Hoyas also bring back three starting offensive linemen (Neal Azar, Ryan Jelinek and TJ Thomas). Georgetown has 79 percent of its total offense back and 89 percent of its offensive touchdowns.

It's the same story for the defense, which has eight returning starters.

This was a top unit in the Patriot League last year, leading the conference in sacks (34) and interceptions (20). The 21.2 points allowed a game ranked second in the league and 15th in the FCS. From that squad, 78 percent of the tackles and 70 percent of those interceptions are all back. Khristian Tate is a big-time disrupter on the defensive line along with Duval Paul. Add in Owen Kessler and Wes Bowers at linebackers and that's a good-looking defense.

OUR TAKE: Expectations are set for the Hoyas. After tasting what it's like to be near the top of the conference standings, this team wants to be right there again. The schedule lines up to where Georgetown can be over .500 overall. But it's in the Patriot League where it really matters. Two games are key: versus Colgate and at Holy Cross. These three teams will duke it out for the conference title.

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TOP RETURNEE: Sr./DL Khristian Tate (First Team All-Conference, 54 tackles, 16.5 TFLs, 10 sacks)
THE FOUNDATION: Jr./LB Owen Kessler (Second Team All-Conference, 48 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 6.5 sacks); Jr./DL Duval Paul (Second Team AC, 41 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks); Jr./LB Wes Bowers (Second Team AC, 91 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks); Sr./QB Gunther Johnson (Starting QB last year, 1,696 yards, 9 TDs, 6 INT); Sr./WR Michael Dereus (Leading WR, 379 yards and 2 TDs)
TOP NEWCOMER: Fr./OL Sam Telesa (114th ranked FCS recruit in 2019)
THE QUOTE: "Our players and staff are very excited about our 2019 schedule. Our out-of-conference schedule will present a great challenge, including starting the year on the road as we face Davidson who features one of the top overall offenses in the country. We are looking forward to playing two Ivy League opponents, Cornell and Columbia, both in New York in front of the Hoya football family. I am confident that our first five games will prepare us for our Patriot League schedule." — Head Coach Rob Sgarlata said