2016 Outlook

Ursinus suffered through an injury-plagued 2015 that ended a streak of six consecutive winning campaigns ... 10 starters return and will have to carry the load early while a young defense comes together. Preseason Prediction: 7th

Head Coach Peter Gallagher

Gallagher (West Virginia Wesleyan ‘93) enters his 16th season at the helm of the Bears with a 77-75 overall record … the 70 victories make him the winningest gridiron coach in program history … Gallagher led Ursinus to its first Centennial title since 1996 in four seasons ago.

• Coaching Staff

Lettermen Returning/Lost: N/A
Offensive System: Multiple
Defensive System: 4-2-5

Corey Kelly

Offensive Preview

Starters Returning (10)
QB-Sal Bello, Sr., 6-0, 190, Phoenixville, PA / Archbishop Carroll
QB-James Emmett, Jr., 6-3, 200, Pittston, PA / Pittston Area
TB-Corey Kelly, Sr., 5-11, 195, Conshohocken, PA / Plymouth-Whitemarsh
WR-Carmen Fortino, Jr., 5-11, 165, King of Prussia, PA / Upper Merion
TE-Chase Stine, Jr., 6-3, 220, Collegeville, PA / Spring-Ford
C-Fran Grey, Sr., 6-0, 240, Paoli, PA / St. Joseph's Prep
RT-Connor Newlin, Sr., 6-1, 250, Harleysville, PA / Souderton
OL-Andrew Dalessandro, Jr., 6-4, 275, Bensalem, PA / Bensalem
OL-Antonio Nakos, Soph., 6-3, 290, Huntingdon Valley, PA / Academy of the New Church
OL-Grant Nulty, Jr., 6-2, 275, Margate City, NJ / Atlantic City

10 starters return for a Bears squad that only produced 17 points and 292 yards per game last season ... Sal Bello threw for 1,036 yards and five TDs in five contests before suffering a season-ending injury ... James Emmett threw for 831 yards ... senior Corey Kelly ran for 407 yards and found paydirt six times in seven games ... the offensive line is anchored by seniors Fran Grey and Connor Newlin. 

Tim Rafter

Defensive Preview

Starters Returning (5)
DT-Charles Anderson, Soph., 6-0, 276, Upper Chichester, PA / Northeast
LB-Tim Rafter, Sr., 6-0, 220, Springfield, PA / St. Joseph's Prep
DB-Jamie Casseus, Jr., 5-8, 160, Berlin, NJ / Eastern Regional
DB-Heath Hidlay, Jr., 5-10, 200, Lewistown, PA / Mifflin County
DB-Prince Patterson, Sr., 5-8, 175, Trenton, NJ / Notre Dame 

Senior Tim Rafter is the leader of a young Bear defense ... he recorded 89 tackles last season and recovered two fumbles ... soph Charles Anderson is the lone returnee up front ... senior Prince Patterson and junior Jamie Casseus each broke up eight passes last fall, while junior Heath Hidlay made 50 stops and picked off a pair of passes.

Special Teams Preview

Starters Returning (0)
none

Patterson Field

The college was well known for many years for its Patterson Field endzone, in which a large sycamore tree grew undisturbed. Ripley's Believe it or Not featured the famous tree for being the only one on an active field of athletic play  and the seclusion "of the tree at night for generations afforded lovers a trysting place. A new sycamore, growing since 1984 from a seedling taken from the old tree, stood nearby until a recent turf field project required its removal.

Home Record (1983-2015): 85-75 (.531)