2022 CSJ Pioneer Football League Football Preview

CSJ’s Predicted Order of Finish

1. Davidson

2. San Diego

3. St. Thomas

4. Dayton

5. Marist

6. Morehead State

7. Drake

8. Stetson

9. Valparaiso

10. Butler

11. Presbyterian

2021 PFL NCAA Division I FCS Playoff Results

First Round

Kennesaw State 46 Davidson 21

The Pioneer Football League will begin its 30th season of play this year. Davidson has captured the last two automatic qualifying spots for the league in the postseason. The Wildcats look to make it three in a row. But San Diego, who tied Davidson in the standings last year, and were the dominate team from 2016-19 in winning this league, will look to reclaim the crown.

The league last year had a new team emerge as a possible threat to the title as well. St. Thomas, who is still transitioning to Division I, will not be eligible this season for the playoff berth but still will look to win the regular season title.

St. Thomas, who was the first school to transition from Division III to Division I, was a DIII powerhouse. The Tommies made the DIII playoffs nine times since 1990 and two national title games (2012 & 2015). With DIII as a non-scholarship division, it will not be much of stretch for the Tommies to win the lone football only DI conference in the future.

But for now in 2022, it looks like Davidson or San Diego will represent the league again in the playoffs.

Davidson led the FCS in rushing yards per game in the last two championship seasons. This should again be the case for the Wildcats as leading rushers Dylan Sparks, Coy Williams and Aris Hilliard are all back this fall. The trio combined for 2,335 yards and 32 touchdowns on the ground last season. The Wildcat defense will be headed by possibly the best defensive player in the league in DE Jonathan Hammond

While Davidson looks to win the league with its offensive rushing attack, San Diego will look to its defense. USD has a current seven game winning streak coming into this season, which is the current FCS best and will have possibly the two best PFL defensive line duo in William Buck and Muhindo Kapapa leading the Toreros. Overall, USD returns 11 All-PFL standouts. The Toreros also got a potential boost in Iowa transfer QB Connor Kapisak to help its offensive side.

Dayton and Marist look like to dark horse contenders in the league. The Flyers will be headed by my PFL preseason offensive player of the year in AP/RB Jake Chisholm, while Marist will be headed by a defense that returns three All-PFL performers in LB Mike Arrington and safeties Clayborne Fields III and Teddy Wright.

The remainder of the league’s teams look to be rebuilding but a surprise always could happen.

Top Conference Games of 2022

The following five games I believe will go a long ways to determining the PFL winner this year. Again, St. Thomas will not be eligible for the playoffs but they will have a big say in who will be in the postseason with games against Marist, Davidson, and San Diego.

Oct. 1 – St. Thomas at Marist
Oct. 8 – Davidson at St. Thomas
Oct. 29 – San Diego at St. Thomas
Nov. 12 – Davidson at San Diego
Nov. 19 – Dayton at Davidson

Here is the countdown my PFL teams’ predictions with team information:

11. Presbyterian Blue Hose

Coach: Steve Englehart (1st Season, 0-0 @ PC, 70-49 overall)

Offensive Coordinator: Tommy Crayton/Noland Genovese
Defensive Coordinator: Daniel Owen
Stadium: Bailey Memorial Stadium (6,500 capacity)

Location: Clinton, South Carolina
2021 Record: 2-9 (0-8 PFL)

10.Butler Bulldogs

Coach: Mike Uremovich (1st Season, 0-0 @ Butler, 33-45 overall)

Offensive Coordinator: Alex Barr
Defensive Coordinator: Jeff Knowles
Stadium: Butler Bowl (7,500 capacity)

Location: Indianapolis, Indiana

2021 Record: 3-8 (1-7 PFL)

9.Valparaiso Beacons

Coach: Landon Fox (4th Season, 9-20 @ Valpo & overall)

Offensive Coordinator: Will Fleming
Defensive Coordinator: Brian Dougherty
Stadium: Brown Field (5,000 capacity)

Location: Valparaiso, Indiana

2021 Record: 4-7 (4-4 PFL)

8. Stetson Hatters

Coach: Brian Young (2nd Season, 4-7 @ Stetson, 78-98 overall)

Offensive Coordinator: Brian Sheppard
Defensive Coordinator: Jonathan Johnson
Stadium: Spec Martin Stadium (6,000 capacity)

Location: DeLand, Florida

2021 Record: 4-7 (2-6 PFL)

7.Drake Bulldogs

Coach: Todd Stepsis (4th Season, 10-17 @ Drake & overall)

Offensive Coordinator: Adam Gajo/Nate Thompson
Defensive Coordinators: Al Smith
Stadium: Drake Stadium (14,557 capacity)

Location: Des Moines, Iowa

2021 Record: 2-9 (1-7 PFL)

6.Morehead State Eagles

Coach: Rob Tenyer (10th Season, 41-58 @ MSU & overall)

Offensive Coordinator: Rob Tenyer
Defensive Coordinator: Andrew Strobel
Stadium: Jayne Stadium (15,000 capacity)

Location: Morehead, Kentucky

2021 Record: 7-4 (6-2 PFL)

5. Marist Red Foxes

Coach: Jim Parady (31st Season, 147-157-1 @ Marist & overall)

Offensive Coordinator: Jake Dembow
Defensive Coordinator: Scott Rumsey
Stadium: Tenney Stadium at Leonidoff Field (5,000 capacity)

Location: Poughkeepsie, New York

2021 Record: 5-5 (5-3 PFL)

4. Dayton Flyers

Coach: Rick Chamberlin (15th Season, 99-45 @ UD & overall)

Offensive Coordinator: Josh Hendershot
Defensive Coordinator: Tee Overman
Stadium: Welcome Stadium (11,000 capacity)

Location: Dayton, Ohio

2021 Record: 6-4 (5-3 PFL)

3. St. Thomas (MN) Tommies

Coach: Glenn Caruso (14th Season, 133-24 @ UST, 139-36 overall)

Offensive Coordinator: Wallie Kuchinski
Defensive Coordinator: Bobby Jay
Stadium: O’Shaughnessy Stadium (5,025 capacity)

Location: St. Paul, Minnesota

2021 Record: 7-3 (6-2 PFL)

2.San Diego Toreros

Coach: Dale Lindsey (9th Season, 75-25 @ USD & overall)

Offensive Coordinator: Cory White
Defensive Coordinator: Bobby Jay
Stadium: Torero Stadium (6,000 capacity)

Location: San Diego, California

2021 Record: 7-4 (7-1 PFL)

1. Davidson Wildcats

Coach: Scott Abell (Third Season, 26-15 @ Davidson, 65-39 overall)

Offensive Coordinator: Vince Much
Defensive Coordinator: Jon Berlin
Stadium: Richardson Stadium (6,000 capacity)

Location: Davidson, North Carolina

2021 Record: 8-3 (7-1 PFL)

CSJ 2022 Preseason PFL Players of the Year

Offense

Defense

Jonathan Hammond, DE, Davidson, Jr.

Special Teams

Brian Bartholomew, PK, Valparaiso, Jr.

CSJ 2022 Preseason PFL Team

Pos.	Player	School	Ht.	Wt.	Yr.	Hometown
OFFENSE
WR	Sam Bubonics	Dayton	5-11	177	RSo.	Solon, Ohio
WR	Nazeviah Burris	Stetson	6-0	180	So.	Union, S.C.
WR	Vance Jefferson	San Diego	6-0	185	So.	Poway, Calif.
QB	Alexander Piccirilli	Stetson	6-4	225	Gr.	Jupiter, Fla.
TE	Dominic Carlucci	Stetson	6-2	230	RSo.	Raleigh, N.C.
RB	Hope Adebayo	St. Thomas	5-8	184	So.	Inver Grove Heights, Minn.
RB	Jake Chisholm	Dayton	5-9	191	Sr.	Union, Ky.
RB	Dylan Sparks	Davidson	6-0	209	Sr.	Centreville, Va.
FB	Coy Williams	Davidson	5-11	213	RSr.	Lumberton, Texas
A-P	Jake Chisholm	Dayton	5-9	191	Sr.	Union, Ky.
OL	Aaron Byrd	Valparaiso	6-4	305	RSr.	Bradley, Ill.
OL	Beck Kipperman	Davidson	6-2	259	Jr.	Round Rock, Texas
OL	Finley Lecky	San Diego	6-1	270	Jr.	Chandler, Ariz.
OL	Cam Marriott	Morehead State	6-3	300	Jr.	Redlands, Calif.
OL	Brian Stevens	Dayton	6-2	290	RSo.	Milford, Ohio
OL	Matt Weimann	St. Thomas	6-3	312	Sr.	Oakdale, Minn.
DEFENSE
DL	William Buck	San Diego	6-0	285	RJr.	Sacramento, Calif.
DL	Jonathan Hammond	Davidson	6-2	208	Sr.	Atlanta, Ga.
DL	Muhindo Kapapa	San Diego	6-2	275	Gr.	Fairfield, Calif.
DL	Fermon Reid	Stetson	6-0	254	Gr.	Naples, Fla.
LB	David Ambagtsheer	San Diego	6-0	220	RSr.	San Diego, Calif.
LB	Mike Arrington	Marist	5-11	212	RSr.	Ashburn, Va.
LB	Majeste Hansberry	Stetson	6-2	215	RSr.	Atlanta, Ga.
LB	Luke Herzog	St. Thomas	6-2	229	So.	Mendota Heights, Minn.
LB	Ben Schmiesing	Dayton	6-1	232	Gr.	Piqua, Ohio
DB	Clay Fields	Marist	5-11	190	RSr.	Franklin, N.J.
DB	Luke Glenna	St. Thomas	5-11	188	Sr.	Edina, Minn.
DB	Cooper Krezek	Morehead State	6-0	200	RSo.	Kansas City, Mo.
DB	Amir Wallace	San Diego	6-1	180	Sr.	Fairfield, Calif.
DB	Teddy Wright	Marist	6-0	212	Gr.	Sharon Hill, Pa.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK	Brian Bartholomew	Valparaiso	5-11	160	RSr.	Sugar Grove, Ill.
P	Shane Dunning	Drake	6-0	175	Jr.	Muskego, Wis.
P	Kolby Gartner	St. Thomas	6-2	217	Jr.	St. Michael, Minn.
RS	Chuck Maxwell	Valparaiso	5-5	140	Jr.	Elkhart, Ind.
LS	Brady McKnight	Morehead State	6-1	200	So.	Stephens City, Va.