2015 Schedule | Roster | Coaching Staff | Coach Thomas Video Interview  | Photo Day Gallery

Despite a winless season in 2015, the buzz surrounding the Malone University football program is refreshingly high. The Pioneers enter the 2016 season with a new head coach, a new staff, a new conference, new uniforms, and a new attitude as first year head coach Fred Thomas has Malone football on the up-and-up.
 
Thomas was announced as the new head football coach in early January and was entrusted with bringing in a new staff. He hired a number of new coaches, including offensive coordinator Dustin Miller, defensive coordinator Alex Gray, offensive line coach Andrew Sinko, and strength and conditioning coordinator Ryan Hardie. He also instilled a new culture and a "positive mental attitude" approach.
 
Thomas inherited a roster that included just nine seniors but has relied on them in the transition. "Our older guys have done a great job of leadership," said Thomas. "They've accepted the change and that's been a big positive."
 
When assessing the roster, Thomas and his coaching staff realized two areas of concern: speed and depth. They responded by bringing in nearly 70 freshmen and transfers. "One of the things we wanted to do was to get more speed; you can never have enough team speed, but we're getting there," Thomas explained. "We also wanted more competition and we answered that with sheer numbers. We've got a lot of guys competing for spots, pushing the guys in front of them. The competition will only make us better."
 
The starting quarterback competition was won by John Iacucci. The redshirt sophomore started three games a season ago and threw for 202 yards and three touchdowns in the season finale against Northwood. "He's done a great job of leading and our guys follow him really well." Thomas stated. "He's made great decisions all camp and worked hard on his throwing in the offseason."
 
The backup quarterback spot is still up for grabs. Freshmen Zane Bunnell, Cameron Ingram, and Jaret Skaggs, and sophomore Kyle Nowak, who makes the switch from running back, are all viable options as each brings their own unique dynamic to the position.

GLIAC Honorable Mention honoree Matt Blasiole returns at running back where he ran for 952 yards and 10 touchdowns in nine games in 2015. Blasiole earned the majority of the carries last year and was on pace for a 1000-yard season before missing the final contest with injury. He enters his junior campaign healthy.
 
Also back in the backfield is hard-nosed runner Jonathon Zimmerly who ran for 387 yards and a touchdown last fall. Hard-running freshmen Damon Williams and Xavier Garland add to the rotation and will provide the Pioneers with much-needed depth and speed. 

At wide receiver, Malone returns its top two pass-catchers in Eian Elsass (41 rec, 542 yards, 3 TD) and Ashton Dulin (19 rec, 329 yards, 3 TD). "Elsass is Mr. Consistent; he has great hands, and runs great routes," Thomas expressed. "Ashton has had a great camp, he's catching the ball very well and he's got great speed"
 
Also in the mix in the receiving corps are a trio of freshmen additions: Isaiah Wilson, Ronald Jones, and Daveon Howard. All three will be big targets in the Pioneers' passing game.
 
In the slot position, freshman Lawrence McCollum has earned a starting job. Alex Stotts and Tyler Howell will be featured in similar roles, adding to the offensive flexibility in multiple sets.
 
When the Pioneers go to tight end sets, Anthony Duran and Jeremy Gorby will see the bulk of the action.
 
Up front, Malone suffered a big blow when senior guard Brenson Ennis went down with a season-ending injury in camp. Chris Henke, the lone remaining senior on the offensive side of the ball, will anchor the line from the center position. Blake Cary will slot into right guard in Ennis' absence while Joe Turner will start at right tackle. JD Stamper has locked down left guard while true freshman Zak Hill will get the nod at left tackle. Freshmen Michael Crimaldi, Skyler Petkosek, Matthew Becker, and Steven Pettis are pushing for time in the trenches.
 
"One of the things that we've been preaching is to be more physical," Thomas noted. "We want a physical, dominant offensive line. We're showing signs of that, but the big thing will be consistency."
 
The Pioneers' balanced offense will be a mix of speed and strength. "We are going to run a flex type spread option with the ability to go anywhere from three backs to one back to no backs," revealed Thomas. "We are going to run enough option where teams will have to defend it, but built into our system is power football."
 
On the other side of the football, the Pioneers have switched to a base 4-3 and plan to put pressure on opposing offenses. "Defensively we are going to be very aggressive," indicated Thomas. "We're not sitting back in anything. We're going to put a lot pressure on our corners; our front seven are coming"
 
Undoubtedly, the most experienced unit is the defensive line that prominently features five returning seniors. Tyler Bowman, Austin Cary, Jesse Correll, Carl Grady, and Colton Hale will join fellow returners Albert Phillips and Drew Shreve in the four-man rotation. Newcomers Anthony Davis and Roy Johnson will provide even more depth up front.
 
2015 GLIAC Honorable Mention selection Ryan Weber leads a very young linebacking corps. Weber finished with a team high 87 tackles and three sacks last fall. "Ryan is as consistent a linebacker that I've coached in a long time," Thomas exclaimed. "He does a lot of things right and a lot of things well."
 
In a competitive battle for the remaining linebacker spots, Keith Williams has asserted himself as a leading candidate. Matt Ramsey and Kameron Richardson have also played well in camp after each appearing in eight games a season ago. Josh Correll, Marquis Sams, and Bobby Jefferson give the Pioneers additional depth, while Cameron Pitts, who played defensive back in 2015, has made the transition to linebacker and expects to make an impact.
 
The defensive secondary features three returning starters including senior safety JC Pawlyk who finshed second with 64 tackles and led the squad with two interceptions in 2015. Daniel Tepe handles the other safety spot while Jordan Johnson locks down a corner position. Lamon Mathison will man the opposite corner. Obrempong Oppong and Jarrod Smith, who makes the transition from running back, are the backup safeties while a number of talented freshmen, including LeAndrew Woody, Shaquille Bussey, Terrance Duckworth, and Orlando Scott give the Pioneers extended depth in the backfield.
 
On the Malone special teams units, Marcus Moeller, who missed the entire 2015 season to injury, returns to handle both the kicking and punting duties. Dulin and Tepe will return kickoffs while Jordan Johnson, who set the school record with a 76-yard runback in the 2015 season opener, will return punts.
 
The Pioneers' potpourri of a schedule features a season-opening home matchup with NAIA foe Taylor University on September 3rd. In week four, Malone plays its first NCAA Division I program in school history in a meeting with Robert Morris (PA) on September 24th. The very next week, the Pioneers will play another DI when they battle Saint Francis (PA) on October 1st. Malone will make its debut in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) on October 8th in its Homecoming game vs. Alderson Broaddus before traveling to fellow G-MAC competitor Kentucky Wesleyan on November 5th.
 
With so many "news" heading into the new season, the Pioneer players and staff will focus on controlling the controllable with one goal in mind.
 
"We've got to get better every day," commented Thomas. "We're a very young football team which means there will be some bumps in the road but we understand that. We are going to play as hard as we can every game and that's all I can ask of these guys."
 
Malone opens the season at home vs. Taylor on September 3rd. Kickoff is set for 2:00 pm. All home games this fall will be played at Bob Commings Field on the campus of GlenOak High School in Canton, Ohio.
 
Click on the links on the top of the page to see the full schedule, roster, and staff, as well as a video interview with coach Thomas.
 
Fans can follow Malone football action, including weekly previews and post-game recaps, all season long on malonepioneers.com.