Bulldogs open season Saturday with Holy Cross

FOOTBALL OPENS 2013 ON SATURDAY VS. HOLY CROSS

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – With the long preseason camp behind them, the Bryant University football team will begin the 2013 season on Saturday, August 31 as it hosts Holy Cross at Bulldog Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

FULL GAME NOTES

LAST TIME OUT

After an 0-6 start to the 2012 season, Bryant turned it around to finish the year with a 4-1 record over the last five games of the season. The Bulldogs won four-straight games against Northeast Conference opponents before dropping the season finale, 24-21, to Bucknell last November. Jordan Brown returned a kickoff for a touchdown and Jordan Harris (Lincoln University, Pa.) caught a pair of touchdown passes to account for the Black and Gold offense.

SCOUTING THE CRUSADERS

A member of the Patriot League, Holy Cross makes the short trip down Rt. 146 from Worcester this afternoon. The Crusaders are coming off of a 2-9 season in 2012 but were much better than their record showed. According to the NCAA, Holy Cross played the toughest regular-season schedule in the country last season, losing five of its nine games by four points or less.

Hampered by injuries, as the Bulldogs were a year ago, the Crusaders return a healthy squad in 2013, including six starters on offense. Steven Elder and Ryan Laughlin split time at quarterback a year ago, but it appears Elder has won the job out of camp. He completed 61 percent of his passes for 1,281 yards and seven touchdowns last season. Elder's main target is back as well in senior Mike Fess, who caught 80 passes for 795 yards and four touchdowns.

Defensively, Holy Cross will look to senior Gary Acquah to lead the way. Acquah was a Second Team All-Patriot League selection last season after collecting 54 tackles, two sacks and seven tackles for a loss. Inside linebacker Roman SanDoval is the Crusaders' top returning tackler with 75 a year ago. He also picked up three sacks.

LOOKING AT THE BULLDOGS

There is a reason for optimism in Smithfield this fall, as the Bulldogs return eight starters on offense and nine starters on defense. Offensively, the Black and Gold welcome back starting quarterback Mike Westerhaus (Farmingville, N.Y.) and All-American receiver Jordan Harris. They also bring back four of their five starters on the offensive line. Defensively, Bryant had to replace just two starters from a year ago and should be a force this season. Jeff Covitz (Reading, Mass.) and Connor McNamara (Sandy Hook, Conn.) return to anchor the defensive line, while senior Jeremy Woodson (Houston, Texas) leads a veteran secondary.

HARRIS BACK FOR FINAL SEASON

Senior wide receiver Jordan Harris returns to Smithfield for his final season this fall. The greatest receiver in program history, Harris is coming off a junior campaign in which he set school records with 61 catches, 1,243 receiving yards and 15 touchdown receptions on his way to AP All-America honors. He enters his senior year as the program's all-time leader in all three of those categories and needs just 761 yards to become the NEC's all-time leader.

BULLDOGS PICKED THIRD IN NEC PRESEASON POLL

Coming off a 4-4 finish to the 2012 season, the Bulldogs were picked to finish third in the NEC this year by a vote of league coaches. Bryant has finished .500 or better in each of its four years in the NEC. Defending champion Wagner received four first-place votes to take the top spot, while Duquesne earned the other three first-place votes to finish second. Robert Morris, Saint Francis, Central Connecticut and Sacred Heart were picked to finish fourth through seventh.