GRANVILLE, Ohio (August 29, 2022) – The Denison University football season is set to begin its new 2022 season with high hopes. Despite being picked to finish fifth in the North Coast Athletic Conference Preseason Poll, Head Coach Jack Hatem believes his team has the pieces to compete for a championship.

Denison finished the 2021 season 6-4 overall and 6-3 in the North Coast Athletic Conference, which was tied for fourth place and marked the Big Red's eighth straight winning season and eighth season in a row finishing in the top-four of the conference standings.

The Big Red got off to a great start in the NCAC at 3-0 in 2021, culminating with a big 21-16 win at home over Wittenberg University during the last weekend of September. Unfortunately, a tough 39-38 defeat in overtime after a two-point conversion by No. 18 Wabash College during Big Red Weekend left Denison with its first conference loss of the season. From there, the Big Red rattled off a 45-7 blowout win at Kenyon College followed by a 52-28 win over the College of Wooster in the Battle of the Old Red Lantern to improve to 5-1 in the league before falling 27-10 at eventual NCAC Champion DePauw University.

This season, the Big Red will kick off their new campaign under the lights at 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 3, against Capital University inside Deeds Field-Piper Stadium. The Big Red are 10-8-1 all-time against Capital, but this will be the first matchup between the two teams in over three decades after a three-point loss, 24-21, for Denison in 1981. In 2021, Capital made strides with two wins -- their most in a season since 2018 -- including a 41-7 win over Defiance and a 35-28 victory at Ohio Northern.

The following weekend, Denison will head to the Buffalo, New York, area to play at Hilbert College on Saturday, September 10. The Hawks are embarking on their inaugural season of college football this year, and it will all start with their contest against the Big Red.

Denison will open up conference play at home against Oberlin College on Saturday, September 17, at 1 p.m., and will then play its first road conference game of the season at Wabash on Saturday, September 24. Wabash finished is 2021 season 7-3 overall and 6-3 in the conference after originally starting off the season with five straight wins.

Denison will host DePauw at 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 1, for Big Red Weekend while its regular-season finale and Senior Day is set for 1 p.m. on Saturday, November 12, against Kenyon.

The Big Red had 14 all-conference players in 2021, led by first-teamers Trey Fabrocini (running back), Trey Dawkins (offensive lineman), Kevin Stone (offensive line), Jeff Moore (linebacker), Ryan Hallinan (safety), and Cory Swartzmiller (cornerback). Additionally, Dawkins, Stone and Moore were each named second-team all-region while Swartzmiller was a third-team all-region selection.

In addition to Fabrocini (787 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns) at tail back, the Denison offense will return fifth-year quarterback Drew Dawkins (123-230, 1,657 passing yards, 16 touchdowns), senior wide receiver DJ Johnson (30 receptions, 338 yards, 3 touchdowns) and senior tight end Mack Marston (21 reception, 244 yards, 5 touchdowns) as well brothers Kevin Stone and Brian Stone on the offensive line.

On defense, Denison will try to replace the productivity and experience of defensive lineman Joey Muncie, linebacker Francis Fay, and defensive backs Ryan Hallinan and Cory Swartzmiller. Defensive back Anthony Rooney returns for his fifth year and will look to lead the Big Red in the secondary while  junior Jeff Moore returns to lead the linebacker group after a breakout sophomore season in which he led the Big Red with 93 tackles.

Clay Denstorff led Denison in both tackles for loss (14) and sacks (9.5) a year ago, and will return for his senior campaign along with Michael Freilino and Sam Secrest on the defensive line.

Sophomore Jaylin Epps returns to handle the kick return duties after an explosive freshman season that saw him earn honorable mention all-conference honors and run back a 93-yard touchdown to open up the second half against Wabash.

For the first time in five years, Denison will need a new placekicker as fifth-year Pat Kramer graduates after finishing second all-time in scoring in program history with 296 career points and breaking the school record in career field goals, career PAT's and consecutive made PAT's. Looking to fill those big shoes will be sophomore Daniel Cunningham, who also looks to take over the full-time putning role after sharing time with senior Thomas Gelorme last season.

Now in his 13th season leading the Big Red, Coach Hatem ranks third all-time in wins at Denison and boasts a career record of 71-41 (.634 pct.). Only Walter Livingston (76) and Keith Piper (200) have more wins at Denison than Hatem, who went 38-13 from 2015 to 2019 with two NCAC Championships and one NCAA Division III playoff appearance in 2018.

The rest of Coach Hatem's coaching staff will be led by Keith Rucker and Adam Moses returning for their second seasons as defensive and offensive coordinator, respectively. On defense, Ian Formaz returns for his second year overall and his first coaching the running backs and tight ends, Nehemiah Bowie returns to coach the defensive backs and also begins his first season as special teams coordinator after being promoted to full-time assistant coach over the summer, John Young is back for his 10th season coaching the cornerbacks, and Noah Kerns begins his fourth season coaching the defensive line. Additionally, the Big Red defensive coaching staff welcomes Nick Eberle, who comes to Denison to coach the linebackers after previously working for five seasons at NCAA Division II Ohio Dominican University. On offense, Mark Butler (8th year) and Ted Londot (5th year) return to coach the offensive line while Kaleb Jarrett begins his second season working with the quarterbacks.

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