► Duquesne returns to action for the first time following the historic 2018 campaign which saw the Dukes win their fifth Northeast Conference title, qualify for the FCS Playoffs for the second time and advance to the second round for the first time in program history.

► The Dukes were picked to repeat as NEC champions in the conference preseason poll. Duquesne has been selected to finish first or second in the poll for nine straight years.

► All-American running back A.J. Hines returns for his senior season pacing all active FCS players in career rushing yards and touchdowns. Hines was named a preseason All-American by a number of organizations.

► Duquesne is looking to secure its 12th-straight victory in its home opener. The Dukes topped Lock Haven 45-0 in the home opener in 2018 and West Virginia Wesleyan 38-13 in 2017.


QUICK HITS

- Duquesne looks to carry the momentum from the historic 2018 season into the 2019 campaign. After dropping the NEC opener against Bryant, the Dukes rattled off five straight conference wins en route to their fifth league crown and second bid to the FCS Playoffs. DU then went on to capture its first FCS Playoff victory in program history with a 31-10 win at No. 16 Towson.

- The Dukes return five starters on each side of the ball in addition to nine other players who made starts for the 2018 team as well as kicker/punter Mitch MacZura.

- Duquesne finished the 2018 season ranked in both the STATS FCS Top 25 (21st) and the AFCA FCS Coaches' Poll (24). In fact, it was the Dukes' first appearance in either poll. DU is receiving votes in both preseason polls to begin the 2019 season.

- The Dukes have enjoyed a great deal of success in NEC play, claiming five conference titles since 2011. Duquesne won a share of the league crown in 2011, 2013, 2016 and 2018 while capturing the outright title in 2015, earning the NEC's automatic bid to the FCS playoffs along with last year.

- The Dukes are 19-5 in NEC action since the beginning of the 2015 campaign, including a 10-2 mark at Rooney Field.

- DU has recorded 59 wins since 2011, at least eight more victories than any other NEC team. In addition, the Dukes' 35 conference wins in that time span are the most in the league.

- All-American running back A.J. Hines returns for his senior season with 3,849 career rushing yards and 38 career rushing touchdowns, pacing all active FCS players in both categories. Hines, the reigning NEC Offensive Player of the Year, posted a school-record six-straight 100-yard rushing performances last season.

- Head coach Jerry Schmitt returns for his 15th season at the helm of the DU program and 20th overall as a head coach. He has tallied 92 wins at Duquesne, just five victories away from tying Greg Gattuso, the school's all-time winningest coach.

- Quarterback Daniel Parr is back under center for the Dukes after completing 188-of-311 pass attempts for 2,447 yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior in 2018. The FAU transfer also rushed for seven scores, a program record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback.

- The Dukes will look to replace four starters on the offensive line, including a pair of all-conference selections in Matt Fitzpatrick and Alex Conley, who each started 35 consecutive games for Duquesne. Nick Jordan also graduated after starting all 13 games at right tackle last season while Colin Wittig started seven contests in 2018. Gabe Spurlock, who has 19 straight starts returns along with Lyle Petrosky who started six games last year. Tight ends Bill O'Malley and Jake Dixon return for DU, as well.

- Replicating the production of DU all-time leading receiver Nehari Crawford will be no small task, as the Florida native capped his second-straight 1,000-yard season as a senior in 2018. The Dukes return veterans Kellon Taylor and Kareem Coles Jr. who finished second and third, respectively, in receiving yards last season. Taylor and sophomore wideout Aidan Cain each tallied a pair of receiving touchdowns, as well.

- On the defensive side, the Dukes return a veteran core up front led by all-conference performer Kam Carter. The 6-4, 295-pound senior finished with 22 tackles (seven solo) including 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks last season. Defensive ends Mike O'Malley (32 tackles, 8.5 TFL) and Chris Favoroso (31 tackles, 4.0 TFL) are also back for the Dukes.

- The anchor of the DU defense is middle linebacker Brett Zanotto, who earned All-NEC honors as a junior after tallying a team-high 89 tackles (54 solo) with six tackles for loss. After transferring from Maryland following his freshman season where he led all first-year players with 23 tackles, he has started all 24 games in his two-year Duquesne career with 148 total tackles. Fellow linebacker Tom Jurkovec also returns after making four starts in 2018, recording 32 tackles (19 solo) for the Dukes.

- In the defensive backfield, second-leading tackler Spencer DeMedal returns after registering 61 tackles (44 solo) with six pass breakups and an interception along with cornerback Reid Harrison-Ducros, who started nine games, including the last four. He finished with 31 tackles (25 solo) in addition to five pass breakups on the year. Harvey Clayton Jr. earned NEC Player of the Week honors for his standout performance in a win at Saint Francis U, closing out the season with 30 tackles (20 solo) with a pair of pass breakups and a pick.

- All-NEC punter and kicker Mitch MacZura is back in 2019 after tallying a school single-season record with 2,439 punting yards in 2018. He also tied a single-season record with 44 PATs while connecting on 9-of-10 field goal attempts. Jacob Gill handled kickoff duties in 2018, averaging 51.1 yards per kick with nine touchbacks.

- Defensive back Jassir Jordan led the Dukes with 324 kickoff return yards including a 76-yard return to set up a touchdown against Sacred Heart and a 69-yard return to set up a score at FBS Hawaii. Jordan added a pair of starts at corner, as well.


THE SERIES

- Saturday marks the first-ever meeting between the Dukes and the Cavaliers.

SCOUTING THE CAVALIERS

- Walsh - located in North Canton, Ohio - competes at the NCAA Division II level in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC).

- The Cavaliers were selected to finish fifth in the GMAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.

- Walsh finished 4-6 last season including a 4-4 ledger in GMAC play under first-year head coach John Fankhauser.

- The Cavaliers play home games at Tom Benson Stadium at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

- Walsh returns leading rusher and receiver Koby Adu-Poku who posted 929 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground to go with 24 receptions for 262 yards last season.