G4 | DUQUESNE at MERRIMACK
DATE: Saturday, Oct. 2
TIME: 1:00 pm ET
LOCATION: North Andover, Mass. • Duane Stadium
TELEVISION: NEC Front Row with John Avino (pxp) and Alex Barth (analyst)
RADIO: BIG 104.7 FM HD2 / ESPN 970 AM / iHeart Radio with Tim Benz (pxp) and Tad Maurey (analyst)

OPENING KICKOFF
- The Dukes begin Northeast Conference (NEC) play on Saturday with a road matchup at Merrimack. Duquesne opens its conference slate with a 2-1 overall record following a 56-7 victory over Virginia University of Lynchburg last week at Rooney Field. 

- The Dukes secured their 14th-straight home-opening victory with the triumph over Virginia University of Lynchburg on Saturday. Four different players found the end zone for Duquesne as the Dukes tallied 480 yards of total offense in the contest, including 289 yards on the ground. In addition, four different Duquesne kickers connected on field goals in the win.

- Saturday's matchup marks the first meeting between Duquesne and Merrimack on the gridiron. The Warriors are in their third season in the NEC after joining the conference prior to the 2019 season. 

- Duquesne was named the STATS Perform Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) National Team of the Week following the upset win over Ohio. The Dukes became the first team from the Northeast Conference (NEC) to top an FBS opponent and the seventh team from the FCS ranks to defeat an FBS program during the 2021 campaign. 

- Duquesne, led by 17th-year head coach Jerry Schmitt, returns all 22 starters from the spring season including 17 All- NEC selections. 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, '13, '16 and '18 while capturing the outright title in 2015. Duquesne earned the NEC's automatic bid to the FCS playoffs in both 2015 and '18. Over the past 10 seasons, the Dukes have won 43 conference games and 71 overall games, both figures representing league highs. Duquesne has started its NEC slate with a win in 11 of 13 seasons since joining the conference in 2008. 

THE COACHES
Duquesne: Jerry Schmitt (17th season / 104-69)  
- Head coach Jerry Schmitt is in his 17th season at the helm of the Duquesne program. He became the Dukes' all-time winningest coach in 2019 with a 30-21 victory over Saint Francis U for his 98th win as Duquesne's head coach. Schmitt passed Greg Gattuso (1993-2004) for the most wins in program history.

- Schmitt posted his 100th win at Duquesne with the Dukes' victory at Wagner last season. He became one of nine active coaches with 100 FCS wins at their current schools.

 - Schmitt currently sits 16th among active FCS head coaches with 132 career wins. 

Merrimack: Dan Curran (9th season / 38-44)  
- Curran is in his ninth season leading the Warriors, who joined the NEC prior to the 2019 when Merrimack moved up to the NCAA Division I level. 

- He helped the Warriors post a 6-5 record in their inaugural FCS season in 2019 with wins over Delaware State, Presbyterian and LIU. 

- Curran served as offensive coordinator for three seasons prior to taking over as head coach in 2013. 

LAST TIME OUT
Duquesne 56, Virginia University of Lynchburg 7
- Duquesne captured its 14th-straight home-opening victory with a 56-7 triumph over Virginia University of Lynchburg on Saturday afternoon in front of an energized Homecoming crowd at Arthur J. Rooney Field. 

- Four different players found the end zone for Duquesne as the Dukes tallied 480 yards of total offense in the contest, including 289 yards on the ground. In addition, four different Duquesne kickers connected on field goals in the win. 

- Running back Garrett Owens tallied 108 rushing yards and a 55-yard rushing touchdown, posting his 15th career 100-yard rushing performance. 

- Defensive back Spencer DeMedal returned an interception 29 yards for a touchdown for his first career pick-six. DeMedal added a team-high four tackles while Todd Hill had three tackles with two tackles for loss 
including a sack on the day. 

- Leandro DeBrito and Shane Stump registered three tackles apiece, each posting a tackle for loss in the win. 

- The Duquesne defense limited the Dragons to 131 total yards of offense with just 13 rushing yards on the day. 

- JaMario Clements toted the ball 10 times for 58 yards and his first career touchdown for the Dukes while Billy Lucas finished with three runs for 39 yards with two touchdowns. 

- Four different Dukes completed a pass in the win, led by Darius Perrantes who finished 6-of-8 for 78 yards.

SCOUTING THE DUKES 
- Duquesne welcomes back all 22 starters from the spring 2021 season including 17 All-NEC selections. 

- Darius Perrantes entered the TCU game when First Team All-NEC quarterback Joe Mischler left the contest in the first quarter with an injury. Perrantes - a Rhode Island transfer in his second season with the Dukes - made his Duquesne debut against the Horned Frogs, completing three passes. He started two games as a freshman at Rhode Island and appeared in three games total, completing 25-of-47 passes for 287 yards with a pair of touchdown passes. He is 2-0 as a starter since taking over under center, helping the Dukes secure their first win over an FBS program with a 28-26 victory at Ohio. 

- In the backfield, the Dukes return their top two rushers from the spring in Second Team All-NEC selection Garrett Owens and NEC Offensive Rookie of the Year Billy Lucas. Owens averaged 102.8 yards from scrimmage last season with six total touchdowns, finishing with three 100-yard rushing performances during the five-game season. Lucas closed the year with consecutive 110-yard rushing showings for Duquesne, finding the end zone in both of those contests. 

- Duquesne welcomes back its top five receivers from the spring led by First Team All-NEC selection Cyrus Holder, who paced the conference with 23 receptions for 491 yards and five touchdowns last season. Second Team All-NEC honoree Davie Henderson registered 22 catches for 282 yards while Joey Isabella recorded 17 receptions for 194 yards and a pair of scores. Freshman Joey Isabella had 17 receptions for 194 yards and a pair of touchdowns for the Dukes while veteran Dominic Thieman also returns for the Duquesne wideouts after his spring season was cut short due to injury. 

- On the offensive line, AFCA Second Team All-American Jake Dixon highlights a group of four all-conference returners including Michael Dorundo, Vincent Lumia and Roman Macek. 

- The DU o-line paved the way for five 100-yard individual rushing performances in the five-game season in addition to a pair of 300-yard passing games. They limited opponents to one-or-fewer sacks in three contests on the year while helping Duquesne scored at least 17 points in each game during spring season, including a pair of 30-point performances. Eric Neill also returns for the Dukes while Duquesne added Lehigh transfer Matt Fest to the offensive front, as well. 

- On the defensive side, the Dukes return five All-NEC selections, keyed in the defensive backfield by a pair of veterans in Spencer DeMedal and Leandro DeBrito. The two safeties both garnered First Team All-NEC accolades in the spring, as DeBrito tallied a team-high 37 tackles with an interception and a pair of pass breakups while DeMedal recorded 32 tackles with 3.5 TFL, two interceptions and two pass breakups for the Dukes. Temitope Agoro (21 tackles), Ezekiel Daure (16 tackles) and Ryan Webb (four pass breakups, interception) also return at defensive back for Duquesne. 

- The Dukes also have a pair of All-NEC honorees returning at linebacker in Jahan Worth and Todd Hill. Worth finished third on the team with 27 tackles with two TFL while Hill posted 25 tackles with two TFL including a sack. 

- Up front, First Team All-NEC defensive lineman Maxi Hradecny returns for Duquesne after registering 15 tackles and two TFL during the spring season. The Dukes also welcome back AJ Garson (17 tackles, 5.5 TFL) and Nathan Proctor Jr. (11 tackles) to the defensive line. 

- All-NEC kicker Brian Bruzdewicz (placekicker) is back for Duquesne, as well. Bruzdewicz led all kickers in the conference in scoring with 27 points on the season.

SCOUTING THE WARRIORS 
- Merrimack enters Saturday's game with a 3-1 record with wins over Saint Anselm, No. 24 Holy Cross and Delaware State. The Warriors' lone loss came by five points on the road at Maine. 

- Through the first four games of the season, Merrimack paces the NEC in scoring offense, total offense and total defense. The Warriors are averaging 40.8 points per contest. 

- Louisiana Tech transfer Westin Elliott leads the NEC averaging 319.5 passing yards per game. Wide receiver Jacari Carter paces the conference hauling in 8.5 receptions per game. Elliott was named the NEC Offensive Player of the Week while Carter garnered NEC Special Teams Player of the Week laurels. 

DUKES IN THE NEC 
- Duquesne has won five NEC titles since 2011, earning the conference's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs twice: in 2015 and again in 2018. 

- The Dukes have tallied more overall wins (71) and conference victories (43) than any other team during that span.

NEXT UP 
Duquesne returns home to host Bryant next Saturday, Oct. 9 at noon at Arthur J. Rooney Field.