PITTSBURGH - The Duquesne University football team is one week away from its 2023 season getting underway. The Dukes will host Edinboro on September 2 for a 12 pm kickoff at Rooney Field. Get to know the 2023 Dukes with the preseason prospectus below.

OPENING KICKOFF
- The five-time Northeast Conference (NEC) champion Duquesne Dukes will look to get back to its winning ways this fall after suffering its first losing season since 2012 and first sub-.500 record conference play since 2014 with a 4-7 overall and 3-4 NEC record finishing in a tie for fourth in the league. In 30 seasons at the FCS level, the Dukes have posted a .500 record or better in 25 of those years.

- The Dukes finished the season strong with a 33-0 shutout victory over Wagner at Rooney Field, capping off a 3-2 finish over the final five games. Two of the final five games went to overtime; a 50-48 home loss to LIU in two extra periods, then a 35-28 OT victory at home the following week over Sacred Heart. It was the first time in program history that DU played in two overtime games in one season.

- The Dukes, led by 19th-year head coach Jerry Schmitt, 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. Duquesne earned the NEC's automatic bid to the FCS playoffs in both 2015 and 2018.

- The Dukes are 35-14 in NEC action since the beginning of the 2015 season, including a 17-6 ledger at Rooney Field.

- DU has recorded 80 wins since 2011, at least eight more victories than any other NEC team. In addition, the Dukes' 51 conference wins in that time span are the most in the league.

OFFENSE AT A GLANCE
- Duquesne quarterback Darius Perrantes is atop the depth chart heading into the season. Perrantes started one game and appeared in seven last season, passing for six touchdowns and 539 yards on 37-of-71 passing. 

- Two years ago (2021), Perrantes started eight games in his first year on the Bluff after transferring from Rhode Island. He completed 139-of-233 passes for 1620 yards and 17 touchdowns, which led to a pair of NEC Offensive Player of the Week honors over his first four starts. Perrantes ranked second in the conference in passing yards per game (180.0), passing touchdowns (17), completions per game (15.44), pass efficiency (136.1) and points responsible for per game (12.7).

- Former First Team All-NEC quarterback Joe Mischler graduated from the program. Mischler started 10 of 11 games last season, after suffering an injury in 2021, and finished second in the conference in both completions per game (15.0) and touchdown passes (17).

- Duquesne added a fifth-year transfer quarterback, Matt Robinson, from Fresno State to the roster, who is set to battle with Perrantes throughout camp for snaps. Robinson spent the 2018-21 seasons with Illinois before transferring to Fresno State for last season. Robinson did not see game action at Fresno State and last played in a game in 2020 for Illinois. He made three starts (two in 2019 and one in 2020) as the primary backup for the Illini.
 
- In the backfield the Dukes will have some new faces, as former All-NEC selection Billy Lucas, who was the teams leading rusher the past two seasons transferred to Liberty, and DeMarcus Ware graduated. Lucas (184 carries for 792 yards and five touchdowns) and Ware (94 carries for 326 yards) accounted for nearly 80% of DU's rushing yards and 70% of the teams rushing attempts last season.

- JaMario Clements is back for his third season with the Dukes and is expected to step into a larger role in the backfield this season. Last year, Clements averaged 4.9 yards per rush on 45 carries for 220 yards, including a 94-yard outing with a touchdown versus Wagner in the season finale win. Taj Butts, a transfer running back from Missouri with three years of eligibility left, boosts the Dukes' depth. Butts saw action in six games and made one start last season for Missouri, and was a three-star recruit for the Tigers in 2021. DaMon Macklin also will battle for carries, returning for his fifth season on the Bluff.

- Duquesne will need to replace its top-two wide receivers from 2022, in terms of yards, Dwayne Menders, who graduated and earned an invite to Steelers rookie minicamp, was a First Team All-NEC selection and totaled 917 yards on 55 catches with six touchdowns, while Abdul Janneh transferred to Georgia Tech after producing 43 catches for 579 yards and nine touchdowns which lead to a second team all-conference selection. Menders and Janneh accounted for 48% of the teams receptions, 62% of the teams reception yards, and 15 of the 23 receiving touchdowns last season.

- The Dukes still have some experience and talent returning in the receiving core, while adding some newcomers that are expected to make an immediate impact. Joey Isabella is healthy after battling injuries last season that limited him to four games. Isabella is a Preseason All-NEC selection and scored two touchdowns on 12 catches for 191 yards in his limited 2022 season. Nick Leopold does a little bit of everything for the Dukes on special teams and can play multiple positions, he returns after snagging 15 receptions for 152 yards and two scores in 2022. Jalin Cooper, who also competes on the Duquesne track and field team, saw action in 10 games, including a start when DU opened with a four-wide set versus Wagner. Cooper totaled seven catches and scored a touchdown last season after transferring from Toledo. Keshawn Brown is developing and expected to compete for more time as he enters his third season with the Dukes and played in eight games in 2022.

- Transfer receivers expected to make an impact include; Ian Sheehan, a two-time all-conference receiver at Shippensburg (DII), Jermaine Johnson, who spent the last four seasons at UMass where he totaled 427 receiving yards on 55 catches and two touchdowns over 22 games and also saw time as a kick returner, Tedy Afful, a transfer from Stony Brook where he spent two seasons and caught 10 passes for 133 yards with a touchdown over 16 games, and DJ Powell, who spent the last four seasons at Bethune Cookman totaling 914 receiving yards on 52 catches with three touchdowns over 29 games for the Wildcats.

- On the offensive line, the Dukes return a pair of starters including center Michael Dorundo, who has started 26 consecutive games over the past three seasons, and left tackle Chris Oliver, who started 10 games and appeared in all 11 in his first season with the Red and Blue after transferring from Bowling Green. Dorundo was a second team All-NEC selection in the spring of 2020-21.

- Duquesne will have to replace the veteran presence of two-time all-conference selection Vincent Lumia at right tackle. Lumia, who started  all 26 games over the past three seasons, transferred to Louisville this spring. The Dukes will also need to replace Josh Zacher, who started all 11 games at left guard last season in his graduate year after transferring from Shippensburg (DII) where he was an all-conference lineman.

- Matt Fest graduated from the right guard spot, starting seven games last season, but Shawn Jones is expected to assume the full-time duties after recording four starts in 2022. Jones heads into his sixth year on the Bluff and has been a primary reserve on the offensive line, appearing in at least 60% of games over the past four seasons including 10 appearances last season.

- The Dukes offensive line ranked second in the NEC in fewest sacks allowed per game (1.73), as well as fourth in tackles for loss allowed per game (7.36) and rushing offense (127.9 yards per game). DU held opponents to one sack or less six times (including both FBS opponents) and did not allow a sack at Youngstown State. 

- Michael Fallah, who was in the running to be a starter on the line last season but battled injuries, returns at full strength and is a front runner to fill an open spot on the line. Cameron McLaurin stepped up in a reserve role as a sophomore last season, seeing action in seven games and will  also battle for a starting spot. 

DEFENSE AT A GLANCE
- Defensive Coordinator Mike Craig will head into his second season leading the Dukes defensive unit.

- The Dukes return all three starters upfront, including A.J. Ackerman, Kevin Kurzinger, and Ryan Lopez. Ackerman, a preseason all-conference selection has started 22 straight games for the Dukes, including all 11 last season (first four at defensive end and last seven at nose tackle). He posted 20 tackles with 13 solo and was third on the team with 2.5 sacks. Kurzinger returns as the leading pass rusher for the Red and Blue with three sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss a year ago. Lopez recorded four quarterback hurries in 2022, the most of any returner for DU, with one sack and 4.5 tackles for loss. 

- Noah Palmer played in all 11 games on the defensive line in his first season after transferring from Pitt and is slated to be right back in the trenches this fall. Alex Reese III and Clemente Ojinnaka will add depth to the line again this season, as well as newcomers Matt Brooks (a freshman who enrolled this spring and participated in spring ball) and Carlos Ramirez (a JUCO transfer from Pasadena City College).

- Todd Hill, a two-time All-NEC performer at linebacker transferred to Pitt. He was the conference leader in sacks per game (1.05) and tackles for loss per game (2.0), which also was second in the FCS, then led the Dukes in tackles with 61 (43 solos). Hill totaled 11.5 sacks, 22 TFL's, and 10 quarterback hurries all of which led the team. 

- Linebackers Gianni Rizzo and Jayden Johnson return. Rizzo started seven games with 32 tackles (5.5 for loss), one sack, and broke up two passes. Johnson battled injuries and made four starts while appearing in all 11 games with 29 tackles.

- Luke Harris, Ty Howard, Sam Brown, and Connor Barrett all return to the linebacker group and will compete for time.

- Steven Cmielewski and Khatavian Franks are a pair of talented transfers adding depth and veteran leadership to the linebackers. Cmielewski spent the past four seasons at Stonehill. Last season, he played in nine games with 58 tackles (6.4 per game, which was good for sixth in the NEC) and forced two fumbles (tied for the third-most in the NEC). Franks arrives from Georgia Tech, where he spent the past three seasons but did not see game action. Franks was a three-star prospect out of high school and was ranked the 59th best outside linebacker in the nation by Rivals.

- In the secondary, CJ Barnes returns to lead a deep group of defensive backs. Barnes is one of two players on the Dukes defense that started all 11 games last season (Ackerman), and one of three overall (Dorundo at center). He is the leading returning tackler for Duquesne with 58 stops (39 solo) in 2022, including a pair of 10-tackle games.

- Tim Lowery is set to return after suffering a season-ending injury in the Hawaii contest last season, just four games into the 2022 campaign. In his last full season (2021), Lowery lead the team with six passes defended (five break ups/one INT).

- Shane Stump, who has appeared in every game over the last two seasons including five starts at linebacker last year, made a position move to safety this spring and is expected to contribute as a veteran leader, heading into his fourth season on the Bluff. Stump returns as the second leading tackler on the team after posting 54 tackles (33 solos) in 2022.

- Ayden Garnes started eight games and appeared in 10 as a cornerback last season. Entering his third season at Duquesne, Garnes is coming off a 33-tackle campaign (27 solos) with two interceptions (tied for a team high), a forced fumble, and fumble recovery.

- Adding to the secondary depth for the Dukes are returners Ezekiel M. Daure, a fifth-year veteran who had two interceptions in nine games played and two starts last season, Jaelen Carson, who saw action in six games in 2022 before suffering an injury and will enter his fourth season at DU, Donovan Stanley, who has recovered from an injury in camp last season which limited him to one game and will be in his fourth season on the Bluff, Malichi Lowery, the brother of Tim Lowery who has continuously developed over the past two seasons and appeared in six games last year, Ben LaCarte, who enters his fourth season and is returning from injury, and Sam Neill, who will be in his third season in the Red and Blue.

- A pair of Division II transfers round out a deep secondary unit for the Dukes, including Javon Colston (Walsh) and Dayvia Gbor (Minnesota Duluth). Gbor was an all-conference and all-region selection with seven interceptions and 11 pass break ups in 2022. The seven INTs ranked third nationally and first in his conference. Gbor will enter his fourth season of college football, after spending 2019, '21, and '22 at Minnesota Duluth. Colston played four seasons at Walsh, where he played 26 games and had two interceptions (both in 2022).

- Jeremiah Josephs, who started seven games and had two interceptions last season at strong safety, transferred to Tennessee State, and Ryan Webb, who started 10 games and also had two interceptions at cornerback graduated from the program.

SPECIALISTS AT A GLANCE
- Duquesne boasts one of the deepest kicking units in the country. Brian Bruzdewicz ranked third in the NEC in field goal percentage in 2022 (66.7%) going 10-for-15 and connected on 30-of-31 PAT attempts. Andrew Smith handles kickoff duties, averaging 53 yards on 46 kickoffs with five touchbacks last season. He also made his only field goal attempt, a 29-yarder in the season-finale win over Wagner at home.

- Punter Michael Berarducci has been the Dukes primary punter over the past two seasons. The junior from Allison Park, Pa. has ranked top three in the NEC each of the last two campaigns in yards per punt, including third last season with an average of 37.5 yards per punt. Berarducci posted four 50+ yard punts in 2022 and had 11 downed inside the 20-yard line. Joey Corado is also a capable punter/kicker that has seen limited action in kickoffs, punts, and field goals over the past two seasons.

- In the return game, Duquesne returns half its production on both punts and kickoffs. Dwayne Menders was deep for kickoffs and punts, returning eight punts and nine kickoffs in 2022, he has graduated. Nick Leopold returned eight punts in 2022 and is back, while Ayden Garnes returns for kickoffs, where he averaged 21.50 yards per return over eight attempts last year. Other returners will be determined throughout camp.

- Long snapper Nolan Vigliotti returns to the lineup this season after suffering a season-ending injury at Florida State last year.

NEC PRESEASON POLL / ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
- Duquesne was picked to finish third in the NEC Preseason Coaches Poll, announced at NEC Media Day in late July. Media Day returned to an in-person event for the first time since 2019 with all eight teams at Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.

- This is the 13th straight season that DU is top three in the conference preseason coaches' poll. Duquesne was picked first or second in each of  the previous 12 seasons. The Dukes received one first place vote, and has now received at least one in 12 of the last 13 preseason polls.

- Defending league champion Saint Francis, who rolled to a 7-0 conference record last season, was deemed the NEC favorite with five first-place votes.

- The Dukes had two preseason all-conference selections. Wide receiver Joey Isabella represented the offense with his second straight preseason All-NEC tab, then lineman A.J. Ackerman got a nod on the defensive side.

SCHEDULE QUICK FACTS
- The Dukes are a combined 80-36-2 all-time against their 2023 opponents.

- Duquesne will face Coastal Carolina for the first time in 2023, while rekindling a pair of matchups that date to the early 1900's against Edinboro and West Virginia.

- The Dukes are scheduled to take on two Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponents in the same season for the fifth time in the last six years. Duquesne took on UMass and Hawaii to start the 2018 season. The Dukes were slated to travel to Air Force and Coastal Carolina in 2020, but the fall season was postponed. In 2021, DU traveled to both TCU and Ohio, then last season the Dukes took on Florida State and Hawaii on the road.

- Duquesne became the first NEC member to defeat an FBS opponent with its 28-26 victory at Ohio in 2021. The Dukes were previously 0-4 against FBS foes heading into the matchup in Athens. Currently, DU is 1-6 against FBS opponents since moving to the FCS level in 1993.

- The matchup at West Virginia will be the second game against a Big 12 opponent in three seasons for the Dukes. Duquesne is 5-8-1 against current Big 12 members, with its last meeting being a 45-3 loss at TCU in 2021. The Dukes took on Texas Tech (1-2), Kansas State (1-1), and WVU (3-4-1) in games spanning the 1897-1939 seasons.

- The last road trip to a Big 12 opponent was the largest crowd Duquesne ever played in front of to date (35,377 at TCU on Sept. 4, 2021). Last season's road trip to Florida State to begin the 2022 season upped the largest crowd to 51,207.

- DU dropped a 57-23 meeting to Old Dominion in 2012, when the Monarchs were FCS members and ranked #8/6 in the nation. ODU joined  Coastal Carolina in the Sun Belt Conference, one of four institutions added this summer bolstering the league to 14 members. The Monarchs are the lone current SBC team that Duquesne has faced on the gridiron.

- The Dukes travel to Delaware in week six to wrap up the non-conference slate. DU traveled to Newark once before, in week three of the 2010 season, and dropped a 30-6 decision to the then #11/12 ranked Blue Hens. A staple in the FCS playoffs, Delaware is coming off its 18th appearance in the postseason and has six national championships, the last being in 2003. 

- Duquesne also opened its 1929 season at home against Edinboro, a 14-0 win for the Dukes. The matchup against Division II Edinboro will be the sixth straight season a non-Division I member is on the schedule (every full season since 2017).

- DU will begin the season at home for the first time since the abbreviated, conference-only spring 2020-21 season (a 30-27 win over Sacred Heart). The last full season to start at Rooney Field was 2019 (a 44-3 win over Walsh). Duquesne has opened the season with a home game just three times in the past 11 full seasons (2019 vs. Walsh, 2015 vs. Kentucky Christian (W, 47-7), and 2013 vs. Albany (W, 35-24).

- The four consecutive road games (@ WVU, Coastal Carolina, LIU, and Delaware) is the longest away stretch for the Dukes since 1990, when they finished the season with five straight games on the road (@ Waynesburg, Theil, Frostburg, Allegheny, and Washington & Jefferson). Duquesne has had four (or more) consecutive road games in just five of its 96 seasons (4 in 1986, '50, '49, and '47, then 5 in 1990 and '14)

HOME SWEET HOME
- Duquesne is 119-34 all-time at Rooney Field including winning streaks of 16, 14 and 10 games (twice). 

- Duquesne has won 15 straight home openers. DU has picked up a victory in its first home game in 23 of the last 24 seasons. The Dukes will take on Edinboro (DII) in its home and season opener on Sept. 2.

- The Dukes own non-conference home wins over Dayton (six times), Bucknell (four times), Lafayette (twice), Albany, VMI, Monmouth, Butler, Morehead State and Fordham among others over the past 18 seasons. The lone non-conference home game this season is the opener vs. Edinboro.

- DU is 47-12 in non-conference home games (30-3 under Jerry Schmitt) at Rooney Field. The Dukes are 23-1 in non-conference play at Rooney Field since the beginning of the 2008 season, not losing since the 2016 homecoming matchup against Kennesaw State (36-28), which snapped a 17 game non-conference win streak. DU has won six consecutive home non-conferenence games.

- Duquesne is 60-40 all-time in NEC contests including a 34-17 mark at home. The Dukes are 19-6 in NEC action at Rooney Field over the last eight seasons.

HOW TO FOLLOW
- Follow Duquesne football online all season at GoDuquesne.com, as well as on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook (@DuqFB).

- Live coverage links for every Duquesne game can be viewed on the schedule page.

- DU will be live on ESPN+ for the week two and three games at WVU and Coastal Carolina, as well as the October 28 game at Sacred Heart ... The October 7 game at Delaware will stream on FloFootball ... The remaining seven games can be viewed on NEC Front Row.

- Dukes Football can be heard live again this season on BIG 104.7 FM HD2 / ESPN 970 AM / iHeart Radio.

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