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WASHINGTON, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson football team ppens the 2014 campaign on Saturday, Sept. 6 with a 7 p.m. kick-off against Wooster at Cameron Stadium.

The Series: Washington & Jefferson holds a 7-1-1 record all-time against Wooster, including three-straight wins. The Presidents are 4-0-1 against the Scots at home. In the nine meetings (including a 4-0 W&J win via forfeit in 1890), W&J has out-scored Wooster 188-53, an average score of 21-6.

The Head Coaches: Mike Sirianni (Mount Union, '94) owns a 101-24 (.808) record at W&J entering his 12th season as head coach. The five-time PAC Coach of the Year and two-time South Region Coach of the Year (2004, 2012) is fourth among all active NCAA coaches in winning percentage (minimum of 10 years). The Presidents have made 10 postseason appearances under Sirianni. Frank Colaprete (John Carroll, '96) enters his second season at the helm at Wooster and helped the Fighting Scots to a five-win turnaround in 2013, going 7-3 in his first season. Prior to arriving at Wooster, he was the associate head coach for three season and defensive coordinator for five seasons at Johns Hopkins.

W&J vs. the North Coast: W&J holds a 58-39-7 (.591) winning percentage against current members of the North Coast Athletic Conference. Prior to last season's 58-21 win at Wooster to open the year, W&J hadn't played an NCAC opponent since 2009 (Oberlin, W, 35-9).
The Last Meeting (Sept. 7, 2013, W&J 58, Wooster 21): Washington & Jefferson scored three touchdowns in the opening eight minutes, including two by senior running back Dion Wiegand, and ran away with a 58-21 victory over Wooster at John P. Papp Stadium. W&J outgained Wooster 551-387 and racked up 31 first downs. The Presidents' 58 points were their most in a season opener since a 63-20 drubbing of Ursinus in 2002. Senior wide receiver Alex Baroffio totaled 257 all-purpose yards (96 receiving, 92 kickoff return, 69 punt return) in the lopsided win. The Presidents and Fighting Scots were meeting for the first time since 1985 and W&J dominated from the start after receiving the opening kickoff. On the fourth play from scrimmage, Wiegand bolted down the sidelines for a 51-yard touchdown 72 seconds into the season. The first quarter ended on the first collegiate sack in the career of W&J sophomore defensive tackle Jon Turner. Baroffio's 21-yard punt return on the first play of the second quarter jump started the next scoring drive and senior quarterback Matt Bliss scored from four yards out for a 35-7 advantage. Bliss misfired on just six passes all night (27-of-33) and threw for 312 yards. Senior wideout Dan Lucas caught a career-high 10 passes for 96 yards, while Baroffio grabbed nine passes for 96 yards. Defensively, junior linebacker Jared Pratt recorded a team-high 12 tackles (11 solo) in his first appearance in a W&J uniform, while Turner notched nine tackles and a pair of sacks. The Presidents, who did not punt until four minutes left in the game, finished with five sacks as a team and sophomore linebacker Jalen Morris added an interception in the fourth quarter. Wooster QB Richard Barnes was limited to 9-of-23 accuracy at quarterback for the Fighting Scots. He passed for 183 yards, while Sean Hackel rushed 29 times for 148 yards to lead Wooster on the ground.

Scouting Wooster: After suffering a season-opening 58-21 loss to W&J last season, Wooster went on to win seven of their final nine games, including four-straight to close the year.  The Scots return 17 starters and a number of other veterans and have a full year of new offensive and defensive schemes under their belts. In 2013, Wooster averaged 30.6 points and a school-record 443.6 yards of total offense, which ranked third and second, respectively, in the NCAC. Quarterback Richard Barnes set a Wooster record with 2,243 passing yards and also rushed for 612 yards, while accounting for 25 touchdowns (16 passing, nine rushing). Running back Sean Hackel led the NCAC in rushing a season ago, with 1,097 yards and nine touchdowns en route to first-team all-conference status. He had not attempted a carry prior to his outbreak junior year. Both of the Scots top-two tacklers are back in linebacker Mitchell Czerniak and strong safety Brandon James. The pair accounted for 104 and 88 tackles, respectively, with James contributing five interceptions as well. Both were named second-team All-NCAC.

Youth Movement: The Presidents showcase just seven seniors on their initial offensive and defensive depth charts for the season, including just three on offense. Of the 44 players listed on both sides of the ball, 21 are juniors (13 offense), 13 are sophomores (five offense and three are freshmen (one offense). The 2014 Presidents have just 10 seniors on the roster.

30 and Counting: W&J boasts 30-consecutive winning seasons as a football program. The Presidents 30 winning seasons rank fourth among all divisions of NCAA football behind Linfield (58), Florida State (37) and Mount Union (35). The last time W&J did not post a winning record was 1983 (3-5-1). That year, the top-grossing movie was Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, the top single was "Every Breath You Take" by The Police, a first-class stamp cost $0.20, and a gallon of regular gas cost $1.24.

700 Club: The Presidents enter 2014, the 123rd varsity season in school history, with 697 wins (697-383-40, .640). Only two NCAA Division III programs have reached 700 wins (Mount Union, 728 and Wittenberg, 727). With its third win, W&J will become just the 25th program in all NCAA divisions to reach 700 all-time wins. The Presidents currently rank behind Georgia Tech, the most recent member of the group at 701 wins.
OPENING SUCCESS: Washington & Jefferson has had a great deal of success in season openers in program history. Entering 2014, W&J has a .713 winning percentage (87-33-2) to kick-off a season. The Presidents have won three-straight openers and six of the last seven years have begun with a victory. The only setback was a 27-0 defeat at Delaware Valley in 2010.

HOME COOKIN': Since the first year of football at W&J in 1890, the Presidents have a staggering .831 winning percentage in season-openers at home. In the 86 times W&J has opened a year at home, the Presidents are 71-14-1.

I KNOW YOU: Head coach Mike Sirianni added a few familiar faces to the coaching staff for the 2014 season. Former Academic All-District selection BJ Monacelli is back after a stand-out career at safety to mentor his old position. Mark DeRosa is back for his third stint as an assistant coach, coaching the linebackers in his 13th overall season with W&J. Harley Pratt, the father of senior linebacker Jared Pratt, comes aboard this year as the defensive line coach after more than 30 years of coaching at various levels.

I'M OPEN: After graduating all-time leading receiver Alex Baroffio, number two wide receiver Dan Lucas and running back Dion Wiegand who accounted for 169 receptions for 1,935 yards and 20 touchdowns last season, W&J turns to a receiving corps that hauled in just 35 passes for 376 yards and two touchdowns. Of the returners, senior Max Creighan was responsible for 60 percent (21) of the receptions, 70.5 percent (265) of the yards and both touchdowns.

I'M GOING TO RUN TO YOU: Junior running back Ryan Ruffing enters the season atop the depth chart in the backfield after carrying 63 times for 379 yards and five touchdowns in 2013. 

PRATT ATTACK: Senior linebacker Jared Pratt led the Presidents in tackles last season with 98 stops, and also posted five games with double-digit tackles in his first season in the red and black. In his debut at Wooster last season, he recorded a team-high 12 tackles, while he season-high came at Bethany where he made 15 stops.

SPECIAL?: Special teams will be a facet of the game to watch for the Presidents as there will be new faces at kicker, punter and on returns. Last season Eric Eberle averaged 58.2 yards with six touchbacks on kickoffs and 35.2 yards with 16 inside the 20 on punts. Baroffio was the primary punt returner with a 13.2 average and Baroffio and Wiegand each handled kick return duties.