Allegheny

Coach: Mark Matlak, 4th year (15-16).
2005 result: 3-7.
Affiliation: NCAA Division III, North Coast Athletic Conference.
Key players: RB Mario Tarquinio, QB Jimmy Savage, WR Jim Lieb, OL Justin Victor, P Jason Black, DT Tom Glamuzina, CB Nick Jones, S Curt Anderson.
The skinny: With a little luck, the Gators could easily have reversed their record last season when they lost six games by a total of 30 points with two in overtime. A healthy Tarquinio running behind a veteran line will complement Savage's passing to power the offense. The defense will be rebuilt with three new linebackers.

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Bethany

Coach: Tim Weaver, 1st year.
2005 result: 1-9.
Affiliation: NCAA Division III, Presidents' Athletic Conference.
Key players: WR TJ Parker, WR Milton Joyner, OL Stefan Bernacki, LB Cliff Anderson, LB Bill Wineberg, DL Chris Brady, DL Chance Kildow.
The skinny: Weaver, the defensive coordinator at Columbia the past three years, faces a major rebuilding job because the Bison are coming off three consecutive 1-9 seasons. Parker, who set a season school record with nine touchdown receptions, and Joyner are good ones, but the Bison are searching for a consistent quarterback to get them the ball. The line must cut down on the 47 sacks allowed last season.

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California

Coach: John Luckhardt, 5th year (24-18).
2005 result: 8-2.
Affiliation: NCAA Division II, Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West.
Key players: WR Nate Forse, Marcellus Garner, QB Joe Ruggerio, C Tim McCutcheon, LB Brian Mohr, DB Jermaine Moye, DL Kirby Griffin.
The skinny: The Vulcans, primed to win their first outright West title since 1968, will shift the offensive spotlight from Antoine Bagwell's running to Ruggerio's passing. Ruggerio completed 64.8 percent for 2,200 yards and 20 touchdowns while throwing just four interceptions. Brandon Lombardy and Steffan Brinson, a transfer from Pitt, will try to ease the loss of Bagwell. The defense, which boasts lineman Anthony Rose, Mohr and Moye, will be helped by Griffin who wasn't in school last year after leading IUP in tackles in 2004.

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Carnegie Mellon

Coach: Rich Lackner, 21st year (138-59-2).
2005 result: 5-5.
Affiliation: NCAA Division III, University Athletic Association.
Key players: DB Aaron Lewis, FB Travis Sivek, OL J.P. White, LB James Rogers, DB Jon Menhart, LB Jamie Plotz.
The skinny: The Tartans, seeking their 32nd consecutive non-losing season, will feature Sivek (996 yards rushing, 16 TDs) and Lewis, who has led the Tartans in tackles the past three years. John Cakert, a starting tailback two years ago who missed last season with an injury, will bolster the running corps in Lackner's old-fashioned wing-T offense. One of the untested quarterbacks must step up in a hurry to keep the Tartans in the thick of the UAA race.

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Clarion

Coach: Jay Foster, 1st year.
2005 result: 3-7.
Affiliation: NCAA Division II, Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West.
Key players: WR Pierre Odom, C Zack Snyder, DB Dwaon Woodard, DL Kevin Rigby, LB Matt Morris, OL Eric Deliere.
The skinny: Look for an improved defense under Foster, who spent the past 17 years as defensive coordinator at Slippery Rock. Although the Golden Eagles return seven starters from a unit that had 98 tackles for a loss, led by Morris with 22, they have to shore up a defense that allowed 31.6 points per game.

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Edinboro

Coach: Scott Browning, 1st year.
2005 result: 8-2.
Affiliation: NCAA Division II, Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West.
Key players: DT Chris Amico, NG A.J. Cousins, OL Chris Kaczor, P/PK Kody Robertson, LB Jim Soltis, LB Ben Stroup.
The skinny: The defense won't have much time to rest in Scott Browning's debut as head coach after spending the previous 20 years as an assistant with the Fighting Scots. The offense has numerous question, the most glaring at quarterback where redshirt freshman Trevor Harris will get the call. The defense is solid with Amico, the West Defensive Player of the Year, and Cousins, a two-time all-league performer. The Fighting Scots have seven starters from a team that led Division II in scoring defense (9.3 ppg), rushing defense (53.7 ypg) and total defense (211.2 ypg).

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Gannon

Coach: Bill Elias, 8th year (30-41).
2005 result: 3-8.
Affiliation: NCAA Division II, Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
Key players: QB Matt Butler, WR Sam Culberth, WR Wes Whiteside, DL Paul Harnas, LB Rich Lee.
The skinny: The glaring statistic from last season is the 33.2 points allowed per game. It may not get much lower this season because the Golden Knights are thin at a number of positions on a defense that will feature Lee and Harnas. Butler, the top returning rusher with 388 yards and four TDs and passer with 1,498 yards and nine TDs, will again lead the offense. His passing numbers should benefit from the return of Culberth, the school's all-time career leader with 136 catches who sat out last season with an injury.

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Geneva

Coach: Geno DeMarco, 14th year (91-48).
2005 result: 8-4.
Affiliation: NAIA, Mid-States Football Association Mideast League.
Key players: QB Justin Sciarro, RB Brandon Nathan, OL Jim Raley, OL Skylar Freed, LB Brian Hall, LB Bradley Roman, DL Nick Phillips.
The skinny: The Golden Tornadoes, who will join the PAC in 2007, are hoping to make their final season in NAIA memorable with a high-powered offense that returns most of the main characters from a unit that averaged 27.6 points per game. The most productive returnees are Sciarro (2,110 yards passing, 22 TDs), Nathan (863 yards rushing, 8 TDs) and WR Michael Lehman (41 catches, 590 yards, 8 TDs). The defense welcomes back Hall, the team's leading tackler in 2003-04 after missing most of last season with an injury.

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Grove City

Coach: Chris Smith, 23rd year, (85-123-2).
2005 result: 3-7.
Affiliation: NCAA Division III, Presidents' Athletic Conference.
Key players: RB Matt Weil, C Matt Gregg, WR Scott Fichter, DE Richard Welch, LB Garret Choby, LB Bill Waugh.
The skinny: Smith, the dean of football coaches in the PAC and the winningest coach in school history, might be a quarterback away from joining the elite programs in the league. Seldom-used sophomore Stephen Mercer will compete with a flock of freshmen for the starting job. Gregg anchors an offensive line that has been together for a couple years. Four starters up front return from a defense that held opponents to 2.9 yards rushing per carry.

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IUP

Coach: Lou Tepper, 1st year.
2005 result: 5-5.
Affiliation: NCAA Division II, Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West.
Key players: QB Kevin Weidl, OT Jason Capizzi, WR Anthony Cellitti, LB Terrence Jackson, RB Chris Morgan.
The skinny: Tepper, who guided Edinboro to a share of the West championship in each of the past three seasons, inherits a program with enough talent to be a contender. Weidl, a starter in 2003-04, returns after being suspended from school last fall because of his involvement in an off-campus incident. Weidl and Cellitti will give the Indians a potent passing threat and Morgan (1,276 yards rushing) will find room to run behind the 315-pound Capizzi. Lineman Nate Tucker, a transfer from the University of Connecticut, will make an impact.

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Lock Haven

Coach: John Klacik, 2nd year (2-9).
2005 result: 2-9.
Affiliation: NCAA Division II, Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West.
Key players: DT Jeffrey Eaton, LB Derek Harsch, OL Adam Lanzendorfer, S David Show, WR Rafael Smith.
The skinny: The most pressing goal for the Bald Eagles is to shore up a defense that allowed 39.2 points per game and beef up an offense that generated just 8.0. They have been perennial doormats in the league, finishing in last place for seven consecutive seasons with a combined 5-37 record. They haven't had a winning season since going 6-4 in 1981. The return of Smith, who missed last season with an injury, should provide much-needed help.

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Mercyhurst

Coach: Marty Schaetzle, 5th year (13-30).
2005 result: 2-8.
Affiliation: NCAA Division II, Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
Key players: TE Dan Schuler, RB Richard Stokes, QB Mitch Phillis, LB Jim Kokrak.
The skinny: Kokrak, who was fifth in the country with 12.7 tackles per game last season as a sophomore, is a preseason All-American. He also forced three fumbles, intercepted a pass, had 6.5 tackles for losses and 2.5 sacks. Offensively, they will rely on Phillis, who completed a school-record 60.1 percent of his passes for 1,421 yards and 13 touchdowns.

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Saint Francis

Coach: Dave Opfar, 5th year (9-33).
2005 result: 3-8.
Affiliation: NCAA Division I-AA (scholarship), Northeast Conference.
Key players: WR Luke Palko, WR Michael Caputo, QB Anthony Doria, RB Todd Harris, OL Bill Holter, DL Josh Newcomer.
The skinny: One thing is certain, the Red Flash will be a lot of fun to watch if offense turns you on. It will score points in bunches and a hurry with Doria hooking up with Caputo and Palko. Doria, the 2005 NEC Offensive Player of the Year, owns every school passing record and will become the league's all-time passing leader early in the season. He has passed for 6,673 career yards. Caputo led Division I-AA last season with 92 catches and was third with 1,433 yards. Palko had 85 receptions for 812 yards.

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Seton Hill

Coach: Chris Snyder, 2nd year (1-9).
2005 result: 1-9.
Affiliation: NAIA, West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
Key players: RB Ray Rowland, WR Tony Mitchell, DB Andrew DeMase, LB Mark Hartz.
The skinny: The Griffins still will go through growing pains in the second year of the program. They had a major setback in 31-14 defeat against West Liberty State when quarterback Matt Dowdell left the game in the first quarter with a knee injury and could be lost for the season. The top returnees are Rowland (124 yards rushing), Mitchell (21 catches, 226 yards, 2 TDs), DeMase (81 tackles).

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Shippensburg

Coach: Rocky Rees, 17th year (97-80-1).
2005 result: 4-7.
Affiliation: NCAA Division II, Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference West.
Key players: LB Frank Duffy, FB Aaron Dykes, WR Patrick Ferguson, PK Jamie Reder, SS John Sharbaugh, FS Jonathan Aldridge.
The skinny: The Red Raiders are deep in talent and experience at most positions, but the key to their success will depend on whether quarterback Tony Gomez can become more consistent and better his 43.8 completion percentage. When the offense stalls, they will call on Reder who set an NCAA Division. II record for field goals made (17) and field-goal percentage (94.4, 17 of 18). The position with the most depth is wide receiver, with Ferguson coming back after missing 2005 with a leg injury. He led the team with 25 catches for 721 yards and seven TDs in 2004.

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Slippery Rock

Coach: George Mihalik, 19th year (120-73-4).
2005 result: 5-5.
Affiliation: NCAA Division II, Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.
Key players: OT Mike Butterworth, WR Paul Favers, DE Clint Forsha, DT Cory Lacek, LB Jerome Whiting, QB Nate Crookshank.
The skinny: With 18 returning starters -- 9 offense, 9 defense -- the Rock has what it takes to post its first winning record since 2002. Whiting and his linebacker mates, Seth Randall and Jared Palmer are the core of a stubborn defense that also features Lacek, who tied a school record with 12 sacks last season, and strong safety Brandon Rakszawski. Butterworth headlines a tested offensive line.

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Thiel

Coach: Jack Leipheimer, 6th year (26-26).
2005 result: 11-1.
Affiliation: NCAA Division III.
Key players: RB Steve Minton, RB Dan Hess, WR Marc LaScola, OL Ricky Gable, OL Rock Davis, LB Jeff Wagner, CB Steve Boyle, DE Chris Lorber.
The skinny: Even with 16 starters back, it's hard to imagine the Tomcats duplicating last season's success: the most wins in school history, the PAC championship and reached the NCAA playoffs for the first time. The loss of a record-setting passing combination will force the Tomcats to become more run oriented with Minton, who set a school record with 1,066 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns, and Hess (635 yards rushing, 5 TDs).

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Washington & Jefferson

Coach: Mike Sirianni, 4th year (30-5).
2005 result: 9-2.
Affiliation: NCAA Division III, Presidents' Athletic Conference.
Key players: RB Ryan Mendel, OL Chris Hickey, PK Kyle Sidebotham, DL Dan Brodland, DB Nick Cherish, LB Aaron Bane, LB Eric Taslov.
The skinny: The leading candidates to replace quarterback Chris Edwards, the 2005 PAC Player of the Year, are Ryan Church and Bobby Swallow. The offense will revolve around Mendel (823 yards rushing, 8 TDs), who will work behind a deep and experienced line led by Hickey. The defensive centerpiece is Cherish, a four-year starter and preseason all-American.

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Waynesburg

Coach: Rick Shepas, 2nd year, (4-6).
2005 result: 4-6.
Affiliation: NCAA Division III, Presidents' Athletic Conference.
Key players: RB Ryan Abels, RB Eric Daniels, QB Tres Cobb, WR Mike Shields, DE Mike Czerwien, DT LaDrekus Burford, OL Alex Tempalski, LB Dan Andreassi, PK Ben Popson.
The skinny: Abels set a school season rushing record with 1,299 yards last season and is the school's second all-time rusher with 3,133 yards, 164 yards shy of Mike Stout's record set in 1996-99.

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West Liberty State

Coach: Roger Waialae, 2nd year (6-5).
2005 result: 6-5.
Affiliation: NCAA Division II, West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
Key players: QB Jay Gullion, WR Renard Stevens, RB Larvon Hines, LB J.J. Guida.
The skinny: The Hilltoppers will put points on the board with a prolific aerial combination of Gullion (1,798 yards passing, 17 TDs) and Stevens (69 catches, 1,016 yards, 13 TDs). The most active member on a solid defense will be Guida, whose 86 tackles last season included 16 for losses.

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Westminster

Coach: Jeff Hand, 2nd year (4-6).
2005 result: 4-6.
Affiliation: NCAA Division III, Presidents' Athletic Conference.
Key players: WR Brett Zeigler, WR Jake Buzard, OL Bryan Borkovich, LB Jason Fridley, DL Chris Dulovich, DB Joey Tissler.
The skinny: The bulk of the team's experience is on the offensive side, but the Titans will start freshman Kevin Franz at quarterback. The Titans are solid on the line but thin at running back. Defensively, they will rely on returnees Fridley, Dulovich and Tissler.

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Youngstown State

Coach: Jon Heacock, 6th year (32-24).
2005 result: 8-3.
Affiliation: NCAA Division I-A (Scholarship), Gateway Football Conference.
Key players: C Ryan Jewell, CB Codera Jackson, QB Tom Zetts, RB Marcus Mason, LB James Terry.
The skinny: The Penguins have two marquee players -- Jewell and Jackson. At 295 pounds, Jewell is a big reason why the Penguins rushed for nearly 200 yards per game. Jackson, who transferred from Alfred State last season, had a team-high six interceptions, including one return for a touchdown, and 50 tackles.