PREVIEW: Football Set to Kick off 2023 Season Saturday at Bryant

Saturday, September 16

Smithfield, R.I.

4 p.m.

Brown University

Bryant

Photo by: Brown Athletics

PREVIEW: Football Set to Kick off 2023 Season Saturday at Bryant

9/14/2023 12:40:00 PM | Football

The Brown football team is set to kick off its 137th season this Saturday afternoon when it travels to face in-state foe Bryant. Kickoff from Beirne Stadium in Smithfield is set for 4 p.m.

ABOUT THE GAME
Brown (0-0, 0-0 Ivy) at Bryant (1-1, 0-0 Big South-OVC)
Saturday, September 16, 2023, 4 p.m.
Live Stats | Video: ESPN+ | Audio: BrownBears.com/Audio
Game Notes: Brown Notes | Bryant Notes
Season Preview | Brown Football Report: Episode 1
Matchup History

2023 BROADCASTS
This season, all of Brown's games, home and away, will be streamed live on ESPN+, except for the Bears' away contest at Penn on Friday, October 27 which will be nationally televised live on ESPNU.

There will be a new format this season regarding radio/audio coverage of all Brown football games. All 10 games will no longer air on the radio and will instead feature live audio broadcasts through the Brown Audio Network on BrownBears.com/Audio. The audio broadcast for all games can be accessed online through the audio links on the team's schedule, as well as on your phone through The Varsity Network app.

OPENING KICKOFF
- This marks the fourth consecutive season Brown will open the season against the Bulldogs.
- Brown leads the all-time series 5-2, with each of the last six games having been decided by eight points or less.
- The Bears return their quarterback and two of their top three receivers from last season when they ranked 3rd in the Ivy League with 247.20 passing yds/game.
- Bryant is off to a 1-1 start, falling at FBS UNLV and topping LIU last weekend.
- Bryant QB Zevi Eckhaus leads the Big South-OVC with 297.0 yds of total offense/game.
- Brown will be looking to win its season opener for the second straight season for the first time since 2016-2017.

DISPERSED LEADERSHIP
• Brown will be led by four captains in 2023, spread across three different classes: Fifth years WR Wes Rockett and LB Ethan Royer, along with senior QB Jake Willcox and junior DB Isaiah Reed.

FIVE-YEAR DEAL
• Brown has five fifth-year seniors on their 2023 roster in linebacker Ethan Royer, wide receiver Wes Rockett, defensive back Cooper DeVeau, defensive lineman Tommy Maloney, and offensive lineman Griffin Sturtz.

AIRING IT OUT
• Brown finished last season with the No. 3 passing offense in the Ivy League at 247.2 yards per game.
• Brown has finished in the top three in the league in passing yards since 2019 and has finished in the top four each of the last four seasons.
• Jake Willcox ranked second in the Ivy League last season with 255.1 passing yards per game, over six-plus games.
• Willcox also ranked second in the league in total offense with 263.1 yards per game.

LOCK DOWN CORNERS
• Last season, cornerback Cooper DeVeau ranked third in the Ivy League in passes defended (11 total/1.22 per game).
• On the other side of the field, Isaiah Reed ranked seventh in the league with nine passes defended (0.9/game) while leading the team with 53.0 tackles.

KICKING BATTLE
• The Bears enter the regular season with a battle between two strong kickers in junior Christopher Maron and senior Austin Alley.
• Maron has been the team's starter the last two seasons, going 13-for-19 on field goals with a career-long of 48 yards (twice), including 10-for-10 under 40 yards. He was also 53-of-54 on extra points.
• Alley made his collegiate debut against Penn, and went on to kick a game-tying field goal at the end of regulation against Columbia. He finished the season 10-for-10 on PATs at 4-for-4 on field goals with a long of 35 yards.

FIRST IN FIRST DOWNS
• Brown led the Ivy League with 215 first downs in 2022.
• Harvard (197) was second, the biggest gap between any team.

SPREADING THE WEALTH
• Brown had at least 10 different receivers catch a pass in eight of 10 games last season.
• A season-high 11 receivers caught passes on three occasions.

KICK COVERAGE
• Brown held the top-ranked punt defense in the Ivy League and was fourth in FCS last season by allowing 2.00 yards per return, allowing only 22 total return yards on 10 return attempts.
• On the opposite end, Brown ranks 122nd of 123 in FCS by allowing 26.90 yards per kickoff return.

KICK RETURNS
• Wes Rockett ranked third in kick return yards (21.1) in the Ivy League in 2022, and was sixth in all-purpose yards at 83.6 yards per game.

RUSHING ATTACK
• Brown will look to juniors Jordan DeLucia and Stockton Owen to lead their rushing attack in 2023, along with senior Ian Franzoni.
• DeLucia led the Bears with an average of 4.0 yards per carry last season. He ranked second with 29.67 rushing yards per game.
• Owen averaged 3.6 yards per carry in 2022, appearing in just five games due to injury.
• Franzoni rushed for 67 yards on 19 carries and caught five passes for 80 yards in 2021 before missing last season due to injury.

Click here to read Brown's full preview/game notes

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