USDvsWNMUgame1

GAME #1: The USD Toreros (0-0), under the direction of second year head coach Dale Lindsey, open up their 2014 home slate this Saturday, September 6th, against the Western New Mexico University Mustangs (0-0). Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at Walter J. Zable Field at Torero Stadium.

SERIES RECORD: This is just the fourth meeting between USD and WNMU with the Toreros owning a 3-0 series lead... This also marks the fourth straight year that this match-up has been USD's home opener... Last season USD earned a hard-fought 38-35 victory with QB Mason Mills throwing for 313 yards and 3 touchdowns, and running back Joe Ferguson rushing for 156 yards and two scores... Two years ago the Toreros rallied behind two Mason Mills touchdown passes in the final five minutes to escape with a hard fought 34-27 victory... Mills finished with 303 yards passing and four touchdown passes... In 2011 these two programs met for the first time on September 10th and the Toreros came away with a 30-10 victory at Torero Stadium... In the win QB Mason Mills connected with WR Brandon White for two touchdowns, and CB Ryan Costa paced the defense with an 88-yard interception return for a score.

WEBCAST/VIDEO STREAM: Saturday's contest will be webcast live with Jack Cronin (play-by-play) and JT Rogan (color analyst) calling the action. The pre-game begins at 5:50 pm (PST). The audio-video feed will be streamed at www.usdtoreros.com.

A LOOK AHEAD: The Toreros begin PFL play on the road at Jacksonville (Sept. 13th) before returning to host Ivy League member Princeton on Sept. 20th (1pm). The game will be the season-opener for the Princeton Tigers.

PFL STANDINGS/SCHEDULE FOR SEPT. 6TH: Davidson (1-0, 0-0 PFL), Stetson (1-0, 0-0), Butler (0-0), Dayton (0-0), San Diego (0-0), Campbell (0-1, 0-0 PFL), Drake (0-1, 0-0 PFL), Drake (0-1, 0-0 PFL), Jacksonville (0-1, 0-0 PFL), Marist (0-1, 0-0 PFL), Morehead State (0-1, 0-0 PFL), Valparaiso (0-1, 0-0 PFL). PFL Games for Sept. 6th: Georgetown at Dayton, Pikeville at Morehead State, Campbell at Appalachian State, Bucknell at Marist, Catawba at Davidson, Truman State at Drake, Florida Tech at Stetson, Butler at Witenberg, St. Joseph's (Ind.) at Valparaiso, Western New Mexico at San Diego.

TOREROS PICKED FIRST IN PRESEASON PFL COACHES POLL: For the third straight year the Toreros were picked to finish first in the PFL Preseason Coaches Poll. USD received five of a possible 10 first-place votes and 90 of a maximum 100 points. The Toreros were followed by Dayton (82 points), Jacksonville (80), Butler (77), Drake (73), Marist (61), Campbell (38), Morehead State (35), Stetson (30), Davidson (20) and Valparaiso (19). The PFL will feature 11 teams each playing an eight-game schedule to determine the league champion and recipient of the automatic bid to the 2014 NCAA FCS Championship.

TRIO OF CAPTAINS SELECTED: Torero players selected three fifth-year teammates to be 2014 Team Captains - senior safety Troy McClelland (San Diego, Calif.), senior wide receiver Reggie Bell (Union City, Calif.) and senior linebacker Una Hamala (Inglewood, Calif.). Additional players will be selected during the season as game day captains.

TORERO OUTLOOK: For the third consecutive year, USD has been picked to win the Pioneer Football League regular-season race in a preseason vote of the league's head coaches. The Toreros were picked ahead of the other 10 league members with each team playing an eight-game schedule to determine the league champion and recipient of the automatic bid to the 2014 NCAA FCS Championship. Second-year head coach Dale Lindsey and his staff will have their work cut out for them with the loss of twenty seniors from last year's 8-3 ball club, including quarterback Mason Mills, the 2013 PFL Offensive Player of the Year (3,463 passing yards and 35 TDs). Other All-PFL first team members lost to graduation include RB Joe Ferguson (905 yards, 6 TDs) and DE Steve Gargiulo (8.5 sacks), with nine other Toreros gone that either were tabbed second team or honorable mention. A trio of returners expected to play key leadership roles were selected to the 2014 preseason All-PFL squad - senior wide receiver Reggie Bell (65 receptions, 1,050 yards, 9 TDs), senior safety Troy McClelland (50 tackles, 8 passes defended) and junior OL Pono Keni ( 2013 USD Outstanding Lineman Award). Offensively sophomore quarterback Keith Williams (Fairfield, Calif.) edged out redshirt junior Trey Wheeler (Renton, WA) for the starting nod to replace Mills. Besides Bell, Williams will have the luxury of throwing to senior WR Brandon White (47 receptions, 590 yards, 12 TDs), senior WR D'Angelo Barksdale, and a host of young and talented receivers and tight ends. Running back Dallas Kessman, who returns after missing 2013 due to injury, and newcomer Jonah Hodges (Cal transfer), will compete for carries left vacant from the graduation of Ferguson and Kenn James. The line will be anchored by Keni and redshirt juniors Jeff Starr (Norwalk, CT) and Luke Meyer (Ventura, Calif.). Defensively USD's biggest challenge will be replacing defensive ends Steve Gargiulo and Blake Oliaro who combined for 16 sacks... Look for senior DE Josh Williams (Inglewood, Calif.) and redshirt junior Joe Nomellini (Stockton, Calif.) to be this year's bookends... Troy McClelland will get defensive assistance from senior safety Matt Miller (team-best 90 tackles in 2013), sophomore CB Jamal Agnew (46 tackles) and redshirt junior DT Brandon Pulealii. Look for senior cornerbacks Yogi Hale (3 interceptions) and Toney Sawyer (35 stops) to help shut down opposing receivers. USD figures to be solid on special teams with the return of punter Ryan Belden (43.6 yards per punt, All-PFL second team) and kicker David Last (10-12 in field goals, team-best 84 points). Scheduled to get key reps in the return department includes Reggie Bell, Jonah Hodges and Troy McClelland. USD's home schedule starts with Western New Mexico on September 6th, and will be followed by Princeton (Sept. 20th, 1pm), Stetson (Oct. 11th, 2pm, homecoming/family weekend), Dayton (Oct. 25th, 6pm), Morehead State (Nov. 8th, 1pm), Valparaiso (Nov. 15th, 1pm) and Cal Poly (Nov. 22nd, 4pm). The Toreros four road games will be against Jacksonville (Sept. 13th), Marist (Sept. 27th), Butler (Oct. 18th) and Drake (Nov. 1st).

SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS: This is the season opener for the Western New Mexico University Mustangs... They are an NCAA Division II scholarship program and member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference... Have roughly 50 players on the Mustang roster from California, traveling for this road game will seem like a home game... WNMU returns 60 players and 12 players from both offense and defense that saw significant time in 2013... Key returers include senior WR Donald Byrd, junior OL Michael Coe, junior QB Mitch Glasmann (209-395 for 2,876 yards and 26 TDs), senior DE Zachary Dembrowski (52 tackles, 3 sacks), and senior DB Deshawn Hathorn (33 tackles, 3 interceptions)... Head Coach Adam Clark (St. Ambrose, '02) enters his 5th season... He owns a four year record of 17-26... He played locally at Grossmont College.