The 2022 Shepherd Rams football team represented Shepherd University as a member of the East Division of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) during the 2022 NCAA Division II football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Ernie McCook, the Rams compiled an overall record of 13–2 with a mark of 7–0 in conference play, winning the PSAC East Division title. Shepherd lost the PSAC Championship Game to West Division champion . The Rams advanced to the NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs, where they beat in the first round, in the second round, and IUP in the quarterfinal, before falling to Colorado Mines in the semifinals. The team played home games at Ram Stadium in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. The 2022 season was the third for the Rams as a member of the PSAC after joining the conference in 2019.

Offseason Coaching changes The following coaches left the football program: Defensive line coach Ramal Faunteroy left for a position at Morgan State.

The following coaches joined the football program: Levern Belin was hired as the defensive line coach.

Additions Recruiting class Player Pos. Height Weight Hometown High school Derick Adames DB 5 ft 11 in 170 lbs Germantown, MD Northwest High School Ryan Adams DL 6 ft 3 in 290 lbs Woodbridge, VA Gar-Field Senior High School Riley Ambrose WR 6 ft 2 in 180 lbs Baltimore, MD Fork Union Military Academy Jaden Bacon RB 6 ft 0 in 180 lbs Hyattsville, MD DeMatha Catholic High School Matthew Benny OL 6 ft 2 in 300 lbs Severn, MD Archbishop Spalding High School Kelvon Bethea DL 6 ft 4 in 220 lbs Norfolk, VA Oscar F. Smith High School James Bozek K 6 ft 3 in 195 lbs Alexandria, VA Hayfield Secondary School Tylek Bright RB 6 ft 0 in 185 lbs Germantown, MD Seneca Valley High School Dominic Busky FB 6 ft 2 in 230 lbs Martinsburg, WV DeMatha Catholic High School Cameron Dorner WR 6 ft 2 in 180 lbs New Market, MD Oakdale High School Trey Duke DB 5 ft 10 in 160 lbs Alexandria, VA St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School Jahmal Edwards RB 6 ft 0 in 185 lbs Washington, D.C. Theodore Roosevelt High School Will Ennis WR 6 ft 0 in 180 lbs Severn, MD Old Mill High School Vince Flook DL 6 ft 5 in 220 lbs Middletown, MD Middletown High School Amir Frye DL 6 ft 3 in 230 lbs Bethesda, MD Walter Johnson High School Daryl Harper WR 6 ft 2 in 170 lbs Montgomery Village, MD Northwest High School Robert Hart DB 6 ft 0 in 180 lbs Laurel, MD DeMatha Catholic High School Tyler Hove OL 6 ft 5 in 316 lbs Frederick, MD Frederick High School Brian Jester TE 6 ft 4 in 245 lbs Baltimore, MD St. Frances Academy Mujahid Johnson DB 6 ft 0 in 185 lbs Frederick, MD Northwest High School Sekou Kamara DB 6 ft 1 in 180 lbs Gaithersburg, MD Quince Orchard High School J. T. Yao Kouame LB 6 ft 0 in 210 lbs Chantilly, VA Westfield High School Caysen Lanza TE 6 ft 5 in 220 lbs Charles Town, WV Jefferson High School Daniel McPherson DL 6 ft 0 in 265 lbs Columbia, MD Howard High School Lucas Michael OL 6 ft 2 in 265 lbs Williamsport, MD Williamsport High School Marcus Nicholson DB 6 ft 1 in 175 lbs Baltimore, MD Dundalk High School Kaylen Perez LB 6 ft 0 in 220 lbs Waldorf, MD St. Mary's Ryken High School Nehemiah Phillips DB 6 ft 0 in 180 lbs Washington, D.C. Theodore Roosevelt High School Elijah Queen DL 6 ft 2 in 230 lbs Columbia, MD Wilde Lake High School Sammy Roberts QB 6 ft 2 in 205 lbs Harpers Ferry, WV Jefferson High School Jason Robertson DL 6 ft 4 in 220 lbs Baltimore, MD Archbishop Spalding High School Jalil Singleton DB 5 ft 10 in 170 lbs Woodbridge, VA Gar-Field Senior High School Christian Slack DL 6 ft 0 in 260 lbs Martinsburg, WV Martinsburg High School Colby Strange TE 6 ft 6 in 215 lbs Davidsonville, MD South River High School Omari Terry DB 5 ft 10 in 185 lbs Baltimore, MD St. Frances Academy Gavin Whittington RB 5 ft 11 in 195 lbs Huntingtown, MD Northern High School Antonio Wilkins DB 5 ft 11 in 160 lbs Washington, D.C. Theodore Roosevelt High School Jayson Williams OL 6 ft 2 in 295 lbs Waynesboro, VA Stuarts Draft High School

Incoming transfers Player Pos. Height Weight Year Hometown Previous school Dewayne Grantham DB 6 ft 0 in 205 lbs Junior Martinsburg, WV Lackawanna College Darryl Overton III LB 6 ft 2 in 230 lbs Sophomore Woodbridge, VA Virginia Military Institute

Departures

Preseason Media day Media poll (East Division) Predicted finish Team (1st place votes) 1 Shepherd (4) 2 Kutztown (4) 3 West Chester 4 Shippensburg 5 East Stroudsburg 6 Bloomsburg 7 Millersville 8 Lock Haven

Personnel

Schedule

Game summaries at South Connecticut

vs Edinboro vs California (PA) at Kutztown at Shippensburg vs Lock Haven vs Millersville at West Chester vs Bloomsburg at East Stroudsburg at No. 19 IUP (PSAC Championship) vs New Haven (NCAA Division II First Round) vs No. 20 Slippery Rock (NCAA Division II Second Round) at No. 15 IUP (NCAA Division II Quarterfinals) at No. 10 Colorado Mines (NCAA Division II Semifinals)

Statistics Team statistics Individual statistics Offense Passing statistics # Player GP Cmp Att Pct Yds Avg TD Int Rtg 2 Tyson Bagent 15 400 572 69.9 4,580 8.0 41 8 158.1 16 Christian Etchison 5 4 4 100.0 85 21.3 1 0 361.0 18 Lek Powell 1 3 4 75.0 23 5.8 0 0 123.3 Team 14 0 2 0.0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 Totals 15 407 582 69.3 4,688 8.1 42 8 158.7 Opponents 15 284 492 57.7 3,325 6.8 26 18 124.6

Rushing statistics # Player GP Att Yds Avg Lng TD Y/G 30 Ronnie Brown 15 219 1,863 8.5 85 19 124.2 8 Blake Hartman 11 52 379 7.3 80 4 34.5 6 Avaughn Holley 11 40 221 5.5 53 2 20.1 10 Nazhir Russell 4 9 91 10.1 53 2 22.8 2 Tyson Bagent 15 79 71 0.9 28 5 4.7 16 Christian Etchison 5 4 28 7.0 19 0 5.6 9 Ryan Beach 11 4 13 3.3 8 0 1.2 76 Joey Fisher 8 0 4 0.0 0 0 0.5 Team 14 12 –20 –1.7 0 0 –1.4 Totals 15 419 2,650 6.3 85 32 176.7 Opponents 15 449 1,278 2.8 80 8 85.2

Receiving statistics # Player GP Rec Yds Avg Lng TD Y/G 13 Marlon Cook 14 68 1,030 15.2 70 8 73.8 87 Brian Walker 15 63 799 12.7 36 5 53.8 30 Ronnie Brown 15 56 589 10.5 73 5 39.3 3 Rodney Dorsey 15 35 487 13.9 71 4 32.5 9 Ryan Beach 11 51 411 8.1 35 5 37.4 1 E. J. Morgan 11 25 308 12.3 31 2 28.0 81 Cameron Dorner 14 34 299 8.8 29 3 21.4 0 Alphonso Foray 15 25 293 11.7 47 4 19.5 23 Max Fisher 8 20 168 8.4 23 0 21.0 7 Kenny Edelin 12 15 158 10.5 41 2 13.2 83 Daryl Harper 5 7 115 16.4 60 1 23.0 86 Ethan Krolow 3 1 11 11.0 11 0 3.7 8 Blake Hartman 11 2 8 4.0 6 0 0.7 47 Michael McCook 12 4 7 1.8 4 3 0.6 10 Nazhir Russell 4 1 5 5.0 5 0 1.3 Totals 15 407 4,688 11.5 73 42 312.5 Opponents 15 284 3,339 11.8 64 26 222.6

Defense

Special teams Kickoff statistics # Player GP KO Yds Avg TB OB 34 Jacob Haynie 15 93 5,007 53.8 16 1 69 James Bozek 4 9 444 49.3 0 0 Totals 15 102 5,451 53.4 16 1 Opponents 15 57 3,292 57.8 17 2

Kicking statistics # Player GP XPM–XPA XP% FGM–FGA FG% Lng Pts 34 Jacob Haynie 15 67–75 89.3 10–16 62.5 44 97 Totals 15 67–75 89.3 10–16 62.5 44 97 Opponents 15 0–0 0.0 0–0 0.0 0 0

Punting statistics # Player GP Punts Yds Avg Lng TB In20 66 Ryan Barrick 15 41 1,488 36.3 50 3 10 2 Tyson Bagent 15 3 128 42.7 45 2 1 Totals 15 44 1,616 36.7 50 5 11 Opponents 15 79 2,895 36.7 63 4 14

Kick return statistics # Player GP Ret Yds Avg Lng TD 30 Ronnie Brown 15 19 546 28.7 100 1 0 Alphonso Foray 15 9 172 19.1 38 0 8 Blake Hartman 11 1 23 23.0 23 0 5 Klayton Batten 15 2 22 11.0 20 0 88 Dustin Fisher 12 1 7 7.0 7 0 44 Jack Rosnage 13 1 0 0.0 0 0 Totals 15 33 770 23.3 100 1 Opponents 15 73 1,131 15.5 60 0

Awards and honors National awards and honors NCAA Division II All-American Honors Player Position AFCA AP D2CCA DH Tyson Bagent QB First Second Second Second Ronnie Brown RB — First Second — Brian Walker TE — First First First Joey Fisher OL First First First Second Kyle Smith DE — Second — —

Regional awards and honors Super Region One Individual Yearly Awards Awards Player Position Date awarded Ref. D2CCA Regional Offensive Player of the Year Tyson Bagent QB December 1, 2022 AFCA Regional Coach of the Year Ernie McCook HC December 6, 2022

Super Region One All-Regional Team Team Player Position Class Ref. First Tyson Bagent QB Senior First Ronnie Brown RB Junior First Brian Walker TE Senior First Joey Fisher OL Senior First Kyle Smith DL Graduate

Conference awards and honors PSAC Individual Yearly Awards Awards Player Position Date awarded Ref. PSAC East Offensive Athlete of the Year Tyson Bagent QB November 16, 2022 PSAC East Coach of the Year Ernie McCook HC November 16, 2022 PSAC Champion Scholar Adam Stilley OL November 15, 2022

PSAC All-Conference Honors Team Player Position Class Ref. First Tyson Bagent QB Senior First Ronnie Brown RB Junior First Ryan Beach WR Sophomore First Marlon Cook WR Junior First Brian Walker TE Senior First Joey Fisher OL Senior First Ty Lucas OL Freshman First Malik Holloway DL Sophomore First Kyle Smith DL Graduate First DeWayne Grantham LB Junior First Klayton Batten DB Sophomore First Keyshawn Hailey DB Junior First Ronnie Brown RS Junior Second Chandler Brown OL Freshman Second Wyatt Pellicano OL Sophomore Second Adam Stilley C Graduate Second Solomon Alexander DL Graduate Second Jurnee Dunbar DL Sophomore

PSAC Weekly Honors Honors Player Position Date Awarded Ref. PSAC East Offensive Athlete of the Week Tyson Bagent QB September 5, 2022 PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Week Dewayne Grantham LB September 5, 2022 PSAC East Offensive Athlete of the Week Ronnie Brown RB September 12, 2022 PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Week Malik Holloway DE September 12, 2022 PSAC East Offensive Athlete of the Week Tyson Bagent QB September 19, 2022 PSAC East Offensive Athlete of the Week Tyson Bagent QB September 26, 2022 PSAC East Special Teams Athlete of the Week Ronnie Brown KR September 26, 2022 PSAC East Offensive Athlete of the Week Ronnie Brown RB October 3, 2022 PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Week Donte Harrison DB October 17, 2022 PSAC East Offensive Athlete of the Week Tyson Bagent QB October 24, 2022 PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Week Dewayne Grantham LB October 24, 2022 PSAC East Offensive Athlete of the Week Tyson Bagent QB October 31, 2022 PSAC East Offensive Athlete of the Week Tyson Bagent QB November 7, 2022

All-Star Games

Rankings

References