Schedule | Roster | Staff | Photo Day Gallery | Coach Thomas Video Interview

After an unusual 2016 season that featured lengthy out-of-conference road trips, two Division I opponents, and home games at a high school field, the Malone University football team will make a much-anticipated return to Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium as well as a full slate of conference games in 2017.
 
Although Malone won't christen the new stadium until September 23rd, week four of the college football season, second-year head coach Fred Thomas is looking forward to making the long-awaited homecoming.
 
"Returning to the stadium is really exciting," Thomas expressed. "It's a world class facility; it's one of the best, if not the best Division II stadium in the country. We've formed a great partnership with the Pro Football Hall of Fame and it's exciting to be a part of that, especially with such a terrific facility."
 
The Pioneers open the season this Saturday, September 2nd with a 6:00 pm road contest at Taylor University in Indiana. Following a week-two bye, Malone will trek to Raleigh, North Carolina for a 1:00 pm meeting with Shaw University on September 16th. Malone will welcome Missouri S&T a week later for its 3:00 pm debut on the Tom Benson turf.
 
When the Pioneers do take the field this fall, look for them to continue to run the football after doing so on 58% of snaps last season. "We're a run-first offense," the old-fashioned Thomas explained. "We're going to huddle and try to shorten the game and control the clock. Our offensive line is bigger and stronger and our backs are all back."
 
Leading the list of returners is All-Conference tailback Matt Blasiole, who led Malone with 1,087 yards of total offense and 10 total touchdowns last fall. Blasiole enters his senior season ranked fourth on Malone's all-time rushing list, needing 1,011 yards this year to claim the top spot. He is joined in the backfield by blocking back Jonathon Zimmerly, a fifth-year senior and graduate student. The versatile Zimmerly also led Malone with eight special teams tackles in 2016.
 
Thomas has been impressed with the offseason progress of running back Xavier Garland, who redshirted last fall, but came into camp in great shape. Garland gives the Pioneers depth at the position along with sophomore Calerb D'Haiti and true freshman Jayvon Hilton.
 
John Iacucci will be the starting quarterback for the second straight season after leading the G-MAC with 1543 yards passing in 2016. He threw for six scores and ran for two more. In a competitive battle for the backup quarterback position, Zane Bunnell, Cam Ingram, Kyle Nowak, Jaret Skaggs, and freshman Dalton Fall are all fighting for the job. Besides Iacucci, Bunnell was the only other quarterback to attempt a pass last season.
 
Ashton Dulin and Eian Elsass are back to lead the Malone receiving corps. Dulin, a 2017 All-American track athlete, led Malone with 50 receptions for 825 yards (16.5 avg) and four touchdowns a season ago. Elsass returns to the outside after suffering a season-ending injury in game two last season. He led Malone with 41 catches and 542 yards in 2015. "Coming off a broken leg, Eian is running really well," Thomas revealed.
 
James Jackson, a sophomore transfer, is also in the mix at wide receiver. He started three games as a freshman at DII Edinboro University. Riley Escalle gives Malone an additional target as does gifted true freshman Xakari Hawkins.
 
In the Pioneers' slot position, which gives the offense flexibility in the passing game as well as in the option run game, freshman burner Dakota Hobbs will get the starting nod. Adding versatility at the position is Tyler Howell and Jayvon Hilton.
 
Sophomore Jeremy Gorby, primarily a special teams contributor in 2016, will be the number one tight end in 2017. His size, strength, and toughness, according to Coach Thomas, will be a big asset in the Pioneer run game. Freshmen Gabe Barnard and Justin LaPlante are Gorby's primary backups.
 
In the trenches, Malone returns All-Conference selection JD Stamper, who makes the transition to center after playing left guard last fall. 2016 G-MAC Freshman of the Year Zak Hill slots in at left tackle while Brenson Ennis, coming back from a preseason injury that cost him the entire 2016 season, will play right tackle where he was All-Conference as a sophomore. Blake Cary, who put on good weight in the offseason, returns to the right guard post while true freshman Israel Moore has won the starting spot at left guard. Joe Turner and Harrison Woliver are the primary backups at the tackle positions. Cody Stadtman and Mike Mathie add depth to the guard spots while Ennis is the backup center.
 
"We're really pleased with the offensive line," Thomas beamed.
 
On the defensive side of the ball, the Pioneers will continue to run a base 4-3 defense and get after the quarterback. Thomas and his staff had the unenviable task of replacing five graduating seniors from the defensive line, including four multi-year starters.
 
Drew Shreve has the most experience of any returning defensive lineman after appearing in every game over the last two seasons. He gets the start at tackle alongside Albert Phillips at the nose. Matt Ramsey moves down from linebacker to claim one of the starting end spots while senior Roy Johnson is expected to start on the other side. Keith Harris, Nate Sudberry, and Tyrek Smith add flexibility to the rotation as does Arrington Dulin, who has shown plenty of upside as an edge pass-rusher.
 
G-MAC All-Conference middle linebacker Ryan Weber returns to anchor the Pioneer defense after pacing the team with 79 tackles in 2016. The talented linebacking corps also includes returning starters Josh Correll and Keith Williams on the outsides. Division I transfer Chad Bata is expected to see significant time at all three positions. Freshmen Dane Coleman and Austin Jewell lead a group of promising young understudies at the position.
 
The Pioneer secondary is led by a pair of senior standouts in cornerback Jordan Johnson and All-Conference free safety Daniel Tepe. The duo combined for seven interceptions in 2016. True freshman Darrell Gaddis will man the opposite corner while Christian Mathews is expected to start at strong safety. Lamon Mathison started nine games in the Malone defensive backfield last season, but he has been hampered by a preseason injury.
 
Jaylon Doss and Dawalyn Washington have had outstanding camps and are expected to make major contributions at safety. Freshmen Zay'Breyon Perry and Jalen Tucker, a converted high school quarterback, are the primary backups at corner.
 
Marcus Moeller will once again handle kicking and punting duties in 2017 after setting the school record for field goals last fall and averaging nearly 40 yards a punt. Ashton Dulin and Jordan Johnson will return punts and kicks. Jake Steiner will serve as the Malone long snapper.
 
The Pioneers begin year two in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) with a home game against Ohio Dominican on September 30th. The rest of the seven-game league schedule features road dates at Alderson Broaddus (10/7), Lake Erie (10/21), and Hillsdale (11/4) as well as home games against Kentucky Wesleyan (10/14), Findlay (10/26), and Walsh (11/11). Ohio Dominican, Lake Erie, Findlay, Hillsdale, and Walsh are all first-year members in the Great Midwest, but are familiar foes from the Pioneers' stint in the GLIAC.
 
After playing just two conference games in last fall's patchwork schedule, Thomas is enthusiastic about this year's schedule and the overall direction of the league. "Last year was frustrating in a number of ways and the travel was really bad," commented Thomas. "The new league, being the way it is, is really exciting. We're all comparable teams, the travel is relatively easy, and it's good for our fan base."
 
In addition to some new opponents on the 2017 schedule, the Pioneer coaching staff features some new faces as well. Zach Logan was named the new defensive coordinator in July after previously serving as a defensive backs coach at Marietta. Brice Carlson was hired as the offensive line coach in January and played a big part in offseason. Thomas also brought in position coaches Dwayne Aaron and Jake Sears in late July.
 
"Brice came in and did a really nice job in spring ball," noted Thomas. "He's very knowledgeable and a good technician of offensive line play. He is an offensive line junkie. Zach has also come in and done a great job of taking over the defensive staff and putting his niche into what we're trying to do defensively. Our kids are adjusting to him really well."
 
Thomas retains offensive coordinator Dustin Miller, strength and conditioning coordinator Ryan Hardie, assistant head coach and recruiting and academic coordinator Eric Baumgartner, kicking game coordinator and running backs coach Jason Scibona, cornerbacks coach Deshawn Gilbert, and linebackers coach Denny Blake.
 
The Pioneers open up against Taylor in week one for the second straight season. Malone defeated the Trojans 39-33 in overtime last fall.
 
Links to the complete schedule, roster, staff, and photo day gallery are atop of the page. Fans can follow Malone football action, including weekly previews and post-game recaps, all season long on malonepioneers.com and on twitter at @Malone_Football and @maloneathletics.