ROSE BOWL BOUND: Hoyas Take First Step To Glory Against Wagner

FOOTBALL IS BACK DAMMIT!

Your Georgetown football Hoyas take the first step to Rose Bowl glory today against the vaunted Seahawks of Wagner at 1pm in scenic Staten Island, New York.  Form GU Hoyas, here is a preview of the game:

Georgetown returns seven starters on offense and seven starters on defense, as well as last season's placekicker and punter senior Matt MacZura (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Central Catholic).

WHARTON CONTINUES HOYAS STRONG DEFENSIVE TRADITION...The Hoyas defense once again promises to be strong with seven returning starters. The group is led by 2013 Preseason Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year LB Dustin Wharton (LaVale, Md./Allegany). A two-time All-Patriot League selection, Wharton is looking to become the first player in GU history to record 100 tackles in three straight seasons. Wharton is the second consecutive Hoya to earn preseason PL Defensive Player of the Year, following Robert McCabe in 2012. Wharton will look to become the third Hoya to earn postseason defensive player of the year honors following Andrew Schaetzke in 2011 and McCabe last season.

HOYAS BOAST DEPTH ON THE DEFENSIVE FRONT...The Hoyas defensive front four could be the team's deepest unit, returning eight players who have seen extended playing time on the Hilltop. The unit will be led by senior captain and No. 35 Joe Eacobacci Memorial Jersey recipient Sean Campbell (Middletown, N.J./Middletown South). Campbell, an preseason All-Patriot League selection had 47 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in 2012. Campbell will be joined by junior defensive tackle Jordan Richardson (Watkinsville, Ga./Athens Academy), who has been an impact player from his first day on the Hilltop and junior Alec May (Wrenthem, Mass./King Phillip), who finished second on the team with 5.0 sacks last season.

BACK UNDER CENTER...QB Isaiah Kempf was awarded a medical redshirt after being lost for the season in GU's opening game at Davidson a year ago. The redshirt senior captain earned the starting job with an impressive training camp and will get a second chance at his final season when GU opens at Wagner. Kempf has seen the highs-and-lows of the GU football program. He is the only player remaining from the Hoyas 0-11 season, but also helped GU to a PL Championship Game appearance in 2011. He is 163 pass attempts, 79 completions and 2,721 yards away from breaking J.J. Mont's program records in each category.

DEEP BACKFIELD A REASON FOR OPTIMISM...Georgetown returns four of its top five top-rushers from a year-ago, including two-time All-Patriot League running back Nick Campanella (Roselle, Ill./Montini Catholic). Campanella led GU in rushing and has been among the Patriot League leaders in touchdowns over the past two seasons and is currently eighth in GU history with 15 rushing touchdowns. Senior Dalen Claytor (Dunwoody, Ga./Dunwoody) was second on the team in yards (306) and led the Hoyas, averaging 5.0 yards per carry. Claytor the team's most dynamic option is recovering from a knee injury. Senior Brandon Durham (Mesquite, Texas/Dallas Christian) and two-time Patriot League Rookie of the Week, Jo'el Kimpela (Kinshasa, D.R. Congo/Euless Trinity) give GU several options in the running game.

ABOUT WAGNER...The Seahawks won its first NEC Championship and became the first NEC team to win an NCAA FCS Playoff game last season, when they defeated PL Champ Colgate, 31-20...Wagner is led by fifth-year senior RB Dominique Williams, a Preseason All-America selection, who averaged 102.54 yards/game last season. He has rushed for 100 yards in 20 of his 32 career games...Head Coach Walt Hameline was named the 2012 NEC Coach of the Year and was tabbed as one of the finalists for the Eddie Robinson Award...Wagner is 11-8 all-time against the Patriot League.

For those unable to make it to Staten Island, you can catch the opener RIGHT HERE courtesy of NEC Front Row.

This is our year.  I can feel it.