2020 Team Preview: The South Allegheny Gladiators @CoachCortazzo @sasdfootball @aepps05

Tagged under: Conference Previews, District 7, News

Billy Splain | July 1, 2020

South Allegheny Gladiators

Head Coach Frank Cortazzo III

Assistant Coaches *
Rich Abbott
Armand Martin
John Borkowski
Frank Cortazzo Jr.
Zach Betters
Brett Molanick
Nick Cortazzo
Glenn Mannion

2019 Season Record  4-6

2020 Schedule

DATE	OPPONENT	LOCATION	TIME/SCORE
08-22	Steel Valley (SCR)		7:00 pm
08-28	Serra Catholic (0-0)		7:00 pm
09-04	Uniontown (0-0)		7:00 pm
09-11	Ringgold (0-0)		7:00 pm
09-18	Southmoreland (0-0) *		7:00 pm
09-25	Yough (0-0) *		7:00 pm
10-02	Brownsville (0-0) *		7:00 pm
10-09	Elizabeth-Forward (0-0) *		7:00 pm
10-16	South Park (0-0) *		7:00 pm
10-23	Deer Lakes (0-0)		7:00 pm
10-30	Mount Pleasant (0-0) *		7:00 pm

BOLD – denotes home game
* – denotes league game
(SCR) – denotes scrimmage

BOLD – denotes home game
* – denotes league game
(SCR) – denotes scrimmage

Key Starters Lost
Chase Nicomatti
Codee Skotnicki
Zach Martin
Frankie Cortazzo
Troy Mitchell

Offensive Starters Returning
Sr. RB Antonio Epps, 5-11, 189
Jr. OT Will Hynes, 6-4, 255
Jr. WR Eric Anderson, 6-1, 171
Jr. WR Akell Carrington, 6-2, 181
Jr. TE Chris Guest, 6-1, 205
Jr. WR Dillon Hynes, 6-3, 188
Jr. QB Jett Jones, 5-8, 171
Jr. OT Sal Corente, 6-5, 298
Jr. WR Ethan Kirkwood, 6-3. 170

Defensive Starters Returning
Sr. DB Antonio Epps, 5-11, 189
Sr. DE Omir Faulkner, 6-4, 265
Sr. OLB Jordan Rhoades, 5-8, 160
Jr. OLB Eric Anderson, 6-1, 171
Jr. DB Akell Carrington, 6-2, 181
Jr. LB Chris Guest, 6-1, 205
Jr. DB Dillon Hynes, 6-3, 188
Jr. DB Jett Jones, 5-8, 171
Jr. LB Kaven Markwood, 5-8, 168

Special Team Starters Returning
Antonio Epps, Returner

Key Newcomers
So. QB/DB Eric Wehrer, 6-0, 175
Jr. Center Travis Mullin, 5-11, 223

What does your offense need to improve on from last year?
South Allegheny needs to throw the ball better to keep defenses off balance a bit. Division I recruit Antonio Epps is expected to have a big year running the ball and add to his 1600 yards as a Jr. One key to success is to simplify the offensive pass game and get the ball to the extensively talented receivers and have Jett Jones and Eric Wehrer get better and push each other at the QB position. We need to mature on the offensive line and gel together, after have graduated 3 starter off last years team it is important to have this group of linemen grow and gel together.

What does your defense need to improve on from last year *
After a pretty successful season last year statistically, we need the front guy and linebackers to step it up and put the wins to the statistics. Graduating Nicomatti, Martin, Cortazzo hurts us up front but the youth coming in have put in the work and are ready to play. In the Secondary, we should be strong with Epps, Jones, Kirkwood in the secondary, with Rhoades and Markwood helping out on the outside with Anderson.

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