Patriot League Football 25th Anniversary Profile

Bucknell Bison

Patriot League seasons: 1986-present
Overall Record in Patriot League Era (1986-2010): 120-150-1
Patriot League Record (1986-2010): 58-81-1
Patriot League Record in 1980s (1986-89): 6-11-1
Patriot League Record in 1990s (1990-99): 29-24
Patriot League Record since 2000 (2000-10): 23-45
All-time coaches and records (overall and Patriot League)
George Landis (1986-88): 10-19-1 overall, 2-6-1 Patriot League
Lou Maranzana (1989-94): 26-38 overall, 12-17 Patriot League
Tom Gadd (1995-01): 48-28 overall, 25-16 Patriot League
Dave Kotulski (2002): 2-9 overall, 0-7 Patriot League
Tim Landis (2003-09): 32-46 overall, 16-27 Patriot League
Joe Susan (2010-present): 1-10 overall, 1-5 Patriot League (entering 2011 season)
Patriot League Player of the Year (1986-2010):
1989: Scott Auchenbach, QB
1994: Rich Lemon, RB
Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year:
1994: Rich Lemon, RB
Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year:
1995: Ed Burman, DL
2002: Adam Lord, DL
2004: Sean Conover, DL
Patriot League Rookie of the Year:
1987: Mike Guerrini, WR
1993: Rich Lemon, RB
2010: Brandon Wesley, QB
Patriot League Coach of the Year:
1990: Lou Maranzana
1997: Tom Gadd
Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year:
1989: Bill Farthing, DL
1991: David Berardinelli, WR
1992: David Berardinelli, WR
1993: Rob Glus, QB
1994: Rob Glus, QB
2000: Kevin Eiben, DB/KR
2009: Travis Nissley, LB
2010: Travis Nissley, LB
All-time All-Patriot League selections: 147 (68 first / 78 second)
All-time All-American selections (AFCA, Walter Camp, Sports Network and AP): 21

A charter member of the Patriot League when it originated in 1986, Bucknell has emerged into the top all-sport institution in Patriot League history by winning 17 of 21 Presidents' Cups. The Bison experienced their greatest success on the football field in the mid-to-late 90s, including their lone League title in 1996.

1980s
With a powerhouse at Holy Cross and strong programs elsewhere in the Patriot League, Bucknell struggled to gain momentum in the early years of the conference. The Bison did not put up a winning mark in the four seasons in the 1980s, but did make gains to finish at 5-5 overall and 2-2 in the League in 1989. Scott Auchenbach was named Patriot League Player of the Year in that season, which was the first for Head Coach Lou Maranzana.

1990s
Bucknell enjoyed its greatest success in the 1990s, with six winning seasons overall and seven Patriot League campaigns at .500 or better. Maranzana won the Patriot League Coach of the Year award in 1990 for leading the Bison to a second-place finish at 3-2 in the League as well as a 7-4 mark overall. The Bison took a step back over the next few seasons, but came alive when Tom Gadd took over the program in 1995. The most successful head coach in Bucknell's Patriot League tenure, Gadd posted a 48-28 record overall and 25-16 Patriot League mark in his seven seasons. He helped lead a two-game improvement in both overall and Patriot League play in 1995, leading the Bison to a 7-4 mark and a 4-1 Patriot League record to claim second place in the standings. Only a 30-23 loss at home to eventual champion Lehigh on Oct. 7 kept the Bison from wining their first Patriot League title.

Nothing would stop Bucknell from claiming the Patriot League crown for the first time in 1996. After opening the season with a 1-4 record overall, Bucknell put together a three-game win streak that included some revenge with a 7-6 win at Lehigh on Nov. 2. The Bison entered their season finale against Colgate on Nov. 23 with identical 3-1 records in the Patriot League. The game went to overtime, where Bucknell was able to stop the Raiders' two-point attempt and hold on for a 28-27 victory. That win and Lehigh's victory over Lafayette gave the Bison sole possession of their first Patriot League title.

Bucknell put together perhaps an even more impressive overall season in 1997, when the Bison rolled off wins in their first 10 contests and Gadd was named Patriot League Coach of the Year. But this time Colgate denied the Bison the Patriot League title, beating Bucknell on the final day of the regular season in Hamilton to earn the Patriot League's first playoff berth. Bucknell remained competitive for the last two years of the decade, posting a winning overall record and going 3-3 in the Patriot League.

2000s
Gadd's tenure ended in 2001, when the Bison posted a 6-4 record overall and placed fourth in the eight-team Patriot League with a 4-3 mark. Bucknell carried that momentum into Tim Landis' first two seasons in 2003 and 2004, posting a winning mark in the Patriot League each season. Since that time, Bucknell has posted just one winning record overall (6-5 in 2006) and has not finished above .500 in the Patriot League. The Bison hired Joe Susan to right the ship, and the head coach enters his second season in Lewisburg in 2011.

Individual Stars

With his Patriot League Player and Offensive Player of the Year honors in 1994, running back Rich Lemon stands as the most recognizable player in the Bison's Patriot League history. Lemon still ranks third in Patriot League history with 4,742 rushing yards.

Offensive lineman Mariusz Misiec (1994-97), defensive lineman Hunter Adams (1995-98) and all-purpose runner A.J. Kizekai (2006-09) represented Bucknell on the Patriot League Football 25th Anniversary Team. Adams' selection was particularly fitting, as Bucknell has boasted a strong crop of defensive linemen over the years. In addition to Adams putting together an outstanding together, Adam Lord (1999-02), Ed Burman (1993-96) and Sean Conover (2002-05) all won a Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year award. Burman stands fifth in Patriot League history with 25.5 career sacks, while Conover went on to an NFL career with the Tennessee Titans.

Another player to move on to the professional ranks was defensive back Kevin Eiben, who starred from 1997-00 at Bucknell and has played for the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League for the past decade.

Scholar-Athlete Tradition
In additon to their honors for play on the field, Bucknell has established an impressive run with the Patriot League Football Scholar-Athlete Award. Five different Bison have claimed the honor a total of eight times, with three student-athletes earning multiple awards. David Berardinelli (1991-92), Rob Glus (1993-94) and most recently Travis Nissley (2009-10) claimed the award twice, with Berardinelli and Nissley also named National Football Foundation Scholar-Athletes. No other Patriot League program has claimed more than five Scholar-Athlete awards in football.