The sparkling lights reflected upon Patterson Field on a steamy Friday night, as the crowd prepared for the first Ursinus football action of the 2024 season. Expectations were high, as the Bears faced off against an Alvernia Golden Wolves team which they had dominated 38-6 just a year ago. But against a young Alvernia squad which recruited up to 60 underclassmen over the offseason, there were questions about whether the Bears would be up for a repeat performance. Luckily for the raucous crowd of 1,753, the team answered those questions early and often, rolling to a 45-14 victory in dominant fashion.
A massive piece of the Bears’ ability to establish themselves early in this one was the rushing attack, with senior Tony Holden returning to lead the backfield out to a hot start. Ursinus was able to run the ball in many different ways and packages throughout the game, both into the interior and on the outside of the defense, confusing the young and inexperienced Alvernia defense throughout the night. Holden received 16 carries for a whopping 118 yards on the ground, including 2 key touchdowns in the red zone to put Ursinus up 14-0 at the end of the first quarter. An All-Centennial First Team selection a year ago, Holden’s great start to the year signals that his great production is set to continue, something which will be key to the Bears’ success in 2024. Holden’s production was boosted by sophomore running back Jason Bernard, who also finished with a strong night with 11 carries for 39 yards and his first career touchdown. Bernard could be a key piece for the Bears as a change-of-pace back, ensuring that Holden can get spells of rest and the team can continue to run the football efficiently. Through the development of a two-headed monster in the Ursinus backfield, the team can expect great things to come offensively in 2024.
The Bears’ defense was a large focal point of their success last year, with the second best defense in the conference in Points Allowed Per Game and sacks, as well as the best defense in the conference in opponent first and third down conversion %. With most of their starters returning in 2024, that strong play continued, with Ursinus’ starters pitching a shutout through the first half of football. With two incredibly talented and speedy skill position players in Alvernia’s Dachan Thompson and Zach Ayers, the team’s secondary was sure to have their hands full. But cornerbacks Joseph Small ‘25 and Aaron Anderson ‘25 were fantastic in coverage all night, limiting the Wolves to just three “explosive” plays of 20+ yards within the game. The team’s dominant pass rush aided in the secondary’s ability to hold up, as the team tallied 5 tackles for loss and a sack to create constant pressure on the Alvernia offense. Alvernia was forced to attempt to get the ball out quickly, creating an inability to put together long sustained drives and allowing the Bears to control the ball offensively for long stretches. Through yet another dominant defensive performance, the Bears were able to make things easy for their offense, a promising sign for the remainder of the season.
While Friday night was a fantastic start, the Bears still have a lot to prove over the rest of the 2024 season. The team finished just 3-3 in conference play last season, a record they will surely look to improve upon going into 2024 in order to compete for a conference title. But with key returning pieces on both sides of the football, the team should only improve as the season wears on. With a strong veteran core, the Centennial Conference should hear the Bears’ roar in 2024.
Update: The Bears secured a 31-17 victory over Kean University this past weekend, dominating the first half 28- 10. Come support the team this Saturday against Rowan University!