2025 Gannon Football

Football Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

FOOTBALL SEASON PREVIEW: Rebuilt Golden Knight Squad to Battle Demanding Schedule

ERIE, Pa. – After a slow start to the season and numerous injuries led to a 3-7 finish in 2024, Gannon head football coach Erik Raeburn and his staff did a remake of the roster. The Golden Knight team that will take the field at McConnell Family Stadium hosting Davenport on Saturday, August 30 will look vastly different from a year ago.
 
The transfer portal – the latest craze in college athletics – had something to do with the makeover as well. The Golden Knights lost several key performers, including PSAC West Freshman of the Year Jayden Whitaker (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) and All-PSAC West performer Charles Calhoun (Euclid, Ohio/St. Edward).
 
But Raeburn has also taken full advantage of the portal to restock his roster. No fewer than 18 transfers have joined the Gannon program. Coupled with a strong freshmen class the Golden Knights look to prove the predictions of a fourth-place finish in the PSAC West incorrect.  
 
"It's a challenge for sure," admitted Raeburn. "Simplify. You pretty much don't see players for 4-5 years anymore. They play well and enter the portal or don't get playing time and enter the portal. It puts a little more pressure to figure out a player's strengths and weaknesses quicker. But it's also a way to change the talent on your team. To get guys who are older, who are more game ready, that can come in and help you at some positions where players aren't ready. The portal is a positive thing but changes your approach."
 
2024 record: 3-7
2024 PSAC West record: 3-3, tied for third place
 
2025 Schedule | 2025 Roster | 2024 Final Statistics
 
PSAC Preseason Poll
Gannon was picked to finish fourth in the PSAC West preseason poll for the fourth straight year. Three years ago, the Golden Knights surprised the experts, finishing in a tie for first place in the Western Division. Last year they finished in a tie with Indiana (Pa.) for third place in the division.

Head Coach: Erik Raeburn, (22-25, 5th year; 165-87 overall, 24th year)
Raeburn begins his 25th season as a head coach after previously enjoying success at Wabash, Coe and Savannah State. He has turned the Gannon program around in his first five seasons as the Golden Knights have become a team to be reckoned with in the PSAC West. In 2022, Gannon finished as the Western Division co-champions with a 6-1 league record and 8-3 overall, one win shy of the school record.
 
Three Takeaways from Erik Raeburn
The 2025 schedule: "Our schedule is brutal. We probably have the toughest schedule in the PSAC. Last year I think we were the only team in the PSAC to play all four playoff teams in the regular season and it is even tougher this year. Most of them we're going to play in the first half of the season. The PSAC is always a challenge. Everybody is good enough to beat you. Then we added two really tough non-conference games. Hopefully we'll handle it better than we did a year ago."
Gannon opens the season with a pair of teams from the GLIAC, hosting Davenport on Saturday, August 30 before traveling to Michigan to play at Saginaw Valley State on Saturday, September 6. Both teams finished with 7-4 records. Then PSAC crossover play begins with Gannon slated to host East Stroudsburg (10-2) for Homecoming Weekend on Saturday, Sept. 13 before playing at Kutztown (11-1) on Saturday, Sept. 27. Game number five is the start of Western division play with a third straight NCAA Playoff team on tap – hosting Slippery Rock on Saturday, Oct. 4. SRU reached the NCAA semifinals while finishing at 12-2. That's just the first five games!
 
Must Improve on Takeaways, Running the Ball:  "We have to do a better job in takeaways. In my entire coaching career this is the fewest takeaways any team I've had has created. That's got to be an area of focus for us.  I'd like to see us be really sound, disciplined. We want to play physical and be able to run the ball. The big thing – creating turnovers and eliminating big plays. That was our achilles' heel last year. We got in the red zone last year but our inability to run the ball killed us. We have to run it better."
For the record, Gannon ran for 820 yards in ten games in 2024. That's the third-lowest total in team history and also the third-fewest yards per game. One positive was the Golden Knights committed just 14 turnovers, tied for the second-lowest total ever. But they forced an all-time low five turnovers (two INTs, three fumbles).
 
The Talent is There to Replace Whitaker:  "At quarterback the decision-making is really critical. Whoever we choose at QB they have to make great decisions. Their decision-making is critical. And then I think it comes down to passing accuracy. I think we have a really talented group. It's not clear yet who's going to emerge as the starter but the collective talent we have at quarterback I feel confident that whoever emerges will have a great chance at being successful."
A year ago Gannon scored 22 touchdowns. Jayden Whitaker (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg) accounted for 18 of those, nine passing and nine more rushing. The PSAC West Freshman of the Year shuffled off to Division I Wofford after the season and is challenging for the starting job there. Elijah Banks (Martinsburg, W.Va./Martinsburg) is the most experienced returning signal-caller. The redshirt senior attempted six passes last year. Transfers Anthony Harris (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) (Maine) and Ty Hurst (Tallmadge, Ohio/Tallmadge) (Clarion) give Raeburn plenty of options. 
 
Offensive Overview: Just three starters return on the offensive side of the ball although Raeburn cautions that one of the strengths of this team is the skill position players. The line suffered huge losses, totaling 106 games in starts over their careers.  Starters Brad Kormanec (North Canton, Ohio/Canton Hoover) and Nevin Davila (Ewing, N.J./Ewing) return. Not surprisingly, the ability of the inexperienced line to grow quickly will dictate the offense's success. The skill positions have been reinforced by a strong group of newcomers. That includes quarterbacks Anthony Harris (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) (Maine) and Ty Hurst (Tallmadge, Ohio/Tallmadge) (Clarion), along with running back Tristen Kenan (Baltimore, Md./Dunbar) (Maine). The receiving corps has been bolstered by several transfers and freshmen. Donell "Tank" Mason owns 115 career receptions, the rest of the returning wideouts have three, all by sophomore Andrew Kuban (Pittsburgh, Pa./Avonworth). 
 
Key Returnees:
WR Donell "Tank" Mason: Mason was named the PSAC West Freshman of the Year in 2022 and was a second team All-PSAC West honoree a year ago after catching 49 passes for 769 yards and 3 TDs. The diminutive wideout enters his senior year ranking sixth in career receptions (115) and career receiving yards (1,715).

OL Brad Kormanec (North Canton, Ohio/Canton Hoover) and Nevin Davila (Ewing, N.J./Ewing): a pair of redshirt sophomores, Kormanec started all ten games at left guard in 2024. Davila took over as the starter at center in the fifth game.
 
Defensive Overview: The defense has six starters back, although not one player started all ten games. Eight players return who started four-or-more games led by Serrell Curtis (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) and Sir Giles (Kissimmee, Fla./Tohopekaliga). Each started eight games in the secondary. Despite losing linebackers Hayden McDonald (Tigard, Ore./Tigard) and Trey Baker (Kettering, Ohio/Kettering Fairmont), who ranked first and third, respectively, in tackles, Raeburn is most excited about the linebacking corps.
 
Key Returnees:
LB Bryce Wood (Erie, Pa./McDowell): The coaching staff is anxious to see what Wood can do for a full season. After transferring from Youngstown State in 2023 the redshirt sophomore has been waylaid by injuries. He appeared in seven games last year, finishing with 41 tackles.
 
DB Serrell Curtis (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis): the junior finished fourth in tackles with 52 a year ago despite missing the final two games with an injury. He had one of Gannon's two interceptions.
 
DB Sir Giles (Kissimmee, Fla./Tohopekaliga): a redshirt junior, Giles has started 13 games in the secondary, eight of those a year ago. He finished with 27 tackles.
 
 DL Sir Jerome Treadwell (Washington, D.C./Archbishop Carroll): the other "Sir" on the Gannon roster, the 6-foot-2, 234 lb. redshirt senior had 3.5 sacks in his first season as a Golden Knights. That was tied for second on the team and is the top returning figure. Treadwell previously played at Youngstown State.
 
Special Teams:  Bryson Costa (Windber, Pa./Windber Area) was recently named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Watch List, earning a spot as the second team punter. As a true freshman Costa set Gannon's record for punting average at 43.6 on 39 punts, ranking 11th in Division II. Costa earned first team D2CCA All-Super Region 1 honors along with being named to the All-PSAC West team at punter. He also made 6-of-8 field goals with a long of 44 yards and 17-of-20 extra points. While a position taken for granted, long snapper Kenneth Hartwig (Ballwin, Mo./Marquette) did a great job and must be replaced.

Newcomers to Watch:
Golden Knights Cage Former Bears
Gannon's roster features numerous newcomers who are expected to contribute this season including a host of former University of Maine performers. The former Black Bears could play a huge role in the team's success in 2025. The offense could benefit greatly from the addition of Anthony Harris (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth), a grad transfer competing for the quarterback job. A year ago he completed 8-of-14 passes in five games. In 2023 he was 13-of-18 for 111 yards in seven contests. He could find himself throwing to fellow Maine teammate Zaheem Crawford-Patterson (Irvington, N.J./Irvington). The redshirt junior played two seasons at Maine. Running back Tristen Kenan (Baltimore, Md./Dunbar) did not play in 2024 but in 2023 he led Maine in rushing as a freshman, appearing in nine games and finishing with 467 rushing yards on 111 carries with 5 TDs.  He added 27 receptions for 226 yards and a touchdown. On defense the coaching staff is hoping Tyshawn Stewart (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Township) will show the form he displayed in 2023 at Maine when he finished second on the team with 58 tackles.
 
Previewing Season Opener:
Saturday, August 30 vs. Davenport
2024 Record:  7-4, 4-3 GLIAC (T3rd)
GLIAC Preseason Poll:  4th out of 8 teams
Series Record:  Davenport leads 2-0
Last Meeting:  April 9, 2020: at Davenport 37, Gannon 22
 
Fan Information:
Tickets | Video | Livestats
 
Scouting the Panthers:  Gannon meets Davenport on the gridiron for the first time since the spring of 2021 when the two teams met twice during the COVID-19 period. The Panthers won 30-22 at Erie Veterans Stadium then three weeks later won in Michigan by a 37-22 margin … Davenport was recently picked to finish fourth in the GLIAC after finishing with a 7-4 record a year ago. Three of those losses came against nationally-ranked teams no lower than No. 11 in the polls at the time of the game … head coach Sparky McEwen is back for his ninth season and has led the Panthers to three straight winning campaigns … Davenport boasts 48 returning letterwinners along with 38 transfers, with 17 starters (7 offense, 9 defense) returning … while starting quarterback Mike O'Horo is gone after throwing for 1,010 yards, the Panthers are excited about highly-touted D'Wan Mathis and Mac VandenHout. Mathis completed 45-of-76 passes for 580 yards with 3 TDs and 2 INTs, adding 112 yards and a TD rushing.  VandenHout earned GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors in the win over Northern Michigan with 113 rushing yards and two touchdowns and two more touchdowns and 156 yards through the air … the wide receiver room was bolstered by the addition of Keonta Nixon, a transfer from Roosevelt who led the GLIAC in receiving yards per game (98.6) and yards per reception (21.1). He also led the GLIAC with 21.1 yards per reception … all-time leading rusher Myren Harris must be replaced with a pair of transfers expected to bolster the ground game … linebacker Latrell Scott was the second-leading tackler on a defense that allowed just 21.2 ppg.in 2024. He finished with 55 tackles with 10 tackles for loss, two sacks, and two forced fumbles.
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Trey Baker

#50 Trey Baker

LB
6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
Charles Calhoun

#7 Charles Calhoun

DL
6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
Kenneth Hartwig

#42 Kenneth Hartwig

LS
5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Donell Mason

#82 Donell Mason

WR
5' 10"
Junior
Hayden McDonald

#4 Hayden McDonald

LB
6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
Jayden Whitaker

#9 Jayden Whitaker

QB
6' 1"
Redshirt Freshman
Elijah Banks

#5 Elijah Banks

QB
6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
Bryson Costa

#33 Bryson Costa

PK
6' 0"
Sophomore
Serrell Curtis

#5 Serrell Curtis

DB
6' 1"
Redshirt Sophomore
Nevin Davila

#61 Nevin Davila

OL
6' 1"
Redshirt Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Trey Baker

#50 Trey Baker

6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
LB
Charles Calhoun

#7 Charles Calhoun

6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
DL
Kenneth Hartwig

#42 Kenneth Hartwig

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
LS
Donell Mason

#82 Donell Mason

5' 10"
Junior
WR
Hayden McDonald

#4 Hayden McDonald

6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
LB
Jayden Whitaker

#9 Jayden Whitaker

6' 1"
Redshirt Freshman
QB
Elijah Banks

#5 Elijah Banks

6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
QB
Bryson Costa

#33 Bryson Costa

6' 0"
Sophomore
PK
Serrell Curtis

#5 Serrell Curtis

6' 1"
Redshirt Sophomore
DB
Nevin Davila

#61 Nevin Davila

6' 1"
Redshirt Sophomore
OL