Lehigh Valley college football: Emmaus grad Connor Carter becomes a force at Ursinus
As an Emmaus High student, Connor Carter spent time on the Muhlenberg College campus learning how to drive.
On Friday night, he and the rest of Ursinus defense will try to keep the Muhlenberg football team from racing up and down the Scotty Wood Stadium turf as each team opens Centennial Conference play.
Carter and the Bears defense excelled during the non-conference portion of their schedule.
Ursinus allowed a Centennial Conference-low 15.0 points per game during its 3-0 start.
The Bears latest win, a 58-14 dismantling of Rowan, allowed Carter to flash his all-around ability.
He finished with 10 tackles (seven solo), 2.5 sacks and three tackles for loss.
The performance earned him Centennial Conference defensive player of the week honors and a spot on the D3football.com Team of the Week.
He can do a lot of different things, Ursinus coach Peter Gallagher said by phone Monday.
Hes very good coming off the edge.
He has very good balance.
He can turn his torso and bend off the edge, which is really, really hard to do.
He just makes our defense a little bit more dynamic with his ability to rush the passer or drop into coverage.
Carters emergence as one of the Centennial Conferences top pass rushers took time and a position change.
He came to Ursinus after playing linebacker at Emmaus.
He became an Ursinus starter in 2022 as a sophomore, starting all 11 games at middle linebacker and registering 47 tackles.
Despite that success, Ursinus asked him to switch to a hybrid defensive end-outside linebacker role last season.
Once he settled into rushing off the edge, he enjoyed his best season yet.
He finished with 59 tackles (third on Ursinus) and 5.5 sacks (eighth in the Centennial Conference) while earning an all-Centennial Conference honorable mention nod.
Carter already has 18 tackles, four sacks and five tackles for loss this season.
He ranks second in the Centennial Conference in the latter two categories, behind teammate Aaron Rios (6.5 sacks, 11.5 TFL).
I really do enjoy having the ability to rush off the edge, use my speed against offensive tackles and really put my own spin on this cool, fun position, Carter said.
When I watch NFL football on Sundays, I always love watching the pass-rush battles.
I know everyone here is an Eagles fan, but Im a Giants fan.
I love watching [Giants offensive tackle] Andrew Thomas block up against the best defensive ends in the league.
[The Giants] played the Browns the other day, so that was fun for me to watch Myles Garrett and Andrew Thomas battle.
Theres always things for me to learn, and I think those guys are just awesome athletes to watch.
I love putting my own kind of spin on that hybrid position.
Carter, Rios, and the rest of Ursinus defensive front will need to maintain their rush lanes against Muhlenbergs high-powered offense.
The Mules (2-1 overall) are averaging 42 points per game and feature the leagues reigning offensive player of the year in quarterback Joe Repetti.
Repetti has thrown for 1,058 yards and nine scores.
Hes also run for 200 yards and averaged 6.3 yards per carry.
Carter looks forward to the challenge of slowing Muhlenberg, especially since it comes close to home.
Theyve got playmakers all over the field, but our defense does too, Carter said.
Its going to be very interesting to see how the game goes down.
Its going to be a good time.
Were all excited about it, to say the least.
Heres a look at this weeks games.
Ursinus (3-0 overall) at Muhlenberg (2-1) When: 7 p.m.
Friday.
Taking note: Ursinus finished its non-league schedule leading the Centennial Conference in scoring offense (44.7 points per game) and scoring defense (15.0).
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Muhlenberg has averaged 68.7 penalty yards per game.
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Mules senior wide receiver Andrew Darno (Notre Dame-Green Pond) has 12 catches for 134 yards in his last two games.
East Stroudsburg (3-1 overall, 0-1 PSAC) at Millersville (0-4, 0-1) When: noon Saturday.
Taking note: Millersville lost its PSAC East opener, falling 24-23 at Lock Haven.
The Marauders 23 points were a season high.
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ESU graduate student Tyrese Brandon (Northampton) had 53 yards of total offense and scored his first touchdown this season in last weeks loss to Kutztown.
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Millersville redshirt senior defensive lineman Conner Snyder (Northwestern Lehigh) has 10 tackles, one sack and a team-high four quarterback hurries.
Bloomsburg (3-1 overall, 1-0 PSAC East) at Kutztown (4-0, 1-0) When: noon Saturday.
Taking note: Kutztown scored 27 unanswered points in rallying past ESU 27-21 in its PSAC East opener last week.
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Bloomsburg redshirt freshman defensive back Nick Frame (Northern Lehigh) had a game-clinching fumble recovery in last weeks 23-21 win over West Chester.
He has nine tackles (five solo), one interception, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble in his first year on the active roster.
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Kutztown is averaging 4.7 yards per carry and 183.5 rushing yards per game.
Moravian (2-2 overall) at Keystone (1-3) When: 1 p.m.
Saturday.
Taking note: This is the Landmark Conference opener for each team.
The leagues coaches picked Moravian to finish third in the seven-team league during preseason voting.
Keystone was pegged for a sixth-place finish.
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Moravian allowed a season-low six points in last weeks win over SUNY Morrisville.
The Greyhounds rank first in the Landmark Conference in scoring defense at 19.8 points per game.
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Keystone is allowing 36.0 points per game..
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