Franklin College kicks off the 2025 football season at 1:30 p.m. Saturday when it plays host to Ohio Northern on Alumni Day at Faught Stadium. It's the back end of a two-year home-and-home series, with the Polar Bears earning a 45-7 victory on their home turf a year ago.
A few tidbits to whet your appetite for game day:
BACK IN THE SADDLE
Mike Leonard, who ranks second on the school's all-time win list after posting a 129-55 record from 2003 to 2019, returns to the Franklin sideline after a five-year hiatus. Leonard piloted the Grizzlies to nine NCAA Division III tournament appearances and was named HCAC Coach of the Year on seven different occasions during his first stint with the program.
LAST TIME OUT
The Grizzlies finished off the 2024 season with a heartbreaking 31-27 home loss to rival Hanover in the annual Victory Bell clash. A 4-yard touchdown run by
Garrett Cora gave Franklin a 27-16 advantage early in the fourth quarter before the Panthers scored the game's final 15 points, including a 1-yard scoring run with 39 seconds remaining that proved to be the game-winner. The loss ended Franklin's season with a 3-7 record, including a 2-4 mark in conference play.
RUNNING UP THAT HILL
In addition to a halftime ceremony honoring all former Griz football players, Saturday will also see the morning dedication of the Hunsucker Hill Alumni Pavilion at the south end of the stadium, a gathering place for alumni built in honor of the late Jay Hunsucker '75, who was inducted into the Franklin College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013. The ribbon-cutting ceremony, open to all, features a commemorative T-shirt table and a Bloody Mary bar. The ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m.; guests are asked to arrive by 10 o'clock. The Touchdown Club's tailgate and lunch will follow the ceremony at 11:30 a.m.
NEW FACES
Coach Leonard won't be the only fresh face for the Grizzlies on Saturday. The lineup features a host of new starters across the lineup — especially on offense, where first team All-HCAC receiver
Owen Wright (48 catches, 791 yards receiving) is one of the few established veterans. The Grizzlies are a bit more seasoned on defense, where
Devonte Brown is back at defensive end after earning second team all-conference honors last fall and three starters return in the secondary.
Brayden Wilkins, who made the All-HCAC second team as a return man on special teams, is also back for Franklin. Scroll down to see the two-deep for today's game.
CATCH THE GRIZ ON INDIANA SRN
Indiana SRN will carry all five Franklin College home games for the third consecutive year. Each game will be shown free of charge on HCAC.tv, and games will be archived upon completion so that fans can watch back at any time.
AROUND THE HCAC
Each of the other HCAC teams opens the season with a nonconference tilt on Saturday. Defending league champion Mount St. Joseph plays at Muskingum (where Franklin will travel on Oct. 4), while Hanover travels to face Centre. The other four conference squads are at home, with Anderson playing Alfred State, Bluffton taking on Kenyon, Manchester meeting Westminster College and Rose-Hulman hosting DePauw.
FRANKLIN DEPTH CHART // WEEK 1
OFFENSE
Pos. No. Player Yr. Ht. Wt.
QB 7 Marshall Kmiecik So. 6-0 180
9
Devlin McGee Jr. 6-3 210
RB 32 Trevor Winkles Sr. 5-11 185
1
Brayden Wilkins So. 6-1 180
WR 3 Owen Wright Jr. 6-1 195
15
Marlon Gans Sr. 6-3 185
WR 4 Jeremy Lee Sr. 5-10 195
11
Elijah Flowers So. 6-4 220
WR 14 Jace Mohr Sr. 5-8 165
80
Deundre Kirby Jr. 5-11 180
WR 8 Jordan Fonda Jr. 6-3 190
13
Isaiah Miller Fr. 6-4 200
OL 67 Will Hagan Jr. 6-4 280
79
Garrett Elam Sr. 6-1 285
OL 52 Isaak Fischer Jr. 6-1 270
63
Peyton Sisk Fr. 6-1 255
OL 76 Corey Branigan Fr. 6-2 265
69
Keatz Pippenger Jr. 5-10 250
OL 77 Ben Roembke Jr. 6-2 260
74
Zach Yaryan Jr. 6-2 235
OL 71 Jackson Adams So. 6-4 270
60
Leo Meseberg Fr. 6-3 250
DEFENSE
Pos. No. Player Yr. Ht. Wt.
DE 46 Devonte Brown Sr. 6-0 210
59
Justin Kendrick Jr. 6-2 220
NT 93 Seth Rindfuss So. 6-0 265
95
Adam Young Jr. 5-10 270
DT 97 Ethan Hochstetler So. 6-1 220
48
Nash Stroud So. 6-3 235
Leo 11 Carter Edney Sr. 6-0 225
41
Max Malone Jr. 6-1 235
Sam 31 Drew Servies Sr. 6-0 190
0
Amari Gittings Jr. 5-9 175
Mike 19 Brayden Baker So. 6-3 220
9
Pilot Lukacsko Jr. 5-10 215
Will 45 Haden Durnil Sr. 6-1 210
39
Riddick Bolton Sr. 5-10 190
LCB 6 Luke Lyons Jr. 5-11 160
25
Jaylen Arnold Fr. 5-9 175
RCB 1 Shamari Gittings Jr. 5-8 175
0
Amari Gittings Jr. 5-9 175
FS 16 De'Marreia Stephens Jr. 6-0 165
14
Jake Ehrgott Sr. 5-10 170
Rover 2 Michael Loehmer Jr. 5-11 185
5
Haidyn Bulmer Jr. 5-11 185
SPECIAL TEAMS
Pos. No. Player Yr. Ht. Wt.
PK 30 Ian Williamson Fr. 6-4 196
40
Charlie Overton So. 5-11 180
P 30 Ian Williamson Fr. 6-4 196
27
Trenton Dittmer Fr. 5-11 182
KR 14 Jace Mohr Sr. 5-8 165
1
Brayden Wilkins So. 6-1 180
PR 14 Jace Mohr Sr. 5-8 165
1
Shamari Gittings Jr. 5-8 175
LS 14 Jake Ehrgott Sr. 5-10 170
0
Amari Gittings Jr. 5-9 175
HOLD 18 Josh Bruner Fr. 6-0 195
9
Devlin McGee Jr. 6-3 210
