WEEK 10 STATS: 9 total tackles (5 solo), 3.5 TFL, 1.0 sack, 1 PBU, 1 INT, 1 RET TD
Kuntz’s play has returned to the pre-injury All-America level it reached during the 2013 season. The linebacker, who missed the entire 2014 campaign, spearheaded the Dukes’ dominant defensive effort in a 41-14 win over two-time defending NEC champion Sacred Heart. Kuntz logged a game-high nine tackles (5 solo), allowing the ball carrier no more than a 2-yard gain on any of the stops. He made 3.5 hits for a loss, including 1.0 sack, to raise his season total to a FCS-leading 20.5 TFL. When he wasn’t dropping the opponent for a loss, Kuntz stopped the SHU rusher at the line of scrimmage for no gain on three separate occasions. The 6-foot-1 linebacker was effective in pass coverage, too, logging a pass break-up and returning an interception for a touchdown. Kuntz was sensational right from the game’s start. He made stops on back-to-back plays during Sacred Heart’s first possession of the game, forcing the Pioneers into a 4th-and-6 situation. Helping protect the Dukes’ early 14-0 lead, Kuntz also derailed SHU’s second drive attempt. He snuffed out a first-down screen pass, leading to a three-and-out.