Scots coach Scott Browning is expected start Erie native Maleek Toran (#26) in place of James Jackson (#11) for Saturday's noon game against No. 22-ranked Indiana (Pa.). Jackson is serving an one-game suspension after being ejected from last week's game./Photo by Christopher Millette/Erie Times-News

EDINBORO – Earlier this week, Edinboro coach Scott Browning said he’ll start Erie native Maleek Toran for Saturday’s key PSAC West game against No. 22-ranked IUP (5-1, 2-1).

A Central Tech graduate, Toran will replace junior cornerback James Jackson, who is serving  one-game suspension after getting ejected from last week’s 44-24 loss to Gannon.

“Right now, Maleek Toran is in that spot,” Browning said. “We’ve got to coach him up.”

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Taking advice from his older brother, Edinboro junior Cody Harris has been healthier this season./Josh Barber

Cody Harris wasn’t thinking about his health when he lowered the shoulder on a Gannon defender in last week’s PSAC West win against the rival Knights.

“I’m not sure if it was a wise decision,” he said. “Gannon hits pretty hard. Maybe I got lucky. I don’t know. I just put shoulder down and it turned out my way. I probably should get down.”

However, the junior quarterback has taken heed to the advice of his big brother and it has helped him stay healthier this season.

“While training in the offseason, I kind of listened to my older brother Trevor,” said Harris about his older brother, who while at Edinboro became of best college quarterbacks in NCAA Division II. He is now playing in the Canadian Football League for the Toronto Argonauts.

Last season, Harris played through his share of nagging injuries, but looks to have more energy and spirit at this point in the season.

Thanks big bro.

“The way he trained and the way he trained Jacksonville (while in camp with the Jaguars in 2010), Orlando and all the places he’s been,” Harris said. ” Got me on the right track. Just doing the right things. Not always lifting heavy, but lifting to be healthy. Lifting to stay healthy and strengthen the muscles.”

Lifting to be healthy?

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Gannon University heads into Saturday’s PSAC West rivalry game at Edinboro University with an 0-6 record against the Fighting Scots (2-2, 1-1).

The Knights (1-4, 0-2) have dropped four straight games to Edinboro since joining the PSAC. Check out players and coaches from both sides talk about the upcoming showdown at Sox Harrison Stadium.

First-year Gannon University coach Brad Rzyczycki talks about his relationship with Lake Erie College coach Mark McNellie before the Knights play the Storm on Thursday night at Gannon University Field.

A Mercyhurst graduate, Rzyczycki played when McNellie was an assistant for the Lakers.

Gannon players Josh Williams of Waterford, Alex Papson, Matt Jones, Ian Jeffers and first-year head coach Brad Rzyczycki talk about Thursday night’s season opener against Lake Erie College at Gannon University Field.

Here’s a look at Lake Erie College’s preview of the 2012 season that begins Aug. 30 at Gannon. The Storm upset the Knights last season, 13-10, in Painesville, Ohio.

Fifth-year Storm coach Mark McNellie, who was a longtime assistant at Mercyhurst, did the interview with Lake Erie College assistant athletic director for external operations, Jason Tirotta, to preview the season.

After playing four years against Gannon as a quarterback at Lake Erie College (Ohio), Sean Bedevelsky will coach against the Knights this year as a graduate assistant at Mercyhurst./Jack Hanrahan/ETN.

Mercyhurst has two graduate assistants this season who know just a little bit about college football in this area.

Lakers graduate assistant Jordan Krentz never lost to Gannon in his four years playing at Edinboro./ Christopher Millette/ETN.

Jordan Krentz finished his senior season at Edinboro with 28 tackles in 2011 while Sean Bedevelsky played against Gannon four straight seasons while at Lake Erie College (Ohio).

Although they’re graduate assistants, each bring a different knowledge of the PSAC to the table. Krentz has played against every team in the PSAC West outside of Edinboro, but his knowledge of the Scots is greater because he played for them.

As for Bedevelsky, he did something last season that Mercyhurst hasn’t done in two years — beat Gannon. The Storm upset the Knights 13-10 in Painesville, Ohio.  Lake Erie College had never beaten Gannon in its previous three tries.

The Knights and Storm meet again Aug. 30 at Gannon University Field.

As for Krentz, the Scots went 4-0 against the Gannon, 2-2 against Mercyhurst in his four years of playing there. Redshirted in 2007, Krentz had 71 career tackles at Edinboro.

A four-year starter, Bedevelsky played for Mark McNellie,  a longtime assistant at Mercyhurst who built the Lake Erie College football program from scratch.

As a senior, Bedevelsky threw for 2,179 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions and was the team’s second-leading rusher with 535 yards and a team-best 12 touchdowns.

A Murrysville native, Krentz received his degree in Sports Administration while Bedevelsky, who is from Brunswick, Ohio, graduated with a degree in Sports Management.

Gannon University head athletic trainer Todd Matlak took time recently to spell out some of the dangers that accompany the start of football camps in summer heat, as well as some of the symptoms trainers look for and remedies for heat exhaustion.

Todd Matlak is Gannon University's head athletic trainer. CHRISTOPHER MILLETTE/Erie Times-News

Some precautions might be obvious, and some revelations. But the NCAA has its own rules and regulations about football practice; have a look.

The Gannon University women’s volleyball team finished 20-12 a year ago and qualified for the Division II postseason for the third straight year. How does this season shape up? Have a look at the sports information department’s preview video: