Bucknell University Athletics
Francis, Smith and Traber Named Bucknell Football Captains
8/22/2012 8:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 22, 2012
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell football program has selected its captains for 2012. Seniors Joseph Francis (Arlington, Texas/Juan Seguin), Tyler Smith (Hatfield, Pa./North Penn) and Beau Traber (Norman, Okla./Norman North) this week were voted as captains by their teammates. All three veterans will be serving as captain for the first time.
"We are very proud to have three young men who are outstanding leaders as our captains for this season," said head coach Joe Susan. "They are impact players on our team and have grown in our program to be role models in their work ethic and how they carry themselves on and off the field.
"Our captains will rely on other members of our team to help them lead. Our focus is to lead by what you do and who you are. We are fortunate to have a team of young men who understand this and apply it on the field and on campus."
A cornerback who has played a number of defensive backfield positions during his career, Francis enters his final campaign having appeared in 33 straight games since first setting foot on campus in the summer of 2009. The winner of the team's Strength & Conditioning MVP Award last spring, Francis totaled 18 tackles a year ago to bring his career total to 87.
Francis started nine games over his first two seasons and has tallied a career-high nine tackles on two occasions. He has 2.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and seven passes defended during his career.
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A First Team All-Patriot League selection last fall after leading the conference with a career-high 795 rushing yards, Smith is one of the top all-purpose players in the country. He ranked 12th nationally in all-purpose yards per game (146.3) in 2011 and 23rd (135.4) in 2010 and stands seventh on Bucknell's career all-purpose yards list with 3,399.
Smith had a couple breakout performances late last season. After totaling 370 rushing yards over the first eight games, he put together back-to-back 200-yard outings. The 416 yards he piled up in consecutive outings at Lafayette and Fordham helped Smith break the program record for most yards in two straight games. His 212 yards on a snow-covered field at Lafayette were the ninth-most in program history.
A versatile player, Smith finished the year with 1,609 all-purpose yards, good for fifth in Bucknell single-season history. He totaled 163 yards on receptions and 651 on kickoff returns. He enters 2012 298 yards shy of 10th place on the program's career rushing list (1,495 yards) and he needs just 391 kickoff return yards to move into second place on that ledger.
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Traber moved into a starting linebacker position for the first time last fall and excelled. He started all 11 games and finished third on the squad in tackles (63), tackles for loss (11.5) and sacks (3). Traber was especially strong down the stretch, totaling 7.5 tackles for loss over the campaign's final four contests.
A veteran of 27 career games, Traber enters his senior season with 80 career tackles.
Bucknell will continue its preseason practice Thursday as it continues to prepare for the Sept. 8 season opener at Marist. The Bison recently adjusted their preseason practice slate. A revised schedule is below.
Aug. 23: 5:15 p.m.
Aug. 24: 5 p.m.
Aug. 25: 3:30 p.m.
Aug. 26: 8:15 p.m.
Aug. 27: no practice
Aug. 28: 5:30 p.m.
Aug. 29: 5 p.m.
Aug. 30: 5:30 p.m.
Aug. 31: 5:45 p.m.
Sept. 1: 3 p.m.
Sept. 2: 12 p.m. (mock game)
Regular-season practice schedule after this date
