WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — The new era of Wilkes football is local focused.
David Biever enters his first season as the Colonels head coach after serving as an assistant with the team for 10 seasons. Biever served as the Associate Head Coach, Offensive Line Coach, and Recruiting coordinator before the promotion.
Growing up in NEPA, Biever wants to keep that brand of ball at Wilkes.
“It is hard working, it is show up every day, it's work attitude, family and we kind of set our tone with that every single day,” said Biever.
Biever was a standout offensive lineman at East Stroudsburg University. He was on the 2005 team that advanced to the NCAA DII semifinals, the same year Jimmy Terwilliger won the Harlon Hill Award.
With his background being on the line of scrimmage, Biever wants that group to set the tone for the Colonels.
“That’s still my home, that’s where I am most of practice” said Biever. “With senior led groups, they get to compete every day. They know how to practice, and they know how to show everybody what the standard is. And with the O line, they got to be the guys that set the tone for the team consistently.”
Wilkes finished 4-6 (4-2 Landmark Conference) in 2023 and added a fifth win via a 35-17 win over Bridgewater College in the Chesapeake Bowl. The team finished third in the Landmark Conference in their first season a part of it.
The Colonels return 23 seniors this season, and they’re hopeful Biever will continue the program’s upward trajectory.
“Coach Biev [is] really stepping into that head coaching job,” said defensive back Rob Barbieri. “I think he's done a great job keeping the energy up. All of our guys are energetic every day, day in day out. We're just here and we want to get better, and we want to win a championship.”