Ashland (5-3/4-3 GLIAC) at Findlay (1-7/1-6 GLIAC)
Saturday, Oct. 30, Noon
Donnell Stadium/Findlay, Ohio
Hear, Here
The Ashland-Findlay game will be broadcast live on WNCO-AM (1340) with Ken Carman on the play-by-play and Don Graham providing the commentary.
Looking Ahead and Behind
The Eagles will take a four-game winning streak into this week's encounter with cross-state rival Findlay. AU has hopes of claiming a GLIAC South Division championship. The Eagles have three conference losses. Hillsdale and Wayne State share the lead in the division and both have two losses. This is the first of two consecutive road games for Ashland. All three games the Eagles have left on the schedule are against Ohio schools. Last Saturday, Ashland won at home against Saginaw Valley State, 30-24.
Findlay is looking to snap a five-game losing streak. Last week, the Oilers lost at home, 48-45 to Lake Erie. The Storm won that game with a field goal as time expired in regulation. The Oilers are 0-4 at home.
Fall Cleaning
Spring cleaning is a ritual for many homemakers. In the fall, it's not uncommon for the man of the house to spend a morning cleaning out the garage. The Eagles have three games left on the schedule and at this point in the season, they have some cleaning to do, too.
The Eagles have won four consecutive games and a number of young players have shown steady progress. But there are some areas that need to be tidied up a bit and that's something the coaching staff would like to address in the next three games.
"We've had some self-inflicted wounds," noted AU head coach Lee Owens. "We've had three personal foul penalties in the last two weeks."
That could become an issue again this week against cross-state rival Findlay. It's not uncommon for emotion to boil over when the Eagles and Oilers collide.
"We'll be in a game with a lot of emotion," said Owens. "We'll address that this week. I appreciate the fact we're playing with passion, but we have to be team players. We can't let it go where it hurts the team."
The coaching staff will also be looking for better attention to detail from the defense in closing out games. Against Wayne State and Saginaw Valley State, the Eagles were able to build what appeared to be safe leads and then watched as the defense allowed quick-strike touchdowns.
AU had a 40-28 lead at Wayne State and with the game seemingly in control, allowed a 60-yard touchdown pass that brought the Warriors to within, 40-35 with 2:42 to play. The Eagles had to hang on to win by that score.
Last week against SVSU, Ashland led, 30-17 with 1:24 to go and allowed the Cardinals to score a touchdown with 49 seconds left in regulation. The Cardinals went 59 yards in four plays, running just 30 seconds off the clock. They didn't have a timeout.
Owens points out that at WSU, the Eagles were in their regular defense and got burnt deep. Against SVSU, they went to the prevent defense. It didn't help that in the last four plays against SVSU, the Eagles missed five tackles, as many as they had missed in the entire game up to that point. AU also let the Cardinals work the sidelines, not once did the Eagles tackle a SVSU ball carrier in the middle of the field which would have run valuable seconds off the clock.
"We're really going to look and find out is it strategy, relaxing in terms of focus or tackling," said Owens. "It's probably a little bit of everything."
The Eagles have not changed personnel on defense and they practice against the two-minute drill religiously every week. For most of this year, the defense has been solid and not allowed big plays. Maybe this is an aberration. Like the far corner of the garage, maybe it's an area where a few things need to be disposed of and others stacked a bit differently.
Sound Bites From Ashland
Owens on Findlay
"The biggest challenge is we have to stay focused on Findlay. We're in their sights, we have a big bull's-eye on us. We're the game they look forward to. We don't want to be a season maker for anyone. We have to stay focused on Findlay. We have to be, as Coach (Tim) Rose says, the hunter not the hunted. We can't take the field like we just beat Saginaw and we've won four in a row. We're a big rival for them. For 365 days they've looked forward to beating us. We have to match that focus and intensity."
Saga of the Series
Ashland has won the last three meetings with the Oilers and five of the last six confrontations. AU holds a 22-14-4 edge in the series. The teams first played in 1924, this is the oldest series of any of the teams AU has on the 2010 schedule. The last time the Oilers defeated the Eagles was in 2006, 7-0 at Ashland's Community College. AU has won on its last three trips to Findlay. The last time the Oilers downed the Eagles at Donnell Stadium was in 2003, 22-14. AU's longest winning streak in the series is seven games (1962-1999). During that time, the teams played in 1968 and didn't play again until 1986. From 1938-1953, the Oilers went 7-0-2 against the Eagles. Findlay's longest win streak against the Eagles is three games.
2009 – Ashland 41 at Findlay 28 – The Eagles ended the season with a 13-point win at UF. It was 31-20, Ashland at the half. After Findlay got to within 31-28 with 6:33 left in the third quarter, the Eagles scored 10 unanswered points. The Eagles forced five turnovers – three interceptions and two fumbles. AU also had two sacks. Defensive back Brian Gamble returned one of the interceptions 24 yards for a touchdown.
2008 – at Ashland 45, Findlay 38 – AU had to have a win to make it to the NCAA playoffs. The Eagles barely got the victory. Findlay scored with 2:15 left in regulation to tie the game, 38-38. AU's Carlin Isles took the kickoff and roared down the sideline 85 yards for a touchdown and a 45-38 Ashland win. UF outgained the Eagles, 499-354. UF running back Melvin Jackson rushed for 134 yards on 31 carries and wide receiver/defensive back Mike Chambers caught 12 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown. AU picked off three passes and recovered one Findlay fumble. After the win over the Oilers, the Eagles won their first-ever postseason game the next week, defeating Minnesota State-Mankato, 27-16.
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Series Notes
- In the last two meetings, Ashland has forced nine turnovers. The Eagles have intercepted six passes in those two games.
- In the last three games against Findlay, AU has averaged 40.0 ppg.
- The 2006 game, played in rain, sleet, snow and gusting winds, saw the teams manage just 201 yards of combined total offense (140-Findlay, 61-AU). Findlay won that game, 7-0. That's the last time the Eagles have been shut out.
- Wide receiver Mike Hull established the AU single-game record for catches (14) in the 2002 game against the Oilers. UF won that game, 25-20.
- Ashland and Findlay have played in the final game of the regular season each of the last two seasons and four times since 1998. AU is 4-0 in those games.
- In the final game of the 1998 season at Donnell Stadium, former AU running back Donald Church rushed for 264 yards and four touchdowns. Church is fourth in career rushing yards (3,039) at Ashland. That was the final game of his career.
- Isles set an AU single-game record for kick return yardage (174) in the 2008 game against the Oilers.
Ashland's Best Against Findlay
Joe Horn (Waynesfield, Ohio/Waynesfield-Goshen) – Horn has caught 12 passes for 157 yards (13.1 ypc.) and two touchdowns in two games against Findlay.
D.J. McCoy (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) – In two career games against the Oilers, the junior has rushed for 169 yards on 31 carries (5.5 ypc.) with two touchdowns.
Tyler McFarlin (Ashland, Ohio) – McFarlin led the Eagles in tackles in last year's game with nine (six solo). He also intercepted the first pass of his career.
Matt Stoinoff (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain) – Stoinoff has played two games against the Oilers. He has 11 tackles (nine solo), an interception and one sack.
About Ashland
Head Coach Lee Owens – Owens is in his seventh season as AU's head coach. His record at AU is 46-28 and his career record is 86-89. Owens has guided the Eagles to pair of NCAA playoffs appearances (2007, 2008). Before taking over the program at AU, Owens spent nine years as the head coach at the University of Akron. Owens also served a stint (1993-1995) as an assistant coach at Ohio State.
Before coaching on the college level, Owens was a successful high school coach in Ohio. His record on the prep level in 11 seasons is 89-32-2. Owens coached four years at storied Massillon Washington High School where he went 35-13. He won a state championship in 1985 while coaching at Galion (14-0). His record at Galion was 33-11-1 and his Galion team won the state title with a 6-0 victory over Youngstown Cardinal Mooney. Owens has never held a coaching job outside of Ohio. Owens is 5-1 against Findlay.
Recapping Last Week
The Eagles upended Saginaw Valley State, 30-24 last Saturday at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field at the Dwight Schar Athletic Conference. The Eagles led, 14-3 with 8:59 left in the first quarter. That's when the Eagles hit the wall offensively. AU led, 17-3 at halftime, but throughout the second half, the game was a back-and-forth affair. AU led, 30-17 with 1:24 to play in regulation. The Cardinals moved 59 yards in four plays and scored on an 18-yard pass from quarterback Jonathan Jennings to wide receiver Jeff Janis. The Eagles recovered the on-sides kick that followed that score to finally wrap up the win.
The AU special teams played a huge role in this win. Junior kicker Gregg Berkshire (Ashland, Ohio) scored 12 points, kicking three field goals and added three extra points. Berkshire connected from 34, 34 and 40 yards. He also punted three times and averaged 59.3 ypp., with a career-long 68-yarder.
Sophomore Anthony Capasso (Columbia Station, Ohio/St. Edward) returned a kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown. That's the first touchdown return of Capasso's career. This was the second straight year the Eagles returned a kickoff for a touchdown against SVSU, last season Carlin Isles brought back a kickoff a school-record 100 yards for a touchdown.
SVSU outgained the Eagles, 400-331. The Eagles intercepted three Jennings passes. The Cardinals got a defensive touchdown when they recovered a fumble in the end zone. That was the second fumble AU has lost this season.
Players to Watch
McCoy has rushed for 120 yards or more in five straight games. He has eight 100-yard rushing games in his career. Against Saginaw Valley State, McCoy rumbled for 140 yards on 35 carries. The junior is fifth in the conference in rushing yards per game and all-purpose yards per game (122.2). McCoy has rushed for 847 yards on 184 carries (4.6 ypc.) with six touchdowns. He is on schedule to become the first AU player to rush for 1,000 yards in a season since Dawon Harvey (1,026) in 2007.
Sophomore quarterback Taylor Housewright has become one of the most productive signal callers in the conference. Housewright is second in the GLIAC in total offense (247.6 ypg.), third in pass efficiency (150.0 rating) and fourth in passing yards per game (206.8) Housewright has completed 125-of-193 passes (64.8 percent) for 1,654 yards and 12 touchdowns. He's thrown seven interceptions.
Christian Livingston (Newark, Ohio) and Horn share the team lead in receptions (26). Livingston has 500 receiving yards (19.2 ypc.) and two touchdowns. Horn has 478 receiving yards (18.4 ypc.) and four scores. Horn needs 47 yards to become AU's career leader in reception yards. The senior has 2,281 yards. The school's career leader is Chris Harkness with 2,327 yards. Horn is second at Ashland in career receptions (147) and career touchdown receptions (20). Harkness leads in TD receptions (23) and Hull is Ashland's career leader in catches (183).
Junior H-Back Mike Knueven (Cincinnati, OH/St. Xavier) has 23 catches for 221 yards (9.6 ypc.) with four touchdown passes.
Berkshire leads the GLIAC in kick scoring (60 points/7.5 ppg.), punting (43.9 ypp.) and is tied for first in field goals per game (1.50). Berkshire is 12-for-17 (70.6 percent) on field goal tries this season. He is third in the conference in scoring. The Ashland High product has field goals this season of 50 and 48 yards. The 50-yarder is his career long. Berkshire has 36 career field goals, which puts him fourth on AU's all-time list. Third place belongs to Bryan Seward (39). Berkshire is tied for third place at Ashland on the career kick scoring points list. He shares third place with Tim Seder (202). Matt Pifer (249) is the career leader.
Senior linebacker Carmon Wolfe (Tonawanda, N.Y./Erie. C.C.) is Ashland's leading tackler with 72 tackles (35 solo). Wolfe is sixth in the conference in tackles per game (9.0). He has six tackles for loss.
Junior linebacker Julian Goodwine (Dayton, Ohio/Thurgood Marshall) is second on the team in tackles (59/29 solo). Senior safety Tarell Lewis (Redford, Mich./Bowling Green) is third on the team in stops (47/31 solo). McFarlin has 45 tackles (25 solo) and is fourth on the club in tackles.
Junior cornerback Logan Kerr has a team-leading four interceptions. Kerr has intercepted a pass in each of the last two games. The last time an AU player had more than four interceptions in a season was when Toure Carter had nine steals in 2003. Kerr had 10 tackles last week (all solo). He is the GLIAC leader in pass breakups (13). He is in a five-way tie for first in the conference in interceptions. Kerr is tied for eighth in the nation in pass breakups.
Freshman defensive lineman Jamie Meder (Parma, Ohio/Valley Forge) is the team leader in tackles for loss (7.5-33 yards) and sacks (four-30 yards). Stoinoff is close behind with seven tackles for loss (35 yards) and three sacks.
Nest Eggs
- Ashland has had 400 or more yards of total offense in four of the last five games.
- McCoy's string of five consecutive 100-yard games is the longest by an AU player since Antwan Hart closed out the 2004 season with seven consecutive 100-yard performances.
- Last week's total of 227 yards rushing is Ashland's second highest of the season, surpassed only by the 307 yards against Tiffin.
- The Eagles know a little something about the top running backs in the country. Bloomsburg's Franklyn Quiteh leads all of NCAA Division II in rushing yards per game (163.75). He had 140 yards on 35 carries against AU. Hillsdale's Joe Glendening is third in the country in rushing yards per game (147.3). Against AU, he had 185 yards on 38 carries.
- The current four-game winning streak by the Eagles is their longest since winning six straight games in 2008. The longest winning streak AU has enjoyed under Owens came in 2007 when the Eagles won seven consecutive times.
- Last week's kickoff return for a touchdown was the 10th special teams touchdown the Eagles have scored in the seven years Owens has been AU's head coach. AU has returned two kickoffs for touchdowns this season.
- Knueven has four touchdown receptions. The last time an Ashland tight end/H-Back had more than four TD receptions in a season was in 1998 when Omari Parks caught five touchdown passes.
- Horn has caught at least one pass in the last 31 games he has played.
- The Eagles have scored 40 or more points twice this season. They reached that level four times in 2009 and seven times in 2008.
- Wolfe has reached double digits in tackles three times this season. Last week marked the second time this season Kerr posted 10 tackles.
- Capasso has returned seven kickoffs and is averaging 30.7 ypr. The last time an AU player came close to that figure was when Toure Carter averaged 29.8 ypr., in 2003.
- Of Ashland's first eight opponents, five have been in the nation's Top 25 or listed in "Among Others Receiving Votes." That list includes Bloomsburg, Indianapolis, Hillsdale, Northern Michigan and Wayne State. In this week's poll, Bloomsburg is ranked 13th and Hillsdale is 17th.
- The Eagles are tied for third in the GLIAC in sacks (18).
- Ashland is tied for second in the nation in fumbles lost (two).
The Trophy Case
Each week, the AU Gridiron Club names an offensive, defensive and special teams player of the week. This year's list of honorees appears below.
Game Offense Defense Special Teams
Bloomsburg T. Housewright Logan Kerr Gregg Berkshire
Indianapolis Matt Knez Jamie Meder Gregg Berkshire
Hillsdale D.J. McCoy Matt Stoinoff Tyler McFarlin
No. Michigan D.J. McCoy Quinton Scott Gregg Berkshire
Northwood Joe Horn Carmon Wolfe Alan Dunson
Tiffin D.J. McCoy Logan Kerr Donnie Dottei
Wayne State Christian Livingston Logan Kerr Tyler Krummel
Saginaw Valley Matt Knez Tyler McFarlin Anthony Capasso
About Findlay
Head Coach Name – Jon Wauford is in his fourth season as Findlay's head coach. His career mark at the school is 15-26. This is his first head coaching job at the college level. A year ago, Findlay was 7-4, 6-4 in GLIAC play. That was the highest win total for the school since 2002. Wauford grew up in Findlay and played at Miami (OH). He was a three-time All-Mid-American Conference selection as a defensive lineman. Wauford has been an assistant coach at Findlay, Miami (OH) and Kent State. He was the defensive coordinator while he was at Miami.
Players to Watch – The Oilers have struggled to score points this season, but they do have one of the GLIAC's most productive running backs in 5-9, 190-pound sophomore Monterae Williams. Williams has rushed for 927 yards on 196 carries (115.9 ypg.). He's third in the GLIAC in rushing and fourth in all-purpose yards per game (123.0). Last week against Lake Erie, he rushed for career-high 202 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries.
Findlay has used several quarterbacks this season. Last Saturday, 6-0, 195-pound senior John Soli made the first start of his career and completed 14-of-27 passes for 138 yards and three touchdowns. Senior Dustin Zielaskiewicz, a 5-11, 200-pound wide receiver, had seven catches for 68 yards and two touchdowns last week and leads the Oilers with 33 catches for 412 yards (12.5). Zielaskiewicz has played well against the Eagles – a year ago he caught six passes for 119 yards and a touchdown.
Another wide receiver the Eagles will have to watch is DaJerrian Smith. The 5-10, 185-pound senior had four catches for 45 yards last week and has 20 catches this season for 243 yards (12.1 ypc.).
Findlay's leading tackler is 6-0, 205-pound freshman linebacker Kenny Klatt. He's fourth in the GLIAC in tackles (82/31 solo). Klatt is averaging 10.2 tpg. He had 13 tackles last week.
Brandon Butler, a 6-0, 220-pound sophomore linebacker, is coming off a career-best 15-tackle performance. Butler is second on the team in tackles (62/29 solo) with 4.5 tackles for loss. Craig Hoying, a 6-3, 250-pound junior defensive lineman, is tied for second in the GLIAC in sacks (six) and is second in tackles for loss (14). Against Lake Erie, he had 11 tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack. Brandon Cornell, a 6-4, 260-pound junior who plays on the defensive line, is third in the conference in tackles for loss (9.5). Richard Sumlin, a 6-3, 265-pound sophomore defensive lineman, has 8.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.
Findlay has a reliable kicker/punter in senior Cameron Stevens. Stevens is 11-11 on extra points and has been on the money on seven-of-eight field goal tries. He's first in the GLIAC in field goal percentage (87.5 percent).
The Rundown on the Oilers
- The Oilers rushed for a season-high 230 yards last week. Findlay also had a season-best 368 yards of total offense. On the flip side, UF allowed a school-record 441 passing yards.
- UF has been outscored, 52-24 in the first quarter and 74-36 in the second quarter.
- Findlay's last victory came at Tiffin, 10-7 on Sept. 18.
- The 45 points Findlay scored last week were only eight points less than their output for the season.
- Findlay and Lake Erie combined for 93 points, 49 first downs and 1,002 yards of total offense last Saturday.
Special Feat By the Feet
One AU fan asked this week if Berkshire is the Eagles' most valuable player. That's a mouthful, because it's difficult to imagine a player who's not a four-down player getting that award. Most coaches would shudder at that question even being asked. Not Owens. Last week, Berkshire received a game ball, which goes to the Eagles' top player.
"I've been here seven years and it's the first time I've given the game ball to a kicker," said Owens. "He's deserving. There are days when their offense is as good as your offense and their defense is as good as your defense. Special teams can make the difference. He was the MVP of this game."
Berkshire is tied for eighth in the country in field goals per game. He's not listed among the national leaders in punting only because he hasn't punted enough. Berkshire is averaging 43.9 ypp. The school single-season record is 43.4 ypp., set by Marion "Shine" Zody in 1956. Think about that, a punting record that's still good 54 years later.
Last week, Berkshire's ability to switch the field and make the Cardinals start deep in their own territory played a large role in the Eagles' victory. Like the game ball award, he reached a level Owens hasn't seen too often. The Eagles keep a statistic each week on special teams entitled, "hidden yards." Berkshire helped the Eagles go off the charts last Saturday.
"We had 170 hidden yards, I've never had it that high," marveled Owens. "That's 17 first downs. That's about two lengths of a football field."
Leader of the Pack
Housewright did not play one of his best games of the season last week. Still, he managed the game well and made enough big plays to ensure the Eagles would not fall apart. At this point in the season, Housewright is not a quarterback the Eagles have to protect emotionally. Remember at the beginning of the year when Owens talked about not putting too much on the shoulders of his young quarterback? After last Saturday's game, SVSU head coach Jim Collins called Housewright "a difference maker." That's a lot of change in eight weeks of football.
"The constant with Taylor is he's such a good leader," Owens said. "Whether he plays poorly or he plays well, he's the same kind of leader. That's a great thing.
"He's hard on himself, he wants to be better," continued Owens. "He gives credit to other players. It's so important to have that guy behind center."
Housewright began the year with an exceptional game against Bloomsburg and struggled the next several weeks in losses to Indianapolis, Hillsdale and Northern Michigan. Through it all, players and coaches maintain that the sophomore never became unhinged. Instead, he became the glue that helped the Eagles remain afloat. He was a young quarterback on an offense heavy with veterans – three seniors on the offense line, two starting at wide receiver. Now, there's very little question that he's the leader.
"He's progressed as a player, each week I think he gets a little better," said Owens. "We're going to go as he goes. That's football at just about any level."
Blowin' In the Wind
The Eagles are finishing their second season at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field at the Dwight Schar Athletic Complex. That's enough time to get a read on the facility and how it differs from Community Stadium, AU's former home.
At Community Stadium, the wind was a constant, and that meant that kickers and quarterbacks had to constantly figure out how to read the breeze. That has not been the case at the Schar Athletic Complex, where the wind hasn't been a factor.
"The one thing that hurts the passing game the most is wind, not rain or snow," reminded Owens.
Kickers this year have hit field goals at a rate of 70 percent (21-of-30) at the Schar Athletic Complex.
On Deck
Ashland enters a brave new world next Saturday (Nov. 6, noon), visiting Ohio Dominican. This is ODU's first year in the GLIAC and this will be the first meeting between AU and Ohio Dominican.
AU/FB/ALK
