2010 Ashland University Football - Week 2
September 08, 2010
Ashland (1-0) at Indianapolis (1-0)
Saturday, Sept. 11, 6 p.m.
Key Stadium, Indianapolis
Hear, Here
This week’s 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
Ashland was 6-5 a year ago, 6-4 in the GLIAC. The Eagles finished tied for fifth in the GLIAC. The Eagles won their final two games last season, defeating Indianapolis (19-3) and Findlay (41-28). AU missed the postseason in 2009 after advancing to the NCAA party in 2007 and 2008. In this year’s GLIAC coaches’ preseason poll, Ashland was picked fourth. Defending champion Grand Valley State got every first-place vote but one. Hillsdale and Saginaw Valley State tied for second in the preseason poll. Northwood was picked fifth, two points behind AU. The Eagles return 38 lettermen and 16 starters (eight on offense, seven on defense, one on special teams). AU opened the season last Saturday at home with a 24-14 non-conference victory over Bloomsburg. In this week’s American Football Coaches of America (AFCA) Top 25 poll, the Eagles are listed among, “Others Receiving Votes.” Ashland did not appear in the group a week ago.
Indianapolis was picked 10th in this year’s GLIAC preseason coaches’ poll. A year ago, Indy was 4-7, 3-7 in league action. Indianapolis finished ninth in the conference last season. The Greyhounds opened the season last Thursday (Sept. 2) with a convincing, 38-10 win at Kentucky Wesleyan.
‘Hounds, Eagles Have Taken Many Roads
In today’s society, the objective is always to get from Point A to Point B in the quickest way possible. Ask teenagers today what a Sunday drive is and you’ll get a blank stare. Leisurely drives should be placed on the endangered species list right next to the whooping crane. That’s what happened when Mapquest, GPS and texting were born.
In the coaching fraternity taking a direct route isn’t so easy. That’s why you see some coaches get their first head coaching job at age 55 and others when they’ve just turned 35. Some spend decades as assistants at the lower levels of collegiate athletics and others drop down to Division II and Division III jobs from Division I. The ladder to the next job is often tangled and folks you met five, 10 and 15 years ago often resurface. Young coaches can plan all they want, but there is no sure way to the next step in the profession.
That’s a good way to look at this week’s Ashland-Indianapolis game. AU is coached by Lee Owens. For years, he was an exceptional high school coach. He was plucked from the prep ranks by former Ohio State coach John Cooper, joined Cooper’s staff in Columbus and then went on to become the head coach at Akron.
During those days in the Mid-American Conference, Owens and his staff came in contact with Bob Bartolomeo, who is in his first season as the Indianapolis head coach. Bartolomeo’s name is familiar in the MAC, he was an assistant coach at Central Michigan and Ball State. He was the defensive coordinator for 11 years at Ball State (1995-2002).
“Coach Bart, he’s really good on defense,” replied Owens when asked about the Indy boss. “He has a favorite blitz he likes to run when you get in the end zone. When you get in there, he likes to run it and it’s very effective. It’s kind of like me and my five iron. He’s just a real good, solid, defensive coach. It’s a tremendous choice on their part, naming him the head coach. They’re building on the success of their program, the defense. He has proven coaching experience and it gives them continuity.”
Back in those MAC days, who would have pictured this scenario, the two coaches meeting on the opening weekend of GLIAC play in 2010?
As for continuity, that’s something the Greyhounds and Eagles have had throughout the years. That’s about to change. Both institutions were in the Heartland Conference, the Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference (MIFC) and now the GLIAC. The teams first met in 1954.
Indianapolis is in its final two years of GLIAC competition. After the 2011 season, the Greyhounds will leave the league and play football in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. That will take some getting used to for long-time AU fans. This series has had its share of memorable moments and many friendships have been formed over the years on the gridiron. Maybe, somewhere in the future, the two can meet in a non-conference clash. Like the roads those in the coaching profession take, you just never know.
Sound Bites From Ashland
Owens on Indianapolis
“On offense, I think they’re taking on a little bit of the head coach’s personality. He’ll get people who can execute. It’s going to be a team that doesn’t turn the ball over. They’re going to be good in the kicking game and play great defense. I can see them taking on that personality.
“The safety, Craig Ray, is as good a defensive player as there is in this conference. He makes a lot of plays in the run and passing game. He’s the real deal.”
Saga of the Series
Ashland leads the series with the Greyhounds, 19-10. The Eagles own a three-game winning streak against Indianapolis. The last time Indianapolis got the better of AU was in 2004, at Key Stadium, 24-21. That was the final game of Lee Owens’ first season at Ashland. The Eagles won in Indianapolis in 2008, 44-37. The Eagles are 2-2 in their last four trips to Indy.
2009 – at Ashland 19, Indianapolis 3 – All the points in this game were produced by special teams. AU’s Gregg Berkshire (Ashland, Ohio) scored 13 points. He was 4-for-4 on field goal tries, hitting from 27, 19, 38 and 27 yards. He added an extra point after Carlin Isles returned the opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown. Kicker Jace Morrison had a 34-yard field goal to produce all of the points for the ‘Hounds. Indy outgained the Eagles, 203-188. The defenses dominated this game. AU was three-of-13 on third down and Indy was four-of-18. Ashland had eight sacks, 11 tackles for loss and limited the Greyhounds to 16 yards rushing (0.5 ypc.).
2008 – Ashland 44 at Indianapolis 37 – AU went ahead to stay, 44-37, when quarterback Billy Cundiff found wide receiver Nick Bellanco with a 25-yard scoring pass with 1:26 to go in regulation. AU went for two points and was successful when Cundiff hit wideout Johnny Long with a pass. Indy took the kickoff and drove to the Ashland 13-yardline. On a second-and-six play, AU defensive back Pat Curran (now on the coaching staff) intercepted a Lance Lasker pass in the end zone. At that point, AU could finally rest.
Ashland trailed, 14-3 with 13 minutes left in the first half and 31-27 after three quarters. Cundiff was 35-for-45 for 418 yards and four touchdowns. Wide receiver Joe Horn (Waynesfield, Ohio/Waynesfield-Goshen) caught 11 passes for 113 yards and Bellanco had nine receptions for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Lasker was 20-of-35 for 247 yards and two touchdowns. The teams combined for 978 yards of total offense (552 by AU, 426 by Indianapolis).
Series Notes
- AU and Indianapolis did not play in 2006 and 2007.
- In two of the last three games, the Eagles have held the Greyhounds without a touchdown. In 2005, AU defeated Indianapolis, 20-3. AU won last year, 19-3.
- AU has not had a player rush for over 100 yards against Indianapolis in either of the last two meetings. The last time an AU player reached the century mark on the ground was in 2005 when Jason Schwalm had 209 yards on 37 carries against the ‘Hounds at Community Stadium.
- The longest winning streak in the series belongs to Ashland, which won seven straight against the Greyhounds from 1986-1993. Indianapolis put together a three-game winning streak from 2002-2004. That is the Greyhounds’ best stretch of success against AU.
- The first overtime game in school history came at Indianapolis in 1996. The Greyhounds won that game, 19-16. Tim Seder, who would go on to play in the NFL, kicked three field goals for AU.
Ashland’s Best Against Indianapolis
Gregg Berkshire (Ashland, Ohio) – In last year’s win over Indianapolis, Berkshire was 4-for-4 on field goal tries and hit his only PAT attempt. The field goals came from 27, 19, 38 and 27 yards. In his career, Berkshire is 7-for-7 in field goal tries against the ‘Hounds. In 2008 he was good from 22, 20 and 25 yards. In two games against the Greyhounds, Berkshire has accounted for 25 points.
Joe Horn (Waynesfield, Ohio/Waynesfield-Goshen) – In his last two games against Indianapolis, Horn has caught 13 passes for 129 yards. At Indianapolis in 2008 he caught 11 passes for 113 yards (10.3 ypc.).
Tyler McFarlin (Ashland, Ohio) – A year ago at AU, McFarlin had 11 tackles (seven solo) against the Greyhounds. It was late in the season that McFarlin showed he could be a starter at safety and this game went a long way toward cementing that starting spot.
Matt Stoinoff (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain) – In 2009, Stoinoff had three tackles and 1.5 sacks against Indianapolis. He had six tackles and a pass breakup in 2008 when the Eagles won at Key Stadium, 44-37.
About Ashland
Head Coach Lee Owens – Owens is in his seventh season as AU’s head coach. His record at AU is 42-25 and his career record is 82-86. 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 3-1 against Indianapolis.
Recapping Last Week
The Eagles opened the season at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field at the Dwight Schar Athletic Complex with a 24-14 victory over Bloomsburg. That was Ashland’s first win over the Huskies in three tries. AU and Bloomsburg have met in the opener for three straight years. Last week marked the first time AU won on the season’s first week since a 32-27 triumph at Saginaw Valley State in 2007.
The Eagles outgained the Huskies, 405-285. AU led 10-6 at halftime and took a 17-6 lead with 5:35 left in the third quarter when sophomore quarterback Taylor Housewright (Ashland, OH) found Horn with a 96-yard scoring pass. That tied the school record for the longest pass completion in school history. Last season against Northwood, Horn was on the receiving end of a 96-yard TD pass from Cundiff.
Housewright was making the first start of his career and he completed 16-of-26 passes for 248 yards and two touchdowns. He had a team-high 65 yards rushing on four carries. One of those carries was a 53-yard run. Horn had three pass receptions for 119 yards. That’s the eighth 100-yard game of his career.
Bloomsburg running back Franklyn Quiteh had 140 yards on 35 carries. The Eagles sacked BU quarterback Pat Carey twice and picked off two passes. AU defensive back Ryan Stackhouse (Ashland, Ohio/Youngstown State) blocked a punt and that led to a touchdown when defensive back Anthony Capasso (Columbia Station, Ohio/St. Edward) recovered the ball in the end zone.
Players to Watch
The Eagles feature one of the most productive wide receiver tandems in the country in Horn and senior Christian Livingston (Newark, Ohio). Livingston led last year’s team in receptions (57). He averaged 11.1 ypc., with five TD passes. Horn caught 45 passes for 677 yards (15.0 ypc.) and seven scores. Horn has been named second team all-conference each of the last two years and Livingston was a GLIAC honorable mention pick in 2009.
Junior D.J. McCoy (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) was Ashland’s leading ground gainer a year ago with 833 yards on 160 carries (5.2 ypc.). Along the offensive line, look for three seniors to clear the way for McCoy and the other slot backs. That trio consists of left tackle Justin Magruder (Westerville, Ohio/South), center Matt Knez (Lexington, Ohio/Millersville) and right tackle Kyle Stout (Ashland, Ohio/Penn State).
Housewright played in five games last season and threw nine passes, completing three.
AU’s top returning tackler is senior safety Quinton Scott (Fort Wayne, Ind./Indiana State). The 2009 season was his first at AU and he earned honorable mention All-GLIAC laurels. Scott had 65 tackles (39 solo), a team-high 9.5 tackles for loss, three sacks and a pair of interceptions. He was named the GLIAC defensive player of the week once. Scott was third on the team in tackles last season.
Senior linebacker Carmon Wolfe (Towanda, N.Y./Erie C.C.) was fourth on the team in tackles last season (64/33 solo). He had 5.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Junior defensive lineman Matt Stoinoff (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain) had 45 tackles (23 solo), 8.0 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Stoinoff was named to the GLIAC honorable mention list in 2009. Linebacker Julian Goodwine (Dayton, Ohio/Thurgood Marshall) had 10 stops and 1.5 tackles for loss in the opener and is coming off a season that saw him make 51 tackles.
Ashland’s most experienced cornerback is junior Logan Kerr (Ashland, Ohio). He was fifth on the team in tackles (56/39 solo) last season and had a team-high 10 pass breakups. Against Bloomsburg, Kerr had 10 tackles (seven solo), two pass breakups and an interception. In addition to Scott, AU has an experienced safety in senior Tarell Lewis (Redford, Mich./Bowling Green). Lewis did not play football last season. In 2008, he was fifth on the team in tackles (64/37 solo). Lewis led the Eagles in tackles last week with 11 (five solo). He also had an interception.
Berkshire is the AU kicker. This year, he will also assume the punting duties. Berkshire established a school, single-season record for kicking points in a season (81) last season. He was 16-of-20 on extra points and 33-of-35 on extra points. In his first game as a punter last week, Berkshire kicked six times and averaged 43.7 ypp. His longest punt went 57 yards and he dropped three punts inside the 20-yardline.
Nest Eggs
- McCoy has three 100-yard rushing games in his career and all came last season. The last time he hit the century mark was on Oct. 3, 2009, at Wayne State when he had 170 yards on 38 carries. His career high came last year at Tiffin when he gained 179 yards on 15 trips. The junior was fifth in the GLIAC in rushing yards per game (83.3) last season.
- Horn is fourth in career receptions (124) at AU. He’s fourth in career receiving yards (1,922) and tied for second in career receiving touchdowns (17). Horn has caught at least one pass in the last 24 games he has played.
- Berkshire was 11-for-11 on field goal tries at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field at the Dwight Schar Athletic Complex before he missed from 60 yards last week.
- In 2009 Ashland was seventh in the country in turnover margin (+1.09). AU led the country in fewest turnovers (nine) in 2007.
- Housewright’s 53-yard run last week is the longest by an AU quarterback since 1983. That’s when the statistic was first kept and no Ashland signal caller has had a run of that length during that time.
- Last week’s attendance of 4,160 is the second highest in the short history of Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field at the Dwight Schar Athletic Complex. The largest crowd to watch the Eagles came a year ago in the first game at the facility – Sept. 12, 2009 – when 4,496 watched the Eagles down Michigan Tech, 34-28.
- Ashland has won its last seven games when it has outgained the opposition on the ground. The last time AU outrushed the opponent and lost was in the first round of the 2007 NCAA playoffs when the Eagles lost at Central Washington, 40-24. In that game, AU led in net yards rushing, 269-210. Last week, the Eagles led in rushing yards, 157-135.
- Under Owens, Ashland is 3-3 in GLIAC openers. This is the first time AU has ever opened GLIAC play against Indianapolis.
The Trophy Case
Stackhouse is this week’s GLIAC special teams player of the week.
Each week, the AU Gridiron Club names an offensive, defensive and special teams player of the week. This week’s recipients are listed below.
Game Offense Defense Special Teams
Bloomsburg Housewright Kerr Berkshire
Preseason All-Americas
Four AU players were recognized as 2010 preseason All-Americas by Consensus Draft Services.
Horn was tabbed as a second team All-America. Magruder, Scott and senior H-Back Mike Knueven (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier) were all named to the CDS honorable mention All-America list.
About Indianapolis
Head Coach Bob Bartolomeo – This may be Bartolomeo’s first year as the head coach of Indianapolis, but he’s no novice. A 1977 Butler graduate, this is his second stint as a head coach. He was the boss of the football program at his alma mater from 1990-1992 and went 14-7-1. In 1991, Butler won the MIFC championship and was ranked as high as fifth in the country. Bartolomeo was the MIFC coach of the year and the region coach of the year in 1991. That year, his Butler team edged the Eagles, 14-12. After leaving Butler, Bartolomeo was an assistant coach at Central Michigan and Ball State. He was a defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator. Before being elevated to the top spot at Indy last spring, he spent six years as the defensive coordinator under Joe Polizzi.
Players to Watch – The Greyhounds hope their defense can help a young offense as it matures. Defensive back Craig Ray, was named a preseason All-America by CDS. He had 81 tackles last season when he was named first team All-GLIAC. Linebacker Max Davis, a sophomore, had eight tackles and two tackles for loss against Kentucky Wesleyan. He had 78 stops (32 solo) last season. The Greyhounds’ leading tackler the last two years is linebacker Mike Dum. The junior, a second team all-conference performer last season, had 85 tackles (43 solo) and has at least 80 tackles each of the last two years. Defensive back Alex Byrnes, a senior, is part of a veteran secondary. He had three pass breakups last week.
In the victory over Kentucky Wesleyan, sophomore tailback Joumeel McLaurine rushed for 108 yards on 21 carries with three touchdowns. The starter at quarterback is Rob Doyle. The junior clicked on 15-of-25 passes for 154 yards last week. Against Ashland last season he was 24-of-41 for 182 yards. Wide receiver Joe Leach, a junior, caught 44 passes for 543 yards (12.3 ypc.) last season. Ryan Forney, a senior, had 40 receptions for 390 yards (9.8 ypc.) last season. Forney’s real forte is special teams. Against Kentucky Wesleyan, he had 176 all-purpose yards. He returned two kickoffs for 92 yards, brought back a punt 44 yards and caught three passes for 40 yards. A year ago, Forney averaged 21.8 ypr., on kickoff returns and 15.8 ypr., on 16 punt returns.
Last week, punter Tyran Fakes had a school-record 79-yard punt. He dropped three of five punts inside the 5-yardline and had two punts downed at the 1-yardline.
The Rundown on the Greyhounds
- The ‘Hounds are looking for their first winning season since 2007 when they finished 6-5, 5-5 in league action.
- Indianapolis has 14 returning starters (seven on offense, seven on defense) and 31 returning lettermen.
- Indianapolis runs out of the spread offense and uses the 4-3 defense.
- Six times in 2009 the Greyhounds were held to 14 points or less.
- Indianapolis was 3-3 at home last season and all three losses came to teams that were regionally and/or nationally ranked. (Grand Valley State, Wayne State, Saginaw Valley State).
- The Greyhounds have some size in the offensive line. The three returning starters – Andrew Mansaray, Eric Quintana and Josh Bridwell - all weigh at least 283 pounds. The key is replacing center Tim Dury, a first team All-GLIAC choice in 2009.
The Saturday Afternoon Special
Football fans focus on offense and defense. Yet the third aspect of the game – special teams – is often a difference maker in a game. That’s been especially true since Owens arrived at AU. Since 2005, the only season the Eagles failed to score a special teams touchdown was in 2007. Blocking kicks, returning kicks and planting the seed that something might happen on special teams has been standard operating procedure for the Eagles the last five years.
Senior defensive back Ryan Stackhouse (Ashland, Ohio/Youngstown State) blocked a punt last week at the Bloomsburg 3-yardline and the ball was recovered in the end zone for a touchdown by defensive back Anthony Capasso (Columbia Station, Ohio/St. Edward). That is the second blocked kick of Stackhouse’s career. Senior wide receiver Alan Dunson (Columbus, Ohio/Walnut Ridge) has blocked five kicks in his career. A year ago, senior wide receiver Nick Bellanco blocked two punts.
Coming up through the ranks as a high school coach, then working as an assistant on the college level, Owens had ample opportunity to learn to appreciate special teams play. He says Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer has had the biggest influence on him in this regard.
“We played Virginia Tech twice when I was at Akron,” Owens said. “It was scary playing Virginia Tech. I met with Coach Beamer when I was at Akron and we discussed a number of things. Much of it (special teams success) has to do with the head coach’s emphasis on it. Much of the time it’s delegated to someone else. That’s understandable, we’re all fighting for time. As a head coach, if you’re involved with those teams, it makes a difference.”
Once he became a head coach, Owens had another reason for being heavily involved with special teams. It served as a bridge for him to get closer to players on both sides of the ball.
“I think you get known as an offensive or defensive coach,” explained Owens. “On special teams you have a lot of defensive players. They see you in a different light.”
Year Blocks Safeties ST Touchdowns
2010 1 0 1
2009 6 1 2
2008 4 1 2
2007 3 2 0
2006 5 0 1
2005 6 1 2
TOT 25 5 8
Layoff Doesn’t Affect Lewis
Lewis was playing his first football game since the 2008 season last Saturday, but he didn’t appear any worse for the wear after the Eagles defeated Bloomsburg. The senior was the team leader in tackles and picked off the second pass of his Ashland career. This marks the first time in his 14 games at Ashland that he was the team leader in tackles.
Considering this was the first time Lewis had played in a game in over a year, did defensive coordinator Tim Rose consider limiting the safety’s workload?
“Yes and no,” said Rose. “He’s a key starter which means he plays as much as he can. It was a cool day. He had a hot week of practice and you’re trying to acclimate your guys. You watch special teams plays and he was in on about eight of those. He was in for a lot of plays.”
Lewis had several factors in his favor. He worked out consistently throughout the spring and fall and was in exceptional condition. That, said Rose, erased any doubts he had about Lewis making a comeback after being idle for a year.
“You just wonder if they can pick up and play at the same level,” answered Rose, when asked about players coming back from a year of inactivitity. “It’s no different than a guy who’s out for a year with an injury. You don’t want the game to be foreign to them.”
Two years ago, Lewis was a cornerback with the Eagles. Now he’s a safety and the switch has worked out well.
“He’s taken to it,” reported Rose. “He has more of a safety’s personality.”
Muscle Men
A year ago in the opening game of the season, the starters along the AU defensive front included Jacob Kring (6-2, 229), Dirk Dickerhoof (6-1, 261), Dustin Basch (6-2, 262) and Shane Usner (6-0, 233).
Compare those sizes with the group AU is expected to start this week. Stoinoff, at defensive end, is 5-11, 237 pounds. At nose tackle, junior Jeris Pendleton (Chicago, Ill./Joliet Junior College) is 6-3, 323 pounds and freshman defensive tackle Jamie Meder (Parma, Ohio/Valley Forge) is 6-2, 303. Kring is still a starter and the mix also includes sophomore Mikel Berry (Upper Arlington, Ohio/Penn State), a transfer from Penn State, who is 6-2, 275. Dickerhoof is injured, but will be back in several weeks.
Against Bloomsburg, Pendleton had eight tackles (four solo) and 1.5 tackles for loss. Meder had seven tackles (three solo), two sacks and three tackles for loss. Berry had a pair of assisted tackles. That trio played a large role in jamming up the middle of the line and keeping blockers off of the linebackers and defensive backs.
After the game, Owens talked about how a year ago, the AU coaching staff realized they were too small up front. Bloomsburg coach Danny Hale remarked about Ashland’s increased size in the line. Now, in addition to size, this group has mobility and that should cause a problem for opposing offensive lines. The goal of Owens and Rose was to get bigger, but not sacrifice the overall speed the defense displayed last season.
The Eagles saw Meder in spring practice and believed he could make an immediate impact. Pendleton was part of the recruiting class last spring while Berry has been with the Eagles for just over two weeks.
“I was looking for a place to play more,” Berry explained. “This is so close to home. Working with the coaching staff, I think I made the right choice.”
The Eagles recruited Berry out of high school, but could not persuade him to come to AU. He joins Stout as the second player on the roster to begin his college career at Penn State. Because Owens is well known throughout the state and because of his ties on the Division I level, it comes as no surprise that the Eagles would be attractive to players looking to transfer from Division I institutions.
“He told people from the beginning that he was going Division I,” said Owens. “He was up on our campus for one of his unofficial visits. I don’t think you’ve ever wasted your time when you bring an athlete on campus.”
Thanks to players like Pendleton, Meder and Berry, the Eagles have depth up front they have lacked in the past. They also have a group that realizes the role each needs to play in the scheme.
“Jeris was in there pushing guys out, making it easier for the linebackers,” said Berry. “We all respect each other. We know when it’s time to tap out.”
Oh!-Line
On Oct. 24, 2009, the Eagles allowed six sacks in a 34-7 loss to Grand Valley State. Since that time (three games), the Eagles have not allowed a sack. The most impressive outing in that stretch may have come last Saturday.
“It was a lot better,” said Owens. “It’s as good an effort as we’ve had in a long time. Gibby (Brandon Gibson) played real well at right guard. Zach Vermillion played really well, it was his first time out against a 260-pound defensive end. I wasn’t at all discouraged.”
Both Owens and offensive line coach Doug Geiser admit this is a work in progress. The Eagles are still waiting for sophomore Frank Whitaker (Northfield, Ohio/St. Ignatius) to get healthy. The coaching staff will also continue to work with 6-4, 337-pound redshirt freshman Jeremy Johnson (Springfield, Ohio/Univ. of Buffalo).
“We have to rotate him in there at left tackle,” said Owens. “Zach is a great pass blocker and has great feet. Jeremy is such a physical presence. He’s a little closer every week.”
On Deck
Ashland returns home next Saturday to host Hillsdale (Sept. 18, 7 p.m.). That will be the first night game to be played at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field at the Dwight Schar Athletic Complex.
AU
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