2011 Ashland University Football – Week 9
Findlay (5-3/5-2 GLIAC) at Ashland (5-3/5-2)
Saturday, Oct. 29, 1 p.m.
Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field at Dwight Schar Athletic Complex
Hear, Here
This week's Findlay-Ashland game can be heard live on WNCO-AM (1340) with Matt Brubaker handling the play-by-play and Don Graham providing the commentary. The game can be heard at www.wncoam.com.
Looking Ahead and Behind
The Eagles saw a four-game winning streak end last Thursday night (Oct. 20) at Saginaw Valley State. AU entered last week's game ranked 23rd in the country. SVSU forced five turnovers and scored the game's first 27 points on the way to a 27-6 victory.
This week's game is the first of two consecutive home dates for AU. The Eagles come into this game battling three other teams for a GLIAC South Division championship. Wayne State, Findlay and Hillsdale are also in the mix for that piece of hardware.
Findlay won last Saturday at Lake Erie, 35-31. The Oilers have a three-game winning streak. This is their first trip to Jack Miller Stadium.
GLIAC South Division Standings
GLIAC Overall
W L W L
Wayne State 6 1 7 1
Ashland 5 2 5 3
Findlay 5 2 5 3
Hillsdale 5 2 5 3
Ohio Dominican 3 4 4 4
Lake Erie 0 7 1 7
Tiffin 0 7 0 8
The Ashland-Findlay Series
The Eagles hold a 23-14-4 edge over the Oilers in the all-time series. These teams first collided in 1924 and Ashland was a 33-0 winner. Last season the teams played at UF's Donnell Stadium and the Eagles left town with a 56-7 win. AU has won six of the last seven meetings between the teams and has a four-game winning streak against Findlay. UF's last win over the Eagles came in 2006 at Community Stadium by a 7-0 score.
Of all the opponents on this year's schedule, this is the series that goes back the longest. The Eagles won the first six games in the series. Four times in the first six meetings the Oilers didn't score a point and in the other two games they scored seven points. Ashland's longest winning streak against UF is seven games. That occurred from 1962 to 1999. From 1938 through 1953, AU was 0-7-2 against the Oilers. That stretch included a pair of three-game losing streaks for Ashland. Findlay has never won more than three consecutive games against the Eagles.
AU head coach Lee Owens is 6-1 against Findlay.
A recap of the recent games in the series can be found below.
2010 – Ashland 56, at Findlay 7 – Ashland jumped out to a 21-0 after one quarter and led, 35-0 at halftime. AU scored the game's first 49 points. The Eagles outgained the Oilers, 543-226. Ashland forced three turnovers and Alan Dunson blocked three kicks. Quarterback Taylor Housewright (Ashland, Ohio) tied a school, single-game record for touchdown passes (five). His TD passes covered 8, 3, 19, 11 and 4 yards. Slot back D.J. McCoy (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood) rushed for 275 yards on 25 carries (11.0 ypc.).
2009 – Ashland 41, at Findlay 28 – AU quarterback Billy Cundiff completed 23-of-36 passes for 298 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Eagles. Ashland forced five turnovers. The Eagles led, 31-13 with 2:31 left in the second quarter. Joe Horn, Christian Livingston and Nick Bellanco caught six passes apiece. Findlay quarterback Andrew Beam completed 22-of-41 passes for 278 yards and three scores. Mike Chambers, who was regarded as one of the league's best all-around players, had nine catches for 98 yards and a touchdown. Dustin Zielaskiewicz caught six passes for 119 yards.
2008 – at Ashland 45, Findlay 38 – Findlay jumped out to a 21-0 lead with 12:37 left in the first half. AU had a playoff spot on the line and managed to battle back to tie the game, 28-28 with 1:32 left in the third quarter. Ashland had a 38-31 lead with 4:35 left in regulation but Findlay bounced back to tie the game, 38-38, on a Billy Noonan-to-DaJerrian Smith 15-yard scoring pass with 2:15 to go in regulation. AU answered right away as Carlin Isles took the kickoff and raced 85 yards down the sideline for a touchdown to put AU ahead to stay.
Cundiff completed 27-of-36 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns. Bellanco had nine receptions for 89 yards. McCoy rushed for 88 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. For UF, Melvin Jackson rushed for 134 yards on 31 carries and Chambers caught 12 passes for 195 yards and a score. The Eagles picked off three passes.
Ashland's Best Against Findlay
Cody Bloom (Napoleon, Ohio) – Bloom, a linebacker, scored the lone touchdown of his college career last year when he fell on the ball in the end zone after a blocked punt. Bloom had three tackles and a sack against UF in last year's game.
D.J. McCoy (Cleveland, Ohio//Collinwood) – In three games against Findlay, McCoy has rushed for 444 yards on 56 carries (7.9 ypc.). McCoy has scored three touchdowns against the Oilers, two rushing and one on a pass play.
Tyler McFarlin (Ashland, Ohio) – McFarlin has 14 tackles and an interception in the last two games against the Oilers.
Matt Stoinoff (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain) – Stoinoff has played three games against UF and has 19 tackles, a sack and an interception.
About Ashland
Head coach Lee Owens – Owens is in his eighth season as AU's head coach. His record at Ashland is 54-31. His career record on the college level is 94-92. Before taking over the AU program, Owens spent nine years as the head coach at the University of Akron. Owens has guided the Eagles to a pair of NCAA playoffs appearances (2007, 2008). Owens is the only coach to lead AU to the postseason twice and he's the only coach in school history to win a postseason game (27-16 over Minnesota State, 2008). Owens has won eight or more games in a season at Ashland four times.
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. He 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 there was 33-11-1 and his 1985 team won the state title with a 6-0 triumph over Youngstown Cardinal Mooney in the state championship game. Owens has never held a coaching job outside of Ohio.
Eye on the Eagles
Gregg Berkshire, AU's senior punter-kicker, is the GLIAC leader in yards per punt (42.0). He is second in field goals per game (1.62/13-of-21), third in kick scoring (64 points/8.0 ppg.) and sixth in overall scoring. Berkshire is Ashland's career leader in field goals (53), extra points (143) and points (302). Berkshire is the GLIAC's career leader in field goals (50). The senior has twice kicked 16 field goals in a season and that's the AU school record. He obviously has a chance to exceed that total this season.
Bloom is second in the conference in tackles per game (9.6). The sophomore had 14 stops last week and that tied his career high. Bloom has 77 tackles (38 solo). Senior defensive back Tyler Krummel (Akron, Ohio/Hoban) is second on the team in tackles (51/30 solo). Sophomore defensive lineman Jamie Meder (Parma, Ohio/Valley Forge) has a team-leading 8.0 tackles for loss. Meder is ninth in the conference in tackles for loss. Meder also has three sacks and 40 tackles (19 solo). Stoinoff has 49 tackles (21 solo), 7.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. Stoinoff is third on the team in tackles. Senior defensive lineman Jeris Pendleton (Chicago, Ill./Joliet Junior College) has three sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss and 40 tackles (16 solo).
Freshman slot back Jordan McCune (Bellville, Ohio/Clear Fork) is eighth in the conference in rushing (693 yards, 4.6 ypc., 86.6 ypg). McCune is fourth in touchdowns (10). Another freshman slot back, Anthony Taylor (Arlington, Va./Washington-Lee), is second on the team in rushing with 366 yards (4.9 ypc.).
Housewright, a junior, has completed 93-of-165 passes (56.4 percent) for 1,046 yards with nine touchdowns and three interceptions. Junior wide receiver Anthony Capasso (Columbia Station, Ohio/St. Edward) has a team-leading 30 receptions for 361 yards (12.0 ypc.). He has three touchdown receptions. Capasso is fifth in the GLIAC in kickoff return average (22.4 ypr.). True freshman wide receiver Eric Thompkins (Canton, Ohio/South) has 17 catches for 275 yards (16.2 ypc.). Senior H-Back Mike Knueven (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier) also has 17 receptions and averages 7.6 ypc.
AU leads the GLIAC in pass efficiency defense (110.4) and third down conversion defense (30.8/37-of-120). The Eagles are second in total defense (323.4 ypg.), third in rush defense (133.5 ypg.) and tied for third in turnover margin (+8/1.00). AU is fourth in scoring defense (22.4 ypg.), pass defense (189.9 ypg.) and interceptions (10).
Ashland In the NCAA
Here's where the Eagles rank in this week's NCAA statistics.
Individual
Berkshire – Field Goals Per Game – T6th, 1.63
Punting – 16th, 42.0 y
Team
Fewest Interceptions Thrown – T4th, 3
Fewest Penalties Per Game – T8th, 4.38
Fewest Penalty Yards Per Game – 6th, 36.00
Fewest Turnovers – T10th, 10
Opponent Third Down Conversions – 21st, 30.83%
Turnover Margin – T14th, +1.00
Regional Rankings
Listed below are the NCAA Super Region #3 rankings. This is the first list of regional rankings this season.
AU is ranked ninth in this week's rankings. The top six teams in the region at season's end advance to the postseason.
"We're not surprised,' said Owens. "If we'd have taken care of business we'd have been in the top six."
AU will need some help to reach the postseason. First, the Eagles need to win the three remaining games on the schedule. Then, the Eagles need some results among the other teams in contention to break their way. Is that impossible? Remember that in 2008, AU reached the postseason with three losses.
Super Region #3 Rankings
In-Region Overall
Rank/School
1 Colorado State-Pueblo 7-0 8-0
2 Nebraska-Kearney 7-1 7-1
3 Minnesota-Duluth 7-1 7-1
4 Wayne State (Mich.) 7-1 7-1
5 St. Cloud State 6-1 7-1
6 Hillsdale 5-3 5-3
7 Indianapolis 6-2 6-2
8 Saginaw Valley State 5-2 5-2
9 Ashland 5-3 5-3
10 Bemidji State 6-2 6-2
Last Look at Last Week
Because it was a national television telecast last Thursday night, a lot of eyes were on the Eagles. Unfortunately for the Eagles, they struggled to keep their eye on the ball.
AU entered the game second in the country in fewest turnovers. Against SVSU, the Eagles lost four fumbles and threw an interception. Those miscues prevented the Eagles from getting into a groove offensively. SVSU took a 7-0 lead with 11:04 left in the first half after AU fumbled a punt away at the AU 10. On the next play, SVSU quarterback Jon Jennings hit tight end Zach Cecich with a 10-yard touchdown pass.
The Cardinals increased their lead to 14-0 with 8:05 left in the third quarter when Jennings found Mark Thrash with a 15-yard TD pass. That's when the game began to get away from the Eagles. Ashland did not score until redshirt freshman quarterback Cole Hudson (Dresden, Ohio/Zanesville) connected with Capasso on a 9-yard touchdown pass with 1:03 left in the game. Hudson played much of the second half in relief of Housewright, who left due to injury. Housewright completed 5-of-13 passes for 36 yards and Hudson was 7-of-13 passing for 48 yards. The TD pass to Capasso was the first of Hudson's career.
One positive for AU was the way McCoy ran. The senior suffered an ankle injury in the opener at Bloomsburg and has been hobbled since then. Against SVSU, McCoy resembled the back who rushed for 1,344 yards last season. On Thursday, McCoy gained 130 yards on 15 carries (8.7 ypc.).
SVSU outgained the Eagles, 321-275. The Eagles threw for 84 yards.
Owens on Last Week's Game
"We played pretty well on defense. It was a great effort against a good offensive football team. We were right in the game until we had to take Taylor out. Once we took him out we didn't have much of a chance with the young people on the field."
Gridiron Club Players of the Week
Each week, the Ashland University Gridiron Club presents players of the week for offense, defense and special teams. This week's recipients can be found below.
Game Offense Defense Special Teams
Bloomsburg McCune Pendleton Berkshire
Indianapolis Housewright Pendleton Berkshire
Hillsdale Capasso Meder Soucie
NMU Vermillion Stoinoff Stackhouse
Northwood Knueven Meder Dottei
Tiffin Housewright Dottei Stackhouse
Wayne State Taylor Schwieterman Berkshire
SVSU McCoy Krummel Dottei
Man of Action
McCoy reached season highs in yards and carries last week. A year ago, those numbers – 15 carries and 130 yards - were the norm. To be honest, 15 carries was about two quarters work for McCoy. But entering the SVSU game, most of McCoy's action this year had come on the stationary bike due to an ankle injury. He was feeling the effects of Thursday night for the next several days.
"We're working on his conditioning," Owens said. "He did get the ball and a couple of times he was gassed. We know once he gets healthy he'll help us."
McCoy's presence came at just the right time for AU. McCune took a physical beating against Wayne State and the short week of preparation caught up to him against the Cardinals.
"We probably underestimated how much Jordan got beat up the game before," admitted Owens. "He didn't have the same pop."
Housewright Update
Owens believes that Housewright will be ready to go back to work against the Oilers. Last week, Housewright spent most of the second half as a spectator due to injury. But he's practiced this week and has been cleared to play. Last week, after the Wayne State game, Housewright did not take snaps in practice.
"If we had had a couple of more recovery days he might have been ready," Owens said, speaking about the short week of practice Housewright had in getting ready for SVSU. "We feel pretty good about him coming back."
Getting a Handle on the Drops
Owens was asked if the five turnovers last week were the result of the Cardinals' ability to strip the ball or hit harder than usual. His answer cleared up any doubt about what he thought.
"Most were errors on our part," is how Owens answered the question.
The AU coach also pointed out that once things started to go wrong, the Eagles couldn't reverse the trend. It was a young team, on the road, without its starting quarterback. Even though AU had stayed in the game for over two and a half quarters with all the mistakes, eventually the Eagles were worn down by the circumstances. Owens referred to what happened at Saginaw Valley as a "formula for disaster."
The Starting Line
One positive for AU that may have been overlooked in last week's loss was the Eagles' ability to maintain good field position. Ashland's average starting field position was the AU 42. Sophomore David Soucie (Wadsworth, Ohio) played a role in that, returning three kicks for 77 yards (25.7 ypc.).
Yard Markers and Milestones
- Housewright has moved into third place for career touchdown passes (33) at AU. Second place belongs to Mike Healy (35). Billy Cundiff (79) is AU's career leader.
- Last week was the 12th 100-yard game of McCoy's career. The school record for 100-yard games is 19, held by Antoine Gaiter. Keith Weaver is second with 17.
- McCune's rushing total is the highest by a freshman at AU since Matt Otero had 1,030 yards in 1977.
- Bloom is on track to reach 100 tackles. The last AU player to hit the century mark in tackles was Tom Brenner with 126 in 2008.
- In the last two games against Findlay, AU has forced seven turnovers.
- Stoinoff is fifth in career tackles for loss (26.5) at AU. Bobby Mercer (27.0) is in fourth place.
- Since the start of last season AU is 5-0 against teams from Ohio.
- Bloomsburg, the team AU played in the opener, is ranked second in the country with an 8-0 record. Wayne State is ranked 15th.
The Scouting Report
Findlay
Head Coach Rob Keys – Keys is in his first season as UF's head coach. Last season he was the defensive backs coach at New Hampshire. Keys was an assistant coach at Findlay from 2000-04. He has also been an assistant at Slippery Rock, Indiana State and West Virginia. Keys is a 1996 WVU graduate.
Oil Slicks
The Oilers began the year 0-2 and since then have won five of six games. Those two losses came by a total of seven points. One of the UF wins was a 26-20 victory at Grand Valley State where the Oilers forced six turnovers…Findlay is the GLIAC leader in rush offense (227.8 ypg.), is second in turnover margin (+10/1.25) and third in interceptions (10) and punt return average (12.3 ypr.)…of the 22 projected starters for UF this week only three are seniors...the Oilers went ahead to stay last week with 50 seconds left in the game. Lake Erie then drove to the UF 12-yardline and Findlay's Jamon McClain intercepted a pass in the end zone with two seconds remaining in regulation.
Findlay Fanatics
Isaiah Ballard – A 5-10, 215-pound senior strong safety, Ballard has 73 tackles (40 solo). He has six forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. Ballard leads the nation in forced fumbles. Last week at Lake Erie, Ballard had 10 tackles and returned four kicks for 158 yards. Ballard had a season-long 53-yard return. He's fifth in the GLIAC in kick return average (25.7 ypr.). Ballard is this week's GLIAC special teams player of the week. He is a transfer from Toledo.
Clay Belton – A junior quarterback, Belton has completed 108-of-199 passes (54.3 percent) for 1,225 yards with five touchdowns and seven interceptions. The 6-6, 225-pound Belton is a transfer from Miami (Ohio). He played in four games there in 2008. Last week at Lake Erie, Belton completed 18-of-28 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown.
Jaryd Brown – Brown, the UF tight end, has caught 27 passes for 315 yards (11.7 ypc.) and four touchdowns. The 6-2, 225-pound sophomore caught a touchdown pass from Belton late in last week's game to put the Oilers ahead for good.
Brandon Butler – A 5-11, 220-pound middle linebacker, Butler has a team-leading 73 tackles (40 solo). He's intercepted one pass and has 4.5 tackles for loss (11 yards).
Donte Johnson – Johnson is third on the team in tackles. The 6-2, 190-pound free safety has 62 tackles and two interceptions. Johnson is a senior.
Kenny Klatt – Klatt is a 5-11, 195-pound outside linebacker. The sophomore has 50 tackles (24 solo).
Monterae Williams – Williams rushed for 175 yards and four touchdowns on 31 carries at Lake Erie. On the year, he has 1,097 yards on 198 carries (5.5 ypc., 137.1 ypg.) with 16 touchdowns. The 5-9, 190-pound junior is second in the GLIAC in rushing. He's second in scoring (17 TD/102 points/12.8 ppg.) and fifth in all-purpose yardage (150.5 ypg.).
Owens on the Oilers
"He's (Ballard) made the difference on defense. He's a one-man turnover machine. He strips the ball and scores on a regular basis. The quarterback is a big, physical player who makes plays with his legs and his arm. They have a nice tailback and a good offensive line. When you look at the resume of their season that (win at Grand Valley State) jumps out at you. They beat a good Ferris State team, a good Ohio Dominican team."
Up Next
The Eagles will host Ohio Dominican next Saturday (Nov. 5, 1 p.m.).
AU
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