Box Score Think of the Ashland University backfield as a fleet of vehicles.
There are two 2011 models that shine and are low mileage.
Then there's that used car – and not gently used – that's got some mud on the tires. That's also the lead car in this caravan and maybe in this football season that has two regular season games remaining.
Senior slot back D.J. McCoy (Cleveland, Ohio/Collinwood), the back with a well-used speedometer, rushed for 149 yards on 28 carries with a touchdown Saturday (Oct. 29) as Ashland ran past Findlay, 34-19 at Jack Miller Stadium. Freshman slot back Jordan McCune (Bellville, Ohio/Clear Fork) had 28 yards on eight carries with a touchdown and another rookie slot back, Anthony Taylor (Arlington, Va./Washington-Lee), gained 15 yards on seven tries with a score.
Ashland outgained the Oilers (5-4/5-3 GLIAC), 195-61 on the ground. This was the first time three AU slot backs scored at least one rushing touchdown apiece since Nov. 10, 2007 at Gannon when Dawon Harvey, Jaman Javey and Jon Schroeder scored two each in a 62-7 win.
This was McCoy's second consecutive 100-yard game and the 13th of his career. In four career games against Findlay, McCoy has rushed for 593 yards on 84 carries (7.1 ypc.) with four touchdowns. McCoy suffered an ankle injury in this year's season opener and wasn't healthy enough to play a prominent role until last week when he cut through Saginaw Valley State for 130 yards on 15 carries. This is a back who rushed for 1,344 yards last season. When he's healthy he moves not only the chains, but the entire offense.
Speaking of moving forward, Saturday's win, AU's fifth straight and the seventh in the last eight meetings against Findlay, keeps the Eagles in contention for a GLIAC championship and a GLIAC South Division crown. AU is 6-3, 6-2 in GLIAC play. There are five teams in the conference sitting at 6-2 – Ashland, Wayne State, Hillsdale, Saginaw Valley State and Indianapolis. On Saturday, SVSU won at Wayne State, 28-20, Hillsdale survived at home against Northwood, 14-10 and Indianapolis held off Ferris State in Big Rapids, Mich., 24-17.
Against Findlay, the McCoy-led running game flexed its muscles early. AU led, 10-6 after one quarter and 20-6 at halftime. Ashland had the ball for 12:18 in the first quarter and at halftime, led, 21:34-8:26 in time of possession.
"Our defense didn't do a good job of getting off the field," said Findlay head coach Rob Keys. "They moved the ball at will."
AU head coach Lee Owens said it was no accident that the Eagles came out determined to blast away on the ground. The idea was to run behind H-Backs Mike Knueven (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier), Alex Renner (Toledo, Ohio/Sylvania Southview) and Joe Wasserbeck (Prospect, Ohio/North Union).
"We thought we could move them, run behind them, play action to them," said Owens. "For the most part, that's what we were able to do today."
AU has struggled at times this season getting off to a good start offensively. That wasn't the case against the Oilers. The Eagles looked smooth and confident on offense and that power running game set up the passing game. AU quarterback Taylor Housewright (Ashland, Ohio), working on a sore ankle, completed 18-of-21 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown. Nine different players caught at least one pass. The H-Backs had eight catches – four by Knueven, three by Wasserbeck and one by Renner.
"We were executing and getting first downs," said Owens. "It was one of the better plans out of the gate we've had all year long."
The Oilers came to Ashland with the GLIAC's best rushing game (227.8 ypg.), but the Eagles deprived them of that option. UF tailback Monterae Williams, second in the conference in rushing (1,097 yards, 137.1 ypg.), could pick his way for only 35 yards on 13 carries. The day played out poorly for the Oilers. First, they fell behind and then without a running game, they were forced to throw more than they would have liked. Quarterback Clay Benton completed 17-of-38 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns, but he was intercepted five times and he was hit hard and often by the Ashland defense.
"That was the most hits he's taken this season, especially in the second half," said Keys. "He took some hits, kept getting back up."
"A lot of film study and that defensive line plugged up a lot of holes," said defensive back Donnie Dottei (Toledo, Ohio/Whitmer) when asked how the Eagles were able to bottle up the Oilers. Dottie and defensive back Mike McMillan (Hagerstown, Md./Mendocino College) had two interceptions apiece and Dottei had eight tackles (three solo), one behind team leader Cody Bloom (Napoleon, Ohio), who had nine stops (three solo). Dottei has a team-high five interceptions. The last time Ashland had five picks in a game was in the final game of last season against Lake Erie.
"The key is stopping their running game," said Owens. "To allow just 61 yards on the ground, that's the big thing, we had to keep them from running the ball."
Ashland jumped in front, 7-0 on a 29-yard run by McCoy with 10:49 to go in the opening quarter. That was the final touch on a 10-play, 73-yard trip. With 2:48 left in the quarter, Gregg Berkshire (Ashland, Ohio) hit a 21-yard field goal to end a 14-play, 74 yard drive. That gave AU a 10-0 lead.
Findlay narrowed the lead to 10-6 when Belton found Nathan Morris with a 72-yard scoring pass with 1:16 left in the first quarter. The Oilers missed the extra point, one of two they would miss on the day and with 13:15 left in the first half, Taylor scored from a yard out and AU led, 17-6.
With 2:08 left in the half, Berkshire connected on a 45-yard field goal for a 20-6 lead. That was his 15th field goal of the year, he shares the school, single season record for field goals, 16. Berkshire is the only player in school history to do that twice.
With 12:45 left in the game, Findlay got to within 20-13 when Belton hit wide receiver Seth White (nine catches, 99 yards in the game) in the back of the end zone for a 9-yard touchdown pass. Spencer Kerr's extra point got the Oilers to within seven points and caused some sweaty palms on the Ashland side of the field, but 13 seconds later, Housewright and wide receiver Anthony Capasso (Columbia Station, Ohio/St. Edward) hooked up on a 61-yard touchdown pass. Berkshire's extra point gave Ashland a 27-13 spread. That pass play is AU's longest of the season.
McCune found his way into the end zone from a yard out with 9:41 to go in the game and AU led, 34-13. That drive started after Belton was intercepted by safety Tyler Krummel (Akron, Ohio/Hoban), who picked off the errant throw at the UF 41 and brought it back to the Findlay 19. The interception was Krummel's second of the season.
All afternoon, the Eagles ran to the ball on defense. Very few passes the Oilers threw were uncontested.
"The running game really helped us out," said Dottei. "Just being able to sit over there and rest, that helped."
With two games left in the regular season, the Eagles would like to help themselves to a GLIAC title. That dream took a hit after a 27-6 loss at Saginaw Valley State on Oct. 20, but now, nine days later, hope springs eternal.
"We wanted to come back from last week," said offensive lineman Zach Vermillion (Bellefontaine, Ohio). "It was a hard loss and we wanted to prove we could contend for the No. 1 spot in the GLIAC."
The next test comes at home next Saturday (Nov. 5, 1 p.m.) against Ohio Dominican.
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