#16 West Texas A&M (10-2) at #4 Ashland (11-0)
Saturday, Nov. 24, 11 a.m.
Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field at Dwight Schar Athletic Complex
Sights and Sounds
This Saturday's postseason game will be broadcast live on WNCO-AM (1340) with Ken Dworznik handling the play-by-play and Don Graham providing the commentary. The game can be heard at wncoam.com. Ted Klopp and Matt Tullis will be live streaming the game at http://mediasite.ashland.edu/mediasite/Viewer/?peid=eed82aac01074edb8897e14ce7420b841d
Looking Ahead and Behind
The Eagles are ranked fourth in the country and for the first time are hosting a postseason game at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field. This is the second NCAA Division II playoff game to be played in Ashland – in 2008 the Eagles defeated Minnesota State-Mankato, 27-16 at Community Stadium. This is the fifth trip in school history to the NCAA playoffs and the first since 2008.
This AU team won the first GLIAC football championship in school history. This is the first time Ashland has completed the regular season unbeaten since the 1972 Eagles were 11-0. Four teams in school history have ended the year without a loss. In addition to this year's team and the 1972 team, the 1954 team was 7-0 and the 1967 team was 8-0-1.
This year's team is just the second in school history to have 10 or more wins. Again, the only other team to do that was the 1972 team.
The current ranking is the highest ranking for the Eagles since they became an NCAA Division II institution. In 1972, the Eagles were ranked fourth in the final Associated Press Small College Football poll. In the UPI rankings, the Eagles were seventh.
Ashland is ranked second in the NCAA Division II Super 4 Regional rankings.
West Texas A&M advanced to this game with a 38-30 win at Chadron State last Saturday. The Buffaloes won the Lone Star Conference championship this season and are ranked sixth in the region. This is the first time Ashland and West Texas A&M have met on the gridiron.
This Week's Playoff Schedule
In addition the WTAMU-Ashland game, seven other NCAA Division II playoff games will be held this week. That playoff schedule appears below.
Shippensburg at Winston-Salem, Noon
Indiana (Pa.) at New Haven, Noon
Indianapolis at Colorado State-Pueblo, 2 p.m.
West Alabama at Valdosta State, Noon
Lenoir-Rhyne at Carson-Newman, Noon
Northwest Missouri State at Minnesota State-Mankato, 1 p.m.
Missouri Western at Henderson State, 1 p.m.
Ashland Head Coach Lee Owens
Lee Owens is in his ninth season as AU's head coach. He was named to that position in December, 2003. He is the 14th head coach in AU football history.
- Owens is 66-33 at Ashland. He is second in career wins, trailing only Dr. Fred Martinelli (217). Owens is second in career winning percentage (.667) at AU. The only coach he trails is Bob Brownson (.672/1954-57). Martinelli is third (.641/1959-63).
- Owens has guided the Eagles to the NCAA playoffs three times (2007, 2008, 2012). He is the only football coach in school history to do that and he is the lone Ashland football coach to win a postseason game (27-16 over Minnesota State, 2008).
- Under Owens, the Eagles have won eight or more games in a season five times and have won nine or more games three times (11-0/2012, 9-2/2005, 9-4/2008). He went 5-6 in his first season at Ashland (2004). In the two seasons before he arrived the Eagles won a total of four games.
- Since Owens became the head coach 10 players have been recognized as All-Americans. Last year, defensive lineman Jeris Pendleton was taken in the seventh round of the NFL draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He's the first AU player to be drafted since 1972.
- Before arriving at AU, Owens spent nine years as the head coach at the University of Akron. His career record as a college head coach is 106-94. He also served as an assistant coach under John Cooper at Ohio State (1992-95).
- As a high school head coach in Ohio, Owens had an 89-32-2 mark in 11 seasons. His 1985 Galion team won a state title with a 14-0 record. Owens was also the head coach at Massillon Washington (1988-92), Lancaster (1987), Galion (1983-87) and Crestview (1981-82).
- Owens is a 1977 Bluffton College graduate and he earned his master's degree at AU in 1981.
Ashland and the NCAA Playoffs
AU's playoff history can be found below. AU's all-time postseason record is 1-4.
Year Result Head Coach
1986 at North Dakota State 50, Ashland 0 Dr. Fred Martinelli
1997 at Slippery Rock, 30, Ashland 20 Gary Keller
2007 at Central Washington 40, Ashland 24 Lee Owens
2008 at Ashland 27, Minn. State-Mankato 16 Lee Owens
2008 at Grand Valley State 40, Ashland 7 Lee Owens
NCAA Numbers
Listed below are Ashland's Top 25 rankings in this week's NCAA statistics.
Individual
Category Player Rank Number
Pass Efficiency Housewright 5 173.46
Team
Category Rank Number
Scoring Defense 4 13.6 ppg.
Total Offense 4 497.91 ypg.
Pass Efficiency 5 170.11
Total Defense 7 277.50 ypg.
Sacks Allowed 7 0.64
Scoring Offense 8 42.0 ppg.
Rushing Defense 11 97.73 ypg.
Turnover Margin 15 1.00
Rushing Offense 19 227.09 ypg.
Pass Defense 20 179.82 ypg.
Kickoff Returns 20 23.22 ypg.
GLIAC Awards
The All-GLIAC teams and the GLIAC awards were announced last week. All of these awards are selected by the GLIAC coaches.
GLIAC Player of the Year - Taylor Housewright (Ashland, Ohio)
GLIAC Defensive Lineman of the Year - Jamie Meder (Parma, Ohio/Valley Forge)
GLIAC Defensive Back of the Year - Brian Gamble (Massillon, Ohio/Illinois)
GLIAC Coach of the Year - Lee Owens
Housewright is the second AU player to receive the player of the year award – quarterback Billy Cundiff won the award in 2008. Meder is the first Ashland player to be selected as the league's top lineman. Gamble is the second Ashland player to be tabbed as the top defensive back, Devin Conwell also received that award in 2005. This is the second time Owens has been named the GLIAC coach of the year. He picked up his first piece of GLIAC hardware in 2005.
First Team
QB - Taylor Housewright (SR, Ashland, Ohio)
RB – Anthony Taylor (SO, Arlington, Va./Washington-Lee)
WR – Anthony Capasso (SR, Columbia Station, Ohio/St. Edward)
OL – Zach Vermillion (JR, Bellefontaine, Ohio)
DL – Jamie Meder (JR, Parma, Ohio/Valley Forge)
LB – Cody Bloom (JR, Napoleon, Ohio)
DB – Brian Gamble (JR, Massillon, Ohio/Illinois)
Second Team
DB - Mike McMillan (SR, Hagerstown, Md./Mendocino College)
Honorable Mention
LB - Domi-on Combs (SO, East St. Louis, Ill.)
DB - Donnie Dottei (SR, Toledo, Ohio/Whitmer)
DL - Tyler Houska (SR, Wadsworth, Ohio/Medina Highland)
RB - Jordan McCune (SO, Bellville, Ohio/Clear Fork)
RB - Steve Nagy (FR, Hudson, Ohio)
OL – James Triplett (SO, Newark, Ohio)
Housewright Update
Earlier this week it was announced that Housewright is one of eight finalists for the 2012 Harlon Hill Trophy. Housewright is in his third season as AU's starting quarterback and his record is 25-8. He owns the two best single season completion percentage figures in school history (.673/2nd/2010 and .614/4th/2011). Housewright is second in school history in completions, pass attempts, yards and touchdown passes. This year's total of 30 TD passes is the second highest single season total in school history. Housewright is one of two quarterbacks in school history to throw five touchdown passes in a game. He did that against Findlay on Oct. 30, 2010.
This year, Housewright set the NCAA Division II record for consecutive passes without an interception (377). The only quarterback on any level to better that is Russell Wilson (379, North Carolina State, 2008-09). Housewright has thrown for 300 or more yards four times this season. In his career he has six, 300-yard games. In 2012 Housewright has completed 221-of-324 passes (68.2 percent) for 2,905 yards. He has 30 touchdown passes and he's thrown one interception.
Housewright leads the GLIAC in touchdown passes and he's second in pass efficiency and passing yards per game. In his career, Housewright has led the Eagles to wins over three teams ranked in the Top 20. Two of those wins came against teams ranked in the nation's Top 10.
Housewright's career numbers can be found below.
Games Completions Attempts Percent Yards TD Int
38 559 853 65.5 7,093 69 13
Pressure Cooker
The defense the Eagles will see this week is unlike any they have played against this season. One of the biggest keys to this game will be how Ashland fares against this scheme.
"It's a pressing, man-to-man, blitz defense," said Owens. "We haven't seen that style of defense all year long. They've wreaked havoc on offense. You'd better not hold onto it too long."
That hasn't been a problem for AU this season – the Eagles have allowed only seven sacks. This week they're matched against a team that leads the nation in sacks (47).
Teams in the GLIAC this season refused to let the Eagles beat them deep. The thinking around the league this season seemed to be that maybe the best way to defense this team was to prevent the deep ball at all costs and see if they could force the Eagles into errors that would shut down a potential scoring drive.
"We've not been a quick strike offense," admitted Owens. "That's one thing we haven't been. Teams have said, 'We'll keep you in front of us. We're not going to give you the home run.' We've been patient enough to take it."
That method of operation has served the Eagles well. The fact that the Buffaloes play a defense the Eagles haven't seen before is no reason to revamp the offense. That's not an option at this point in the season.
"We've had two weeks to see what we do well, particularly on offense," said Owens. "We aren't getting away from that because we're playing a team that plays a lot of pressure, a lot of man to man."
When pressed, Owens said that Ferris State, the team the Eagles played on Sept. 15, is the defense that most closely resembles the Buffaloes.
The Road To the Playoffs
West Texas A&M has played five of its last last seven games on the road. That stretch includes trips to Eastern New Mexico, West Georgia and Chadron State (located in Nebraska). The Buffs have played seven road games this season.
Contrast that with Ashland, which has played at home six times and hasn't left the state of Ohio for a game since Sept. 22. That last trip was at Northern Michigan in Marquette, Mich., and the Eagles took that trip by plane. That flight took less than two hours. AU's last three trips were to Ohio Dominican, Malone and Tiffin. All of those drives are less than two hours.
"Any time you play at home it's an advantage," said Owens, of having a playoff game at home. "When you're at home, you're comfortable. When you're on the road, you're not comfortable. As an athlete, you perform better when you're in your comfort zone."
Ashland's road record in the playoffs is 0-4. At home in the postseason, AU is 1-0.
Quality Quarterbacks
Both of the quarterbacks in this game, Housewright and West Texas A&M's Dustin Vaughan, are among the eight finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy. The fact that they are matched against each other has generated interest among NCAA Division II football fans around the nation. One other playoff matchup this week also pits a pair of Harlon Hill finalists against each other. In Super Region 3, Missouri Western State squares off against Henderson State (Ark.). Missouri Western features Hill finalist Michael Hill, a senior running back. Henderson State's Hill finalist is sophomore quarterback Kevin Rodgers.
"Those are two great players, no question," said Owens. "They are responsible for offenses that are scoring over 40 points per game."
Owens is impressed with the 6-5, 220-pound Vaughan, who is the 2012 Lone Star Conference offensive player of the year. He's thrown for 3,821 yards and 37 touchdowns and has completed 64.5 percent of his passes. He averages 381.4 ypg.
"He gets it out in a hurry," praised Owens. "He's not afraid to tuck it and run."
Fireworks in November
Ashland averages 42.0 ppg., and is eighth in the nation in scoring. West Texas A&M produces 41.2 points per game and is 12th in the country in scoring. This could be a difficult afternoon for the two defensive staffs on Saturday.
"I don't know what to compare them to," said Owens of the Buffaloes. "This team's not like any team we've played."
Owens said that when he looks at teams like West Texas A&M, North Alabama and Valdosta State, he expects to see teams that are talented and loaded with postseason experience. This WTAMU team fits the bill. It has a tremendous vertical passing game, but the offense can do more than throw the ball. Chadron State learned that last Saturday when Buffaloes tailback Khiry Robinson rushed for a career-high 235 yards.
Playing defense against the Buffs is a nerve-wracking experience because there are no breaks. This is a full, 60-minute test. West Texas A&M trailed at Chadron State, 14-0 in the first quarter before roaring back to win, 38-30. The Buffs led the Lone Star Conference in passing offense, total offense, scoring offense and pass efficiency.
Owens said that in recent memory, the 2008 Grand Valley State team is the closest thing to what AU will see this week.
"You could make that comparison," said Owens.
We've Seen Fire And Rain
The forecast for Thanksgiving Day in Ashland is for temperatures close to 60 degrees. On Saturday at game time, the temperature is expected to be in the mid-30's.
The last time AU hosted a playoff game was in 2008 at Community Stadium. AU hosted Minnesota State-Mankato, which was ranked 25th in the nation. It was 41 degrees, there was a rain/snow mix and the wind howled all afternoon. It was nearly impossible to throw into the wind, so any thoughts about sustaining a passing game were gone. The team that fell behind by double digits would be in big trouble.
Owens remembers how difficult it was to stop Mankato running back Ernest Walker, who gained 135 yards on 28 carries. He scored two touchdowns.
"We got in a goal line defense to slow him down," recalled Owens. "We were playing goal line defense in the middle of the field."
AU could afford to do that because the Mavericks completed only 8-of-19 passes for 78 yards. Ashland completed 8-of-17 passes for 142 yards. The Eagles did, however, hit one big play. AU was trailing, 16-13 in the fourth quarter when quarterback Billy Cundiff found wide receiver Joe Horn for a 66-yard touchdown pass. The completion came on a third-and-16 play from the Ashland 34-yardline. On the play before that, Cundiff threw incomplete for Johnny Long. The Eagles were penalized 15 yard for an illegal block. The Mavs had a choice, take the penalty and give the Eagles another chance on third down, or take the play and leave the Eagles with a fourth-and-six situation at their own 49-yardline. History reveals how that decision went.
"We threw a choice route for a touchdown over their heads," said Owens.
Gregg Berkshire's extra point put AU in front, 20-16 with 11:56 left in regulation. Ashland had the wind in the fourth quarter and scored one more time on a 7-yard run by D.J. McCoy. The Mavs were down, 27-16 and without a passing game to call on, were in big trouble.
Owens remembers trying to get through the third quarter when the Mavs had the wind at their backs. During that quarter, Mankato State had four drives and all started in AU territory. The Mavs missed two field goals, gave the ball away on downs and hit a 28-yard field goal. AU punter Derek Riedl punted twice – his kicks went five and six yards. For the day he averaged 5.5 ypp.
So, all this talk this week about a high-scoring game? Maybe Mother Nature will have a different idea.
Conference Pride
Ashland is the lone GLIAC team to make the postseason this season. In the last 11 years, a GLIAC team has advanced to the national championship game seven times. A year ago, Wayne State lost to Pittsburg State, 35-21 in the national title game. A year ago, Saginaw Valley State and Wayne State advanced to the playoffs.
Tales of the Tape
Ashland and West Texas A&M are in the same region, but that doesn't mean they are familiar with other. What does a team do when it has less than a week to cram for an upcoming opponent?
"It's hard to look at 11 weeks and break down all the tendencies," Owens said.
This is the third time Owens has led an AU team into the NCAA playoffs. One lesson he's learned is that while it can be hard to learn everything an opponent does, it is realistic to look at what the team you're coaching is doing and try to formulate the best game plan. At this stage of the season, coaches should know what works and what doesn't work and what personnel works best in certain situations. That may be as big a key as knowing the opposition.
Common Denominator
Owens has a tie to three big football games in Ohio this weekend.
First, he's the head coach of the Eagles, who are in the NCAA Division II playoffs and hosting West Texas A&M.
Rumor has it there's a big game in the southern part of the state this week. That would be undefeated Ohio State hosting Michigan. Owens was an assistant coach at Ohio State under John Cooper from 1992-95, so he knows a little bit about game day in Columbus.
Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers visit the Cleveland Browns. That game has been known to produce an overflow of venom in these parts. When Owens was the head coach at the University of Akron, he coached against the Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh's usual starting quarterback. He also coached against Byron Leftwich, who started last week in place of the injured Roethlisberger and he coached against Charlie Batch, who is projected to start for the Steelers this week in place of the injured Leftwich. Roethlisberger played at Miami (Ohio), Leftwich at Marshall and Batch at Eastern Michigan.
Full Bloom
Bloom led the Eagles in tackles last season with 109 (53 solo). This year, he has a team-high 104 stops. Bloom is the first AU player to notch consecutive 100-tackle seasons since linebacker-safety Devin Conwell (118/2004, 121/2003).
Listed below are the last six AU players to put together consecutive seasons of 100+ tackles. Tim Houseman was the last player to have three consecutive years of 100+ tackles.
Player Position Tackles/Years
Cody Bloom Linebacker 2011-109, 2012-104
Devin Conwell Linebacker 2004-118, 2003-121
Brock Swonguer Linebacker 2001-106, 2000-102
Chad DiFranco Def. Back 1996-121, 1995-134
Tim Houseman Linebacker 1993-125, 1992-143, 1991-104
Ron Greer Linebacker 1991-135, 1990-138.5
Gridiron Club Players of the Week
After every game the Eagles win this season, the AU Gridiron Club honors a player of the game for offense, defense and special teams. This year's recipients can be found below.
Game Offense Defense Special Teams
Indianapolis Housewright Gamble Capasso
Wayne State Thompkins Meder Housewright
Ferris State Housewright Houska Casey
No. Michigan Housewright Harrison McFarlin
Lake Erie McCune Bloom Hagenimana
ODU Vermillion Harvey No Recipient
Walsh Renner McFarlin Dottei
Malone Taylor Gamble No Recipient
Findlay Triplett Lerman/Houska Winters
Tiffin McCune Combs Soucie
ND Slavinski Lerman Hagenimana
Yard Markers and Milestones
- AU's all-time record at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field is 16-4 (.800).
- The Eagles are 6-0 at home this season. The last time AU was undefeated at home was in 2007 (4-0).
- AU is yielding 9.3 ppg., at home this season.
- Doug Geiser is the only assistant coach on the Ashland staff who has been with Owens all nine years the head coach has been at AU.
- The Eagles have shut out three teams (Wayne State, Walsh, Notre Dame). The last time AU had three or more shutouts in a season was in 1993 (four shutouts).
- For the first time in school history, AU has scored 30 or more points in nine consecutive games.
- The Eagles have outscored the opposition, 263-62 in the first half this season.
- McCune needs 123 yards to reach 1,000 yards rushing for the season. Taylor has 1,042 yards. AU has never had two 1,000-yard rushers in the same season.
- McCune has a team-leading 84 points. The last time a non-kicker led AU in scoring was in 2008 when wide receiver Johnny Long scored 68 points.
- The Eagles have 60 first downs in their last two games. Against Notre Dame two weeks ago they had a school record 34 first downs.
- Ashland's margin of victory is 28.4 ppg. That's a school record.
The Scouting Report – West Texas A&M
Head Coach – Don Carthel (8th year at WTAMU, 77-21)
This Year's Record – 10-2/7-1 Lone Star Conference
Noteworthy
The Buffaloes are 4-5 in NCAA postseason play. Last week's 38-30 win at Chadron State was the program's first on the road in NCAA playoff action…West Texas A&M trailed, 14-0 in the first quarter last week…the Buffaloes lead the country in sacks (47/3.9 per game)…WTAMU is 2-2 against ranked teams this year. One of the losses was a 44-34 setback at top-ranked Colorado State-Pueblo in the first week of the season…the Buffaloes are the champions of the Lone Star Conference…head coach Don Carthel is 77-21 at WTAMU. This is his eighth season. He's the program's career leader in victories…last week, the Buffaloes held Chadron State to 72 yards rushing on 26 carries. Chadron entered the game averaging 185.27 ypg., on the ground…WTAMU had three sacks last week. Chadron came into the game 14th in the nation in sacks allowed (0.82)…this year's win total is the highest for the Buffs since the 2008 team won 11 games…the Buffaloes are seventh in the nation in pass offense (340.75 ypg.), total offense (487.83) and tackles for loss (8.83). They are eighth in pass efficiency (162.93) and 12th in scoring offense (41.17 ppg.)…the enrollment at WTAMU is 7,955. The school is located in Canyon, Texas. WTAMU is 18.6 miles away from Amarillo and 104 miles from Lubbock.
Watch List
Buffaloes quarterback Dustin Vaughn, like Housewright, is a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy. The 6-5, 220-pound junior, has completed 279-of-432 passes (64.6 percent) for 3,821 yards. He has 37 touchdown passes and nine interceptions. Vaughn is seventh in the nation in pass efficiency (162.98) and eighth in total offense (328.33 ypg.)…running back Khiry Robinson, a 6-0, 220-pound senior, is 13th in the country in rushing (1,250 yards, 125.0 ypg., 6.9 ypc., 14 touchdowns). Against Chadron State, he had career highs in carries (30) and yards (235). Robinson is eighth in the nation in scoring (10.2 ppg.) and ninth in all-purpose yards (179.8 ypg.)…wide receiver Torrence Allen, a 6-1, 190-pound junior, has caught 61 passes for 1,108 yards (18.2 ypc.) with nine touchdowns. He's 13th in the nation in receiving yards per game (100.7). Last Saturday, Allen caught seven passes for 142 yards…three seniors start on the offensive line. The anchor of that unit is left tackle Manase Foketi, a 6-5, 320-pound senior. He's been nominated for the Gene Upshaw Award…junior Sergio Castillo, Jr. is 15-for-17 on field goal tries and is 16th in the nation in field goals per game (1.25)…Kevin VanVoris, a 6-0, 235-pound junior, is 22nd in the nation in yards per punt (41.07)…Ethan Westbrooks, a 6-4, 275-pound junior defensive end, is tied for seventh in the nation in sacks per game (1.12)…inside linebacker Taylor McCuller, a 6-2, 240-pound junior, leads the Buffs in tackles (129/54 solo). He has 9.0 tackles for loss (22 yards) and 3.5 sacks…junior Kyle Voss, a 5-11, 235-pound inside linebacker, has 96 tackles (39 solo) to go with 18.0 tackles for loss (73 yards) and 4.0 sacks (34 yards)…Torian Oakley, a 5-10, 180-pound sophomore cornerback, has 49 tackles (31 solo). Oakley and McCuller had 11 tackles apiece against Chadron State.
Up Next
The winner of the WTAMU-Ashland game plays the survivor of the Indianapolis-at-Colorado State-Pueblo game next Saturday (Dec. 1). If Indianapolis and AU win, the game will be in Ashland. A win by CSU-Pueblo and a victory by Ashland would send the Eagles to Colorado.
AU
FB/ALK
