ROCK FOOTBALL Rock football staff. Sports Promo. & Info.

Transcription

1 ROCK FOOTBALL 2004 Week #8: The Rock (3-4) at Millersville (2-4) October 16, p.m. Biemesderfer Stadium, Millersville, Pa. Rock schedule Aug. 27 BLOOMSBURG... L, Sept. 2 at Youngstown St.... L, Sept. 11 at Shepherd... W, Sept. 18 FAIRMONT ST.... W, Sept. 25 at Lock Haven... W, 31-3 Oct. 2 * at California, Pa.... L, Oct. 9 * INDIANA, PA... L, Oct. 16 at Millersville... 1 p.m. Oct. 23 * EDINBORO (HC)... 2 p.m. Oct. 30 * at Shippensburg... 1 p.m. Nov. 6 * CLARION... 1 p.m. * PSAC-Western Division games Rock football staff Head coach... Dr. George Mihalik Offensive coord.... Vic Campagna Defensive coord....jay Foster Running backs... Bill Horsman Wide receivers... Paul Giesey Tight ends... Harry Jones Defensive line... Shawn Lutz Linebackers... Dwayne Martin Offensive line... Joe Walton Trainer... Scott Zema Equipment coordinator... Ron Steele Manager... Rocco Cremonese Manager... J.J. Milanovich Manager... Travis Pickens Manager... Travis Sharbaugh Sports Promo. & Info. Director... Bob McComas Office telephone... (724) Home telephone... (724) Cell phone... (724) robert.mccomas@sru.edu Graduate assistant... Ben Fairclough Office telephone... (724) Secretary... Lisa Gray Office telephone... (724) Facsimile machine... (724) Rock Sports Hotline... (724) Web Site... The Rock seeks to snap a two-game losing skid and gain momentum for a closing run at a winning season when it travels to Millersville to take on the Marauders. SRU dropped back-to-back games to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division rivals California and Indiana after having strung together three successive wins. Millersville, meanwhile, is coming off a loss at West Chester last Saturday and has dropped three of its last four games. ROCKIN THE RADIO: Today s game will be broadcast live on both All Hitz 97.7 FM (WLER) in Butler and SRU s student radio station, WRSK 88.1 FM. Ron Willison and Ken Laird will provide the play-by-play and color commentary, respectively, for WLER. Greg Reedy and Mike Mallory handle the play-by-play and color commentary for WRSK. The game can also be heard live and via the archive on the Internet at or INTERESTING MATCHUPS: A couple of games within the game will be played this week. Millersville has the second-ranked passing offense in the PSAC at yards per game, but The Rock is ranked fourth in pass defense yards/game. The Rock leads the conference in punt returns with a 16.9 yards per return average, while Millersville allows the second fewest yards per punt return (1.7). LAST YEAR S MEETING: The Rock withstood an aerial barrage to record a victory in Millersville on Oct. 18, Dan Csencsitz completed 35 of 50 passes for 294 yards and threw for three TDs for the Marauders. Andy Neupauer had two of the TD receptions and finished the game with 12 catches for 81 yards, while Ryan Clift had six receptions for 86 yards and one TD. Brandon Markus rushed for 158 yards and two TDs to lead The Rock. Josh Kniess scored SRU s first TD on a 35-yard punt return. Valdez Hails caught a five-yard pass from Chad DeVore for The Rock s second score. THE ROCK-MARAUDERS SERIES: The Rock has won four straight meetings with the Marauders and holds a advantage in the all-time series. The last Millersville win over The Rock came in 1989 in Slippery Rock, when the Marauders eked out a decision. The following is a game-by-game recap of the series since 1988, when Dr. George Mihalik became The Rock s head coach: 2003: The Rock Millersville 18 The Rock 33, Millersville 9 The Rock 20, Millersville : The Rock Millersville : Millersville The Rock : The Rock Millersville 29

2 Rock Football Game Notes: Week 8 at Millersville Page 2 THE COACHES: Dr. George Mihalik has compiled a career record of record in 17 seasons as The Rock s head coach. He needs only 13 wins to become the winningest coach in SRU history. Mihalik began the season ranked 16th among active NCAA Division II head coaches in career wins and 21st in winning percentage. Mihalik is 5-1 against Indiana. Kevin Kiesel has a record in 12 seasons as a collegiate head coach and a record in four seasons at Millersville. He is 0-3 against The Rock. KNIESS NUMBERS: The Rock offensive attack is paced by redshirt junior running back Josh Kniess, who has had the four best rushing efforts of his collegiate career this fall. Kniess has rushed for 100 or more yards seven times in his three-year collegiate career. He finished one yard shy of an eighth 100-yard game on Oct. 2 at California. Kniess 100-yard rushing games include: 176 yards vs. Bloomsburg, yards at Shepherd, yards at Lock Haven, yards at Youngstown State, yards at California, yards vs. Edinboro, yards at Lock Haven, 2002 Kniess leads the PSAC in punt returns (15.4 yards/ return) and ranks second in the PSAC in all-purpose yards (164.3/game), third in scoring (9.4 points/game) and fourth in rushing (113.6 yards/game). He has scored a career-best 11 TDs this fall (9 rushing, 1 pass receiving, 1 punt return) and rushed for a career-best 795 yards this fall. He needs 205 yards to become the 20th player in Rock football history to rush for 1,000 or more yards in a single season and 286 yards to break into the top 10 in career rushing. He enters today s game with 1,869 yards in his three-year collegiate career. Kniess is currently ninth on SRU s career touchdowns list with 24 and 13th on the career scoring list with 144 points. He needs three TDs to move into a tie for eighth place (Scott Opalsky, ) and four TDs to move into a tie for seventh place (Greg Hopkins, ) on the career TDs list and 18 points to move into a tie for 12th place on the career scoring list (Opalsky, ). CONFERENCE CHARTS: In addition to Kniess, The Rock has the following players listed among the conference s statistical leaders this week: Senior DE Mike Jennings is tied for the conference lead in quarterback sacks with five...senior DE Jesse Kelley is tied for the lead in fumble recoveries with three... True freshman DB/RS Paul Favers leads the PSAC in kickoff returns (26.5 yards/game)... Redshirt sophomore Ryan Daniel ranks second in field goals per game (1.34), third in kick scoring (6.6 points/ game), fifth in PAT kicking (95.7%) and 10th in scoring (6/6 points/game)... Redshirt freshman QB Nate Crookshank is sixth in passing yards per game (138.9) and seventh in both total offense (161.4 yards/game) and passing efficiency (107.8)... Redshirt sophomore Ray Rotell is ninth in punting (35.6 yards/punt). NATIONAL RANKINGS: Kniess ranks 12th nationally in all-purpose yards, 13th in punt returns, 20th in scoring and 22nd in rushing. Daniel is 14th in field goals per game, while Favers KNIESS-GLENN-COLEMAN COMPARISON The following is a game-by-game comparison between Josh Kniess and Dorrian Glenn, the last Rock player to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season and the No. 2 single-season rusher in school history (1,448 in 2001), and Lamonte Coleman, the school record-holder in single-season rushing yards (1,601 in 1994): JOSH KNIESS (2004) Opponent Att Yds TDs Bloomsburg Youngstown St Shepherd Fairmont State Lock Haven California, Pa Indiana, Pa game totals Millersville Edinboro Shippensburg Clarion DORRIAN GLENN (2001) Opponent Att Yds TDs Fla. Atlantic Tiffin Edinboro Indiana, Pa Shippensburg California, Pa Clarion game totals Lock Haven Millersville Bloomsburg game totals LAMONTE COLEMAN (1994) Opponent Att Yds TDs South Dakota St W. Va. Wesleyan Youngstown St California, Pa E. Stroudsburg Indiana, Pa Edinboro game totals Clarion Lock Haven Shippensburg game totals

3 Rock Football Game Notes: Week 8 at Millersville Page 3 is 20th in kickoff returns. As a team, The Rock ranks 25th in pass efficiency defense (96.2). SCOUTING REPORT: Millersville ranks second in the conference in pass offense with a yards per game average but is in the middle or lower part of the pack in other team statistical categories. A list of The Rock and MU s statistical rankings can be found elsewhere in these game notes. The Marauders Ryan Clift leads the PSAC in receptions per game (6.2) and fourth in receiving yards per game (86.0)... Teammate Andy Neupauer is fourth in receptions per game (5.33) and 10th in receiving yards per game (62.8)... Dan Csencsitz ranks second in both the PSAC in passing yards per game (275.3) and total offense (249.0 yards/game) and fifth in pass efficiency (132.2)... Joe Hollister leads the conference in tackles with a 10.7/game average... Bakari Brown is third in all-purpose yards (155.8/game), fourth in punt returns (7.1 yards/return) and fifth in kickoff returns (21.1 yards/return)... Kyle Hartman is third in punting (39.2 yards/punt)... Brandon Shelton is ninth in pass interceptions (2, 1 TD)... Chuck Koch is ninth in QB sacks with four. ROCKIN THE CONFERENCE: The Rock s team rankings in the PSAC are: Scoring offense... 8th (26.3 points/game) Scoring defense... 8th (23.9 points/game) Passing offense... 9th (140.7 yards/game) Pass defense... 4th (149.4 yards/game) Rushing offense... 5th (192.1 yards/game) Rushing defense... 9th (170.7 yards/game) Total offense... 9th (332.9 yards/game) Total defense... 5th (320.1 yards/game) Kickoff returns... 4th (21.8 yards/return) Punt returns... 1st (16.9 yards/return) Punting...12th (26.9 yards net/punt) Turnover margin... Tie 5th (+2.0; 16 gained, 14 lost) Sacks recorded... 1st (22 for 142 yards) Sacks allowed... 12th (16 for 49 yards) MARAUDERS CONFERENCE RANKINGS: Scoring offense... 9th (25.2 points/game) Scoring defense... 11th (32.0 points/game) Passing offense... 2nd (275.3 yards/game) Pass defense... 12th (232.0 yards/game) Rushing offense... 14th (63.5 yards/game) Rushing defense... 10th (195.3 yards/game) Total offense... 8th (338.8 yards/game) Total defense... 13th (427.3 yards/game) Kickoff returns... 5th (21.6 yards/return) Punt returns...6th (8.6 yards/return) Punting... 2nd (36.1 yards net/punt) Turnover margin... Tie 11th (-3.0; 15 gained, 18 lost) Sacks recorded... 8th (14 for 86 yards) Sacks allowed... 14th (27 for 163) RICHARDSON S RETURN: Senior H-back Brandon Richardson had a career-best 122 yards on six receptions Oct. 2 at California in his second game back after missing two games with a high ankle sprain sustained in the Sept. 2 loss at Youngstown State. He has made 14 catches for 201 yards and one TD since his return and leads the team with 24 catches for 296 yards this season. Richardson caught a career-high seven passes for 67 yards at Youngstown State before being injured. WET AND WONDERFUL: Redshirted sophomore wide receiver Luke Wetzel caught his second collegiate TD pass Sept. 18 vs. Fairmont State, a career-best 67-yarder. His first collegiate TD catch came at Fairmont State, a 65-yarder last year. Wetzel had a career-best game in the season opener against Bloomsburg when he caught four passes for 94 yards and one touchdown. Wetzel had two catches for 52 yards last week against Indiana. P.S.A.C. STANDINGS Western Division Team Over. PSAC-W Indiana, Pa Edinboro Shippensburg California, Pa Slippery Rock Clarion Lock Haven Eastern Division Team Over. PSAC-E West Chester East Stroudsburg Bloomsburg Mansfield Kutztown Millerville Cheyney This week s Games Slippery Rock at Millersville, 1 p.m. * Indiana at Edinboro, 1 p.m. * West Chester at Mansfield, 1 p.m. * East Stroudsburg at Kutztown, 1:05 p.m. * Cheyney at Bloomsburg, 1:30 p.m. * Shippensburg at California, 3 p.m. * Clarion at Lock Haven, 2 p.m.

4 Rock Football Game Notes: Week 8 at Millersville Page 4 FISHER AND FULLERTON HAVE FINEST HOURS: Senior H-back Justin Fisher, who assumed a starting role in Richardson s absence vs. Shepherd and Fairmont State, had a team-high 45 yards on three receptions in a backup role at Lock Haven. That was Fisher s career-best effort. Senior tight end Steve Fullerton set career-best marks Oct. 2 at California when he caught three passes for 34 yards. OTHER CAREER-BEST EFFORTS Pass receiving John Benca yards vs. Bloomsburg 2003 Matt Tack at Millersville, 2003 Tackles Brian Godfrey (8+2) at Indiana, Pa., 2003 Kevin Johnston... 9 (5+4) at Indiana, Pa., 2003 Mike Jennings... 8 (2+6) at Indiana, Pa., 2003 Justin Poorbaugh... 7 (5+2) at Shepherd, 2004 Jesse Kelley... 6 on four occasions, 2003 Asaad Allen... 5 on three occasions Greg Baker... 5 on three occasions Robert Minnie... 5 (4+1) at Fairmont State, 2003 BAKER S BEST: Senior LB Greg Baker made the most of increased playing time due to a rash of injuries to Rock LBs and recorded a career-high 11 tackles last week vs. Indiana. That marked the first time this season a Rock player had more than 10 tackles in a game. Baker s previous high for tackles was five on three separate occasions. Earlier this season, Baker recorded an interception in back-to-back games vs. Fairmont State and Lock Haven after having no pickoffs in his first three collegiate campaigns. CROOK S COOKIN : Redshirt freshman QB Nate Crookshank has had his best two passing efforts of the season in recent weeks. He completed 14 of 19 attempts for 160 yards at Lock Haven and one TD and completed 12 of 34 passes for 225 yards and three TDs at California. INJURY REPORT: Sophomore LB Seth Randall is expected to return to action this week after undergoing surgery on his meniscus. He sat out three games before seeing limited time vs. Indiana... Redshirt freshman LB Bill Lamb sustained a concussion at California, did not play vs. Indiana and is questionable for this week s game... Senior LB Justin Poorbaugh will not return to action this fall after he re-injured a surgically repaired ACL at Lock Haven. INDIVIDUAL HONORS: Kniess all-around effort vs. Bloomsburg in Week 1 earned him Don Hansen Football Gazette all-purpose Player of the Week honors... Senior NG Brian Godfrey was named to preseason All-America honors by both The Football Gazette (first team) and D2football.com (2nd team). STREAK CONTINUES: The Rock s Sept. 18 victory over Fairmont State extended SRU s win streak against WVIAC teams to 15 games. The last WVIAC team to beat SRU was West Virginia Wesleyan, which recorded a victory in Week 2 of the 1995 season in Buckhannon, W. Va. Since 1988, when Dr. George Mihalik assumed The Rock s head coaching reins, SRU owns a 20-2 mark against WVIAC foes. The Rock is all-time against West Virginia rivals. HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The 2004 season marks the 31st season that The Rock has played its home games at Thompson Stadium. Since rolling to a 41-3 win over Waynesburg in the first-ever game at the stadium on Oct. 19, 1974, The Rock has compiled a record in home games. SRU is at home under Coach Mihalik, in home games since 1990 and in home games the last eight seasons. FAMILIAR TURF: Tonight s game is the third of only four The Rock will play on natural grass this fall. The only other games The Rock will not play on artificial turf this fall are the Sept. 11 game at Shepherd, the Oct. 2 game at California and the Oct. 30 game at Shippensburg. Prior to last fall, The Rock played 29 seasons on a natural grass playing surface at Thompson Stadium. ROAD WARRIORS: The Rock has compiled a record in road games under Coach Mihalik. ALL IN THE FAMILY: Senior WR Matt Tack and freshman LB Patrick Braun are sons of Rock football alumni. Bill Tack earned letters during the seasons and a member of the 1972 state championship team.tim Braun lettered during the campaigns and was part of three state title-winning teams ( ) before culminating his college career by earning All-America honors as a tight end during his senior season. Rock head coach Dr. George Mihalik played on the squads and was a teammate of both Bill Tack and Tim Braun... Freshman WR Calvin Carter is the nephew of SRU Athletic Hall of Famer inductee Tom Stabile, a former Rock baseball standout who is now in his 10th season as a National Football League and also works as a college and high school basketball official... Redshirt freshman WR Lamarr Jackson is the cousin of former Rock standout running back Dorrian Glenn... Freshman QB Luke Westerman is the brother of former Rock All-America track and field hurdler Linsey Westerman... The Rock s brother tandem of Josh and Jarrett Zeisloft are nephews of Bloomsburg defensive line coach Bill Perkins, who lettered four seasons ( ) as a defensive lineman for The Rock. Josh Zeisloft is a redshirted junior DE; Jarrett is a redshirted freshman WR.

5 Rock Football Game Notes: Week 8 at Millersville Page 5 McKAVISH-CROOKSHANK COMPARISON Even before he took his first collegiate snap from center vs. Bloomsburg, redshirt freshman quarterback Nate Crookshank was being compared to another former Cambria County product, Rock record-setting QB Randy McKavish. Here s how Crookshank, a Bishop Carroll High School graduate, stacks up against McKavish, a Central Cambria High School product, in terms of redshirt freshman season statistics: RANDY McKAVISH (1997) Rushing Opponent Att. Yds. TDs Youngstown State West Virginia Wesleyan Fairmont State East Stroudsburg West Chester Indiana, Pa Edinboro game totals Clarion Lock Haven Shippensburg California, Pa game totals Passing Opponent Comp Att Yds Int TDs Youngstown State West Virginia Wesleyan Fairmont State East Stroudsburg West Chester Indiana, Pa Edinboro game totals Clarion Lock Haven Shippensburg California, Pa game totals NATE CROOKSHANK (2004) Rushing Opponent Att. Yds. TDs Bloomsburg Youngstown State Shepherd Fairmont State Lock Haven California, Pa Indiana, Pa game totals Millersville Edinboro Shippensburg Clarion Passing Opponent Comp Att Yds Int TDs Bloomsburg Youngstown State Shepherd Fairmont State Lock Haven California, Pa Indiana, Pa game totals Millersville Edinboro Shippensburg Clarion Call The Rock Sports Hotline at (724) Your Internet source:

6 Rock Football Game Notes: Week 8 at Millersville Page 6 ROCK DRESS ROSTER: Oct. 16 at Millersville 1... Lamarr Jackson... RB 2... Ray Rotell... P 3... Brandon Rakszawski... DB 4... Ryan Daniel... K 5... Matt Tack...WR 6... Ray Campbell... DB 7... Larvon Hines... RB 9... Luke Wetzel...WR Jonathan Molnar... QB A.J. Ruperto... QB Nate Crookshank... QB James Rockymore... DB Shawn Besong... QB John Benca...WR Kevin Johnston... DB Andy Valentine... DB Asaad Allen... DB Colin Golden...WR Josh Kniess... RB Paul Favers... DB Corey Manfull... RB Willie Murel... DB Valdez Hails... TE Matt Fontana... S Bill Lamb... LB Akeem Etheridge... RB Aaron Berarducci... DB Mark Drango... LB Jared Palmer... LB Ron Miller... LB Greg Baker... LB Jim D Amico... DB Josh Zeisloft... DL Jesse Kelley... LB Dave Mulvihill... OL Pat Oster... OL Mike Jennings... LB Noah Richards... OL Andrew Sharp... DL Ryan Travis... OL Robert Minnie... DL Myles Arnold... OL Justin Burgh... OL Joe Klipa... OL Don Harbison... OL Bron Clouser... OL Nate Morris... DL Mike Butterworth... OL Don Potts... DL Nick Carimi...WR Justin Fisher...WR Jared Zeisloft...WR Shane Jakubovic...WR Steve Fullerton... TE Brandon Richardson... HB Frank Cremonese... TE Greg Ames... DL Richard Ferguson... DL Clinton Forsha... DL Ned Reid...WR Brian Godfrey... NG Justin Hoppe... DL