It's been a long time since Ashland University football fans have seen a tight end receiving threat like sophomore Adam Shaheen.
It's also possible Eagle football fans never have seen a tight end receiving threat like Shaheen.
Shaheen caught seven passes for 70 yards in AU's 40-28 victory on Saturday (Sept. 26) night against Findlay at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field. The Eagles, ranked No. 13 in the country, are 4-0 overall and in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference – and Shaheen's production and versatility has been a key early in 2015.
Lining up as both a traditional tight end and a wide receiver, Shaheen leads the Eagles with 24 catches and 314 receiving yards, and is tied for the team lead with two touchdown catches. That yardage total is the most in a season by an AU tight end in the Lee Owens era, and the catches are two short of the best over the last 12 seasons.
Shaheen also has two of the top three reception games and the top two receiving yardage games for an Ashland tight end in the Owens era.
Settlemire's Work Load, Production Increasing
In two games after missing Week 2 due to injury, junior tailback Vance Settlemire is racking up big numbers:
- A career-high number of rushing yards in back-to-back games, including 210 yards against the Oilers.
- A career-high in carries in back-to-back weeks, including 30 versus Findlay.
- A career-long 57-yard run for the second week in a row.
- A career-long 66-yard reception for a touchdown against Findlay.
Settlemire now leads the GLIAC in rushing yards per game at 135.7 and all-purpose yards per game at 169.7, and is third in the conference at 6.7 yards per carry.
AU Defense Keeps Oilers At Bay
One look at the numbers isn't enough when it comes to the Eagle defense on Saturday against the Oilers.
While Findlay scored 28 points, had 482 yards of total offense and 341 passing yards, all of those totals were Oiler season-lows. Ashland also picked off three passes – the first three against UF quarterback Rhys Gervais in 2015.
Tarnowski's TDs Chewing Up Real Estate
Against the Oilers, sophomore quarterback Travis Tarnowski threw for touchdown passes of 75, six and 66 yards.
Three of Tarnowski's nine TD tosses in 2015 have been for 50 yards or more. His longest of 16 touchdown passes in 2014 was 38 yards.
Eagles Displaying Offensive Versatility
Through the first four games of 2015, six players have scored AU's 11 rushing touchdowns, and seven players have scored the Eagles' 10 receiving touchdowns.
Ashland is averaging 502.5 yards of total offense per game – 274.0 through the air and 228.5 on the ground.
Eagle Nuggets
Ashland is 4-0 to start a season for the second time in the last four years…The Eagle defense has six interceptions and eight takeaways this season, already getting close to its 2014 full-season numbers (eight picks, 14 takeaways)…AU has had four 75-plus-yard receiving games from four different players in the first four games of 2015.
AU
FB/DS