For the full PDF version of the Week 8 game notes, go to http://goashlandeagles.com/sports/fball/2015-16/files/2015FBreleaseWK8NMU.pdf.
Sights and Sounds
This week's game will be broadcast 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 WNCOAM.com, and also can be accessed on the scoreboard page on the home page of the AU athletics website - GoAshlandEagles.com.
Head coach Lee Owens also can be heard during his weekly appearance on WRDL-FM 88.9's morning show, "The Early Bird's Word," every Thursday at 8 a.m.
Looking Ahead and Behind
No. 8-ranked Ashland, one of only two unbeaten teams remaining in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, is seeking to finish undefeated in the regular-season road schedule for the first time since 2012. Northern Michigan is looking to finish the regular season undefeated at home. Something has to give.
This will be Ashland's final road game before coming home for the last two regular-season games of 2015 at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field.
In Week 7, the Eagles retained the Traveling Trophy and won on Homecoming against Hillsdale, 52-21. It was AU's 10th consecutive home victory.
Last Look At Week Seven
Ashland University's football team made quick work of Hillsdale on Homecoming, and the Eagles' victory certainly was complete.
Ranked No. 8 in Division II and leading the GLIAC's South Division, AU took the lead against the Chargers late in the first quarter and didn't look back, improving to 7-0 overall and in the GLIAC following a 52-21 win in Week 7.
Ashland moved one step closer to a South Division title with the victory. AU is 2½ games ahead of Tiffin and three games ahead of Ohio Dominican with three league games to go.
The Eagles also retained the Traveling Trophy, in one of the few NCAA-sanctioned trophy games, for the second consecutive season.
Ashland's offense, which racked up 52 points and 639 yards of offense, was paced by sophomore quarterback Travis Tarnowski, who was 21-for-29 for 360 yards and four touchdowns.
"We threw the ball a little more than what we planned, but that seemed to be what was working, and Travis was on," said Owens. "He's the guy. Everything goes through him, and he makes such good decisions and he's an accurate thrower. He played as well as you can expect a guy to play."
Tarnowski completed passes to eight different receivers in the win.
"We have so many stars, so much talent on the offense," said Tarnowski. "It's fun to go out there and know that the guys are going to make plays and make catches for me. I could throw it to anyone and have the same confidence in him as I do the next guy."
Junior tailback Vance Settlemire ran eight times for 77 yards and a touchdown, and caught two passes for 46 yards. Sophomore tight end Adam Shaheen caught five passes for 47 yards and two scores, and junior wide receiver Jamie Hence grabbed five passes for 86 yards and a TD.
"Vance is great. It's really easy for me when we have a guy like that that teams are so worried about," Tarnowski said. "Every week, we're going to have a different who coach calls 'hero.' Each week, it's going to be a different guy."
The 639 total yards, 52 points and 259 rushing yards all were the second-best numbers of the season in each category.
"We're going to take what the defense gives us," Owens said, "and that's what they were giving us today is the big hits, the seam routes, the go routes."
Defensively, junior inside linebacker Brandon Gency had a team-high nine total tackles to go with a half-sack and a half-tackle for loss, and senior cornerback James Ester and senior safety Cory Blackstock each intercepted a pass.
The kicking game also got into the act, as sophomore kicker Aidan Simenc, the Week 6 GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week, had six extra points and a field goal while nailing two touchbacks on kickoffs, and junior punter-backup quarterback Austin Bruns averaged 48.0 yards on four punts.
"Aidan did a good job of getting some deep kicks into the wind," Owens said. "I was happy with the way we played, and really, the wind didn't end up near the factor that it was last year."
Ashland-Northern Michigan
The Eagles and Wildcats have played every year since Ashland joined the Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference in 1990 with the exception of two due to GLIAC rotation. AU has won four straight and seven of the last eight in the series.
Leaders Of The Pack
The 2015 Ashland University football captains are split evenly between offense and defense, and they span across three classes in eligibility.
This year's captains are senior rover Donzale Ashley, senior guard Jon Cipa, junior inside linebacker Gency and Tarnowski, a sophomore quarterback.
Tarnowski Earns First GLIAC Player Of The Week Award
Tarnowski is the Week 7 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week.
It is the first GLIAC weekly honor for Tarnowski. His 72.4 completion percentage against Hillsdale was the second-highest of his career, as were the four scoring tosses and his 12.4 yards per pass attempt. It also was Tarnowski's third career 300-yard passing game.
"The thing about Travis is, he'll tell you, he can play better," Owens said. "He missed a couple throws, and maybe made a couple decisions he'd like to have back. He's always competing against perfection. He just wants to always get better. He keeps working hard. It seems like the harder he works, the better he performs.
"It's nice that you get rewarded and recognized by the league for that kind of performance."
Tarnowski is 15-2 as a starter at Ashland, and in 17 games, has thrown for 4,069 yards (sixth all-time at AU), 33 touchdowns (fourth all-time) and just 10 interceptions.
Tarnowski is Ashland's first GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week since early October 2013, after tailback Anthony Taylor's school-record 311 rushing yards at Lake Erie.
Defense Piling Up Its Own Numbers
Through seven games in 2015, Ashland's defense has collected some impressive statistics of its own – 48 tackles for loss, 18 sacks and 10 interceptions. In 10 games in 2014, the Eagles had 54 tackles for loss, 19 sacks and eight picks.
Four Eagles have at least six tackles for loss - junior inside linebacker Zach Olszewski (seven), junior nose tackle Brandon Ehlinger (6½), Gency (six) and senior defensive tackle Tim Lehr (six). Lehr leads 13 Eagles who have at least a half-sack with 4½, and sophomore cornerback Dale Irby has the team lead in picks with three.
Eagles Enjoying The Big Run
During Saturday's victory, the Eagles scored 38 consecutive points, and led 45-7 after three quarters.
Ashland has made a habit of going on extended scoring runs this season:
|
DATE |
OPPONENT |
CONSECUTIVE PTS. |
|
10/17 |
HILLSDALE |
38 |
|
10/10 |
at Saginaw Valley State |
33 |
|
10/3 |
at Malone |
28 |
|
9/26 |
FINDLAY |
23 |
|
9/3 |
at Lake Erie |
21 and 28 |
AU also has made a habit of scoring plenty of consecutive points against its Week 8 opponent, Northern Michigan, in recent years – 44 in row at home in 2014, 38 in a row at home in 2013, 42 in a row at the Superior Dome in 2012 and 31 in a row at home in 2011.
"I really can't get my arms around it," said Owens of those runs against the Wildcats. "I've sensed it with this year's team. It seems like once we get rolling on offense, we get a stop-and-score, stop-and-score, stop-and-score, and that momentum goes and it doesn't stop.
"Why against Northern Michigan, I'm not sure."
Ashland Not Hurting Itself
Some of the intangible numbers that one would think an undefeated team would have are impressive on the Eagles' part.
Ashland is plus-5 in turnover margin, and has committed just 30 penalties for 288 yards. AU is tied for first in the GLIAC in interceptions and has the fourth-fewest penalties in the league.
"It's been kind of a signature of our football team," Owens said. "You've got to beat us. We're not going to help you with that. If you're disciplined, you force teams to beat you.
"If you do those things - you're disciplined in terms of turnovers and penalties - and you've got some really good players, executing at a high level, that really helps."
Just looking at turnover ratio, Owens-led Eagle teams have fared very well in that category in the last dozen seasons, with an aggregate number of plus-100.
NCAA Ranks
Through Week 7 of the 2015 season, Simenc has the second-highest career field-goal percentage of any active player in Division II at 88.2 (15-for-17).
Where the Eagles rank at least in the Top 20 in the country in team statistics:
|
STATISTIC |
RANK |
NO. |
|
Net punting average |
4th |
39.6 |
|
Fewest penalties |
T-6th |
30 |
|
Third-down conversions |
13th |
48.9 |
|
Fewest penalty yards |
13th |
288 |
|
Total offense/game |
15th |
497.3 |
|
Kickoff-return average |
T-15th |
24.4 |
|
First downs |
T-17th |
171 |
|
Team passing efficiency |
18th |
157.3 |
|
Scoring offense/game |
20th |
40.1 |
Two Eagles are in the Top 20 in Division II in individual statistical categories, as well:
|
NAME |
STATISTIC |
RANK |
NO. |
|
Dale Irby |
Kickoff-return average |
T-10th |
28.8 |
|
Travis Tarnowski |
Yards/pass attempt |
14th |
8.81 |
|
Travis Tarnowski |
Passing efficiency |
16th |
157.8 |
|
Travis Tarnowski |
Touchdown passes |
T-19th |
17 |
GLIAC Ranks
The Eagles are in the top four in the conference in team statistics in the following categories:
|
STATISTIC |
RANK |
NO. |
|
Gross punting average |
1st |
46.1 |
|
Kickoff-return average |
1st |
24.4 |
|
Interceptions |
T-1st |
10 |
|
Scoring defense/game |
2nd |
20.4 |
|
Scoring offense/game |
2nd |
40.1 |
|
Total defense/game |
3rd |
331.1 |
|
Total offense/game |
3rd |
497.3 |
|
Passing yards/game |
3rd |
280.9 |
|
Rushing yards/game |
3rd |
216.4 |
|
First downs |
3rd |
171 |
|
Kickoff average |
3rd |
61.5 |
|
Passing yards allowed/game |
4th |
203.1 |
|
Rushing yards allowed/game |
4th |
128.0 |
|
Third-down conversions |
4th |
48.9 |
|
Fewest penalties |
4th |
30 |
|
Fewest penalty yards |
4th |
288 |
|
Sacks |
T-4th |
18 |
Several Ashland players are in the top three in the GLIAC in their respective individual statistical categories, including a couple of league leaders on defense:
|
NAME |
STATISTIC |
RANK |
NO. |
|
Dale Irby |
Kickoff-return avg. |
1st |
28.8 |
|
Dale Irby |
Interceptions |
T-1st |
3 |
|
James Ester |
Pass breakups |
T-1st |
7 |
|
Vance Settlemire |
Rushing yards/game |
2nd |
111.7 |
|
Vance Settlemire |
Yards/carry |
2nd |
6.3 |
|
Adam Shaheen |
Touchdown catches |
T-2nd |
6 |
|
Vance Settlemire |
All-purpose yds/gm |
3rd |
147.3 |
|
Travis Tarnowski |
Touchdown passes |
T-3rd |
17 |
|
Aidan Simenc |
Kicking points |
T-3rd |
57 |
NOTE: Austin Bruns would lead the GLIAC in gross punting average (46.1) if he had enough attempts to qualify.
2015 Competitiveness Chart
A look at the Eagles' 2015 "competitiveness chart" - the measure of how long a team leads, is tied and trails in a game - shows how varied the path to success in each game can be.
For instance, in the overtime win at Walsh in Week 2, Ashland trailed for more time than it was tied or ahead, yet fought for a key early-season victory. In fact, the Cavaliers led the Eagles for more time than AU's other six opponents to date combined.
In five of Ashland's wins this fall, the team has led for at least 50 of a possible 60 minutes.
|
DATE |
OPPONENT |
TIME AHEAD |
TIME TIED |
TIME BEHIND |
|
9/3 |
at Lake Erie |
54:57 |
5:03 |
0:00 |
|
9/12 |
at Walsh |
6:20 |
20:24 |
33:06 |
|
9/19 |
OHIO DOMINCAN |
57:35 |
2:25 |
0:00 |
|
9/26 |
FINDLAY |
50:30 |
8:47 |
0:43 |
|
10/3 |
at Malone |
51:14 |
5:52 |
2:54 |
|
10/10 |
at Saginaw Valley State |
35:29 |
18:23 |
6:08 |
|
10/17 |
HILLSDALE |
53:26 |
6:34 |
0:00 |
A Big Key To Success – Run Well, Stop The Run
In all seven wins this season, the Eagles have had more rushing yards than their opponents.
Ashland has played 39 games since the start of the 2012 season, and is 31-8 in those games - 29-3 when outrushing opponents and 2-5 when not.
The Eagles' Last 100
Ashland University's football program is 70-30 (.700) in its last 100 games, dating back to the last five contests of the 2006 season.
Included in that stretch for the Eagles are three NCAA Division II postseason appearances (2007, 2008 and 2012) and a GLIAC championship in 2012.
Sustained Conference Excellence
The Week 7 victory over Hillsdale was the Eagles' 160th in MIFC/GLIAC play. Ashland is 160-95 as a member of the MIFC/GLIAC in 25 seasons of play.
AU's .627 conference winning percentage in a quarter-century of conference action is fourth all-time to only Grand Valley State (.791), Butler (.759) and Ohio Dominican (.661).
AU
FB/DS