PDF VERSION OF WEEK 2 GAME NOTES
Sights and Sounds
- This week's game will be broadcast live on WNCO-AM 1340, with David Wilson 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 Web site, GoAshlandEagles.com.
- A live stream of the game can be found on the scoreboard page on the home page of the AU athletics web site, as well. The broadcast also will be replayed on SportsTime Ohio on Sept. 11 at 7 p.m.
- WRDL-FM 88.9 also will broadcast the game live. In addition, AU head coach Lee Owens will do a weekly appearance on WRDL's "Early Bird's Word," every Friday at 8:30 a.m.
Ashland, Wayne State Look To Start 2-0
A matchup of two teams which won their 2016 season openers will take place on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field.
No. 5-ranked Ashland, coming off a 48-0 home win over non-conference opponent Mercyhurst, is opening its Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference slate. The Eagles move up one spot in the weekly American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Coaches' Poll from their No. 6 preseason ranking.
Wayne State started 2016 with a 28-3 GLIAC victory at Northwood.
Ashland head coach Lee Owens once again has the opportunity to coach against Wayne State's Paul Winters, one of Owens' assistants (running backs coach/offensive coordinator) during their time at the University of Akron.
"It's always bittersweet," Owens said. "One of my best friends, not only in coaching but in life. It's always tough to line up and coach against him.
"Obviously, this week and this game, it's always a dog fight. There will be no mercy on either side, I can tell you that. I think he's got a great football team."
ASHLAND PLAYERS TO WATCH
Junior quarterback Travis Tarnowski threw a GLIAC-high-tying three touchdown passes and was 20-for-28 for 226 yards against the Lakers…Senior tailback Vance Settlemire scored a conference-best three total touchdowns and ran for 132 yards in Week 1…Junior tight end Adam Shaheen caught seven passes for 89 yards in the opener…Senior punter/tight end/quarterback Austin Bruns caught his first career touchdown pass, was 1-for-1 for five yards passing and averaged 40.3 yards on three punts against Mercyhurst…Junior defensive end Austin Utter recorded his first two career sacks to go with two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup in Game 1.
Bill Royce Recognition Weekend On Tap
Former Ashland University All-American defensive lineman Bill Royce will be inducted into College Football Hall of Fame on Dec. 6, and Bill Royce Recognition Weekend on Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field will begin the National Football Foundation's Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes.
"It couldn't happen to a better, not just football player, but person," said Owens, "a humble guy who's always around here, always giving back, he's on our Gridiron Club board.
"He's a great friend, and I have so much respect for him. I'll try to get him into the locker room before the game just to visit with our guys. I'm sure they'll rally around the fact that we are dedicating this game to him. If we can play a little bit like he played in his career, we'll have a chance."
During the NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, each inductee returns to his alma mater to accept a Hall of Fame plaque that will remain on permanent display at the institution. The events take place on the field during a home game, and many inductees cite the experience as the ultimate capstone to their careers, providing them one more chance to take the field and hear the crowd roar their name.
Leaders Of The Pack
The 2016 Ashland University captains are Settlemire, senior inside linebacker Brandon Gency, Tarnowski and senior stud Adam Wallace - three seniors and a junior.
Tarnowski and Gency were captains in 2015, as well.
Utter Makes His Mark
Utter, a former fullback and linebacker, made the most of his first Eagle start at defensive end. And he did so on his birthday.
"He had a nice game. He played really well, played with a great motor," Owens said. "It's one he'll remember. If he continues to play like that, that's going to help us to have a guy on the edge who is tough to block.
"In today's offensive schemes, you've got to find a way in a four-man pressure to hurry the quarterback. He's going to be one of those guys who helps us do that."
Utter is the first Eagle with multiple sacks in a game since teammate Brandon Ehlinger had two on Sept. 19, 2015 at home against Ohio Dominican.
Tarnowski Already Among AU All-Time Passing Best
Tarnowski has started 22 games at Ashland, and is 19-3 as a starter, including a spotless 11-0 home mark in the regular season.
Through one game in 2016, Tarnowski already has cemented his place among the top passers in Ashland football history. He has thrown for 5,514 career yards, trailing only Billy Cundiff (9,143) and current AU wide receivers coach Taylor Housewright (7,259), and 49 touchdown passes, behind just Cundiff (79) and Housewright (71).
Settlemire Getting Closer To All-Time AU TD Mark
In his first three seasons as an Eagle, Settlemire scored 34 touchdowns - averaging a touchdown every 11.4 times he touched the ball from scrimmage.
In the 2016 opener against Mercyhurst, Settlemire scored three more touchdowns, giving him 37 as an Eagle. Settlemire needs just two touchdowns to tie former teammate Jordan McCune for second on the program's all-time list.
With 12 total touchdowns as a senior, Settlemire will become the Eagles' all-time leader, passing former teammate Anthony Taylor:
|
NAME |
TDS |
|
Anthony Taylor |
45 |
|
Jordan McCune |
39 |
|
37 |
|
|
Donald Church |
35 |
|
Ray Novotny |
34 |
|
Keith Weaver |
33 |
|
Antoine Gaiter |
32 |
|
Jon Schroeder |
32 |
|
Ray Bolin |
31 |
|
Joe Horn |
29 |
Ashland Defines "Next Man Up" With Tailback Depth
The Eagles ran for 320 yards in the win over the Lakers, and used five tailbacks who combined for 310 of those yards:
|
RUSHING |
ATT |
YDS |
AVG |
LG |
TD |
|
13 |
132 |
10.2 |
38 |
2 |
|
|
1 |
75 |
75.0 |
75 |
1 |
|
|
9 |
45 |
5.0 |
21 |
0 |
|
|
4 |
44 |
11.0 |
32 |
0 |
|
|
3 |
14 |
4.7 |
6 |
0 |
"He (Ogi) was the fifth guy in, and he's averaging 75 yards per carry," Owens said of the redshirt freshman. "He might just retire from college football and go out with one carry for 75 yards and a touchdown.
"I've got a room full of talented backs."
Eagles Enjoy Ranked Status
Since 2006, the Eagles are 28-14 as a Top 25 team in the AFCA Coaches' Poll.
The only other time Ashland has played Wayne State as a ranked team was Sept. 14, 2013, a 34-22 loss in Detroit, Mich.
Ashland's "D" Puts Up Big Numbers, Too
In the tradition of the Eagle defenses that Royce played on in the early 1990s, Ashland's defense put up its first shutout in four seasons against Mercyhurst - allowing just 188 yards of total offense, 10 first downs, 3-of-16 on third-down conversions and 0.3 yards per rushing attempt in the process.
The shutout turned in by the Eagle defense was the first since a 65-0 blanking of Notre Dame College at home on Nov. 10, 2012. That could be quite the omen for the 2016 Ashland "D" – the 2012 squad shut out three opponents during that conference-title and NCAA Division II playoff season.
It also gives Ashland's defense a chance to do something that hasn't been done in the program in 53 years – allow no points to each of the first two opponents (the 1963 team had three shutouts to start the season).
If that kind of effort is surprising, it shouldn't be. AU's defense has consistently been one of the GLIAC's best this decade.
In the first six seasons of the 2010s, the Eagle defense has led the GLIAC in scoring defense twice and not ranked lower than fourth, and has led the league in total defense once and ranked fourth or higher five times.
|
SEASON |
GLIAC RANKS |
|
2015 |
4th scoring (24.8 ppg.), 4th total (368.1 ypg.) |
|
2014 |
1st scoring (18.2 ppg.), 2nd total (338.3 ypg.) |
|
2013 |
2nd scoring (23.4 ppg.), 6th total (387.0 ypg.) |
|
2012 |
1st scoring (15.2 ppg.), 1st total (292.0 ypg.) |
|
2011 |
T4th scoring (23.9 ppg.), 4th total (344.2 ypg.) |
|
2010 |
3rd scoring (17.8 ppg.), 3rd total (305.5 ypg.) |
AU Offense Continues To Take Long Way Home
Ashland's offense doesn't blink when it comes to having to go a long way to put points on the board.
In the opener vs. the Lakers, the Eagles scored seven touchdowns, and the average distance covered was 74.7 yards. Of those seven scoring drives, five went at least 73 yards, and two went 95 and 99 yards.
The 2015 season saw Ashland score on 26 drives of at least 73 yards, and five of at least 90 yards.
The Eagles' Oh So Sweet Home
The 2016 season is the eighth for the Eagles at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field, and to say they enjoy playing on Broad Street is an understatement.
Ashland is 32-8 (.800) at home since 2009, and has won 13 straight regular-season contests at "The Jack."
|
SEASON |
W-L |
SEASON |
W-L |
|
2009 |
3-2 |
2013 |
3-2 |
|
2010 |
5-1 |
2014 |
5-0 |
|
2011 |
4-1 |
2015 |
5-1 |
|
2012 |
6-1 |
2016 |
1-0 |
2016 Competitiveness Chart
The following is a look at the Eagles' 2016 "competitiveness chart" - the measure of how long a team leads, is tied and trails in a game:
|
DATE |
OPPONENT |
TIME AHEAD |
TIME TIED |
TIME BEHIND |
|
9/1 |
MERCYHURST |
53:31 |
6:29 |
0:00 |
In 2015, the Eagles led for at least 50 minutes in a game eight times.
NCAA Division II Rankings Through Week 1
INDIVIDUAL CAREER
Settlemire - active yards per carry (1st, 6.9)
Settlemire - active total touchdowns (T-2nd, 37)
Tarnowski - active total offense yards per play (3rd, 7.38)
Simenc - active field goal percentage (3rd, 90.0)
Settlemire - active rushing touchdowns (T-7th, 28)
Settlemire - active points (T-7th, 222)
Tarnowski - active completion percentage (7th, 61.0)
Tarnowski - active passing yards per game (7th, 250.6)
Settlemire - active points per game (T-9th, 7.2)
INDIVIDUAL - 2016
Settlemire - scoring (T-2nd, 18 points)
Settlemire - yards per carry (T-6th, 10.2)
Utter - sacks (T-7th, 2)
TEAM - 2016
Third-down conversion percentage (1st, 78.6)
Scoring defense (T-1st, 0.0 ppg.)
Red-zone offense scoring percentage (T-1st, 100.0)
Total offense (6th, 590.0 ypg.)
Rushing defense (7th, 7.0 ypg.)
First downs allowed on defense (T-8th, 10)
Rushing offense (9th, 320.0 ypg.)
Team sacks (T-9th, 5)
The Notebook
- Owens is 8-5 in season openers at Ashland.
- As a sophomore and junior, Bruns was Ashland's No. 1 punter and No. 2 quarterback. As a senior, he has added full-time tight end to his duties. In Week 1, Bruns caught his first career touchdown pass, an 18-yarder in the third quarter, was 1-for-1 for five yards passing and averaged 40.3 yards on three punts.
- On his first collegiate carry as a redshirt freshman in the 2015 season-opener at Lake Erie, Vaughn raced 55 yards for a touchdown. Fast-forward nearly a full calendar year later, and redshirt freshman tailback Ogi ran 75 yards for a score on his first carry in Week 1 of 2016. Ogi's run was part of the Eagles' 320-yard rushing attack, the team's biggest output in a game since running for 376 yards last year against the Storm.
- In addition to moving into third place on AU's all-time touchdown list at 37 on Thursday, Settlemire has 222 career points, which is fifth-most in Eagle history.
- Ashland's win against the Lakers was the program's 470th all-time.
- The Eagles have gone past the 17,000-point mark all-time (17,005).
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