Ashland Football Weekly Report
October 14, 2003

Game 8 – Northern Michigan (2-3/2-4) at Ashland (1-5/1-6)
Saturday, Oct. 18 – Community Stadium, 1:25 p.m.

The Opening Act
It’s Family Weekend at Ashland University this coming weekend and that’s a special time for students and their parents. There will be plenty of events planned around the game and family bonding will be the order of the day. Now, as for the football game that will be played, like most Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference games, the teams will resemble the Hatfields and McCoys more than the Waltons. Both teams figure to be a bit surly. Ashland is trying to break a four-game losing streak and the Wildcats are looking to bounce back from a 50-20 loss at home to Grand Valley State.

Sights and Sounds
All Ashland University football games can be heard live on WNCO (1340 AM). This is the 11th consecutive year the station has carried the Eagles. Sam Renfroe and Bill Linson comprise the broadcast team.

The Ashland Times-Gazette will be represented at the game by acting sports editor Dusty Sloan. His story will run in Monday’s paper. Cory Forshaw will be on hand for the Mansfield News-Journal and his story will appear in Sunday’s News-Journal. The campus radio station, WRDL-FM (88.9), will broadcast the game and the campus television station, WRDL-TV will show the game on a tape-delay basis.

Sideline Highlights
Parents Weekend will bring a number of visitors to campus. At the football game, a clown and a magician will perform prior to kickoff. That duo will begin its performance at 12:30 p.m.

At every Ashland University home game, two former Eagles return to campus as honorary captains. That program began in 1997. The two former players spend an entire football Saturday with the Eagles, attending meetings and the team meal. The two will watch the game from the AU sideline.

This week’s honorary captains are Dave Imhoff (Class of 1957) and Gene French (Class of 1964) Imhoff was a linebacker and French was a running back. Imhoff lives in Lucas, OH, and French resides in Libertyville, IL.

Taking the Lead
Ashland’s head coach is Gary Keller. This is Keller’s 10th season as AU’s head coach and his 21st season on campus. Prior to becoming the head coach, Keller served as Ashland’s defensive coordinator. In that role, he molded some of the best defensive units in the country. When he first came to the Eagles, he was the offensive line coach. Keller’s lifetime mark is 50-52. He was the Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference coach of the year in 1997 when he guided the Eagles to a share of the conference crown and the second NCAA Division II playoff berth in school history. Keller’s lifetime record against Northern Michigan is 6-3. The AU head coach is a 1973 Bluffton graduate.

The head coach of the Wildcats is Doug Sams. This is his second season in Marquette, MI. A year ago, his ‘Cats went 6-5. The NMU boss has a plethora of experience on the sidelines. He was the head coach at Fairmont State (WV) from 1991-01 where he went 53-47 and won two conference championships. In 12 years as a head coach on the college level he’s 66-61. Sams also spent one season as the head coach at Urbana, where he went 5-5 in 1988. Sams has been an assistant coach at Oregon State, Northern Iowa, Idaho State and in the Canadian Football League with Montreal, Edmonton and Ottawa.

Ashland-Northern Michigan
The teams first met in 1990. Ashland has the lead in the all-time series, 9-4. NMU has won two of the last three games, including last year’s game at Northern Michigan. The Wildcats’ all-time record at Community Stadium is 1-5. The ‘Cats have lost five consecutive games in Ashland.

Playing under the roof at the Superior Dome in 2002, the ‘Cats enjoyed a 24-14 win at AU’s expense. NMU running back Terrell Goldsmith gave the Eagles fits all afternoon, rushing for 153 yards and three touchdowns. The home team jumped out in front, 17-0 and the Eagles struggled to come from behind. The Eagles did pick off a pair of passes, giving them 11 interceptions in the last three games. NMU had just 106 yards passing.

The last time AU defeated Northern Michigan was at Community Stadium in 2001, 26-14. Tailback J.R. McCoy rushed for a school-record 270 yards on 37 carries and the Eagles returned two interceptions for touchdowns. The first theft came from cornerback Jeremy Westbrooks (Cleveland, OH/St. Edward), who returned the pick 64 yards to paydirt. Linebacker Brock Swonguer scored the other defensive touchdown, bringing back an interception 33 yards.

Eye On the Eagles
A good start didn’t materialize into a happy ending for the Eagles last Saturday afternoon at Merychurst. The Eagles were in front, 7-3 after one quarter and 10-3 at halftime. But the home team scored two touchdowns in the second half while the AU offense struggled and that was enough for the Lakers to pick up a 17-10 win.

MC tied the game, 10-10 with 4:13 to go in the third quarter when quarterback Jeff Nowling found wideout Mario Tullis with a 69-yard TD pass. Nowling’s throw was just past the line of scrimmage but Tullis weaved his way through the Eagles for an impressive TD run. The winning score came with 10:57 to play in regulation when Rob Keefe intercepted a pass by AU freshman quarterback Nick Strance (Willard, OH) and ran 27 yards for a touchdown. Keefe had a busy day – he played cornerback where he had five tackles, a forced fumble and three pass breakups and running back where he had four carries for 24 yards. The senior returned five punts for 38 yards and three kickoffs for 38 yards.

Ashland had the upper hand in just about every numerical category except the one that goes up on the scoreboard. The Eagles limited the ‘Hurst to 10 first downs and 35 yards rushing (1.2 ypc.). Both teams struggled offensively, but AU did outgain the Lakers, 233-202. AU had three sacks and picked off a pair of passes. However, the Eagles gave the ball away three times (two fumbles, one interception) and neither team was proficient on third down. AU was 3 of 16 on third down conversions and Mercyhurst was 1 of 13.

The loss snapped a four-game AU win streak against MC. However, AU always seems to have its hands full in Erie, PA. Over the last eight quarters at Tullio Field, the Eagles have scored one touchdown. Ashland is 1-2 overall at MC’s Tullio Field.

Eagle Elite
Sophomore kicker Austin Wellock (North Canton, OH/Green) put his name in another part of the AU record book last week when he kicked a 50-yard field goal. That’s believed to be the longest three-pointer in school history. A year ago, Wellock tied an NCAA Division II single-game record when he had six field goals at Wayne State.

Wellock’s kicking partner, freshman punter Trevor Wood (Newark, OH/Licking Valley), unleashed his longest punt of the year at MC, getting off a 61-yard boot. Wood averaged 35.8 ypp., on nine kicks. Three of his kicks went inside the 20-yardline.

The sturdy AU defense had another strong showing. Senior defensive back Toure Carter (Cleveland, OH/Rhoades) had five tackles (one solo) and collected his fifth interception of the campaign. Carter leads the league in interceptions and is tied for second in passes defensed (8).

Freshman defensive back Chris Holland (Youngstown, OH/Raven), subbing for the injured Jeremy Westbrooks (East Cleveland, OH/St. Edward) had five tackles (all solo) and a sack for 12 yards. Junior defensive lineman Jason Reynolds (Clinton, OH/Jackson) gave the MC front line fits all afternoon. He had five tackles (four solo) and a pair of sacks for 15 yards of lost real estate. AU’s leading tacklers were junior linebacker Chris Campbell (Newark, OH) and sophomore linebacker Devin Conwell (Baltimore, MD/Montgomery C.C.). Campbell had eight stops (five solo) with 2.5 tackles for loss and Conwell was in on eight tackles (two solo) with a pair of stops behind the line of scrimmage. Campell is eighth in the GLIAC in tackles for loss (8.5-22).

Junior tailback Antwan Hart (Detroit, MI/Erie C.C.) had his second consecutive 100-yard rushing game. Hart, who’s reached the century mark three times in 2003, gained 100 yards on 22 carries. He also caught three passes for 10 yards. Junior wide receiver Michael Hull (Cincinnati, OH/Sycamore) latched onto six passes for 74 yards and returned two punts for 20 yards.

Notes From the Nest

• Former AU football coach Dr. Fred Martinelli’s 200th win came at Northern Michigan in 1991 as the Eagles downed the Wildcats, 49-7.
• This is NMU’s seventh game of the season. The Wildcats have played at home twice – Sept. 27 against Indianapolis and last week against Grand Valley State.
• The Eagles are looking to break a four-game losing streak at Community Stadium. AU’s last win on its home field was against Mercyhurst, 27-20 on Oct. 12, 2002.
• AU has outscored the opposition, 24-13 in the first quarter. Last week, NMU scored in the first quarter for the first time all season. The Wildcats have been outscored, 47-7 in the first quarter this season.
• Hart, who’s fifth in the GLIAC in rushing, has gained 213 yards on 47 carries (4.5 ypc.) over the last two weeks. He’s the first AU player to string back-to-back 100-yard rushing performances together since J.R. McCoy had four consecutive 100+-yard efforts to end the 2001 season.
• Hull has caught at least one pass in 19 consecutive games. He’s second on AU’s list for career receptions (115). Hull needs 13 more receptions to surpass Bob Rosati (127) and move into first place. Over his last 18 games, Hull has 105 catches, an average of 5.8 catches per game. Hull is seventh in the GLIAC in catches per game (33-4.71) this season.
• Senior defensive end Dan Drane (Munhall, PA/Steel Valley) is second in the GLIAC in tackles for loss (10.5-40).

Sounds of the Game

Defensive coordinator Matt Pawlowski on the defensive effort last week.

“I thought we played very well. But we gave up that one big play. You can say we did this, we did that, if this, but that, but we lost the game. We missed tackles on the play (69-yard TD run-catch) and we didn’t execute. That’s what we always preach. We didn’t execute.

“They (Mercyhurst) threw in some things that we hadn’t seen. I give credit to our kids. We had to make some adjustments in the second half and we stuffed them. I was pleased with our effort.”

Secondary coach Steve Clinkscale evaluating Chris Holland’s game last week.

“He handled some passes they threw at him. He had a sack, a couple of tackles. He played through an injury, played his position and special teams. He had a very good performance. He’ll get better, he has great potential.”

Wellock recounting his 50-yard field goal.

“Give some credit to my snapper (Ray Frisbee) and holder (Trevor Wood). They did a nice job and they’ve done a nice job all year. When you get back there it’s hit or miss. You don’t expect to make it, but you hope you can. I had perfect conditions.”

Hull on his pursuit of the AU receiving record.

“It’s always good to have personal success. But really, at this point, anything I can do to get a win, that’s good.”

Hull on what the Eagles must do to improve offensively.

“I think we need to learn how to close out a game. We’ve had the lead, we’ve been ahead at halftime. But we have to find a way to play four quarters of football. If we can learn to do that we can win.”

Drane on AU’s hardships.

“Nobody’s quit, there’s no division. Everyone is pushing toward a common goal. It’s just hard. You play a game to win. You have a different perspective when you don’t win, your focus is more on why you’re playing.”

Facts and Figures
Here’s a statistical breakdown comparing the Eagles and Wildcats.

On Deck
The Eagles hit the road for the final time this season next week (Oct. 25), making the short trip to Findlay. The Oilers and Eagles will kick off at 6 p.m.