Carter, Schwalm Carry Eagles Past NMU, 31-10
October 18, 2003

Complete Box Score

Coaches always preach to defensive backs – don’t get turned around. But on Saturday (Oct. 18) at Ashland’s Community Stadium, no one on the Ashland University coaching staff had a negative word for senior defensive back Toure Carter even though he went full circle.

Carter set a school record and tied a Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference single-game record with four interceptions as Ashland (2-6/2-5 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) stopped Northern Michigan (2-5/2-4), 31-10. The win snapped a four-game AU losing streak. This was NMU’s sixth consecutive loss in Ashland. The Wildcats haven’t won in Ashland since their first trip to town in1990.

Carter came to AU as a running back and on Saturday, he got to display those skills on a couple of occasions. He returned one of the interceptions 27 yards for a touchdown. That was AU’s first score and came with 14:07 to play in the first half. That started a 17-point outburst in the frame as AU worked its way in front, 17-10 at halftime.

Carter also played tailback Saturday and showed the moves that helped him rush for 97 yards as a freshman. Against NMU he caught one pass for 53 yards and rushed once for four yards.

“It’s exciting, a great feeling to perform like that,” said Carter of his four-interception game.

Carter admitted that he always wanted to be a running back. But what he’s become is the on-and-off the field leader for the Eagles. He’s now a true defensive back - the GLIAC leader in interceptions (9) and someone many teams choose not to attack. It’s somewhat surprising that NMU, which took to the air 66 times, went Carter’s way so many times.

“Yeah, it was a little surprising,” said the Cleveland native.

AU head coach Gary Keller wasn’t surprised by what Carter did, just very thankful.

“He’s one of our captains,” reminded the AU head coach. “We’ve been challenging our players, telling them someone has to step up. Toure stepped up.”

Saturday’s performance allowed Carter to tie Randy White (1985) for the second best single-season interception total in school history. The Ashland record belongs to Jay Hoover, who picked off 10 passes in 1968.

Despite joining that elite company, Carter believes he still has a way to go as a cornerback.

“Yes and no,” he replied, when asked if this was his top performance. “I haven’t had my best game.”

The Eagles’ had their top game in a number of respects. Saturday marked AU’s season high in points and rushing yards (209). Freshman quarterback Nick Strance completed 15 of 21 throws for 170 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. For the sixth straight game, AU led in time of possession (32:25-27:35). Every phase of the offense clicked for a team that entered the game last in the GLIAC in scoring at 13.4 ppg.

“We still have mistakes,” admitted offensive coordinator Matt Hohman. “But the players played hard. We talk all the time about the things you can control. Today we had good effort. You have good effort and minimize mistakes and good things will happen.”

Junior tailback Jason Schwalm paced the offense with a career-high 156 yards rushing on 28 carries. Junior wide receiver Michael Hull had six catches for 51 yards. This was the 20th consecutive game he’s caught at least one pass. Hull needs seven more catches to become the school’s career reception leader. He will go into next week’s game at Findlay with 121 career receptions.

Down 3-0 after one quarter, the Eagles got back in the game with 17 points in the second quarter. Carter’s interception return started the comeback. AU then got a 36-yard field goal from sophomore kicker Austin Wellock and Strance found Hull with a 22-yard scoring pass. That put the Eagles in front, 17-10 at halftime.

In the third quarter, NMU got to the AU27 before Wildcats junior quarterback Kyle Swenor fired incomplete for junior wideout Manuel Diaz (Fountain Valley, CA) on a fourth-and-10 play. The Eagles took over on downs and marched 73 yards in 10 plays, scoring when Strance found junior tight end Brian Mong with a 9-yard touchdown pass.

The Eagles upped that margin to 31-10 with 8:52 left in the fourth quarter when Schwalm rambled into the end zone from 9 yards away. Carter had two of his interceptions in the fourth quarter when NMU was throwing on nearly every down in an effort to rally. AU had five interceptions – freshman linebacker Tyler Haines joined Carter in the interceptions column with the first theft of his career.

Swenor was 29 of 50 for 258 yards with a touchdown and four interceptions. Redshirt freshman Kelly Reed came off the bench to complete 4 of 16 passes for 41 yards with an interception. Sophomore H-back Vinney Mayfield (Grand Rapids, MI/East Kenwood) led NMU with 13 catches for 85 yards.