Ashland Football Weekly Report
September 5, 2005

Game 3 – Gannon (1-1/1-1 GLIAC) at Ashland (2-0/1-0 GLIAC)
Saturday, September 10, 2005, 1 p.m.
Ashland, OH/Community Stadium

Break out the Bunting, and in this case we don’t mean ex-NFL linebacker John. As for the first pitch, this isn’t so much about a celebrity or politician throwing a 55-foot fastball from a mound, it’s about a football team making its first impression (a.k.a. pitch) in front of the home folks.

This week, the Ashland University Eagles play at home for the first time. This is the first of two consecutive home games for the Eagles. As for this week’s visitor, Gannon, this is the first time the Golden Knights have come to Ashland to play football. Last year was Gannon’s first season as a football-playing member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Prior to that, the Eagles and Golden Knights hadn’t crossed paths in over 50 years.

Ashland At Home
AU’s record at home over the past few seasons is listed below.

• 2004 – 3-3. Eagles win their last two home encounters, against Findlay and Indianapolis. AU outscored those two teams, 44-27.
• 2003 – 1-5. The lone home victory is a 31-10 triumph over Northern Michigan.
• 2002 – 1-4. Eagles get the better of Mercyhurst, 27-20, but drop the other four home games.
• 2001 – 4-2. AU averaged 26.5 ppg., at home.
• 2000 – 2-3. One loss is in OT to Saginaw, another is a one-point setback against Findlay.

Sights and Sounds of the Game
All Ashland University football games can be heard live on WNCO (1340 AM). This is the 13th consecutive season the station has served as the home for AU football. Sam Renfroe will handle the play-by-play chores and Bill Linson will provide commentary. WMFD-TV will be showing the game on a tape delay basis. This is the first of six games the station will broadcast this season. The station will show the game twice, the first on Saturday night at midnight, the second on Sunday at 7 p.m.

Dusty Sloan of the Ashland Times-Gazette will be on handle to chronicle the proceedings. His report will be in Monday’s paper. The Mansfield News-Journal will cover the game and the game story will run in Sunday’s editions.

Ashland-Gannon
The two teams collided at Gannon in Erie, PA, last year on the third weekend of the season and Ashland won in overtime, 22-19. The winning points came on a 28-yard field goal by Austin Wellock and that capped AU’s first and only OT possession. The Golden Knights missed a 45-yard field goal on their overtime series.

The Eagles did a masterful job of containing GU quarterback Darmel Whitfield, an All-America candidate and a threat as a runner and passer. Whitfield had 39 yards rushing on 14 carries and completed 21 of 42 throws for 265 yards and a touchdown. Ashland running back Antwan Hart gained 114 yards on 32 carries and wide receiver Michael Hull snared seven passes for 62 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Nick Strance (Willard, OH) was on target with 17 of 29 passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, linebacker Devin Conwell (Baltimore, MD/Montgomery C.C.) had 13 tackles (six solo) and blocked a kick. Defensive back Chris Holland (Youngstown, OH/Rayen) recorded a career-high 11 tackles (eight solo) and made a game-saving tackle late in the fourth quarter. Linebacker Brady Miller (Cincinnati, OH/Elder) was in on 10 tackles (three solo).

The AU defense allowed just 13 points, Gannon got nine points on a safety and an interception that was returned for a touchdown. AU led, 19-16 before GU’s Brendan McNicholas kicked a 24-yard field goal with 13 seconds left in regulation to send the game to an extra session.

History Lesson – Ashland-Gannon

• 2004 – Ashland 22 at Gannon 19 (OT) – Eagles play an overtime game for the second consecutive week, a first in AU gridiron history.
• 1950 – at Gannon 56, Ashland 12
• 1949 – at Gannon 33, Ashland 13

The GLIAC Report
A year ago, the Eagles were one of the league’s top defensive units. That trend still holds true in 2005.

After two weeks of play, Ashland is the GLIAC’s top team against the run, yielding only 28.0 ypg., on the ground. The Eagles are second in the conference in sacks (8-42), third in total defense (269.0 ypg.) and seventh in pass efficiency defense (118.0 rating). AU is second in punt return average (12.5 ypr.), tied for second in penalties (7-60/30.0 ypg.) and sacks against (2-16) and fourth in rushing offense (197.0 ypg.)

Junior linebacker Allen Lattimore (Dayton, OH/Colonel White) is tied for third in the loop in tackles for loss (3.5) and is tied for sixth in sacks (2). Last season, Lattimore tied for first in sacks and was fourth in stops behind the line of scrimmage.

AU tailback Jason Schwalm (Kenosha, WI/Dublin Coffman) is fourth in rushing (114.0 ypg.) and ninth in all-purpose yardage (122.5 ypg.). Elusive wide receiver Dalorean White (Warrensville, OH/Erie C.C.) finds himself first in kickoff return average (24.2 ypr.) and second in receptions per game (6.0).

Ashland’s next opponent, Grand Valley State, is 2-0 with victories at home over Ferris State and Gannon. The Lakers have scored a total of 91 points over the first two weeks of the season. This week, GVSU plays at Indianapolis.

Michigan Tech, who the Eagles will see in Houghton, MI, on Sept. 24, has rushed for over 300 yards in each of its first two games. Tech got 201 yards on 33 carries from Harlon Hill candidate, running back Lee Marana, in last week’s 24-6 victory over Indianapolis.

Grand Valley State, Ashland, Michigan Tech and Findlay are all off to 2-0 starts. Saginaw Valley, idle last Saturday, is 1-0.

AU Head Coach Lee Owens
Lee Owens begins his second season at AU with a career mark on the college level of 47-67. He spent nine seasons as the head coach at the University of Akron before coming to AU. A year ago, Ashland was 5-6. Owens’ record as a high school and college coach is 134-99-2. On the prep level, his record is 89-32-2. He won a state championship at Galion High School in 1985.

At Akron, Owens made vast improvements on the field and in the classroom. In 2000, the Zips won a share of the Mid-American Eastern Division title. He guided the school to its first consecutive winning seasons since the school became a Division I member (1999, 2000). Owens also recruited and coached some of the top players in Akron history, including quarterback Charlie Frye, now a member of the Cleveland Browns.

Off the field, in 2001 the Zips were presented with an academic achievement award for a graduation rate over 70 percent by the American Football Coaches of America (AFCA).

Owens is originally from Mansfield, OH. He received his bachelor’s degree from Bluffton in 1977 and his master’s degree from Ashland in 1981.

Eye on the Eagles
Ashland is 2-0 for the first time since the 2000 season. Last Saturday night at Top Taggart Field in Big Rapids, MI, the Eagles subdued Ferris State, 24-21. The Eagles had a 22-0 lead with 7:03 to play in the third quarter before the Bulldogs rallied behind wide receiver Carlton Brewster. He caugtht a pair of TD passes and that fueled a comeback that got the ‘Dogs to within a point, 22-21 with 8:02 to go in regulation. Then AU defensive end Chris Meyer (Akron, OH/Walsh Jesuit) blocked a PAT that kept the Eagles in front by a single digit. That shifted the momentum back to the Eagles, who got a safety with 3:58 to play. That was the final score in the game.

Schwalm picked his way through the Bulldogs for 132 yards on 30 carries. Strance completed 12 of 18 passes for 107 yards and two touchdowns. Those TD throws measured 5 yards to White and 15 yards to senior tight end Brian Mong (Columbus, OH/Watterson). White was AU’s leading receiver with five receptions for 60 yards.

AU sophomore Rock Lewis (Maple Heights, OH) scored the first touchdown of his career last Saturday when he scooped up a bobbled snap on an FSU punt and returned it 8 yards for a score.

Conwell had a team-high 12 tackles (six solo). Miller had eight tackles (two solo), a sack, interception and fumble recovery. Ashland sacked FSU quarterback Ryan Kaul three times and forced four FSU turnovers.

The ‘Dogs led in total yardage, 308-268. Ashland had a decided edge on the ground, 161-81. Ferris State also hurt itself with penalties, the home team was tagged with nine infractions for 70 yards.

Some of Ashland’s top players are listed below.

• Devin Conwell (Baltimore, MD/Montgomery C.C.) – A safety, Conwell was first team All-GLIAC last season. The senior’s had over 100 tackles each of the last two seasons and last year, led the country in solo tackles (80). The last AU player to have more solo tackles that Conwell was Ron Greer (84) in 1991. Conwell leads the team in tackles (22/11 solo).
• Luke Busson (Wadsworth, OH/Kent State) – The sophomore linebacker has 14 tackles (seven solo) and that puts him fourth on the team. He had a sack last week.
• Blake Dickson (North Canton, OH/Jackson) – A stalwart at left guard, Dickson was second team All-GLIAC in 2004. The coaching staff believes the senior can become one of the top offensive linemen in the country.
• Allen Lattimore (Dayton, OH/Colonel White) – A junior, Lattimore was an honorable mention All-GLIAC choice in 2004. A year ago, the athletic linebacker tied for first in the league in sacks (9.0) and was fourth in tackles for loss (18.0). Lattimore is second on the club in stops with 17 (10 solo).
• Brady Miller (Cincinnati, OH/Elder) – The quarterback of the defense, this senior linebacker had 69 tackles and two sacks last season. He’s made big plays late in the game in both of Ashland’s victories this season.
• Brian Mong (Columbus, OH/Watterson) – A 6-3, 264-pound senior tight end, Mong can expect to be a vital cog in the offense. He had 19 catches last season. Heading into the Gannon game, he has three receptions.
• Jason Schwalm (Kenosha, WI/Dublin Coffman) – Schwalm appeared in just one game last year before going on the shelf with an injury. He had 661 yards rushing and averaged 5.1 ypc., in 2003. Last week, Schwalm recorded the third 100-yard rushing day of his career with 132 yards on 30 trips.
• Nick Strance (Willard, OH) – Strance is back for his second full season as the starter at quarterback. The junior completed 156 of 301 throws last season (51.8 percent) for 1,654 yards. He had 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Strance took over as the starter as a true freshman in 2003. Last week Strance became AU’s career completions leader (309), passing Marcus Lee (303). At Ferris State, Strance completed 12 of 18 passes for 107 yards and two touchdowns. After two games, he’s completed 63.2 percent (24-38) of his throws.
• Dalorean White (Warrensville, OH/Erie C.C.) – White is AU’s leading returning wide receiver. The speedster caught 24 passes last season and had five touchdown grabs. He averaged 13.2 ypc., in his first season at Ashland. After the first two weeks of this season, White has caught half as many passes (12) as he did all of last season. The senior had a team-high five receptions at FSU.
• Kyle Zelazny (Westerville, OH/Westerville South) – Zelazny is considered the leader on the defensive line. He’s been extremely active these first two weeks in 2005. The junior is fifth on the team in tackles (10/6 solo) and has one sack.

Quick Hitters

• Ashland hasn’t started a season 3-0 since the 1992 team opened the campaign with victories over Valparaiso (34-7), Ferris State (15-7) and Slippery Rock (37-31). That AU team finished 8-3.
• Baseball has a statistic that measures clutch hitting. Someone needs to come up with a way to figure clutch defensive plays. No matter how that’s computed, Miller would be at the top of the charts. Last week, the linebacker got his first interception of the season to kill the final FSU drive. The week before at Saint Joseph’s, he broke up a pass late in the fourth quarter that Conwell intercepted and returned 98 yards for a score, sealing the win over the Pumas.
• Dating back to last season, Ashland has held five of its last six opponents to less than 100 yards rushing.
• Linebacker Jeremy Crabtree (Pickerington, OH) got the first interception of his career last week.
• Dating back to last season, Conwell has reached double digits in tackles in the last 10 games he’s played.

The Quotebook

Strance on the Eagles’ 2-0 start.

“We have so much confidence, it’s a 13 on a scale of 10. You have to learn how to win. I was watching the Arizona game the other night and their coach, Coach Stoops, said your team has to earn your wins. Tonight (last Saturday) we did that.”

Dickson on beating Ferris State for the first time in his career on Turn Back the Clock Night (plus fireworks) at FSU.

“I had never beaten Ferris State or won on fireworks night. It’s a nice feeling.”

Junior linebacker Allen Lattimore on AU’s goal.

“We’re on a quest for a ring.”

Owens on the play of the special teams last week.

“That definitely made a difference in the game’s field position. We had an advantage over Ferris State with field position. Our punt return team was responsible for three scores. When you can set up points or score points from special teams it’s a big boost.”

Owens on the play of linebacker Brady Miller.

“His productivity this week was unreal. An interception, a sack, a fumble recovery, the list goes on and on.”

Owens on the AU running game and rush defense.

“There are some things we need to do better, but the backs are running very hard. Our rush differential, the difference between us and our opponents is ridiculous.”

On Deck
Ashland will stay at home for a second straight Saturday. Next week (Sept. 17) at 7 p.m., the Eagles will entertain Grand Valley State. That’s also Varsity Walk Dedication, Hogs and Eagles Night, and after the game, the annual AU fireworks extravaganza will be held.