The AU Notebook: Fans Get a Look at the Owens Playbook
October 29, 2005

The Eagles have done a nice job of playing grind-it-out football in 2005, but AU head coach Lee Owens still likes to shake things up every now and then.

Saturday (Oct. 29) at Findlay, before the first quarter was over, AU had run a double reverse to wide receiver Viterio Jones and picked up a first down on a fake punt. On the fake punt, freshman defensive back Tom Brenner gained nine yards. Finally, in the second quarter, the Eagles ran the flea flicker.

Plays like that can keep a defense honest, especially one that’s honed to keep the AU running game under wraps. As Hillsdale head coach Keith Otterbein noted several weeks ago, teams have to try and do something to handle the sprint draw, a play that’s treated the Eagles very well in 2005. The threat of that running game helped wide receiver Dalorean White shake free for a 73-yard TD reception.

“When there are about 10 guys trying to tackle the tailback, he’s going to be open,” said Owens.

Tailback Jason Schwalm has had four 100-yard rushing games this season. That total would be five except that leg cramps forced him to the bench in the season opener at Saint Joseph’s where he had 96 yards on 23 carries. Schwalm has rushed for a career-high 1,285 yards on 269 carries. He would need 190 yards next week against Indianapolis to break the single-season rushing mark of 1,474 yards set a year ago by Antwan Hart.

Like Hart in 2004, teams know that they’re going to see a lot of Schwalm and still, the plucky tailback continues to gain yards. That’s one reason he’s gained the respect of his teammates.

“He’s a great player with a great offensive line,” said linebacker Allen Lattimore. “They make great blocks and it’s a great system.”

“He’s playing to get this team to the playoffs,” noted wide receiver Dalorean White. “He’s not going down with just one tackler.”

Every week, it sinks in a little more, just how far the Eagles have come in a year. In 2002 and 2003, the Eagles were 2-9. A year ago, AU climbed to 5-6. Now, with one week to go in the regular season, Ashland is still alive in the NCAA Division II playoff hunt. AU was ranked eighth last week.

“Yes and no,” replied guard Justin Dorr, when asked if he thought a turnaround could happen at this rate of speed. “You always say you’ll be there. Getting there is a lot different than saying it.”

“I knew Coach Owens would build a great program, but I didn’t know it would be anything like this,” said sophomore linebacker Luke Busson, in his first season at AU after transferring from Kent State. “I kind of anticipated it, but not to this height.”

Findlay’s Roland Hamilton missed a 45-yard field goal and had a 40-yard try blocked. Coming into the game, Hamilton was 10-for-15 on field goal tries…linebacker Brady Miller had a team-high 11 tackles. Miller has been the leading tackler or shared that honor in five of the last six games. The Cincinnati native leads the team with 90 tackles…White has 777 receiving yards with one game to play. Right now, that total has been exceeded by an AU player once in the last 17 seasons (Michael Hull, 823 yards in 2003)…AU is 2-1 in night games this season and 5-1 on the road. The last time the Eagles won five times on the road was in 1993.