Ashland Football Weekly Report
November 1, 2005

Game 11– Indianapolis (6-4/5-4) at Ashland (8-2/7-2)
Saturday, November 5, 2005, 1 p.m.
Ashland, OH/Community Stadium

Determining the proper measuring stick can cause a headache. Some of this problem can be traced back to whether you are new school or old school, new wave or no wave at all (Isn’t the wave something bored people do at sporting events?).

Do we measure with the traditional ruler and yard stick, or do we start to make the transition to meters? Which suits your fancy, kilometers or miles?

Let’s make this easy – by any measure, the Ashland University football team rates as one of the most improved NCAA Division II outfits in the country. In 2002 and 2003, the Eagles were 2-9. Last year’s team climbed to 5-6 and had a chance to finish over .500 if it could have won on the final weekend of the season at Indianapolis.

This week finds the Eagles skirmishing with Indianapolis again. The Eagles have won five consecutive games and are going for their first nine-win season since 1997. Since 1990, the program has reached that level three times – 1991, 1993 and 1997. What makes this run for that elite status so impressive that it’s happened in just the second year with Lee Owens as the head coach.

AU is also still in the running for an NCAA Division II playoff berth. Add it all up and the Eagles have a lot to play for on the final week of the 2005 campaign.

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. The game is also webcast on the AU athletics website.

WRDL-FM (88.9), the campus radio station, will broadcast the game live with Tyler Miller and Brian Vail handling the call. WMFD-TV in Mansfield, OH, will show the game twice on a tape delay basis – Saturday at midnight and Sunday at 7 p.m.

Dusty Sloan, sports editor of the Ashland Times-Gazette, will be at the game and his account will run in Monday’s paper. The Mansfield News-Journal will have a game wrapup in Sunday’s edition.

Ashland-Indianapolis
A year ago, the Eagles traveled to Indianapolis on the final weekend of the season. A victory would give AU a winning record in the first year of the Lee Owens era. Those plans didn’t materialize as the Greyhounds used a 17-point second quarter to hold off Ashland, 24-21. That was the Greyhounds’ third consecutive win over the Eagles. Despite that three-game losing streak against Indianapolis, Ashland remains in front, 16-10, in the all-time series.

Indy quarterback Matt Kohn completed 18-of-29 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns. IU wide receiver Kevin Stanford caught seven passes for 121 yards and a pair of scores. Indy’s Justin Russell had six receptions for 110 yards.

The last time these two teams clashed in Ashland was in 2003 and the Greyhounds came away with a 35-24 triumph. AU’s last win over Indy came in Indianapolis in 2001, 23-10. The Eagles’ last win over the ‘Hounds at Community Stadium came in 2000, 20-13.

History Lesson – Ashland-Indianapolis

• 2004 – at Indianapolis 24, Ashland 21 – Tailback Antwan Hart rushes for 208 yards on 35 carries and finishes the year with a school-record 1,474 yards.
• 2003 – Indianapolis 35, at Ashland 24 – AU’s Toure Carter returns a kickoff 95 yards for a TD and that’s the longest return in AU history. That’s where the highlights for AU stop. Indy scores 22 second-half points and Kohn is 21-for-36 for 319 yards and three touchdowns.
• 2002 – at Indianapolis 35, Ashland 24 – Indy running back Donnie McCoy rushes for 22 yards, but scores three touchdowns. Kohn is on target with 18-of-21 passes for 180 yards and a TD. AU scores the game’s first touchdown and the ‘Hounds respond with 28 unanswered points.
• 2001 – Ashland 23 at Indianapolis 10 – Indy never gets the ball, AU leads in time of possession, 38:39-21:21. Matt Pifer kicks three field goals and J.R. McCoy rushes for 164 yards on 37 carries.
• 2000 – at Ashland 20, Indianapolis 13 – Eagles win defensive battle behind 125 yards on the ground by McCoy. QB Matt McCullough is 17-of-25 for 152 yards and a score. Indy turns the ball over three times.

The GLIAC Report
Grand Valley sits alone in first place with a 9-0 record. Perched behind the Lakers are Saginaw Valley State (8-1), Northwood (8-2/7-2), Ashland and Michigan Tech (6-3). Northwood, fighting for an NCAA playoff berth, visits Northern Michigan this week and Saginaw Valley State, also a strong postseason contender, hosts Ferris State. Grand Valley State hosts Michigan Tech.

AU running back Jason Schwalm (Kenosha, WI/Dublin Coffman) is in position to claim the GLIAC rushing crown. The senior leads the league with 1,285 yards. He’s averaging 128.3 ypg. Heading into the last week of the season, Michigan Tech’s Lee Marana is second (1,105 yards/122.8 ypg.). Schwalm is also second in the conference in all-purpose yards per game (130.5).

The Eagles, who were second in the nation in scoring defense last week, are leading the GLIAC in scoring defense (10.4 ppg.), rush defense (98.5 ypg.) and Red Zone defense (9-21/42.9 percent). AU is second in pass efficiency defense (99.8 rating) and total defense (269.8 ypg.) and third in pass defense (171.3 ypg.). Ashland is setting the standard in fewest penalties (35-286/28.6 ypg.), is tied for second in sacks allowed (8) and is third in time of possession (32:14).

Thanks in large part to Schwalm, the Eagles have climbed to fourth in rushing offense (191.4 ypg.).

AU Head Coach Lee Owens
Lee Owens begins his second season at AU with a career mark on the college level of 53-69. 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 was a successful high school coach before moving to the collegiate ranks. 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
Last Saturday night in Findlay, the Eagles found themselves staring at a 14-0 deficit early in the second quarter. That’s the largest hole the Eagles have been in this season. Thanks to 21 unanswered points the rest of the way, the Eagles eventually came out on top, 21-14. AU has defeated Findlay two straight times.

AU methodically worked its way back into the game, scoring on a 4-yard run by Schwalm with 51 seconds to go in the half to cut the Findlay lead to 14-7.

In the second half, AU hit paydirt two more times. Junior quarterback Nick Strance (Willard, OH) found senior wide receiver Dalorean White (Warrensville, OH/Erie C.C.) with a 73-yard scoring strike with 2:36 left in the third quarter. With 6:55 to play in regulation, Schwalm capped a 72-yard, nine-play drive with an 11-yard scoring run. The AU tailback finished the game with 182 yards on 37 carries. White had six receptions for 146 yards. Strance finished 10-of-19 passing for 173 yards.

Senior linebacker Jeremy Crabtree (Pickerington, OH) made several key plays. He blocked a field goal attempt and his interception of a Mike Leach pass with 1:01 to play sealed the win. Crabtree had seven tackles (five solo).

Findlay outgained the Eagles, 374-367. However, AU wore down the Oilers by leading in time of possession, 34:58-25:02. Ashland also converted three of four fourth down conversions.

Listed below are some of AU’s top players.

• 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). This is his first season at safety after spending the last two years at linebacker. This year, Conwell is second on the club in tackles (73/31 solo). He had nine stops last week.
• Jeremy Crabtree (Pickerington, OH) – A senior linebacker, Crabtree is tied for fourth on the team in tackles (59/37 solo). He leads the team in tackles for loss (9.5-51) and is tied for the lead in sacks (5). He has a team-high four interceptions. Crabtree is tied for fourth in the GLIAC in interceptions.
• Luke Busson (Wadsworth, OH/Kent State) – The sophomore linebacker has 59 tackles (37 solo). He’s tied for fourth on the team in stops. Busson shares the team lead in sacks (five).
• Blake Dickson (North Canton, OH/Jackson) – A stalwart at left guard, Dickson was second team All-GLIAC in 2004.
• 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). This season, Lattimore has 71 tackles (31 solo), eight tackles for loss and four sacks. He’s second on the team in tackles.
• Brady Miller (Cincinnati, OH/Elder) – The quarterback of the defense, this senior linebacker leads the Eagles in tackles (90/50 solo). Miller had a team-high 11 stops at Findlay. The Cincinnati native has 7.5 tackles for loss (28 yards) and four sacks. He’s tied for 11th in the conference in tackles (9.0 tpg.).
• Brian Mong (Columbus, OH/Watterson) – A 6-3, 264-pound senior tight end, Mong is third on the team in receptions (14).
• 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. Schwalm has rushed for over 100 yards in five games this year. Over the last two weeks he’s carried the ball 82 times for 474 yards (5.8 ypc.).
• Nick Strance (Willard, OH) – This is Strance’s second full season as the AU starting quarterback. The junior is sixth in the GLIAC in pass efficiency (119.9 rating), eighth in passing yards per game (138.2) and ninth in total offense (138.6 ypg.). He’s completed 118 of 212 passes for 1,374 yards with 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
• Dalorean White (Warrensville, OH/Erie C.C.) – White has caught a team-best 51 passes for 777 yards (15.2 ypc.) with six touchdowns. The slippery senior is fifth in the league in receptions per game (5.1), seventh in receiving yards per game (78.6) and eighth in all-purpose yards per game (117.4 ypg.).
• David Ziegelhofer (Lexington, OH) – This sophomore wide receiver has caught 26 passes for 250 yards (9.6 ypc.). He’s second on the team in receptions. Ziegelhofer is seventh in the conference in punt return average (6.1).

• Ashland has advanced to the NCAA playoffs twice – in 1986 and 1997. Both times the Eagles lost in the first round. In 1986, AU lost at North Dakota State, 50-0. In 1997, the Eagles dropped a 30-20 verdict at Slippery Rock.
• AU’s five-game winning streak is its longest since 1998 when the Eagles put together a six-game win skein.
• Last week, Findlay became the first team this season to score a touchdown in the first quarter against AU. Those were the first points AU had permitted in the opening frame since Michigan Tech kicked a field goal on Sept. 24.
• Don’t think the Eagles can drive the field on offense? Last week’s three scoring drives measured 77, 77 and 72 yards.
• Schwalm needs 33 carries to set the AU single-season record for carries. That record is owned by J.R. McCoy, who had 302 carries in 2001. Schwalm needs 190 yards to break Antwan Hart’s single-season rushing record (1,474 yards). Over the last two weeks, the AU tailback has carried the ball 82 times and gained 474 yards (5.8 ypc.).
• In AU’s first scoring drive last week, a 16-play, 77-yard sojourn, Schwalm carried 13 times for 75 yards.
• During its five-game winning streak, AU has outscored the opposition, 127-37.
• Ashland finishes the year 5-1 on the road. The last time AU won five road contests in a season was in 1993.
• AU and Michigan Tech are the only schools with two players listed among the GLIAC leaders in all-purpose yardage (Schwalm – second, White – eighth).
• Only once this season has a running back (Michigan Tech’s Lee Marana) rushed for over 100 yards against AU. Dating back to last season, only four backs in the last 17 games have reached the century mark against AU.
• White has caught at least one pass in 21 consecutive games. White, who came to AU last year, has had at least one reception in every game he’s played.

Regional Rankings
This week’s NCAA Division II Northwest regional rankings appear below. The top six teams in the region advance to the playoffs.

• Grand Valley State (9-0) 7. Central Washington (7-2)
• Nebraska-Omaha (7-2) 8. Minnesota-Duluth (7-3)
• North Dakota (9-1) 9. South Dakota (8-2)
• Saginaw Valley State (8-1) 10. Ashland (8-2)
• St. Cloud State (8-2) 11. Winona State (8-2)
• Northwood (8-2) 12. Concordia-St. Paul (8-2)

Owens on the success of Indianapolis.

“They’ve tried to establish a ball-control game against everyone they’ve played. They have a good group up front. They stay in the game, they don’t make mistakes. They manage the game and step up in critical situations. Aside from their game against Mercyhurst, their season and our season are very similar.”

Owens on the mindset of the Eagles.

“They’ve shown a great deal of maturity. Every time we’ve challenged them they’ve responded. They’ll be ready to play on Saturday. They still have hope they can get in the playoffs. There is a lot of incentive to play well.”

Owens on the improvement of senior linebacker Jeremy Crabtree.

“It’s getting him into a position where he has a chance to use his skill and ability. “In the past, when he was at outside linebacker, he just wasn’t suited for that. He fits better inside, he can use his instinct and speed to run.”

Lattimore on Findlay getting two quick touchdowns last week.

“It was a case of missed assignments, blown coverages, shooting ourselves in the foot.”

Lattimore on why AU has shown so much improvement in 2005.

“Mainly, we were a young team. We’ve matured, a lot of it is great focus and great leadership. It’s a real big difference.”

Busson on whether the AU defense is playing at its best.

“I think we’re far away from it. Coach (Jim) Meyer says if we don’t have any missed assignments no one in the nation can play with us.”

White on the play of Schwalm.

“He’s playing to get us to the playoffs. He’s not going down with one tackle.”