Sept. 22, 2011

Wayne State Football Game Notes #4


OHIO DOMINICAN GAME STORYLINES
The ninth-ranked Wayne State University football team has started 3-0 for the first time since 1976 and is riding a seven-game winning streak, tied for best in school history, dating back to last season. Also, WSU  currently has the longest GLIAC winning streak (all games) at seven. Along with receiving the highest national ranking ever by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), the Warriors are in the top 25 for the eighth consecutive poll.

Five of last week's top 10 squads suffered setbacks on Saturday, while Wayne State defeated visiting #22 Michigan Tech, 27-10.

The Warriors embark on a stretch that has them playing four of the next five games away from Adams Field starting this Saturday with a 7 p.m. kickoff at Ohio Dominican. The Panthers suffered a 35-13 setback at Ferris State University a week ago.


MICHIGAN TECH RECAP
In a battle of two top-25 teams, WSU prevailed on Homecoming by a 27-10 score over the visiting Michigan Tech Huskies, who were ranked 22nd by the AFCA. It was the Warriors seventh straight Homecoming triumph.

In the end, it was the WSU defense that prevailed blanking the Huskies for the final 41 minutes of the contest.  MTU entered the contest averaging 192 yards a game on the ground, but was limited to 100 yards on 43 attempts including four sacks of signal caller Tyler Scarlett.

Meanwhile, the WSU offense, which generated three first downs over the first 19 minutes of the match and trailed 10-3, recorded 12 first downs the rest of the way and out-rushed the guests 156-100.

The Warriors took a 13-10 lead just before halftime when Chet Privett recorded his second career touchdown reception. Privett's TD catch started a stretch of 24 consecutive points by the Warriors.

On the Huskies' second play of the third quarter, senior safety Jeremy Jones snatched his 10th career interception.  Two plays later, Mickey Mohner and Troy Burrell connected on a 40-yard touchdown pass increasing WSU's lead to 20-10.

Late in the fourth quarter, senior Josh Renel broke loose for 41 yards, just missing the end zone, but his rush on the ensuing play completed the scoring. Renel recorded a game-high 91 rushing yards on 17 carries, while sophomore Toney Davis also had 17 attempts and totaled 73 yards.   Mohner completed 11-of-23 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns, while Scarlett was 19-of-32 for 223 yards and a score but was picked off three times.  Burrell led all receivers with five catches for 148 yards.  Pat Carroll had a team-best five receptions for the Huskies.


JONES EARNS NATIONAL ACCOLADES
Jones was selected national defensive player of the week on Tuesday by D2Football.com for the second time in his career. He earned the award last year on Nov. 3 after recording a game-high 13 tackles (4-9), two interceptions and a pass break-up at Saginaw Valley.

In the Warriors' 27-10 win over Michigan Tech last Saturday, Jones totaled a game-best 11 tackles (all solo) including a sack and two interceptions. His first pick came on MTU's first drive of the second half with WSU holding a 13-10 advantage. Two plays later WSU led 20-10. Late in the third quarter after MTU had driven to the WSU 25, Jones intercepted his second pass of the game at the Warrior five. On what proved to be MTU's final drive, Jones had a five-yard sack on first down and tackled receiver Cedric Barber after a four-yard gain on fourth-and-eight allowing WSU to run out the clock.


MICHIGAN TECH HIGHLIGHTS
* Renel barely missed extending his 100-yard streak to seven games as he garnered 91 yards on 17 carries with one touchdown.
* For the fourth time in the last five games, Burrell had 100 yards in game after grabbing five passes for 148 yards and one score.
* Jones had two interceptions in game for the fourth time in his career and has eight interceptions in his last nine games played.
* Junior defensive tackle Zach Houghton recorded his first career interception after sophomore defensive end Mike Laamanen deflected a Michigan Tech pass midway through the second quarter.
* Sophomore place-kicker Stefan Terleckyj scored nine points and leads the Warriors with 25 points on the season.
* Privett recorded his second career touchdown reception just before halftime.
* Cornett had one career sack in his first 24 games but came up with two key sacks as well as two pass break-ups in the win.


HISTORIC START
A 4-0 start has only been done four times in school history (only twice since becoming WSU). In 1967, the squad began 7-0, but lost its last two games to finish 7-2. In 1956, the team began 4-0 and finished 0-2-1, while the 1934 team started 4-0, then lost to CMU, but won its last three contests to finish 7-1. The 1918 squad went 4-0 but only played four games.


IN THE POLLS
Wayne State moved up five spots in this week's AFCA Division II Coaches Poll to ninth in the country. It is the eighth straight week the Warriors have been in the top 25. WSU improved eight spots in the Massey Ratings to second, while D2Football.com moved the Warriors up six spots to seventh.

The Warriors were selected to win the GLIAC South Division, receiving 80 out of a possible 85 points, along with 10 out of a possible 13 first-place votes. The Panthers were picked to finish fourth in the GLIAC South Division, earning 38 points, in the preseason poll.


ON THE HEADSET
Head coach Paul Winters, reigning AFCA Region Coach of the Year, is in his eighth season at the helm of the Wayne State football program. Winters (39-39) is second on the WSU career wins all-time list. He needs three victories to tie Joseph G. Gembis for first all-time. WSU is 26-10 in its last 36 games. Ohio Dominican's Bill Conley (4-9) is in his second year with the Panthers.


ALL-TIME SERIES
Wayne State leads 1-0 in the all-time series with Ohio Dominican. The Warriors won the inaugural meeting between the schools last season at home, 17-7.


SCOUTING OHIO DOMINICAN
The Panthers (2-1, 1-1 GLIAC) enter Saturday's contest ninth in total offense (388.0 ypg) and 12th in total defense (446.0 ppg) in the GLIAC. While Wayne State has the conference's second-best running game (247.7 ypg), Ohio Dominican is seventh (159.7 ypg) at stopping the run. ODU is 13th in passing (154.3 ypg) and 14th at defending the pass. The Panthers have converted 50 percent (19-38) of their third downs which is tied-for-second best in the conference.

Mike Noffsinger, the second leading rusher in the GLIAC (136.3 ypg), leads a Ohio Dominican rushing attack (233.7 ypg) that ranks third in the conference.
Quarterback Jeremy Fudge sits 10th in total offense, averaging 208.7 yards per contest.

Defensive back Eisen Hardy is tied-for-fourth in tackles (30) and tied-for-second in passes defended with five.


COMCAST REPLAYS
Relive last Saturday's victory over Michigan Tech as  it will be replayed on Comcast Channel 900 on Sept. 26 @ 12:00 p.m., Sept 27 @ 9:00 p.m., Sept. 28 @ 9:00 a.m., Oct. 3 @ 12:00 p.m., Oct. 11 @ 9:00 p.m., Oct. 12 @ 9:00 a.m., Oct. 17 @ 12:00 p.m., Oct. 25 @ 9:00 p.m., Oct. 26 @ 9:00 a.m., Oct. 31 @ 12:00 p.m., Nov. 1 @ 9:00 p.m., Nov. 2 @ 9:00 a.m., and Nov. 7 @ 12:00 p.m.


COACH WINTERS ON WDFN 1130 AM
Tune into WDFN 1130 AM every Thursday at 5:15 p.m. when WSU play-by-play announcer Sean Baligian talks with head coach Paul Winters. The interview will recap last week's contest and preview the Warriors' upcoming opponent.


UPCOMING CAREER MILESTONES
* Renel needs four rushing touchdowns to move into a sixth place tie with L.C. Bulger III  (1983-85, 87) on the WSU all-time list. He needs 52 all-purpose yards to move into a  sixth place tie with Elbert Richmond (1950-52) on the WSU all-time chart. He needs 214 rushing yards to move into a tie for 10th with Chris Middlebrooks (2003-06). He needs five punt returns to tie Keith Bennett (1983-86) for second place.
* Burrell needs three receiving touchdowns to tie Ray Ponder (1989-92) for third all-time. He needs 50 receptions to tie Pierre Brown (1998-01) for third on the WSU all-time list.
* Mohner needs six touchdown passes to move into a first place tie with Michael Gluski (1994-95, 97-98) and Jason Charron (1999-01)on the WSU all-time chart. He needs seven passing yards to tie Rich Popp (1983-86) for fourth all-time.
* Jones needs two passes defended to pass Dante Dunn (2005-08) for fourth on the  WSU all-time list. Jones needs 86 interception return yards to move into a second  place tie with Stan Thornton (2007-10) on the all-time chart. He needs two interceptions to tie Bill Foley (1947-49), Dick Lisabeth (1951-54), and Terry Johnson (1976-78) for 10th all-time.

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