DETROIT -- The Wayne State University football team (1-3 overall, 0-2 GLIAC) aims to snap a three-game losing streak with the first of two straight games at Tom Adams Field. WSU will host former GLIAC rival Tiffin (4-0 overall, 2-0 G-MAC) on Saturday before welcoming one of the newest members of the conference, Davenport on Oct. 6th. The Warriors have their work cut out for them as the Dragons and Panthers are a combined 8-0 heading into this week's slate of games.
SCOUTING THE DRAGONS
Now in the G-MAC, Tiffin has started 4-0, including winning each of its first two conference games over Alderson Broaddus (29-24) and Walsh (27-20). The Dragons have also topped Northwood (40-27) and Mercyhurst (24-20). Head coach Gary Goff is in his eighth season with the program. Redshirt sophomore Nick Watson has thrown for 1,176 yards and eight touchdowns, while completing over 66 percent of his passes. Freshman running back Tylan Rice (242 yards and four TDs) and redshirt sophomore Kyle Brunson (239 yards and three TDs) share the workload in the rushing attack. Redshirt senior Charles Holland is the team's top pass catcher with 28 receptions for 427 yards and four scores, while sophomore Victory Talley has caught 24 passes for 370 yards and three touchdowns.
A trio of Dragons lead the defense in tackles as senior safety Daijohn Isbell, junior linebacker Jacob Mertus and redshirt junior safety Daigien Morgan all have collected 28 total stops. Redshirt freshman defensive end Alexander Melfe has a team-high three tackles for loss, while Isbell has three interceptions. As a team, TU is scoring 30 points per game and allowing 23 points per contest.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Wayne State leads 7-3 in the all-time series against Tiffin. The teams have met in each of the last four seasons with the Dragons having won three of those matchups. Head coach
Paul Winters is 5-3 against TU in his time with Wayne State. WSU is 4-1 at home in the series and won the last contest at Adams Field, 35-21, on Sept. 24, 2016.
LAST TIME OUT
Wayne State lost its third straight game last weekend, 35-29 in overtime, at Saginaw Valley State.
The Warriors took an early 7-0 lead late in the first quarter on a seven-yard touchdown scamper by
DeOntay Moffett. SVSU answered late in the opening stanza on a four-yard touchdown run by Nate McCrary.
Just before intermission
Darece Roberson, Jr. hauled in a seven-yard touchdown pass from
Jake AmRhein pushing the Warrior lead to 17-7 and a safety from
Anthony Pittman made it 19-7 in favor of the visitors.
That would be WSU's last points until the final two minutes of regulation as Saginaw Valley garnered 22 consecutive points for a 29-22 lead.
Moffett's two-yard touchdown run with 1:55 remaining followed by
Paul Graham's PAT knotted the game at 29-29. In overtime, WSU accumulated seven yards on three carries before David Still blocked Graham's 34-yard field goal attempt. On SVSU's possession, after a rush for no gain, Ryan Conklin completed a 25-yard scoring pass to Chad Gailliard.
SAFETY DANCE
When
Anthony Pittman tackled SVSU running back Jermaih Johnson for a safety early in the third quarter, it was WSU's first safety since Brandon Lee and Derrick Rodgers combined to tackle Michigan Tech's Kevin Miller for a two-yard loss on a reception in Houghton on Sept. 3, 2015.
TRENDING UPWARDS
Darece Roberson, Jr. finished with 196 all-purpose yards at Saginaw Valley State (120 on kickoff returns, 68 receiving yards, and eight yards on a punt return). It marked the second consecutive contest Roberson has totaled at least 195 all-purpose yards as he garnered 197 the week before against Ashland. With his TD catch just before intermission, Roberson has four TD receptions in 2018, and had five touchdown catches in the first four games of 2017. He moved into a tie-for-ninth in school history with Elbert Richmond (1950-52) at 11 career touchdown receptions.
OVERTIME NUMBERS
WSU played its second overtime contest in the last five games at Saginaw Valley State last Saturday, after ending 2017 with a 34-27 extra session victory at Davenport. Wayne State is 4-9 in overtime games and 3-4 in road overtime contests. This was the first extra period game between WSU and SVSU.
QUARTERBACKS' FIRST START
Since 2002, the most passing yards in a first start by a WSU signal caller was 202 by James Phillips on Nov. 2, 2002, at Northwood until
Jake AmRhein passed for 211 yards plus three touchdowns on Sept. 15th.
MAKING THEIR DEBUTS
Of the 58 players who saw action for the Warriors vs. Walsh, 15 were making their collegiate debut (
Sean Banaszak,
Samari Dean,
Damani Green,
Avery Hall,
Tieler Houston,
Nick Isley,
Cameron Judge,
Cooper Kukal,
Jacob Mass,
Donte McClure,
Ryan Motala,
Nick Poterack,
Spencer Stephenson,
Reid Thompson and
Brandon Tuck-Hayden). Dean, Houston and Mass are true freshmen. Two others made their WSU debut (
Kenneth Cephus and
Shane Hynes). Plus
Ali Scheib, who played four years of soccer at Michigan State, made his collegiate football debut. Redshirt freshman
Joe Ziedas made his collegiate debut at Indianapolis, while classmate Jake Glasterer had an assisted tackle on kickoff coverage on his first collegiate play last Saturday.
EARLY SEASON SUCCESS
Since the start of the 2008 season, WSU has a 31-16 record for games played in August and September. The Warriors are 24-21 in October during that same time period, 12-11 in November and 2-1 in December.
A MATURING OFFENSIVE LINE
Going into the 2017 season, fans of Warrior football knew the offensive line was going to be a work in progress after losing 144 combined starts from the group of Robert Kelly (41), Nate Theaker (33),
Tommy Richardson (32), Andrew Zimmerman (21) and JT Pillars (17). The group of
Israel Helms (10),
Justin Tockstein (11),
Charlie Younger (11),
Lane Potter (11) and
Adam McJunkin (1) gained valuable experience since the 2017 season began with only three combined starts (all by then senior
Greg Webber). With the return of
Tommy Richardson and his 36 career starts, the 2018 offensive line now has 96 career starts.
TOM ADAMS HOME COOKING
Tom Adams Field is not an easy place to play for visiting programs. The Warriors have defended their home turf extremely well in the past 11 seasons (2008-18) to a 41-19 tune. WSU had a winning record at Adams Field for nine straight seasons, until a 2-4 record in 2017. In the Coach Winters' era, the Warriors are 48-32 (.600) in home games. WSU is 32-16 at Tom Adams Field this decade and carries a 216-217-19 all-time record at home in the first 101 years of the program as Detroit Junior College (1918-23), College of the City of Detroit (CCD / 1923-34), Wayne University (1934-56) and WSU (1956-present).
CONSISTENT LEADER
Paul Winters will become the longest tenured football coach in program history this fall as he is in his 15th season. He passed the founder of WSU athletics David Holmes in 2014 at 11 seasons (1918-28). Winters surpasses Hall of Fame coach Joseph Gembis, who held the post for 14 seasons (1932-45). Winters enters the SVSU contest tied-for-31st among all active DII football head coaches with 82 wins. The game at Ferris State on Sept. 30, 2017, was his 150th as the Warrior head coach. Gembis (101) and Holmes (80) are second and third in career games coached.
LAST 100-PLUS GAMES
Wayne State has compiled at least a .500 season in eight of the last 10 years (2008-17) combining for a 69-49 mark over the last 118 games. Prior to Coach Winters arrival in 2004, the Tartars/Warriors had 10 consecutive losing seasons on the field and only one winning season on the field in 19 years.
WINNING WHEN EXECUTING
Wayne State has won 22 of its last 27 games when rushing for over 200 yards, including the 2018 season-opener over Walsh, where the Warriors totaled 237 yards on the ground. The first three setbacks when accomplishing the feat came in 2016-at Ashland, where the Warriors ran for exactly 200 yards in a losing effort; at Ferris State and at Ohio Dominican when WSU ran for 242 yards.
Twice this year WSU has lost when rushing for at least 200 yards - at UIndy on Sept. 8th where the Green & Gold compiled 202 yards on the ground and last Saturday at Saginaw Valley. During the last seven-plus seasons (2011-18), Wayne State is 32-9 when rushing for 200 yards, including a 13-7 mark on the road. Under Coach Winters, the Green & Gold are 51-18 under those parameters, including a 32-5 mark at home.
NCAA STATS REPORT
Wayne State ranks third nationally in passing yards allowed per game (107.8), fifth in fewest penalties per game (3.50), seventh in blocked punts (1), 27th in tackles for loss allowed per game (4.50), 30th in total defense (291.8), 32nd in first down defense (60), 43rd in third down conversion percentage (.418) and 49th in fourth down conversion percentage (.571).
Darece Roberson, Jr. ranks 12th in the country with 341 combined kick return yards, 23rd with four receiving touchdowns and 46th with 133.5 all-purpose yards per contest.
DaVarie Halliburton,
Spencer Stephenson and
Samson Tai are all tied-for-29th with one fumble recovery each.
Jake AmRhein is 38th in Division II with 13.76 yards per completion.
DeOntay Moffett is 34th in rushing touchdowns with four, while
Demetrius Stinson is 47th with 340 rushing yards.
16-GAME SEASON
In the 45-year history of NCAA Division II football, the 2011 Warrior squad is the only team to play a 16-game schedule.
WINNINGEST MICHIGAN FOOTBALL PROGRAMS
Over the last decade-plus (2008-18), Wayne State ranks seventh among all Michigan football programs in winning percentage (both regular season and playoffs).
1. Grand Valley State, 105-26 / .802
2. Michigan State, 95-40 / .704
3. Ferris State, 81-40 / .669
4. Adrian, 68-37 / .648
5. Hillsdale, 70-46 / .603
6. Michigan, 77-54 / .588
7. Wayne State, 69-49 / .585
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Demetrius Stinson became the 12th running back in school history to surpass the 2,000-yard rushing total with his 81 yards vs. Walsh. His career total is at 2,298 following the SVSU contest, which ranks 11th all-time. Stinson has his sights set on 10th place (2,404) and ninth place (2,415).
LEON WILL SEE YOU IN THE BACKFIELD NOW
Leon Eggleston had a team-high eight tackles, including four for loss (-11 yards) as the Warrior defense limited Walsh to 155 yards of total offense. His first TFL came with WSU leading 3-0 on a third-and-one at the Walsh 44 (-2 yards); he had a two-yard TFL on the next series on the play following Walsh's deepest penetration of the game (WSU 39); he combined with
Derrick Coleman on a six-yard sack on third-and-nine on the drive after WSU took a 10-0 lead; on Walsh's first drive of the second half, Eggleston combined with
Kyle Toth for a three-yard TFL on second-and-10. He continued to lead the defense with seven tackles at UIndy. Eggleston added a TFL during the Ashland game and a half sack at Saginaw Valley to bring his season total to 5.5, which is tied-for-sixth in the GLIAC.
