Football 10/4/2023 12:11:00 PM Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Football Hosts Michigan Tech For Annual Homecoming Contest

GAME STORYLINES
Wayne State will open the month of October by competing in its first GLIAC game of the season. The Warriors welcome Michigan Tech to Detroit on Saturday, October 7, for the annual Homecoming game. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Tom Adams Field.

This weekend begins the second half of the four-game home stand. WSU suffered losses to #28-Truman State (41-7) and Concordia-Ann Arbor (24-23) in which the Cardinals scored a late go-ahead touchdown.

The Warriors went 1-4 in non-conference play this fall. Wayne State will battle each of the other six GLIAC football programs once to complete the schedule.

WSU is 7-11 in league openers since 2004, with the most recent victory being a 24-20 win over Saginaw Valley State on September 28, 2019. The Warriors are 3-6 since 2004 when opening the GLIAC slate at home. Additionally, 2018 was the most recent Homecoming victory for Wayne State, which came in a 55-21 triumph over Northwood on October 20 of that year.

SCOUTING MICHIGAN TECH
The Huskies began their conference slate last Saturday with a 28-0 setback to #16-ranked Davenport. Prior to being shut out, Michigan Tech had scored at least 24 points in each of its first three contests.

MTU has several offensive weapons that can explode for big plays at any moment. Huskie quarterback Alex Fries ranks third in the GLIAC with 185.8 passing yards per game. Fries is in his first season leading the Michigan Tech offense.

The junior signal caller has no shortage of receivers to target. Sophomore wideout Ethan Champney paces the conference in receiving yards per game at 97.5. He has four touchdowns and earlier this season recorded 148 and 143-yard receiving performances. Champney and fellow wide receiver Darius Willis are hard to defend on the outside. The duo rank second (Willis at 5.5) and third (Champney at 5.0) in the league in receptions per game.

In the running game, senior tailback William Marano averages 65 yards per game on the ground (fifth in the GLIAC). Sophomore Kolby Hindenach has rushed for a pair of scores in a backup role.

Defensively, junior Marc Sippel paces the team and ranks third in the conference in tackles with 43. He has not had a game this season with fewer than eight tackles. Fellow junior Hunter Buechel has registered 4.5 tackles per loss, a half TFL behind team leader Josh Cribben. Buechel also has recorded a pair of sacks. Sam Ahern wreaks havoc on opposing offenses from the secondary, tallying three interceptions in three games played.

Dan Mettlach was named the 17th head coach of Michigan Tech football on November 29, 2022. It's his seventh season on the MTU coaching staff after re-joining the program in 2017 as an assistant. Mettlach previously played quarterback for the Huskies from 2001-04 and was named an All-American, the 2004 GLIAC Player of the Year, and a two-time All-GLIAC selection.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Wayne State maintains a 19-13 edge in the all-time series between the two schools. WSU was victorious in the first 10 meetings between 1967 and 1994.

Michigan Tech has turned its luck around against the Warriors since the turn of the century, winning 11 of the 17 contests since 2002. Wayne State's most recent triumph over the Huskies was a 35-14 win on November 9, 2019, in Detroit. WSU is 1-1 in Homecoming games against MTU with a 27-10 win in 2011, and a 30-27 setback in 2021.

The two programs are known to play close games against one another. Since a 35-13 victory for MTU on November 10, 2012, seven of the eight matchups have been decided by seven points or fewer, with four of those contests decided by a field goal or less.

NATIONAL ATTENTION
Wayne State ranks 12th nationally in fewest turnovers lost (four in five games), 16th in sacks allowed (four in five games), 25th in red zone offense (9-of-10 for a .900 success rate), 27th in fewest penalties per game (5.40), 30th in fewest penalties (27), and 54th in rushing offense (160.2 yards per game).

Individually, Griffin Milovanski ranks 37th in the country and second in the GLIAC in field goal percentage (5-of-7 for a .714 percentage). Jeremy Taras ranks 55th in the nation in punting average (38.8 yards per punt).

THE CHALLENGING FUTURE
According to the NCAA, Wayne State has the tied-for-seventh most difficult schedule based on past opposition (11-4 with a .733 winning percentage). Future opposition has a combined 15-11 mark (.577), which puts the Warriors 32nd in that category. Through the end of week five and into week six, WSU has the second-toughest overall schedule in Division 2 (26-15 with a .634 winning percentage). The program is just behind Chowan for most-difficult (28-16, .636).

Wayne State's 11 opponents this year had an overall mark of 86-41 (.677) in 2022. The Warriors played the toughest regular-season schedule in NCAA Division 2 in 2022 (.692 winning percentage with a 74-33 combined record).

Coach Wheatley and the Warriors have three more opportunities to make noise in 2023 against nationally ranked teams via the AFCA Division II Coaches' Poll. The Green and Gold still have No. 1-Ferris State, No. 7-Grand Valley State, and No. 16-Davenport on the docket, while also having a contest with a team that Was receiving votes in Saginaw Valley State.

NEWCOMERS MAKING THEIR DEBUTS
Through the first five games of 2023, a total of 17 Warriors have made their collegiate debut, with another six making their WSU debuts. The 17 were Jaiden Acker, Tomi Bisiriyu, Devon Brown, Joe Clark, Jr., Nico Davis, Will Edwards, Dahmir Farnum, Ke'Waun Farnum, Maxx Fisher, Ethan Gates, Torrence Greene, Colby Horn, Brayden McKenna, Eli McLean, Nick Ostas, Quincy Salter, and Anthony Walk, Jr., with Acker, Davis, the Farnum brothers, Greene, and Walk, Jr. being true freshmen. The six transfers to see action were Jaden Davis (Ellsworth C.C.), Gamon Howard, Jr. (Lincoln, Calif.), Jace Parrish (Northwood), Jeremiah Sterling, Jr. (Olivet), Jayden Waddell (Davidson), and Carl Ware (Madonna).

MILOVANSKI'S MILESTONES
Kicker Griffin Milovanski has remained spotless this fall by connecting on all 10 of his extra point attempts in 2023. The successful tries have extended his streak to 36 consecutive made PATs, the fourth-longest streak in program history. The redshirt junior's run of made kicks dates back to the 2021 season finale at Ferris State on November 13.

By kicking a 31-yard field goal in the first quarter vs. Missouri S&T, Milovanski became the seventh place-kicker in school history (105th season) with 100 career points. He recently moved into sixth-place all-time among WSU kickers with 119 points (20 FG and 59 PATs) following an 11-point effort vs. Concordia-Ann Arbor on September 30.

He is in sole possession of sixth-place on the all-time leaderboard for made PATs. Milovanski ascended into seventh position all-time with 20 made field goals, passing Craig Motzer's 19 during 1986 and 1987.

DAVIS' DIFFERENCE
Junior Jaden Davis has made quite the difference in his five games (four starts) for Coach Wheatley and the Warriors at defensive end in 2023. The transfer from Ellsworth C.C. leads the team and ranks tied-for-fifth in the GLIAC in sacks with 2.5. He has also notched a total of 21 tackles, with 5.0 resulting in lost yardage for opposing players.

Davis has notched three quarterback hurries in the last two games, one at Indianapolis and two vs. Concordia-Ann Arbor. He forced a fumble vs. Truman State, the first of his Wayne State career.

FINDING A GROOVE ON DEFENSE
The Wayne State defense generated some big plays vs. Concordia-Ann Arbor. Linebacker Matt Buschman knocked the ball away from running back Brandon Stewart early in the fourth quarter for a fumble, which was recovered by cornerback Gamon Howard, Jr. It was Howard, Jr.'s first fumble recovery with the Warriors and Buschman's fifth forced fumble, which ranks tied-for-sixth in Warrior football history.

Later in the stanza, cornerback Elijah Fowlkes had the first interception of the season for the Green and Gold. He picked off CUAA's Gavin Brooks deep in WSU territory to prevent a Cardinals score and protect a then-23-14 edge. It was the third interception of Fowlkes' career and first since he had two against Wisconsin-La Crosse on September 17 last season.

McLEAN'S DUAL THREAT ABILITY
Graduate student quarterback Eli McLean has shown an ability to use both his arms and legs to support the Wayne State offense. McLean led the team with 123 yards of total offense at Indianapolis on September 16, collecting a team-best 52 rushing yards along with 71 passing yards (8-of-15).

He also threw his first career touchdown pass in the win over Missouri S&T on September 9, finding junior tight end Kaveon Ross open down the middle for a 32-yard touchdown strike. The score was also the first career touchdown for Ross. He hit Ross again for a 15-yard TD vs. Concordia-Ann Arbor. McLean has rushed for 105 yards and thrown for an additional 288 yards on 23-of-41 passing in his first five games of action for the Warriors.

RUNNING BACKS MAKING NOISE
The Warrior running back duo of redshirt sophomore D'Marco Singleton and redshirt senior Kendall Williams have each found success in 2023.

Singleton shined bright in the triumph vs. Missouri S&T, scoring on a 68-yard jaunt down the sideline for his first career touchdown just before intermission. The rush was the longest play of the day for either side and helped Singleton post a game-best 98 yards on the ground. He also leads the team with 206 rushing yards through five games.

Williams' 22-yard run on the second play from scrimmage against the Miners officially put him over 1,000 yards rushing for his career, a feat done by only 36 others in the 105-year history of WSU football. He scored his first touchdown of the season, and 10th of his career, with a one-yard carry vs. Truman State on September 23.

WARREN'S BIG DAY
Junior receiver Te'Avion Warren notched his first career touchdown and 100-yard receiving effort in the win over Missouri S&T. His first reception went for 36 yards on a third-and-five, which set up WSU's first TD of the game. Warren's second catch went for 12 yards and led to the touchdown that snapped a 17-17 deadlock early in the fourth quarter.

On the first play after Darien Tipps-Clemons forced a fumble that was recovered by Donte Reed, graduate student Jayden Waddell found Warren again, this time behind the MST secondary for a 57-yard touchdown pass. It was Warren's first career score and the play stood as the game-winning points after a Miners' late TD of their own.

Warren's 100-plus yard receiving effort (105 total) not only led the team but was also the first such performance by a Warrior since Trevonte Davis (244 yards) and Jesse Prewitt (135) each eclipsed the century mark in the 51-45 overtime setback at Missouri S&T on September 18, 2021.

WEEKLY WITH WHEATLEY
Join Tyrone Wheatley and Brady Beedon each Wednesday at Woodridge Pub prior to a home football Saturday for the Weekly with Wheatley podcast. The remaining shows will be taped on Oct. 4, Oct. 11, and Nov. 1. A different assistant coach will join Wheatley and Beedon each week.

The podcast will be added to the Wayne State athletics website every Friday morning for those unable to be at Woodbridge that week.

GLIAC PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Ferris State (34 points, five first-place votes)
2. Grand Valley State (31 points, one first-place vote)
3. Davenport (27 points, one first-place vote)
4. Saginaw Valley State (21 points)
5. Michigan Tech (16 points)
6. Wayne State (10 points)
7. Northern Michigan (8 points)

WHEATLEY'S FIRST WSU CAPTAINS
Prior to the season opener at SRU, coach Wheatley named his first captains' group as WSU head coach. The two defensive captains are graduate student Drake Reid (Rochester Hills, Mich.) and redshirt senior Dalen Peeks (Akron, Ohio). Offensive captains are graduate students Noah Nicklin (Davisburg, Mich.) and Chrishoun Roberts (Garfield Heights, Ohio), while redshirt junior Griffin Milovanski (Saugatuck, Mich.) represents the special teams unit.

DON'T MISS ANY OF THE ACTION
For the 22nd season, every contest can be heard live on WDTK - The Patriot (1400 AM / 101.5 FM) or online at PatriotDetroit.com. Veteran Detroit broadcaster Sean Baligian is in his 15th season calling Warrior football. Former Warrior defensive end Brady Beedon is in for his third season and will serve as the color analyst for nine games and handle the Locker Room Report and Senior Spotlight features for WDTK. WSU Hall of Fame tailback and kick returner Josh Renel will join Baligian in the booth for a pair of home contests. Renel provided color commentary for one game in 2012 and nearly every game for nine seasons (2013-22). In addition, WWJ Afternoon Anchor Tony Ortiz will serve as the sideline commentator during the six home broadcasts. Ortiz previously served as the sideline reporter for the Comcast CN900 broadcasts of WSU football from 2016 through 2022.

The radio pre-game show will start 15 minutes before a road contest and 30 minutes prior to a home game.

New for the 2023 football season, all Wayne State University football games will be streamed via FloSports. The games will be produced via The PreP in a partnership between the two entities. The stream will simulcast the radio call of each home football contest.

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Players Mentioned

#77 Tomi Bisiriyu: T; 6' 4"; Redshirt Freshman

#32 Devon Brown: CB; 6' 0"; Redshirt Freshman

#10 Matt Buschman: OLB; 6' 2"; Graduate Student

#90 Joe Clark, Jr.: DE; 6' 2"; Redshirt Freshman

#62 Will Edwards: G/C; 6' 3"; Redshirt Freshman

#27 Maxx Fisher: H/P/PK; 5' 11"; Senior

#2 Elijah Fowlkes: CB; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#76 Ethan Gates: T; 6' 6"; Redshirt Freshman

#55 Colby Horn: DE; 6' 7"; Redshirt Freshman

#6 Gamon Howard, Jr.: CB; 6' 1"; Redshirt Fifth Year

Players Mentioned

#77 Tomi Bisiriyu
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Freshman
: T

#32 Devon Brown
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Freshman
: CB

#10 Matt Buschman
: 6' 2"; Graduate Student
: OLB

#90 Joe Clark, Jr.
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Freshman
: DE

#62 Will Edwards
: 6' 3"; Redshirt Freshman
: G/C

#27 Maxx Fisher
: 5' 11"; Senior
: H/P/PK

#2 Elijah Fowlkes
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: CB

#76 Ethan Gates
: 6' 6"; Redshirt Freshman
: T

#55 Colby Horn
: 6' 7"; Redshirt Freshman
: DE

#6 Gamon Howard, Jr.
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Fifth Year
: CB