GAME NOTES (PDF)
THE MATCH-UP: East Stroudsburg University hosts Bloomsburg on Senior Day at Eiler-Martin Stadium. The two squads have alternated wins since 2002, with Bloomsburg winning 45-37 at home last season following ESU's 52-39 victory in the NCAA Playoffs in 2005. The meeting will be the 72nd between the two schools, tied with West Chester for the most games ESU has played against an opponent in 80 years of varsity football.
TV/Radio Coverage
TV: Live on Blue Ridge TV 13. Chris Doty (play-by-play) and Bob Capasso (color) will cover all of the action from Eiler-Martin Stadium. This is the 20th year that Blue Ridge TV 13 has broadcast ESU football.
The game will also be broadcast live across the state by PA SPORTSfever as the PSAC Game of the Week and will be available in the Poconos on WSWB-38 (for broadcast outlets across the state, please visit psacsports.org)
Radio: Live on WVPO 840 AM and redzonemedia.com. Chuck Seese will handle the play-by-play with Bob Brittain doing color commentary. Pre-game begins at 1:30 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT: Sophomore kicker Greg Knauss set a school record with five field goals in the Warriors' 30-15 loss at No. 14 West Chester on Saturday. Knauss was named the D2Football.com Special Teams Player of the Week on Tuesday. He connected from 45, 34, 20, 30 and 27 yards and pulled the Warriors within 14-12 on the final play of the first half. Knauss is the third player in PSAC history to make five field goals in a game. Junior QB Tim Roken threw for a career-high 282 yards and sophomore WR Sam Shuman had seven catches for 88 yards to lead the ESU offense.
MORE KNAUSS: Two ESU kickers had made four field goals in a game prior to Saturday at West Chester. Ed Detwiler, who holds the ESU and PSAC record with 50 field goals in his career, made four in a 40-13 win over California in 1992. Most recently, Matt Seagreaves connected on four field goals in a 31-14 win to open the 1994 season at Division I-AA Lafayette. Knauss is the third player in PSAC history to make five field goals in a game, joining Matt Mapes of Lock Haven (2000 vs. Slippery Rock) and Bill May of Clarion (1977 vs. IUP). Knauss is 12-of-17 for the season and has a shot at the school record of 15, which is shared by Seagreaves (1994) and Detwiler (1992).
Knauss also set the school record with a 53-yard field goal on Sept. 15 vs. IUP in the first home night game in school history. The kick came on the final play of the first half to give the Warriors a 20-17 halftime lead and broke the previous mark held by Todd McNamee, who made a 50-yard field goal vs. Southern Conn. State in 1988.
THE HEAD COACHES: Denny Douds (Slippery Rock '63) is in his 34th season as head football coach at ESU, and his 42nd season at ESU overall. Last season, Douds became just the 10th active college football coach to pass the 200-win plateau and enters today's game with a career record of 208-139-3. Douds has led the Warriors to nine PSAC titles and three NCAA Playoff appearances, including the Northeast Region championship in 2005 when ESU advanced to the national semifinals.
Danny Hale (West Chester '68) is in his 15th season as the head coach at Bloomsburg and his 20th season overall as a collegiate head coach. Hale has compiled a record of 122-44-1 with the Huskies and is 162-57-1 in his career. He was was 40-13 in five seasons (1984-88) as head coach at his alma mater and began his tenure at Bloomsburg in 1993. Hale has led Bloomsburg to at least a share of 10 PSAC East championships and five NCAA Division II postseason appearances.
PARTRIDGE GOES FOR 284: Junior TB Joe Partridge set the ESU single-game rushing record with 284 yards, and tied another record with four rushing touchdowns, in the Warriors' 42-6 win at Cheyney on Oct. 13. The previous mark was held by Andre Myers, who ran for 267 yards against Mansfield in 1998. He tied the rushing touchdown record shared by three other players - Stewart Ford (1999 vs. Glenville State), Johnny Lee Davis (1990 vs. Cheyney) and Danny Roskos (1946 vs. Montclair).
MORE PARTRIDGE: Tied Myers for fourth in ESU history with 34 carries in a game ... ran for 103 yards in the first quarter and 109 yards in the second quarter ... had 24 carries for 212 yards and four TDs at halftime ... broke the record with a 12-yard run midway through the third quarter ... had the 10th 200-yard rushing game in school history . . recorded his first career 100-yard rushing game as well . . entered the game with 237 yards and three TDs ... averaging 92.3 yards per game and 6.2 yards per carry in 2007.
TURN ON THE LIGHTS: ESU played the first home night game in school history on Sept. 15 against IUP and may also turn on the lights for Saturday's game against Bloomsburg, which features a 2 p.m. kickoff for the PSAC Game of the Week. The Warriors played their first three games this season under the lights - Aug. 27 at California (7 p.m.), Sept. 8 at Lock Haven (9 p.m.) and Sept. 15 vs. IUP (6 p.m.).
THE QUARTERBACKS: Redshirt junior Tim Roken has started four of the last five games at quarterback. He threw for a career-high 282 yards at West Chester last week after being held out of ESU's 42-6 win at Cheyney on Oct. 13 due to an injury. Roken is fifth in the PSAC in passing average (241.6 yards per game) and third in total offense (254.2 yards per game). He has thrown for at least 200 yards in four of his five starts:
Redshirt sophomore Tom O'Brien made his second career start at Cheyney, going 8-of-15 for 114 yards and two touchdowns. His first start came in the season opener at Cal, where he was 16-of-28 for 91 yards and two interceptions, and was sacked nine times. The Vulcans returned all 11 starters off the PSAC's top defense from a year ago.
THE TAILBACKS: Junior Joe Partridge is fifth in the PSAC with 92.3 rushing yards per game and is averaging 6.2 yards per carry on the season. He set the ESU single-game record with 284 rushing yards at Cheyney and has been ESU's leading rusher in the last five games. Partridge made his first start of the season vs. Slippery Rock and ran for 63 yards on 11 carries.
Partridge was the projected starter entering the season but missed the season opener due to injury. He returned against Lock Haven and ran for 95 yards and two TDs in the second half in his first action of the season. Partridge had 424 all-purpose yards (249 rushing, 165 receiving) and four TDs as the backup tailback in 2006.
Redshirt freshman Brant Quick started the first four games at tailback, running for 54 yards on 21 carries in his first career start at Cal, and ran 22 times for 115 yards and a touchdown the following week at Lock Haven. He carried seven times for 62 yards in the second half against Cheyney.
THE WIDE RECEIVERS: Redshirt sophomore Sam Shuman caught seven passes for 88 yards at West Chester and leads the Warriors with 25 catches, 362 yards and three TDs this season. He also gained 88 yards on three catches, including two TDs, vs. IUP and had five catches for a season-high 92 yards vs. Slippery Rock. Shuman is averaging 14.5 yards per catch in 2007 and averaged 15.2 yards per catch as a freshman (31 catches, 472 yards).
Freshman Jon Clouse had the first four catches of his career for 76 yards and two TDs (15 and 29 yards) to lead ESU at Cheyney. Clouse has started the last three games after being held out of the first four as a potential redshirt. He has seven catches for 126 yards (18.0 avg.) on the season.
Redshirt junior Doug Ogden has 20 catches for 237 yards and two TDs this year. He was ESU's leading returning receiver entering the year (39 catches, 494 yards, six TDs). He has 71 catches for 856 yards and nine TDs in his career at ESU.
Redshirt freshman Jeff Giglio leads ESU with a 20.4 yards per catch average (seven catches, 143 yards) and has two plays of at least 50 yards this season - a 51-yard TD on his first career catch at Lock Haven, and had a 53-yard catch against Slippery Rock.
Junior Drew Stem leads ESU with 21 catches but is expected to miss the remainder of the season with a broken arm which he suffered against Slippery Rock. Stem is fourth in the PSAC with 143.2 all-purpose yards per game. He had at least 100 all-purpose yards in his last three games - 119 vs. Slippery Rock, 268 vs. Millersville and 169 vs. IUP. His kick return average of 30.9 ranks second in ESU history, and he will hold the career record with a 29.9-yard average entering his senior season.
THE OFFENSIVE LINE: Sr. LT Mike Habel, a four-year starter and first team All-PSAC East selection, has started 41 games in his career and is the leader of the offensive line.
Sr. G Thomas Sugden, Sr. C Michael Parshley and So. G/T Morgan Thomas have also started all seven games on the offensive line. R-So. Matt Keller has started five games at right tackle and Jr. Anthony Glover has started two games at guard for ESU. (For a complete game-by-game look at the offensive line, see the graphic below).
THE LINEBACKERS: ESU returned all four starters at linebacker from 2006 in outside linebackers R-Jr. Steve Van Alstine and R-Jr. David Pacchioni, and inside linebackers Sr. Jayson Frank and Sr. Dave Lotier. Jr. Fred Rice led ESU with 132 tackles as a freshman in 2005 and missed all but three games in 2006 to receive a medical redshirt.
All four of the starting linebackers have an interception through the first seven games - Frank vs. Millersville and Slippery Rock, Van Alstine vs. IUP, and Lotier and Pacchioni at Lock Haven.
Frank, a first team All-PSAC East selection in 2006, is tied for second in the PSAC with 9.6 tackles per game (67 tackles). He also leads the Warriors with 3.0 sacks and two interceptions. He has eight or more tackles in six games, and three games with at least 10 - 11 at West Chester, 12 vs. IUP and 14 vs. Millersville (2.5 TFL, sack). Frank had eight tackles and a sack in each of the first two games, and led ESU with 86 tackles last season.
Lotier is second on the team and 10th in the PSAC with 60 tackles. He led ESU with 13 tackles vs. IUP and has six career interceptions in 21 starts. He returned a pick 42 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter at Lock Haven.
Pacchioni was a member of the All-PSAC East second team in 2006 and has 38 tackles, a sack and an interception this year after recording 47 tackles and four sacks last season. He had a team-high 12 tackles vs. Slippery Rock and also broke up two passes.
Van Alstine has 42 tackles and 2.5 tackles for a loss this season. He returned an interception 71 yards to set up the Warriors' first touchdown against IUP.
Rice has seen limited action through the first seven games, playing primarily on special teams. He has 22 tackles this season, including seven stops at Lock Haven. He has been used as a defensive end in pass rushing situations in the last two games, along with R-Fr. OLB Matt Freed. Rice also returned seven kicks for 85 yards in the last three weeks.
THE DEFENSIVE LINE: The ESU defensive line has three new starters from a year ago, with Jr. DT Miguel Rivera (14 tackles, sack) as the only holdover. R-Jr. DE Dave Iobst leads the defensive line with 32 tackles and 7.0 TFL. R-So. Matthew Faas leads the defensive line with 2.5 sacks and has 19 tackles and 4.5 TFL. R-Jr. DT Jeff Shrive (20 tackles) has also started all seven games in 2007. Jr. DE Ray Ramirez has 24 tackles and 3.5 TFL and R-Fr. DE Jeff Case had his first two career sacks at Cheyney.
THE SECONDARY: Seven different players have started games at the three spots in the ESU secondary this season. Fr. CB David Castillo has started the last three games, with Jr. CB Scott Christy starting on the other side in the last two games. So. Nick Artinger has four starts and Sr. CB Mike Gowen started the first three games before suffering an injury against IUP. R-Fr. CB Rob Hartenfels has the other start at corner for the Warriors this season. Jr. FS Mike Gnall has made five starts at safety, while Fr. FS Kevin Schafer has the other two. Schafer and Artinger are the primary nickel backs in passing situations.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Sophomore kicker Greg Knauss has set the ESU single-game record with five field goals (Oct. 20 at West Chester), and the school record for the longest field goal with a 53-yard kick (Sept. 15 vs. IUP). He is second in Division II with 1.7 field goals per game this season and is 12-of-17 on the year. Knauss is approaching the school record of 15 field goals in a season which is shared by Ed Detwiler (1992) and Matt Seagreaves (1994). He has made four field goals of 40 yards or more this season.
In the punting game, junior Nick Krut is third in the PSAC with a 40.8 yard average, including a career-long 60-yard punt vs. Slippery Rock and a 59-yarder last week at West Chester. ESU has a net punting average of 37.9 yards this season and was third in Division II in net punting last year (36.0). Senior LB Brock Williard is in his fourth year as the long snapper.
The Warriors' kick blocking unit has also excelled, as ESU has blocked five of its opponents 25 extra-point attempts this season. Dave Lotier has two blocks (at Cal, vs. Slippery Rock), along with Fred Rice (at Cal), David Pacchioni (at Cheyney) and Ray Ramirez (at West Chester).
WARRIORS ON TV: All four of the Warriors' home games will be broadcast on Blue Ridge TV 13, the 20th season that Blue Ridge will broadcast ESU football. Chris Doty handles play-by-play and Blue Ridge Sports Director Bob Capasso is the color commentator. Additionally, today's game is being broadcast across the state on PA SPORTSfever TV, which is airing a PSAC Game of the Week during each week of the 2007 season. The broadcast outlets in the Poconos are WQMY-53 (channel 16 on Blue Ridge Cable) and WSWB-38 (channel 11 on Blue Ridge).
WARRIORS ON RADIO: WVPO 840 AM has broadcast ESU football for 45 years, with Chuck Seese and Bob Brittain forming the broadcast team once again in 2007. WESS 90.3 FM, ESU's campus radio station, will also broadcast selected games.
TERWILLIGER AND PRALL: QB Jimmy Terwilliger, the 2005 Harlon Hill Award recipient as the most outstanding player in Division II, started all 48 games in his career at ESU before graduating last May. Terwilliger left with 15 ESU and 14 NCAA records, including tying the NCAA all-division record with 148 touchdown passes. He also set Division II standards for passing yards (14,350) and total offense (16,064). Terwilliger was a three-time recipient of the PSAC East Offensive Player of the Year (2003, 2004 and 2006), and set PSAC records with 4,571 passing yards, 4,960 yards of total offense and 50 passing touchdowns as ESU won the Northeast Region championship in 2005.
WR Evan Prall set PSAC records with 4,093 receiving yards and 50 touchdowns in his career at ESU from 2003-06. He teamed with Terwilliger for 164 catches, 2,940 yards and 40 touchdowns over his final two seasons and also holds ESU's all-purpose yardage record with 5,682 all-purpose yards when adding in more than 1,000 yards as a kick returner and 500 yards as a punt returner. Prall made it to the final cut with the New York Jets before being released following their final preseason game.
