Complete Game Notes (PDF)  l  PSAC Week 7 Notes  l  Last week's recap (W 69-7 at Cheyney)

HOF induction (Saturday morning)

SATURDAY  l  2:05 p.m.  l  Eiler-Martin Stadium

Follow:  redzonemedia.com  l  Live Video  l  Live Stats  l  Twitter

TV: Live on Blue Ridge TV-13 and esuwarriors.com. Play-by-play man Chris Doty, in his 26th season, is joined in the booth by Jim Riley (8th season).

Radio: Live on WVPO (ESPN Poconos) 840 AM for the 53rd season, and redzonemedia.com. Chuck Seese, the 2009 PSAC Heaslip Media Award recipient, is in his 27th season as the voice of the Warriors, with Bob Brittain in his 15th year providing the color commentary. Pre-game begins at 1:30 p.m.

Tickets: Available at Eiler-Martin Stadium 90 minutes before kickoff. $10 General admission, $15 chairback seating, $5 seniors 65 and older and children under 12.


1st & 10 ...  Complete Game Notes (PDF)

1 • ESU (3-3, 2-1) hosts Millersville (0-6, 0-3) on Homecoming Weekend at Eiler-Martin Stadium. ESU is 25-16 in Homecoming games under 42nd-year head coach Denny Douds. The Warriors have won 2 of their last 3 on Homecoming (2012, 2013) after dropping 5 straight.

2 • ESU has scored 60+ points in consecutive games for the first time in program history, aided by a 69-67 (5OT) loss vs. Shippensburg on Oct. 3 (tied 41-41 after regulation). The Warriors won 69-7 at Cheyney last week, leading 41-7 at halftime and 62-7 after 3 quarters.  

3 • Head coach Denny Douds holds the PSAC record for career wins (253), ranking 3rd in DII history, 20th in NCAA history and 3rd among active coaches.

4 • Douds holds the DII record and leads active coaches in career games (435). He coached his 500th overall game with the Warriors on Sept. 19 (56-12 W vs. Edinboro). Douds has been part of 503 of ESU's 803 games, and 298 of 469 wins, as a varsity program (since 1926).
4a • Douds is in his 42nd season as head coach and 50th at ESU overall.

5 • ESU is 1st in DII in passing offense (391.3 ypg), 3rd in total offense (537.2 ypg) and 5th in scoring offense (46.3 ppg). The Warriors have gained 500+ yards in 5 of their 6 games (693 vs. Ship) and have thrown for 300+ yards 5 times (594 vs. Ship).

6 • R-Sr. QB Matt Soltes leads DII in passing (391.3 ypg), total offense (418.8 ypg) and pass TD (27). He has 16 pass TD the last 2 weeks (9 vs. Ship, 7 at Cheyney), the most in a 2-game stretch in PSAC history. He is 1st among active DII QB's in games with 300 (23), 400 (13) and 500 (6) yards of total offense - setting a DII record for games with 500 yards total offense, and tying a DII record for games with 600 yards total offense (2).

7 • Soltes is a 2-time Harlon Hill candidate, joining 2014 winner Jason Vander Laan (QB, Ferris St) as the only active 2-time candidates. Soltes leads active DII QB's in career total offense per game (355.5 - 2nd in DII history), total offense (12,441 yds), passing yards per game (314.1), pass TD (112) and pass efficiency (162.2).

8 • R-Sr. WR Jon Schnaars leads DII in receiving (150.3 ypg), receptions (10.3 per game) and TD (14). He has 10 TD in the last 2 weeks (PSAC record 7 TD vs. Ship), the most in a 2-game stretch in PSAC history. He leads active DII players in career TD catches (37) and his 20 catches and 7 TD vs. Ship are both the most in NCAA football this year.

9 • R-Jr. TB Robert Healy is one of 2 DII players with 400+ yards rushing (478) and receiving (505) thru 6 weeks. He is 155 rushing yards from ESU's career record (2,579 - Rick Sterner, 1988-92).  

10 • Healy (983) and Schnaars (902) have 1,885 combined rushing/receiving yards, the most among 2 teammates in DII football.


For more ... Complete Game Notes (PDF)

THE SERIES: ESU holds a 40-25-1 advantage in 66 meetings with Millersville, including a 35-13 road win in 2014. ESU has won 12 of 14 since 2001 after Millersville held a 14-2-1 advantage from 1984-2000. ESU has scored 60+ points in 3 of the last 5 games, and 40+ in 5 of the last 7. The two schools have played every season since 1948, with the exception of a canceled game in 1955. Greg Breitbach, in his 3rd season, is the Marauders' 4th head coach in the last 15 years after 31 years under Gene Carpenter.

DOUDS' MILESTONES: Douds is one of 13 men to reach 40 seasons as head coach in NCAA football history, the 9th to coach 40 years at one school, and the 5th to spend all of his 40+ year career at the same institution. He joins Eddie Robinson (Grambling, 1941-42, 45-97), John E. Dorman (Upper Iowa, 1905-06, 09-42, 45-59), Joe Paterno (Penn State, 1966-2011) and Jim Malosky (Minn.-Duluth, 1958-97) on that list.

Entering this week: has coached more games (435) than any active coach in NCAA football ... ranks 1st in DII history in games coached (set in 2011), and 9th in NCAA history ... 3rd in career wins (253) among active NCAA coaches ... 1st in the PSAC in career wins (set in 2008), 3rd in DII history and 20th in NCAA history ... 54 career wins since turning 65 - more than 10 of the other 15 PSAC coaches have in their careers.

DOUDS DWARFS PSAC EAST: Douds had 250 career wins entering 2015 ... the other 7 coaches in the PSAC East had combined for 164 wins while coaching in the PSAC - WCU's Bill Zwaan (101), Ship's Mark Maciejewski (31), Bloom's Paul Darragh (21), KU's Jim Clements (6), Cheyney's Chris Roulhac (3), Mill's Greg Breitbach (2) and LHU's Dave Taynor (0) ... Douds had coached 41 seasons in the PSAC entering 2015 (other 7 - combined for 24).

THE HEAD COACHES: Denny Douds (Slippery Rock '63) has a career record of 253-179-3 (.585) in his 42nd season. He is in his 50th season at ESU overall, including 8 years as an assistant coach from 1966-73. He has led the Warriors to 9 PSAC titles and 4 NCAA Playoff appearances since taking over as head coach in 1974. His teams won outright state titles in 1975, 1978 and 1982 before the State Game was discontinued following the 1987 season. His teams have claimed PSAC East divisional titles in 1975, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1991, 2002 and 2003. NCAA Playoff appearances have come in 1991, 2004, 2005 - when the Warriors won the Northeast Region title and advanced to the national semifinals - and 2009.

Greg Breitbach (Montana-Western '94) has a career record of 2-26 in his 3rd season at Millersville. The Marauders beat Cheyney, 34-12, for their only win in 2014. He took over for Greg Colby (11-44 in 5 years) prior to the 2013 season. He was formerly offensive coordinator at North Dakota for 5 years. In 7 total years at UND, he helped the Bison post a 49-30 record, including 2 NCAA Division II Playoff appearances (2006-07) before transitioning to DI FCS. He has also coached at Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Lewis & Clark and alma mater Montana-Western.

TAKEAWAYS vs. CHEYNEY
1. Soltes (28-for-37, 419 yds, 7 TD; 16 rush yds) had his 4th consecutive game with 400+ yards total offense (435), the longest stretch in school history. He had his 13th career game with 400+ total yards, extending his school record.
2. Soltes had his 4th consecutive game with 5+ TD passes and the 11th of his career (DII record is 12 - Curt Anes, Grand Valley State, 1999-02).
3. Soltes is PSAC East Offensive AOW for the 9th time, tying Jimmy Terwilliger (2003-06) for the most by an ESU player.
4. Schnaars (11 catches, 148 yards, 3 TD) and Sr. WR Gerard Wendowski (5 catches, 118 yards, TD) both surpassed 100 yards for the 2nd straight week. Wendowski (10-222-2 TD) and Schnaars (20-218-7 TD) set a school record for combined receiving yards by 2 players (440) vs. Ship on Oct. 3.
5. Healy had 100+ yards from scrimmage (119) for the 6th straight game, and the 23rd time (28 games) in his career, the most in school history. Healy is 4th among active DII players with 131.9 yards from scrimmage per game.
6. R-Sr. TB Gerald Van De Cruz ran for 96 yards (career-high) and 3 TD. 14 of his 21 career TD are from the 1-yard line.
7. ESU's defense did not allow an offensive TD. Cheyney's TD was a 55-yard fumble return in the 2nd quarter.

SCHOOL RECORD PACE
Passing Yards - 391.3 ypg    (2nd - record 404.1 ypg in 1996)
Total Offense - 537.2 ypg    (1st - record 509.1 ypg in 1996)
Scoring - 46.3 ppg    (1st - record 42.5 ppg in 2005)
1st Downs - 27.2    (1st - record 25.6 in 2013)
3rd Down % - 50.5    (2nd - record 53.3 in 1990)

TRENDING UP: ESU has notched 2 straight winning seasons (6-5 in 2014, 7-4 in 2013), building on a 5-5 mark in 2012 after consecutive 3-8 seasons in 2010 and 2011. Since 2000, ESU is 104-67 (.608) with a .500+ record in 12 of 15 years.

DOUDS' FOES: Douds has faced 108 head coaches in his career at ESU ... Dave Taynor (LHU) was Douds' 108th opponent on Sept. 26 ... Douds is 71-37 against first-time foes ... Douds faced Millersville's Gene Carpenter 27 times, and faced Danny Hale 26 times between his career at WCU and Bloom ... Among active coaches, his most frequent opponents are West Chester's Bill Zwaan (13), SRU's George Mihalik (12) and LIU Post's Bryan Collins (10).

PROGRAM WINS: ESU has a 469-315-19 (.596) record in its 88th year of varsity football. West Chester (576), IUP (532) and Slippery Rock (479) are the only other PSAC programs with at least 450 wins (Bloomsburg has 447) ... As head coach, Douds is responsible for 54.2 percent of the program's games (435 of 803), and 53.9 percent of its wins (253 of 469) ... Including 68 games and 45 wins as an assistant coach under Charlie Reese from 1966-73, he has coached in 503 of the 803 games (62.6 percent) and 298 of the 469 wins (63.5 percent) in program history ... There have been at least 4 head coaches at every other PSAC school since Douds was named head coach in 1974.

RETURNING ALL-PSAC EAST: ESU has 4 players who have earned All-PSAC East status in their careers:
QB - R-Sr. Matt Soltes (2013 and 2014 2nd team, 2012 Freshman of the Year)
TB - R-Jr. Robert Healy (2013 and 2014 2nd team, 2013 Freshman of the Year)
WR - R-Sr. Jon Schnaars (2014 2nd team)
CB - Sr. Teron Dobbs (2014 2nd team)

TWO TERWILLIGERS: Jimmy Terwilliger, the 2005 Harlon Hill Trophy winner as a junior at ESU, joins the Warriors' coaching staff as defensive backs coach ... He joins his father, Mike Terwilliger, ESU's offensive coordinator, on Denny Douds' staff ... Mike Terwilliger enters his 38th year as assistant coach after 4 years as ESU's starting QB from 1974-77 - Douds' first 4 years as head coach ... Mike was a 2-time 1st team All-PSAC East selection, leading ESU to a 30-4-1 record, the 1975 PSAC championship (10-0) and a tie in the 1976 State Game (9-0-1) ... Jimmy was 36-12 in 4 years as ESU's starting QB from 2003-06 and is the only 4-time 1st team All-PSAC East QB in conference history ... he set 18 DII and 2 NCAA all-division records, tying the all-time mark with 148 career TD passes and setting DII records for passing yards (14,350) and total offense (16,064), among other standards.

THE OFFENSE

ESU has routinely fielded one of the top offenses in DII, both in passing offense and total offense. The Warriors are one of 2 teams in DII (along with Colorado Mines) to average 300+ yards passing per game in each of the last 4 years:
2011 - 323.2 ypg ... 2012 - 327.6 ypg ... 2013 - 318.6 ypg ... 2014 - 329.1 ypg

R-Sr. QB Matt Soltes has started 32 of ESU's 38 games since the start of the 2012 season. In that span, ESU ranks:
• 2nd in DII in yards per play (6.8) of 169 teams in the division
• 5th in DII in passing yards per game (335.5 ypg)
• 5th in DII in total offense per game (493.2 ypg)

3,000 - 1,000: R-Sr. QB Matt Soltes and R-Jr. TB Robert Healy are the only active teammates in DII to account for 3,000+ yards total offense (Soltes) and 1,000+ yards from scrimmage (Healy) in each of the last 2 years:
• 2014 - Soltes (3,054 total yards), Healy (1,378 yards from scrimmage)
• 2013 - Soltes (3,716 total yards), Healy (1,333 yards from scrimmage)

12,000 - 3,000: Soltes and Healy are the only active teammates in DII, and one of two tandems in NCAA football, with 12,000 career yards total offense and 3,000 career yards from scrimmage:
ESU (Matt Soltes 12,441 total yards -- Robert Healy 3,694 yards from scrimmage)
Oregon (Vernon Adams 12,351 total yards -- Byron Marshall 3,170 yards from scrimmage)

HEALY, SCHNAARS ARE DII'S TOP TANDEM: R-Jr. TB Robert Healy and R-Sr. WR Jon Schnaars have accounted for 1,885 combined yards (rushing + receiving), the most among 2 teammates in DII football. Healy has 983 yards from scrimmage (478 rushing, 505 receiving) and Schnaars leads DII players with 902 receiving yards. They have accounted for 58.5 percent of ESU's rushing and receiving yards this season.

RECORD-SETTING: Soltes holds 2 DII and multiple PSAC and ESU records:
• DII - 6 career games with 500+ yards total offense
• DII - 2 career games with 600+ yards total offense (t-1st)
• ESU/PSAC - 666 yards of total offense, 2012 at LIU Post
• ESU/PSAC - 211 consecutive passes without an interception, 2013
• ESU/PSAC - 3 career games with 500+ yards passing
• ESU/PSAC - 9 pass TD in a game, 2015 vs. Ship (t-1st)
• ESU - 13 career games with 400+ yards total offense
• ESU - 9 career games with 400+ yards passing
• ESU - 11 career games with 5+ pass TD
• ESU - 5 career games with 100+ yards rushing by QB (t-1st)
• ESU - 40 completions in a game, 2015 vs. Ship
   [38, Steve Mummaw, 1970 at Lafayette]
• ESU - 70 pass attempts in a game, 2015 vs. Ship
   [59, Tim Roken, 2008 vs. Ship]
• ESU - 78 offensive plays in a game, 2015 vs. Ship
   [72, James Franklin, 1994 at Millersville]
• ESU - 7+ TD passes in 2 straight games (t-1st) (active)
• ESU - 5+ TD passes in 4 straight games (active)
• ESU - 4+ TD  passes in 5 straight games (t-1st)
• ESU - 400+ yards total offense in 4 straight games (active)
• ESU - 400+ passing yards in 2 straight games (t-1st) (active)
• ESU - top 2 marks in completion % (record 85.3 vs. Clarion, 2013)

DUAL THREAT: Soltes ranks 2nd at ESU in career rushing yards by a QB (1,449) and has 5 career 100-yard rushing games. He ranks 4th in PSAC history in career rushing yards by a QB.
• 2012 - 536 rushing yards (#2 QB rusher in PSAC)
• 2013 - 472 rushing yards (#2 QB rusher in PSAC)
• 2014 - 276 rushing yards (7.5 games - #5 QB rusher in PSAC)
• 2015 - 165 rushing yards (#4 QB rusher in PSAC)

500+ PASSING, 100+ RUSHING - NCAA History
One of 2 QB's in NCAA history with 500+ passing, 100+ rushing yards
• Matt Soltes - 535 passing, 131 rushing at LIU Post (2012)
• Zac Dysert (Miami OH) - 516 passing, 108 rushing at Akron (2012)

400+ PASSING, 100+ RUSHING - PSAC History
• Matt Soltes - 416 passing, 111 rushing at Shippensburg (2014)
• Matt Soltes - 535 passing, 131 rushing at LIU Post (2012)
• Jeff Petrucci (California) - 406 passing, 111 rushing vs. Edinboro (1968)

FAMILY TRADITION: Soltes and his father, Andy, are one of 3 father-son tandems to throw a TD pass for the Warriors under Douds. Other tandems are Mike and Jimmy Terwilliger, and Brian and Matt Marshall. Andy Soltes' only career TD pass was the game-winner in a 17-9 win at West Chester during the 1982 PSAC championship season.

ADDING IT ALL UP: TD passes by family ... Terwilligers 181 (Mike 33, Jimmy 148) ... Soltes 113 (Andy 1, Matt 112) ... Marshalls 66 (Brian 5, Matt 61) ... TD passes by fathers -- 39 ... TD passes by sons -- 321 and counting.

SOLTES PSAC EAST OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Soltes has been named PSAC East Offensive Player of the Week 9 times in his career, tied with Jimmy Terwilliger (2003-06) for the most in school history.  
• 2012 10-6 - at West Chester (373 total yards)
• 2012 10-27 - at LIU Post (666 total yards)
• 2012 11-3 - at Millersville (382 total yards)
• 2013 10-5 - vs. Clarion (481 total yards)
• 2014 9-6 - at LIU Post (467 total yards)
• 2014 9-20 - at Edinboro (532 total yards)
• 2014 10-4 - at Shippensburg (527 total yards)
• 2015 9-26 - at Lock Haven (429 total yards)
• 2015 10-10 - at Cheyney (435 total yards)

ESU's scoring in Soltes' 32 career starts
• 20+ points (30) ... 30+ (24) ... 40+ (17) ... 50+ (7) ... 60+ (5)

HISTORIC NUMBERS THROUGH 5 GAMES
• Soltes - 1,929 passing yards (most thru 5 games - Soltes had 1,900 yards in 2014)
• Soltes - 2,078 total yards (2nd-most - Soltes had 2,154 yards in 2014)
• Soltes - 20 pass TD (tied for most - Damian Poalucci had 20 in 1996)
• Healy - 864 yards from scrimmage (most - Healy had 736 yards in 2014)
• Schnaars - 51 receptions (most - Evan Prall had 36 in 2006)
• Schnaars - 754 receiving yards (most - Prall had 688 in 2005)
• Schnaars - 11 receiving TD (most - Prall had 9 in 2005)

SCHNAARS, HEALY, WENDOWSKI LEAD DII

Most Receiving Yards, 2 Teammates
1. 1,407 - ESU
2. 1,304 - Western NM
3. 1,122 - Kutztown

Most Receiving Yards, 3 Teammates
1. 1,866 - ESU
2. 1,712 - Western NM
3. 1,436 - Tusculum

SCHNAARS CAMPBELL TROPHY SEMIFINALIST
• Schnaars is a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy, awarded by the National Football Foundation, for scholar-athlete success
• He is ESU's 5th semifinalist in the last 7 years (t-3rd in DII)
• One of 20 semifinalists in 2015 (1 of 2 in PSAC - Kutztown QB Chad Barton)
• Other ESU semifinalists: 2014 DL Bryan Thomson; 2013 WR Robert Bleiler; 2010 LB Matt Freed; 2009 WR Sam Shuman
• 2014 Academic All-America 2nd team

R-Sr. QB Matt Soltes
1. One of 2 active 2x Harlon Hill candidates in DII [3rd ESU 2x candidate - Jimmy Terwilliger (4), Damian Poalucci (2)]
2. 1st among active DII QB's in career total offense per game (355.5 ypg - 2nd in DII history)
3. Career pass efficiency (162.2) ranks 1st among active DII QB's, 2nd at ESU, 3rd in PSAC, 15th in DII history
4. Career total offense (12,441 yards) ranks 1st among active DII QB's, 2nd at ESU, 3rd in PSAC, 17th in DII history
5. Career passing yards (10,992 yards) ranks 2nd among active DII QB's, 2nd at ESU, 4th in PSAC, 24th in DII history
6. Career pass TD (112) ranks 1st among active DII QB's, 2nd at ESU, 4th in PSAC, t-13th in DII history
7. Career TD responsible for (118) ranks 2nd among active DII QB's, 2nd at ESU, 4th in PSAC history
8. DII record for career games with 500+ yards total offense (6) and t-1st for games with 600 yards total offense (2)
9. 1st among active DII QB's in career games with 300 (23), 400 (13), 500 (6) and 600 yards of total offense
10. One of 2 active NCAA QB's (with Oregon's Vernon Adams) with 10,000 career passing yards, 1,000 rushing yards
11. 10th DII QB with 10,000 career passing yards (10,992) and 1,000 rushing yards (1,449)

R-Jr. TB Robert Healy
1. 1st ESU player with 2,000 career rushing yards (2,424) and 1,000 receiving yards (1,270)
2. One of 3 active DII players with 2,000 rushing yards, 1,000 receiving yards
3. 8th in DII in yards from scrimmage per game (163.8 ypg) thru 6 weeks
4. One of 2 players in DII with 400+ yards rushing (478), receiving (505) thru 6 weeks
5. 864 yards from scrimmage thru 5 weeks were the most in program history (had 736 in 2014)
6. One of 2 players in DII with 500+ yards rushing (817), receiving (561) in 2014
7. 1st among active PSAC players in career yards from scrimmage per game (131.9)
8. 100+ yards from scrimmage in 23 of 28 career games - ESU record (200+ in 4 games - t-1st at ESU)
9. Top 2 ESU seasons in yards from scrimmage by back (1,378 in 2014, 1,333 in 2013)
10. 2,424 career rushing yards - 5th at ESU (155 from school record - 2,579 by Rick Sterner, 1988-92)

R-Sr. WR Jon Schnaars
1. 1st in DII in receiving yards (150.3 ypg), receptions (10.3 rpg) and receiving TD (14) thru 6 weeks
2. PSAC records for receptions (20) and receiving TD (7) vs. Shippensburg in week 5 (218 yards)
3. Only DII player with 2 games with 200+ receiving yards (218 vs. Ship in week 5, 200 vs. Edinboro in week 3)
4. Ranks 1st among active DII receivers in career TD (37), 5th in yards (2,739) and 7th in receptions (187)
5. Ranks 2nd at ESU in career receiving TD (37), 3rd in receptions (187) and 4th in yards (2,739)
6. 28 receiving TD in last 17 games (at least 1 TD in 15 of those 17 games)
7. ESU records for receptions (51), yards (754) and TD (11) thru 5 games

Complete Game Notes (PDF)