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IUP Defeats Mansfield in PSAC Crossover Contest

October 28, 2006

INDIANA, PA – Chris Morgan rushed for 122 yards and three touchdowns and the defense scored twice on fumble returns as IUP defeated Mansfield, 42-6, in the first meeting between the two schools in 55 years.

IUP won its fifth in a row to improve to 7-1 on the season while Mansfield dropped to 0-8. IUP began the week ranked eighth in the Northeast Region and 20^th in the American Football Coaches Association national poll. IUP had not played Mansfield since a 7-0 victory during the 1951 campaign.

Morgan went over the 1,000-yard mark for the second straight year, finishing the game with 1,112. He has 3,611 yards in his career, just 13 yards shy of passing Aamir Dew for second in the all-time IUP list. He had scoring runs of 8, 49 and 7 yards against Mansfield to give him 12 rushing touchdowns on the year and 32 in his career, tied for third in IUP history and one behind Steve Girting for second.

Mike Reid and Akwasi Owusu-Ansah scored on fumble returns, and Kareem Dutrieuille added a two-yard touchdown run as IUP recorded its highest point total since a 52-10 win over Lock Haven in the eighth game of the 2004 season.

Rodney Davis led Mansfield with 162 yards on the ground, and his 80-yard gallop with 13:34 left in the second quarter provided the only points of the game for the Mountaineers and momentarily cut the deficit to 13-7. The two teams combined to attempt only 15 passes, completing seven for 59 yards.

Kevin Weidl was 4 of 9 for 53 yards for IUP. Xavier Thomas, a converted wide receiver, was 3 of 6 for six yards for Mansfield.

Chad Swearinger led IUP with 12 tackles while James Carson had nine stops, including five behind the line of scrimmage. Rob Plowman had a sack, his ninth of the season, to force a Thomas fumble which Reid scooped up and returned 40 yards for a score to give IUP a 7-0 lead just 4:45 into the game.

On Mansfield’s next possession, punter Brandon Fields mishandled a snap, and IUP took over at the Mountaineer 16. Two eight-yard runs by Morgan covered the distance, and IUP was up 14-0 with 6:10 left in the first quarter.

Mansfield was held to minus six yards in the first quarter but stunned IUP on the third play of the second stanza when Davis went 80 yards for a score. The extra point was blocked, but the Mountaineers were within six. It was the first 100-yard game this season against an IUP rush defense that was ranked ninth in Division II with an average of just 69.6 entering the game.

The momentum of the Davis touchdown was short lived, however, as Morgan scored on a 49-yard run on the fourth play of the ensuing IUP possession to make it 21-6. IUP recovered a fumble at the Mansfield 43, and took 10 plays to find the end zone again, with Dutrieuille scoring with 41 seconds left in the second quarter for a 28-6 halftime lead.

Morgan scored on a seven-yard run with 10:04 left in the third quarter to make it 35-6, and Owusu-Ansah took a lateral from Donta Green after a fumble by Mansfield’s C.J. Okogeri and went 45 yards to the end zone to produce the final margin of victory with 11:57 remaining in the game.

IUP plays again in five days when it hosts Slippery Rock in a Thursday night game at Miller Stadium that kicks off at 7 p.m. That game will be televised live nationally by CSTV and regionally by Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh. Mansfield is at West Chester next Saturday at 1 p.m.

Courtesy of Sports Information Director Mike Hoffman.

IUP Pulls Away from Clarion in Second Half

October 14, 2006

INDIANA, PA – Kevin Weidl threw three touchdown passes and Nick Wallace tied a school record with four field goals, leading IUP to a 33-7 homecoming victory over Clarion in a PSAC West game Saturday at Miller Stadium.

IUP (5-1, 3-0), ranked seventh in the Northeast Region, scored 27 unanswered points after trailing 7-6 at halftime to post its sixth straight win over the Golden Eagles. Clarion (1-6, 0-2) took advantage of a muffed punt to score on its first possession but was kept off the scoreboard the rest of the way.

Weidl completed 13 of 23 passes for 131 yards and had scoring tosses of 31 and 15 yards to Tobias Robinson, the first two touchdowns of his career, and nine yards to Anthony Celllitti. Weidl moved into a tie with Scott Woods for fourth place in IUP history with 47 touchdown passes.

Wallace had field goals of 38, 23, 26 and 35 yards to tie the school record first set by Jon Ruff against New Haven in 1995 and matched by Josh Telenko against Shippensburg in 2003. He has 10 field goals in the past three games, already tied for the fourth most 3-pointers in a single game in IUP history.

Chris Morgan just missed on his ninth straight 100-yard game, finishing with 19 carries for 99 yards. IUP was held to 254 total yards by the Clarion defense. The Golden Eagle offense was limited to 218 yards, including just 22 on the ground. Tyler Huether completed 14 of 30 passes for 191 yards with Pierre Odom grabbing eight receptions for 135 yards.

Eddie Emanuel, who entered the game ranked 22^nd in the nation with an average of 108 rushing yards per game, was held to 29 yards on 10 carries.

Down by one point at halftime, IUP made the unusual decision to kick off to start the second half although it had deferred and Clarion received the opening kickoff of the game. The decision, made to capitalize on strong wind conditions, paid off for IUP immediately when Dwaon Woodard fumbled the kickoff and Quinton Cobb recovered at the Clarion 12.

Wallace, who had two field goals in the first half, hit his third of the game, a 26-yarder with 13:47 left in the third quarter to give IUP its first lead of the game at 9-7. A 34-yard punt into the wind set IUP up at the Clarion 49, and it was quickly turned into a 31-yard touchdown pass from Weidl to Robinson to make it 16-7 with just 3:41 expired after intermission.

Another short punt, this time of 20 yards, gave IUP the ball at the Golden Eagle 38, and it took eight plays for IUP to cover the distance, scoring on a Weidl-to-Cellitti touchdown from the nine to give the hosts a 23-7 lead.

A 35-yard field goal by Wallace with 10:45 left in the game and a 15-yard touchdown pass from Weidl to Robinson after a bad snap on a Clarion punt attempt rounded out the scoring.

Clarion went three and out on its first possession, but a Nick Perla punt hit return man Anthony Rodriguez on the foot, and the Golden Eagles recovered at their own 45. A 36-yard pass from Huether to Odom set up a five-yard scoring pass from Huether to Matt Foradora for the first points of the game.

Wallace made it 7-6 by halftime with his first two field goals of the game. Clarion had a chance to add to what was a 7-3 lead when it reached the IUP nine, but Akwasi Owusu-Ansah forced a fumble by Herb Carraway after a reception and IUP recovered to end the threat.

IUP is on the road next Saturday for a 1 p.m. game at Shippensburg. Clarion hosts Edinboro in a 6 p.m. contest.

Courtesy of Sports Information Director Mike Hoffman.

IUP Holds Off Lock Haven for 25^th Straight Win Over the Bald Eagles

October, 7, 2006

Indiana, PA - IUP built a 20-0 lead early in the fourth quarter and then held off a Lock Haven comeback attempt in a 23-14 victory over the Bald Eagles Saturday at George P. Miller Stadium.

IUP (4-1, 2-0 PSAC West) defeated Lock Haven (1-5, 0-2) for the 25^th consecutive time dating back to the 1982 season. The Bald Eagles have not won in Indiana since the 1961 campaign.

Nick Wallace kicked three field goals for the second straight week, with his 33-yarder at the end of a 12-play, 65-yard drive with 2:01 remaining in the fourth quarter finally sealing the win. Terrence Jackson intercepted a pass at the IUP 47 on the final Lock Haven drive of the game.

Chris Morgan rushed 19 times for 102 yards and a touchdown for IUP, going over the 100-yard mark for the fifth time in as many games this season. With 3,284 career yards, Morgan moved to within 339 yards of Aamir Dew for second on the all-time IUP rushing list.

Kevin Weidl completed 13 of 28 passes for 184 yards and a touchdown, with Rickie Simmons grabbing five receptions for 96 yards and a score. Weidl is now seventh in school history with 4,767 career passing yards.

Ilio DiPaolo hit on 11 of 26 passes for 136 yards for Lock Haven but was intercepted twice and the Bald Eagles turned the ball over four times. DiPaolo had a one-yard touchdown run with 10:20 left in the game that ended IUP’s shutout bid and brought the Bald Eagles to within 20-7.

On the third play of IUP’s next possession, Dean Tortorice picked off a Weidl pass, setting the Bald Eagles up at the IUP 35. Lock Haven took advantage of the turnover when DiPaolo hit Rafael Smith on a 19-yard touchdown that made it 20-14 with 6:56 left. Smith finished with five catches for 83 yards.

IUP was then able to churn out 65 yards on its next drive, including 54 on the ground, to lead to the game-clinching field goal by Wallace.

The first half was a sluggish offensive affair that saw neither team able to generate much in the way of a scoring threat. That changed with 8:49 left in the second quarter when Chris Hawkins fumbled, and IUP’s Rob Plowman recovered at the Lock Haven 13. Morgan scored from the four to give IUP the first touchdown of the game with 7:33 left before halftime.

Two possessions later, IUP embarked on a 59-yard scoring drive that ended on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Weidl to Simmons with 40 seconds left on the clock, giving IUP a 14-0 halftime lead. Weidl completed all four of his passes on the drive, including a 22-yarder to Morgan on 2^nd and 15.

A low snap on a Lock Haven punt attempt gave IUP the ball at the Bald Eagle 25 at the outset of the third quarter, and the hosts capitalized when Wallace nailed a 40-yard field goal to make it 17-0. Lock Haven worked its way to the IUP 21, but DiPaolo fumbled when hit by Jackson, and Mike Reid recovered to end the threat. A 46-yard pass from Weidl to Simmons on the first play after the turnover led to a 31-yard field goal by Wallace and a seemingly comfortable 20-0 lead with 13:36 left in the game.

Jackson finished with seven tackles, tied for the team lead with Reid. Matt Scott had six tackles, including four for losses and one sack, and Anthony Guerra also had four stops behind the line of scrimmage for IUP. David Show (15 tackles) and Corey Gildea (10) led the Lock Haven defense, and Demitrius Wilson had two sacks of Weidl.

IUP plays its homecoming game next Saturday against Clarion while Lock Haven hosts Shippensburg.

Courtesy of Sports Information Director Mike Hoffman.

Two IUP Players Earn Weekly PSAC Football Awards

October 1, 2006

INDIANA, PA – On the heels of its 23-20 overtime victory over Edinboro on Saturday, a pair of IUP players have been named PSAC West Players of the Week. Senior tailback Chris Morgan was selected on the offensive side for the second time this season while junior safety Mike Reid shared the defensive award with Clarion’s Kevin Rigby.

Morgan (Pittsburgh/Woodland Hills) carried 24 times for 116 yards and a touchdown against an Edinboro defense that was surrendering just 51.2 yards per game entering the contest, the seventh best figure in Division II. The Fighting Scots had not allowed an opposing running back to have a 100-yard game since John Kuhn of Shippensburg did so early in the 2004 season.

Morgan had struggled against Edinboro, gaining a total of only 89 yards the previous two seasons. Included in his 116-yard day was a four-yard touchdown run that tied the game at 7-7 in the first quarter and a 25-yard scamper on a 3^rd and 24 play that kept a long third quarter drive alive.

Morgan has rushed for over 100 yards in all four games this season, including a school record 286 against East Stroudsburg, and 18 times in 22 games as the starting tailback dating back to the final two games of the 2003 campaign. This season, he is averaging 170.8 yards per game and has scored eight touchdowns and stands in third place on the all-time IUP rushing chart with 3,182 yards.

Reid (Pittsburgh/Perry) accounted for three turnovers to spearhead an IUP defensive effort that controlled the Edinboro offense for most of the game. He recovered two fumbles, with one going for a touchdown, made an interception and had a total of six tackles, including four solo stops and three behind the line of scrimmage.

Reid had his first fumble recovery at the Edinboro 40 to set up a field goal that gave IUP a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter. On the second play of the ensuing Fighting Scot drive, Aaron Princes forced a Trevor Harris fumble on a sack, and Reid scooped up the loose ball and raced 31 yards to paydirt to put IUP in front 17-7 with 13:23 left before halftime.

Two possessions later, Edinboro reached the IUP 10 before Reid picked off a Harris pass at the six-yard line to end the scoring threat. The interception was Reid’s first of the season after leading IUP in that department with three a year ago.

The win over Edinboro in the PSAC West opener leaves IUP at 3-1 overall heading into a stretch of four home games in the next five weeks. IUP hosts Lock Haven on Saturday at Miller Stadium beginning at 1 p.m.

Courtesy of Sports Information Director Mike Hoffman.

IUP Rallies to Defeat Edinboro in Overtime

September 30, 2006

EDINBORO, PA – Nick Wallace kicked a 25-yard field goal as time ran out in regulation to tie the game and then connected from 37 yards out in the first overtime period to give IUP a 23-20 victory over host Edinboro in the PSAC West opener for both teams.

IUP (3-1, 1-0) snapped a three-game losing streak to Edinboro (3-2, 0-1) and denied the Fighting Scots the opportunity to become the first team since Clarion from 1977-81 to defeat IUP in four or more consecutive seasons.

Kody Robertson missed wide right from 40 yards on Edinboro’s possession in overtime. IUP was able to move only five yards to the Fighting Scot 20, but it was close enough for Wallace to hit the game winner and improve IUP to 6-0 all-time in overtime games. All six of the victories have come in the first extra period.

IUP appeared to have won the game in the waning seconds of regulation on a three-yard touchdown pass from Kevin Weidl to Rickie Simmons, but an illegal motion penalty wiped out the score. After three incomplete passes, the freshman Wallace sent the game into overtime with the second of his three field goals in the contest.

IUP was in control for most of the game before Edinboro rallied for two touchdowns in a span of 5:20 in the fourth quarter to take a 20-17 lead. A 66-yard pass from Trevor Harris to Rich Cerro led to a 15-yard touchdown strike from Harris to Kyle Witucki with 13:06 left in the game that pulled the Fighting Scots to within 17-14.

Edinboro forced a three-and-out and went 58 yards in just six plays, with Ulysee Davis scoring from the one with 7:46 remaining. The Robertson extra point failed, leaving IUP within a field goal, a miss that proved vital at the end.

Trailing by three, IUP seemed doomed to defeat when Weidl was intercepted by Taurean Valentine at the Edinboro nine with just 3:10 left. IUP held the Fighting Scots without a first down and took over at its own 40 after a punt. A 32-yard hookup from Weidl to Anthony Rodriguez set IUP up for the tying field goal.

Weidl rebounded from a tough outing at Millersville last week to complete 14 of 28 passes for 174 yards. Chris Morgan rushed 24 times for 116 yards and a touchdown, giving him 100-yard games in all four contests this season and 18 over the century mark in his career.

After allowing a touchdown on the opening Edinboro drive, the IUP defense shut down the Fighting Scots until the final quarter, sacking Harris six times and holding their strong ground game to just 54 yards on the day. Harris did finish 15 of 25 for 272 yards and two touchdowns, with much of the damage coming in the final stanza.

Rob Plowman had two sacks to run his season total to 5.5 while Anthony Guerra and Aaron Princes both had a solo sack and shared another. Guerra was making his return to the lineup after suffering a concussion two weeks ago and was credited with 10 total tackles.

Mike Reid had two fumble recoveries, including one that he returned for a touchdown, and intercepted a pass while Terrence Jackson led IUP with 11 tackles. James Carson had the sixth IUP sack.

A 20-yard touchdown pass from Harris to Ryan Valasek gave Edinboro a 7-0 lead just 4:39 into the game. IUP responded on a four-yard scoring run by Morgan, a touchdown that was set up by a 51-yard kickoff return by Rodriguez. Two Edinboro fumbles then paved the way for 10 quick IUP points and a 17-7 lead.

Chaz Cobb turned the ball over at the Edinboro 40, with Reid recovering. IUP reached the Edinboro eight, with Wallace making his first field goal of the game to give the visitors a 10-7 lead. Harris fumbled on the second play of the next drive when sacked by Princes, and the opportunistic Reid scooped up the loose ball and went 31 yards to make it 17-7 with 13:23 left in the second quarter.

The next two Edinboro drives both ended with turnovers in IUP territory. The Fighting Scots reached the IUP 10, but Reid intercepted a Harris pass to thwart that drive. Then, Harris lost the ball on a sack by Guerra and Princes recovered at the IUP 43.

Both teams had only one complete possession in the third quarter, with IUP losing a chance to add to its lead at the end of a 16-play drive when Wallace was just left on a 41-yard field goal attempt. IUP converted a 3^rd and 24 on a 25-yard run by Morgan and a 3^rd and 16 on a pass from Weidl to Cellitti to highlight the drive.

The missed scoring chance allowed Edinboro to rally to take the lead, setting up the dramatic conclusion.

After playing three of its first four games on the road, IUP comes home next Saturday for a 1:00 game against Lock Haven. That marks the first game in a stretch which will see IUP play four of its next five at Miller Stadium. Edinboro continues its three-game homestand when it hosts California next Saturday at 2:00.

Couretsy of Sports Information Director Mike Hoffman.

IUP Visits Edinboro, Tepper Returns To Face Former Team For First Time

September 28 2006

EDINBORO, PA - Lou Tepper returns to Edinboro for the first time as an opposition head coach when IUP visits Sox Harrison Stadium on Saturday. Tepper led the Fighting Scots from 2000-05 before being hired at IUP in January 2006. In addition to the Tepper angle, the game is significant because of its potential bearing on the PSAC West race and Division II playoff scenario. This is the PSAC West opener and both teams harbor playoff aspirations. However, the losing team will have two losses and face the likelihood of having to win out to earn a postseason berth.

The Series: IUP leads the series, 50-19-4, dating back to the 1927 season but Edinboro has won three in a row. Last season, the Fighting Scots posted a 20-10 win at Miller Stadium to join Slippery Rock (1997-99) as the only two teams to defeat IUP three years in a row under former IUP head coach Frank Cignetti. Prior to this three-game skid, IUP had won seven in a row over Edinboro, culminating in a 54-35 win at Sox Harrison Stadium in 2002.

On the Air: The IUP-Edinboro game can be heard on WQMU 92.5 FM beginning with This Week in the PSAC at 12:15. Jack Benedict is in his 38th season as the “Voice of the Indians”, and he will be joined by John Flickinger and Doug Steve. The game can also be heard on the Internet via Red Zone Media at www.redzonemedia.com.

A replay of the game can be seen on WIUP-TV on Monday at 6 p.m. and Tuesday at 7 p.m. It will also be shown on the Atlantic Broadband cable system (Channel 14 in Johnstown and Channel 9 in Altoona) at 8 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday. Between WIUP-TV and Atlantic Broadband, IUP football will reach 120,000 subscribers on cable.

The Coaches: Lou Tepper (Rutgers, 1967) is 2-1 in his first season at IUP. He has a record of 67-58-2 in 13 years as a college head coach, including 40-26 at Edinboro from 2000-05 and 25-31-2 at Illinois from 1991-96. See the following page for more information on Tepper.

Scott Browning (Ohio State, 1981) is 3-1 in his first season as the head coach after serving on the Edinboro staff as an assistant since 1986, including stints as the offensive coordinator from 1995-99 under Tom Hollman and again from 2001-05 under Lou Tepper. Browning was the running backs coach at Ohio State from 1984-86.

IUP Team Notes
Head Coach Lou Tepper: Lou Tepper became the 10th head coach in the modern era of IUP football (since 1927) when he was hired last January. Tepper came to IUP from Edinboro, where he led the Fighting Scots to a record of 40-26 from 2000-05. In his final three seasons at Edinboro, the team won 26 of 33 games, shared the PSAC West title each year and made trips to the NCAA Division II playoffs in 2003 and 2004. The Fighting Scots defeated Bentley in the opening round in 2004, the team’s first postseason victory since 1990. For his efforts, Tepper was named the PSAC West Coach of the Year in 2003 and 2005 and led Edinboro to Top 25 finishes in the American Football Coaches Association poll each year from 2003-05. The Fighting Scots defeated IUP in each of those three seasons, only the second team to win three straight over the Indians in the last 25 years. A native of Keystone, Pa., and a graduate of Derry Area High School, Tepper was previously the head coach at the University of Illinois. He was appointed on December 13, 1991, just prior to that season’s Sun Bowl, and continued through the 1996 season, finishing with a mark of 25-31-2 at Illinois. Tepper’s background also includes 28 seasons as an assistant coach on the Division I level, with 19 of those coming as a defensive coordinator at New Hampshire, William & Mary, Colorado, Illinois and LSU. He had just concluded his second season at LSU when he was named the head coach at Edinboro. Tepper is a 1967 graduate of Rutgers, where he was a standout defensive back for three seasons. Tepper and his wife Karen are the parents of Matthew (31) and Stacy Ann (29) and the couple has two grandchildren.

IUP Captains: IUP captains for Saturday’s game are offensive guard Dave Livengood (offense), nose tackle Matt Scott (defense) and linebacker James Carson (special teams).

IUP in the PSAC West: Dating back to the 1983 season, IUP owns a record of 120-17-1 in PSAC West play, finishing with no worse than a 4-2 division record in that time. IUP has won or shared 16 PSAC West titles during that stretch and also has wins over Edinboro, Shippensburg and Slippery Rock in the NCAA Division II playoffs.

IUP in PSAC West Openers: IUP has won 23 straight PSAC West openers, a streak that includes a 20-15 win over Shippensburg a year ago. The Indians have not lost their division opener since a 24-10 defeat to California in 1982, although that game was later forfeited to IUP.

Millersville Recap: IUP committed four turnovers to hurt its own cause in a 17-14 loss at Millersville last Saturday. The final miscue came in the fourth quarter on a fumble by Kevin Weidl after IUP reached the Millersville seven in a 14-14 game. The Marauders then drove 74 yards to set up Doug Ruhl’s 32-yard field goal with 5:08 remaining. Chris Morgan led IUP with 19 carries for 141 yards and a 49-yard touchdown early in the third quarter that tied the game at 14. IUP’s only other score came on its first possession, a four-yard pass from Weidl to tight end Dan Pickens. Weidl completed 6 of 7 passes for 75 yards on the drive but was held to just 50 yards the rest of the way. He threw a pair of interceptions, including one that was returned 74 yards for a touchdown by Brandon Shelton.

Last Time vs. Edinboro: Edinboro scored 20 unanswered points after falling behind 3-0 as the Fighting Scots took a 20-10 victory at Miller Stadium on Oct. 15, 2005. Justin Bouch threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Valasek, Kelvin Collins had a seven-yard scoring run, and Chris Avery recovered a blocked punt in the end zone as Edinboro built a 20-3 lead going into the fourth quarter. IUP scored its only touchdown with 6:51 left in the game on a 56-yard pass from Andrew Krewatch to Anthony Cellitti. Collins carried 19 times for 74 yards for Edinboro, which only had 264 yards of total offense. However, the Fighting Scot defense limited IUP to 294 yards, including just 52 on the ground, and intercepted Krewatch four times. Chris Morgan was held to 49 yards on 21 carries.

Four Straight Wins Over IUP: IUP has faced 77 different opponents in its modern history (since 1927) and only 15 of those teams have won as many as four games in the all-time series. Even rarer are instances in which teams have defeated IUP four consecutive seasons, something that Edinboro will be attempting to accomplish on Saturday.

The last team to do so was Clarion, which won five in a row from 1977-81. Following is a list of teams that have wins over IUP in at least four straight seasons.

Slippery Rock 1927-32 (6 straight)
Slippery Rock 1945-48 (4)
Shippensburg 1948-51 (4)
Clarion 1948-53 (6)
California 1958-61 (4)
Geneva 1958-61 (4)
Clarion 1977-81 (5)

Chris Morgan: Senior tailback Chris Morgan became the third player in IUP history to rush for over 3,000 yards when he gained 141 against Millersville last week. Morgan has 3,066 yards and trails only Michael Mann (4,805) and Aamir Dew (3,623) on the all-time IUP list. He has rushed for over 100 yards in 17 of 21 games as the starter dating back to the final two contests of the 2003 season.

Two weeks ago, Morgan broke his own single game record with 286 rushing yards against East Stroudsburg and was named the PSAC West Offensive Player of the Week as well as a co-recipient of the D2Football.com National Offensive Player of the Week award. Morgan had gained 266 yards against Lock Haven in 2004 to first set the record.

Through three games this season, Morgan is averaging 189.0 yards per game, the top figure in the PSAC and third in the nation. He is also tied for eighth in country with an average of 12.0 points per game on the strength of six touchdowns.

Weidl on the Career Passing Chart: After sitting out the 2005 season, senior quarterback Kevin Weidl is in his third year as the starter at IUP. A two-time All-PSAC West second team choice, Weidl ranks among the career leaders in every major passing category. He has a record of 20-5 as the IUP starting quarterback.

Courtesy of Sports Information Director Mike Hoffman.

Millersville Sends IUP to 17-14 Defeat

September 23, 2006

Millersville, PA – Brad Lantz rushed for 91 yards, including a key fourth down conversion with two minutes remaining in the game, and the Millersville defense forced four turnovers as the Marauders defeated IUP, 17-14, at Biemesderfer Stadium.

Millersville won its second straight to even its record at 2-2 on the season. IUP became the last PSAC team to lose a game this year, falling to 2-1.

Doug Ruhl, a transfer from IUP, kicked a 32-yard field goal with 5:08 remaining in the game to cap an 88-yard drive that provided the winning margin for Millersville. IUP failed on a fake punt attempt from its own 25 on its next possession, and the Marauders ran out the clock, with Lantz converting a fourth and two at the IUP 17 at the 2:00 mark.

Darnell Johnson added 52 rushing yards for Millersville while Dan Csencsitz completed 9 of 20 passes for 114 yards, with 41 of those yards coming on a touchdown pass to Andrew Tischbein that gave Millersville a 14-7 lead just before the end of the first half.

Chris Morgan, the second leading rusher in the nation, carried 19 times for 141 yards and a touchdown and became the third player in IUP history with 3,000 rushing yards, finishing the game with 3,066. Morgan was averaging 213.0 yards per game entering the contest. Kevin Weidl hit on 12 of 22 passes for 125 yards and a score but was intercepted twice, with one going for a touchdown, and fumbled to end two other drives.

IUP’s offense was clicking on its first drive, driving 94 yards on 11 plays and ending on a four-yard touchdown pass from Weidl to Dan Pickens. Weidl was 6 of 7 for 75 yards on the drive. IUP was quickly in position to add to its lead when Terrence Jackson picked off a Csencsitz pass at the Millersville 37.

But the Marauders turned in their first big defensive play of the night when Brandon Shelton stepped in front of a Weidl pass and brought the interception back 74 yards for a touchdown that tied the game at 7-7 with 4:52 left in the first quarter. Marcus Banks intercepted Weidl on the second play of the next IUP drive, but Millersville was unable to capitalize.

IUP had its next chance to take the lead when Carliss Jeter blocked a Derek Leslie punt, and Cosie Spigelmeyer recovered at the Millersville 13. But Nick Wallace missed a 36-yard field goal attempt. The Marauders responded with their only touchdown drive of the game, taking advantage of a pass interference call to lead to the Csencsitz to Tischbein score.

IUP wasted little time tying the game at the outset of the third quarter, with Morgan going in from 49 yards out on the fourth play of the period. After a series of punts, the Marauders had a chance to take the lead, driving from their 27 to the IUP nine. But Ruhl missed a 26-yard field goal attempt to keep the game even.

Given new life, IUP drove from its 20 and reached the Millersville seven before Weidl fumbled the snap, and Millersville recovered. The Marauders then embarked on the drive that gave them their second straight win over IUP and fourth in the past eight years.

IUP stays on the road next Saturday for a 1 p.m. game at Edinboro in the PSAC West opener for both teams. Millersville begins PSAC East play with a 1:05 contest at Kutztown.

Courtesy of Sports Information Director Mike Hoffman.

IUP Will Look to Continue Unbeaten Streak at Millersville

September 23, 2006

MILLERSVILLE, PA - The only undefeated team in the PSAC and one of only three in the Northeast Region, IUP takes its 2-0 record to Millersville on Saturday for the first of two straight road games. IUP is coming off an impressive 35-20 win over defending region champion East Stroudsburg to join Shepherd and American International as the only unbeaten teams in the region. Millersville won its first game of the year last week, a 35-0 shutout over Lock Haven.

THE SERIES: IUP holds an 8-4 lead in the all-time series which dates back to the 1988 season. Millersville ended a three-game losing streak to IUP with a 28-9 victory at Miller Stadium in the season opener a year ago. The teams have met two times in the playoffs, which each winning on the road. Millersville won, 27-24, in Indiana in the opening round in 1988 while IUP took a 26-21 triumph in Millersville in the 1999 Northeast Region title game. Lou Tepper has never coached against Millersville. Joe Trainer is 1-0 against IUP.

ON THE AIR: The IUP-Millersville game can be heard on WQMU 92.5 FM beginning with This Week in the PSAC at 5:15. Jack Benedict is in his 38th season as the “Voice of the Indians”, and he will be joined by John Flickinger and Doug Steve. The game can also be heard on the Internet via Red Zone Media at www.redzonemedia.com. A replay of the game can be seen on WIUP-TVon Monday at 6 p.m. and Tuesday at 7 p.m. It will also be shown on the Atlantic Broadband cable system (Channel 14 in Johnstown and Channel 9 in Altoona) at 8 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday. Between WIUP-TV and Atlantic Broadband, IUP football will reach 120,000 subscribers on cable.

THE COACHES: Lou Tepper (Rutgers, 1967) is 2-0 in his first season at IUP. He has a record of 67-57-2 in 13 years as a college head coach, including 40-26 at Edinboro from 2000-05 and 25-31-2 at Illinois from 1991-96. See the following page for more information on Tepper.

Joe Trainer (Dickinson, 1990) is 6-8 in his second season at Millersville and overall. Prior to joining the Millersville program, Trainer was the defensive coordinator at Division I-AA power Villanova for five seasons. He was part of the Wildcat staff when Villanova advanced to the national semifinals in 2002.

IUP TEAM NOTES
HEAD COACH LOU TEPPER: Lou Tepper became the 10th head coach in the modern era of IUP football (since 1927) when he was hired last January. Tepper came to IUP from Edinboro, where he led the Fighting Scots to a record of 40-26 from 2000-05. In his final three seasons at Edinboro, the team won 26 of 33 games, shared the PSAC West title each year and made trips to the NCAA Division II playoffs in 2003 and 2004. The Fighting Scots defeated Bentley in the opening round in 2004, the team’s first postseason victory since 1990. For his efforts, Tepper was named the PSAC West Coach of the Year in 2003 and 2005 and led Edinboro to Top 25 finishes in the American Football Coaches Association poll each year from 2003-05. The Fighting Scots defeated IUP in each of those three seasons, only the second team to win three straight over the Indians in the last 25 years. A native of Keystone, Pa., and a graduate of Derry Area High School, Tepper was previously the head coach at the University of Illinois. He was appointed on December 13, 1991, just prior to that season’s Sun Bowl, and continued through the 1996 season, finishing with a mark of 25-31-2 at Illinois. Tepper’s background also includes 28 seasons as an assistant coach on the Division I level, with 19 of those coming as a defensive coordinator at New Hampshire, William & Mary, Colorado, Illinois and LSU. He had just concluded his second season at LSU when he was named the head coach at Edinboro. Tepper is a 1967 graduate of Rutgers, where he was a standout defensive back for three seasons. Tepper and his wife Karen are the parents of Matthew (31) and Stacy Ann (29) and the couple has two grandchildren.

IUP CAPTAINS: IUP captains for Saturday’s game are tailback Chris Morgan (offense), outside linebacker Rob Plowman (defense) and strong safety Quinton Cobb (special teams).

EAST STROUDSBURG RECAP: Chris Morgan broke his own school record by rushing for 286 yards on only 18 carries, an average of 15.9 yards per attempt, to lead a 433-yard ground assault that carried IUP to a 35-20 win over East Stroudsburg last Saturday at Miller Stadium. Morgan scored three touchdowns on runs of 62, 26 and 51 yards and was supported at the tailback spot by Kareem Dutrieuille (16-69) and Tobias Robinson (5-51). The 433 yards is the second highest single game total in school history, topped only by a 523-yard showing against Slippery Rock in 1994. Leading 28-20 at halftime, the IUP defense limited the high powered East Stroudsburg attack to no points and just 95 yards of total offense over the final 30 minutes. IUP also held reigning Harlon Hill winner Jimmy Terwilliger without a touchdown pass for the first time in his 40-game collegiate career and sacked him five times, including 2.5 by outside linebacker Rob Plowman.

MORGAN HONORED: For his 286-yard performance against East Stroudsburg last week, senior tailback Chris Morgan was named the PSAC West Offensive Player of the Week as well as a co-recipient of the D2Football.com National Offensive Player of the Week. Through two games this season, Morgan is averaging 213.0 yards per game, the top figure in the PSAC and second in the nation. He is also fourth in country with an average of 15.0 points per game on the strength of five touchdowns. The 286 yards is the second highest single game total in Division II football this fall. Morgan currently stands in third place on the all-time IUP rushing chart with 2,925 yards and can join Michael Mann (4,805) and Aamir Dew (3,623) as the only three players in school history with 3,000 rushing yards with 75 against Millersville. He has rushed for over 100 yards in 16 of 20 games as the starting tailback dating back to the final two contests of the 2003 season.

LAST TIME VS. MILLERSVILLE: Juan Jones rushed for 138 yards and two touchdowns to snap a three-game losing streak to IUP with a 28-9 victory at Miller Stadium in the 2005 season opener. Jones scored on runs of one yards with 12 seconds left in the first half and 25 yards on Millersville’s first possession of the third quarter to put the game out of reach. Chris Morgan carried 33 times for 132 yards and IUP’s lone touchdown of the night. IUP had not been held in single digits since a 28-0 loss to Northwood in the 2000 playoffs.

IUP VS. THE PSAC EAST: IUP looks to go 3-0 against the PSAC East this season after having already defeated Cheyney (33-6) and East Stroudsburg (35-20) in the first two weeks. Prior to those two victories, IUP had lost four in a row to opponents from the opposite division. IUP has a record of 34-12 against the PSAC East since 1984.

CONSECUTIVE NON-LOSING SEASONS: Despite finishing at just 5-5 last season, IUP was able to improve its streak of consecutive seasons with at least a .500 record to 23. The Indians have 20 winning seasons during that stretch, with the 1983, 1997 and 2005 squads breaking even at 5-5. The last losing season was a 4-6 mark in 1982.

FIRST SCORES: A pair of junior college wide receivers scored their first IUP touchdowns in last week’s 35-20 win over East Stroudsburg. Rickie Simmons (Butte CC in California) grabbed a 16-yard touchdown pass from Kevin Weidl to cap a five-touchdown first quarter, giving IUP a 21-13 lead after the opening 15 minutes. Anthony Rodriguez (Morrisville State JC in New Jersey) added a 31-yard touchdown on a reverse with 12:04 left in the game to round out the IUP scoring.

WEIDL ON THE CAREER PASSING CHART: After sitting out the 2005 season, senior quarterback Kevin Weidl is in his third year as the starter at IUP. A two-time All-PSAC West second team choice, Weidl ranks among the career leaders in every major passing category. He has a record of 20-4 as the IUP starting quarterback.

Courtesy of Sports Infromation Director Mike Hoffman.

IUP’s Chris Morgan Receives National Player of the Week Award

September 20, 2006

INDIANA, PA – On the heels of his big rushing night against East Stroudsburg on Saturday, IUP senior tailback Chris Morgan has been selected a co-recipient of the D2Football.com National Offensive Player of the Week award.

Morgan (Pittsburgh/Woodland Hills) rushed for 286 yards on only 18 carries to break his own school single game record as IUP improved to 2-0 on the season. He averaged 15.9 yards per carry and scored on runs of 62, 26 and 51 yards – all in the first half – to power IUP to a 28-20 lead by the break.

The 286 yards is the second highest single game total in Division II so far this season and Morgan’s average of 213.0 yards per game is second nationally behind only Danny Woodhead of Chadron State, who is at 236.0 per contest. Morgan, who averages 12.2 yards per carry, is also fourth in the nation in scoring at 15.0 points per game on the strength of his five touchdowns.

Morgan previously set the IUP single game rushing record in 2004 when he posted 266 yards against Lock Haven. He has rushed for over 100 yards in 16 of 20 games as the starting tailback dating back to the final two contests of the 2003 season.

In addition to breaking the single game rushing record, Morgan also continued his climb up the IUP career record book. He moved past Dennis Robinson for third place in rushing yards with 2,925 and is also third in attempts with 523 and seventh with 25 touchdowns on the ground. Morgan also stands 10^th with 26 total touchdowns scored.

Only Michael Mann (4,805) and Aamir Dew (3,623) have rushed for more yards in an IUP uniform than Morgan.

IUP, the only undefeated team remaining in the PSAC and one of only three in the Northeast Region (along with Shepherd and American International), will hit the road this week for a PSAC crossover game at Millersville on Saturday at 6 p.m.

Courtesy of Sports Information Director Mike Hoffman.

Chris Morgan Breaks Single Game Rushing Record in IUP Win Over East Stroudsburg

September 16, 2006

INDIANA, PA. – Senior tailback Chris Morgan rushed for 286 yards to break his own single game record, leading IUP to a 35-20 win over East Stroudsburg Saturday night at Miller Stadium.

IUP compiled 511 yards of total offense, including 433 on the ground, to improve to 2-0 on the season. East Stroudsburg fell to 1-2. The game marked the Miller Stadium debut for new IUP head coach Lou Tepper.

Morgan broke his mark of 266 yards set against Lock Haven in 2004. He had scoring runs of 62, 26 and 51 yards in the first half as IUP took a 28-20 lead into intermission. Morgan carried only 18 times for an average of 15.9 yards per attempt. The 433 rushing yards is the second highest total in IUP history, eclipsed only by a 523-yard effort against Slippery Rock in 1994.

East Stroudsburg quarterback Jimmy Terwilliger completed 17 of 26 passes for 256 yards and continued his assault on the NCAA Division II record book. He finished the night with 12,066 career passing yards, edging past Joey Conrad of Glenville State for the division record in that category.

However, the senior signal caller was held without a touchdown pass for the first time in his 40-game collegiate career. Four of his completions for 126 yards went to wide receiver Evan Prall.

Kareem Dutrieuille complemented Morgan on the ground with 69 yards on 16 carries while freshman Tobias Robinson made his IUP debut and gained 51 yards on five attempts.

Neither team was stopped in the first quarter, combining for five touchdowns and ending with IUP ahead by a score of 21-13. The teams traded the first four touchdowns, with Prall scoring from 15 yards out and Joe Kircher adding a one-yard run sandwiched around scoring jaunts of 62 and 26 yards by Morgan, leaving IUP ahead 14-13.

The game started turning in IUP’s favor after the second Morgan touchdown. LeRyan Dallas fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and Carliss Jeter recovered at the East Stroudsburg 17. On third and goal from the 16, Kevin Weidl hit Rickie Simmons, who found his way into the end zone to make it 21-13 with 26 seconds left in the quarter.

The Warriors missed a field goal on their next drive, and IUP quickly made it 28-13 when Morgan scored from 51 yards out. East Stroudsburg made it 28-20 at halftime on Kircher’s second one-yard touchdown run of the game.

The IUP defense then held the powerful Warrior offense off the board in the second half, allowing only 95 yards over the final 30 minutes, and tacked on an insurance touchdown with 12:04 remaining in the game when Anthony Rodriguez scored on a 31-yard run.

IUP is back on the road next Saturday for a 6 p.m. game at Millersville. East Stroudsburg plays host to California in a 1:05 game.

Supplied by Sports Information Director Mike Hoffman.

IUP Hosts East Stroudsburg In Their Home Opener

September 14, 2006

INDIANA, PA - After opening the season with a 33-6 win at Cheyney last Saturday, IUP plays its first home game of the 2006 campaign Saturday night against defending Northeast Region champion East Stroudsburg. Lou Tepper makes his Miller Stadium debut as IUP head coach. At halftime, IUP will honor its 2006 Athletic Hall of Fame inductees. East Stroudsburg enters the game ranked 18th in the D2Football.com national poll.

THE SERIES: The all-time series is tied at six wins each, but the two teams haven’t met since 1997. That year, East Stroudsburg posted a 33-31 win at Miller Stadium on IUP’s homecoming. The Warriors also won the previous year, taking a 23-12 victory at home. IUP last defeated East Stroudsburg in 1992, a 31-12 win at Miller Stadium. Lou Tepper has a record of 2-5 against East Stroudsburg, all while coaching at Edinboro. That includes a 36-32 loss in the second round of the 2004 NCAA playoffs. Denny Douds is 4-5 against IUP.

ON THE AIR: The IUP-East Stroudsburg game can be heard on WQMU 92.5 FM beginning with This Week in the PSAC at 5:15. Jack Benedict is in his 38th season as the “Voice of the Indians”, and he will be joined by John Flickinger and Greg Drahuschak. The game will also be shown live on WIUP-TV (Adelphia Cable Channel 20). The game can also be heard live and archived on the Internet via Red Zone Media at www.redzonemedia.com.

A replay of the game can be seen on WIUP-TVon Monday at 6 p.m. and Tuesday at 7 p.m. It will also be shown on the Atlantic Broadband cable system (Channel 14 in Johnstown and Channel 9 in Altoona) at 8 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday. Between WIUP-TV and Atlantic Broadband, IUP football will reach 120,000 subscribers on cable television.

The Coaches: Lou Tepper (Rutgers, 1967) is 1-0 in his first season at IUP. He has a record of 66-57-2 in 13 years as a college head coach, including 40-26 at Edinboro from 2000-05 and 25-31-2 at Illinois from 1991-96.

Denny Douds (Slippery Rock, 1963) is in his 33rd season at East Stroudsburg and won his 200th career game with a 45-14 victory over Lock Haven last Saturday. The Indiana County Hall of Fame inductee is second only to Ken Sparks of Carson-Newman in wins among active Division II coaches and brings a mark of 200-131-3 into the game at IUP. Douds has led the Warriors to nine PSAC East titles and three playoff appearances, including a berth in the national semifinals a year ago.

IUP TEAM NOTES

HEAD COACH LOU TEPPER: Lou Tepper became the 10th head coach in the modern era of IUP football (since 1927) when he was hired last January to replace Frank Cignetti, who announced his retirement prior to the 2005 season finale against California.

Tepper came to IUP from Edinboro, where he led the Fighting Scots to a record of 40-26 from 2000-05. In his final three seasons at Edinboro, the team won 26 of 33 games, shared the PSAC West title each year and made trips to the NCAA Division II playoffs in 2003 and 2004. The Fighting Scots defeated Bentley in the opening round in 2004, the team’s first postseason victory since 1990.

For his efforts, Tepper was named the PSAC West Coach of the Year in 2003 and 2005 and led Edinboro to Top 25 finishes in the American Football Coaches Association poll each year from 2003-05. The Fighting Scots defeated IUP in each of those three seasons, only the second team to win three straight over the Indians in the last 25 years.

A native of Keystone, Pa., and a graduate of Derry Area High School, Tepper was previously the head coach at the University of Illinois. He was appointed on December 13, 1991, just prior to that season’s Sun Bowl, and continued through the 1996 season, finishing with a mark of 25-31-2 at Illinois.

Tepper’s background also includes 28 seasons as an assistant coach on the Division I level, with 19 of those coming as a defensive coordinator at New Hampshire, William & Mary, Colorado, Illinois and LSU. He had just concluded his second season at LSU when he was named the head coach at Edinboro.

Tepper is a 1967 graduate of Rutgers, where he was a standout defensive back for three seasons. Tepper and his wife Karen are the parents of Matthew (31) and Stacy Ann (29) and the couple has two grandchildren.

IUP CAPTAINS: IUP captains for Saturday’s game are left tackle Jason Capizzi (offense), free safety Corey Sample (defense) and tight end Tom O’Connor (special teams).

CHEYNEY RECAP: Chris Morgan and Kareem Dutrieuille combined to rush for 231 yards to highlight a 404-yard IUP offensive attack as the Indians posted a 33-6 win at Cheyney last Saturday. Morgan carried 17 times for 140 yards while Dutrieuille, making his first appearance since 2003, had 91 yards on 20 attempts and both scored two touchdowns. Kevin Weidl made his return to the field after sitting out the 2005 season and completed 14 of 25 passes for 167 yards. He also scored a touchdown on the ground.

IUP IN HOME OPENERS: IUP’s 28-9 loss to Millersville last season ended a seven-game winning streak in home openers. Prior to that defeat, IUP had not lost its first home game since a 30-29 defeat to Fairmont State in 1997. IUP has won 20 of its past 23 home openers dating back to the 1983 campaign.

IUP VS. THE PSAC EAST: IUP snapped a four-game losing streak against teams from the PSAC East with its 33-6 win at Cheyney last week. IUP went 0-3 against foes from the opposite division in 2005, losing to Millersville and Bloomsburg at home and at West Chester. Prior to that four-game skid, IUP had won five in a row and 32 of 40 dating back to the 1984 season.

IUP at Miller Stadium: Since Miller Stadium opened in 1962, IUP has a record of 180-49-5 at its home facility for a lofty winning percentage of .780. Last year’s 1-4 home slate was just the team’s second losing season at Miller Stadium in the past 22 years. Between 1998 and 2004, IUP was 36-5 at home.

LAST MEETING VS. EAST STROUDSBURG: J.D. Stern kicked a 27-yard field goal with 56 seconds remaining to give East Stroudsburg a 33-31 victory over IUP on October 18, 1997 at Miller Stadium. The Indians were led by Tink Stennett (30 carries, 178 yards, two touchdowns) and Terry Throm (19 of 30, 218 yards, one touchdown). The Warriors were spearheaded by Damian Poalucci (27 of 47, 313 yards, two touchdowns) and Stewart Ford (22 carries, 140 yards, two touchdowns).

RENEWING ACQUAINTANCES: The new 10-game PSAC crossover schedule has given IUP the opportunity to renew its series with three Eastern Division schools. In addition to its first meeting with East Stroudsburg since 1997, IUP has already played Cheyney this season (first meeting since 1995) and will host Mansfield on October 28 in the first get together between the two schools since a 7-0 IUP victory in 1951. CONSECUTIVE NON-LOSING SEASONS: Despite finishing at just 5-5 last season, IUP was able to improve its streak of consecutive seasons with at least a .500 record to 23. The Indians have 20 winning seasons during that stretch, with the 1983, 1997 and 2005 squads breaking even at 5-5. The last losing season was a 4-6 mark in 1982.

IUP VS. HARLON HILL WINNERS: East Stroudsburg quarterback Jimmy Terwilliger is the fifth Harlon Hill recipient to face IUP either in the season in which he won the trophy or as the reigning award winner. Here is how the previous four winners have fared against IUP.

North Dakota State quarterback Chris Simdorn (Harlon Hill winner in 1990) led the Bison to a 51-11 win over IUP in the 1990 national championship game. He rushed 16 times for 145 yards and two touchdowns and completed 4 of 8 passes for 179 yards and three touchdowns. His touchdown passes covered 37, 57 and 75 yards. Simdorn was suspended for the 1990 regular season opener against IUP, a 28-18 North Dakota State victory.

New Haven running back Roger Graham (Harlon Hill winner in 1993) rushed 25 times for 174 yards and three touchdowns but the Chargers lost to IUP, 38-35, in the 1993 Northeast Region final. He had 37 carries for 131 yards and a touchdown in an 18-16 New Haven win in the regular season in 1994.

Bloomsburg running back Irv Sigler (Harlon Hill winner in 1997) had 33 carries for 203 yards and two touchdowns in an 18-13 loss to IUP during the 1997 regular season. The yardage total is the seventh most in a single game by an IUP opponent.

Grand Valley State quarterback Curt Anes (Harlon Hill winner in 2002) directed the Lakers to a 62-21 victory over IUP in the 2002 Northeast Region championship game. He hit on 17 of 22 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown.

MORGAN CLIMBING RUSHING CHART: Tailback Chris Morgan moved into fourth place on the all-time IUP rushing chart with 140 yards against Cheyney last week. Morgan enters this week’s game with 2,639 yards and needs only 24 more to pass Dennis Robinson for third place. He holds the school record for rushing yards in a game with 266 against Lock Haven in 2004, one of 15 games in his career in which he has gained over 100 yards.

Supplied by Sports Information Director Mike Hoffman.