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Oct. 14, 2009 – The Truman Football team will visit Missouri Southern State University in Joplin on Saturday for the penultimate road game of the season. The Bulldogs and Lions are both seeking their second victory of the season.
Truman (1-6/0-5 MIAA) will be playing their first non-ranked opponent in three weeks as the Lions enter the game with a 1-5 overall mark and 1-4 record in league play.
Missouri Southern and Truman are ninth and tenth in the league in both points allowed and total offense. The Lions allow 33.5 points per game and average 345 yards of total offense while the Bulldogs allow 37.6 points and gain just 264.6 yards.
The big key in the game could be the running ability of the Missouri Southern tailbacks against the rush defense of the Bulldogs. The Lions are second in the conference in rushing yards per game at 168.2 while the Truman run defense has been last in the league, allowing 152.6 yards.
The Bulldogs are coming off a disappointing 38-14 loss to #16 Missouri Western on Saturday. Two big scores by the Griffons in the second quarter and Truman’s inability to move the football led to the loss.
With the Griffons up 7-0 after one quarter, Missouri Western converted on three big third down plays and capped off a 13-play 85-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown run to go up 14-0.
Following the Bulldogs next possession, Cedric Houston ran back a 62-yard punt return for a touchdown and just like that it was 21-0. The Griffons extended their lead to 28-0 just before halftime on a nine-yard pass play.
The Griffons averaged 29.7 yards per return on Saturday with the 62-yard punt return and a 55-yard kick return helping the cause.
The Bulldogs used their third starting quarterback this season in Caleb Roberts. The redshirt freshman struggled as he was sacked five times and completed just one of nine pass attempts for six yards.
Sophomore Andy Mundwiller took over late in the third quarter and was four of eight for 90 yards.
Vanness Emokpae led the Bulldogs in rushing with nine carries for 72 yards with 67 yards coming on one drive in the fourth quarter.
The Lions had their own difficulties as they were downed by #6 Northwest Missouri 52-6 on Saturday in Maryville.
The Bearcats scored points on six of their seven first half possessions in building up a 38-0 lead over the Lions. Northwest outgained Missouri Southern 574 yards to 207 as Missouri Southern lost their third straight game in-a-row.
Quarterback Roland Thompson was 12-of-23 with a pair of interceptions for 89 yards and Johnny Johnson with Toderick Hunt led the running backs with 30 combined carries for 95 yards.
Hunt leads Johnson in the rushing yards for the team by just 17 yards as each have gone over the 350 yard mark this season. As a team, the Lions have gained 1009 yards rushing and average four yards per carry.
Bulldogs 2009 Schedule One Of Nation’s Toughest
Through the first seven games of the season, the Bulldog opponents have a record of 36-12 (.750) with four schools (Minnesota State, Northwest Missouri, Missouri Western and Central Missouri) being ranked in the American Football Coaches Association Top 25 poll.
One other opponent, Nebraska-Omaha appeared in the D2Football.com media top 25 earlier this season as well and Fort Hays State was in the first NCAA Southwest Regional rankings.
Truman has #20 Washburn on Oct. 31st left on the schedule and will play Pittsburg State, who peaked at number four before dropping out of the poll.
The combine record of the final four opponents is 11-16 (.407) and of the next two (Missouri Southern & Emporia State) is 2-11 (.153).
The Bulldogs last victory against a ranked opponent was a 26-20 double over time victory over #16 Nebraska-Omaha on Oct. 4, 2008.
Last Meeting with the Lions:
It was the Bulldog running game that made the headlines in last year’s meeting between the two teams.
Truman ran for a season-high 265 yards on 51 attempts and Anton Bernard gained 122 in the Bulldogs 38-7 victory on Senior Day against the Lions.
The ‘Dogs led 10-0 at half and exploded for 21 straight points on three Matt Ticich touchdown passes to break the game wide open in the third quarter and early fourth.
The Lions had 303 yards passing from senior quarterback Adam Hinspeter with Johnny Johnson catching nine passes for 130 yards.
Truman was a perfect six of six in redzone scoring chances.
What’s At Stake?
- The Bulldogs are looking for their first conference victory of the season and their first in six league games dating back to last season (Missouri Southern).
- Truman is tied with Emporia State for last place in the conference but only trail seventh place Pittsburg State by two games and sixth place Fort Hays State by two and a half.
- The Bulldogs will be looking for their 293rd MIAA victory (292-176-20) and 526th (525-361-34) win in the program’s history.
- Missouri Southern has won the last two games played in Joplin and are 6-5 over the Bulldogs at Fred G. Hughes Stadium. Truman’s last win was 15-3 in 2003.
- The Lions are one game ahead of Emporia State and Truman in the league standings and are a game back of Fort Hays State and 1 ½ back of Pittsburg State.
About The Bulldogs (Defense):
Truman’s defense is ranked 10th in the conference in scoring (37.6 ppg), rushing (152.6 ypg) and eighth in total defense (409.7 ypg). The Bulldogs are fourth in passing yards allowed per game at 209.3.
The Bulldogs have allowed 25 plays (with nine touchdowns) from scrimmage to go for over 25 yards this season. Last season, Truman’s D allowed 23 plays (with eight touchdown) of 25 or more in 11 games.
Nearly half of the touchdowns scored by opposing teams this season (30, offensive drive touchdowns) have come on plays of 15 or more yards (13). Truman has allowed 67 of the 472 plays this season to go for 15 or more yards (14%).
Truman has two of the top four defensive players in regards to tackles in the conference. Senior Demetrius Lavant leads the MIAA with 9.4 tackles per game while sophomore Michael Elliott is tied for third at 8.4.
Senior Eric Sternberg leads the conference in sacks and tackles for loss. Sternberg has seven sacks this season and 9.5 tackles for loss. He is the active player career leading in tackles with 178, 29.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks. Sternberg is also tied for fifth in Division II in sacks per game at 1.00
The top nine Bulldog tacklers this season are linebackers or defensive backs. Ryan Ploesser leads the defensive linemen with 19 total tackles or 2.7 per game.
Defensive Quick Hits:
- The Bulldogs have forced 11 turnovers this season (1.5 per game) with two being directly returned for touchdowns. Just two other forced turnovers were turned into points. Last season, the Bulldogs forced 28 turnovers (2.5 per game) with half being turned into points.
- In 290 rushes, Truman’s defense allowed 1403 yards rushing for a 4.8 yards per carry average.
- In 100 pass completions for 1465 yards, opponents averaged 14.6 yards per completion.
- In 472 offensive plays, opposing teams average 6.1 yards per play.
- Opponents have made 29 trips into Truman’s redzone and come away with 19 touchdowns and four field goals.
- The Bulldog defense has been on the field on average 30:28 minutes per game this season and has allowed 228 points.
- Opponents have converted on third down 46% of the time (41-of-89) with 22-of-40 in the first half and 19-of-49 in the second half.
- The longest third down converted was a 3&12 by Northwest Missouri.
- Opponents are 2-of-5 in fourth down conversions.
- The longest drives by the opposing team this season have been 16 plays, 84 yards and took 7:01 off the clock. The result of the drive by Oklahoma Panhandle State was a turnover on downs at the Bulldog one-yard line. Northwest Missouri had the longest drive in terms of yards going 95 in 10 plays with a touchdown.
About the Bulldogs (Offense):
Truman has had tough luck at the quarterback position so far this season. Junior Phillip Davis entered the season as the starter but was knocked out of the Fort Hays State game with an injury. Davis has 676 passing yards (60-of-116) and five touchdowns to go along with 145 yards rushing on 42 attempts. Davis is listed as questionable.
Taylor Breen started both the Northwest Missouri and Central Missouri games before leaving in the second quarter against the Mules. Breen was 13-of-42 for 186 yards and one touchdown.
Caleb Roberts replaced Breen against the Mules and was 9-of-12 for 110 yards with eight rushes for 32. Roberts started against Missouri Western and was just 1-of-9 for six yards and five sacks.
Andy Mundwiller played the final drive of the third quarter and all of the fourth quarter against Missouri Western and was 4-of-8 for 90 yards. Mundwiller was the third string quarterback last season and was moved to the linebacker corps at the start of the season. He was moved back to quarterback last week after the injuries.
Truman has had 14 plays (2.0 per game) from scrimmage go for 25 yards or more, four of which have gone for touchdowns. Last season, the Bulldogs had 29 plays (2.6 per game) and nine touchdowns on plays of 25 yards or more.
Junior Vanness Emokpae leads a host of Bulldog rushers with 182 total yards on 31 carries. Emokpae has averaged 5.9 yards per carry and has been caught behind the line of scrimmage just four times out of the 31 attempts.
Junior Anton Bernard has the most touches with 52 for 137 yards and a 2.6 yards per carry average. Bernard has one touchdown and a long of 13 yards.
Truman has had 12 receivers catch 87 passes from the Bulldog quarterbacks. Five have caught over 10 passes with sophomore Anthony Brown and Emokpae leading the was with 15 receptions apiece.
Brown has 211 yards receiving with a long of 47 and a 14.1 yards per catch average. Emokpae has three touchdown receptions and 200 yards receiving with a 13.3 per catch average. Emokpae has 12 career touchdown receptions.
Senior Steve D’Antonio leads the team in per catch average with 11 for 190 yards or a 17.3 average.
Offensive Quick Hits:
- The Bulldogs have recorded 109 first downs on this season, 44 by passing, 46 by rushing and 18 by penalty.
- In 261 rushing attempts, Truman is averaging 3.0 yards per carry.
- Truman gained 784 yards this season on the ground.
- With 87 pass completions, the Bulldogs had 1068 yards passing and a12.3 yards per completion average.
- With 452 offensive plays, the Bulldogs have amassed 1852 yards of total offense for a per play average of 4.1 yards.
- In their 19 trips to the redzone this season, the Bulldog have eight touchdowns, five field goals.
- The Bulldogs are 37-106 (35%) on third down conversions. They are 20-of-62 in the first half and 16-of-44 in the second half.
- The longest third down conversion was a 3&12. A completed pass for 15 yards from Taylor Breen to Anthony Brown against Northwest Missouri.
- Truman 4-of-11 on fourth down conversions. The longest fourth down converted this season was a 4th&16 that went for a 31 yard touchdown pass from Phillip Davis to Jordan Flores.
- The offense has been on the field 29:32 per game this season and has scored 99 points.
- The Bulldogs longest drive of the season has been a 13-play 80-yard drive that consumed 6:52 and resulted in a touchdown.
- The last 1,000 yard rusher for the Bulldogs was Jerard Leverson (1012 yards) following the 2003 season.
About the Bulldogs (Special Teams):
Senior Mickey Masucci is Truman’s all-time career field goal kicker with 34 makes Masucci is 34-of-53 (64%) on field goal attempts for his career and passed Scott Bresaw (1989-91) and Jeff Klee (1996-99).
Masucci is eighth in kicker scoring at 4.1 points per game. Masucci has 211 career points and has made 109 point after attempts with the last 47 being consecutive.
Freshman Eric Phillips is seventh with a 38.2 per punt average. Phillips is tied for second with Jordan Hofer of Central Missouri and Tyler Chilson of Emporia State in the conference with a 62-yard punt against Nebraska-Omaha. Andrew Gassen leads the conference with a 71 yard punt also against the Mavericks.
Truman averages 19.5 yards per kickoff return on this season with Vanness Emokpae’s 62 yard return down to Minnesota State’s 16-yard line being the season long thus far.
Phil Kenney has 27 returns for 523 yards or 19.4 yards per return average.
Albert Coker has six punt returns for 32 yards (5.3 per return) this season and for his career has averaged 7.8 yards per return and has a touchdown.
Truman has had nine special teams plays (all kick returns) go for 25 yards or more with no touchdowns. Last season, the Bulldogs had 21 returns (1.9 per game) of 25 yards or more.
Opponents have had 15 special teams plays (six punt returns, nine kick returns) go for 25 yards or more with three returns (one kick, two punt) for scores. Last season, Truman had 17 returns (all kick) go for 25 or more yards with no touchdowns.
Special Teams Quick Hits:
- The Bulldogs are 5-of-7 on field goal attempts this season. The longest attempt has been 37 yards (missed).
- Truman has converted on 47 straight point after kick attempts have not tried a two-point conversion this season.
- Opponents are 35-for-35 on extra point attempts and have not tried a two-point conversion this season. They are 6-for-8 on field goal attempts with the longest make being from 46 yards.
- Truman averaged 60.6 yards per kickoff and 36.8 yards per punt.
- Opponents are averaging 59.1 per kickoff and 33.0 yards per punt.
- The Bulldogs averaged 19.5 yards per kick return and 7.4 per punt return.
- Opponents are averaging 24.3 yards per kick return and 19.9 per punt return.
- The Bulldogs has blocked two punts this season, one against Minnesota State and one against Missouri Western.
- Truman has had two punts blocked this season (Northwest & Central Missouri).
- Truman allowed their first kick return for a touchdown since 1999 against Northwest Missouri. Tyler Shaw took the second half opening kickoff 92 yards for the touchdown. Kerry Byers went 100 yards for Missouri Southern back in 1999.
The Series:
Saturday will mark the 22nd meeting between Truman and Missouri Southern on the football field and 12th played in Joplin. The two teams met once back in 1968 before the Lions joined the MIAA in 1989.
The Bulldogs hold a touchdown advantage over the Lions as they have won 14 of the 21 games played and six of 11 games played in Joplin.
Coaches:
Aaron Vlcko is in his first season as the head coach of the Truman Bulldogs and fifth season overall with the program. As the team’s offensive coordinator, the Bulldogs have averaged 345.7 yards per game with nearly 10,000 yards passing.
Truman has averaged 24.2 points per game under Vlcko calling the plays.
Maurice “Red’ Wade is the dean of Truman coaches with 143 games coached and 99 victories. Don Faurot is the Bulldog leader in win percentage at an .816 clip from 1926-1934, the year before he left for the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Truman is 85-77-4 under first year head coaches. Ten of the 21 Head Coaches have had winning seasons in their first year, the last was a 6-5 record posted by John Ware in 1995. The best winning percentage of first year head coaches belongs to both Don and Fred Faurot who each went 7-1 (.875) in 1926 and 1935 respectively.
The most wins of any first year Truman coach was nine set in 1990 by Eric Holm.
Bart Tatum is in his fourth season on the sidelines of Missouri Southern after taking over for John Ware. Tatum is 16-23 during his tenure in Joplin and was an assistant coach at Northwest Missouri prior to being tabbed the head coach for the Lions.
Bulldogs On The Road:
Truman is 0-3 in road games this season. Since the 2000 season, the Bulldogs are 19-33 in road games.
Truman has not had a season in which they won at least one road game since 1973 (0-5-1).
Truman’s longest road winning streak is 12 games dating back from 1932-1934 under Coach Don Faurot
All-Time Records:
· This will be the 921st game in Truman football history. The Bulldogs are 525-362-34 (.589) all time.
· Truman is 4-1 in overtime games. All five games have been played at Stokes Stadium with the last being on Nov. 15, 2008 against Missouri S&T (L 39-38).
· The Bulldogs have finished .500 or above in 70 of the 101 seasons of football played at the University and have had five wins or more in 62 seasons.
· Truman is the winningest NCAA program in the state of Missouri with the .589 win percentage. The University of Missouri has the most wins with 603 with the Bulldogs second with 525.
Truman/Missouri Western Game Footnotes:
- The Bulldogs lost their seventh straight coin toss of the season and ninth straight overall.
- The loss was the first Homecoming defeat for the Bulldogs since 2005 and now has a homecoming record of 42-23-2 since its inception in 1939.
- Truman finished with 199 yards of total offense with 103 coming on the ground and 171 coming in the fourth quarter.
- In all six of the team’s losses, the Bulldogs have given up a score with less than three minutes before the halftime gun. Four of the six scores have come in the final minute.
- The Bulldogs first, first down came with under a minute to play in the third quarter.
- Michael Elliott had a career and season high 16 total tackles.
- The 72 yards rushing by Vanness Emokpae was a single-game high for all Truman rushers.
- The Bulldogs have not had a running back score two rushing touchdowns since Matt Ticich did so against Southwest Baptist on Oct. 4, 2007, a span of 23 games.
- Missouri Western established season highs against the Bulldogs in running plays (51) and total plays 81.
Up Next:
Truman returns home to face Emporia State next Saturday at Stokes Stadium.
The Bulldogs had a 24-14 halftime lead over the Hornets last season on the road but were shutout in the second half and lost 35-24. That loss broke a two-game winning streak by the Bulldogs over the Hornets.
Emporia leads the all-time series with the Bulldogs 14-9. Kickoff at Stokes Stadium is slated for 1:00 p.m.