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Nov. 4, 2009 – The Truman Bulldog Football team will close out the 2009 season by hosting Pittsburg State University on Senior Day this Saturday afternoon. Prior to the game, 10 seniors will be recognized for their contributions to the program.
Those seniors will try to do something that no other Truman team has accomplished since 1989 and that is to beat the Gorillas.
Truman will also try to avoid going winless in the conference since 2005 as they have lost all nine previous league games. The Bulldog offense could not get things going and the defense struggled against the run in a 37-7 loss to Washburn on Saturday.
It took just five plays after the opening kickoff for the Ichabods to march down the field for a 7-0 score. The Bulldogs then held Washburn to a punt and two field goals before an interception allowed the Ichabods to open up the scoring in the second quarter.
Truman allowed their third 200-yard rusher this season as Vershon Moore went for a season-high 227 yards on 17 carries and the Ichabods reeled off 363 yards rushing on 46 tries.
The Bulldogs were led by Vanness Emokpae as he was limited to just 31 yards on 15 attempts while quarterback Phil Davis completed six of 14 passes for 48 yards.
The bright spot for the Bulldogs was a 71-yard kick return by Albert Coker that the Bulldogs turned into their only touchdown drive of the day.
Truman also finished with a positive turnover margin with Michael Elliott and Richie Schumacher picking up an interception and fumble recovery respectively.
Finally, senior Eric Sternberg moved closer to the Bulldog single-season sack record. He picked up one sack to move his season total to 10.5, just 1.5 behind Elijah Lockhart (1982) and Al Fulton (1972).
Pittsburg State finds themselves in an unusual spot this time of the year as well. The Gorillas are 5-5 overall and 3-5 in the MIAA and are not in contention for an NCAA playoff berth or an MIAA bowl game.
The Gorillas were dealt a 31-28 overtime loss at Nebraska-Omaha on Saturday.
Jared Witter tied the game with a field goal with eight seconds left for the Gorillas and connected on a 34-yard field goal in their first possession of overtime before Mike Higgins scored the winning touchdown from a six-yard pass from Greg Wunderlich.
Pitt State, who leads the MIAA in rushing yards, had 283 yards on the ground in the loss. Terrance Isaac rushed 29 times for 172 yards while Jeff Smith added 96 on 11 carries.
The Gorillas have amassed 2,126 yards on the ground this season with Isaac leading the way with 814 yards and nine touchdowns.
Bulldogs 2009 Schedule One Of Nation’s Toughest
Seven of the 11 games this season will be against teams that have been ranked in the AFCA or D2Football.com top 25 polls.
Four schools, Minnesota State, Northwest Missouri, Missouri Western and Central Missouri, were ranked in the top 25 at the time the game was played.
Nebraska-Omaha dropped out of the D2Football.com poll the week prior to facing the Bulldogs and Washburn dropped out of the AFCA poll but was still in the D2Football.com slate prior to their game with Truman.
Pittsburg State peaked at number four in the AFCA poll earlier this season.
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 Gorillas:
Truman outscored the Gorillas 21-10 in the second half but it was the 35 points that Pittsburg State put on the scoreboard in the first half that led them to a 45-28 victory at Carnie Smith Stadium last season.
The Gorillas scored twice with 1:36 left in the half to head into the locker room with a 35-7 lead. Mark Smith scored from six yards out and after a quit three and out and a personal foul to set up good field position, Smith found Marques Nelson on an 11-yard touchdown pass with :37 seconds left in the half.
Pittsburg State rolled up 557 yards of total offense with 292 coming on the ground.
What’s At Stake?
- The Bulldogs are looking for their first conference victory of the season and their first in nine league games dating back to last season (Missouri Southern).
- The Bulldogs will be looking for their 293rd MIAA victory (292-179-20) and 526th (525-364-34) win in the program’s history.
About The Bulldogs (Defense):
Truman’s defense is ranked 10th in the conference in scoring (35.0 ppg), rushing (226.1 ypg) and eighth in total defense (419.5 ypg). The Bulldogs are first in passing yards allowed per game at 194.3.
The Bulldogs have allowed 36 plays (with 12 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 (40, offensive drive touchdowns) have come on plays of 15 or more yards (17). Truman has allowed 93 of the 698 plays this season to go for 15 or more yards (13%).
Both senior Demetrius Lavant and sophomore Michael Elliott are tied for second in the conference in tackles. Lavant has 49 solo and 46 assisted for 95 while Elliott has 52 solo and 43 assisted for a 9.5 tackles per game average.
Senior Eric Sternberg leads the conference in sacks and tackles for loss. Sternberg has 10.5 sacks this season and 14 tackles for loss. He is the active player career leading in tackles with 198, 34.0 tackles for loss and 16.0 sacks. Sternberg is 5th in Division II in sacks per game at 1.05.
The top nine Bulldog tacklers this season are linebackers or defensive backs. Ryan Ploesser leads the defensive linemen with 29 total tackles or three per game.
Defensive Quick Hits:
- The Bulldogs have forced 18 turnovers this season (1.8 per game) with two being directly returned for touchdowns. Just three other forced turnovers were turned into points. Last season, the Bulldogs forced 28 turnovers (2.5 per game) with half (14) being turned into points.
- In 439 rushes, Truman’s defense allowed 2261 yards rushing for a 5.2 yards per carry average.
- In 141 pass completions for 1934 yards, opponents averaged 13.7 yards per completion.
- In 698 offensive plays, opposing teams average 6.0 yards per play.
- Opponents have made 45 trips into Truman’s redzone and come away with 26 touchdowns and 10 field goals.
- The Bulldog defense has been on the field on average 29:49 minutes per game this season and has allowed 315 points.
- Opponents have converted on third down 46% of the time (64-of-139) with 30-of-64 in the first half and 34-of-75 in the second half.
- The longest third down converted was a 3&17 by both Central Missouri and Washburn.
- Opponents are 4-of-14 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.
- In seven of the team’s losses, the Bulldogs have given up a score with less than three minutes before the halftime gun. Five of the seven scores have come in the final minute.
About the Bulldogs (Offense):
The Bulldogs have used four starting quarterbacks this season. Junior Phillip Davis entered the season as number one and started the first four games. Davis left with an injury on Sept. 19th and missed the next four before returning two weeks ago against Emporia State.
Davis got the start against Washburn on Saturday and was 6-of-14 for 48 yards and one interception. For the season, Davis has 792 passing yards (73-of-147) and five touchdowns to go along with 187 yards rushing on 56 attempts.
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. His return is doubtful.
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 two weeks ago after the injuries but suffered an injury against Missouri Southern.
Mundwiller is 16-of-34 for 212 yards with no touchdown or interceptions.
Truman has had 19 plays (1.9 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 480 total yards on 85 carries. Emokpae has averaged 5.6 yards per carry and has been caught behind the line of scrimmage just eight times out of the 85 attempts.
Emokpae has the longest rush (52 yards) of the season and the most single-game rushing yards (150). He has rushed for over 100 yards in two games this season (Missouri Southern/Emporia State).
With two rushing touchdowns against Emporia State, Emokpae became the first Bulldog with multiple rushing scores since Matt Ticich had two against Southwest Baptist (Oct. 6, 2007 – 24 games).
Truman has had 13 receivers catch 115 passes from the Bulldog quarterbacks. Six have caught over 10 passes with Emokpae leading the way with 20.
Anthony Brown is second on the team with 249 yards receiving with a long of 47 and a 13.8 yards per catch average. Emokpae has three touchdown receptions and 255 yards receiving with a 12.8 per catch average. Emokpae has 12 career touchdown receptions.
Senior Charlie Brunette leads the team with most yards per catch. Brunette has seven catches for 157 yards (22.4 ypc).
Offensive Quick Hits:
- The Bulldogs have recorded 149 first downs on this season, 56 by passing, 68 by rushing and 25 by penalty.
- In 399 rushing attempts, Truman is averaging 3.3 yards per carry.
- Truman gained 1317 yards this season on the ground.
- With 115 pass completions, the Bulldogs had 1312 yards passing and an 11.4 yards per completion average.
- With 651 offensive plays, the Bulldogs have amassed 2629 yards of total offense for a per play average of 4.0 yards.
- In their 31 trips to the redzone this season, the Bulldogs have 12 touchdowns, eight field goals.
- The Bulldogs are 50-of-155 (32%) on third down conversions. They are 26-of-87 in the first half and 28-of-67 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 10-of-21 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 30:11 per game this season and has scored 136 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 37 makes Masucci is 37-of-59 (62%) 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 4.2 points per game. Masucci has 224 career points and has made 113 point after attempts with the last 51 being consecutive. Masucci is tied for 50th in Division II in field goals at 1.00 per game.
Freshman Eric Phillips is sixth with a 38.4 per punt average. Phillips has a career long of 62 yards against Nebraska-Omaha is tied for 41st in Division II in punting average.
Truman averages 20.2 yards per kickoff return on this season with Albert Coker’s 71 yard return down to the Washburn 23 yard line being the season long.
Phil Kenney has 39 returns for 756 yards or 19.9 yards per return average. Kenney has 105 career kick returns with a long of 59 and an average of 21.9 and no career TD returns.
Albert Coker has eight punt returns for 78 yards (9.8 per return) this season and for his career has averaged 8.3 yards per return and has two touchdowns.
Truman has had 15 special teams plays (14 kick returns, 1 punt) go for 25 yards or more with one touchdowns. Last season, the Bulldogs had 21 returns (1.9 per game) of 25 yards or more.
Opponents have had 20 special teams plays (six punt returns, 14 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.
Truman has had five blocks this season (four punts and one extra point that was returned for a defensive PAT). Last season, Truman had three kick blocks.
Special Teams Quick Hits:
- The Bulldogs are 8-of-13 on field goal attempts this season. The longest attempt has been 47 yards (missed).
- Truman has converted on 51 straight point after kick.
- The Bulldogs are 1-for-1 on their only two-point conversion try (Vanness Emokpae rush).
- Opponents are 41-for-43 on extra point attempts and missed on their only two-point try (Emporia State). They are 13-for-15 on field goal attempts with the longest make being from 47 yards (Andrew Gassen – Missouri Southern).
- Truman averaged 59.8 yards per kickoff and 37.1 yards per punt.
- Opponents are averaging 58.4 per kickoff and 34.4 yards per punt.
- The Bulldogs averaged 20.2 yards per kick return and 10.3 per punt return.
- Opponents are averaging 23.5 yards per kick return and 15.8 per punt return.
- The Bulldogs have blocked four punts this season, Minnesota State – Jordan Flores, Northwest Missouri – Richie Schumacher, Missouri Western – Luther Eta and Missouri Southern – Luther Eta.
- 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.
- Albert Coker has the only special teams touchdown return for the Bulldogs this season, he went for 48 yards against Emporia State. It was Coker’s first return for a TD since he did it against Missouri Southern in 2007.
The Series:
This will be the 40th meeting between the Bulldogs and the Gorillas dating back to 1933.
Pittsburg State is 21-0 against the Bulldogs since joining the MIAA in 1989. They won 40-0 in their last trip to Stokes Stadium in 2007 and are 12-5 in games played in Kirksville.
The Bulldogs last victory over Pittsburg State was in 1980 as part of the Molia Shrine Bowl in St. Joseph, Mo. (17-14). Truman’s last win at Stokes over the Gorillas was an 18-15 victory back in 1968.
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 85-79-4 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.
Chuck Broyles is in his 20th season of coaching at Pittsburg State University and has a career record of 198-46-2.
All-Time Records:
· This will be the 924th game in Truman football history. The Bulldogs are 525-364-34 (.587) all time.
· Truman is 4-2 in overtime games. All six games have been played at Stokes Stadium with the last being on Oct. 24, 2009 against Emporia State (Truman lost 30-24).
· 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 all-time in the state of Missouri with the .587 win percentage. The University of Missouri has the most wins with 604 with the Bulldogs second with 525.
Truman/Washburn Game Footnotes:
- The Bulldogs won the coin toss and are now 2-10 this season calling either the opening toss or overtime toss.
- Five of the eight converted third downs by Washburn were on third and longs. The Ichabods converted on third and 16, 17, 11, 10 and eight yards.
- Washburn had five plays from scrimmage that went for over 25 yards but none for touchdowns.
- Truman started three running backs with Emokpae, Harnish Ayora and Anton Bernard all in the backfield with Phil Davis.
- Emokpae’s two-game 100-yard rushing streak ended as he finished with just 31 yards on 15 carries.
- Emokpae completed his first two collegiate passes for six yards.
- Albert Coker’s 71-yard kick return was the longest of the season, it was the longest kick return since Jason Douglas went for 80 yards against South Dakota in 2005.
- Eric Phillips averaged 36.7 on seven punts with a long of 49 and two inside the 20 yardline.
- Truman finished with nine tackles for loss for 34 yards with Eric Sternberg and Adam Reynolds each recording two. Sternberg had one sack while Harold Lloyd and Ja’Cobe Britt had the other one.
- Michael Elliott and Richie Schumacher each led the Bulldogs with 10 tackles and a turnover. Elliott had his third interception of the season and returned it for 36 yards while Schumacher recovered a muffed punt.
- The Bulldog offensive line did not allow a sack and only six tackles for loss (13 yards).
- With the victory, Truman’s lead over Washburn in the all-time series is 18-9.