Complete Notes (.pdf)

Webcast –CentralMoInfo.com (audio)

Video – B2Networks.com

Radio – 104.7 FM KRES (Brad Boyer, Chad Speakar, Hank Janssen, Kevin White)

Pregame show begins at 12:30 p.m.

 

Game Preview:

Looking to ride the momentum of a two-game conference winning streak, the Truman Bulldogs return to Stokes Stadium on Saturday to face the Washburn University Ichabods at 1:00 p.m. 

 

The Bulldogs rallied from 10 points down with just under five minutes to play in defeating Emporia State 37-34 on Saturday while the Ichabods rolled the dice and went for two after Dane Simoneau found Joe Hastings for a touchdown to trim the Ichabod deficit to Northwest Missouri to 42-41 but failed and fell to the Bearcats at home.  It was the first fourth quarter comeback by the Bulldogs since rallying from 13 points down to win at Northwest Missouri in October of 2001.

 

Quarterback Phil Davis leads the Bulldogs with 591 yards on the ground and 1008 through the air.  Freshman receiver Dallas Grier, who had season highs with eight catches for 112 against the Hornets last week, has 390 yards and one touchdown.

 

Vershon Moore is the only MIAA running back over 100 yards per game (114.4) and is on the verge of breaking 1000 yards in a season with 85.  Quaterback Dane Simoneau was third in passing (283.6) with over 2200 yards and 21 touchdown passes and Joe Hastings has been Simoneau's top target with 987 receiving yards and 12 TD receptions.

 

Washburn comes in averaging 36.4 points per game but has allowed a league worst 35.5.  The Bulldogs, who are coming off their highest points scored in nearly two years, average 19.8 offensively and allow 28.5 defensively.

 

The Bulldogs forced just five turnovers in their first six games but has since picked up 10 in their last two.  Truman has also scored on 11 of their last 13 trips in the redzone.

 

Washburn has won three straight in the series and five of the last six.  However, Truman still leads the overall series 20-7.

 

Series History:

This is the 28^th meeting between the Ichabods and the Bulldogs with Truman leading the all-time series 20-7.  Two games in the series that were won on the field by Washburn were later awarded as victories to Truman due to forfeits.  The 1963 game was won by the Ichabods 7-6 and the 1989 game was a 21-3 decision in favor of Washburn.

 

The Ichabods have won six of the last eight games in the series with Truman's last win coming in 2006 by a 21-7 score.

 

 

All-Time Records:

·         The Bulldogs have played 932 games all-time.  The Bulldogs are 530-368-34 (.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 102 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 614 with the Bulldogs second with 530. 

 

Drive Summaries:

• The Bulldogs have had 17 drives this season start in opposing territory and have come away with 31 points (four touchdowns and one field goal).
• Opposing teams have had 20 drives start on Truman's side of the 50 and have scored 83 points (11 touchdowns and two field goals).
• Truman has started four times inside their own 10 yardline and have had three punts and one turnover.
• Opposing teams have had eight drives start inside the 10 and have one touchdown, one field goal, three punts, a missed field goal and two turnovers.

 

Tale of Two Halves:

Truman has been outscored by just 21 points in the first half of all games (101-80) but in the second half has been outscored by 51 points (127-76).  The biggest discrepancy has been in the fourth quarter as the Bulldogs have been outscored 73-43.

 

Story On Third Downs:

The Bulldogs have been near 45% when facing a third and short or third and middle distance this season.  They have also converted five times on 10, third and 10 situations.  However, the Bulldogs are just 14-of-53 (26%) when facing a third and seven or longer.  Truman's longest third down conversion was a third and 15 last Saturday against Emporia State when Donald Harvey caught a pass for 50 yards in the key fourth quarter comeback.

 

Opponents have converted over 25% of the time when facing a third and seven or more this season.  The longest third down conversion was a third and 26 by Southwest Baptist (pass completed for 35 yards). 

 

Truman has eight sacks and seven tackles for loss on third down.

 

Notable National Rankings:

• The Bulldogs are tied for 11 in Division II in sacks allowed (1.00/g).
• Truman is 11th in Division II in defensive sacks (3.13/g).
• Truman is 45^th in rushing offense (165.5/ypg).
• Truman is 133^rd in passing offense (139.7/ypg).
• Truman is 129^th in pass defense (247.3/ypg).
• Patrick Blackwell is tied for 29^th in sacks per game (0.75/g).
• Derek Koon is tied for 30^th in field goals per game (1.00/g).
• Phil Davis is 63^rd in rushing yards and 69^th in total offense (73.8/199.8 ypg).

 

Offensive Quick Hits:

• The Bulldogs recorded 117 first downs this season, 55 by passing, 54 by rushing and eight by penalty.
• In 330 rushing attempts, Truman averages 4.0 yards per carry up from a 3.1 mark last season. 
• Truman has gained 1324 yards on the ground.
• The 165.5 yards per game gained on the ground is the highest average since the Bulldogs finished the 2006 season with a 168.5 mark.
• With 96 pass completions, the Bulldogs have 1118 yards passing and 11.6 yards per completion average.
• The 139.8 yards passing per game is the lowest average by a Truman team since 1979 (125.3).
• With 526 offensive plays, the Bulldogs have amassed 2442 yards of total offense for a per play average of 4.6 up from 4.3 yards last season.
• In their 32 trips to the redzone this season, the Bulldogs have 17 touchdowns and eight field goals.
• The Bulldogs are 47-of-123 (38%) on third down conversions. 
• Truman is 5-of-10 on fourth down conversions.
• The offense has been on the field 31:05 per game this season and has scored 149 points.
• The offensive line has allowed eight sacks through eight games, last season, the Bulldogs allowed 25 qb sacks.
• The Bulldogs longest drive of the season has been a 14-play 64-yard drive that consumed 7:31 and resulted in a field goal against Missouri Southern. 
• The last 1,000 yard rusher for the Bulldogs was Jerard Leverson (1012 yards) following the 2003 season.

 

Defensive Quick Hits:

• In 279 rushes, Truman's defense has allowed 1059 yards rushing for a 3.8 yards per carry average, down from a 5.3 mark last season.
• The 132.4 rushing yards allowed is down from 228.3 last season and the lowest mark since 1982 (80.6).
• In 157 pass completions for 1979 yards, opponents averaged 12.6 yards per completion. 
• The 247.4 yards per game passing currently is the most allowed by the Bulldogs since 274 in 2004.  Last season, Truman allowed 189 passing yards per game.
• In 537 offensive plays, opposing teams averaged 5.7 yards per play down from 6.1 yards in 2009.
• Opponents have made 29 trips into Truman's redzone and come away with 18 touchdowns and five field goals.
• The Bulldog defense has been on the field on average 28:37 minutes per game and allowed 221 points.
• Opponents have converted on third down 30% of the time (32-of-106).
• Opponents are 8-of-23 in fourth down conversions. 
• The longest drive by the opposing team this season has been a 12-play, 79-yard drive that lasted 6:53 and resulted in a touchdown in the season opener against St. Joseph's College.

 

Special Teams Quick Hits:

• The Bulldogs are 8-of-12 on field goal attempts this season, all by Derek Koon.  The longest attempt was also made by Koon of 41 yards against Missouri Southern on Oct. 16^th.
• Koon is 16-of-19 on point after attempts this season and the team has not tried a two-point attempt.
• Opponents are 24-for-27 on extra point attempts and are 0-3 on two-point conversions.  They are 6-for-10 on field goal attempts with the longest make being from 39 yards (Andrew Kocurek – Southwest Baptist).
• Truman averages 55.1 yards per kickoff (Brian Rosser) and 35.9 yards per punt (Eric Phillips).
• Opponents are averaging 58.7 per kickoff and 37.6 yards per punt.
• The Bulldogs average 20.7 yards per kick return and 7.5 per punt return.  Truman's longest kick return was 55 yards by Donald Harvey and longest punt return was 42 also by Harvey.
• Opponents are averaging 19.1 yards per kick return and 3.9 per punt return.  The longest punt return was 23 yards by Terrell Downing of Missouri Western.  The longest kick return was 78 yards by Central Missouri.
• Eric Phillips has 17 punts inside the 20 and 20 punts fair caught (37 of his 48).

 

Truman/Emporia State Recap

 

EMPORIA, Kan. – Two touchdown passes by Phil Davis in the final five minutes erased a 10-point Emporia State lead and gave the Truman Bulldogs a thrilling 37-34 road victory on Saturday.

Will Mosquera caught pass from Davis as the senior quarterback rolled out of the pocket with two minutes left on third and goal from the Emporia one-yard line.  The catch and subsequent stop by the Truman defense gave the Bulldogs their first MIAA road victory dating back to the 2008 season.

Terrence Byrd and Michael Elliott helped set up the winning score by stripping and recovering Adrian Abner's fumble at the Emporia 20-yard line after the Bulldogs had cut it to three points with 4:39 left.

The Hornets took their 10-point lead with 8:51 left in the game as Abner scampered in from 12-yards out on a big third and goal.  The Hornet defense then picked off Davis on the Bulldogs next play and set up shop at Truman's 35.

The 'Dogs stopped the Hornets on fourth and four as a strong wind forced Emporia to go for it on the 29.

Facing a third and 10, Davis found Donald Harvey over the middle who ran 50 yards to the Emporia 26 to kick start the momentum.  Davis then ran 19 yards on the next two plays before finding Caleb Roberts in the back of the endzone to cut the lead to three with 4:47 left.

Davis finished with 165 yards through the air and another 96 on the ground to lead the 'Dogs.  Grier had 112 yards receiving on eight catches as the Bulldogs tossed for a season-high 201 yards.

Emporia threw for just 47 yards and none in the second half.  Hall finished with 90 yards on the ground as the Hornets gained 252 on 45 attempts.

Truman finished with three interceptions and lost one of three fumbles while Emporia lost all three of their fumbles.  Six of the seven combined turnovers led directly to points.

 

Truman/Emporia State Footnotes:

• Truman outgained the Hornets 374 to 299 and held their opponent for the second straight week under 300 yards of total offense.
• The Bulldogs were 6-of-6 in redzone scoring chances with five touchdowns.  For the season they are now 25 of 32 (78% through eight games) compared to last year's 24 of 36 (66% - 11 games).
• The defense registered 12 tackles for loss of 40 yards while Emporia State had just five tackles for loss of seven yards.
• For the season, Truman has 60 TFLs for 301 yards and 25 sacks for 207, last year Truman had just 66 TFLs for 227 and 22 sacks for 127 yards.
• Dallas Grier set career and season highs with eight receptions for 112 yards.
• The Bulldogs passed for a season high 201 yards while keeping ESU to a season-low 47 yards passing on 14 attempts.  The previous low for an opponent was 40 yards by ESU in 2007.
• The 37 points were the most scored by the Bulldogs in 17 overall games (54 - Panhandle St – 09) and most in 18 conference games (38 - Mo. Southern – 07).
• Phil Davis has 591 yards rushing to lead Truman which is the most by a Bulldog rusher since Matt Ticich ran for 678 in 2006.
• Davis eclipsed 1000 passing yards for the season (1008) and is 37 yards away from passing last years total.
• The win broke a 10-game conference road loosing streak dating back to Sept. 27, 2008 (Fort Hays State).
• The 5,929 announced attendance was the largest the Bulldogs have played in front of since Oct. 11, 2008 (6,413 – Pittsburg State).
• It was the first fourth quarter comeback by the Bulldogs since they rallied from 13 points down against Northwest Missouri on Oct. 20, 2001 (24-23).

 

Up Next:

 

Truman will have a daunting task ahead of them as they travel to Pittsburg, Kansas and a place that has not been kind to the Bulldogs since 1969.

 

Truman got “the monkey off their back” last year with a 28-21 victory over the Gorillas of Pittsburg State to snap a 21-game loosing streak and will be looking to break a 11-game streak at Carnie Smith Stadium in a 2:00 p.m. kickoff next Saturday.