KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The Truman Bulldogs will continue one of the nation's toughest schedules as they will face their fourth ranked opponent in six games as they welcome #5 Washburn University for the 69
th annual Homecoming Game on the Kirksville campus. Kickoff is slated for 2:00 p.m.
The Bulldogs have won four of their last five Homecoming games and hope to ride the momentum of their 25-10 victory last week against McKendree (Ill.) University as they stepped outside of conference action for the first time in 2011.
Truman is led by senior quarterback
J.B. Clark, who has passed for 1,142 yards through the first five games and senior receiver
Anthony Brown who has 26 catches for 386 yards and three touchdowns.
The Ichabods are riding high after staying unbeaten following a 31-17 victory in the “Turnpike Tussle”, the annual rival game with Emporia State last Saturday. Washburn became the highest ranked MIAA member when they moved up to fifth with the victory over the Hornets coupled with the loss by top-ranked Northwest Missouri to Pittsburg State.
Senior quarterback Dane Simoneau will be making his fourth start against the Bulldogs and has thrown for over 1,500 yards this season with 16 touchdown passes. Simoneau has four receivers with over 250 yards apiece with DeJaun Beard (342/5 TDs) and Ronnell Garner (332/4 TDs) on top of the charts.
The Ichabods have won the last four games in this series including last year's 45-12 victory over the Bulldogs at Stokes Stadium. Simoneau threw for 237 yards and three touchdowns while the Bulldogs top offensive player was running back
Will Mosquera with 83 yards on 18 carries.
Five Things To Watch:
1 – Ball Possession
The Ichabods come in with the MIAA top ranked defense (297.2/g) and second ranked offense (478.8/g). Truman will need to keep that high powered offense on the sidelines by chewing up game clock and moving the chains. The Bulldogs have averaged 25:26 of possession time through the first five games with the defense being on the field over 34 minutes per game.
2 – Third Down Efficiency
Truman will need to improve on their 32% third down success rate this season. The Bulldogs are 24-of-76 overall and have a slightly better success rate when facing a third and 7-10 yard to go (38%) than a third and less that three (32%).
Defensively, the Bulldogs have been solid in mid to long yardage situations but allowing a 73% success rate in short yardages attempts.
Washburn comes in with a 53% overall success rate on third downs.
3 –Look For The Big Turnover
The Bulldogs have had a positive turnover margin over the last four weeks going 11 takeaways to just six turnovers since week two.
Washburn has had 14 fumbles this season but has lost just four while quarterback Dane Simoneau has tossed six interceptions.
4 – Win Special Teams
Truman's average starting position following kickoffs is their own 32 while their opponents average position is five yards fewer at their own 27.
The Bulldogs are second in the conference in net punting average with a 42.4 average punt and a 7.2 allowed return average while Washburn is last in the MIAA in kickoff returns and have only had four punts returned.
5 – Conjure Up Some Homecoming Magic
Truman has won four of their last five Homecoming games and has a 44-23-2 overall homecoming game mark. Last year, the Bulldogs knocked off Missouri Southern in front of the alumni and rallied to win 37-34 in front of a hostile Emporia State homecoming crowd. In 2008, the 'Dogs defeated nationally-ranked and previously unbeaten Nebraska-Omaha 26-20 in overtime.
Offensive Notebook:
• Senior transfer
J.B. Clark completed 90-of-182 pass attempts (49.5%) for 1142 yards. Clark is fourth in the MIAA in total offense with 238 yards per game and has thrown seven touchdown passes. His long pass is 61 yards to
Kurt Loyd against Central Missouri.
• Clark passed for nearly 4,000 yards in 19 starts with 37 touchdown passes while a member of the Lehigh University (FCS) squad. He did not play in the 2010 season after recovering from an injury.
• Sophomore
Conrad Schottel was 3-of-7 for 17 yards in his season debut against Northwest. For his career, Schottel is 16-of-39 and has not thrown a touchdown pass.
• Senior
Harnish Ayora leads the team in rushing with a 44.4 yards per game average. He has gained 222 yards on 50 carries for a 4.4 per carry average. For his career, Ayora has 821 yards rushing and a 3.6 yards per carry average.
• Senior
Donald Harvey is second in rushing with 132 yards on 33 carries and
Will Mosquera third with 112 yards on 34 attempts.
• Senior
Anthony Brown leads the receiving corps with 26 catches for 386 yards and three touchdowns. Brown is tied for fifth in the MIAA in receptions per game at 5.2 and sixth in yards per game with 77.2
• The Bulldogs are 17-of-21 (81%) in redzone opportunities in 2011 with eight touchdowns. Last season, the team was 80% successful in the redzone with 36 scores (25 touchdowns). In 2009, they were just 67% in the redzone with only 16 touchdowns in 36 opportunities.
• For the season, Truman is 32% in third down situations. They are 8-of-25 (32%) in short yardage third down situations (under three yards) but 9-of-24 (38%) when facing seven to 10 yards on third down.
• Truman is averaging 4.8 yards per play and 328.6 yards per game in total offense in 2011. The Bulldogs averaged 4.8 yards per play and 324.2 yards in 2010 and were at 4.2 and 278.0 in 2009.
• Last year the team rushed for 1,933 yards, the most by a Bulldog squad since 1997's 2,015 yards. The team has not had a 1,000 yard season rusher since Jerard Leverson in 2003 (1,012).
• The best single-game performances this year have been 126 yards rushing against Northwest Missouri, 304 yards passing against Central Missouri and 400 yards of total offense also against UCM.
Defensive Notebook:
• Junior
Richie Schumacher is tied for seventh in Division II in tackles per game with 11.8. He has 59 tackles after registering 61 in 2010 in 11 games. He trails conference member Alex Whitehill of Fort Hays State for both the national and conference lead in tackles (15.0/g).
• The defense has 12 takeaways in 2011 with nine fumbles and three interceptions. They are fourth in the MIAA in turnover margin. Six of the 12 takeaways have led to points scored with one interception return for a touchdown. In 2010, the defense had 19 takeaways. The Bulldogs offense scored on the ensuing possession on just six of those turnovers. Truman was third in the MIAA in turnover margin.
• The Bulldogs have allowed 448.0 yards in total offense by opposing teams this season and is allowing 5.9 yards per play. Last year, the Bulldogs allowed 387 per game and 5.9 per play.
• The 'Dogs have allowed 1142 yards on the ground (260.5/game) with Fort Hays State's Andre Smith posting the single-game high with 204 yards on 21 carries.
• The pass defense has given up 219.6 yards per game and opposing quarterbacks have completed 99-of-152 passes (65%). In 2010, the pass D allowed 242 yards per game and opposing qbs completed 59.8% of their passes.
• Opposing teams are 18-of-24 (75%) in the redzone with 14 touchdowns while last season, opponents were 36-of-42 (85.7%) with 29 touchdowns and seven field goals.
• On third downs, opponents are 32-of-76 (42%) and 73% when facing a third and less than three yards. In 2010, opponents were only 34% successful which was second in the MIAA. Teams were 50% from inside of three yards but just under 30% when faced with a third and greater than seven. On fourth down, opponents were just 10-of-28 (36%).
Special Teams Notebook:
• Sophomore
Derek Koon is 11-for-11 in field goals in 2011 with a career long 42 yards against Fort Hays State and Central Missouri. Koon is 6-for-6 in field goals over 30 yards after making just 2-of-8 during his freshman season. He has also converted on nine of 12 extra point attempts.
• Koon has made 11 straight field goal tries, breaking the school record of Scott Bresaw's 10 set in 1990 and is just four away from Bresaw's 1990 single-season record of 15 field goals made. Koon is tied with Josh Barcus (Pittsburg State) for the MIAA record in consecutive field goals and nine away from the single-season field goal mark set by Justin Gray of Emporia State.
• Koon is tied for third in Division II with 2.20 field goals per game and tied for 35
th in scoring at 8.40 points per game.
• Junior
Eric Phillips is second in the MIAA in punting with a 41.9 yards per punt average. He is 11
th in Division II and along with redshirt freshman
Jacob Lamp, has helped the Bulldogs to a team ranking of 14
th in Division II in net putting at 37.8 yards per punt.
• Senior
Donald Harvey has taken the bulk of the kick returns with 16 for a 23.8 yard return average.
• Senior
Andy Mundwiller leads the team in punt returning yardage with an 11.3 yard average through five games. Mundwiller had 94 yards of return against Fort Hays State, including a 58-yarder to nearly eclipse the 2010 team total in return yards. Truman averaged 7.6 yards per punt return (13 attempts) a season ago and is averaging 12.5 this year (13 attempts).
• The Bulldogs have blocked one punt this season, which went for a touchdown.
Richie Schumacher got the block and fell on the ball in the endzone for six.
All-Time Records:
• The Bulldogs have played 940 games all-time. The Bulldogs are 532-374-34 (.584) 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 103 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 .584 win percentage. The University of Missouri has the most wins with 618 with the Bulldogs second with 532.
• Truman's 532 wins is eighth all-time in Division II.
Bulldogs At Home:
• Truman is 229-134-9 (.634) at Stokes Stadium, the longtime home of the Truman Bulldogs. This is the 81st year of the action at the stadium on campus. Truman was 2-4 in Kirksville last season.
Academic Success:
• The Bulldogs had 39 players earn distinction on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll last year, the most of any conference program. To be eligible, a player must have a cumulative grade-point average above a 3.00. The team had a cumulative grade-point average of 2.95 following the 2010 spring semester.
Bulldogs In the Pros:
• Left guard Pat Murray was the only Bulldog active in the NFL but was recently waived by the Cleveland Browns. Murray was a first-team all-MIAA and honorable mention all-American for the Bulldogs from 2003-2006. Overall 19 former Bulldogs have played professional football.
• Gregg Williams, a three-time letterwinner from 1977-79, is the current defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints.
• Randy Ball, captain of the 1972 Bulldog squad and father of defensive line coach
Andy Ball, is the Director of Player Personnel for the Las Vegas Locomotives of the United Football League.
Up Next:
• Truman embarks on a three-game road trip starting next Saturday at Missouri Southern for a 1:00 p.m. start. The Bulldogs defeated the Lions 23-6 last season in Kirksville. Missouri Southern is 1-3 overall and has a road test at Emporia State (1-4) on Saturday.
Truman/McKendree Footnotes:
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The Bulldogs rushed for over 100 yards (125) for just the second time in five games this season and was just one yard short of their single-game high of 126 set in the opener against Northwest Missouri.
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McKendree had the ball for 10:21 in the first quarter and over 36 minutes for the game while the Bulldog offense was on the field for just 23 minutes.
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Truman's average starting field position was their own 45 and in the third quarter, the average position was at the McKendree 44.
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The Bearcats started on average on their own 17 in the third quarter, the frame that Truman scored a pair of touchdowns to take control of the game.
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Donald Harvey had two kick returns for a total of 77 yards and a long of 43.
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All four of Anthony Brown's catches for 101 yards came in the second quarter.
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McKendree had just three plays in the game go for more than 15 yards.
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The Bearcats were 4-of-19 in third down conversions for the game with just one in the first half.
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Truman was 3-of-13 in third downs and did not convert a first down until nearly six minutes left in the first half on an 13-yard reception by Anthony Brown.
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After averaging no yards in the third quarter in the first four games, Truman put up a season-high 48 yards on the ground coming out of the halftime locker room.
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Derek Koon's two field goals (19 and 23 yards) gave his 11 consecutive makes which broke the school record set by Scott Bresaw in 1990 and tied him with Josh Barcus (Pittsburg State) with the MIAA record.
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Truman is now 3-0 in non-conference games since Gregg Nesbitt took over as coach and have won four straight non-MIAA games.
Truman/Washburn Series:
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This will be the 23rd straight and 29th overall meeting between Washburn and Truman on the gridiron. The Ichabods are currently on their longest winning streak in the series having won the last four games.
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Truman is 43-23-2 in “Homecoming Games” and have won four of their last five. The Ichabods have been the Homecoming opponent twice in the past decade, winning in 2002 and falling 21-7 in 2006.
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During the present four-game Ichabod winning streak, Washburn has averaged 46 points per game while allowing the Bulldogs just 17.7 per contest.
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This will be quarterback Dane Simoneau's fourth start against Truman, he has thrown for 585 yards (195.0/g) during that span.
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The last 300 yard passer in the series was Truman's Eric Howe who tossed for 369 in 2000.
