Football 10/5/2016 8:06:00 AM

NOTES: Conference Lead Up For Grabs Saturday In Bolivar

Note: This week's game will not be on the GLVC Sports Network. Southwest Baptist will stream the game on a pay-per-view cost of $7.95. As always, our radio partners, 104.7 KRES and CentralMoInfo.com will provide a FREE live audio stream of the game.

PDF Notes

KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The early season outright lead in the Great Lakes Valley Conference will be up for grabs as the league's two unbeaten teams meet in Bolivar on Saturday. Truman (4-1, 3-0 GLVC) will travel to #20 Southwest Baptist (5-0, 3-0 GLVC).

It will be the classic matchup between offense versus defense on Saturday with SBU bringing the GLVC's top offensive machine (38.6 points, 487 yards of total offense) and the Bulldogs having the top defense (14.2 points, 333.8 yards of total defense).

Truman seeks their eighth straight win over Southwest Baptist since 2004 and are 23-3 all-time against the Bearcats.

The Bearcats are off to their best start in school history and for the first time are ranked in the American Football Coaches Association poll, checking in at #20. They feature the GLVC's top running back in junior Bubba Jenkins (139.2 ypg) and second leading passer sophomore TJ Edwards (257.0 ypg).

Truman got a monkey off their back in Saturday's 24-17 win over the University of Indianapolis on Saturday. UIndy was the only GLVC school that Truman had not defeated in the league since joining in 2013. The four-time defending champions had won 30 of the previous 32 conference games before Saturday night's loss.

The Bulldogs have been led offensively by redshirt freshman quarterback Jaden Barr and true freshmen running back Jordan Salima and receiver Drew Slager. Barr has completed 62% of his passes for 793 yards and nine touchdowns. He is also the second leading rusher behind Salima with 60 attempts for 141 yards. Salima has carried the ball 95 times for 361 and four scores. Slager has 18 catches for 323 yards (17.9/catch).

SBU's TJ Edwards is the reigning GLVC Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for 315 yards and five touchdowns in the Bearcats 35-7 victory over McKendree on Saturday. Edwards, the GLVC Freshman of the Year last season, has complted 67% of his passes for 1,285 yards and 16 touchdowns. Bubba Jenkins is leading the GLVC in rushing with 139.2 yards per game (4.8/carry).

Last year, Truman smothered SBU 23-14 in Kirksville. The Bulldogs possessed the ball for over 38 minutes and ran 22 more offensive plays. Truman racked up 444 yards of total offense while the defense held the Bearcats to 286 yards. The Bulldogs were picked off three times but in turn sacked Edwards four times.

UP NEXT:
Truman will step outside of conference action but play their second straight ranked opponent. The Bulldogs will head to Allendale, Michigan to face #2 Grand Valley State at 3 p.m. (cdt).

YOUNG PUPS:
The Bulldogs have had eight true freshmen make their debuts through the first four games. They are running back Jordan Salima, receivers Drew Slager and Cam Nisbet, full back Hayden Holt, offensive lineman James Mitchell, defensive lineman Jake Floyd and defensive backs Lawrence Woods and Jordan Siegel.

The top four leaders in total offense, Barr, Salima Andy Satulla and Malique Robbins and five of the seven all-purpose yardage leaders are in either their first or second year playing.

Of the 63 players that have taken the field this season 60% or 38 are listed as true freshmen, redshirt freshmen or sophomores.

COUNTDOWN TO 1,000:
The final game of the 2016 season at McKendree will be the 1,000^th game in Truman Football history. The Bulldogs began playing football in 1900 and have won 560 games, second most of any NCAA school in the state of Missouri and 10^th among all Division II schools in wins. Truman's overall record is 560-400-34 (.580).

MILESTONE WATCHES:
Senior defensive back Austin Zoda is tied for 17^th in career tackles (275) with Jesse Cooper. To get to the top 10, he will need 304 tackles. Zoda averages 7.4 tackles per game.

Senior Joey Schenck caught his 100^th pass against Missouri S&T and went over 1,000 yards receiving against Indianapolis last Saturday. Schenck's caught 106 passes for 1,005 yards and has nine TDs receiving.

TARGETING:
Schenck has been targeted 26 times by Bulldog quarterbacks making 16 catches for 152 yards. Drew Slager has been thrown to 24 times; making 18 catches for 323 yards and a touchdown.

A total of 15 receivers and backs have had passes their direction this season with 13 making receptions.

GLVC GAMES:
Truman is 17-9 since joining the GLVC in 2013 and has outscored opponents 637-418 (+209). The Bulldogs have held opponents to 99.6 yards rushing per game and have had nearly 30 sacks more than opposing defenses.

In the first half of league games, Truman has outscored GLVC foes by 236 points (398-162) and has only allowed 40 first quarter points in the 26 league games (1.4 points per quarter).

THIRD DOWNS:
This season, Truman has converted on third downs 46% of the time, up from 35% last season. In the first quarter of games, the success rate is 55% (15-of-27) while opponents in the first quarter is at 22% (4-of-18).

The offense has had 10 "three and outs" through the first five weeks, last year through the same five week span, the Bulldogs had already had 27 three and outs.

SPECIAL TEAMS:
The Bulldogs are in the top 30 nationally in four special teams catagories. They are 13^th in Kickoff Return defense, 18^th in Punt Return defense, 25^th in Kickoff Returns and 29^th in Punt Returns. Only eight of the 26 Truman punts have had a return this season for a total of 24 yard (3.0/return).

Punter Brock Rohler (39.6/punt) has had 14 of his 24 punts inside the 20 with 11 inside the 10.

OTHER NUMBERS:

Truman is ranked 18^th in Tackles for loss/game (9.0).
Through five games, the Bulldogs are averaging 333.6 yards of total offense (169 passing, 164 rushing) while allowing 333.8 yards on defense (240 passing, 93.2 rushing).
Quarterback Jaden Barr had completed 62.8% for 793 yards and nine touchdowns. Truman had a total of seven TD passes all of last season.

The Bulldog defense has allowed only five individual opponents to rush over 100 yards since joining the GLVC in 2013 (a span of 33 games). Last year, Bubba Jenkins of Southwest Baptist has the most by an opposing back with 125 yards.
Place kicker Nick Dolezal is 15-of-20 for his career in field goal attempts and 43-of-49 in point after attempts. His 15 makes is ninth on the Truman career field goal list.
Under Gregg Nesbitt the Bulldogs are 12-1 when they rush for over 200 yards in a game. In addition, Truman is 21-9 overall and 4-1 last year when winning the time of possession stat.

UIndy Post Scripts:

Truman had a season low two flags thrown against them during the game. Indianapolis had seven penalties called with five 15-yarders and a crucial spot foul on an illegal touching of an onsides kick.
Joey Schenk was targeted a season high nine times and made six catches for 46 yards and one score. He went over 1,000 career receiving yards during the game.
It was the 70^th game as Truman head coach for Gregg Nesbitt. Only five of the 21 previous Bulldog coaches have been on the sideline for more games than Coach Nesbitt. (Red Wade – 134, John Ware – 97, H.L. McWilliams – 82, Don Faurot – 79 and Jack Ball – 75).
Derrick Bryant's 17 tackles was the most by an opponent defender against the Bulldogs since Ben Carlson recorded 17 for Emporia State against Truman in 2012.
The 187 yards receiving by Malik Higgins was the most by an opposing receiver since Braden Green had 223 for Grand Valley State in 2013 against Truman.
The Bulldogs had six tackles for loss and three sacks plus interceptions by Austin Zoda (6^th career) and D'Anthony Knight (3^rd career).

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#16 Jaden Barr: QB; 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman

#42 Nick Dolezal: K; 5' 10"; Junior

#7 D'Anthony Knight: DB; 6' 0"; Junior

#5 Malique Robbins: RB; 5' 8"; Sophomore

#88 Brock Rohler: P; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#21 Andy Satulla: RB; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#15 Joey Schenck: WR; 6' 4"; Senior

#36 Austin Zoda: DB; 5' 9"; Senior

#93 Jake Floyd: DL; 5' 10"; Freshman

#46 Hayden Holt: FB; 5' 9"; Freshman

#60 James Mitchell: OL; 6' 0"; Freshman

#89 Cam Nisbet: WR; 6' 2"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#16 Jaden Barr
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Freshman
: QB

#42 Nick Dolezal
: 5' 10"; Junior
: K

#7 D'Anthony Knight
: 6' 0"; Junior
: DB

#5 Malique Robbins
: 5' 8"; Sophomore
: RB

#88 Brock Rohler
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: P

#21 Andy Satulla
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: RB

#15 Joey Schenck
: 6' 4"; Senior
: WR

#36 Austin Zoda
: 5' 9"; Senior
: DB

#93 Jake Floyd
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: DL

#46 Hayden Holt
: 5' 9"; Freshman
: FB

#60 James Mitchell
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: OL

#89 Cam Nisbet
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: WR