Game Coverage:

• Free video stream through the Great Midwest Digital Network with Findlay University handling the production and play-by-play.
• Radio Coverage from Truman State will not be available for this game.
• Live Stats
• PDF Notes  

 
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The 116^th season of Bulldog Football will kickoff on Saturday in Findlay, Ohio as Truman State faces the University of Findlay Oilers in a non-conference tilt. Game time is slated for noon, eastern time.
 
It will be the first-ever meeting between Truman State and Findlay. The Bulldogs were 9-2 last season while the Oilers won their final six games of the season to finish at 7-4. Truman has won all seven games in match-ups with teams from the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) while Findlay is 4-1 against school playing in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) since 2017.
 
Gregg Nesbitt begins his 14^th season on the sidelines second only to the 16 seasons of Maurice "Red" Wade in head coaching years of service at the school. The Bulldogs are 80-57 under Coach Nesbitt and have a 31-8 record since the start of the 2019 season. Last year, Truman State won nine games for the second consecutive season and capped off the 9-2 record with their third "America's Crossroads Bowl" championship. He was the GLVC Co-Coach of the Year last season.
 
The Bulldogs return 49 letterwinners and 18 starters from last year's squad. On the offensive side, an experienced offensive line behind seniors Nolan Atnip, Jon Saxbury, Justin Watson and juniors Houston Eagan, Nick Biesemeyer, Dane Eggert and Kody Klingensmith will hope to continue Truman State's stout rushing attack and allow protection for senior quarterback Nolan Hair. The Bulldogs have averaged closed to or more than 200 yards rushing per game over the past five seasons and have scored over 30 points per game in the past four.
 
Hair has started the past 26 games at quarterback and is just outside the career passing yards list at the school with 4,533 yards, good for 12^th. He has completed 61% of his passes with 43 touchdown passes. His next TD strike will tie him with Chris Hegg for fifth on the passing touchdowns list at the school. Behind Hair on the two-deep are sophomore Bennett Ellsworth and Hair's younger brother, freshman Dylan.
 
Denim Cook and Mason Huskey along with Gerry Marteen Jr., Tim Johnson Jr., and Jack Butchko are listed on the depth chart in the running backs slot. Cook was a breakout start as a true freshman last season behind graduate starter Shamar Griffith. Cook averaged 7.5 yards per carry for 375 yards and six touchdowns. Johnson, Butchko and Huskey all had carries last season.
 
The receiving corps is also deep with Tate Crane, Zach Zerwig and Christopher Kerr having each caught over 20 passes last season. Crane led the unit with 413 yards on 37 grabs and three touchdowns with Zerwig catching 30 passes for 338 and Kerr 24 for 283. Other receivers listed on the two-deep are Nathan Ryan, Noach Copeland, Zach Valentine, Joseph Spaulding and Parker Erickson.
 
The Bulldog defense has been one of the stingiest groups and last year's group allowed under 300 yards per game. It was the first time since the 1982 season in which Truman State held the opposition under 300 yards per game. It was the fourth time in the past nine seasons that Truman held opponents to under 20 points per game with their 18.6 scoring average. The defense has recorded 34 interceptions over the past two seasons and has averaged nearly two take-aways per game under Coach Nesbitt.
 
Up front, the line will be anchored by juniors Ben Miller and Zach Rouland along with sophomores Jack Weltha and Thomas Spaulding. Miller was a all-GLVC defensive lineman last season and both Weltha and Spaulding saw significant action as true freshmen.
 
Linebackers Isaiah Estes and Ulysses Ross have played in a combine 59 games and both have been previously selected to the all-GLVC team. Estes is the active leader in tackles made with 204.
 
The five defensive backs are also well-versed in their trades with lone senior Ben Thomas highlighting the group. Thomas has 12 career interceptions, tied for fourth on the all-time list. Junior Ryan Olivas has seven career picks. Jake Closser was a first-team all-GLVC defender at a utility position last season. Brock Jones, Peyton Carr and Kendall Hutchison also had significant action the last few years.
 
Another calling card for the Bulldog program has been their special teams. The team has been among the national leaders in kick returns, kick returns allowed, punt returns and punt returns allowed. Vinie Calvaruso is scheduled to handle the kickoff duties for the first time this year, while Grant Ross will handle field goals and extra points. Ross made 9-of-12 field goals with a long of 45 last season and converted on 39-of-41 point after attempts.
 
Mason Gessert will take over for four-year starter Taylor Cornish as the Bulldogs punter.
 
Ben Thomas has handled the majority of punt returns for the Bulldogs the last two seasons and has 30 returns for 390 yards.
 
Gerry Marteen Jr. and Mason Huskey will be the starting kick returners. Since 2018, Truman has had seven kick returns for touchdowns. The return group has averaged 22.8 yards per attempt over the course of five seasons.
 
The Bulldogs picked up 35 votes and were listed in the first America Football Coaches Association preseason Division II coaches poll. Three of the four non-conference opponents were also listed in the receiving votes category including Saturday's opponent Findlay, Saginaw Valley State and Wayne State. The University of Indianapolis earned enough points to crack the AFCA Top 25 (20^th).
 
Truman's four non-conference opponents went a combined 23-20 last season. Findlay was 7-4, South Dakota Mines went 7-4, Saginaw Valley went 8-3 and Wayne State 1-9.
 
Truman was picked second in the GLVC Preseason Coaches Poll.
 
Scouting Findlay:
The Oilers finished their 2022 season by winning their last six games to finish 7-4. Two of their losses came against #20 Ashland and #1 Ferris State. They played three common opponents with Truman last year and went 3-0 over them. They defeated Southwest Baptist 52-35, Hillsdale 41-20 and Tiffin 27-25. The Bulldogs defeated SBU 25-20, Hillsdale 21-13 and twice Tiffin in classics 18-17 in overtime and 28=-27 in the America's Crossroads Bowl.
 
Findlay was picked third in the G-MAC Preseason poll behind Ashland and Tiffin.
 
The Oilers averaged 28.3 points and 339 yards on the offensive side and allowed 23 points and 343 yards on the defensive side. Garret Clark led all rushers with 923 yards on 185 carries (5.0/att) and had seven rushing touchdowns. Listed starter Alec Bornhorst completed 27 of 50 passes for 224 yards while tight end Mike Riggerman accounted for 37 catches for 478 yards and three scores.
 
Grey Brancifort was the top tackler with 84 stops and 7.5 tackles for loss.
 
Up Next:
The Bulldogs will play the first of six games at home starting next Saturday when they welcome South Dakota Mines to Stokes Stadium for the first time. It will the return trip for the Hardrockers as SDM hosted Truman State last year in the shadows of Mount Rushmore. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.