Wayne State Football Game Notes vs. Findlay

FINDLAY STORYLINES
The 22nd-ranked Wayne State University football team can clinch at least a share of its first GLIAC title since 1975 with a win at home Saturday against the University of Findlay (5-5, 5-4 GLIAC).

WSU is 17-4 in its last 21 contests including a 9-2 mark at Tom Adams Field. The Warriors are in the AFCA top 25 for the 15th consecutive week and moved up to fourth in the NCAA Super Region #3 football rankings released on Monday. The top six teams will qualify for the NCAA Division II Playoffs.

In addition, the 2011 senior class owns the school mark for victories in a four-year period with 31 (31-12). The 1974-77 teams, under legendary coach Dick Lowry, compiled a 30-12 record.

The Oilers have fallen in their past two contests after winning three straight contests. UF is coming off a 49-19 setback vs. Hillsdale College last Saturday.


INDIANAPOLIS RECAP
Wayne State remained in a first place tie in the GLIAC with a 28-19 road victory last Saturday night at the University of Indianapolis.

The Greyhounds went 74 yards on the opening drive which culminated in a six-yard touchdown pass from Chris Mills to Mar'Quone Edmonds. The Warriors tied the game late in the first quarter on a one-yard touchdown run by senior Josh Renel, completing a 12-play, 48-yard drive which took 6:31. It was Renel's 24th career rushing touchdown.

Renel returned the second half kickoff 28 yards setting up the Warrior offense at its own 43. WSU took its first lead of the game early in the third quarter on a 32-yard touchdown pass from junior Mickey Mohner to senior Troy Burrell on a third-and-11. The 57-yard scoring drive took 5:24. A key play on the drive was when Mohner drew the Greyhound defense offsides on a third-and-eight and sophomore running back Toney Davis followed with a nine-yard run on third-and-three. The Warrior defense stepped up and stopped Indianapolis on a fourth-and-one at the WSU 34 as Mills went under center for the first time in the contest and fumbled the snap.

Wayne State drove 66 yards on the ensuing drive to increase its lead to 21-7 on a one-yard touchdown run by Davis. After each team punted, the Greyhounds scored on a 32-yard touchdown pass from Mills to Ryan Forney completing a four-play, 80-yard drive. Wayne State's Jon Robinson blocked the extra point attempt following a false start penalty on the Greyhounds.

The Warriors sealed the victory with a 15-play, 70-yard drive, that took 8:33 and resulted in a one-yard touchdown run by Davis.  On the drive, Davis had 10 carries for 45 yards, while Renel added five rushing attempts for 25 yards.


INDIANAPOLIS HIGHLIGHTS

- Burrell became just the third WSU player in school history with a 1,000-yard receiving campaign. He caught seven passes for a team-high 120 yards at UIndy and is tied with Forney for the conference lead in receiving yards at 1,119.

- Senior safety Jeremy Jones regained the GLIAC lead in interceptions with his sixth of the season. Jones has 14 career picks, which ranks eighth in school history.

- WSU eclipsed the school record for points in a season (349) set last year (347).


UPCOMING SEASON MILESTONES

- Renel needs six rushing yards for his second consecutive 1,000-yard season and 52 all-purpose yards for 1,500.

- Burrell has the most touchdown receptions (10) in a season since 2001 and the second-most receiving yards (1,119) in a WSU single-season.

- Mohner needs 46 passing yards for 2,000 on the season. With three touchdown passes, he would tie the WSU single-season record. His 148.9 pass efficiency rating is currently the best ever. 

- Sophomore kicker Stefan Terleckyj could be the first kicker to lead WSU in scoring since Matt Fishburn (1994-97). Terleckyj has 73 points, seven in front of Davis for first.

- Aaron Cornett and Jones could be the first defensive backs since Bobby Boyer (2002-05) in 2004 to lead the team in tackles. Cornett (59 tackles) and Jones (57) lead sophomore linebacker Ed Viverette (45).


UPCOMING CAREER MILESTONES

- Mohner needs 18 completions to tie Mark Friday (1991-93) for second on the WSU all-time list and 20 to equal Michael Gluski (1994-95, 97-98) for first.

- Renel needs one rushing touchdown to tie both Steve Lee (1988-91) for third on the WSU all-time list and Elbert Richmond (1950-52) for sixth on the touchdowns scored chart. He needs seven rushing yards to tie L.C. Bulger III (1983-85, 87) for fifth and 51 to tie Ed Skowneski (1972-75) for fourth, while 144 would tie him with Steve Lee for third all-time.

- Burrell needs 37 receiving yards to move into a second place tie with Jimmy Hill (1989-92) on the WSU all-time list and three receptions to equal Pierre Brown (1998-01) for third.

- Jones needs two passes defended to tie Stan Thornton (2007-10) for second on the WSU all-time list. He needs 84 interception return yards to move into a second place tie with Stan Thornton (2007-10) on the all-time chart. He needs one interception to tie John Hazely (1946-49), Gerald Megenity (1974-77) and Derrick Mason (1985-88) with 15 INTs for fifth all-time.

- Terleckyj needs 20 PAT kicks to equal WSU all-time leader David Chudzinski (2005-08). 


ON THE HEADSET
Head coach Paul Winters, reigning AFCA Region Coach of the Year, is in his eighth season at the helm of the Wayne State football program. Winters (44-41) passed Joseph G. Gembis (1932-45) for first on the WSU career wins all-time list with the Oct. 22 victory over Hillsdale.

In his first season as head coach of Findlay, Rob Keys is 5-5.


IN THE POLLS
In the NCAA Super Region #3 football rankings released on Monday, Wayne State was fourth. The top six teams will make the NCAA Division II Playoffs. The Warriors are in the top 25 in all three polls for the 15th consecutive week. WSU moved up two spots in both the AFCA Division II Coaches (24th to 22nd) and D2football.com (22nd to 17th) polls. The Warriors climbed five spots to 10th nationally in this week's Massey Ratings.

The Warriors were selected to win the GLIAC South Division, receiving 80 out of a possible 85 points, along with 10 out of a possible 13 first-place votes. Findlay was picked to finish in a tie for fifth in the GLIAC South Division, earning 35 points, in the preseason poll.


ALL-TIME SERIES WITH FINDLAY
Wayne State trails 11-8 in the all-time series with Findlay, but has won five of the last six meetings, including the past three. Last season, the Warriors clinched a share of the GLIAC South title with a 44-27 victory at UF.


SCOUTING FINDLAY
With the fifth best rushing offense in the GLIAC, the Oilers are led by junior running back Monterae Williams who ranks second in the GLIAC in both rushing yards per game (117.2) and in scoring (10.2 ppg).

Senior defensive back Isaiah Ballard is second in kick return average at 28.5 yards per return., while junior Demetrius Trapps ranks second in punt return average at 12.2 yards per return.

Sophomore wide receiver Seth White brings in the 10th-most receptions per game at 4.9 and is the Oilers punter, averaging 38.0 yards a punt.

Ballard and junior linebacker Brandon Butler are tied-for-fourth in tackles per game (9.2) and lead a Findlay defense that is12th in the GLIAC in total defense (415.6 ypg). Also, Ballard leads the league in forced and recovered fumbles at six and four, respectively.

Junior quarterback Clay Belton has completed 148 of his 275 passes for 1,759 yards and 10 touchdowns, but has thrown 13 interceptions.