Oct. 25, 2000
Bulldogs Travel to Emporia For Matchup With Hornets
The Game: Truman State University Bulldogs (Mid-America Intercollegiate
Athletics Association/NCAA Division II) vs. Emporia State University Hornets
(MIAA/NCAA DII)
Date: Saturday, Oct. 28, 2000
Time: 2 p.m. (Central)
Location: Kirksville, Mo.
Facility (Cap.): Welch Stadium (7,000/grass)
Broadcast: KRES 104.7 FM, Moberly, Mo. Ken Kujawa, play-by-play, and Brad Boyer and Hank Janssen, commentary. The Pregame show begins approximately 30 minutes before the game.
Team Line: Live KRES broadcast by calling 1-800-846-4700. Access Code: 6350
Truman: The Bulldogs ar 5-3 overall and tied for third in the MIAA with Pittsburg State with a 4-2 mark in conference action. Truman tallied its 11th-straight Homecoming victory, narrowly defeating Missouri Southern, 30-28.
As the 'Dogs travel to Emporia (4-4, 3-3 MIAA) this week, Pittsburg State will host Missouri-Rolla, while No.1 Northwest Missouri will entertain Washburn, and the second-ranked team in the MIAA, Missouri Western, will travel to Missouri Southern.
The door is still open for postseason action for the Bulldogs, if only the Mineral Water Bowl which pits the highest ranking team from the MIAA against the highest finisher in the Northern Sun Conference which do not earn bids to the NCAA Division II playoffs. In 1954, the Mineral Water Bowl was instituted for small colleges and featured top teams in the Midwest. It was discontinued in 1975, but was revived as a junior college bowl in 1992. The 2000 game will be the 35th game played in Mineral Water Bowl history, including the six years previous to hosting small colleges when it was a high school postseason game.
The only postseason win for Truman was a 22-8 victory over Parsons College in 1961 in the Mineral Water Bowl.
Howe's He Doing?
Junior quarterback Eric Howe (West Des Moines, Iowa/Dowling) is now up to fourth on the Truman career list for passing yards with 5,402. He also moved into fifth-place on the Truman career total offense list with 5,300 yards. Howe is 129 yards from the third spot in career passing at Truman, which is currently held by Don Cummings (1967-70), and is 118 yards from ranking fourth all-time among Bulldog total offense leaders, where Chris Hegg (1984-85) is currently sitting.
Howe's 2,007 total offensive yards this season puts him 485 yards from entering the MIAA single-season total offense list at No. 10. With 2,088 yards passing this year, he is 368 yards from the No. 10 spot on the MIAA's single season passing yardage list. Howe is also nearing the 10th spot on the league's career passing list, needing just 163 yards to overtake Greg Teale of Northwest Missouri (1993-96).
Howe is first in MIAA passing yards (261.0 ypg) and total offense (250.9 ypg) and third in pass efficiency (139.8). He is 20th among NCAA Division II pass efficiency leaders and 15th in the nation in total offensive yards per game.
'Bits on Blakley
Sophomore Andrew Blakley (St. Joseph, Mo./Central) is tied for eighth all-time at Truman with 106 career receptions. He shares the mark with former Bulldog head coach Eric Holm who was also a wide receiver for the team from 1977-80. Blakley needs just one more catch to tie for seventh with current Bulldog associate head coach Matt Copland (1992-95), and six more will leave him at sixth all-time with Lloyd Henry (1975-77).
Blakley entered the 'Dogs' career receiving yardage list last week after adding 62 on four receptions vs. Missouri Southern. He is now 14th among career receiving yards leaders at Truman and will move into 13th-place with Larry Tisdale (1984-85) with another 33 yards, while 92 yards will put him at 12th with Matt Copeland (1992-95).
Blakley is fifth in MIAA receptions (4.38 rpg) this week and is ninth in receiving yards (57.1 ypg).
Calling On Collins
Junior wide receiver Kevin Collins (Davenport, Iowa/Assumption) is tied for sixth in league receptions (4.13 rpg) and is sixth in receiving yards (64.5 ypg). He is also moving up a few Bulldog career leaders lists. Collins' 1,541 career receiving yards is good for 10th all-time at Truman, while his 91 career receptions leaves him in the 13th spot among Bulldog career leaders. Collins added four catches and a team-high 93 yards against MSSC, 52 yards coming on a TD reception early in the second quarter to give the 'Dogs a 17-7 lead.
If Collins keeps up his averages, he could jump as many as six spots on the Truman career receiving yards list and as many as three spots on the catches list.
He is now fourth in career receiving touchdowns at Truman with 17. Two other individuals have 19, while the Truman record-holder for career receiving TDs is Lloyd Henry (1975-77) with 22.
Pugh Sniffs Success
Sophomore wide receiver Alfonso Pugh (Galesburg, Ill.) is second in league punt returns (19.1 ypr) and kickoff returns (30.4 ypr), tied for sixth with Collins in receptions (4.13 rpg), eighth in receiving yards (60.3 ypg), third in all-purpose yards (125.1 ypg) and 10th in scoring and sixth in scoring by touchdowns (6.0 ppg).
Pugh had his second return for a touchdown this year in the Missouri Western game, this time returning a punt 51 yards to give Truman a 24-7 lead.
Pugh is also ranked fifth in the nation in punt returns.
Other Bulldogs in the MIAA/NCAA
Junior Geoff Jensen (Grinnell, Iowa) is 10th this week in MIAA receiving yards per game (52.1 ypg) and ninth in receptions (3.57 rpg). He led the team with five catches vs. Missouri Southern and tied with Blakley for third with 62 receiving yards for the day. Jensen also had three kickoff returns for 36 yards Saturday.
Sophomore Austin Lepper (Ames, Iowa/Gilbert) is third in MIAA punting (39.3 ypp), is fifth in scoring by kicks (4.9 ppg), tied for sixth in field goals per game (0.50), seventh in field goal percentage (44.4) and ninth in PAT kicking percentage (81.8). He is tied for 23rd in DII punting yards per game.
Senior defensive back Toko Nguyen (Quincy, Ill./Notre Dame) and freshman defensive back Anthony Binion (Chicago/Fenwick) are tied for eighth in the MIAA with two interceptions apiece. Nguyen is also ranked tied for sixth in passes defended (7).
The team-leader in tackles, sophomore linebacker Jake Willrich (Grimes, Iowa/Dallas Center-Grimes) has finally appeared among the MIAA's most prolific tacklers, coming in tied for eighth this week with a total of 68 stops for the year. He led the team with 11 vs. MSSC.
Senior defensive tackle Curt Cira (St. Louis/Vianney) is tied for the lead in conference forced fumbles (3), tied for seventh in sacks (3.5) and is 10th in MIAA tackles for a loss (10).
Bulldog Ground Attack
Sophomore tailback Mike Redding (Lake Zurich, Ill.) currently leads Truman in rushing with 83 carries for 478 yards, but is being pushed by freshman Wyatt Pickering (Chillicothe, Mo.) who has 74 rushes for 368 yards and led the team against Missouri Southern with nine attempts for 90 yards and a touchdown.
Redding charted 13 carries for 72 yards and a touchdown last Saturday.
Emporia: Emporia is coming off a 62-7 thrashing by Northwest Missouri. The Hornets fell behind 21-0 after a blocked punt and two interceptions in the first five minutes of the game. ESU, 4-4 overall and 3-3 in the MIAA, lost the season opener to Ft. Hays State (Kan.) 16-10, but won their second non-conference game over East Central (Okla.), 31-14. The Hornets began MIAA action with a 34-21 loss to Central Missouri, but put together a three-game win-streak, beating Missouri Southern 24-0, Missouri-Rolla 49-7 and Southwest Baptist, 34-13. Emporia has lost its last two games, also falling to Pittsburg State 21-0 two weeks ago.
Senior wide receiver Lester McCoy is just 11 yards away from becoming the MIAA's career receiving yards leader. He had six catches for 149 yards vs. Northwest Missouri. McCoy leads the MIAA and is ranked 12th in DII in receiving yards (104.5 ypg) and is second in MIAA receptions (5.5 rpg). He has gone over 100 yards receiving in nine of his last 13 games.
Truman vs. Missouri Southern-Oct. 21, 2000: MSSC used four minutes and eight plays to drive 24 yards on the opening series of the game, punting the ball out of bounds at the Truman 12-yard line. The Bulldogs then fumbled the ball on a pass attempt on their first play from scrimmage, returning the ball to the Lions who capitalized just three plays later on a 3-yard run to take the early 7-0 lead.
However, the 'Dogs would rattle off four touchdowns of their own, beginning on the next drive when Redding carried the ball 22-yards for the score.
After senior free safety John Naeve (Camanche, Iowa) grabbed his first interception of the year, and ninth of his career, Lepper then booted a 29-yard field goal at 3:31 in the first to give Truman its first lead of the game, 10-7. Missouri Southern punted on the last play of the first period and the Bulldogs used just four plays to drive 74 yards and take a 17-7 lead on a Collins 52-yard TD catch.
Pugh would push the 'Dogs' lead to to 17 points after returning a punt 51 yards for the score on MSSC's next possession. MSSC then drove 75 yards on 18 plays to narrow the margin to 24-14 heading into intermission.
Howe threw the first of three interceptions for the game on the first series in the second half, while the Lions scored on a 9-yard run on their first drive in the third quarter to make the score 24-21. The 'Dogs missed their second field goal on the next drive, but the Truman defense held he Lions to three-and-out. Truman then used just three plays to tally next on a 39-yard run by Pickering, giving the 'Dogs a more comfortable 30-21 lead.
Missouri Southern was again held to just three downs, but the 'Dogs were intercepted for the second time to end the third stanza. Again the Truman defense came through, allowing the MSSC offense just three downs, but again Howe was intercepted on the the next series. The Bulldog defense again saved the day on the next possession when sophomore defensive tackle Doug Knigge (Polk City, Iowa/North Polk) forced a fumble and junior defensive end Sterling Brown (Kansas City, Mo./Rockhurst) made the recovery. The 'Dogs missed their second field goal of the game on the next drive. But the Truman defense then held the Lions to five plays, giving the Truman offense the opportunity to eat a few more minutes off the clock.
Missouri Southern then drove 39 yards on four plays to put the final score at 30-28. The Bulldogs managed a first down on the last possession of the game and were able to drain the clock, denying the Lions the attempt at a win.
Series Record: Tie 7-7
First Meeting: 1927 (ESU won, 16-13)
Last Meeting: 1999 (Truman won, 31-24)
Last Truman Win: 1999 (31-24)
Last ESU Win: 1995 (36-19)
Biggest Truman Win: 1996 (55-20)
Biggest ESU Win: 1930 (52-0)
Hornets' Statistical Leaders
Rushing: DeAngelo Evans, 149 for 719 yards, 6 TDs
Passing: Kelton Copeland, 63 of 135 for 1,042 yards, 13 int., 12 TDs, 121.58
Eff.
Receptions & Receiving Yards: Lester McCoy, 44 for 836 yards, 8 TDs
All-Purpose Yardage: Lester McCoy, 883
Total Offense: Kelton Copeland, 1,405 yards, 230 plays
Field Goals: Rob Contreras, 5 of 8
Punt Returns: Andre Day, 24/278 yds.
Kickoff Returns: Shon Wells, 9/167 yds.
Interceptions: Dontaye McCoy, 4
Scoring: Lester McCoy, 48 points
Tackles: Dontaye McCoy, 79, 12 for a loss
Coaches Records: Truman head coach John Ware is in his sixth season at the helm for the Bulldogs, and has a record of 35-27 (.565) in his first stint as a collegiate head coach. In MIAA action, his teams have posted a record of 34-17 (.667). Ware is 4-1 vs. Emporia. He enjoyed the first non-conference win of his career in the season opener, defeating Northern Michigan, 35-24.
Jerry Kill is in his second year guiding the Hornets. He is the 12th winningest active coach in NCAA Division II, and is 47-24 (.662) in his seventh year as a collegiate head coach. He is 9-10 at ESU and 0-1 vs. Truman.
Truman Coaches' Players of the Week For 10-23-00:
Offensive Line: Senior guard Josh Raaz (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge)
Offensive Back: Pickering
Receiver: Collins
Linebacker: Sophomore Bryan Johnson (Byron, Ill.)
Special Teams: Junior linebacker Anthony Donnelly (Fayette, Mo.) & Pugh
Big Hit: Senior defensive end Jon Brooks (Moweaqua, Ill./Central A&M)
Special Effort: Naeve, Knigge, Brown & Pugh
Offensive Scout Team: Freshman wide receiver J.D. McCloskey (Omaha, Neb./Creighton
Prep)
Defensive Scout Team: Freshman defensive end Randy Bain (Bolingbrook, Ill.)
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