IUP Gameday Central / Complete Game Notes (PDF) / PSAC Notes

THE MATCHUP
IUP football will be broadcast on the CBS Sports Network for the first time since 2007 when they host No. 8/11 Bloomsburg under the lights Thursday night. The Huskies have won the last four meetings between the teams, but both squads are coming off impressive wins last week. The Crimson Hawks defeated East Stroudsburg by a score of 28-13 on Saturday, while Bloomsburg defeated Clarion 45-10.

THE HEAD COACHES
IUP head coach Curt Cignetti (West Virginia '82) begins his first season at the helm of the Crimson Hawks as he looks to bring the program back to national prominence.

The oldest son of legendary IUP head coach Frank Cignetti (1986-2005), he brings with him a wealth of Division I experience, serving as the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator from 2007-10 under Nick Saban at Alabama. He's also served as the recruiting coordinator at NC State and has spent time at Temple, Rice and Davidson.

Huskies head coach Danny Hale (West Chester '68) enters his 19th year at the helm of the Bloomsburg football program. Hale has posted a 156-52-1 (.749) record and has the most wins in school history during his tenure with Bloomsburg. In 23 years of coaching Hale has totaled an overall record of 196-65-1 (.750) and is ranked fifth among active coaches in winning percentage at most victories.

THE SERIES
The Crimson Hawks lead the all-time series with Bloomsburg 16-9, but IUP has not defeated the Huskies since 2003, winning 42-40. The teams' meeting last year (a 47-20 win for Bloomsburg) was the first for the two programs since 2007.

LAST TIME OUT
Head coach Curt Cignetti earned his first win as the Crimson Hawks signal caller Saturday, when IUP defeated East Stroudsburg 28-13. Pat Smith (Hollidaysburg/Hollidaysburg) was solid and Harvie Tuck (Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) was dominant in the run game, but the story was the fantastic defense that the IUP secondary displayed against one of the top passing offenses in the PSAC. The Crimson Hawks did not allow a single touchdown through the air and picked off ESU QB Ray Wagner twice. The IUP run defense was equally as impressive, limiting the East Stroudsburg ground game to just 35 yards.

PAT'S PASSING GAME
After missing most of the 2010 season due to injury, So. QB Pat Smith (Hollidaysburg/Hollidaysburg) looked comfortable in his first game back as the Crimson Hawks starter. Smith was 10-14 for 179 yards and two touchdowns against East Stroudsburg, including a 62-yard pass to So. WR Terrill Barnes (Gettysburg/Gettysburg) on IUP's first play from scrimmage.

TUCK EVERLASTING
Jr. RB Harvie Tuck (Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) quickly returned to the form that made him an All-PSAC selection a year ago, rushing for 146 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries. Tuck will continue to shoulder the load offensively this week as IUP tries to solve the Bloomsburg rush defense.

CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Tuck entered the 2011 season with 1,674 rushing yards, 15th all-time at IUP. With his 146 on the ground against ESU, he moved past Mike Jemison (2003-04) to 14th place with 1,820 yards. He heads into this week's game 305 yards shy of Tink Stennett (1997-00), who's 10th with 2,125 yards.

BARNES TO BE A STAR
So. WR Terrill Barnes (Gettysburg/Gettysburg) made a huge statement in his first game at IUP after transferring from Lackawanna Community College. Barnes had three catches for 149 yards and a touchdown against ESU, including a 62-yard screen pass on the Crimson Hawks' first offensive play.

IMMEDIATE IMPACT
Along with Barnes, WR Matt Plautz (Cranberry Township/Seneca Valley) had a great debut for the Crimson Hawks, catching a touchdown in the third quarter. Fr. WRs Sean McVay (Miami, Fla./Miramar) and Kevin Berry (Coatesville/Coatesville) could also see game action in the reworked IUP receiving corp.

DEFENSE IS BACK
Despite returning just one starter in 2011, the IUP secondary got off to a great start Saturday. Sr. FS Johnny Franco (Altoona/Tyrone) had six tackels and three pass breakups, while So. CB Jerell McFadden (Manassas, Va./Osbourn) and Sr. SS Andre
Henderson had several breakups each.

MAKING HIS MARK
Sr. LB Mark Jackson (Canton, OH/McKinley) moves to linebacker this season after starting at safety for three seasons. Jackson tied for second on the team with 60 tackles, including six for losses. He had three tackles in the win over East Stroudsburg.

THE LINEBACKING CORP
Both So. Alex Berdahl and So. Terrell Washington had great games on Saturday, as both linebackers had interceptions. Berdahl made 22 tackles in 11 games as a true freshman last year, while Washington is a defensive back that will play the “Star” position in coordinator Paul Tortorella's defense.

HOLDING THE LINE
Sr. C Anthony DiPasquale (Pittsburgh/Pine-Richland), Jr. LG Nick Carnicella (Greensburg/Hempfield), and So. LT Byron Dovales (Reading/Muhlenberg) all return from an offensive line that was second in the PSAC in rushing offense a year ago. The Crimson Hawks averaged 189.5 yards per game and scored 17 touchdowns on the ground in 2010. So. Mike Charmo (Hamilton, VA/Loundon Valley) and Sr. Louis Mobley (Philadelphia/St. John Neumann) step in as every day starters this season.

UP FRONT ON DEFENSE
The Crimson Hawks defensive line is anchored by Jr. DT Carl Thornton (Beaver Falls/Beaver Falls), a two-time All-PSAC West second team selection. A year ago, Thornton  tied for second on the team with 60 tackles, including 13 for losses and 4.5 sacks, and tied for PSAC lead with three fumble recoveries. So. Larry Gooden (McKeesport/McKeesport) gets the nod as the starting nose tackle this season, while So. Errol Brewster (Harlem, NY/Springbrook (MD)) and Sr. Stephen Meadows (Spotsylvania/James Monroe), a transfer from Youngstown State, will start on the ends.

BEST IN THE WEST
IUP has been picked to finish third in the PSAC West in the 2011 preseason coaches' poll, just behind California (PA) and defending PSAC Champion Mercyhurst. Bloomsburg received all first place votes in the eastern division, while East Stroudsburg was picked to finish fifth in the East.