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

THE MATCHUP
The first PSAC West matchup for both teams figures to be a good one, with each hoping to avenge their first loss of the season. The Crimson Hawks lost a heartbreaker to fourth-ranked Bloomsburg 20-16 on national television, while the Rock fell to West Chester 20-13. With the PSAC West up for grabs in 2011, both teams will be looking to start conference play with a signature victory.

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.

The all-time wins leader in Slippery Rock history, George Mihalik was named the Rock head coach in 1988 after serving as the team's quarterbacks coach for 11 seasons. Mihalik has a career record of 155-96-4, and was the PSAC West Coach of the Year in 1997, 98, and 99. In 2011, Thompson Stadium was renamed “Mihalik-Thompson Stadium” for Mihalik's achievements.

THE SERIES
The Crimson Hawks lead the all-time series with Slippery Rock 44-33-2, including a 17-0 victory over the rock last season. The matchup has been tight the last five years, with three games decided by less than a touchdown.

LAST TIME OUT
The Crimson Hawks may have dropped their first game of the 2011 season to nationally-ranked Bloomsburg on Thursday, but they found out a great deal about their team in the process. Paul Tortorella's defense has been fantastic early in the season, and limited one of the country's top rushing offenses to just 76 yards on the ground.

On offense, the IUP running game was strong, with Jr. RB Harvie Tuck (Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) rushing for 119 yards. The highlight of the evening was a 90-yard kick return for a touchdown by So. CB Jerrell McFadden to give the Crimson Hawks the lead in the first quarter.

PAT'S PASSING GAME
So. QB Pat Smith (Hollidaysburg/Hollidaysburg) was 19-38 for 169 yards but did have an interception against Bloomsburg. Smith has completed 55.8 percent of his pass attempts this season and averages 174 yards per game. His 120.8 pass efficiency is ninth-best in the PSAC.

TUCK EVERLASTING
Jr. RB Harvie Tuck (Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) is seventh in Division II and first in the PSAC in rushing this season with 265 yards in two games. Tuck averages 132.5 yards per game and has scored two touchdowns this season.

CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Tuck entered the 2011 season with 1,674 rushing yards, 15th all-time at IUP. With his 265 yards this season, Tuck is in 12th place on the all-time list, just 186 yards shy of Tink Stennett (1997-00), who's 10th with 2,125 yards.

THE JAMES GANG
So. RB James Johnson (Philadelphia/Glen Mills) scored his second career touchdown in the fourth quarter against Bloomsburg. He had 246 yards and a touchdown in 2010, and will look to improve on those numbers as the No. 2 running back this season.

BARNES TO BE A STAR
So. WR Terrill Barnes (Gettysburg/Gettysburg) has been the Crimson Hawks' most efficient wide receiver this season, with 169 and a touchdown on just six catches. Barnes is fifth in the PSAC in receiving yards per game with 84.5. He had three catches on Thursday for twenty yards.

MR. RELIABLE
IUP has found a sure-handed No. 2 receiver in Jr. Matt Plautz (Cranberry Township/Seneca Valley). After transferring from Division I Monmouth this offseason, Plautz has become a dependable, sure-handed possession receiver in Luke Getsy's offense. Despite battling two different injuries on Saturday, Plautz finished with 59 yards on four catches.

RUN STUFFERS
The Crimson Hawks are first in the PSAC in rushing defense, allowing just 55.5 yards per game on the ground. Overall, the IUP defense has allowed just 111 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown this season, including 76 yards to Bloomsburg last week, one of the top rushing teams in the nation.

MAKING HIS MARK
Sr. LB Mark Jackson (Canton, OH/McKinley) has moved to linebacker this season after starting at safety for three seasons. Jackson tied for second on the team with 60 tackles in 2010, including six for losses. He had three tackles in the win over East Stroudsburg and six against Bloomsburg.

THE DEFENSIVE BACKFIELD
IUP defensive backs are four of the top five leading tacklers for the team so far in 2011, with So. CB Marvens Toussaint (Fort Lauderdale, FL/Port Charlotte) leading the way with 12. Sr. FS Johnny Franco (Altoona/Tyrone) has registered 11 tackles, including eight solo, while fellow hard-hitter, Sr. SS Andre Henderson (Erie/Strong Vincent) has nine. So. CB Jerrell McFadden has added 10 on the year.

A fifth defensive back, So. Terrell Washington, plays the “Star” position in coordinator Paul Tortorella's defense and has seven tackles and an interception. Altogether, IUP's defensive backs have broken up 12 passes this season.

HOLDING THE LINE
The IUP offensive line has been one of the best in the PSAC this season, averaging the most rushing yards in the conference with 198.5 per game. Fr. C Matt Sasson has done an excellent job filling in for injured starter Sr. C Anthony DiPasquale (Pittsburgh/Pine-Richland).

NOT TAKEN FOR GRANTED
A “large” part of the IUP special teams success in 2011 is thanks to 6'7” 250-pound Sr. P Grant Shallock, who is No. 12 in the nation and first in the PSAC in net punt yardage. Shallock averages 42.83 yards per punt.