Complete Game Notes (PDF) I PSAC Week 3 Preview | Seton Hill Football

GameDay Central
No. 8/9 IUP at Seton Hill
Saturday, September 21, 2013 | 6:00 p.m.
Offutt Field I Greensburg, Pa.

Watch: IUP-TV will look to return next week at home 
Listen: WQMU 92.5 FM (Pregame 5:30 p.m.)
Live Stats: Athletics.SetonHill.edu

THE GAME: The Crimson Hawks open up their 2013 PSAC West schedule as they hit the road Saturday to face Seton Hill. IUP enters with a 2-0 record and is ranked 8th in the AFCA Top 25 Poll and 9th in the D2Football.com Top 25 Poll. The Griffins, playing in their first year as members of the PSAC, are 0-2 on the season with losses to Fairmont State (37-29) and East Stroudsburg (70-7).

ON THE AIR: The game will air live on WQMU-FM 92.5 with Jack Benedict serving as the play-by-play announcer and John Flickinger at his side as the color analyst. The two will be joined by sideline reporter Greg Drahuschak. The pregame show begins at 5:30 p.m. You can also listen to the action on the internet at u92radio.com. IUP-TV returns to the booth as the station makes its season debut in Greensburg.

HEAD COACH CURT CIGNETTI: IUP head coach Curt Cignetti (West Virginia, '82) enters his third season at the helm after leading the Crimson Hawks to a PSAC championship, a 12-2 record and a berth in the NCAA playoffs in 2012. Through his two-plus seasons, Cignetti has a record of 21-5, going 11-3 in PSAC West play and 2-1 in the NCAA playoffs. He has a record of 11-2 at home and 10-3 on the road. This is Cignetti's 31st year of coaching, with previous stops at Alabama (07-10), NC State (00-06), Pittsburgh (83-84, 93-99) Temple (89-92), Rice (86-88) and Davidson (85).

THE SERIES: This will be the first ever meeting between these two schools. Seton Hill spent seven years in the WVIAC prior to joining the PSAC, putting together an overall record of 19-59, going 11-37 in conference play. The Griffins went 10-3 in 2009, earning an NCAA playoff berth.

NEXT GAME: The Crimson Hawks return home next weekend for their annual Coal Bowl matchup with rival California. IUP owns the all-time series with the Vulcans with a 55-23-2 mark, however California has dominated the series as of late, winning each of the last six. IUP's last win came in the 2006 season finale, a 21-17 road victory.

HAWK TALK

IUP in PSAC WEST OPENERS... IUP is an impressive 28-2 in PSAC West openers dating back to 1983. The only two losses came in 2011 (at Slippery Rock, 20-6) and 2009 (at Mercyhurst, 20-16). The program won 26 consecutive divisional openers from 1983-2008.

SUCCESS ON THE ROAD... IUP is 10-3 on the road in the Curt Cignetti era, with two of those losses coming to nationally-ranked teams by a combined 6 points last year (California, 26-24; Winston-Salem State, 21-17). The Crimson Hawks went 4-1 on the road in 2011 and 5-2 last year.

TOP OF THE LIST... For the second consecutuve week, the Crimson Hawks are ranked 8th in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Poll and 9th in the D2football.com Poll. IUP began the preseason ranked 10th in both polls. The No. 8 ranking in the AFCA poll is the highest ranking the Crimson Hawks have received since Nov. 18, 2003.

BACK WHERE HE BELONGS... R-Sr. RB De'Antwan Williams (Woodbridge, VA/Woodbridge) led the way for IUP on the ground last week, rushing for 3 TDs in the first quarter alone. The all-region back ran for 31 yards and also caught a 61-yard pass in limited playing time. He's rushed for 166 yards with a 6.6 per carry average in IUP's first two games after being granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA prior to the season opener.

A CROWDED BACKFIELD... The Crimson Hawks featured four running backs with at least 29 yards on the ground in their 49-0 blowout win over Cheyney last Saturday. In addition to Williams, R-Sr. RB Erik Finklea (Cincinnati, OH/Woodward) ran for a team-high 66 yards and a TD, Fr. RB Izzy Green (Trotwood, Ohio/Trotwood-Madison) added 33 and Fr. RB Patrick Ferguson (Pittsburgh/Taylor Allderdice) rushed for 29 on four carries.

ROOMATE BONDING... R-Sr. QB Mike Box (Lawrenceville, GA/Collins Hill) and Sr. WR Terrill Barnes (Gettysburg/Gettysburg) have led IUP's success through the air, connecting on 13 plays for 268 yards and a touchdown in the season's first two games.

GOING DEEP... Box and Barnes have hooked up for long gains in each of IUP's wins, both 56-yarders. Barnes is averaging 20.6 yards per reception and his 134.0 receiving yards per game lead the PSAC and are 15th in the nation.

O-LINE SHUFFLE...The offensive line will see it's third different lineup in as many weeks against Seton Hill. Sr. Byron Dovales (Reading/Muhlenberg) has seen time at both LT and LG; R-Jr. Bruce Atkins (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) has played both LT and RT; Sr. Nick Charmo has played RG but is lated to start at C this week; R-Sr. Nick Carnicella (Greensburg/Hempfield) has seen time at both LG and C; and R-Jr. Jorge Vicioso (Passaic, N.J./Passaic) has played at RT and RG.

GAINING DEPTH... The Crimson Hawks defense last week featured 20 different players with at least 1 tackle. In his first career start, Jr. LB Dorian Lane (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Woodland Hills) had 7 tackles, including 5 solo, and a pass breakup. Also seeing major playing time were R-Fr. LB Allen Holman (Harrisburg/Bishop McDevitt) (10 tackles) and R-Fr. LB Kevin Clarke (West Mifflin, Pa. /West Mifflin) (7 tackles).

MAKING AN IMPRESSION... R-Sr. DT Michael Larrow (Union, NJ/Union) made several plays in IUP's win over Cheyney. He had 6 tackles, a sack, 2.0 TFL, forced a fumble and broke up a pass.

PLAYING IN THEIR BACKFIELD... The Crimson Hawks held the triple-option Cheyney offense to just 115 rushing yards on 51 carries last week. They made 9 total tackles behind the line-of-scrimmag, with 2 each coming from Larrow and R-Fr. DB Andrew DeGol (Bellwood, Pa. /Bellwood-Antis).

STEPPING IN... Fr. DB Jay Watkins (Chester, Pa. /Hyde School) earned his first start last week, posting 6 tackles (3 solo) from his boundary corner position. He's also seen time on the other side of the ball, playing running back in the season opner at Southern Connecticut State.

SCOUTING THE GRIFFINS

OFFENSE... New head coach Cecil Collins brings a high-scoring attack from Division III Widener University to the Griffins. Seton Hill has thrown 66 pct. of the time through two games this year, with QB Nick Halfhill leading the attack. 12 different receivers have at least 1 catch this year, with Halfhill's favorite target being WR Norman Darden with 12 receptions for 215 yards and 4 TDs.

DEFENSE... Although his offense has been high-scoring, Collins background is defense. MLB Tyler Zimmer leads the team in tackles with 22, including 16 solos. He's added 2 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, 1.5 sacks and an interception. DT Ahman Milot has made plays in the opposing backfield this year with 3.0 tackles for loss and a sack.

SPECIAL TEAMS... Darden and Lance Williams will return both kickoffs and punts for the Griffins. Darden is averaging 25.4 yards on four kickoff returns while Williams has an average of 23.5 on four. Jesser Boulnemour handles both the kicking and punting chores, connecting on 1-3 FGs and averaging 39.2 yards per punt.