Game Day Central
IUP Crimson Hawks (1-1, 0-1 PSAC) 
at Lock Haven Bald Eagles (0-2, 0-1 PSAC)
Saturday, September 20, 2014 | 12:00 p.m.
Hubert Jack Stadium | Lock Haven, Pa.

Listen: WQMU 92.5 FM | u92radio.com
Live Stats: GoLHU.com | Fan Stats | Media Stats

THE GAME
The Crimson Hawks will look to get back on track this Saturday when they head East to face Lock Haven at Hubert Jack Stadium at noon IUP is coming off its first loss of 2014 with a 44-7 defeat at the hands of Kutztown last weekend. The Bald Eagles enter this weekend's matchup with an 0-2 record, falling to visiting Seton Hill 27-16 on Saturday. 

The game will be broadcast on WQMU 92.5 FM with the voice of IUP Athletics, Jack Benedict, calling the action. 

RANKINGS
With the loss at Kutztown on Saturday, the Crimson Hawks fell out of both the AFCA Coaches Poll and the D2Football.com Media Poll. Lock Haven is also unranked. 

THE SERIES
This will be the 74th meeting in the series, with IUP holding a commanding 55-15-3 overall record between the two schools. IUP has won 31 straight in the series with the last loss coming on the road in 1981.
  
KUTZTOWN LEFTOVERS
• R-So. LB Kevin Clarke (West Mifflin, Pa. /West Mifflin) totaled 19 tackles on Saturday, unofficially one of the highest single game totals in 
program history. He's now tied for first in the nation with 16.0 tackles per game. 
• IUP managed just 8 first downs, tied for 9th lowest total in program history. The 37-point margin of defeat is the 8th worse loss in IUP's history.
• So. RB Izzy Green (Trotwood, Ohio/Trotwood-Madison) had IUP's longest offensive play of the year, a 36-yard run early on a 3rd-and-1 play early in the 2nd quarter. 
• Kutztown WR Anthony Kelly was named the PSAC East Offensive Athlete of the Week, catching 6 passes for 152 yards and 4 TDs against the Crimson Hawks. 

IUP AGAINST THE PSAC EAST
Since 2006, IUP has an incredible 23-5 (.821) record against teams from the PSAC East. This includes a seven-game winning streak that dated back to the 34-7 win over West Chester in 2011 and ended last week. IUP is 5-1 vs. Millersville, 4-0 vs. East Stroudsburg and Cheyney, and 3-0 vs. West Chester. 

LOOKING AHEAD
The Crimson Hawks return home on Sept. 27 to host Mercyhurst in the PSAC West opener. It will be IUP's annual Hall of Fame Game as well as a "White Out."

PLAYING FROM BEHIND
As IUP lost on Saturday, four other PSAC West teams picked up wins over their East conterparts, which means the Crimson Hawks are already one game back in the standings. In a scheduling change by the PSAC this year, the two East-West crossover matchups at the beginning of the season for each team will count in determining the two divisional winners heading into week 11.  

FRESH MEAT
The Crimson Hawks have had 16 true or redshirt freshmen see playing time in the first two games, including three who have earned starts - RB Luigi Lista-Brinza (McKees Rocks, Pa. /Central Catholic), FS Takhi Turner (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Twp.), & CB Chris David (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Woodland Hills). 

ABOUT LOCK HAVEN
The Bald Eagles are improving under head coach John Allen, finishing 3-8 last year, the most wins for Lock Haven since 2004. LHU's 0-2 record this year includes a pair of fairly close games, falling to Seton Hill 27-16 last week and to West Virginia State 19-14 on opening weekend.

The LHU offense has been relying heavily on QB Caleb Walton, who is averaging 247 passing yards and has tossed 3 TDs in 2 games. He can also get it done with his legs, running for 63 yards on 15 carries. His favorite target has been WR David Cook, who has 13 catches for 172 yards and a TD. RB Beau Swales has received a majority of the rushing attempts, leading the team with 106 yards (2.9 avg) on 36 carries. 

The Bald Eagles' defense is in the middle of the road, statistically, in the PSAC. They've given up 423 yards per game, with their opponents doing damage on the ground with 207 rushing yards, including giving up 221 to West Virginia State. DB Mike Williams leads the team with 21 tackles and has broken up 3 passes, while LB Matt Kirchner has 20 stops on the season. 

K Alex Boumerhi is 1-4 in FG attempts this year, connecting on a 42-yarder. P Bryce Stambaugh is averaging 38.4 yards per punt. Bernard Smack and Swales have been the primary kickoff returners, averaging 22.8 and 23.0 yards, respectively.

HASLETT UNDER CENTER
The Crimson Hawks entered fall camp with a three-way quarterback battle between Gr. Chase Haslett (Clayton, Mo./Clayton), R-Fr. Eddie Stockett (Dravosburg, Pa. /McKeesport) and R-So. Logan Weaver (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana). Haslett came out on top and was named the opening game starter despite not practicing with the team until fall camp. 

Haslett - the son of former IUP standout and current Washington Redskins defensive coordinator, Jim - transferred to IUP from Illinois this past summer. He had a successful opening game, going 14-20 for 176 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT, and finished the week with the 2nd highest passing efficiency in the PSAC at 183.4.  

Stockett has moved up and will be Haslett's primary backup starting this Saturday. 

THE RUNNING BACK SITUATION
The Crimson Hawks finished last week's game with just 78 rushing yards after gaining 181 in the opener. So. RB Izzy Green (Trotwood, Ohio/Trotwood-Madison) led the way with 36 yards on just 1 carry, although he was injured and did not return.

Fr. RB Luigi Lista-Brinza (McKees Rocks, Pa. /Central Catholic), IUP's starter since the opener, ran 15 times for just 28 yards and a TD. He had 111 yards and 2 TDs in IUP's first game againt Saint Augustine's. Fr. RB Chris Temple (Malvern, Pa. /Great Valley) made his debut against Kutztown, totaling 29 yards on 8 carries. So. RB Darian Bradley did not see any action against Kutztown, but had 32 rushing yards and 2 catches for 16 more in the opener. 

Other backs that will look for carries as the season goes on are Jr. Jared Desensi (Beaver Falls, Pa./Riverside) & Fr. Shannon Jackson (Fairview, Pa. /Fairview). 

RUNNING WITH THE HAWKS
The Crimson Hawks rely on their strong running game on offense, a category that they are strong year in and year out. See the game notes (PDF) link above for more.

HOLDING THAT LINE
The IUP offensive line features two players who started a majority of the games last year, including Sr. Matt Sasson at center and R-Sr. Jorge Vicioso (Passaic, N.J./Passaic) at right tackle. The two have combined 32 starts in their IUP careers.R-Sr. Bruce Atkins (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) at right tackle, So. Ethan Cooper (Steelton, Pa. /Central Dauphin East) at left guard, and R-So. Tony Morgante (Mountain Top, Pa. /Crestwood) have filled in the remainder of the starting spots through 2 games this year. That trio has a combined 13 career starts, including 5 by Atkins and Cooper. 

All told, IUP linemen have 45 career starts under their belts, led by Sasson's 20. Three true freshmen, a sophomore and a redshirt junior are listed as the primary backups at those five starting spots. 

SPREADING THE WORTH
Haslett's 24 completions this year have been spread around to eight different players, including five WRs, two RBs and a TE.

The top targets are R-Sr. WR Drew Carswell and Fr. WR Walt Pegues (Philadelphia, Pa. /Central), with 6 and 5 catches, respectively. Carswell has caught 3 passes in each game, getting a 7-yard TD in week one. Pegues has lined up in a variety of positions, including split out wide, in the slot, and the backfield. See the game notes (PDF) link above for more.

OUTSIDE EXPERIENCE
Just like the offensive line, IUP's group of wide receivers brings experience to the starting lineup. In addition to starters Carswell and R-Sr. WR Salath Williams (Harrisburg, Pa. /Bishop McDevitt), the Crimson Hawks also return R-Jr. Sean McVay and Gr. Trey Campman (Clearfield, Pa. /Clearfield). Together they have played in a combined 53 games with the Crimson Hawks with 68 receptions. 

Last year, Carswell was 2nd on the team with 24 catches for 394 yards and 2 TDs while McVay finished with 18 catches for 191 yards and 3 scores. Williams had 14 catches for 252 yards in 2012. 

HE'S KIND OF A BIG DEAL
He's only caught 3 passes in 2 games this year, but R-Sr. TE Brock DeCicco (Jefferson Hills, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson) has garnered a lot of attention and should be a big part of the offense moving forward. Here's some praise: Haslett has compared his starting TE to Rob Gronkowski of the NFL's New England Patriots. 

DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS
IUP boats a perennially stout defense under DC Paul Tortorella, as the Crimson Hawks have finished in the top 30 in Division II in total yards each of the past six years. Below are the points per game (PPG), rushing yards (RYds) and total yards (TYds) given up by IUP and its Division II ranking each year. See the game notes (PDF) link above for more.

LOADS OF TACKLES
R-So. LB Kevin Clarke (West Mifflin, Pa. /West Mifflin) has put up some monster numbers in 2 games this year as he is tied for 1st in Division II with 32 total tackles. He posted 13 stops while forcing 2 fumbles in the opener, en route to being named the PSAC Defensive Athlete of the Week, and then followed that up with 19 tackles against Kutztown. The 19 tackles are the 2nd highest total in a Division II game this year. 

TOP 'BACKERS
Lane has received starts in each of the first 2 games - the 2nd and 3rd of his career - because of injured Sr. LB Dorian Lane (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Woodland Hills). The original starting duo of Lane and R-Sr. LB Alexander Berdahl (Ashburn, Va./Bishop O'Connell) was considered one of the best in the PSAC, but the addition of Clarke makes them even more dangerous.

Returning to the starting lineup is Berdahl, who missed all but 1 game in 2013 with an injury. So far this year he's tied for 2nd on the team with 19 tackles. Lane finished stepped into Berdahl's place and finished 2nd on the team in tackles en route to being named 2nd team All-PSAC West. Clarke had 19 tackles last year playing primarily on special teams and as a backup to Lane. See the game notes (PDF) link above for more.

UPFRONT POTENTIAL
Led by several new faces, IUP's defensive line has shown depth, with 8 players combining for 69 total tackles, 11 TFLs, and 4 sacks. The leading tackler so far is R-Jr. DL Jeff Palmer (Cranberry Twp., Pa. /Seneca Valley), who earned a start against Kutztown at defensive tackle but can also play on the end. 

Jr. NG Karon Gibson (Sicklerville, N.J./Woodbury) has 12 tackles, 3 TFLs and leads the team with 2 sacks, while Gr. DT Bryce Gilbert (Brookfield, Wis./Central) has added 12 tackles. Fr. DT Jemal Averette (Upper Marlboro, Md./Our Lady of Good Counsel) has also been a help inside with 10 tackles and 2 TFLs. R-Sr. DE Shane Meisner (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield ) finished with 7 tackles at Lock Haven and has 1.5 TFLs this year while R-Jr. DE Jordan Batts (Homestead, Pa. /Jeannette) has a sack this season. 

SAFETY NET
Fr. FS Takhi Turner (Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Twp.) has put up some good statistics to open up his collegiate career, as he goes into this week tied for 2nd on the team with 19 tackles while also breaking up 3 passes and intercepting another. His interception came in week one and against Kutztown he finished with 11 tackles and broke up his 3 passes. 

After moving over from QB in the spring, R-So. SS Steve Franco (Tyrone, Pa. /Tyrone ) has made 10 tackles and has recovered a fumble. 

CORNERING THE MARKET
R-Sr. CB Jerell McFadden (Manassas, Va./Osbourn) is the most experienced player on the IUP roster and quite possibly has the most starts of any defensive back in the PSAC. The All-PSAC performer has 34 career starts, including 23 in a row. For his career, McFadden has 194 total tackles, 4 interceptions and 16 more passes broken up. 

ROSTER CHANGES
Three players left the team this week for varying reasons, as R-So. QB Logan Weaver, R-Fr. RB Donte Harrell (Downingtown, Pa. /Francis Howell (MO)), and R-Jr. DL Al Lane (Indiana, Pa. /Indiana) are no longer on the roster. 

MOVING UP THE RECORD BOOKS
Sr. K Brett Ullman (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) entered this season on pace to break three career IUP scoring records, including points scored, field goals made, and extra points made. He'll need 61 points, 11 field goals, and 15 extra points for the rest of the 2014 season to break each respective record. See the game notes (PDF) link above for more.

GOOD RETURNS
The Crimson Hawks have received a boost in the return game this year from a pair of new faces in Pegues and Davis. Pegues has returned 4 kickoffs for a 17.5 average while Davis has a 25.6 KOR average and a 12.5 PR average. Davis' longs are 47 and 18 yards, respectively.  

ODDS AND ENDS

PSAC PRESEASON POLLS
For the third straight year, IUP was picked to win the PSAC West by the league's coaches at the conference's media day. See the game notes (PDF) link above for more.

PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS
Sr. PK Brett Ullman (Baltimore, Md./Perry Hall) received preseason All-American honors by both the Beyond Sports Network (BSN) and by the Collegiate Development Football League (CDFL). Sr. DE Shane Meisner (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield ) was also selected by the CDFL. 

FRED MITCHELL WATCH LIST
Ullman is one of 36 kickers from the FCS, Division II, III, the NAIA and the NJCAA to land on the Fred Mitchell Watch List. The award honors kickers at each of those levels who excel on the football field and in the community. Ullman is one of 12 kickers from Division II.

WHO'S COMING BACK
The Crimson Hawks return just 10 starters from last year's team, but another 21 players who earned starts or played significantly. See the game notes (PDF) link above for more.

IUP IN OPENERS
With last Saturday's win, IUP is now 15-2 in season openers since 1998, boasting 9 consecutive wins. Those wins have come over Cheyney (2006-07), C.W. Post (2008), Southern Connecticut State (2009-10, 2012-13), East Stroudsburg (2011) and Saint Augustine's (2014).  

THE TRANSFERS
Highlighted by Haslett, Curt Cignetti has brought in six Division I transfers to add to an already talented team. Among them are Gr. TE Brock DeCicco (Jefferson Hills, Pa. /Thomas Jefferson) & Gr. DL Bryce Gilbert (Brookfield, Wis./Central) from Wisconsin, R-Fr. RB Donte Harrell (Downingtown, Pa. /Francis Howell (MO)) from Tennessee-Martin, R-So. DE Waylon Fink (Greensburg, Pa. /Greensburg Salem) from Buffalo, Jr. DL Karon Gibson (Sicklerville, N.J./Woodbury) from Delaware, along with Haslett.  

SUCCESS IN THE PSAC
The Crimson Hawks are one of the most successful teams in the PSAC, and the winningest in the West since Curt Cignetti took over in 2011. IUP is second to only Bloomsburg with 28 wins (the Huskies have 29). Both schools have won the last two conference championships. See the game notes (PDF) link above for more.

COACHING CONTINUITY
The 10 total coaches on the staff this season have combined to coach 83 seasons at IUP, with four coaches boasting at least 12 years of experience at the school. ST coordinator/DEs coach Bernie McQuown will enter his 28th year on the sidelines with IUP, tops amongst the staff. DC Paul Tortorella has coached 20 years while LBs coach Jim Smith has put in 15 years and OL coach Mike Campolo has logged 12. 

Cignetti and WRs coach Rod Rutherford each have three years while RBs coach Jim Chapin has two, and OC Tyler Haines has one. CBs coach Johnny Franco and DTs coach Bryant Haines are in their first years on staff. 

A FAMILY AFFAIR
The 2014 Crimson Hawks feature two pairs of brothers in OC Tyler Haines & DT coach Bryant Haines and CB coach Johnny Franco and R-So. SS Steve Franco (Tyrone, Pa. /Tyrone ). 

The elder Haines took over as the offensive playcaller and QBs coach last year while his younger brother joined the coaching staff this year. Johnny was a three-year starter in the Crimson Hawks' defensive backfield before Steve transferred to IUP from Akron in 2013. He began as a QB before moving to the defensive side this spring and hopes to fill his older brother's shoes in 2014.