GAMEDAY CENTRAL
IUP Crimson Hawks (0-1, 0-0 PSAC West) 
vs. Lock Haven Bald Eagles (0-2, 0-0 PSAC East)
Saturday, September 19, 2015 | 1:00 p.m.
George P. Miller Stadium @ Frank Cignetti Field | Indiana, Pa.

Watch: BackLight TV | backlighttv.com 
Listen: WQMU 92.5 FM | u92radio.com 
Live Stats: IUPathletics.com | Fan Stats | Media Stats

THE GAME
The Crimson Hawks will look to rebound after last week's loss as they host Lock Haven at Frank Cignetti Field on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1 PM. IUP is coming off of a disappointing 34-33 defeat at the hands of Kutztown in the season-opener last Saturday, even though the Crimson Hawks totaled 497 yards of offense. Lock Haven enters the game with an 0-2 record, losing to Clarion and Seton Hill by a combined score of 67-23. IUP will look to extend its streak of 32 straight wins over the Bald Eagles, last losing to Lock Haven in 1981 (41-14).

The game will be broadcast on WQMU 92.5 FM with the voice of IUP Athletics, Jack Benedict, calling the action. IUP will honor it's 1985 team in a ceremony at halftime. 

NOTEBOOK

IUP vs. THE PSAC EAST
Since 2006, IUP is 24-7 (.774) against teams from the PSAC East. The Crimson Hawks did hold a seven-game win streak that began with their 34-7 at West Chester in 2011 and ended with the 44-7 loss at Kutztown last season. IUP is 5-1 against Millersville, 4-0 against East Stroudsburg and Cheyney, and 3-1 against West Chester. 

CIGNETTI vs. THE PSAC EAST
HC Curt Cignetti is 9-4 against the PSAC East since coming to IUP in 2011, including 3-0 records in 2012 and 2013. Cignetti is 3-0 against Lock Haven, including 21-16 road win last season. He also has wins of 42-0 in 2012 and 56-6 in 2011. 

IUP is 25-6 UNDER CURT CIGNETTI WHEN A RUNNING BACK REACHES 100 YARDS
In his four-plus seasons as head coach, Cignetti has a 25-6 record when an IUP running back rushes for at least 100 yards in a game. There are two running backs on the 2015 roster who have 100-yard games to their credit: So. Luigi Lista-Brinza (McKees Rocks, Pa. /Central Catholic) with five and So. Chris Temple (Malvern, Pa. /Great Valley) with two. Temple ran for a career-high 195 yards in the 34-33 season-opening loss to Kutztown. During the Cignetti era at IUP, De'Antwan "Rocket" Williams has the most 100-yard games with 12 while Harvie Tuck had six. 

THE DAWN OF A NEW OFFENSIVE ERA
2015 marks a new era for the IUP offense as the Crimson Hawks have switched to an up-tempo spread set. New OC Marty Higgins joined the coaching staff this summer from Upper Iowa University, bringing with him an offensive philosophy that averaged 34.5 points and 461 yards in 11 games last season. It will be the first time since the 1970s that IUP will not run an "I" formation or pro set. The comparison below shows the Crimson Hawks' offensive numbers in 2014 and their 2015 averages under Higgins. Click on the PDF above for more information

THE NEW OC - MARTY HIGGINS
Higgins spent the 2013 and 2014 seasons as UIU's offensive coordinator and quarterback coach, helping the Peacocks score 680 points in 22 games (31.0 ppg). UIU boasted five All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) players last season, including QB Cole Jaeschke (304.5 pyds/game); RB Chris Smith (127.1 ryds/game); and WR Derek Giesking (9.3 rec/game). 

IUP IS ONE OF YOUNGEST TEAMS AT QB IN THE PSAC
The Crimson Hawks have one of the youngest quarterback units in the PSAC, with two true freshmen and a redshirt freshman listed among the four total players. Only Gr. QB Chase Haslett (Clayton, Mo./Clayton) played a collegiate game before this season, and he and R-Fr. QB Lenny Williams (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox) split time in the season-opener against Kutztown. Click on the PDF above for more information.

HASLETT AND WILLIAMS SPLIT QB REPS IN THE OPENER
Haslett made his 11th career start in the season opener against Kutztown, with Williams coming off the bench and playing most of the second half. The two combined to go 20-36 for 224 yards and 2 touchdowns with no turnovers. Cignetti has stated that both will play, with the depth chart listing Haslett "or" Williams as the starter. Haslett was the incumbent coming into this year with 11 games played, 2,178 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2014. Williams joined the Crimson Hawks this summer after transferring from Temple, where he redshirted during his only year on campus. 

THE CHASE IS ON
Haslett has played in 12 career games with 11 starts, including the season-opener against Kutztown. He finished 8-12 (66.7 pct) against the Golden Bears with 61 yards and a touchdown. Last year, his first season at IUP after transferring from Illinois, he averaged 198.0 passing yards per game and completed 60.4 pct of his passes, which is tied for 5th in program single season history. He threw for 359 yards against Cal and 361 against Slippery Rock. Click on the PDF above for more information.

WILLIAMS PROVIDES IUP WITH FIRST TRUE DUAL THREAT QB IN YEARS
Williams added another dimension to the IUP quarterback position with the ability to run as well as throw. the redshirt freshman put up 215 yards of total offense (163 pass, 52 rush) with a 63-yard passing touchdown and a 33-yard rushing touchdown against Kutztown. 
• Four-year starting quarterback at Sto-Rox HS in McKees Rocks, Pa. 
• Three-star member of Temple's 2014 recruiting class
• Finished HS career has the WPIAL's all-time leading passer with 8,509 yards and 102 touchdowns
• Also rushed for nearly 3,000 yards in HS career
• Fab 22 selection, WPIAL Co-Offensive Player of the Year, and the 2012 Big 7 Player of the Year 

NEW LOOK OFFENSE PROVIDED BIG PLAYS IN SEASON-OPENER 
IUP's new spread offense provided excitement against Kutztown with six plays of 20 yards or more. Four of those plays were rushes covering 23 (TD), 33 (TD), 37 and 43 yards; in addition to a pair of pass plays of 23 and 63 (TD) yards. Last season, IUP averaged 3.5 plays of 20-plus yards each game and only had 10 rushes that covered that distance all season long. 

CRIMSON HAWKS ARE DEEP AT THE RUNNING BACK POSITION
Even with the change in offensive philosophy, the Crimson Hawks are still very deep in the backfield in 2015. So. RB Chris Temple (Malvern, Pa. /Great Valley) ran for a career-high 195 yards and a touchdown against Kutztown while So. RB Luigi Lista-Brinza (McKees Rocks, Pa. /Central Catholic) received 14 carries. Lista-Brinza was IUP's leading rusher last year with 846 yards and 10 touchdowns while Temple added 444 yards and two scores in 2014. Adding depth this year is R-So. RB Drew Harris (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) and R-Fr. RB Shannon Jackson (Fairview, Pa. /Fairview), who both saw time against Kutztown. 

TEMPLE PROVIDES BIG PLAYS AND CAREER RUSHING DAY
Temple's career-high 195 yards against Kutztown came on just 18 carries, as he averaged 10.8 yards per rush. Five of his carries went for more than 10 yards, including rushes of 37, 23 (TD) and 43 yards. Over his last four games, Temple is averaging 121 yards per game and 6.5 yards per carry. Click on the PDF above for more information.

HEY, IT'S LUIGI!
Lista-Brinza was one of the top freshman backs in Division II last year, averaging 76.9 rushing yards per game while earning 2nd team All-PSAC West honors. He totaled 100 all-purpose yards six times in his first seven games, with the Crimson Hawks going 5-1 in those games. Click on the PDF above for more information.

CRIMSON HAWKS HAVE YOUTHFUL GROUP OF WIDEOUTS
Of the 14 wide receivers on the Crimson Hawks' 2015 roster, 11 carry freshman or sophomore eligibility. The two-deep for the Crimson Hawks' game against Lock Haven includes five freshmen or sophomores, including starters So. Walt Pegues (Philadelphia, Pa. /Central), R-Fr. Swahneek Brown (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg) and R-Fr. Jordan Brown (Chambersburg, Pa. /Chambersburg Area).  

WALT'S WORLD
Pegues was IUP's top receiving threat against Kutztown, catching seven passes for 115 yards, including a 63-yard touchdown from Williams. Since the stretch run of his true freshman season, Pegues has come on strong with 32 receptions for 517 yards and four touchdowns in the last five games. Click on the PDF above for more information.

PEGUES IS AN ALL-PURPOSE THREAT
Not only did Pegues excel as a receiver in 2014, but he led the Crimson Hawks with 1,466 all-purpose yards. Pegues added 56 rushing yards, 213 punt return yards and 590 kickoff return yards, and averaged 133.3 all-purpose yards per game. Three times he totaled more than 200 all-purpose yards, including a season-high 282 at Gannon. Click on the PDF above for more information.

HOLD THAT LINE
Like many other positional groups, the offensive line is very young, with nine redshirt or true freshmen among the 16 total players. The most seasoned member of the line is R-Sr. OL Jorge Vicioso (Passaic, N.J./Passaic), who has 24 games and 22 starts under his belt. He's returned to his familiar right tackle spot this year. Jr. OL Ethan Cooper (Steelton, Pa. /Central Dauphin East) has played in 18 games and has 15 starts in two-plus seasons, and saw time at both left guard and left tackle during fall camp. The current offensive line has a combined 79 games played and 53 starts.

IUP LINEBACKERS AGAIN PROVIDE DEPTH IN 2015
The Crimson Hawks welcome back a seasoned linebacking corps in 2015. Three players - R-Sr. Dorian Lane (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Woodland Hills), R-Jr. Kevin Clarke (West Mifflin, Pa. /West Mifflin) and Jr. Myles Catlin (Pittsburgh, Pa. /Obama) - have combined for 72 games played and 29 starts. They have each produced during their time on the field, combining for 340 tackles and 33.0 TFLs. Click on the PDF above for more information.

CLARKE NAMED PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN
Clarke was named a first team preseason All-American by D2Football.com after posting 117 total tackles as a first-year starter in 2014. That number led the PSAC West as he earned first team all-conference honors. He had five double-figure tackle games, including a season-high 21 against Slippery Rock. Below are Clarke's five double-figure tackle games. He opened up the 2015 season with nine tackles, 1.5 tackles-for-loss and a pass broken up. Click on the PDF above for more information.

GIBSON HIGHLIGHTS THE DEFENSIVE LINE
Sr. DL Karon Gibson (Sicklerville, N.J./Woodbury) has made the move to defensive end this season, posting nine tackles and 1.5 sacks against Kutztown. Gibson started all 11 games last year at nose guard, leading all defensive linemen and finishing third on the team with 54 total tackles and 8.0 TFLs. He also led the Crimson Hawks with 6.0 sacks, forced a fumble and recovered another. 

MOWAD MAKES PLAYS ALL OVER THE FIELD
R-So. DE Matt Mowad (Easton, Pa. /Easton) made several key plays against Kutztown, but none bigger than his 23-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter. Dropping back in coverage from his end position, Mowad picked off a pass on the sideline and raced into the end zone. He also made five tackles in the game - three solo - and had a sack.  

THE CRIMSON HAWKS BOAST INCREDIBLE DEPTH IN THE SECONDARY
With last year's losses of R-Sr. SS Eric Williams (Yardley, Pa./Pennsbury) and R-So. CB Jay Watkins (Chester, Pa. /Hyde School), multiple true freshmen saw playing time for the Crimson Hawks. With the return of both players, IUP now boasts a deep secondary unit that includes seven players who have combined for 110 games and 75 starts. Click on the PDF above for more information.

ALL-REGION SAFETY WILLIAMS RETURNS 
The defensive secondary is highlighted by the return of Williams. An all-region selection in 2013, Williams led the PSAC and tied for eighth in Division II with six interceptions while also totaling 48 tackles. The Pitt transfer played in 16 games in two seasons with the Panthers, including 11 starts as an outside linebacker in 2012. 

PEGUES COULD BE ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS RETURN MEN IN THE NATION
Last year as a freshman, Pegues earned first team All-PSAC West honors as a kick returner. He averaged 24.6 yards on 24 kickoff returns and a school-record 19.4 yards on 11 punt returns. His most exciting play came against Seton Hill on Homecoming, taking back a punt 96 yards untouched for a touchdown. It was the longest punt return and fourth longest play in IUP history. 

YOUTH MOVEMENT
With a different recruiting style over the last two offseasons, the Crimson Hawks go into 2015 with a very young roster of 86 players. Included in those 86 are: 35 freshmen, 25 sophomores, 16 juniors, and 10 seniors/graduate students. 11 sophomores saw playing time as true freshmen last year, combining for 41 total starts during the season. 

IUP AT HOME IN MILLER STADIUM
Since 1986, IUP has a 138-31-1 (.815) overall record at George P. Miller Stadium. In those 29-plus seasons, IUP posted a perfect 7-0 home record six times and had 25 consecutive wins between 1989 and 1992. 11 times IUP has hosted an NCAA playoff game at Miller Stadium, boasting a 9-2 mark in those games. 

EIGHT TRANSFERS JOIN CRIMSON HAWKS IN 2015
IUP welcomed eight transfers this year, including R-Fr. QB Lenny Williams (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox) from Temple, R-Fr. WR Kyler Diehl (Loysburg, Pa./North Bedford) from Penn State, and R-So. RB Drew Harris (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) from UMass. The Crimson Hawks also have transfers from the Division II and Division III levels and a pair from junior colleges. 

THE NEW DRESS CODE
The Crimson Hawks will take the field in 2015 with brand new Nike uniforms. The "Air Attack" uniforms are made of Nike Dri-FIT fabric and include crimson home and white away jerseys, with the gray pants. IUP will also wear a new matte gray helmet with the familiar IUP football logo on the side. 

MARYLAND - THE OLD LINE STATE
70 of IUP's 88 players hail from Pennsylvania, but the state with the second most players on the roster is Maryland with eight. Three of those players are from Frederick, Md., including Fr. WR Isiah Mims (Frederick, Md./Oakdale) and Fr. LB Drew Yarborough (Frederick, Md./Oakdale) from Oakdale HS and Fr. DL Casey Alvarado (Frederick, Md./Lingapore) from Lingapore HS.