#24 IUP CRIMSON HAWKS vs. LOCK HAVEN BALD EAGLES
Saturday, September 21 | 4 p.m. | Frank Cignetti Field @ George P. Miller Stadium
Game Notes:
IUP (2-0, 0-0 PSAC West) |
Lock Haven (1-1, 0-0 PSAC East) |
PSAC Notes
Watch:
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THE GAME
The 24th-ranked Crimson Hawks return home for week three as they host Lock Haven late Saturday afternoon. Kickoff from Frank Cignetti Field @ George P. Miller Stadium is set for 4 p.m.
IUP brings a 2-0 record and pair of top 25 rankings into its second home game of the season. The Crimson Hawks are coming off a 54-0 blowout win at Millersville last weekend, rolling up 560 yards and eight touchdowns offensively. On the defensive side IUP put together an historic performance giving up just 26 yards while totaling seven sacks.
Lock Haven is 1-1 on the season after suffering a 48-20 loss at Clarion in week two. The Bald Eagles gave up 530 total yards and committed 15 penalties, scoring 13 of their 20 points in the fourth quarter. LHU opened the year with a 57-13 win over Lincoln.
QUICK NOTES / STORY LINES
• The Crimson Hawks have started each of the last four seasons with a 2-0 record after last week's blowout win at Millersville
• IUP has not lost to Lock Haven since 1981 bringing a 34-game win streak into this week's matchup; last season the Crimson Hawks defeated Lock Haven 59-17 on the road, scoring 42 first half points
• IUP is 33-8 against PSAC East opponents since 2006, including a 11-game win streak from 2015-18; the Marauders have won just three games against West teams since 2007
• Lock Haven is 1-19 against PSAC West teams since moving to the Eastern Division in 2013; the Bald Eagles' only win during that time was a 50-48 victory at Gannon to end last season
• The Crimson Hawks are in both the AFCA Coaches and D2Football Media polls for the first time since week seven of last season; IUP is No. 24 in the coaches and No. 25 in the media rankings
• Sr. RB
Samir Bullock needs 31 rushing yards to move into fifth place on IUP's career list; he enters this week with 2,757 yards and trails Lenny Williams' 2,787 yardage total
• The Crimson Hawks are coming off one of the best passing performances in program history, throwing for 399 yards at Millersville; it's the sixth most in school history and most since throwing for 407 yards in 2001
• Sr. LB
Damon Lloyd has 19 tackles this year and with 281 for his career is just 19 away from reaching 300
• The IUP defense is tied for first in Division II with 11.0 sacks through two games this season, including 7.0 last week at Millersville; five players have tallied for at least one sack this year
• After missing out on the postseason last year, the Crimson Hawks look for a return trip after making the Division II playoffs in 2015, 2016 and 2017; IUP's 18 Division II playoff appearances is tied for fourth all-time (NW Missouri State 23, North Alabama 21, Grand Valley St. 19, Pittsburg St. 18)
• The Crimson Hawks entered the year as one of only nine Division II teams with 80+ wins this decade (80); New PSAC addition and former MEC power Shepherd (91) is the only other team in the region on that list
NOTEBOOK
CRIMSON HAWKS START 2-0 FOR FOURTH STRAIGHT SEASON
With their 54-0 win at Millersville in week two, the Crimson Hawks opened the year with a two straight victories for the fourth consecutive time and sixth since 2012. IUP ended up in the NCAA Division II playoffs three of those previous five instances, including 2016 and 2017. A win over Lock Haven would give IUP a 3-0 start for the fourth straight year.
COACH TORTORELLA HEADS INTO YEAR THREE AT THE HELM
Coach Tortorella put together the best 25-game start of any head coach in program history. His 21-4 overall record through his first two seasons eclipsed
Curt Cignetti (2011-13) and Lou Tepper (2006-08) who both had 20-5 marks in their first 25 games. Tortorella debuted with a 13-1 record, a PSAC title and national semifinalst season in 2017. It was the best year by a first year IUP head coach since Frank Cignetti went 9-2 in 1986. The winningest coach in IUP history, Cignetti went 19-5-1 in his first 25 games.
IUP vs. THE PSAC EAST
Since 2006, IUP is 33-8 (.805) against teams from the PSAC East, including a recent run of 11 straight victories between the 2015 and 2018 seasons. The Crimson Hawks went 2-1 against East teams last year, including wins over Millersville (41-7) and Lock Haven (59-17) and defeated the Marauders last week 54-0. IUP is 59-14-3 all-time against Lock Haven including 34 straight victories dating back to 1982.
CRIMSON HAWKS SHOW UP IN BOTH COACHES' AND MEDIA TOP 25 POLLS
On the strength of a 2-0 start, the Crimson Hawks are part of both major national polls heading into week three. IUP is No. 24 in the AFCA Coaches' Top 25 for the second straight week and debuted at No. 25 in the D2Football Media Poll this week. The Crimson Hawks spent 38 straight weeks in the coaches' rankings between 2015-18.
IUP COMING OFF BIGGEST OFFENSIVE PERFORMANCE SINCE WEEK 7 IN 2017
The Crimson Hawks put up 560 offensive yards in week two at Millersville, their most since a 609-yard output at Slippery Rock in 2017. IUP totaled 27 first downs, 399 passing yards (6th most in program history), averaged 7.7 yards per play, and had 10 plays of 20 yards or more.
QUICK OFFENSIVE STARTS HAVE BEEN AN EMPHASIS
Though just through two games, the IUP offensive is showing the ability to start off fast. In the opening win over New Haven, R-Sr. QB
Quinton Maxwell connected with So. WR
Duane Brown for a 47-yard touchdown on the offense's second play. Last week it took just one play to score - a Maxwell to Brown 46-yard touchdown. Last year IUP scored a touchdown on its opening possession four times in 11 games.
NEW FACES AT QB SHINE BRIGHT, MAXWELL COMING OFF PSAC ATHLETE OF THE WEEK HONOR
The Crimson Hawks feature a pair of new quarterbacks taking snaps in 2019, with Sr. transfers
Quinton Maxwell (Ohio) and
Jalen Reese (Toledo) each putting up numbers through two games. Maxwell had a breakout game at Millersville, earning PSAC West Offensive Athlete of the Week honors after throwing for 248 yards and totaling 4 touchdowns in just one half. Reese played the second half, throwing for 151 yards and a pair of scores.
RECEIVER DUANE BROWN DOES A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING
So. WR
Duane Brown has been a big play threat through two games of his return in 2019. The converted running back has totaled 204 yards and 5 touchdowns on just 10 touches - 5 receptions, 3 punt returns, 2 rushes. Brown has 3 receptions of 30+ yards (all touchdowns), two short rushing scores, and is averaging 16.0 yards on punt returns. As a freshman in 2017 Brown finished third on the team with 500 rushing yards, a 5.2 yard average and 6 TDs.
IUP IS 51-9 SINCE 2011 WHEN A PLAYER RUSHES FOR 100 YARDS
Since the start of the 2011 season, IUP has had at least one player rush for 100 yards in 60 of its 97 games played, going a combined 51-9 in those contests. The Crimson Hawks have four players on the roster who have rushed for 100 yards in a game a combined 17 times. Bullock has done so nine times in his career while Evans has hit the mark six times. Since 2012, IUP has had 10 instances where at least two players have reached 100 yards in a single game.
CAM TURNER ADDS TO DEEP RECEIVING GROUP
IUP came into 2019 with a returning group of receivers with talent and experience. So. transfer
Cam Turner just added to that as he broke out with 4 catches for 115 yards and 2 touchdowns last week at Millersville. All of his damage was done in the second half as his scoring plays went for 33 and 77 yards. Outside of Turner, receivers on IUP's two deep combine for 143 games played and 58 starts.
IUP PASS RUSH AMONG THE BEST IN THE NATION
On the strength of a huge performance in week two, the Crimson Hawks are tied for first in Division II with 5.50 sacks per game totaling 11 for the year. IUP finished wit 7.0 last week from five different players limiting Millersville to -22 yards rushing. Six players have combined for IUP's 11 sacks this year with So. NG
Dajour Fisher and R-So. DT
Raunya Mitchell tied for 5th in the nation wtih 3.0 each.
LINEBACKERS DAMON LLOYD AND NICK AMENDOLA MAKE BIG PLAYS
Sr. LBs
Damon Lloyd and
Nick Amendola entered their third year as starters in a big way by combining for 17 tackles, a sack and two turnovers in the week one win. Lloyd posted a game-high 14 stops to go along with a sack and fourth quarter fumble recovery. Amendola broke up a pass and later intercepted one on a key third down play in the second quarter.
NEW FACES ALL OVER DEFENSIVE SECONDARY
Heading into week three the Crimson Hawks will look for fresh faces to make big plays. Two of last year's five starters - Sr. CB
JR Stevens and Sr. SS
Shaq Jones - are back and IUP has been relying on transfers and freshmen through two games this year. New standouts this year include Fr.
Zayaan Cobb, who is tied for 2nd on the team with 11 tackles and Jr.
Nazir Streater, who has 3 interceptions and 2 more breakups.
SEVERAL RETURNERS ADD TO DYNAMIC RETURN GAME
The Crimson Hawks boast several players who have made big plays on kickoff and punt returns. So.
Qashah Carter made a name for himself last year as a dynamic freshman returner, earning All-PSAC West honors with a 28.6 KOR average. Sr.
Dwine Walls had a 34-yard kick return,
Duane Brown is averaging 16.0 yards on four punt returns, and
Nazir Streater came to IUP with a 28.4 yard kickoff return average.
DILLON SARKA BRINGS EXPERIENCES TO KICKING GAME
R-Sr.
Dillon Sarka is in his third season as IUP's primary placekicker where he's made 28-37 (76 pct.) of his field goal attemps. He's fifth at IUP with 28 made field goals and with 195 career points, Sarka is fifth in IUP history in scoring by a kicker.
