INDIANA, Pa. -- The 15th-ranked IUP Crimson Hawks begin the 2022 NCAA DII Playoffs on Saturday, welcoming Ashland for a 1:00 p.m. kickoff at Miller Stadium.
 
IUP enters the playoffs after a first-round bye as the top overall seed in Super Region One. The Crimson Hawks went 9-1 during the regular season, posting a 6-1 divisional record and winning the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) title with a hard-fought 24-21 victory against Shepherd on November 12.
 
Ashland is the number four seed in Super Region One and ranks 12th nationally. The Eagles held off Notre Dame (Ohio) for a 20-13 win in last week's opening round, marking the program's third victory in NCAA postseason play.
 
QUICK NOTES/STORYLINES

• IUP is making its 20th all-time NCAA playoff appearance on Saturday, the fourth most in Division II history. The Crimson Hawks rank seventh in DII with 22 playoff victories.
• Saturday is the first postseason appearance for IUP since the 2019 season and sixth since 2012.
• The Crimson Hawks have seven national semifinal appearances, with the latest coming in 2017, also making a pair of DII national title game appearances in 1990 and 1993.
• There is no shortage of similarities between IUP and Ashland, both with rich football traditions in neighboring states. Saturday marks the third all-time meeting between the teams, with the previous two matchups coming down to the wire.
• Head coach Paul Tortorella earned PSAC West Coach of the Year, one of two major awards for IUP with Duane Brown earning PSAC West offensive Player of the Year honors. In total, IUP had 12 All-PSAC West selections with eight named to the First Team.
• Ashland seems to have all the making of a team built for postseason play as one of the top units in the nation in running the ball and stopping the run. The Eagles are 18th nationally in rushing offense (212.9) and 25th in the country in rushing defense (91.8).
• While there are some question marks on which skill position players will play on Saturday, the IUP offense continues to impress, ranked 19th in DII in total offense (436.6) and 24th in scoring offense (34.7)
• IUP posted a dramatic 26-23 victory against Ashland with a 46-yard Dillon Sarka field goal as time expired in 2017. In the 2018 opener, Ricky Rodgers reeled in three touchdown passes to help the Crimson Hawks to a 21-17 triumph against the Eagles.
• With limited meetings, Saturday will be a postseason edition in what will become an annual contest between IUP and Ashland. The teams agreed to a four-year scheduling agreement, starting next season and running through 2026.
• Elsewhere in Super Region One, Shepherd defeated New Haven and Slippery Rock held off Assumption in the opening round on November 19.
• Ashland is one of the top defenses IUP will see all season, holding opponents to just 14.27 points per game and under 260 yards of total offense on the season. LB Michael Ayers has 70 tackles with 11 QB hurries and seven pass breakups, while Deeb Alawan has seven sacks for the Eagles.
• Ashland averages more rushing than passing yards, a rarity in the age of spread offenses at the college level. Larry Martin has over 1,000 yards rushing with Gei'vonni Martiin and QB Austin Brenner averaging over 5.0 yards per carry as active parts of the Ashland rushing attack.

 
MOST APPEARANCES – NCAA DII PLAYOFFS

• 1. Northwest Missouri State – 26
• 2. North Alabama – 21 (no longer member of DII)
• 3. Grand Valley State – 21
• 4. IUP – 20
• 5. Pittsburg State -- 19

 
MOST VICTORIES – NCAA DII PLAYOFFS

• 1. Northwest Missouri State – 52
• 2. Grand Valley State -- 36
• 3. North Alabama – 35 (no longer member of DII)
• 4. North Dakota State – 30 (no longer member of DII)
• 5. Valdosta State – 29
• 6. Pittsburg State – 26
• 7. IUP – 22

 
IUP IN THE RECORD BOOK

• Duane Brown
  • Total Touchdowns – 48 (2nd); Career Receiving Yards – 2,784 (3rd); Career Receiving Touchdowns – 36 (2nd); Single Season Receiving Touchdowns – 16 (T-1st)
• Mak Sexton
  • Single Season Passing Yards – 2,555 (8th); Single Season Completions – 179 (8th); Single Season Touchdown Passes – 29 (T-4th)

 
NOTEBOOK
 
TORTORELLA NAMED PSAC WEST COACH OF THE YEAR IN 2022
IUP head coach Paul Tortorella was named the PSAC West Coach of the Year for 2022, a reflection on the overall strength of the program under his leadership. Coaching his 50th career game earlier this season against Mercyhurst, Tortorella is 47-10 (.824) overall with a 29-6 mark against PSAC West opponents.
 
His .824 winning percentage is top 10 nationally across all NCAA divisions among active coaches. He reached 30 wins faster than any other IUP coach (35 games), and has three NCAA playoff berths (2017, 2019, 2022), two PSAC West titles, two PSAC Championships and a regional title.
 
IUP AMONG DII LEADERS IN NCAA POSTSEASON APPEARANCES, VICTORIES
IUP is making its 20th postseason appearance, the fourth most in DII history. The Crimson Hawks' 22 postseason victories are also seventh in history among DII schools all-time.

HAWKS LAND 12 ON ALL-PSAC WEST TEAMS  
IUP ranked second in the league with 12 All-PSAC West selections, announced November 16. Tortorella and Brown earned major awards, the Crimson Hawks also had eight First Team selections with four more on the Second Team. In total, the Crimson Hawks have garnered 84 total all-conference picks over the last five seasons.
 
Brown, Dayjure Stewart, Darrell Davis, John Robinson, Collin Pietropola, Gregory Moore II, Drew DiNunzio-Biss and Darius Bruce earned First Team laurels. On the Second Team, Grant Smith, Hilton Ridley, Raunya Mitchell and Jaheim Howard were recognized for IUP.
 
RETURN OF THE MAK
While notably missing from the all-conference selections, Mak Sexton has put together a strong season in his first fall with the team. Transferring in from Pittsburg State prior to spring ball last semester, the even-keeled Sexton ranks third in the nation in passing efficiency (173.5), sixth in passing touchdowns (29) and leads the PSAC in yards per completion (14.27).

TOUCHDOWN BROWN
Despite missing the PSAC Championship game with an injury, Duane Brown continues to climb the IUP record books across multiple categories as one of the top wideouts in the nation. Brown was one of 48 nominees listed as a Harlon Hill award candidate across the nation as a representative from Super Region One. He ranks fourth in the nation in receiving touchdowns (16) after a three-touchdown outing against Clarion. Brown is sixth in the nation in receptions per game (7.3) and sixth in receiving yards per game (116.1).
 
Brown, who has 11 career games with 100+ receiving yards, is second in program history in total touchdowns (48), also ranking third in career receiving yards (2,784), second in career receptions (168), second in receiving touchdowns (36) and tied for second in single-season receiving touchdowns (16).
 
IUP DEFENSE MAKING TIMELY PLAYS; 10 PLAYERS HAVE AT LEAST ONE SACK
IUP has made some timely plays on the defensive side of the ball in 2022. The Crimson Hawks rank first in the PSAC in first down defense, allowing 163 this season. The IUP secondary has shown steady improvement, collecting 14 interceptions as a defensive unit. Nine players have registered at least one sack for the Crimson Hawks in 2022, showcasing their depth along the front seven. Raunya Mitchell (4.0) leads the team in sacks, while Gregory Moore II (2.5) and Noah Vaughan (2.5) have been active along the defensive line. Injured earlier this season, Tyrone Fowler Jr. Logged 2.5 sacks in just under four games.

CRIMSON HAWKS BOAST COHESIVE OFFENSIVE LINE
IUP has benefitted from consistency along the offensive line this season, giving up just four sacks this season. The Crimson Hawks have three all-conference selections along the offensive line in 2022. Davis (LT), Robinson (LG), Pietropola (C), Gerald Comedy (RG) and McLean Djouha (RT) have helped IUP average 6.6 yards/play this season. Davis was among 33 nominees for the 2022 Gene Upshaw DII Lineman of the Year award.
 
KELLY STEPPING UP HIS PRODUCTION, DINUNZIO-BISS TEAM IN TACKLES
Connor Kelly and Drew DiNunzio-Biss patrol the IUP defense from their linebacking spots. Kelly leads the team with 70 total tackles and DiNunzio-Biss is not far behind with 69 stops. The linebacker duo has combined for 14.5 tackles for loss, five pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.
 
KICKING AND PUNTING GAMES SEEING AN UPTICK IN PRODUCTION
Since shifting punting duties to Aiden Spitler, the IUP special teams' units have seen an uptick in production. Spitler has placed eight of his 15 punts inside the 20-yard line. Nick Andrasi has gone 9-for-9 on extra-points over the last two weeks, adding a 33-yard field goal against Shepherd.
 
NEXT MAN UP APPROACH FOR IUP OFFENSE
While Brown continues posting exception numbers, Ridley has been a viable wideout option for the IUP offense as an all-conference selection. Ridley is averaging about 75 yards receiving per game and has seven touchdown receptions. Last week, IUP received contributions on the outside from Daniel Deabner (5 Rec, 51 Yds, 1 TD) and in the middle from tight ends Grant Smith (4 Rec, 44 Yds) and Cole Laney (2 Rec., 9 Yds, 1 TD).
 
With starting tailback Dayjure Stewart leaving the game in the first quarter of the PSAC Championship game, the Hawks turned to Adam Houser, who rolled up 142 yards on 21 carries with a touchdown. Houser gashed the Shepherd defense up the middle for a big gain late in the fourth, alertly falling down to melt away the rest of the clock and preserve the conference championship for IUP.
 
CRIMSON HAWKS ARE 24-1 SINCE 2011 WHEN THE DEFENSE SCORES
IUP has one defensive touchdown this year - a 47-yard INT return for a score by DB Jaheim Howard - in a road win at Shippensburg. The single defensive TD this season mirrors the team's output in both 2021, 2018 and 2014. In every other year since 2011 the Crimson Hawks have had multiple defensive scores, including four in 2017, five in 2016, and six in 2015.
 
 

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