INDIANA, Pa. – The IUP football program rounds out the 2023 campaign with consecutive road games, beginning this week with a matchup against PSAC West foe Clarion on Saturday, November 4. Kickoff from Memorial Stadium is set for noon.
 
IUP (4-5, 2-4) slipped below the .500 mark after a grueling 16-15 setback to Gannon last week at Miller Stadium. Gannon kicked a Miller Stadium record 51-yard field goal that deflected off the right upright and in as time expired. It's the latest in a series of tough-luck plays that have seemingly gone against IUP at nearly every turn in 2023.
 
Clarion (2-7, 1-5) has also seen its fair share of close losses this season, looking to rebound from a 42-14 thrashing at sixth-ranked Slippery Rock last week. The Golden Eagles allowed over 500 yards of offense to one of the most potent in the nation.
 
QUICK NOTES/STORYLINES

• IUP has struggled to play complimentary football over the last several weeks, dropping four of the last five games.
• IUP has won 11 straight games against Clarion dating back to 2011 and own the overall series 65-24-3. Saturday marks the 93rd all-time meeting between the two programs.
• IUP boasts a 14-3 road record at Clarion since 1985, winning six consecutive games at Memorial Stadium and wins in 11 of the last 12 matchups.
• IUP led 15-6 at halftime against Gannon, allowing 13 unanswered points to close out the contest.
• IUP's last shutout victory came against Clarion in 2022, a 45-0 blowout at Miller Stadium just before the PSAC Championship game.
• QB Nico Marchitelli has thrown for six touchdowns and three interceptions, adding 202 yards on the ground. Making his third collegiate start last week against Gannon, Marchitelli ripped off a 61-yard rush up the left sideline.
• Over the last five games, the IUP defense has surrendered an average of 392.0 yards and 26.6 points/game.
• Clarion features the league's third-best rushing attack (175.0) in the conference, led by the duo of QB Antony Guercio (46.5) and QB Zach Benedek (41.7). The Golden Eagles have had three different players top the 100-yard rushing mark through nine weeks of the season, with talented RB Khalil Owens starting in the backfield.
• IUP head coach Paul Tortorella is one win shy of tying Curt Cignetti for third in program history. Tortorella boasts an impressive 12-2 mark in November games since 2017.
• Clarion head coach Raymond Monica is in his second season at Clarion and 15th year as a collegiate head coach overall. Monica posted a 45-34 mark over seven seasons at Kutztown from 2006-2012, arriving at Clarion in 2022.
• Drew DiNunzio-Biss continued his stellar season, reaching the 200-tackle mark for his collegiate career with 14 stops last week against Gannon.
• Aiden Spitler ranks second in the league in punting average (40.9), dealing with a tricky wind last week for the Crimson Hawks.

NOTEBOOK
 
TORTORELLA FOURTH IN IUP HISTORY IN WINS
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 in 2022 against Mercyhurst and now in his sixth season, Tortorella is 52-16 (.764) overall with a 31-10 mark against PSAC West opponents. His 51 wins just surpassed the legendary Bill Neal (50) for fourth in IUP history, now one win shy of tying Curt Cignetti (53) for third.
 
In his 62nd game on Sept. 16, 2023, against Shippensburg, Tortorella become the second fastest coach to reach 50 wins in IUP history, behind Frank Cignetti (59 games). 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 IS NO STRANGER TO CLOSE GAMES
IUP has seen its fair share of one-score games, dating back to the 2021 season. Since the start of 2021, IUP is 9-6 in one-score games. IUP was 5-1 in one-score games last season, now 6-3 since the start of the 2022 campaign. The opening two matchups of the 2023 season (ASH/ESU) were decided by a combined margin of eight points, while the Hawks fell by one score each of the last two weeks.
 
YOUNG ROSTER FOR IUP LED BY EIGHT SENIORS
IUP recognized eight student-athletes prior to the game against Gannon last week, celebrating Senior Day in a pregame ceremony. Derek Lockhart, Zayaan Cobb, Naszhir Taylor, Quinn Zinobile, Drew DiNunzio-Biss (reshirt-junior), Stone Shugarts, Jay Holmes and McLean Djouha represent a small senior class for the Hawks in 2023.
 
Taylor, Zinobile, DiNunzio-Biss, Holmes and Djouha are among those seeing playing time for the Hawks, who have also dealt with injuries to significant contributors throughout the year.
 
ROAD WARRIORS
IUP has been particularly strong on the road since Tortorella took over as head coach in 2017. IUP boasts a 24-5 (.827) mark in road games since 2017. IUP has a pair of undefeated seasons on the road under the direction of Tortorella, posting a 5-0 mark in 2017 and 2021. Despite the strong play on the road, IUP fell in each of its last two trips way from Miller Stadium, at Slippery Rock (Sept. 30) and at Seton Hill (Oct. 21).
 
DEFENSE SEARCHING FOR CONSISTENCY   
Returning a plethora of starters on the defensive side of the ball in 2023, the Crimson Hawks entered the matchup against Slippery Rock in week four as the top defense in the PSAC in scoring average (14.2) and yards/game (249.0). Since then, IUP has surrendered an average of 392.0 yards and 26.6 points/game over the last four weeks.
 
The Hawks asserted themselves in the second half against Edinboro, allowing 73 yards in the second half and four first downs over the final two quarters of the contest, but took another step back in a setback against Seton Hill. IUP held Gannon to just one touchdown on the day, also adding a safety and two interceptions against the Golden Knights.
 
CRIMSON HAWKS ARE 26-1 SINCE 2011 WHEN THE DEFENSE SCORES
IUP has one defensive touchdown this year – coming on a 21-yard scoop and score by LB Jay Holmes against Shippensburg on September 16. The single defensive TD this season mirrors the team's output 2021, 2018 and 2014. In every other year since 2011 the Crimson Hawks have had multiple defensive scores, including 4 in 2017, 5 in 2016, and 6 in 2015. In 2022, IUP had a pair of defensive scores, including a blocked punt in the postseason against Ashland's first team offense along with a pick-six at Shippensburg.
 
MARCHITELLI SHOWS PROMISE STEPPING INTO QB1 ROLE
Highly-touted transfer QB Karst Hunter had started all six games for IUP to begin the 2023 season, but left the game in the second quarter against Cal U on October 7 due to injury. Still working back from the setback, Hunter passed for 1,090 yards and accounted for 16 total touchdowns (11 passing, five rushing) for the Crimson Hawks.
 
Nico Marchitelli stepped in for his first collegiate start on October 14 against Edinboro, finding a groove into the second half. Marchitelli continued his progression last week with a touchdown pass before IUP struggled to convert in key situations in the second half against Gannon.
 
IUP OFFENSE PREDICATED ON "SPLASH PLAYS"
IUP has posted 69 total "splash plays" over seven games, which is listed as a pass of 20+ yards or a run of 10+ yards. IUP has 16 plays spanning 30 yards or more this season.
 
RECEIVING OPTIONS APLENTY IN 2023
IUP features some top-caliber receivers on its roster in 2023. Returning All-PSAC honoree Hilton Ridley (91 Rec, 1,310 Yds, 14 TD), a 6-3 redshirt-junior scored eight touchdowns last season for the Hawks, is among the most experienced. Ridley had a breakout performance at Seton Hill with a career-high 11 catches for 131 yards.
 
Graduate student Quinn Zinobile, a 6-3 transfer from Clarion and most recently from Albany, has stepped in as the leading statistical threat for IUP in 2023. Zinobile enters week nine among the top receivers in the league in receiving yards (8th; 524), receiving yards/game (9th; 58.2), receptions/game (10th; 4.0) and receiving touchdowns (2nd; 6). His father, Michael, played at IUP for legendary head coach Frank Cignetti in the early 1990s.
 
Former All-PSAC wideout Derek Lockhart (52 rec, 851 yds, 12 TD) and 6-6 TE Cole Laney are out from injuries suffered earlier in the season. providing a chance for others to step in. Cyair Clark has stepped up in a big way in the kickoff return and receiving game for IUP, reeling in a 54-yard catch against Cal U. Isaish Houser has returned to the lineup, providing another receiving threat for the Hawks along with Daniel Deabner.

VETERAN LEADERSHIP HEADLINES OFFENSIVE LINE
Despite filling the void left by two All-Americans last season, the IUP offensive line is gaining experience playing together in 2023. Shuffling around positions, the Hawks will rely on veterans Gerald Comedy and McLean Djouha.
 
Djouha was granted an extra year of eligibility by the NCAA just before the start of camp. Both Comedy and Djouha were starters on last season's offensive line that allowed just five sacks in 2022. Chad Layton stepped into the starting center spot, with transfers Chance Battle, Kelechi Okoro and Daric Cotman seeing action on the line.
 
DYNAMIC STABLE OF BACKS SPEARHEADING RUSHING ATTACK
IUP returns its top three leading rushers from last season, accounting for 12 combined touchdowns on the ground in 2022. The trio of JD Younger, Adam Houser and Dayjure Stewart have all seen carries at various points of the season. Houser surpassed 1,000 career rushing yards at IUP, while Stewart also cleared the 1,500 yard plateau (1,837) in 2023.
 
Stewart has seen a heavier workload over the few weeks, with 14 career rushing touchdowns following his best game of the season against Edinboro (17 Att, 162 yards, 1 TD, 9.5 YPC). Also returning in the IUP backfield is Parker Gregg, who has transitioned into a fullback and short-yardage back for IUP in 2023. 
 
NO-FLY ZONE: HAWKS BOAST EXPERIENCED SECONDARY IN 2023
The IUP secondary features a pair of returning All-PSAC honorees in Darius Bruce and Jaheim Howard. The Crimson Hawks ranked 18th in the nation in 2022 with 15 total interceptions, with the duo of Bruce and Howard accounting for seven last season. With plenty of returning talent, IUP has allowed some big plays defensively in 2023.
 
Naszhir Taylor (53 tackles, 3.0 TFLs, 1 INT 11 PBU in 2022), Kalen Frazier (19 tackles, 1 INT, 4 PBU in 2022) and Chuck Ingram (24 tackles, 1 INT in 2022) were all starters in the IUP secondary last season and make up the most experienced unit in terms of games played on the roster. Every starter except for Frazier, who was a true freshman in 2022, have played at least 20 college games. Outside of that experienced unit, IUP has worked in Noah Johnston, Devin Barren, Isaiah Towler and Bo Waddell across the secondary.
 
DYNAMIC DUO OF DINUNZIO-BISS, HOLMES IN THE MIDDLE OF IUP DEFENSE
Drew DiNunzio-Biss paced the team with 88.0 tackles last season and has 200 total stops over two-plus seasons as a Crimson Hawk. An All-PSAC West First Team selection in 2022, DiNunzio-Biss has logged 47 tackles, 6.0 TFLs and 2.5 sacks over the last four games.
 
He's joined by Jay Holmes in the middle of the IUP defense, adding 42.0 stops and a 21-yard fumble return for a touchdown against Shippensburg. Holmes emerged as the season progressed in 2022, tallying 29 tackles with 3.5 TFLs.
 
MULTIPLE CONTRIBUTORS ALONG REVOLVING DEFENSIVE LINE
Replacing a pair of veteran interior defensive linemen, IUP has struggled with some depth up front due to injury in 2023. Cole Weightman, named the PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week on September 18 is joined up front by Logan Danielson, Terell Williams, Cyler Rozina, Maurice Feazell (31.0 tackles, 3.0 TFL, 2.5 sacks) and Mysir Mayo.
 
A WINNING TRADITION
IUP has a long winning tradition with its football program, recording 602 total victories since 1927. IUP has 20 NCAA DII Playoff appearances, the most in the PSAC and fourth most all-time. Additionally, IUP is eighth in NCAA DII history with 23 playoff victories.
 
UP NEXT
IUP finishes out the regular season at Bloomsburg on Saturday, November 11 for a noon kickoff.   
 
FOLLOW
For coverage of the IUP football program, follow the Crimson Hawks on Twitter and Instagram @IUPfootball and online at IUPAthletics.com.