Oct. 31, 2008

A Brief Look Inside: Report #8 | Complete PDF Version
Page 1               Winningest Teams of the 2000s

                            Game of the Week: #8 Northwestern at #2 Sioux Falls

Page 2               Games to Watch; Streaks

                            Carroll’s (Mont.) Legacy: More Wins Than Oklahoma

                            Cris Reisert Record Watch

Page 3               Hank Biesiot: Chasing History

                            What is the Toughest Conference?

                            Useful Nuggets in 2008

Page 4               100 Coaching Wins

                            New Home for Championship

Page 5               Looking Back at 2007 Season

                            2008 VSN First Down Classic

Page 6               Latest Top 25 Coaches’ Poll (Oct. 27)

Page 7               Postseason Dominance in the 2000s

Page 8               Active Coaching Lists

Page 9               National Players of the Week

Page 10             National Individual Statistical Leaders

Page 11-14       Composite Schedule: Aug. 23 - Nov. 1

Page 15-17       Week-By-Week Top 25 Polls

Page 18             Conference Breakdown: Key games remaining NEW!

2008 Rawlings-NAIA Football Season Report #8

There are only three weekends left to the NAIA regular season and much is on the line this Saturday with numerous conference battles. Every school is seeking that coveted bid to the 2008 Football Championship Series. The official postseason field will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 16. The 16-team Championship Series is scheduled to begin Nov. 22 at eight opening round sites with the Series culminating in the Russell Athletic-NAIA Football National Championship in Rome, Ga., on Dec. 20.

 

Already with one national career record set this season, Ohio Dominican quarterback Cris Reisert is looking to set his second highwater mark. His next opportunity is at Walsh (Ohio) on Saturday (Nov. 1) He is eyeing the national record for career passing touchdowns -- currently he stands with 110 and needs three more to tie the 113 by Marc Weekly (1990-93) of Pacific Lutheran (Calif.). He has a shot at three other national records this season -- the passing yardage mark is within sight this weekend as well. He has 12,518 yards, which is 545 short of Kirk Baumgartner’s NAIA record of 13,063 (1986-89). Reisert’s career best for passing yardage in a game came last season when he scorched Urbana (Ohio) for 556 yards. On Oct. 11, he set the NAIA career mark for completions with 31 against St. Xavier (Ill.). His 1,076 career completions topped the old record accomplished by Carroll’s (Mont.) Tyler Emmert from 2002-05. Please see page three for more details.

 

Nine of the 10 conference championships are up for grabs -- Carroll (Mont.) secured at least a share of its ninth straight Frontier Conference title last weekend. Perhaps the tightest race is in the Mid-States Football Association Midwest with six teams separated by one game. St. Ambrose (Iowa), William Penn (Iowa) and Quincy (Ill.) are all tied for the top spot with a 3-1 circuit mark. Please see page 18 for more details.

 

In back-to-back weeks, an NAIA head coach hit the 100 career win mark. The latest was Ohio Dominican mentor Dale Carlson, who accomplished the milestone against Taylor (Ind.) last Saturday (Oct. 25). He becomes the 15th active head coach to hit the mark and third this season. Friends (Kan.) head coach Monty Lewis earned the notable win Oct. 18 against Kansas Wesleyan. which followed Orv Otten of Northwestern (Iowa)) and his win on Sept. 20.

 

Game of the Week:

• No. 8 Northwestern (Iowa) (7-1) at No. 2 Sioux Falls (S.D.) (7-0) • Nov. 1 • 12 p.m. CST • Sioux Falls, S.D. • Sanford Health Sports Complex: Listen Live

To say that two superb defenses will be on display is an understatement. No. 2 Sioux Falls has allowed just one opponent (Hastings) over 10 points and blanked five opponents while No. 8 Northwestern has pitched two shut-outs and held five opponents to 10 points or less. As an added storyline, USF has won 30 straight in Great Plains Athletic Conference play - dating back to 2005.

 

No. 2 Sioux Falls leads the nation in every major statistical defensive category. The Cougars rank No. 1 in scoring defense (3.40), total defense (99.6), rushing defense (8.0) and pass defense (91.6). In seven games this year, USF has shut-out five opponents. Impressively, the national record for shut-outs in a season is eight and set by St. Mary of the Plains (Kan.) -- a school no longer in existence. USF has held two opponents to minus-rushing team yards. Overall, just three touchdowns have been scored in 28 quarters against Sioux Falls. The defense has gotten it done by committee. There have been 18.0 sacks and seven interceptions registered.

 

Conversely, the Red Raiders of No. 8 Northwestern claim 26 total sacks, which is the eighth highest total in the NAIA. They are No. 3 in pass defense (107.8) and eighth in rushing defense (78.9). Nate Jansen and Cody Van Sloten lead the team with seven and 6.5 sacks, respectively. Jansen is also tied for the team lead, along with Grant Mosier, with three interceptions. The Raider defense has forced 20 turnovers this season.

 

Four Raiders, led by Kyle Ochsner, have over 200 yards rushing and as a group, averaging 4.3 yards per carry. Ochsner totals 405 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging just under six yards per carry. At the quarterback position, Cary Overholt and Matt Roesner have combined for 1,164 passing yards and eight touchdowns.

 

For USF, running back Ryan Lowmiller ranks tenth in the NAIA in scoring (10 TDs) and has topped 536 rushing yards in six games (89.5 ypg). Replacing 2007 Rawlings-NAIA Player of the Year, Lorenzo Brown is the offensive leader at quarterback. He is efficient through the air (13 TDs against 1 interception) and is the team’s second leading rusher (294 yards and 8 rushing TDs).

 

Northwestern leads the all-time series, 25-13 dating back to the 1960 season. However, USF has snatched the last eight meetings which goes back to the 2000 season. The 2007 meeting saw the Cougars win 44-20 and rack up 465 yards of total offense. Northwestern was held to minus-11 yards rushing as a team.

 

Games to Watch:

• No. 7 Missouri Valley (6-1) at No. 24 Baker (Kan.) (6-2) • Nov. 1:

A battle in the Heart of America Athletic Conference will go a long ways toward postseason implication. Currently, No. 7 Missouri Valley and No. 24 Baker are both 6-1 in league play and tied for second, one game back of MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.). MVC won the 2006 conference title and has appeared in the last two Football Championship Series. Conversely, Baker is surprising many critics with its national ranking -- it is the first ranking since the 2001 season (Oct. 9) when it was No. 23. BU is looking for its first conference title since 1993 and a trip to the postseason, a spot it has not been in since the same season.

 

Missouri Valley’s only loss came on the road two weeks ago at MidAmerica Nazarene. The Vikings are stingy on the defensive side ranked No. 2 in rushing defense (34.4), No. 3 in total defense (168.9) and No. 4 in sacks/game (3.7). Quarterback Chris White leads the offense and ranks in the Top 20 nationally in passing efficiency (158.5) and passing yards (231.3).

 

The Wildcats of Baker have won five in-a-row overall including a 52-14 win over Central Methodist last Saturday. BU has 18 interceptions on the season (in 8 games) and is +2.4 in turnovers, second best in the nation. Running back Richie Bryant, already sitting at 1,000 yards on the year, averages 125.0 per game, fifth best in the NAIA. His 14 rushing scores is part of an offense to average 32.5 points per contest.

 

• No. 21 Union (Ky.) (6-2) at No. 10 Virginia-Wise (7-1) • Nov. 1:

No. 10 Virginia-Wise looks to stay undefeated in Mid-South Conference play and maintain the top spot while No. 21 Union looks to bounce back from its first conference loss. UVa-Wise is tied with Cumberlands (Ky.) for the league lead and looks ahead to the showdown next weekend (Nov. 8) at Cumberlands. Union is one game back after dropping a 33-27 decision at No. 25 Shorter (Ga.).

 

In the overall series, the Cavaliers have won the last two against Union. UC holds a 5-3 advantage all-time.

 

Randy Hippeard heads a vaunted aerial attack for UVa-Wise. As a team, the Cavaliers are No. 4 in passing offense (319.1) and No. 7 in scoring offense (42.1). Hippeard goes for 297.3 passing yards per game, good for fourth nationally. His 182.8 passing efficiency is No. 2 in the country -- he has thrown 27 touchdowns and completed 65 percent of his passes. Many of his tosses go in the direction of Jason Lovett, who is No. 2 in receiving yards (119.7) and first in scoring with 16 touchdowns. Nearly half of his 37 catches result in a score.

 

Facing its fifth ranked opponent this year, Union looks to topple a Top 10 team for the first time since 2005 (No. 5 Cumberlands). The Bulldogs are solid in many statistical categories but defense is their mainstay. Against the pass, the UC defense ranks in the Top 20 by allowing just 153 yards through the air. Linebacker Willie Williams is the fourth-best tackler in the country (13.1 pg) and averages 1.8 tackles-for-loss.

 

• No. 12 St. Xavier (Ill.) (6-2) at No. 16 Malone (Ohio) (5-1) • Nov. 1:

Two of the three undefeated teams in the Mid-States Football Association - Mideast Division square off on Saturday. No. 12 St. Xavier, a team that started the year 0-2 but has won six straight, travels to No. 16 Malone, a team similarly struggling at the start and now winners of five in-a-row. Both clubs try to keep pace with league leader (by 1/2 game), St. Francis (Ind.).

 

After giving up 24 points in each of their first two losses, the SXU defense has responded. No opponent has reached more than 14 points during the current win streak and the Cougars are No. 5 in scoring defense (10.8 ppg). Quarterback Jeremy Zientek has been the leader for the offense passing for 1,687 yards and 15 touchdowns in six games.

 

Billy Bob Orsagh is at the offensive controls for Malone and has passed for 1,746 yards, 17 touchdowns against just two interceptions. He ranks No. 5 in the NAIA in passing yards/game (291.0) and sixth in total offense (294.5). As a team, the Pioneers average 476.3 yards of total offense, good for fourth highest in the NAIA.

 

• No. 14 Bethel (Kan.) (6-1) at No. 19 Ottawa (Kan.) (6-1) • Nov. 1:

In the race for the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship, both No. 14 Bethel and No. 19 Ottawa need a victory to keep pace with leader Friends -- both teams are one game back of Friends. Bethel has won four straight against the Braves including last season’s 31-6 victory.

 

Bethel has won the last two KCAC titles (shared) due in large part to a strong defensive unit. This season, the Threshers rank No. 10 in the NAIA in scoring defense (15.3) and No. 15 in total defense (276.0). Curlee Bishop leads the team in total tackles with 44 while James McCartney has 11.5 tackles-for-loss.

 

Ottawa quarterback Ethan Haller has tossed for 400 yards in two games this year, including a school record 456 last weekend. On the year, he is No. 7 in the country in passing yards/game (282.7). Overall, he has thrown for nearly 2,000 yards and recorded 18 touchdowns. Wide receiver Taylor Burnett takes in 83.9 yards per game in receiving.

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