Oilers Head To Grand Valley State
The University of Findlay football team (1-2, 1-1 will hit the road on Saturday, September 24 to face Grand Valley State University (1-2, 0-2). The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) contest is scheduled to begin at 7 pm in Allendale, Michigan.
Sights and Sounds
All Oilers football games can be heard on 88.3 FM "WLFC" or on the internet via their web site.
You can listen to the broadcast by clicking on the following link:
The University of Findlay will also broadcast all of their home football games on America One. The games can be viewed on your computer for a small fee by visiting America One website at the following address:
UF athletics will also offer live stats for all home games. A link to this process can be retrieved by clicking on the live stats window located on the left side of the Oilers athletic website.
The Series
The Oilers currently trail in the all-time series against Grand Valley State 11-2 dating back to the 1971 season when Findlay came out on top by a score of 70-6.
The Oilers also won 38-6 against the Lakers in 1972, but have dropped 11 straight decisions to Grand Valley State.
Last year, the Lakers won 35-7 over the Oilers as Monterae Williams led the team with 126 yards rushing on 21 carries.
Dustin Zielaskiewicz hauled in five receptions for 84 yards and the Oilers only score in the game as well.
Defensively, Kenny Klatt led the squad with 13 tackles while Kalon Willis chipped in eight.
Head Coach Rob Keys
Rob Keys is currently in his first year as the head coach of the Oilers football team and has his squad off to a 1-2 start in 2011.
Keys was previously the co-defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator for the Oilers from 2000-04.
In 2010, Keys served as the defensive backs coach at the University of New Hampshire. He helped coach the team to an 8-5 record in 2010 and a spot in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Playoffs. The Wildcats, who were ranked #10 in the nation, were then upended by the #5 University of Delaware Blue Hens 16-3 in the quarterfinals of the tournament.
Before his time with the Wildcats, Keys spent four years as the special teams coordinator, recruiting coordinator and defensive backs coach at Slippery Rock University (2006-10).
Prior to his work at Slippery Rock, Keys served one season as the safeties coach and special teams coordinator at Indiana State University (2005) after his five-year run at Findlay.
Keys also spent three seasons coaching at his alma mater, West Virginia University, coaching running backs, special teams, tight ends, tackles, quarterbacks and wide receivers.
As a player at West Virginia, Keys was a two-year letter winner and a 1995 team co-captain. He won the Mountaineer Club Award twice (1994-95), the highest honor a West Virginia player can receive. He was also given the Scott Shirley Award for the special teams MVP in 1995 and participated in the USF&G Sugar Bowl and Carquest Bowl during his tenure as a player.
Keys graduated from West Virginia in 1996 with a bachelor's degree in physical education and then later earned his master's degree in the same field in 1998 from WVU as well.
He also obtained a post-graduate degree from the Marine Military Academy (Harlingen, Texas).
Coach Keys and his wife, Jenifer, are the parents of three daughters, Katie, Casey and Kaylee.
For Findlay's 2011 coaching staff, please click on the following link:
The Oilers
The Oilers won their first game of the season last week at home against Tiffin by a score of 50-27.
Monterae Williams had 19 carries for 149 yards and two scores while Ray Ballard put up 115 yards and a score on 15 carries.
Zach Kinninger had 12 carries for 46 yards and a touchdown while Clay Belton carries ten times for 23 yards and a score.
Belton also finished 10-of-20 through the air for 145 yards and two touchdowns.
Seth White led the squad with four catches for 39 yards while Jaryd Brown and Harold Jones-Quartey each hauled in a touchdown catch.
Jones-Quartey caught a 47-yard score while Brown had a 4-yard scoring catch.
Defensively, Demetrius Trapps and Brandon Butler led the way with 11 tackles a piece.
Donte Johnson addded nine tackles while Bryan Womack registered seven stops and an interception.
For Findlay's 2011 season statistics, please click on the following link:
For Findlay's 2011 roster, please click on the following link:
Grand Valley State Head Coach
Head coach Matt Mitchell is in his second year at the helm of the Lakers program.
A six-year veteran of the GVSU coaching staff prior to becoming head coach, Mitchell was the defensive coordinator and linebacker/safety coach for the Lakers.
Prior to his arrival at GVSU, Mitchell spent four years at Wartburg (Iowa) College as an assistant coach, including the final two as the defensive coordinator. Wartburg, which compiled a record of 21-3 while Mitchell was in charge of the defense, advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III National Championship each of his last two years. Wartburg finished third in total defense, second in rush defense and eighth in scoring defense in 2003 under Mitchell's guidance. His 2002 defense also ranked among the top 10 statistically in Division III.
The Lakers
Grand Valley State is coming off of a 34-33 loss to Indianapolis last week and is now 1-2 on the season with a 0-2 record in conference play.
Norman Shuford rushed for a career-high 170 yards on 18 carries for the Lakers in the loss to Indy. Hersey Jackson added 80 yards on 14 carries while Heath Parling completed 16-of-28 passes for 226 yards and four touchdowns.
Charles Hill led the defense with 10 tackles, while Andre Thomas and Brad Howard each added eight stops.
For Grand Valley State's 2011 season statistics, please click on the following link
For Grand Valley State's 2011 roster, please click on the following link:
Total Offense
The Oilers are averaging 456.3 yards per game, the fourth best mark in the GLIAC and the 28th best in the nation.
Keeping Them Out Of The End Zone
The Oilers rank fourth in the GLIAC in points allowed as their opponents are scoring only 22.0 points per game.
Churning Out Rushing Yards
The Oilers currently rank first in the GLIAC and ninth in the nation in rushing yards per game at 258.0. Individually, junior running back Monterae Williams leads the GLIAC in rushing yards per game at 145.3.
His total is also the fifth best nationally.
Air Attack
Junior quarterback Clay Belton ranks ninth in the GLIAC in passing yards per game at 198.3.
Making Stops
Junior linebacker Brandon Butler ranks third in the conference in tackles per game at 10.3.
Defending The Pass
The Oilers currently rank second in the GLIAC in pass defense, surrendering only 153.3 yards per game through the air.
The total is also the 24th best mark nationally.
Not In My House
Senior defensive back Isaiah Ballard is ranked second in the GLIAC in passes defended as he is averaging 1.67 per game.
The total is also the 18th best in all of NCAA Division II football.
Pinning Them Deep
Sophomore Seth White ranks fifth in the conference in punting yards per attempt, averaging 40.2 yards per kick.
His average per punt is also the 25th best in the nation.
Making Plays Behind The Line Of Scrimmage
Junior defensive back Bryan Womack ranks fourth in the GLIAC in tackles for a loss as he is averaging 1.3 per game.
Senior defensive lineman Andrew Leddy is also ranked the top ten, ranking ninth with 1.17 tackles for a loss per game.
Defense Wins Championships
The Oilers currently rank third in the GLIAC in total defense, allowing only 336.7 yards per game.
Moving The Chains
The Oilers are averaging 24.7 first downs per game, the second best total in the GLIAC. They are also ranked third in time of possession, controlling the ball for 32:14 per game.
Piling Up Yards
Junior running back Monterae Williams is the Oilers most decorated player. In 2009, Williams was tabbed the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Freshman of the Year and also earned second team all-league honors. Last year, Williams was named honorable mention all-conference and is looking to add to his accolades this season.
During his freshman year, Williams rushed for 937 yards and six touchdowns and followed with 1,107 yards and four scores during his sophomore campaign.
This season, Williams has rushed for 436 yards in three games.
For his career, Williams has rushed for 2,480 yards and will have the opportunity to crack the top-five mark in school history this season.
Nate Sprunger (1989-92) currently has the fifth best total in career rushing yards at 3,021, which is 541 yards more than Williams' total.
Nelson Boldon (1977-80) is the all-time leader in rushing yards at UF. He accumulated 4,009 yards during his tenure with the Oilers.
Preseason GLIAC Coaches Poll
The Oilers were selected to finish fifth in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) South Division during the 2011 season as the league office unveiled their annual preseason coaches poll on August 18.
The Oilers received 36 votes, to tie Lake Erie College.
The Oilers finished last season with a 1-10 record, which included a 1-9 mark in the GLIAC.
Links
For complete NCAA Division II football statistics, please click on the following link:
For information about the American Football Coaches Association, please click on the following link:
For more information about NCAA Division II football, please click on the following link:
For more information on the GLIAC, please click on the following link: