Oilers Host Bulldogs on Saturday
The University of Findlay football team (2-3, 2-2 will be at home to take on Ferris State University (4-1, 3-1) on Saturday, October 8. The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) contest is scheduled to begin at 12 pm inside Donnell Stadium.
Special Events
Outback Steakhouse will be providing Steak and Eggs for the first 500 fans to purchase a ticket to the Oilers home game against Ferris State University on Saturday, October 8. Gates will open at 10:30 am with kickoff scheduled for noon.
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
he Oilers currently trail in the all-time series against Ferris State 11-10 dating back to the 1934 campaign when they won 12-6 over the Bulldogs.
Last season, the Oilers fell 23-10 to the Bulldogs in Big Rapids, Michigan.
Monterae Williams registered 138 yards on 30 carries to pace the offense while Dustin Zielaskiewicz caught six passes for 77 yards and a score.
On defense, Kenny Klatt tallied a team-high 13 tackles while Jamon McClain tallied 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 2-3 start with a 2-2 record in the GLIAC 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 fell 45-28 to the University of Indianapolis last week in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The Oilers, who came into the game as the top ranked team in the conference in pass defense, surrendered 323 yards through the air to Indy's Chris Mills.
Offensively, Monterae Williams had 19 carries for 109 yards and three scores to lead the team.
Clay Belton completed 14-of-25 passes for 110 yards and an interception while rushing for 51 yards on ten carries.
The Greyhounds racked up 472 yards of total offense while the Oilers recorded a season-low 302.
Defensively, Brandon Butler led the team with ten tackles while Isaiah Ballard recorded nine stops.
For Findlay's 2011 season statistics, please click on the following link:
For Findlay's 2011 roster, please click on the following link:
Ferris State Head Coach
Head coach Jeff Pierce is in his 17th season with the Bulldogs and has them off to a 4-1 start.
Under Pierce, Ferris State has won or shared three Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) titles while earning back-to-back (1995 and 1996) berths in the NCAA Division II National Championship playoffs, including a 1995 semifinal-round appearance which represents the highest finish ever in the program's history.
During his tenure, Pierce has racked up a Ferris State record 100 wins against 81 losses.
The Bulldogs
The Bulldogs are currently 4-1 on the season with a 3-1 record in conference play.
Last week, Ferris State came away with a 38-14 win over Lake Erie.
Tom Schneider completed 23-of-28 passes in throwing for 227 yards and three scores. Five of his receptions went to Mike Ryan for 74 yards and a pair of TD's. In addition to Skyler Stoker's 132 yards on 20 carries, Schneider also added 41 yards and a touchdown for Ferris on the ground.
Dwayne Williams caught four passes for 20 yards, Stoker had three receptions for 23 yards and Jace Heneveld also added three catches for 18 yards for FSU.
Defensively, the Bulldogs were paced by Tayo Moss' eight tackles.
He had two tackles for loss and also forced a fumble.
Mike Elias and Alex Brajak both added seven stops apiece for the Bulldogs.
For Ferris State's 2011 season statistics, please click on the following link
For Ferris State's 2011 roster, please click on the following link:
Forcing Turnovers
The Oilers are currently second in the GLIAC with a +7 advantage in the turnover column. The total is also the 11th best mark in the nation.
Churning Out Rushing Yards
The Oilers currently rank third in the GLIAC and 18th in the nation in rushing yards per game at 225.0.
Individually, junior running back Monterae Williams ranks second in the GLIAC in rushing yards per game at 128.2 per contest, which is also the eighth best mark nationally.
Getting In The End Zone
Junior running back Monterae Williams has scored eight touchdowns this season, the third best total in the GLIAC.
Making Stops
Junior linebacker Brandon Butler ranks third in the conference in tackles per game at 9.4.
Defending The Pass
The Oilers currently rank fourth in the GLIAC and 14th in the nation in pass defense, surrendering only 184.6 yards per game through the air.
The team has also picked off six passes on the year, the second best mark in the GLIAC.
Individually, senior defensive back Isaiah Ballard ranks seventh in the league in passes defensed with five while junior defensive back Bryan Womack checks in fifth with two interceptions.
Knocking The Ball Loose
Senior defensive back Isaiah Ballard currently leads the GLIAC and all of NCAA Division II football in forced fumbles with four on the season.
Junior linebacker Brandon Butler and Ballard have also been a beneficiary of the Oilers knack of knocking the ball loose and rank first in the GLIAC with two recovered fumbles apiece.
Their totals are also the 17th best nationally.
Pinning Them Deep
Sophomore Seth White ranks seventh in the conference in punting yards per attempt, averaging 38.7 yards per kick.
Winning Field Position
The Oilers are averaging 15.7 yards per punt return, the best total in the GLIAC and the 18th best in the nation.
Moving The Chains
The Oilers are averaging 22.0 first downs per game, the fourth best total in the GLIAC. They are also ranked seventh in time of possession, controlling the ball for 29:40 per game.
3 Points
Freshman kicker Zack Housholder is currently tied for third in the GLIAC and ranks 13th in the nation with six field goals.
He is chasing the single season school record of 14, set by Cameron Stevens in 2009.
GLIAC & National Defensive Player Of The Week
Senior defensive back Isaiah Ballard was tabbed the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) and NCAA Division II Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in the Oilers 26-20 win at Grand Valley State University on Saturday, September 24.
Ballard had a big hand in the Oilers defense forcing six turnovers as he caused three fumbles and returned one 39-yards for a touchdown.
The Toledo, Ohio native also notched a season-high ten tackles and made one stop behind the line of scrimmage in the victory.
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 641 yards in five games.
For his career, Williams has rushed for 2,685 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 336 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: