Oilers Hit the Road, Face Ashland
The University of Findlay football team (5-3, 5-2 will be back out on the road this week to take on Ashland University (5-3, 5-2). The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) contest is scheduled to begin at 1 pm in Ashland, Ohio.
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 Ashland by a 23-14-4 margin as both teams have been playing each other since the 1924 campaign when the Eagles won 33-0.
Last year, Ashland defeated the Oilers by a score of 56-7 in Donnell Stadium.
Ray Ballard gained 41 yards on 12 carries while Steve Winner caught six passes for 54 yards.
John Soli completed 12-of-26 passes for 105 yards and a score to DaJerrian Smith.
Defensively, Bryon Rizzi tallied 13 tackles to lead the team while Craig Hoying had 12 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss and a sack in the game.
Kenny Klatt registered 11 tackles while Kalon Willis and John Hammersmith each recorded ten stops in the loss.
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 5-3 start with a 5-2 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 escaped Painesville, Ohio with a 35-31 win over Lake Erie College last week.
Leading 35-31 with 45 seconds left in the game, the Oilers defense went into a bend, but don't break mode, eventually getting an interception by Jamon McClain in the corner of the end zone with only two remaining in the contest.
Monterae Williams ended the game with 175 yards on 31 carries, scoring four touchdowns along the way.
Clay Belton completed 18-of-28 passes for 212 yards and a score while Jaryd Brown recorded six catches for 73 yards and a score.
Seth White added six catches for 66 yards while Isaiah Ballard led the defense with ten tackles.
Ballard also tallied a season-high 152 kick return yards on four attempts, adding a 53-yard return in the second quarter.
Defensively, Donte Johnson registered a career-high 14 tackles.
For Findlay's 2011 season statistics, please click on the following link:
For Findlay's 2011 roster, please click on the following link:
Ashland Head Coach
Head coach Lee Owens is in his eighth year at the helm of the Eagles program.
Since he started roaming the sideline AU has won eight or more games in a season four times, advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs twice, won the first postseason game in school history and built a new on-campus football stadium and office complex.
He came to Ashland from the University of Akron, where he coached from 1995-2003, and also spent time as an assistant coach at The Ohio State University from 1992-95.
Owens has also been a highly successful coach at the prep level, leading Galion to the 1985 Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) state championship.
The Eagles
The Eagles, 5-3 on the year with a 5-2 record in conference play, fell 27-6 at Saginaw Valley State University last Thursday.
D.J. McCoy rushed for 130 yards on 15 carries to lead the offense while Cody Bloom carried the defense with 14 stops.
Taylor Housewright was 5-of-13 passing for 36 yards while Cole Hudson was 7-of-13 through the air for 48 yards.
For Ashland's 2011 season statistics, please click on the following link
For Ashland's 2011 roster, please click on the following link:
Forcing Turnovers
The Oilers are currently second in the GLIAC with a +10 advantage in the turnover column. The total is also the tenth best mark in the nation.
Churning Out Rushing Yards
The Oilers currently lead the GLIAC and are 19th in the nation in rushing yards per game at 227.8.
Individually, junior running back Monterae Williams ranks second in the GLIAC in rushing yards per game at 137.1 per contest, which is also the eighth best mark nationally.
Getting In the End Zone
Junior running back Monterae Williams has scored 17 touchdowns this season, the second best total in the GLIAC.
Wiliams has found the end zone 16 times on the ground and one other time through the air. His touchdown total is the fourth best in the nation.
Making Stops
Junior linebacker Brandon Butler ranks fourth in the conference in tackles per game at 9.1.
Senior defensive back Isaiah Ballard is 11th with 8.5 tackles per game while senior defensive back Donte Johnson is 13th at 7.8 stops per contest.
Defending the Pass
The Oilers have picked off ten passes on the year, the third best mark in the GLIAC.
Individually, senior defensive back Isaiah Ballard ranks ninth in the league in passes defensed with six while junior defensive back Bryan Womack, sophomore defensive back Jamon McCain and senior defensive back Donte Johnson lead the squad with two interceptions apiece.
Knocking the Ball Loose
Senior defensive back Isaiah Ballard currently leads the GLIAC and all of NCAA Division II football in forced fumbles with six on the season.
Ballard has also recovered four fumbles, which is also the best mark in the GLIAC as well as the second best total in the nation.
Junior linebacker Brandon Butler has also benefited from Ballard and ranks fifth in the GLIAC with two fumble recoveries on the year.
Moving the Chains
The Oilers are averaging 21.9 first downs per game, the third best total in the GLIAC. They are also ranked sixth in time of possession, controlling the ball for 30:05 per game.
3 Points
Freshman kicker Zack Housholder is currently eighth in the GLIAC with six field goals.
Making Plays in the Return Game
The Oilers currently rank second in the GLIAC in punt return average at 12.2. They also rank fourth in the league in kick return average, gaining 22.1 yards per attempt.
GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week
Senior defensive back Isaiah Ballard was tabbed the GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in the Oilers 35-31 win at Lake Erie College on October 22.
Ballard earned the honor by returning four kicks for 152 yards. Ballard averaged 38.0 yards per return and had a season-high 53-yard gain on a return in the second quarter.
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 September 24.
Ballard had a big hand in the Oilers forcing six turnovers as he caused three fumbles and returned one 39-yards for a score.
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.
Williams has rushed for 1,027 yards in eight games this season and trails Nelson Boldon, who rushed for 1,351 yards in 1979, for the fifth highest single season total in school history.
For his career, Williams has rushed for 3,171 yards, which is the fifth best mark in school history.
He is chasing Robert Campbell (2000-03), who rushed for 3,262 yards, for fourth place all-time.
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: