Oilers Begin Road Swing at McKendree
The University of Findlay football team will travel to Lebanon, Ill. to take on McKendree University on Saturday, Oct. 5. The non-conference contest is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. Eastern time on Leemon Field.
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 the internet. You can watch the games live by clicking on the following link:
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 two programs have never met on the football field before.
Head Coach Rob Keys
Head coach Rob Keys is currently in his third season at the helm of the Oilers football program and has his team off to a 2-2 start.
In his second season with the Oilers, Keys posted a 7-3 record with the same mark in GLIAC competition. The Oilers showed improvement from their first season under Keys and saw six players earn either first or second team all-conference honors.
Keys led the Oilers to a 6-5 record during his first season as head coach, which included a 6-4 mark in the GLIAC. The win total marked a five-game improvement from the year before and included standout wins against Grand Valley State University and Wayne State University.
The Oilers, who had lost 11 straight to GVSU, claimed a 26-20 win on the road against the Lakers in the fourth week of the season and then defeated #22 Wayne State University on the road by a score of 43-42 in overtime to close the campaign.
Keys, who was hired as the head coach of the Oilers football program on December 16, 2010, previously served as 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.
For Findlay's 2013 coaching staff, please click on the following link:
The Oilers
The Oilers snapped a two-game losing streak with a 40-19 win at home last week over Michigan Tech on Homecoming.
Verlon Reed was a one-man wrecking crew on offense as he completed 13-of-19 passing attempts for 166 yards and two touchdowns. Reed also rushed the ball 13 times for 156 yards and two scores, one on a 79-yard run in the first quarter.
Daiquone Ford chewed up 145 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries while Seth White caught four passes for 100 yards and a touchdown.
White's day moved him into fourth place all-time at Findlay with 132 receptions and sixth place all-time in receiving yards with 1,708.
Demetrius Trapps also moved up in the record books with his performance as a kick returner in the game and now shares the school record for career kick returns with 64.
Trapps returned three kicks for 64 yards in the game against the Huskies and now ranks second all-time in kick return yardage at 1,396.
Defensively, the Oilers were led by Feraris Golden, who registered 11 tackles, one forced fumble and one interception.
Harold Jones-Quartey chipped in ten tackles while Trapps recorded seven.
For Findlay's 2013 season statistics, please click on the following link:
For Findlay's 2013 roster, please click on the following link:
The Bearcats
The Bearcats sport a 2-1 record on the year and are coming off of their bye week.
Isaac Fisher has completed 61-of-95 passing attempts for 684 yards and four touchdowns and his favorite target has been Dewayne Gatti, who has racked up 19 catches for 283 yards and two scores.
Ryan Herring has churned out 166 yards and three touchdowns on the ground while Alec Gerdes leads the defense with 27 tackles on the season.
Lucky Bear has been a terror on defense for the Bearcats as well, registering four tackles for a loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
For McKendree's 2013 season statistics, please click on the following link
For McKendree's 2013 roster, please click on the following link:
Record Catching
Senior wide receiver Seth White has made 132 career receptions for the Oilers, which ranks fourth all-time at Findlay. His total is only seven shy of breaking the school record for receptions in a career as Jeff Rowe (2000-03) and Rick Hatfield (1976-79) share the top spot.
White also ranks sixth all-time at Findlay with 1,708 career receiving yards and is chasing Hatfield for fifth place. Hatfield accumulated 1,920 receiving yards during his career.
In addition, senior tight end Jaryd Brown is tied for ninth all-time with 106 career receptions and eighth all-time with 1,334 career receiving yards.
He is tied with Ty Rhoad (2001-03) for ninth place on the all-time receptions list. Rhoad caught 106 passes for the Oilers.
Returning for Records
Senior running back Demetrius Trapps is tied for first all-time at Findlay in kick returns with 64 attempts and ranks second all-time in career kick return yardage at 1,396.
He is tied with Carey Lennox (2000-03) for first place in returns and is chasing Lennox in the return yardage department as well. Lennox recorded 1,463 return yards during his tenure with the team.
GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week
Junior quarterback Verlon Reed was named the GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 30 after passing for 166 yards and two touchdowns. He also added 156 yards rushing and two scores on the ground in the Oilers 40-19 win over Michigan Tech on Sept. 28.
Sticky Hands
Junior wide receiver Lloyd Henry leads the conference and ranks 24th in the nation in receptions with 30 on the season. He also leads the GLIAC with 431 receiving yards and is averaging 107.8 yards per game, the best total in the league. His receiving yards is also the 19th best mark in the nation.
Senior wide receiver Seth White is ranked sixth in the conference in receiving yards with 327 and is ranked eighth in the league with 20 catches.
Playing on an Island
Junior defensive back Feraris Golden leads the conference and ranks second nationally in passes defended with ten on the year. He has broken up seven passes and recorded three interceptions, the second best total in the GLIAC. His three picks is also the eighth best mark in all of NCAA Division II football.
Teammate Harold Jones-Quartey, a junior defensive back as well, ranks second in the GLIAC behind Golden in passes defended with six on the year.
Putting Points on the Board
The Oilers are averaging 39.0 points per game on the year, the fifth best total in the GLIAC.
Airing it Out
Junior quarterback Verlon Reed leads the GLIAC and ranks tenth nationally in completion percentage at 69.0 and ranks third in the conference and 33rd nationally in passing yards per game at 272.0.
Reed is also in a tie for third place in the GLIAC in touchdown passes with six so far.
Reed threw for a career-high 363 yards against Northern Michigan on Sept. 14, one yard shy of the school record 364, which was set by former quarterback Billy Noonan against Ashland on Nov. 8, 2008.
A Workhorse Back
Sophomore running back Daiquone Ford ranks second in the GLIAC and ninth in the nation in rushing yardage per game, churning out 146.0 yards per contest.
Ford is also ranked second in the GLIAC in rushing attempts with 109 on the year and third in rushing touchdowns with eight so far.
Ford ran for a career-high 180 yards and four touchdowns against Saginaw Valley State on Sept. 21 and also posted 172 rushing yards against Urbana on Sept. 5.
He has run for over 100 yards in three games this season.
Moving the Ball
The Oilers rank second in the GLIAC and 13th nationally in yardage per game, racking up 511.2 total yards per contest. They are ranked second in the conference in passing yards per game at 296.2 and rank fourth in rushing yards per game with 215.0 per outing.
Individually, junior quarterback Verlon Reed ranks 14th nationally in total offense per game at 331.0.
The Swiss Army Knife
Senior Seth White does a little bit of everything for the Oilers football team. On the year, White has made 20 receptions for 327 yards and two touchdowns. He has also made 4-of-6 field goal attempts and connected on 12-of-13 point after attempts.
White is also averaging 35.8 yards per punt and has placed five inside the 20-yard line. For good measure, White has also recorded 33 passing yards and caught one two-point conversion on the year.
Laying the Wood
Senior linebacker Trevor Smith ranks fifth in the GLIAC in tackles with 38 on the year.
He racked up a career-high 17 tackles against Northern Michigan on Sept. 14.
Getting After the Quarterback
Junior defensive end Josh Lee ranks sixth in the conference with 3.0 sacks on the season. As a team, the Oilers rank third in the GLIAC in sacks with 13 on the season.
Getting Good Field Position
The Oilers are averaging 29.2 yards per kick return, the second best mark in the GLIAC. Their total is also the eighth best mark in all of NCAA Division II football.
Racking up the Points
The Oilers scored 51 points in their win over Urbana this season Under head coach Rob Keys, the Oilers have hung 50 or more points on an opponent twice now. They also accomplished the feat in a 50-27 victory against Tiffin in 2011.
The team has scored over 40 points in a game eight times since Keys took over control of the program in 2011.
Record Smashing
The Oilers threw for 427 yards in their 41-31 loss at Northern Michigan on Sept. 14, which established a new school record. The previous record of 364 passing yards in a game was set in a 45-38 loss to Ashland on Nov. 8, 2008.
A Bolt of Lightning
Junior wide receiver Nathan Morris returned a kickoff 91-yards for a score against Urbana on Sept. 5 to mark the first time an Oilers player had accomplished the feat since the 1991 campaign.
Milan Smith was the last Oilers player to return a kick for a score and he did it from 92 yards out on Oct. 19, 1991 against Geneva College.
The school record for the longest kick return is 93 yards, accomplished by Adam Burdette against Wayne State during the 2000 campaign.
Morris was also named the GLIAC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in the win over Urbana.
Captains
Senior tight end Jaryd Brown, senior offensive lineman Justin Music, senior Seth White and senior Jamon McClain were voted as captains for the Oilers football team in 2013.
GLIAC Preseason Poll
The Oilers were picked to finish third in the GLIAC South Division this year, receiving 69 total points and one first place vote in the annual coaches poll.
The Oilers finished the 2012 campaign with a 7-3 record, which was good for a tie for second place with Ohio Dominican in the South Division.
Preseason All-American Honors
Senior defensive back Ray Ballard was voted a 2013 preseason NCAA Division II All-American by USA College Football.
Ballard, a second team all-conference performer last year for the Oilers, was tabbed a first team All-American by the organization.
Senior wide receiver Seth White also earned praise from the organization and was tabbed a preseason honorable mention selection.
Preseason All-Ohio
Ohio College Football released their annual preseason All-Ohio teams on Aug. 6 and four Oilers were tabbed first team.
Senior wide receiver Seth White, senior tight end Jaryd Brown and senior offensive lineman Justin Music all earned first team honors on offense while senior defensive back Ray Ballard captured first team honors on the defensive side of the ball.
White, who earned preseason honorable mention All-American accolades by USA College Football, has played a variety of roles during his career with the Oilers. Last season White led the team with 698 receiving yards and five touchdowns. He caught 48 passes on the year, averaged 36.5 yards per punt and connected on all 30 of his extra point attempts while drilling four field goals as well.
Brown earned honorable mention all-conference honors last year as a junior when he led the team with 50 receptions. He racked up 646 receiving yards, caught five touchdown passes and ran for another while averaging 64.6 yards per game.
Music has been a mainstay on the offensive line with 30 starts in his career at both tackle and guard. He has been named honorable mention all-conference in each of the past two years as well.
Ballard, a preseason first team All-American selection by USA College Football, earned second team all-conference accolades as a junior. He racked up 47 tackles and also registered five tackles for a loss and four sacks from his safety position in 2012. The Columbus, Ohio native also forced three fumbles and recovered three fumbles as well.
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: