Findlay to Battle Wayne State
The Game
The Oilers will host the 4-1 Wayne State University Warriors on Saturday, October 8 at Donnell Stadium. Kickoff is 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:
Live stats will also be available for all contests. A link to retrieve the live stats can be found on the schedule page of the website.
UFTV
A video broadcast of the game is provided by UFTV and can be found on their YouTube page by clicking the link below.
Coach Keys Weekly
Don't forget to tune into 88.3 FM "WLFC" for Coach Keys Weekly. The show is aired from 7-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday evenings.
Fans are also encouraged to send questions in for coach Keys through Twitter. Please send questions throughout the week on Twitter Tim Montgomery @Oilersonair.
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The Series
The Oilers have a 12-10 lead in the series with Wayne State dating back to their first meeting in 1923, a game that Findlay lost 28-0. At that time, Wayne St. was known as the City College of Detroit. Their most recent meeting was in 2015 when the teams squared off in Detroit. Findlay came away with a 31-26 loss.
Head Coach Rob Keys
Head coach Rob Keys is in his sixth season at the helm of the Oilers football program in 2016. He has recorded a 34-25 record with the program as a head coach, which includes a 30-24 mark in GLIAC games.
For Findlay's 2016 coaching staff, please click on the following link:
The Oilers
The Oilers head into the sixth week of the season after dropping a 20-17 decision at the hands of #13 Ferris St. The loss gives Findlay a 2-3 record in GLIAC play as they currently sit in third place in the South Division of the conference and is the Oilers' third loss in four games.
For the second consecutive year, Findlay lost by three points to a ranked Ferris State team. The 2016 game was more of a defensive struggle as the teams combined for just 37 points as opposed to a combined 81 point game in 2015.
Findlay brings the second best passing offense to the field as they are throwing for 302.6 yards per game while completing a league-leading 119 passes. This offense is producing 30.4 points per game which is good for sixth in the conference.
The Oilers are one of the best teams in the country in terms of discipline as they have only committed 19 penalties on the year. That number is third lowest in the nation.
2016 Season Statistics
2016 Roster
The Warriors
For the first time since 2012, the Warriors have begun their season with a 4-1 record overall and in GLIAC play. They currently find themselves in third place in the GLIAC North Division and this week, received 64 points in the DII national poll making the the first team on the outside the top-25 looking in. They are ranked #26.
After winning the first game of the year on the road against Northwood 28-3, the Warriors faced the #5 Ashland Eagles on the road and fell by a final of 36-25. Since that lost, Wayne State has won three games in a row, all at home, and the offense is scoring 42 points per game in those three wins.
The Warriors, who enter the game with the natinon's sixth best rushing attack, offense is powered by their 5-11, 248 pound running back, Romello Brown. Brown, a second team all-GLIAC performer a year ago, has rushed for 2,220 yards and 27 touchdowns in his career (831 / 7 TD in 2016). His biggest game this season came in week four when he carried the ball 26 times for 283 yards and three touchdowns. While he carries the perception as a 'bruiser', Brown does have breakaway speed, as evidence by his 86 yard touchdown run this season against Lake Erie.
Brown leads the GLIAC with 831 yards and 166.2 rush yards per game, 31 yards per game more than the player in second. He is third in the league with seven touchdowns and ranks second with an incredible 9.7 yards per rush. His 831 yards and 166.2 yds/g are good for second in the nation.
Wayne State's will be run by sophomore quarterback Donovan Zezula. He has thrown for at least 200 yards in every game this year except their games against Tiffin. Zezula has also completed two or more touchdown passes in every game except the Tiffin game. He is currently 10th in the GLIAC with 200.6 pass yards per game and is sixth with 10 touchdowns.
2016 Season Statistics
2016 Roster
Record Watch: Rhys Gervais
In his second year as the Oilers signal caller, Rhys Gervais already has his name all over the Findlay record books. Last year he set multiple season records; passing yards (3,353), completions (228), pass attempts (362), total offense (3,439), and passing touchdowns (33).
After this outstanding first season, Gervais' name can also be found in the career record book, as well. He is currently fifth at UF with 539 pass attempts and is chasing the mark of 547 set by Verlon Reed (2013-14) for fourth. He is third in pass completions with 341 and again, could move into the top spot as Gervais is just 46 completions shy of Crooks' mark of 387. He is chasing Clay Belton (2011-12), who completed 356 passes, for second
Perhaps most impressive is the amount of yards Gervais has thrown for in his short time as the quarterback. Rhys currently sits in third at UF with 4,815 yards, just 16 yards shy of the record set by Bo Hurly from 1994-1997.
Gervais also sits in sole possession of second all-time at UF for touchdown passes in a career. He currently has 46 and is chasing Bo Hurley who threw 57 touchdowns from 1994-1997.
Record Watch: Dylan Blunk
Senior wide receiver Dylan Blunk ranks seventh all time at Findlay with 122 receptions after leading the team last year with 65 receptions. He can quickly move into sixth place, needing to reach 130 to pass Dustin Zielaskiewicz (129 / 2007-10).
Blunk is also nearing the top in receiving yards in a career as he currently ranks ninth all-time with 1,596 yds. He needs 1,625 to pass Dustin Zielaskiewicz (1,624) for eighth.
GLIAC Preseason Poll: The Oilers were picked to finish fourth in the GLIAC South Division this year, receiving 13 total points in the annual coaches poll. They trailed Tiffin University (19), Ohio Dominican (19) and Ashland University (25) in the South Division poll.
Grand Valley State University was tabbed as the favorite to win the North Division as the Lakers, ranked third in the country to begin the season, racked up a league-high 47 points.
Links
NCAA Division II Stats
NCAA
NCAA Division II Football
American Football Coaches Association
D2Football.com
GLIAC