Findlay Takes on Familiar Foe in Season Opener
The Game
Despite being a member of a new conference in 2017, the Oilers will face a familiar foe in their season opener as they travel to Tiffin University on Thursday, Aug. 31 to take on the Dragons. The game is set to begin at 7:00 pm at Frost-Kalnow Stadium in Tiffin.
This week's much anticipated season-opener at Tiffin is a preview of a Great Midwest matchup for next season as the Dragons will also leave the GLIAC for the G-MAC in 2018. Findlay's .960 winning percentage against Tiffin is the highest for Findlay against any team they have played at least ten times and since Rob Keys has been the head coach, the Oilers are 6-0 against Tiffin and hold a 260-147 advantage on the scoreboard. Despite that dominance, the last two games between the squads have come down to the final drive of the game with Findlay earning four-point wins in each of those games.
Radio
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:
Video
Video for the contest is made available by the Tiffin Dragons:
Live Stats
Live stats will be available for all contests. For THIS WEEK'S STATS, click the link.
Coach Keys Weekly
Don't forget to tune into 88.3 FM "WLFC" for Coach Keys Weekly. The show is aired at 7:00 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 to Tim Montgomery @Oilersonair.
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The Series
The Oilers hold a decisive advantage in the series against the Dragons. Findlay has a record of 24-1 against the Green and Gold that dates back to their first meeting, a 35-3 win for the Oilers in 1986. Tiffin's only win came in 1993 in the regular season, however, the Oilers defeated them later that year in the NAIA Playoffs. Including that playoff win, Findlay has rattled off 16 consecutive wins against Tiffin, the longest win streak against any team in Oilers football history.
Head Coach Rob Keys
Head coach Rob Keys is in his seventh season at the helm of the Oilers football program in 2017. He has recorded a 38-27 record with the program as a head coach, which includes a 34-26 mark in conference games. Keys has led the Oilers to five winning seasons in his six years as head coach.
For Findlay's 2017 coaching staff, please click on the following link:
The Oilers
After a 6-5 campaign a season ago and a seventh place finish in their final year of competition in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), the Oilers have their sights set to a successful 2017 campaign in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC). Findlay will play seven Great Midwest games with the first coming on Saturday, September 30 at Walsh.
Findlay returns a myriad of talented players to the field with nine returning starters on offense and seven returning on defense.
Beginning with the player who the Oilers plan to have taking every snap this season, junior quarterback Rhys Gervais is poised to continue his already illustrious career in the Orange and Black. Since stepping on campus in 2015, the Puyallup, Washington native has re-written both the career and season record books. In two seasons, Gervais has completed 464-of-740 pass attempts for 6,188 yards and 60 touchdowns, all of which are school records. With the return of Gervais to the huddle, it will be the first time since Bo Hurley (1994-1997) that the Oilers have had a starting quarterback lead the Orange and Black for a third season. Bryan Hieber, Jeff Fraser, Kevin Crooks, Mike Leach, Clay Belton, and Verlon Reed are all the QBs since Hurley who have started for two seasons.
Gervais will rely on a big play receiver in junior Jason Moore. An honorable mention all-American a season ago, Moore brings a deep threat to the offense, as well as the ability to be a possession receiver. Last year, the Oberlin, Ohio native caught 71 balls for 1,115 yards, the most receiving yards in a single season in Oilers history. He also hauled in a single-season record 15 touchdowns and with those 15 scores, is the third-leading TD scorer at wide-receiver in the country who returns to his team for the 2017 campaign. Moore, along with senior Airion Kosak, who had 36 receptions for 472 yards last year, make Findlay a legitimate threat through the air.
Along with the ability to throw the ball, Findlay welcomes the return of running back, senior Chauncey Bridges. Bridges led the Oilers in rushing in his freshman year with 643 yards (2014) and nearly double that number in 2016 when he ran for 1,229 yards and eight touchdowns. Bridges, a two time all-GLIAC performer, needs just 637 yards to reach the 3,000 yard mark for his career.
In the trenches, the Oilers may be as talented as they have been since Keys took over at the helm. Findlay returns four out of five starters from a year ago, with the only new face being sophomore Clay Colvin at right guard. Those returning include sophomore Andrew Dickinson, senior preseason first team all-American, Andrew Alten, sophomore Neal Davis, and junior Christian Olmstead. Those four returners have started a combined 58 games in the Orange and Black.
The Oilers return seven starters from last year's defense including three out of the top five leading tacklers from last season's squad. Junior Francis Cutchember (76 tkls), Chiebuka Chukwuneke (55 tkls), and Isaac Miles (45 tkls) were all major pieces to an improved defense that promises to be even better in the 2017 season. Miles was fourth on the team with five and a half tackles for loss while Chukwuneke led the squad with seven pass breakups.
2017 Season Statistics
2017 Roster
The Dragons
Coming off their best season in a decade, the Tiffin University football team will have to replace one of the most decorated players in program history in signal caller Antonio Pipkin. Tiffin, posting an 8-3 mark in 2016, returns a large contingent of players on the offensive side of the ball, including a pair of running backs that combined for 1,079 yards and seven rushing touchdowns. The offensive line remains intact for Tiffin, needing to replace only one man up front. The offensive line, plagued by injuries last season allowed 10 less sacks than in 2015.
At receiver, the Dragons are loaded with talent and experience. Don Hansen All-American, Charles Holland, returns for his final season after hauling in 77 balls for 1,129 yards and 11 touchdowns a year ago. Davon Johnson, Jordan Nobles, Jalen Santoro, and Tyler Denton accompany Holland on the outside, a group that accounted for 19 of Tiffin's 25 receiving touchdowns last year.
The quarterback competition is one to keep an eye on. Senior Jihad Vercher and redshirt freshman Nick Watson are the two contenders for the spot. Vercher was the second string quarterback last year, with Watson learning from the sidelines.
On the defensive side, the Dragons will have to replace some talent up front. With the departure of Willie Mays III and Jalen Randolph, Tiffin will have to replace a combined 88 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks from last season. Tiffin brings back a combination of youth and experience in the trenches, leaning heavily on seniors Vinny Jones, Austin Jasper, and Victor Cave. Tiffin's main focus on the recruiting trail was depth in the defensive trenches, and they believe they've got it.
The Dragons have some work to do at linebacker, returning only one player that registered 20 or more tackles. Jacob Mertus is that one player, leading Tiffin with 85 stops. Mertus, a sophomore, registered 3.0 tackles for loss, broke up and defended three passes, and forced a fumble on his way to an All-GLIAC recognition.
In the defensive secondary, Tiffin lost a combined 51 tackles and five interceptions in the form of Stefan Willis and Shawn Scott. The Dragons have ample amounts of depth to recoup what graduated. Carrington Contee is a ball hawk for the Dragons, hauling in a team high three interception last year. Ross Moore is an interesting piece to the puzzle for Tiffin, playing a hybrid linebacker and defensive back position. Moore logged 26 tackles, 2.5 TFL's, 2.0 sacks, and intercepted two passes, and Jawan Nelson recorded 45 tackles and an interception.
2017 Season Statistics
2017 Roster
G-MAC Preseason Poll
The Oilers were picked to finish third in the eight-team Great Midwest Athletic Conference this season. Findlay received two first place votes and is selected to finish behind Ohio Dominican and Hillsdale College. Alderson Broaddus, last year's G-MAC champion, received one first place vote.
Air Raid
Gervais has been one of the best quarterbacks in the region in the last two seasons. In 2015 he finished atop the GLIAC in passing yards per game (304.8), the ninth-best total in the country that year. His passer rating of 163.5 was fourth in the country. In 2016, Gervais was second in the GLIAC in passing yards per game (257.7).
Links
NCAA Division II Stats
NCAA
NCAA Division II Football
American Football Coaches Association
D2Football.com
Great Midwest