Findlay Visits #15 Assumption in Round Two of Playoffs
The Game
Findlay moves on to the second round of the NCAA DII Playoffs. After knocking off No. 2 Shepherd in the first round, the Oilers will face the No. 15 Greyhounds of Assumption College in Worcester, Mass. on Saturday, Nov. 25. Kickoff will happen at 1:00 pm.
The Series
This will be the first ever meeting between Findlay and Assumption on the gridiron. It is the sixth time this season that the Oilers have faced an opponent for the first time. Findlay is 5-0 in those games this season.
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 Stream
Video streaming for the contest will be provided by Assumption College and the NE10.
Coach Keys Weekly
Don't forget to tune into 88.3 FM "WLFC" for Coach Keys Weekly. The show is aired at 7:00 pm on Tuesdays.
Fans are also encouraged to send questions in for coach Keys through Twitter. Please send questions throughout the week on Twitter Tim Montgomery @Oilersonair.
Follow the Oilers on Social Media
Follow the Oilers on social media to keep up with all the exciting news surrounding UF athletics.
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Youtube
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 48-29 record with the program as a head coach, which includes a 37-27 mark in conference games. With the Week 7 win over Hillsdale, Keys secured his sixth winning season in seven years as head coach at Findlay.
For Findlay's 2017 coaching staff, please click on the following link:
The Oilers (10-2, 6-1 GMAC)
The Oilers will continue their historic season after taking down No. 2 Shepherd in the first round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs. Shepherd is the highest ranked NCAA team to fall at the hands of the Oilers.
The 2017 Findlay Oilers have spent three weeks in the AFCA Top-25, have the record for most wins in the NCAA era of Findlay football, have scored the second-most points in a single season at Findlay, and have spent much of the year ranked in the top-ten in the nation in multiple offensive statistics.
Findlay will enter the game sporting one of the nation's top offenses and defenses. The Oilers are currently ranked first in the nation, and have also set a school record in first downs offense (332), are ranked third in the nation in scoring offense (46.0 ppg), third in total offense (515.3 ypg), and seventh in rushing offense (274.3 ypg). All of that is made possible by a talented offensive line that is allowing just 0.75 sacks per game, tenth-best in the country.
On the other side of the ball, the Oilers have had big play ability all season, scoring five defensive touchdowns this year, seventh-best in the nation. Those big plays often come as a result of turnovers, of which the Oilers get plenty. Findlay has 30 takeaways this season, sixth in the nation, and rank third in the nation with a turnover margin of 1.5 per game. The team's total defense ranks 32nd in the country at 312.1 yards allowed per game and is allowing 17.1 points per game, 18th in the country and best in the G-MAC. The defense can hang their hat on a performance last week where the No. 2 offense in the country was held to just 17 points including no points in the second half.
2017 Season Statistics
2017 Roster
No. 15 Assumption Greyhounds (10-1, 8-1 NE10)
The 2017 Greyhounds are playing to become the most successful team in program history. With ten wins, one more win would tie the school record of 11 set in 2015 and would also be the furthest a Greyhounds team has advanced in the postseason in school history (2015 | lost in second round to Slippery Rock).
After just 15 winning seasons in the program's first 45 years of existence, the Greyhounds have now rattled off five straight winning seasons, all under head coach Bob Chesney who is in his fifth year.
Assumption, in it's 50th year of fielding a football team, enters the contest with a national ranking of no. 15, the second highest in school history. After week ten of this season, the school acheived it's highest ranking at eighth.
Against top-25 opponents this year, the Greyhounds have a perfect 1-0 record with their lone win coming on Sep. 30, a 54-20 win over the then no. 24 LIU Post. However, the most impressive win of the season is arguably their first round win over Cal (Pa.) which, although unranked in the postseason, was ranked as high as fifth earlier this season.
The Greyhounds are led offensively by a pair of quarterbacks that have split duties this season. Senior Brendan Tobey, listed as the starter for this week, has thrown the ball 105 times and completed 57 of those tries for 810 yards and six touchdowns. He has thrown four interceptions. His backup this week, fellow senior Mark Monks, has completed 113-of-191 passes for 1,574 yards and 15 touchdowns while throwing just four interceptions.
Senior running back Dylan Oxsen will take most of the carries out of the backfield and thus far has carried the ball 158 times for 814 yards. He has scored eight touchdowns on the ground. Sophomore teammate Khaleed Exum-Strong has rushed 71 times for 539 yards and four scores and leads the team with 7.6 yards per carry.
One player who could be the unexpected difference maker would be senior kicker Cole Tracy. Tracy has knocked in 60-of-60 PATs and 23-of-25 field goal attempts this season, the most field goals made in the country, and ranks second in the nation with a percentage of .920. He is scoring 11.7 points per game, sixth in the nation, and has scored a school-record 354 points in his career. This year, Tracy has been good from 40+ yards on seven occasions including two 50+ yard makes (career-long 53-yd).
Oilers In Week 13
Findlay has played a thirteenth game in a season on only four occasions. The Oilers are 2-1-1 in those games (1997: W 26-25 v. Doane | 1996: L 28-21 v. W. Washington* | 1995: T 21-21 v. C. Washington* | 1992: W 26-13 v. Linfield*) *indicates NAIA National Championship game*
60-Point Games
Findlay has scored 60+ points in four games this year, the most 60+ point games in a season in school history. With all the high scoring games, Findlay owns the top four scoring games in Great Midwest history.
Rhys Being Rhys
Rhys Gervais threw for 294 yards in last week's playoff win. It was the second-most yards he has thrown for this season and was fourth-most by any quarterback in the first round of the playoffs. It was also the most passing yards in a playoff game in Findlay history. Rhys' 52-yard touchdown to Airion Kosak in the fourth quarter was the longest pass play in Findlay playoff history.
Sylla Dominates Shepherd
Daouda Sylla rushed 33 times for 205 yards against No. 2 Shepherd on Nov. 18. His 33 carries were the most in a playoff game at Findlay since Nelson Bolden carried the ball 33 times against Pacific Lutheran on Dec. 1, 1979. Sylla's 205 rushing yards were the most of any tailback in the 2017 First Round and are the most in a playoff game in school history.
All-Conference Domination
On Thursday, Nov. 16, Findlay placed 24 players on an All-Great Midwest team, the most of any team in the league. Andrew Alten was named Offensive Lineman of the Year, Johnny Hopkins was named Defensive Lineman of the Year, and Aaron Ivory was named Defensive Back of the Year.
Links
NCAA Division II Stats
NCAA
NCAA Division II Football
American Football Coaches Association
D2Football.com
Great Midwest