Oilers Face #22 Warriors in Final Game
The University of Findlay football team (5-5, 5-4) will be conclude their season on Saturday, November 12 against #22 Wayne State University (8-2, 7-2). The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) contest is scheduled to begin at 12 pm in Detroit, Michigan.
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 lead the Warriors 11-8 in the all-time series dating back to the 1923 campaign when then Detroit City defeated Findlay 28-0.
The Oilers have lost three straight to the Warriors including a 44-27 setback last year.
Dustin Zielaskiewicz was the star on offense for the Oilers as he caught eight passes for 101 yards and a score. He also completed one pass for 29 yards and a touchdown and rushed four times for 43 yards.
John Soli completed 17-of-27 passes for 150 yards and a score while Monterae Williams rushed 21 times for 73 yards.
Defensively, Kenny Klatt registered 12 tackles while Bryon Rizzi and Brandon Butler had nine stops each.
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 5-5 start with a 5-4 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 fell 49-19 at home to Hillsdale last Saturday.
The Chargers racked up 587 yards of total offense and averaged 7.4 yards per play during the win.
Hillsdale's Joe Glendening recorded 241 yards rushing and four touchdowns while Anthony Mifsud completed 24-of-30 passing attempts for 249 yards and three scores.
Clay Belton completed 23-of-38 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns.
Seth White caught seven passes for 50 yards, Jaryd Brown made six receptions for 60 yards and a score while Nathan Morris had three catches for 75 yards and a score.
Defensively, Isaiah Ballard led the team with 12 tackles and also registered 132 kickoff return yards.
For Findlay's 2011 season statistics, please click on the following link:
For Findlay's 2011 roster, please click on the following link:
Wayne State Head Coach
Head coach Paul Winters is in his eighth season with the Warriors and has them ranked 22nd in the nation with an 8-2 record.
Last season, Winters was named the AFCA Division II Regional Coach of the Year after leading the Warriors to a national ranking of 12th with a 9-2 record.
Winters has been named the GLIAC Coach of the Year twice during his tenure (2006, 2008) and came to Wayne State after serving as an assistant coach at the University of Akron.
The Warriors
The Warriors are coming off of a 28-19 win at the University of Indianapolis last week in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Toney Davis rushed for a game-high 120 yards, while Josh Renel added 114 yards on the ground.
Indianapolis was limited to 60 rushing yards in 22 attempts.
Mickey Mohner completed 11-of-17 passes for 143 yards.
Troy Burrell led WSU with seven catches for 120 yards.
Jeremy Jones also recorded his 14th career interception to aid the Warrior defense.
For Wayne State's 2011 season statistics, please click on the following link
For Wayne State's 2011 roster, please click on the following link:
Forcing Turnovers
The Oilers are currently fourth in the GLIAC with a +6 advantage in the turnover column. The total is also the 30th best mark in the nation.
Churning Out Rushing Yards
The Oilers are ranked fifth in the GLIAC and are 31st in the nation in rushing yards per game at 195.1.
Individually, junior running back Monterae Williams ranks second in the GLIAC in rushing yards per game at 117.2 per contest, which is also the 14th 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 eighth best in the nation.
Making Stops
Junior linebacker Brandon Butler and senior defensive back Isaiah Ballard are currently tied for fourth in the GLIAC in tackles per game at 9.2 per contest.
Senior defensive back Donte Johnson is 21st at 7.3 stops per contest.
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 sixth best total in the nation.
Junior linebacker Brandon Butler has also benefited from Ballard and ranks seventh in the GLIAC with two fumble recoveries on the year.
Making Plays in the Return Game
The Oilers currently rank second in the GLIAC in punt return average at 11.7. They also rank first in the league and 19th nationally in kick return average, gaining 23.5 yards per attempt.
Individually, junior Demetrius Trapps ranks second in the GLIAC and 25th in the nation in punt return average at 12.2 while senior Isaiah Ballard is second in the GLIAC in kick return average at 28.5, the tenth best mark in the nation.
Moving the Chains
The Oilers are averaging 21.4 first downs per game, the fifth best total in the GLIAC.
3 Points
Freshman kicker Zack Housholder is currently tenth in the GLIAC with six field goals.
Defending the Pass
The Oilers have picked off 11 passes on the year, the fifth best mark in the GLIAC.
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 1,172 yards in nine 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 3,216 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: