Week 2 Preview | Findlay Welcomes #20 Ashland in Home Opener
The Game
After a tough loss on opening weekend against Ohio Dominican, the Oilers have no time to rest as they face the Ashland Eagles who, after defeating #10 Notre Dame College in opening weekend, have proven themselves to be one of the best teams in the country. The two in-state rivals will kick off in Findlay's home opener on Saturday, Sep. 10 at 6:00 pm in Donnell Stadium.
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Tickets for Findlay vs Ashland Football Game
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Head Coach Allen
Head Coach Kory Allen is in his first year at the helm of the Findlay football program and will be head coach for the first time in Donnell Stadium after making his debut last week. Allen has spent 16 years on staff in various other roles including offensive coordinator, offensive line coach, and recruiting coordinator.
2022 Findlay Football Coaching Staff
Findlay Oilers (0-1, 0-1 G-MAC)
It was not the start the Oilers were looking for last week as Ohio Dominican won the season-opener on a drizzly day in Columbus, Ohio. But, just one week into the year, the loss is far from a season-ending defeat and with multiple teams vying for a conference championship this season, it is possible that a G-MAC champion in 2022 will have at least one, if not two losses on its resume.
That said, week two is a big one as longtime rival Ashland is coming to town. All time, Findlay is 15-28-4 against the Eagles, but the last two matchups have ended in victory for the Orange and Black. In fact, Ashland has not beaten Findlay since 2016 and since 2013, the series is split 3-3.
In the opening week, the Oilers revealed their starting quarterback to be senior Jeremy Hunt, a transfer from the University of Louisiana Monroe. While the debut was not perfect, Hunt did complete 23 passes for 281 yards, two scores, and did not turn the ball over.
Junior Tanner Schroeder picked up where he left off after a career-year last fall. Schroeder had eight catches for 99 yards while sophomore Makya Matthews had four catches for 53 yards and a touchdown, the first of his career. The other receiving touchdown came from Findlay's D2football.com Top-100 player, senior tight end Mike Rigerman.
Defensively, Jeremiah Jackson and Grey Brancifort each made 13 tackles and lead the G-MAC in that stat through the first week of the season. Middle linebacker Evan Carpenter made 11 stops, but was injured late in the game last week and is likely now out for an extended period. Marqis Stokes also made double-digit tackles with ten.
On special teams, who can foret the way last year's game ended as kicker Austin Snyder drilled a 35-yard field goal as time expired to defeat the Eagles.
IT. IS. GOOD!
— Findlay Oilers (@FindlayOilers) November 6, 2021
Austin Snyder drills a 35-yard field goal as time expires to take down Ashland‼️
It's the first time since 2002 & 2003 that Findlay has beaten the Eagles in back-to-back matchups�� pic.twitter.com/rcNQpRRGc3
In a close game, look for the talented sophomore to make an impact.
About the Opponent - #20 Ashland Eagles (1-0, 0-0 G-MAC)
As one of the most storied programs in Division II, the Eagles putting together a 5-5 season a year ago with a 4-3 record in G-MAC play was one of the more eye-popping stories from the 2021 fall season. Yes, Ashland was without the services of their standout QB who was injured in Week 5 against Ohio Dominican, but when times got tough for the Purple and Gold, they did not rise to the challenge.
Fast forward to 2022 and the Eagles were picked third in the preseason conference poll. Combine that with the lackluster season from a year ago, and this Ashland squad, now in it's second season as a member of the G-MAC, is likely feeling like it has something to prove. In the season-opener, it may have done just that, dominating the #10 Notre Dame College Falcons which have made three playoff appearances since 2018 and have been consistently ranked in the top-15 for the past four seasons. The Eagles won that game by a score of 31-14 and did so by winning in the trenches, asserting their dominance where the game is the toughest. Ashland rushed for 323 yards while passing for just 128, all while holding a team that last season averaged 40+ points per game to just two scores and only 300 yards of total offense.
Unlike Ohio Dominican which Findlay played in the opening week, Ashland's depth chart is loaded with a myriad of familiar names from a season ago. Quarterback Austin Brenner, running backs Gei'vonni Washington and Larry Martin, wide receiver Garrett Turnbaugh, safety Jourdan Swett, and linebacker Michael Ayers headline one of the more experienced squads in the conference.
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