By Ben Risinger, Sports Information Director
November 2, 2004
The Matchup
When: Saturday, November 6, 2004 – 1 p.m.
Where: Bluffton, Ohio – Dwight Salzman Stadium
On the Radio: Listen live to Bluffton University football on 107.1 FM.
On the Web: Listen live to Bluffton University football at www.wdoh.com
Bluffton University (4-4, 2-2 HCAC) was defeated 25-13 by No. 25 Mount St. Joseph. Franklin College (4-4, 2-2 HCAC) defeated Defiance College 35-14.
The Head Coaches
Head coach Greg Brooks is in his second year at the helm of the Bluffton University football team. Brooks now posts six wins as the head coach of the Beavers. Before his tenure as head coach, Brooks was the offensive coordinator for 22 years.
Franklin is led by second year coach Mike Leonard. In 2003 Leonard guided the Grizzlies to a 2-8 overall and 2-4 Heartland Conference record. Before taking over the Franklin program, he served as offensive coordinator for Hanover College from the 1999 through 2002 seasons. In 2002, Hanover's offense was ranked fifth in total offense, second in team passing offense and fourth in team scoring offense among all Division III schools.
Bluffton – Franklin Series History
The Beavers lead the all-time series with Franklin 5-2. The Grizzlies won last year’s contest 21-20 at Franklin College. Before 2003 Bluffton had a four game winning streak against Franklin from the 1999-2002 seasons. Game scores were: 28-7 (1999), 24-14 (2000), 26-24 (2001) and 34-21 (2002).
Last Time for the Beavers
The Beavers lost 25-13 to nationally ranked Mount St. Joseph last Saturday. Bluffton had a positive game as they scored 13 points, which is the third highest point total any team has put up against the Mount this season. The Beavers 113 yards rushing were also the most yards on the ground that the Lions had seen all year.
Bluffton got the scoring started in the contest when Ben Dodds ran an 8-yard touchdown run into the endzone with 7:11 left in the first quarter. Dodds’ run would be the only Beaver touchdown of the day. The Lions answered back five minutes later with a 35-yard field goal to tighten the game to 7-3. Kicker Seth Burkholder then posted two field goals in the second quarter (47, 48 yards) to widen the Beavers lead to 13-3. Less than a minute after Burkholder’s second field goal, the Mount’s Mike Lovell would post an 80-yard touchdown run to squeeze Bluffton’s lead again. The score going into halftime was 13-10 in favor of the Beavers. The Lions came alive after a scoreless third quarter to post two touchdowns (1-yard run, 17-yard pass) and a safety in the fourth to take the contest. The final would be 25-13 in favor of Mount St. Joseph.
Last Time for the Grizzlies
Franklin College was in HCAC action last Saturday when they hosted Defiance College. The final outcome would be a Franklin win 35-14. The Grizzlies scored a pair of touchdowns in the opening quarter on a 4-yard run by wingback Brad Ohanian and on a recovery of a blocked punt by David Mongan.
Neither team scored in the second period, but Defiance cut FC’s lead in half by taking the second-half opening kickoff 78 yards on a 9-yard pass from quarterback Nate Fitton to Aaron Schmidt.
The Yellow Jackets then tied the contest when Kevin Dixon caught a 23-yard pass from Fitton that was tipped to him in the end zone. However, Franklin fired back and drove 80 yards on its next possession to score on a 16-yard pass from quarterback Ty Fritz to split end Brian Nay. The Grizzlies added their last two touchdowns, an 18-yard run by running back Everett Johnson and a 4-yard run by Mike Perkins early in the fourth period.
Leading the Beavers
Bluffton quarterback Tim Koontz has thrown 34 completions for 414 yards and one touchdown for the season. Koontz show a 38.6 completion percentage with only one interception. Leading the ground attack is Ben Dodds with 171 carries for 701 yards and eight touchdowns. Dodds average 4.1 yards per carry for the year. Fullback Ben McCullough posts 38 attempts for 210 yards (5.5 avg. carry) and a lone touchdown. Mark Gable leads the receivers with 24 catches for 316 yards (13.2 avg. catch) and four touchdowns. Leon Payne has connected on 17 receptions for 310 yards and three touchdowns. Scott Steiner leads the defense with 96 tackles (42 solo, 54 assist), four tackles for loss, two interceptions, six pass break ups and one blocked kick.
Leading the Grizzlies
Franklin uses two quarterbacks during the contests this season. Andy Clark posts 91 completions for 1171 yards and 10 touchdowns (56.9 percent). Ty Fritz has thrown 87 completions for 1186 yards and four touchdowns (58.0 percent). Joliba Brogan leads the rushers with 507 yards off 79 carries for five touchdowns on the ground. Danny Sears leads Franklin’s receiving corps with Brian Nay following close behind. Sears posts 34 receptions for 434 yards and three touchdowns with Nay catching 25 passes for 416 yards and eight touchdowns. Clayton Darlage leads the defense with 99 tackles (36 solo, 63 assist) and 7.5 tackles for loss for 27 yards.
Last Year’s Contest
Bluffton narrowly lost the game to Franklin last year 21-20. Both teams entered the contest with very close statistics and played a very good game as the score moved back and forth all day. Bluffton started the scoring with 8:15 left in the first quarter when Ben Dodds posted a 2-yard run for the touchdown. Backup kicker Eric Carrion would post his first PAT to make the score 7-0. Four minutes later the Grizzlies would answer right back to tie the game at seven apiece.
Dodds would take the ball in to the endzone again in the second quarter off a 1-yard run to go up 14-7 (Carrion kick). The Beavers would go into halftime with a 14-7 lead in the game. Franklin scored again with six minutes left in the third to tie the game at 14 all. Less than two minutes later Dodds posted his third rushing touchdown of the game to let the Beavers go up 20-14 (Carrion kick failed). But, another Grizzly touchdown in the middle of the fourth would end the scoring drives and the game 21-20.
Bluffton led the board on minutes and first downs (22). The Beavers went 9-of-18 for third down conversions and 5-of-5 for fourth down conversion on the contest. Hurting the Beavers had to be penalties (9 for 80 yards) compared to Franklin penalties (5 for 38 yards). Franklin would post 360 total yards (39 rushing, 321 passing), compared to Bluffton’s 331 (170 rushing, 161 passing) on the day.
Next up for Bluffton and Franklin
Bluffton University will be on the road for their final game of the 2004 at rival Defiance College. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. Franklin College will host Hanover College. Kickoff for the contest is 1 p.m.
