Lincoln University of Missouri

BLUE TIGERS LOOK TO SCORE OFTEN TO BEAT MINERS

   The Lincoln University Blue Tigers (0-3 overall, 0-0 Great Lakes Football Conference) take on the University of Missouri-Rolla Miners (0-2, 0-1 GLFC) in a 2:00 p.m. contest on Sept. 16 in Dwight T. Reed Stadium.  The game with the Miners is Taco Bell Day with fans receiving free taco coupons and promotional footballs from the “Home of the Fourth Meal,” who dares people to “Think Outside the Bun!” 

   The Blue Tigers were a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association for nearly 30 years, (1970-1999) but played their last nine seasons in the MIAA after dropping football following the 1989 campaign.  The showdown against the Miners is the Blue Tigers first game in the inaugural season of the Great Lakes Football Conference. 

  If the Blue Tigers are to earn their first victory of the season, it is imperative that they keep the ball out of the trigger happy hands of Miner quarterback Joe Winters.  Winters, a graduate student, who transferred from NCAA Division I-AA Columbia University (Manhattan, N.Y.) leads NCAA Division II in total offense with 400 yards and is No. 34 in passing efficiency (137.5).  While the coaching staff of the Miners used fall practices to select the right quarterback for their fun-gun offense, they knew what was most important for their potential quarterback, to get the ball in the hands of preseason All-America wide receiver Ashton Gronewald.  Gronewald was selected to the following 2006 preseason All-America teams; Lindy’s (first team), Don Hansen’s Football Gazette and Street and Smith’s College Football Yearbook. Only a junior, Gronewald was selected to the 2005 Don Hansen’s Football Gazette honorable mention team as he set school records in receptions (75), yards (1,080) and touchdowns (17).  Gronewald also became the first UMR player to score more than 100 points in a season (108), which he did with a school record 18 touchdowns.  He is averaging 7 receptions per game (No. 10 NCAA DII) and is No. 24 in NCAA DII with 150 All-Purpose yards-per-game. 

   Not to be lost in the shadow behind Gronewald is fellow wide receiver Brandon Landry.  Landry, a transfer from the University of Kentucky (Lexington, Ky.) began his career at UMR as the starting quarterback in 2004.  The versatile athlete adapted well to the position change in 2005 as he made 69 receptions for 908 yards.  Landry has the distinction of being an Offensive Player of the Week in two conferences.  In 2004 the Miners last in the MIAA, Landry was Offensive Player of the Week for his 374 yard, 4 touchdown performance in the Miners season opening win over Upper Iowa.  Landry won Independent Football Alliance Offensive Player of the Week honors in 2005 after racking up 134 All-Purpose yards and two touchdowns in a victory over Central Methodist.  He is currently No. 24 in NCAA DII with an average of 94 receiving yards-per-game. 

   The Miners offensive line has proven to be shaky at times as Winters has been sacked 7 times this season.  Although the offensive line has had instances of instability they still help the Miners pass close to 70 percent of the time.  The Miners have five players with 145 receiving yards or more this season.  Of those five players, four have caught a minimum of 10 passes. While the Miners success revolves around their air it out offense (28 points-per-game No. 40 NCAA DII), UMR also features a reliable running back in Matt Padilla.  Padilla, a junior is averaging 50 rushing yards-per-game with a 5.3 yards-per-carry mark.  He is averaging 124 All-Purpose ypg.  Also aiding the Missouri-Rolla offense are Nathan Binder (78.5 All-Purpose ypg) and Mike Greaving (72.5 All-Purpose ypg).

   Six of the seven (86 percent) touchdowns scored by the Miners have been delivered through the air.  The Miners are the top ranked passing team in NCAA DII (411 yards-per-game) and overall they average 455 yards of offense a game, No. 10 in NCAA DII.  The Miners have been successful 50 percent of the time (3-6) on fourth down conversion attempts.  Missouri-Rolla has not scored a first quarter touchdown this season.  The Miners have been outscored 45-27 in the first half.  In the second and third quarters (middle quarters), Missouri-Rolla holds a slim edge in scoring over the opposition 41-38.

   Gronewald and Landry were both, first team All-Independent Football Alliance performers in 2005.  Gronewald (3.59 Engineering), offensive lineman Adam Keithly (3.86 Aerospace Engineering) and defensive lineman Willie Sanchez (3.78 Mechanical Engineering) were 2005 first team IFA All-Academic members.  Backup quarterback Mark Becker (3.20 Chemical Engineering) along with defensive linemen Derek Drussa (3.40 Mining Engineering) and Dallas Massie (3.45 Engineering Management) were on the second team IFA All-Academic list.

   The Blue Tigers have relied on their experienced linebackers and quick learning newcomers in the secondary to improve a defense, which has limited the opposition to 202 yards per game on the ground.  Patrolling the secondary from his safety position has resulted in Derrick Manning making a team high 21 solo tackles (No. 8 NCAA DII).  Manning is No. 6 in NCAA DII with 11.7 total tackles per game.  Anthony Allen (14 solo-7 assisted), Julien Noel (8 s-15 a), and Terrence Wilson (7 s-11 a) have proved to be valuable additions to the revamped Blue Tiger defense.  Linebackers DeJurnae Parrish, Clourse Hardy, Julio Etienne and Dana Chambers, along with defensive lineman Chigbogu Anunoby have provided a much needed positive impact for a defensive unit, which allowed 32 touchdowns in 2005. 

   It is paramount that Lincoln University find a way to stop opponents in the red-zone (inside the Lincoln University 20-yardline).  The Blue Tigers have permitted the opposition to score points on 15-of-21 (71 percent) trips into the red-zone this season.  Five Blue Tigers have recorded a sack this season and three have intercepted a pass.  Floyd Brady Jr. has notched one tackle-for-loss in each game this season. 

   The question that remains unanswered is whether the Blue Tigers can score touchdowns.  The Blue Tigers who have been shutout in three straight games are trying to avoid a 0-4 start.  The last time Lincoln University began a season 0-4 was in 2004.  In the past three seasons, the Blue Tigers were only shutout in four games.  Since football was brought back to Lincoln University as a varsity program in 2000, the Blue Tigers have only been shutout six times (not including the three of the 2006 campaign).  The Blue Tigers have not been in the red zone (inside the 20-yardline of the opponent) yet this season. 

   Lincoln University fumbled the ball 26 times in 2005, but the young student-athletes playing offense for the Blue Tigers have already fumbled the ball 12 times this season.  In order to build on the offensive progress of the West Virginia State game, the Blue Tigers ought to focus on their underutilized receiving corps.  The Lincoln University passing game has produced 272 of the 290 total yards of offense this season.  The Blue Tigers run the ball nearly 60 percent of the time, but have only 18 total rushing yards on the season. 

   Donald Brown leads a trio of Blue Tiger quarterbacks, who have received extensive playing time in the first few games on the season.  Brown has completed 23-of-39 passes (59 percent) for 141 yards.  Five separate running backs have 19 or more net rushing yards, but none have greater than 25 net rushing yards.  DeWitt Johnson is the main receiving threat (11 receptions-105 yards).  Darrius Baker (6 receptions-19 yards) has shown the ability to catch passes from his tailback position. The Blue Tigers have received consistent offensive contributions from Kevin Brown, Keith Johnson and Roderick Cooksey. 

      When analyzing the defensive numbers it is apparent teams can succeed against the Miners by running the ball.  UMR has given up an average of 355 rushing yards in their first two games.  The defense of the Miners has allowed four running backs to rush for at least 100 yards this season (two in each game).  The opposition has averaged 7.4 yards-per-carry against the porous rush defense of the Miners (No. 132 NCAA DII).  Opponents are converting 55 percent (11-20) on third down against Missouri-Rolla. 

   Standing in the way of the Blue Tigers path to the end-zone are Miners Brian Jordan and Avian Jordan.  B. Jordan is No. 10 in NCAA DII at 11 total tackles-per-game and No. 4 in solo tackles with 8.5 per game.  A. Jordan brings down 7 solo tpg (No. 8 NCAA DII).  Others contributing for the Miners are Daudi White (10 solo tackles, 13 total tackles), Jon Iglehart (10 solo tackles, 12 total tackles) and Gabriel Cunha (4 solo tackles, 6 assisted tackles, 10 total tackles). 

   Tim Valencia has kicked a field goal in each of the Miners two games.  Valencia booted a 34 yard field goal in the Miners 44-23 loss at NCAA I-AA opponent Southeast Missouri State University (Sept. 9). 

   The Miners opened their season and GLFC slate with a road loss at Tiffin University (58-32, Aug. 26).  Missouri-Rolla leads the series against Lincoln University, 15-9, but the Blue Tigers won the last meeting between the two schools.  The Blue Tigers prevailed 21-14 on Sept. 30, 1989 in Dwight T. Reed Stadium.

   The Blue Tigers can focus on their own statistics or those of the Miners, but the game will not be played on paper.  When the clock strikes 2:00 p.m. on Saturday and the ball is kicked off on the field of Dwight T. Reed Stadium, the Blue Tigers goal is the same, to outscore the opposition, something the Blue Tigers are anxiously waiting to accomplish. 

  The game Saturday is the beginning of the second set of back-to-back home games for the football Blue Tigers in 2006.  Lincoln University opened the season against Lane College (Aug. 26) in Dwight T. Reed Stadium, then played host to Central Missouri State University (Sept. 2).  The Blue Tigers challenge the Panthers of Kentucky Wesleyan College (Owensboro, Ky.) on Sept. 23 at 2:00 p.m. in Dwight T. Reed Stadium.

GAME FOUR RECAP - BLUE TIGERS SCORE BUT NOT ENOUGH IN 49-7 DEFEAT

   Three different Lincoln University quarterbacks passed for a season game high 169 yards (13-27, 48 percent), but the defense of the Blue Tigers had trouble slowing down the passing machine of the University of Missouri-Rolla Miners.  On their way to the 49-7 victory, the Miners set a school record for pass reception touchdowns (6).  Five separate receivers caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Winters.  The longest scoring drive of the day, in terms of possession time for the Miners was a 7-play, 77-yard drive, which took 2:40 off the clock and resulted in a touchdown pass from Winters to Mike Greaving with 5:47 remaining in the third quarter.  The defense of the Blue Tigers became the only group to hold Winters to less than 400 yards passing this season. 

   The loss drops Lincoln University to 0-4 overall and 0-1 in Great Lakes Football Conference play.  The University of Missouri-Rolla improves to 1-2 and 1-1 in GLFC action.

   The Blue Tigers scored their first points of the season in the third quarter.  Backup quarterback Rashad Aubrey lofted a pass to Kevin Brown for a 67-yard touchdown with 8:37 left to play in the third quarter.  The scoring play snapped a streak dating back to last season of more than 17 quarters without scoring a point.  In addition to the game high in passing yards (169), the Blue Tigers also recorded a season game high in total offensive yards (195).

   The Blue Tigers have still not had a play in the opponents redzone.  For the first time since 2004 Lincoln University starts off a season 0-4.  The Blue Tigers bounced back to finish the 2004 season 4-7.

   Lincoln University returns to Great Lakes Football Conference play against Kentucky Wesleyan College (Owensboro, Ky.) on Saturday, Sept. 23 with a 2:00 p.m. kickoff in Dwight T. Reed Stadium.  The Panthers were handed a 58-0 loss on the road at NCAA Division I-AA, Western Illinois University (Macomb, Ill.) on Saturday (Sept. 16).  It will be the first Great Lakes Football Conference game for the Panthers (0-4 overall).  In the only previous meeting (09/21/02) between the Blue Tigers and Panthers, Lincoln University earned their first win of the season with a 24-12 victory on the grass of Apollo and Reid Field in Owensboro, Ky. 

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