Full Game Notes (PDF)

Game:        Malone University                                              0-5 (0-5 GLIAC)   
                  at Northern Michigan University                          3-2 (2-2 GLIAC)
Date:         Saturday, October 10, 2015
Kickoff:      1:00 p.m. EDT at the Superior Dome (Marquette, Mich.)
Broadcasts: www.malonepioneers.com/showcase
                  12:45 p.m. EDT pre-game (Clint Scroggs – play-by-play, Larry Ridgeway – color)
Live Video: http://eversport.tv/gliac
Live Stats: http://gliac.org/sports/fball/2015-16/boxscores/20151010_s4ns.xml
Tickets:      $11.00 adults; $9.00 seniors; $8.00 students

Series:       
Last season at Benson Stadium, the Pioneers pocketed a 42-35 double-overtime victory against the Wildcats in the first-ever meeting between the two teams.

Coaches:   
Malone – Eric Hehman is in his sixth season as the Pioneers' head coach and has tallied a 11-47 record at Malone.  Prior to arriving in Canton, Hehman spent the previous five years as the head coach at NCAA Division III Greenville (IL) College where he led the Panthers to a 28-22 record and a berth in the 2009 NCCAA Victory Bowl.
Northern Michigan – Chris Ostrowsky is in his fourth season as the head coach at NMU and has led the Wildcats to a 13-24 record.  He served as the offensive coordinator at Northern Michigan for two years before taking over as the head coach in 2012.  His resume also includes assistant coaching positions at NCAA Div. I Northeastern (MA) University and NCAA Div. III Widener (PA) University.   

Last Season's Records: Malone 1-10 (1-9 GLIAC), Northern Michigan 3-8 (2-8 GLIAC)

Malone Notes: The Pioneers fell at home by a final score of 42-17 against 13th-ranked Ashland University on Saturday…After Malone jumped out to a 7-0 advantage, the Eagles answered back, scoring touchdowns on four of their next five possessions to grab 28-7 lead...Malone cut the deficit to 28-14 with a successful "Hail Mary" pass as the second quarter ended and then added a field goal at the start of the third quarter…However, Ashland put the contest away with a pair of lengthy second-half TD drives …The Pioneers were flagged 13 times for 125 yards on Saturday, marking the first time this season that Malone had been penalized more than its opponent…Malone is currently ranked third in the GLIAC in yards per pass completion (15.2)….The Pioneers are also ranked third in the conference in punt returns, averaging 16.3 yards per attempt.

Malone players to watch:  QB John Iacucci stepped in for injured starter Will Szpor in the first quarter of last week's game and completed nine of 16 passes for 131 yards with one TD and two interceptions…WR Eian Elsass hauled in four catches for 89 yards last week and currently leads the squad with 22 receptions on the year for 353 yards and two scores…WR Ashton Dulin caught three passes for 24 yards and a TD in last week's game against Ashland…The true freshman, who has scored a TD in four of his first five collegiate games, has pulled in a total of 12 catches for 252 yards (21.0 avg)  this year while also picking up 74 rushing yards on eight carries…RB Jonathon Zimmerly notched a career-high 78 rushing yards last week in relief of injured starter Matt Blasiole...LB Ryan Weber posted a team-high 10 tackles last week, marking his third double-digit tackle performance this year…Weber currently ranks fifth in the GLIAC with 47 total tackles on the season…LB Fred Baker Jr. tallied nine tackles and an interception against the Eagles and now has 31 stops on the year with one sack and a fumble recovery.

Northern Michigan Notes: The Wildcats have won each of their first three home games this season, including a 36-34 triumph over visiting Saginaw Valley State University last Saturday… After falling behind 36-21 early in the fourth quarter, SVSU fought back, pulling within two points after scoring on a two-yard TD pass with just 23 seconds remaining…The Wildcats managed to hang on for the victory, though, by stopping the Cardinals' game-tying two-point conversion attempt … NMU picked up the win despite being outgained by a 464-276 margin and trailing the Cardinals 35:51 to 24:09 in time of possession…The Wildcats rank fourth in the GLIAC with an average of 279.2 passing yards per game…NMU is third in the conference in kickoff returns, averaging 21.9 yards per attempt…The Wildcats are one of the least penalized teams in the GLIAC, having been flagged just 12 times through their first five games.

Northern Michigan players to watch: QB Shaye Brown has completed 96 of 144 passes (66.7%) so far this season for 1396 yards with 10 TDs and four interceptions…Brown currently ranks second in the GLIAC in completion percentage, fourth in passing yards per game (279.2) and fifth in touchdowns…WR Marcus Tucker has been a weapon for the Wildcats in both the passing game and on special teams…The senior has pulled in 31 catches for 460 yards and five TDs while also averaging 23.5 yards on his 15 kickoff returns, including a 69-yard run back in last week's contest vs. SVSU …Although he was limited to two catches for seven yards last week, Tucker currently ranks second in the GLIAC in all-purpose yards (164.2 average), second in total receptions, third in receiving yards per game (92.0) and is tied for first in TD receptions… RB Aaron Harris is the Wildcats' leading rusher with 297 yards on 65 attempts (4.6 avg.) with three touchdowns…LB L.J. Liston leads the GLIAC and ranks tenth in NCAA Division II with an average of 13.5 tackles per game (54 total)…Liston has also tallied two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery….DB Brandon Auguste has picked off two passes and made 29 tackles on the year

2015 Rosters
Malone  |  Northern Michigan

2015 Statistics
Malone  |  Northern Michigan