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Malone makes its second straight trip to Pennsylvania on Saturday, October 1st to face NCAA DI FCS foe Saint Francis University. Scheduled kickoff is set for 1:00 pm.

Media Information
Live Video: necfrontrow.com/
Live (home) Audio: ESPN 990 AM (Massillon) and online at:www.espn990.com/listen.php
Twitter: @Malone_Football , @maloneathletics

Gameday Storylines
Malone Playing Another Division I Team
Saint Francis is an NCAA Division I FCS program and a member of the Northeast Conference. Not to be confused with the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, Indiana or the University of Saint Francis in Joliet Illinois, who Malone played against during its NAIA days in the Mid-State Football Association, this week's opponent is Saint Francis University of Loretto, Pennsylvania. This Saturday, Malone will join Butler University and Geneva College as the only other schools to have played football against all three of the Saint Francis institutions. Malone will also be playing its second straight game against a DI opponent.
 
Pioneers Almost Made History on the Road
In its first-ever game against a Division I last Saturday, Malone was a two-point conversion away from forcing overtime with Robert Morris. In what would have been a historic upset had Malone came back to win, the Pioneers would have also made history to a lesser extent. After trailing 21-6 early in the third quarter, the Pioneers had a chance to erase a 15-point lead that would have been the largest deficit Malone has ever overcome on the road. Malone came back from 13 points down to beat Bluffton on the road in 1994. The largest lead the Pioneers have come back from was 18 points against Geneva at home in 1998.
 
G-MAC Offensive Player of the Week
For his efforts in orchestrating the near comeback, red-shirt sophomore quarterback John Iacucci was named the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week. Iacucci completed 19-of-32 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns including a 4th-and-goal back shoulder pass to Ashton Dulin with 31 seconds left in the game. Iacucci has thrown for 566 yards in the last two games, averaging 14.5 yards per completion.
 
Gray's Defense Shut Down RMU in Second Half
The Pioneers' defensive unit led by coordinator Alex Gray, played lights out football in the second half against Robert Morris. After giving up 205 yards in the first half, Malone made the necessary halftime adjustments and stymied RMU to the tune of just 27 yards of offense in the final two quarters. The Pioneers limited the Colonials to just one first down and forced five punts. The 232 yards and the 21 points were the fewest that Malone has allowed since becoming an NCAA Division II member in 2012.
 
High School Teammates
Despite never meeting on the gridiron before, each team will recognize some familiar faces on the opposing sidelines as the Saint Francis and Malone rosters features three tandems of starters that played high school football together. Malone sophomore receiver Ashton Dulin played alongside SFU sophomore offensive lineman Christian Eubanks at Reynoldsburg High School in Ohio. Malone linebacker Kameron Richardson and Red Flash lineman Mike Ames both graduated from Pittsburgh Penn Hills High School in 2015. Saint Francis junior running back Marcus Bagley and Pioneer freshman corner LeAndrew Woody were teammates at Cleveland Heights.
 
Pioneers to Watch
Offense: The Iacucci-Dulin duo has connected 15 times for 294 yards and two scores in the last two weeks. Redshirt freshman Alex Stotts has nine receptions in that same time frame Iacucci, who was sacked five times and faced constant pressure last week, will need the offensive line to play better against an extremely talented Saint Francis defensive that has recorded 14 sacks. Junior right tackle Joe Turner will make his 20th career start on Saturday.
 
Defense: Junior linebacker Ryan Weber spearheads the Malone defense for the third straight season as he closes in on 200 career tackles. Senior defensive end Austin Cary now has nine career sacks after collecting a pair of sacks last week. Freshman corners LeAndrew Woody and Shaquille Bussey have earned extended playing time in the last two weeks and will be counted on to slow down the SFU passing attack.
 
2016 Malone Pioneers: Roster | Schedule | Stats | Staff

The Story on Saint Francis
The Red Flash are far better than what the 1-3 record would indicate. Saint Francis has opened the season with four straight road games, including two against teams ranked in the Top-25 and another against a team receiving votes in the coaches poll. Saint Francis is coming off a 20-9 loss to #21 Albany last Saturday in which they led 9-0 midway through the third quarter.
 
Saint Francis has had at least a touchdown lead in each of their three losses. They relinquished an 18-point advantage in their 35-28 loss to Towson in week two.
 
Saint Francis is led by seventh-year mentor Chris Villarrial, the 2015 NEC Coach of the Year. Villarrial spent 11 seasons as an NFL offensive lineman from 1996-2006, making 148 starts at center and right guard for the Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills.
 
Red Flash to Watch
Offense:  Running back Marcus Bagley ranks fourth in the FCS with 480 yards rushing this season. He is, however, the only player in any level of NCAA football, to rush for more 450 or more yards and not have a touchdown. Wide receiver Kamron Lewis is the go-to threat in the passing game. The 6'4" target caught nine balls for 121 yards last week. Three Red Flash offensive lineman were named All-NEC in 2015.
 
Defense: All-American safety Lorenzo Jerome leads the defense with three interceptions and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Jerome is also a dynamic weapon in the kick return game, averaging 27.3 yards per return, including a 79-yard touchdown in the season opener. Linebacker Solomon Leaeno has recorded double-digit tackle total in each of the last two weeks and leads the team with four sacks.

2016 Saint Francis Red Flash: Roster | Schedule | Stats

By the Numbers
2 - Quarterbacks in NCAA Division II who have thrown for more yards and less touchdowns than Malone quarterback John Iacucci
7 - Freshmen in NCAA DII who have more tackles than Malone red-shirt freshman linebacker Keith Williams
9 - Total sacks by the Pioneers through four games this season. Malone tallied 11 sacks in ten games in 2015.
32 - Times Iacucci has targeted Ashton Dulin in the last two weeks.
11,176 - Average attendance for Saint Francis' first four road games this season. The Red Flash will be playing in their home opener on Saturday in front of a much more modest crowd.

Looking Ahead
The Pioneers will return to Canton for their homecoming game next Saturday, October 8th against Alderson Broaddus. It will also be Malone's first-ever game against a G-MAC opponent.