PDF Game Notes
The Malone University football team travels to southeastern Pennsylvania this Saturday, October 20th to take on Millersville University in a non-conference contest with a 4:00 pm kickoff. Both teams are coming off five-score losses as the Pioneers enter the week with a 1-5 record while the Marauders come into the game at 2-5.
Media Information
Live Video: millersvilleathletics.com/watch
Live (Malone) Radio: ESPN 990 AM |
espn990.com
Live Stats: millersvilleathletics.com/sidearmstats/football
Twitter: @Malone_Football |
@maloneathletics
Gameday Storylines
Malone on the Road for Third Straight Week
The Pioneers will be playing back-to-back-to-back road games for just the third time in program history this week when they travel into the heart of Pennsylvania Amish Country to face Millersville. In each of the previous two instances of playing three straight road games (1993 & 2011), Malone lost the first two contests but bounced back to win the third. The Pioneers will look for history to repeat itself on Saturday against a Millersville program that has not had a winning season since 2000. Malone is 14-14-1 all-time against teams from Pennsylvania, but the Pioneers and Marauders have never met before and Malone is just 4-9 in 13 games played in the Keystone State. Malone, which lost to DI schools Robert Morris and Saint Francis in 2016, has not won a game in Pennsylvania since topping Geneva in the 2007 Victory Bowl.
The Pioneers are coming off their fourth-straight loss, including three straight against teams ranked among the top-30 in NCAA Division II. During the losing streak, Malone has allowed 184 points - the most-ever in a single-season, four-game stretch in team history. The Pioneer defense will hopefully face a reprieve this week against its non-conference opponent Millersville, which has scored the 8th-fewest points in DII. Malone is 0-1 out of conference this season and 0-10 out of conference since walking off with a 39-33 win over Taylor in the 2016 opener.
Pioneers Pile Up Yards
The Pioneer offense was the lone bright spot in a 57-17 loss to Ohio Dominican last week, averaging 6.0 yards per play. Despite losing a season-high three fumbles, Malone generated 374 total yards, the second-most in its last 10 games dating back to last season. The Pioneers moved the football into the ODU redzone five times, capitalizing three times with points. Malone has averaged 30 points a game this season and has now scored at least 17 points in six straight games for the first time since 2013. The Pioneer rushing offense has averaged 162.6 yards per game over the last five games and has totaled 12 rushing touchdowns on the season, including at least one in all six games.
Dual-Threat Deandre
Half of the Pioneers' 12 rushing touchdowns belong to quarterback
Deandre Clayton, who rushed for both Malone TDs last week. In the process, Clayton tied the Malone single-season record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback set by Eric Rector in 2000. Against ODU, the redshirt sophomore signal-caller bounced back from a tough outing at Tiffin by completing a season-high 65.2% (15-of-23) of his passes for 248 yards – the second-most this season. Through his first six games as a Pioneer, Clayton has accounted for 1,503 total yards (1,245 passing, 258 rushing) and 13 total touchdowns. He is tied for 9th among Division II quarterbacks in rushing touchdowns and has thrown just three interceptions in 174 pass attempts, which represents a top-25 ratio in DII.
Dulin Continues Record Book Pursuit
Senior wide receiver
Ashton Dulin was kept out of the endzone for the first time this season in the loss at Ohio Dominican, but still managed to make his presence felt with six catches for 95 yards, three carries for 16 yards, and two kick returns for 34 yards. The speedster continues to state his case for All-American consideration, ranking fourth in the country (second among receivers) in all-purpose yards per game (189.5). He is also tied for 5th in the country among DII receivers in total touchdowns (10). With a big day this Saturday, Dulin could set three Malone records that are inevitably his to break. Dulin needs just five receptions and 152 receiving yards to pass Derek Deardorff and 198 all-purpose yards to supplant Justin McLean as the all-time leader in Malone history.
Pioneers to Watch
Offense: The Malone rushing offense could have a big game against a Millersville defense that has allowed five of seven opponents to run for at least 180 yards, including Shippensburg, which ran for 258 yards and three touchdowns last week. Look for
Deandre Clayton and running backs
Keon Singleton,
Matt Blasiole, and
Xavier Garland to get a fair share of carries as Malone tries to control the line of scrimmage.
Defense: Sophomore defensive end
Arrington Dulin leads the team in tackles for loss (4.5) and sacks (2.5). He and fellow sophomore defensive end
Tyrek Smith, who made first career start last week, could be in store for multiple sack opportunities against a Millersville offensive line that has allowed more sacks than any team in the country. Defensive tackle
Albert Phillips could also spend plenty of time in the opponent backfield along with outside linebacker
Christian Mathews, who has 41 tackles over the last three weeks.
Millersville at a Glance
The Marauders are led by first-year head coach J.C. Morgan, who came to Millersville after three years as the offensive coordinator at Shippensburg. Millersville went winless during a difficult four-game-stretch to open the season, which included two games against ranked opponents. The Marauders won their next two before suffering a 37-0 loss to Shippensburg, a 2017 DII playoff team, last week.
Millersville, a member of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), is averaging just 11.1 points per game this season and has scored more than 17 points only once. The Marauders drop back to pass on 57.1% of their offensive snaps but have allowed an NCAA-worst 45 sacks and thrown 10 interceptions. The defense, however, has forced 18 turnovers this season, including 16 in the last four games, and ranks number one in the PSAC against the pass (178.1 ypg).
Marauders to Watch
Offense: Quarterback Collin Shank has thrown for 1,039 yards and three touchdowns this season. Wide receivers Chris Dolan (33 receptions for 422 yards) and Xavier Jenkins (21 receptions for 246 yards) are his favorite targets.
Defense: Outside linebacker Zac Button has 54 tackles, including a team-high 9.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, and two interceptions. Safety Trejon Dinkins leads the team with 69 tackles while All-Conference defensive end Tommy Halloway leads the team with three sacks.
By the Numbers
0 – Players on the Malone roster are from Pennsylvania, marking the first time since 2009 the Pioneers do not have a player from the Keystone State.
2 – Swans affectionately named (and renamed) Miller and S'Ville have populated the Millersville University pond just west of Biemesderfer Stadium since 1966.
3 – Players from Millersville have been selected in the NFL Draft, including Robb Riddick who scored 14 touchdowns for the Buffalo Bills in 1988.
6.43 – Sacks allowed per game by Millersville this season. No team in NCAA football (FBS, FCS, DII, DIII) over at least the past six years has allowed more than 5.5 sacks per game over the course of the season. The Marauders have given up a total of 70 tackles for loss on the year, losing a total of 382 yards - the most in the NCAA.
9 – Sacks by Malone this season, including at least one in all six games. In total, Malone has 24 team tackles for loss – the fifth-fewest in Division II.
Looking Ahead
The Pioneers return home next Saturday, October 27th, resuming G-MAC play against Alderson Broaddus in a 1:00 pm kickoff.
