PDF Game Notes

The Malone University football team will make a cross-state trip this Saturday, November 3rd to take on the University of Findlay in a Great Midwest Athletic Conference contest. The Pioneers enter the matchup with a 2-6 overall record and a 1-5 mark in the G-MAC. Findlay comes into the game at 6-3 on the year and 4-2 in conference. Kickoff is set for 1:00 pm.

Media Information
Live Video: portal.stretchinternet.com/malone
Live (Malone) Radio: ESPN 990 AM | espn990.com
Live Stats: athletics.findlay.edu/sports/fball/2018-19/boxscores/20181103_36lh.xml
Twitter: @Malone_Football | @maloneathletics

Gameday Storylines
Pioneer Offense Puts Up Historic Numbers
In the 60-55 loss to Alderson Broaddus last week, the Pioneer offense put up prolific numbers, including 677 total yards (second-most in program history) and a school record 483 yards passing. By halftime, Malone had 48 points (tied for the most-ever in the first half) and 494 yards of total offense. Five minutes into the third quarter, the Pioneers extended their lead to 55-41, but were held scoreless for the remaining 25 minutes. AB, meanwhile, scored 19 unanswered points to earn the shootout win. The 115 combined points were the most-ever in both Malone history and G-MAC history. While the 60 points allowed were the second-highest in team history, the 55 points scored were the 10th-most and tied for the second-most in the DII era.
 
Malone Travels to Findlay on Saturday
The Pioneers did not score at all in last season's 49-0 home loss against Findlay as the Oilers, a 2017 NCAA DII playoff team, racked up 578 yards, including 331 yards rushing. Findlay held Malone to just 104 yards, five first downs, and one play longer than 11 yards. Malone travels to Findlay this Saturday looking to avenge last season's shutout with a vastly improved offense. The Malone offense, which is scoring nearly twice as many points as it did last season, averaged 9.8 yards per play and totaled 26 first downs last week. The Pioneers might need to generate those kind of numbers again this week if they want to earn their first-ever win over the Oilers. Malone has never beaten Findlay in seven all-time meetings and has scored 20 points just once in the series.
 
Blasiole Back to Old Form
Redshirt senior tailback Matt Blasiole ran for a game-high 74 yards when the Pioneers last traveled to Findlay three seasons ago. He needed just one carry to cover that, and more, last week when he broke away for a school record 86-yard run on the game's first play from scrimmage, looking like he did circa 2015. Blasiole ran for a season-high 153 yards and scored two touchdowns. In the process, he became just the fourth back in Malone history to eclipse 2,500 career rushing yards and the third with 25 rushing touchdowns. Now with 27 total touchdowns in his career, he is in sole possession of fifth all-time at Malone.
 
Clayton and Hobbs Have Huge Days
While Blasiole set the school record for longest rush, quarterback Deandre Clayton and slot receiver Dakota Hobbs were making their own marks on the Malone record books. Clayton completed 28-of-36 passes en route to a school record 483 passing yards, 19 more than the previous mark of 464 set by Billy Bob Orsagh against Walsh in 2007. He added eight yards rushing to set the single-game record for total offense with 491 yards. Clayton's five touchdown passes, all in the first half, set the Malone record for the most in a single half and were one shy of a tying a single-game mark. Clayton also scored on a 1-yard touchdown run in the second half. His 483 yards passing were the 7th-most by a DII quarterback this season and two shy of a tying G-MAC record.
 
Dakota Hobbs was only four yards shy of tying a Malone single-game receiving record, finishing with 231 yards on eight catches. He scored three first-half touchdowns to tie a school record and he became the 10th Malone receiver to score three touchdowns in a game (A.J. Owen is the only one to score four, doing so against Ohio Dominican in 2004). Hobbs' 231 yards were the 7th-most in Division II this season and the 2nd-most in the G-MAC.
 
Dulin Becomes All-Time Leading Receiver
Senior wide receiver Ashton Dulin, who already owns the single-game receiving record, and is the Pioneers' all-time receptions leader, became the all-time leader at Malone in both career receiving yards and all-purpose yards in the loss to Alderson Broaddus last Saturday. Dulin caught a season-high 11 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns, upping his league-leading touchdown total to 14 on the season. Dulin added 171 yards on kick returns and runs, surpassing 5,000 all-purpose yards his career. His 335 total yards last week were the 4th-most in Malone single-game history and the 6th-most in DII this season (most by a wide receiver). At 196.5 all-purpose yards per game, Dulin ranks 2nd in DII behind only Notre Dame (OH) back Jaleel McLaughlin (202.6 ypg). No receiver in NCAA football, regardless of Division, is averaging more all-purpose yards than Dulin.
 
Pioneers to Watch
Offense: Along with Matt Blasiole (4 receptions), Dakota Hobbs (8), and Ashton Dulin (11), Markell Stephens-Peppers (5) was the only other player to catch a pass last Saturday. The four combined to average 17.3 yards per reception. They could all be in store for another big receiving day against a Findlay defense that allows 13.1 yards per completion, the third-highest rate in the G-MAC.
 
Defense: Facing one of the best rushing offenses in the country, the play of the linebackers will be vital this week. Look for Mahlon Slaughter, Dawalyn Washington, and Lamon Mathison to be in the mix to make key stops on Saturday. Last season against the Oilers, the Pioneer linebacking corps combined for 41 tackles.
 
Findlay at a Glance
The Oilers, led by eighth-year head coach Rob Keys, are coming off of a 24-16 win over Walsh last week in which they piled up 501 total yards and 308 yards rushing. Findlay enters the week atop of the G-MAC and in the top-20 in Division II in total offense (472.9 ypg), rushing (238.7 ypg), and scoring (39.1 ppg). Findlay is one of the most efficient teams in the country in terms of moving the sticks and gaining positive yardage, ranking third in DII in first downs and second in fewest tackles for loss allowed. The defense, meanwhile, is second in the country with 12 recovered fumbles.
 
Oilers to Watch
Offense: Running back Brian Benson, the G-MAC's number two rusher (92.8 ypg, 12 TD), carried the ball 40 times for 233 yards and three touchdowns last week vs. Walsh. Junior tailback Richard Wilson has 517 yards and nine touchdowns on the season. When Findlay does pass, All-American receiver Jason Moore, who has 14 catches for 278 yards over the past two weeks, is the go-to target.
 
Defense: While the Findlay offense has allowed the fewest sacks (7) of any team in the G-MAC, the defense has a league-leading 26 sacks. Defensive linemen Cyle Skidmore and Kyle Gibson share the team lead with 6.5 sacks each. 5'8" All-Conference cornerback Chiebuka Chukwuneke, who is second on the team in tackles (50), will likely draw the unenviable task of matching up with Ashton Dulin on the outside.
 
By the Numbers
0-7 – Malone's all-time record vs. Findlay. The seven losses are the most against any team in which the Pioneers have never defeated.
25 – All-Conference selections awarded to Findlay last fall, the most of any team in the G-MAC. Of those 25, only six graduated and 15 are listed in this week's 2-deep.
44 – The most points Malone had ever scored in a loss (against Northwestern (MN) in the 2008 Victory Bowl) before putting up 55 last week.
158.3 – Deandre Clayton's NFL passer rating last week - a "perfect" passer rating. Although a perfect rating has been accomplished 71 times in NFL history, no player has ever achieved the feat over as many attempts (36) as Clayton.
3,289 – Career all-purpose yards by Matt Blasiole, who climbed into 5th all-time at Malone with his performance last week.
 
Looking Ahead
Malone closes out the 2018 season next Saturday, November 10th against Walsh. Malone will be the home team at Tom Benson Stadium and kickoff is set for 1:00 pm