Football vs. Centre (Ky.) -- Week 2 Game Notes
DEFIANCE, OHIO - The Defiance College Yellow Jackets host Centre (Ky.) College this Saturday, Sept. 13 at Justin F. Coressel Stadium at 1:30 p.m.
DEFIANCE, OHIO - The Defiance College Yellow Jackets host Centre (Ky.) College this Saturday, Sept. 13 at Justin F. Coressel Stadium at 1:30 p.m.
The Yellow Jackets will look to build upon a 3-7 overall record in 2014. Defiance returns 28 letterwinners, including 14 starters this fall. DC ended last season as one of the top offenses in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference finishing third in total offense averaging 347.5 yards per game. Defiance also had one of the better ground attacks with 152.4 yards per game placing them third in the conference. DC will also be strong defensively following a season that saw the Jackets ranked nationally in several categories including: total defense (seventh) allowing an average of just 257.4 total yards of offense per game, rushing defense (sixth) giving up just 74.1 yards per game, tackles for loss (14th) with 89 and interceptions (T-15th) with 18.
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LIVE STATS: http://www.defianceathletics.com/football/livestats/
COMPLETE GAME NOTES IN PDF FORMAT: [CLICK HERE]
COACHES SHOW WEEK TWO PREVIEW VS. CENTRE (Ky.): [CLICK HERE]
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Series History
Saturday's meeting will be just the second all-time meeting between the two schools. Defiance won the first meeting to take a 1-0 lead in the series standings.
Burrell Approaching 1,000 Yards Rushing
Senior running back Trevon Burrell (Auburn Hills, Mich./Avondale) rushed for 29 yards last week bringing his career total to 820 career rushing yards. He now needs 180 yards to reach the 1,000-yard plateau.
Proulx Makes Impressive Collegiate Debut
Freshman safety Angello Proulx (Warren, Mich./Mott) made an impressive collegiate debut last week recording a game-high 11 tackles (five solo and six assists) in addition to a half tackle for loss and had an interception.
Yellow Jackets Picked to Finish Tied for Fourth in HCAC
The Yellow Jackets were picked to finish in a tie for fourth in the 2014 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Football Preseason Coaches Poll. Defiance returns three All-Conference players in junior Andrew Feldhaus (Lutz, Fla./Steinbrenner), senior Jamario Belton (Tampa, Fla./Spoto) and senior Eric Strickland (West Palm Beach, Fla./Seminole Ridge).
Scouting the Yellow Jackets
The offense will be led by senior quarterback Garrett Teague (Webberville, Mich./Webberville). Teague moves back to the QB position to fill in for injured player Alex Larson (Highland, Mich./Milford). Teague started out the year at tight end, but played at the QB the previous three seasons. Last year, Teague missed the entire season due to injury, but as a sophomore in 2012, Teague completed 119-of-234 passes for 1,467 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also rushed for 450 yards on 150 carries and had three scores.
The Yellow Jacket backfield led by senior Trevon Burrell (Auburn Hills, Mich./Avondale). Burrell rushed for 29 yards on six carries last week in the season opener against Adrian. He is averaging 4.8 yards per carry. Also look for sophomore Cody Wilson (McComb) to see time at running back. To date, Wilson has carried the ball three times for nine yards and has caught two passes for 34 yards.
At the wideout position, look for sophomores Darius Harper (Jacksonville, Fla./Robert E. Lee), Dante Smith (Villa Rica, Ga./Villa Rica) and junior Daniel Collins (West Springfield, Va./West Springfield) to start. Harper currently leads the team in receptions (seven) and yards (70). Smith is second in catches with four for 20 yards and Daniel Collins will line up at the slot receiver spot and has caught one pass so far this season for four yards. Also, sophomore Tom Woehnker will provide a target at the tight end position. After one game, Woehnker is still looking for his first catch of the season.
On defense, Defiance is currently allowing 345.0 yards per game, but has accounted for four takeaways already this season with a pair of interceptions and fumbles. The defensive line will be led by All-HCAC senior Jamario Belton (Tampa, Fla./Spoto). Belton had a strong season-opener last week tallying six tackles (four solo and two assists) to go along with 2.5 tackles for loss to lead the team in that category
The linebackers will start All-HCAC senior Eric Strickland (West Palm Beach, Fla./Seminole Ridge) and sophomore Keandre Gilmer (Toledo/Rogers). Strickland is third on the team in tackles with seven (one solo and six assists), including a tackle for loss and a team-tying best two pass breakups. Gilmer is tied for fifth in stops with four (three solo and one assist) and has two forced fumbles.
The Jacket secondary is led by first-team All-HCAC award winner junior Andrew Feldhaus (Lutz, Fla./Steinbrenner). Feldhaus had one tackle last week in the season opener, but is tied for the team-lead in pass breakups with two. In addition to Feldhaus, senior Josh Slayton (Fort Wayne, Ind./North Side) and sophomore Kenny Jones (Toledo/Bowsher) will start at the safety positions. Slayton has made three tackles (two solo and one assist) so far this season and has one interceptoin and two fumble recoveries. Jones has been credited with a pass breakup so far this season. Also in the secondary, look for freshmen Angello Proulx (Warren, Mich./Mott) and Laron Brewster (Delray Beach, Fla./Athlantic) to start at the corners. Proulx leads the team in tackles with 11 (six solo and five assists) in addition to a half tackle for loss and an interception. Brewster has tallied three tackles (all solo) coming into Saturday's game.
Scouting the Colonels
Centre returns a total of 16 starters in 2014 with eight on defense, six on offense and two on special teams. The Colonels also bring back nine All-Conference award winners.
Coming into this week, the Colonel offense is averaging an impressive 494 yards per game and is led by senior quarterback Heath Haden. Haden has completed 13-of-22 passes for 156 yards and two TD. He has also rushed for 51 yards on 11 carries.
The running backs will be led by sophomore Nolan Coulter who rushed for 165 yards in last week's season-opening win against Hanover in which the Colonel ground game totaled 338 yards on the ground. Joining Coulter will be fellow sophomore Amoh Kumengisa who also posted over 100 yards rushing last week with 113 yards on 18 carries (6.3 yards per rush) with two TD.
At the wideout position, look for sophomore Max Mazza and juniors Jake Johnson and Blake Martin to start. Mazza leads the Centre receivers with four catches for 71 yards (17.8 yards per catch).
On defense, Centre features a 4-3 scheme and will start four seniors on the defensive line in Devon Freeman, Tami Aderoba, Rue Hockensmith and Paul Megilligan. Freeman leads all lineman in tackles with six (five solo and one assist), including five tackles for loss and two sacks.
The linebackers will feature three upper-classmen led by senior Nate Letton who is part of a five-way tie for third on the team in tackles with six (three solo and three assists).
At the secondary positions, expect juniors Sam Spees, Alex Mattingly to start at the safety spots and senior Selwyn Mallah and junior Taylor Peoples to start at the corners. Spees leads all players in tackles with 13, including a tackle for loss.