DRAKE (0-1) AT ILLINOIS STATE (0-1)
Saturday, Sept. 10, 6:30 p.m. - Hancock Stadium, Normal, Ill.

RADIO: Saturday's football game at Illinois State will be broadcast on KRNT Radio (1350 AM) with Warren Swain calling the play by play.

GAME SIGNIFICANCE: The task doesn't get any easier for the Drake football team.

After opening its 112th season of intercollegiate football with a 52-17 setback at Northern Iowa Sept. 1, the Bulldogs face their second straight Gateway Football Conference opponent on the road.

This marks the first time since becoming a nonscholarship football program in 1986, that Drake has played two Gateway Conference schools in the same season.

Drake has played a fully-funded NCAA I-AA scholarship team from the Gateway Football Conference seven straight years. Drake played at Western Illinois in 1999 and 2002 and traveled to Southern Illinois in 2000, Southwest Missouri State in 2001 and 2004 and Illinois State in 2003. Drake did manage a 31-7 victory against Florida Atlantic, a fully-funded NCAA I-AA program, in 2001.

AMONG NCAA I-AA LEADERS: Drake ranks 19th in overall victories (523) among the 123 schools which play NCAA Division I-AA football. Only 22 schools have recorded 500 or more victories.

The game at Illinois State will be the 1,014th game in school history with Drake owning a record of 523-461-29 for a winning percentage of .532.

DRAKE IN NATIONAL RANKINGS: Despite its season opening loss at Northern Iowa, Drake only slipped from No. 1 in the preseason Sports Network NCAA I-AA Mid-Major to No. 4.

Dayton, following a 36-0 victory past Tiffin, moved into the No. 1 spot followed by Duquesne, while Central Connecticut moved into No. 3 following a 26-24 upset victory at Colgate. Dayton received 11 first-place votes, while Drake and Duquesne each received three first-place votes.

Monmouth, following a 54-26 loss at Lehigh, slipped from No. 2 to No. 5. San Diego was ranked No. 6 followed by Morehead State No. 7, Wagner No. 8, Robert Morris No. 9 and Albany No. 10.

The Bulldogs also are ranked No. 1 in the Football Gazette preseason I-AA Mid-Major poll. The Sports Network I-AA Mid-Major Top 10 poll includes the 22 programs of the MAAC, NEC, and Pioneer Leagues, which play at a non-scholarship or limited scholarship level.

In the Football Gazette poll, Morehead State was ranked No. 2, followed by Duquesne, Monmouth, Robert Morris, San Diego, Central Connecticut, Dayton, Albany (N.Y.) and LaSalle.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: For the third straight year, Illinois State played toe-to-toe with a Division I-A opponent, as it played even (15-15) with Iowa State for the first 44 minutes of its season opener in Ames last Saturday before dropping a 32-21 verdict.

The Redbirds lost at then No. 22 ranked Minnesota (37-21) in 2004 and fell at Illinois (49-22) in 2003.

Illinois State has 14 starters back from last year's squad which posted a 4-7 record, including a 2-5 mark in the Gateway Football Conference. The Redbirds were picked to finish seventh in the league's preseason poll.

The biggest hole to fill is at linebacker where Boomer Grigsby won an unprecedented third straight Gateway Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year award en route to claiming both the school and league career tackle marks with 580 stops.

Senior Ryan Hoffman ranked third in the final 2004 NCAA I-AA punting statistics with a 43.9 yard average.

Senior center Stafford Davis, one of three returning starters on the offensive line, has started 35 straight games including the last three years at offensive tackle.

Senior Brian Thompson, who transferred from Iowa State prior to 2004 preseason camp, was named to the 2004 All-Gateway Conference Newcomer Team after rushing for 866 yards in 10 games.

Sophomore Luke Drone completed 10 of 25 passes for 222 yards at Iowa State, including two touchdowns, in his debut as the starting quarterback for the Redbirds. Both of Drone's touchdowns (56, 80 yards) were to Laurent Robinson, who finished with a career-high 177 yards on six catches.

Sophomore cornerback Jesse Caesar returned a fumble 69 yards for a touchdown to give Illinois State an 8-2 lead at Iowa State with 12:51 left in the first quarter.

THE COACHES: Rob Ash, a 1973 graduate of Cornell (Iowa), is in his 17th year as Drake coach and is the school's winningest football coach with a 110-58-2 record (43-41-1 road/67-17-1 home).

Under Ash, Drake has enjoyed 12 winning seasons, including 11 years of at least seven wins. Ash, 52, has a 20-year overall collegiate coaching record of 161-94-5 (.634), ranking eighth among NCAA I-AA active football coaches in terms of victories. Ash posted a 51-36-3 mark at Juniata (Pa.) College from 1980-88.

Denver Johnson, a 1981 graduate of Tulsa, is in his sixth season as head coach at Illinois State owning a 25-32 record. He also served as head coach at Murray State from 1997-99 where he compiled a 21-12 mark.

ZENGER REMEMBERS ROOTS: Prior to becoming an athletic administrator, Illinois State athletic director Dr. Sheahon Zenger was an assistant football coach with his first college coaching job at Drake. Zenger served as wide receivers coach on the 1988 Drake team which posted a 7-3 record under then head coach Nick Quartaro.

Zenger also was an assistant coach at Kansas State (1989-92) South Florida (1996) and Wyoming (1997-99).

THE SERIES: Illinois State, having won the last four games, owns a 4-2 lead in the series. The schools met five straight years on the gridiron before Drake became a nonscholarship program in 1986. Drake won the inaugural meeting in Normal, 13-10, Nov. 14, 1981.

THE LAST MEETING: Illinois State 27, Drake 13 (Aug. 28, 2003, Normal, Ill.) Sha-Ron Edwards rushed for a career-high 152 yards, including two touchdowns, to power Illinois State in the 2003 season opener for both teams.

The game was actually closer than the final score indicated as Drake rolled up 308 yards total offense to 335 by Illinois State. Drake had six more total offensive plays, 70, than Illinois State. But the Bulldogs squandered a pair of scoring drives.

Senior Jonathan Taylor led the Drake ground attack with 50 yards in 24 carries, including a one-yard touchdown burst with 6:26 left in the first quarter that gave the Bulldogs a 6-0 lead.

Drakes defense thwarted Illinois States opening drive of the game when senior linebacker Matt Smith intercepted a pass at the 50 yardline on the games second play. But the Bulldogs were unable to capitalize, being forced to punt.

On their second possession, the Bulldogs marched to the Illinois State 18 yardline but had a 32-yard field goal attempt by kicker Tyler McGlade go awry when holder Ryan Horvath was unable to field the snap from center Robbie Larew.

The Bulldogs also marched inside the Redbirds 30 yardline on their first series of the second quarter but fell short on a fourth down and two opportunity at the Illinois State 29 yardline when a pass from Connor Jostes fell incomplete to freshman fullback Matt Goodwin.

Drake junior Jason Jones caught a game-high six passes accounting for 109 yards. His 66-yard reception down to the Illinois State three yardline set up Taylor's one-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

GROUP REMEMBERS FIRST ENCOUNTER: Drake junior strongside linebacker James Adams (Kansas City, Mo./Park Hill), junior receiver Shea Moroni (Glen Elyn, Ill.) and seniors Ryan Horvath and Connor Jostes (Iowa City High) will never forget the last game against Illinois State.

Horvath was named the Pioneer Football League special teams player of the week following his performance at Illinois State. He punted a career-high eight times for a 40.6 yard average against Illinois State. He helped the Bulldogs cause with two coffin corner kicks that landed on the Illinois State one and two yardline. He also had two punts of 50 yards or more, including a long punt of 53 yards which was the Week 1 PFL best.

Jostes, making his first college start, passed for a game-high 247 yards against the Redbirds, including a 17 yard fourth-quarter touchdown strike to Moroni who also was making his college debut. Moroni finished with four receptions for 40 yards.

Playing strong safety, Adams also was making his college debut and collected eight tackles, including five solo hits.

NORTHERN IOWA SPOILS DRAKE'S OPENER: After being forced to punt on its first possession of the game, Northern Iowa scored on its next eight straight possessions to spoil Drake's season opener, 52-17, before a crowd of 10,385 fans at the UNI-Dome Sept. 1.

It marked the first meeting between the schools since Drake claimed a 24-9 victory in Des Moines in 1985. The Bulldogs were ranked No. 1 in two preseason NCAA I-AA Mid-Major polls.

Northern Iowa, a fully-funded scholarship program which was ranked No. 12 in the Sports Network preseason I-AA poll, earned its seventh straight victory going back to last year.

Drake scored on its first possession of the game to grab a 7-0 lead with 11:14 left in the first quarter following a four-yard touchdown pass from Connor Jostes to sophomore tight end Daniel Marx (Maple Grove, Minn.). The scoring strike capped a six-play, 65-yard drive.

Jostes kept the march alive with an impromptu play on third down at the Drake 36 yardline. Lining up in shotgun formation, center Matt Huber (Mount Prospect, Ill.) snapped the ball 10 yards over Jostes who still managed to retrieve the ball, scramble and then rifle a 34-yard pass to Shea Moroni down to the Panthers' 30 yardline.

An eight-yard run by Scott Phaydavong (Des Moines East) coupled with an 11-yard deadball penalty by Northern Iowa moved Drake to the Panthers' 11 yardline. Phaydavong added a seven-yard burst to set up Jostes' touchdown pass.

Phaydavong rushed for a game high 69 yards in 16 carries despite playing just the first half and Drake's opening drive of the third quarter.

Drake could only muster a field goal on its longest time consuming drive of the game. Ryan Horvath kicked a 26-yard field goal to pull the Bulldogs within 14-10 with 13:05 left in the first half.

Drake drove from its own 30 yardline to the Panthers' four yardline before Jostes fumbled for a six yard loss back to the 10 yardline on a second down play.

Jostes, who played just three quarters, completed 11 of 20 passes for 118 yards. Moroni and Marx led Drake with three receptions apiece.

Sophomore Mike Bialas (Hoffman Estates, Ill.) rounded out Drake's scoring with a one-yard plunge with 1:06 remaining to cap a 12-play, 60-yard drive.

Junior linebacker James Adams led Drake with seven tackles, while junior linebacker Nick Ross (Atlantic) added 6.5 tackles.

JOSTES EXTENDS STREAK: Quarterback Connor Jostes has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 21 of the 23 games he has started in his career, including the last three games of the 2004 campaign.

PFL COACHES PICK DRAKE, MOREHEAD STATE: The Pioneer Football League's coaches have tabbed Drake and Morehead State to win their respective divisions in the PFL's preseason poll. Drake is picked first for the first time since divisional play began, while it is the fourth time in five seasons Morehead State has been chosen as the PFL South winner.

Drake, the 2004 PFL champion, received five of the nine possible first-place votes in the PFL North Division. Dayton and San Diego split the four remaining first-place votes and were picked second and third, respectively. Valparaiso and Butler were picked to finish in a fourth-place tie.

Morehead State, the three-time PFL South Division defending champion, received five first-place votes. Second-place Jacksonville picked up three first-place votes while Austin Peay, which was picked third, claimed one first-place vote. Davidson rounds out the four-team PFL South.

2005 CO-CAPTAINS: Senior quarterback Connor Jostes and junior linebacker Nick Ross have been named co-captains of the 2005 Drake football team.

Jostes, who has passed for 4,865 yards including 40 touchdowns during his career, will enter his third year as starting quarterback for the Bulldogs. He earned honorable mention All-Pioneer Football League North Division honors last year. He ranked second in the PFL in total offense with 2,265 yards (188.8 per game avg.).

Ross is a returning starter at weakside linebacker who earned All-Pioneer Football League North Division honorable mention honors last year. He led Drake with 94 tackles last year, including a team-high 57 solo hits. He ranked fourth in the PFL with 9.5 tackles for losses totaling 37 yards.

PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN: Drake sophomore running back Scott Phaydavong (Des Moines East) has been selected to The Sports Network 2005 Preseason 1-AA Mid-Major All-America football team.

Phaydavong is coming off a banner rookie campaign in 2004 when he was the only freshman named to The Sports Network 1-AA mid-Major All-America team. He also was the only nonscholarship player named to The Associated Press NCAA I-AA All-American team.

He ranked sixth in the final NCAA I-AA rushing statistics with a 128.3 yard average per game, while setting a Drake nonscholarship rushing record with 1,539 yards.

Phaydavong enjoyed eight 100-yard plus rushing games climaxed by gaining 178 yards in 20 carries, including an 82-yard touchdown run in Drake's 20-17 Pioneer Football League championship victory at Morehead State Nov. 20.

Phaydavong was named the 2004 Pioneer Football League North Division Offensive Co-Player of the Year with San Diego quarterback Todd Mortensen.

IOWA FLAVOR: The 2005 Drake roster includes 39 players from Iowa including 12 who will started at Northern Iowa: quarterback Connor Jostes (Iowa City High), halfback Scott Phaydavong (Des Moines East), flanker Tyler Putnam (Oakland/Riverside), offensive tackles Kevin McVey (Bettendorf) and Matt Haas (Iowa City West), defensive tackle Nick Pilling (Denison), middle linebacker Brian Conway (Waukee), weakside linebacker Nick Ross (Atlantic), cornerback Justin Colbert (Pleasant Hill/Southeast Polk), free safety Ryan Frehse (Denison), strong safety Andy Green (Atlantic) and cornerback Jace Denison (Tri County-Thornburg).

SIZING UP THE ROSTER: There are 105 players on the Drake football roster including just seven seniors, 16 juniors, 29 sophomores and 53 freshmen (15 redshirts). There are players from eight states: 39 from Iowa, 31 from Illinois, 13 from Missouri, eight from Kansas, six from Colorado, five from Minnesota, two from Nebraska and one from Florida.

The 67-man travel squad includes just one true freshman reserve center Quinn McVey (Bettendorf).

STARTERS BY CLASS: Just six seniors started for the Bulldogs in their season opener at Northern Iowa. Quarterback Connor Jostes was the lone senior to start for an offense which features seven sophomore starters (LG-Dave Pammer; OC-Matt Huber; RG-Anthony Swope; RT-Matt Haas; TE-Dan Marx; HB-Michael Bialas, HB-Scott Phaydavong) and three junior starters (SE-Shea Moroni; FL-Tyler Putnam; LT-Kevin McVey).

Defensively, Drake will start five seniors (DE-Pat Forliti; DT-Nick Pilling; NG-Chris Daniels; DE-Shawn Rodgers; CB-Jace Denison), four juniors (SLB-James Adams, MLB-Brian Conway, WLB-Nick Ross, FS-Ryan Frehse) and two freshmen (CB-Justin Colbert, SS-Andy Green).

LAOTIAN CONNECTION: Two of Drake's top student-athletes running back Scott Phaydavong and senior point guard Linda Sayavongchanh from the women's basketball team are from close-knit families of Laotian heritage.

Three decades ago, Kou Phaydavong, who is Scott's father, was serving as an officer in the Royal Lao Army. When the Communist government took control in the mid-1970's, he was sent to a concentration camp. After escaping, the Phaydavongs headed for America in 1978. Kou and his wife, Kham, didn't want their son Scott to play football until his junior season at East High School in Des Moines.

When Scott turned 18, he honored his parents by getting Chinese characters tattooed on his chest. Translated, the symbols stand for "Determination."

Linda Sayavongchanh was a first-team Class 4A all-state basketball player at Lincoln High School in Des Moines and has been a three-year starter for the Bulldogs, earning all-Missouri Valley Conference honors the last two years.

MY THREE SONS: Meet the brothers McVey from Bettendorf who are listed on Drake's two-deep depth chart. Kevin, the eldest who is a redshirt junior, made his starting debut at left offensive tackle against Northern Iowa. Redshirt sophomore Sean McVey is battling for the top backup spot at right offensive tackle with redshirt sophomore Brandon Jaeger (Minneapolis, Minn.). First-year freshman Quinn McVey is challenging with redshirt freshman Chris Frank (Urbandale) for the top backup at center.

WHAT'S IN STORE: Topping the 2004 record-breaking season will be a great challenge for a Drake football program clearly aimed at reloading rather than rebuilding.

Head coach Rob Ash welcomes back 45 returning letterwinners, including 15 starters, from last year's squad which posted a 10-2 record en route to winning the Pioneer Football League championship with a 20-17 victory at Morehead State.

Drake will face its most challenging nonconference schedule during Ash's tenure, opening the season with back-to-back road encounters at Gateway Conference schools Northern Iowa and Illinois State.

"I have always believed that the tougher schedule you play in the preseason the better you are going to be prepared for the conference season. That is what worked for us last year, " said Ash whose team nearly upset Southwest Missouri State from the Gateway Conference in the 2004 opener before falling, 31-26.

There's plenty of talent at the skill positions offensively led by senior quarterback Connor Jostes who is entering his third year as a starter and sophomore All-American running back Scott Phaydavong.

The running attack is loaded with depth. Sophomore Michael Bialas (Hoffman Estates, Ill.) rushed for 516 yards in 116 attempts (4.4 avg.), while leading the team with 12 touchdowns. Sophomore Poul Collins (Cedar Rapids Washington), who rushed for 137 yards in just 23 carries (6.0 avg.).

Junior fullback Matt Goodwin (Cambridge, Ill.) was the team's third leading rusher last year with 169 yards in 34 carries (5.0 avg.) despite missing four games. Willie Cashmore (Kansas City, Mo.), who started at fullback as a freshman in 2003 before being redshirted last year because of an injury, also returns at fullback.

Junior Tory Greiner (Williamsburg), a two-year letterwinner, and sophomore letterwinner Dan Marx (Maple Grove, Minn.), have big shoes to fill at tight end for the graduated James Mickley, who was a first-team All-PFL selection last year. Marx caught 13 passes for 192 yards (14.8 avg.) last year including four touchdowns. Freshman Blake Fuller (Cambridge) a transfer from the University of Iowa, also is expected to play tight end.

Junior Shea Moroni is the team's top returning receiver, snaring 28 receptions for 317 yards last year including one touchdown. Junior Tyler Putnam, another two-year letterwinner who has 37 career receptions, could blossom into the team's top game-breaking threat. Sophomore letterwinners Travis Hardgraves (Sioux City West) and Brandon Millard (Mason City) also should see increased playing time.

UNTESTED LINE: But how quick a young, unproven offensive line can develop will hold a key to the success. Graduation claimed four starters along the offensive line including a trio of three-year starters led by All-American guard Grant Knowles.

Sophomore Dave Pammer, who started at center last year, is the lone returning holdover but he switched to guard during the spring. Sophomore Matt Haas and junior Kevin McVey are the top candidates at the vacated offensive tackle spots. Junior Robbie Larew (Des Moines Roosevelt) also figures to be in the mix for playing time at tackle.

Sophomore Matt Huber (Mount Prospect, Ill.) will challenge for the starting center spot, while sophomores Anthony Swope (Chicago, Ill.) and Marco Povich (St. Louis, Mo.) will fight for the other starting guard position. Povich started at center in the last two games of 2003 , while Huber started in the 2004 season opener.

TRIO KEY DEFENSE: The nucleus returns from a defensive team which ranked seventh nationally in total defense, 11th in scoring defense and 12th in rushing defense in the final NCAA I-AA statistics.

A trio of honorable mention all-conference performers - cornerback Jace Denison, defensive end Pat Forliti (Lakeville, Minn.), linebacker Nick Ross - headline a defense that boasts eight returning starters.

Ross, a co-captain, led the team with 94 tackles last year, including 57 solo hits. Forliti, who had a team-high four quarterback sacks last year, keys the defensive line which returns senior starters Chris Daniels (Overland Park, Kan.) at nose guard and Shawn Rodgers (Leavenworth, Kan.) at defensive end. Daniels and Rodgers are in their third year as starters. Senior Nick Pilling, a three-year letterwinner, has the inside track at the vacated tackle spot.

The linebacker corps returns intact with junior Brian Conway at middle linebacker and James Adams (Kansas City, Mo.), who emerged midway through last season at strongside linebacker. Adams ranked second on the team with 83 tackles last year, including a team-high 10 tackles for losses which also ranked third in the PFL. Conway, a transfer from Waldorf, made an immediate impact last year, ranking third on the team with 72 tackles.

Denison and free safety Ryan Frehse, who shared the team lead last year with three interceptions, are in their third years as starters in the secondary. Sophomore Tyler Marley (Kansas City, Mo.), who started the last seven games at right cornerback, also returns. Junior letterwinner Phillip Williams (St. Louis, Mo.) is a top candidate to start at strong safety along with redshirt freshman Andy Green.

DOUBLE DUTY FOR HORVATH: Senior punter Ryan Horvath (Overland Park, Kan.) is in his fourth year as Drake's regular punter. And for the second time in three years Horvath is expected to see action as place kicker.

A three-time first-team All Pioneer Football League North division selection as a punter, Horvath made eight field goals and 24 of 27 point after conversion kicks in 2003.

Horvath set a school single-season record for punting yardage (2,555) in 2003 and punting average season (41.0) in 2002, while tying the mark for punts in a season (63). He needs 40 punts to become just the second player in Drake history to punt 200 times in a career, joining Fred Dunn who had 237 punts from 1966-69. He owns a 40.4 career punting yard average with 18 punts over 50 yards including a 72-yard punt against Valparaiso last year which was the longest punt during Drake's nonscholarship era.

ABOUT THE PFL: The 2005 season marks the 13th year for the Pioneer Football League. Four members Austin Peay State, Davidson, Jacksonville, and Morehead State joined the league in 2001 with two divisions being formed, charter members forming the North Division and the newest members becoming the South Division.

SEASON OPENERS: The Bulldogs sport a 66-40-6 record (.628) in season openers, having lost its last five openers which were played on the road at scholarship opponents: Truman State, 40-29, 2001; Western Illinois, 64-7, 2002; at Illinois State, 27-13, 2003; 31-26 at Missouri State, 2004; at Northern Iowa Sept. 1, 2005.

Drake owns an 8-7-2 record (3-6-1 road/5-1-1 home) in season openers during Rob Ash's 17-year coaching tenure at the school. Drake has lost its last four season openers which were