GAME SIGNIFICANCE: Drake, coming off a 28-14 victory at Missouri S&T,  continues a three-game road trip with its sternest test of the season, traveling to No. 22 ranked Montana State.
   
Washington State rallied from a 22-7 fourth quarter deficit behind three interceptions off deflected passes, to earn a 23-22 home victory against Montana State last Saturday by making an 18-yard field goal with 2:13 left.
   
The Bulldogs also will travel to Valparaiso in their Pioneer Football League opener Sept. 25. Under head coach Chris Creighton, Drake owns a 4-3 record in nonconference games, including a 1-2 mark on the road.

RADIO: Saturday's game at Montana State will be broadcast on KRNT Radio (1350 AM) with Scott Pierce handling the play by play. Fans can also listen to the game at www.GoDrakeBulldogs.com

ANOTHER STATE TO VISIT: The upcoming trip to Montana will mark the 32nd state the Drake football team has played a game in during its 117 year history. The Bulldogs have played games in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin.

REUNION:  Saturday's trip will be the first by a Drake football team in the state of Montana and it will feature a matchup against Drake's all-time winningest coach Rob Ash who moved to Montana State in 2007

Ash, a 1973 graduate of Cornell (Iowa), is in his fourth year as head coach of Montana State, owning a 21-14 mark. He joins Herb Agocs as Montana State's only coaches to begin their Bobcat careers with three straight winning seasons (6-5, 2007; 7-5, 2008; 7-4, 2009)
   
Ash ranks 20th overall among the winningest active college football coaches with 197 victories. Ash owns an overall collegiate coaching record of 197-113-5 including a 125-63-2 mark at Drake from 1989-2006 and a 51-36-3 record at Juniata (Pa.) from 1980-88.
   
Ash led the Bulldogs to three outright Pioneer Football League titles (1995, 1998, 2004), along with a share of the 2000 crown.
   
AMONG NCAA  LEADERS: Drake ranks 20th in overall victories (557) among the 123 schools which play in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
   
The game at Montana State will be the 1,068th game in school history with Drake owning a record of 557-480-29 for a winning percentage of .537.

PRESEASON PFL POLL: Drake was picked to finish fourth in the Pioneer Football League preseason coaches' poll, receiving 54 points.
   
Ten-time Pioneer Football League champion Dayton was the favorite in the league's preseason coaches' poll, receiving four of 10 possible first-place votes. Dayton received 76 points while defending league champion Butler was picked second, receiving two first-place votes, with 69 points. Jacksonville received the four remaining first-place votes and finished third in the preseason poll with 68 points.
   
San Diego, receiving 52 points, was tabbed fifth, followed by, Marist (45), Davidson (30), Campbell (25), Morehead State (22) and Valparaiso (nine).The 2010 PFL slate starts Saturday when Davidson travels to Campbell and Morehead State travels to Dayton.   

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT:  Montana State has 16 returning starters from last year's team which posted a 7-4 record including a 5-4 fourth-place finish in the Big Sky Conference.
   
The veterans are headed by preseason All-Americans Dan Ogden at defensive tackle and Mike Person at offensive tackle. Both earned first-team all-league honors last year and were named to FCS Senior Scout Bowl preseason All-America second team and the Sports Network preseason All-America third team.
   
Person is one of four returning starters on the offensive line. The Bobcats rolled up 407 yards total offense at Washington State. Freshman redshirt quarterback Denarius McGhee completed 24 of 37 passes for 266 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown strike to Elvia Akpla and a 47-yard scoring pass to Julius Lloyd.  Orenzo Davis highlighted the Bobcats' ground game producing 67 yards on 10 carries.
   
Junior Jason Cunningham, who made 14 field goals in 2009, added field goals from 31 and 29 yards against Washington State.
   
Behind Ogden, Montana State has led the Big Sky Conference in total defense  in 2008 and 2009.
   
The linebacker trio of Clay Bignell, Alexi Grosulak and Jody Owens combined for 24 tackles, two sacks, five tackles for loss and one interception at Washington State.

CAN YOU TOP THIS?: Montana State is the nation's only football program to win national championships at three different levels of competition, claiming the NAIA title in 1956, the NCAA Division II crown in 1976 and the NCAA I-AA championship in 1984.

FAMILIAR FACES: Three former Drake football players are on the coaching staff of Rob Ash along with a former Drake assistant coach.  Noah Joseph, Jamie Marshall and Dale Ploessl, who played under Ash at Drake, are assistant coaches for the Bobcats.
   
Ploessl, who is the running game coordinator and tight ends coach at Montana State, was a three-year starting defensive lineman at Drake, receiving his business degree from Drake in 1992. He was a graduate assistant for the Bulldogs working with the running backs from 1993-1995. He was offensive line coach from 1996-99, serving as offensive coordinator in 1998 and 1999. He returned for a second stint on the Drake coaching staff in 2004 as offensive line coach before joining Ash at Montana State.
   
Marshall, who is the defensive coordinator for Montana State, was a three-year letterwinner in the secondary at Drake from 1996-98. He earned second team All-PFL honors in 1997 and 1998 and finished his career with eight interceptions. Marshall was on the Drake staff from 2000 until moving with Ash to Montana State in 2007. He  spent his last four years with the Bulldogs, serving as defensive coordinator.
   
Joseph is the secondary coach at Montana State.  He earned Academic All-Pioneer Football League honors and was captain of the Drake football team as a senior in 1998. Joseph, who was on the 2000 Drake coaching staff, holds the Bulldog school record for longest interception return of 100 yards at Wayne (Neb.) State in 1997.
   
Montana State defensive line coach Bo Peck coached the Drake defensive line and kickoff team in 2002 and 2003. He earned a master's degree in adult education and leadership policies from Drake in 2005.

THE SERIES: Drake won the lone previous encounter against Montana State, 56-0, in the Bulldogs' 1940 season opener, under then head coach Vee Green, played at Drake Stadium.

BIG SKY PRESEASON POLLS: Montana State was picked to finish third in both the Big Sky Conference preseason coaches and media polls. Montana which finished runner-up in 2010 Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, was picked to defend its league title in both polls.

DRAKE VS. BIG SKY CONFERENCE: This will mark the first time since Sept. 11, 1982 that Drake has faced a team from the Big Sky Conference when the Bulldogs suffered a 41-21 home loss to Idaho State. The Bulldogs own an 11-4 record against schools from the Big Sky Conference: Idaho State: 3-4; Montana State: 1-0; Northern Arizona: 4-0; Northern Colorado: 2-0; Weber State: 1-0.

REUNITED: Drake fifth-year seniors Andrew Asbell (Machesney Park, Ill.),  Ben Morrison (Long Grove, Ill.), Lucas Mosier (Griswold, Iowa), Steve Platek (Arlington Heights, Ill.), Dain Taylor (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) and Josh Walkup (Littleton, Colo.) were members of Rob Ash's last recruiting class at Drake and played under Ash during his last season in 2006.

FREQUENT FLYERS: The Drake football team will travel an estimated 9,682 miles this fall including trips to Montana and back-to-back conference games on the east coast at Jacksonville Oct.  9 and Campbell (N.C.) Oct. 16 as well as trips to Valparaiso, Ind.; Dayton, Ohio;and Rolla, Mo.

The Pioneer Football League is the only NCAA conference which has member schools on both the west coast (San Diego) and east coast (Campbell, Davidson, Jacksonville)

SPECIAL TEAMS: Junior nose guard David Witkiewicz (Hales Corner, Wis.) blocked his second career field goal in Drake's season opener against Lehigh. He blocked a 43-yard field goal attempt by Jake Peery in the second quarter.  Witkiewicz also preserved a 20-17 home victory against Davidson in 2008 by blocking a field goal on last play of game.
   
Senior Billy Janssen (Round Lake, Ill.) averaged 43.0 yards punting in six kicks in the opener against Lehigh including punts of 48 and 57 yards.  Fifth-year senior kicker Mitch Rasmussen (Long Grove, Ill.) began his collegiate career at the University of Montana in 2006 before transferring to Drake.

TEAM LEADERS: After two games, sophomore Michael Piatkowski (Wheaton, Ill.) has completed 35 of 59 passes (.593) for 379 yards, including four touchdowns while having a passing efficiency rating of 132.3 which ranks 34th nationally. Sophomore Joey Orlando (Park Ridge, Ill.) has caught nine passes for 123 yards (13.7 avg.), while Drew Blackmon  (Florissant, Mo.) has seven receptions for 73 yards (10.4 avg.) Senior Tom Kostek (West Des Moines, Iowa) leads the team with 80 yards rushing in 26 carries (3.1) average, including one touchdown. Senior Pat Cashmore (Kansas City, Mo.) has 53 yards on the ground in 13 carries (4.1 avg.).
   
Fifth-year senior linebacker Ben Morrison paces the defense with 17 tackles, including nine solo hits. Junior cornerback Mike Lahart (Chariton, Iowa) has 13 tackles, including nine solos while leading the team with five pass break ups. Junior safety Nick Chenier (Hinsdale, Ill.) and junior linebacker Tyler Moorehead (Mason City, Iowa) have 12 tackles apiece.

PIATKOWSKI FUELS FIRST WIN: Michael Piatkowski threw three touchdown passes, while Drake's defense held Missouri S&T to just seven yards rushing en route to a 28-14 victory last Saturday night.
   
Two-time All-Pioneer Football League first team performer Steve Platek (Arlington Heights, Ill.) scored on a two-yard touchdown run and caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Piatkowski.
   
But it was a special teams' play by Platek that sparked the second half fireworks allowing Drake to build on a 14-11 halftime lead. As the up-back with Drake in punting formation facing a fourth down and seven-yard situation on its own 35 yardline, Platek surprised Missouri S&T's defense by completing a 19-yard pass to Tyler Moorehead for a first down.
   
Six plays later Piatkowski found Platek open in the left corner of the endzone for a 10-yard touchdown pass to push Drake's lead to 21-11 with 9:05 left in the third quarter.
   
Senior Pat Cashmore ignited Drake's fourth touchdown drive, rushing for 17 yards in three carries before being rewarded by catching a 33-yard screen pass from Piatkowski for a touchdown to give the Bulldogs a 28-11 advantage with 1:44 in the third quarter.
   
Piatkowski completed 15 of 25 passes for 231 yards with sophomore Joey Orlando catching a team-high six passes for 92 yards.
   
Drake scored touchdowns on its first two possessions to race to a 14-0 lead but the Miners parlayed two turnovers by the Bulldogs in the second quarter to pull within 14-11.
   
Facing a fourth down and one yard situation at the Miner 42 yardline, the Bulldogs stunned Missouri S&T when Piatkowski rolled out and spotted tight end Kevin Marshall (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) wide open for a 42-yard touchdown pass with 10:46 left in the first quarter.
   
Drake took advantage of a mishandled snap from center that sailed over punter Will Morrison's head on the Miners' next possession.
   
The Bulldogs took over at the Missouri S&T six yardline and needed just two plays to push their lead to 14-0 following a two-yard plunge by Platek with 7:15 remaining.

CAMPBELL PACES DEFENSE  Junior free safety Akeem Campbell (Hazel Crest, Ill.), making just his third career start, led Drake with eight tackles, including seven solo hits at Missouri S&T. He collected his first career interception to stop a drive in the second quarter.
   
Junior strong safety Nick Chenier and cornerback Mike Lahart had six tackles apiece. Senior all-American end Dain Taylor had two quarterback sacks totaling 15 yards in losses.

TALE OF TWO HALVES: It was a tale of two halves for Drake in its season opener against Lehigh Sept. 4.
   
Senior Jay Campbell rushed for three touchdowns as Lehigh jumped to a 21-0 lead before holding off Drake, 28-14. Drake could muster only 37 yards total offense in the first half, while accumulating just three first downs.
   
But the Bulldogs woke up in the third quarter, more than doubling their total offense output of the first half by accumulating 77 yards.
   
Aided by two pass interference calls, Drake marched 88 yards in 11 plays capped off by a seven-yard touchdown run from senior Tom Kostek to get on the scoreboard with 4:45 left in the third quarter.
   
Drake pulled within 21-14 when junior quarterback Mike Piatkowski  rifled a 12-yard scoring pass to junior Drew Blackmon in the left corner of the endzone with 7:44 left in the contest.
   
The Bulldogs had a chance to tie the score on the ensuing kickoff when a pouch kick landed between two Lehigh players, allowing Drake's Nick Chenier to recover the free pigskin at the Lehigh 22 yardline.
   
But Lehigh's defense rose to the occasion, stopping Drake on four straight plays. Campbell then broke free on Lehigh's next possession for a 28-yard touchdown scamper to push the lead to 28-14 with 4:10 remaining in the game
   
Piatkowski completed 20 of 34 passes for 148 yards. Blackmon caught a career-high five passes for 40 yards. Kostek rushed for 43 yards in 12 carries.
   
Drake marched to the Lehigh 15 yardline on its last possession of the first half but had a 32-yard field goal attempt from Billy Janssen go wide left.

MORRISON KEYS DEFENSE: After yielding 277 yards total offense in the first half, Drake's defense held Lehigh in check in the second half, allowing just 143 yards in 32 plays.
   
Fifth-year senior linebacker Ben Morrison paced Drake's defense against Lehigh with a game-high 11 tackles, including seven solo hits. Sophomore free safety Michael Ratelle (Edina, Minn.), making his first collegiate start, added seven tackles, including six solo hits. Junior cornerback Michael Lahart also had seven tackles for Drake.

DRAKE SQUAD BREAKDOWN: Drake's 98-man roster includes seven fifth-year seniors, 11 seniors, 19 juniors, 20 sophomores and 41 freshmen. There are players from 15 states, with Illinois leading the way with 44, followed by Iowa 16, Missouri and Texas six, Wisconsin five, Colorado and Kansas four, California 3,and one apiece from Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska and Ohio.

HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: Drake has accumulated a home record of 67-17-1 at Drake Stadium dating back to 1994.
 
THE CREIGHTON ERA: Under the guidance of third-year coach Chris Creighton, Drake has won 14 of its last 18 games, while moving toward the upper echelon of the Pioneer Football League.
   
Drake posted an 8-3 mark in 2009, including a 6-2 second-place finish. Only a last-second field goal in the season finale by eventual league champion Butler (20-17) prevented Drake from earning a share of the Pioneer Football League title.
   
Creighton was named the 25th head football coach at Drake University on Dec. 22, 2007. In his first year at Drake, Creighton guided the Bulldogs to a 6-5 record in 2008 with the team winning four of its last five games.
   
Prior to his arrival at Drake, Creighton ranked fourth among all active NCAA Division III football coaches in career winning percentage. He served as head coach at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind., from 2001-2007 where he constructed a 63-15 record with teams winning four North Coast Athletic Conference championships, while competing in three NCAA Division III playoffs.
   
Creighton, 41, owns an overall record of 110-33 (.776 winning percentage) in 12 years as a college head coach including a 32-9 mark as head coach at Ottawa (Kan.) University from 1997-2000.
   
During his last three years at Wabash, Creighton led the Little Giants to a 30-5 record, including three straight league championships and appearances in the 2005 and 2007 NCAA Division III playoffs.
   
Wabash posted an 11-2 record in 2007, competing in the NCAA Division III playoffs while being ranked No. 8 in the final NCAA Division III coaches poll. Wabash was 12-1 in 2002 and 11-1 in 2005, capping both seasons with appearances in the playoffs.
   
As offensive coordinator at Wabash, Creighton's teams averaged 35 points per game with the multiple offense producing the school's all-time leading rusher and passer. Three starting quarterbacks received All-American honors.
   
Under Creighton, Wabash won conference championships in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007. He coached 83 all-conference players, including seven who earned conference player of the year honors, along with 13 All-Americans.
   
He was named the North Coast Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2002, 2005 and 2007, as well as the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1997.
   
The Seattle, Wash., native produced one of the greatest single season turnarounds in NAIA history during his first year at Ottawa in 1997. He inherited a team that posted a 1-8 record the previous season, then finished 9-2 en route to capturing its first Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference title since 1972. He also led Ottawa to a league championship in 2000, along with appearances in the NAIA playoffs in 1997 and 2000. Creighton was offensive coordinator at Concordia (Ill.) from 1991-92 and Manchester (Ind.) from 1993-96 before becoming head coach at Ottawa.
   
As an All-American quarterback, Creighton led Kenyon (Ohio) College to its only North Coast Athletic Conference title in 1989. He was named the league's player of the year after setting single-season conference records for passing yardage (2,843) and touchdowns (29). He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kenyon in 1991 and a master's degree from Concordia (Ill.) University in 1993.

CREIGHTON RANKS AMONG NATION'S BEST: Chris Creighton ranks 36th among the winningest active college football coaches at all levels with a .784 winning percentage, owning a 110-32 career mark in 14 years.

CO-CAPTAINS: Senior defensive tackle Andrew Asbell, senior linebacker Ben Morrison, senior fullback Steve Platek and senior defensive end Dain Taylor have been selected as captains for the Drake football team. Platek, a two-time first-team All-Pioneer Football League selection, was named a captain for the second straight year. He was the most valuable player for the Bulldogs last fall after leading Drake with a team-high nine touchdowns. He caught a team-best 49 passes for 553 yards, including three touchdowns. He also rushed 30 times for 147 yards, including a team-high six touchdowns.
   
Taylor also earned first-team all-league honors last year after collecting  48 tackles, including 29 solos. He led Drake with 19.5 tackles for losses totaling 90 yards, while recording a team-high 10.5 quarterback sacks for 73 yards in losses.
   
Morrison earned honorable mention All-PFL honors last year. He had 75 tackles, including 14.5 tackles totaling 57 yards in losses, while recording 4.5 quarterback sacks and forcing four fumbles.
   
Asbell, a three-year letterwinner, earned second-team all-league honors in 2007 and was an honorable mention choice in 2008.

SEASON OPENERS: The  28-14 home loss to Lehigh marked the first time Drake had dropped its season opener since 2006. The Bulldogs sport a 69-42-6 record (.621) in season openers, having won their last three season openers including a 22-0 home victory against Grand View last year and a 17-13 home triumph against Upper Iowa in 2008.
   
Drake's 27-24 upset win at Illinois State in 2007 snapped a string of six straight years in which the Bulldogs had dropped their season opener with all the games played against scholarship opponents: Truman State, 40-29, 2001; Western Illinois, 64-7, 2002; at Illinois State, 27-13, 2003; at Missouri State, 31-26, 2004; at Northern Iowa, 52-17, 2005; and Northern Iowa at home, 48-7, 2006.

START WITH DEFENSE: With 14 starters back, the Drake football team hopes to pick up where it left off last year when the Bulldogs posted an 8-3 record.
   
There are eight starters returning on defense which ranked in the top 12 in five final NCAA Football Championship Subdivision team statistics in 2009. Drake was second in tackles for losses, averaging 8.73; fifth in quarterback sacks (3.27 avg.), eighth in rushing defense (90.55 yards per game avg.), and 12th in both total defense (276.45 yards per game avg.) and scoring defense (17.07 pts. per game avg.).

TAYLOR LEADS VETERAN DEFENSE: Drake senior defensive end Dain Taylor has been named to a fourth preseason All-American football team. The co-captain was selected to the preseason College Sporting News Football Championship Subdivision All-American third team.
   
Previously, Taylor was named to the preseason All-American football team by the FCS Senior Scout Bowl selection committee. The FCS Senior Scout Bowl is a post-season all-star game showcasing the talent of senior players from the NCAA FCS Division (formerly 1-AA ) football level. Taylor was selected to the North defense second team. He also was named to The Sports Network Preseason All-America third team and the Consensus Draft Services Preseason Football College Subdivision All-American second team.
   
He led the PFL with  19.5 tackles for losses totaling 90 yards, while recording a PFL-high 10.5 quarterback sacks for 73 yards in losses.   
   
Junior Dave Witkiewicz is back for his second year at starting nose guard, while the team welcomes the return of three-year starting defensive tackle Andrew Asbell who was redshirted in 2009. Asbell earned second-team all-league honors in 2007 and was an honorable mention choice in 2008.
   
Senior end Josh Walkup ranked fourth in the PFL last year with eight quarterback sacks, totaling 73 yards in losses. Senior linebacker Ben Morrison was an honorable mention All-PFL choice last year after totaling 75 tackles, including 14.5 tackles for 57 yards in losses, while collecting 4.5 quarterback sacks. Morrison ranked 10th in the PFL in total tackles last year.
   
Linebacker Tyler Moorehead was named the 2009 Pioneer Football League Freshman Defensive Player of the Year. Moorehead, along with Taylor, tied for second in the PFL in forced fumbles with four. Moorehead had 14.5 tackles for losses totaling 57 yards.
   
The secondary has three starters returning in junior free safety Nick Chenier and cornerbacks Michael Lahartand Lucas Mosier (Griswold, Iowa). A three-year letterwinner, Mosier ranked fourth in the league with nine pass break ups.

PLATEK KEYS OFFENSE: Senior Steve Platek, a two-time first-team all-league choice at fullback, headlines seven offensive starters.
   
Platek, a co-captain, led Drake with a team-high nine touchdowns last year. He caught a team-best 49 passes for 553 yards, including three touchdowns. He also rushed 30 times for 147 yards, including a team-high six touchdowns.
   
Junior offensive tackle Evan Lawrence (Moline, Ill.), an honorable mention All-PFL selection last fall, and senior left guard Stephen Flynn (Davenport, Iowa), a two-year letterwinner, will lead a young offensive line.
   
Other returning letterwinners on the line include senior Dan Clinton (Gurnee, Ill.) and junior Chris Wilson (Homer Glen, Ill.).
   
Drake heads into the fall with more certainty at the quarterback position after junior Michael Piatkowski assumed the role last year.  Piatkowski passed for 2,139 yards — the most by a Drake quarterback since Connor Jostes threw for 2,196 yards in 2004 —  including 14 touchdowns.
   
Senior Tom Kostek and Patrick Cashmore share the slot-back duties. Kostek led the Bulldogs with 347 yards rushing in 88 carries (3.9 avg.) including four touchdowns. Cashmore rushed for 251 yards in just five games.  Sophomore Trey Morse (Elmo, Texas), who rushed for 278 yards (3.5 avg.), provides depth in the backfield.
   
Returning receivers junior Drew Blackmon and sophomore Joey Orlando caught 31 and 20 passes, respectively, last year. Junior letterwinner Ben Sabal (Arlington Heights, Ill.) is back at tight end.
   
KICKING VOID: One of the priorities in the spring was finding a replacement for first-team all-league kicker Brandon Wubs, who also was a four-year starter as punter and made 13 of 15 field goals in his first year as the team's regular placekicker in 2009.
   
Fifth-year senior Mitch Rasmussen and senior Billy Janssen have been neck and neck in competition for both the punting and place-kicking chores. Rasmussen did make two point after conversion kicks, along with a 41-yard punt against Campbell last year.   
   
The special teams also features Michael Lahart, who led the league in punt returns, averaging 10.6 yards.  Lucas Mosier ranked fifth in the conference in kickoff returns, averaging 21.4 yards. Senior Stoy Hall (Omaha, Neb.) returns for his third year as the long snapper.                                           

BRAIN TRUST: The Drake coaching staff welcomes three additions headed by  new defensive coordinator Tom Allen who succeeded Neal Neathery who left to become the defensive coordinator at Texas-San Antonio. Allen had spent the previous two years as defensive coordinator at Lambuth (Tenn.) University. He also was special teams coordinator and defensive back coach at Wabash College under Chris Creighton in 2007.
   
Casey Carlo, who served as defensive line coach at Southwest Minnesota State last year, joins the Drake staff in a similar capacity. Mark Watson, a 2010 graduate of McPherson College where he was a two-year starter, is in his first year as cornerbacks coach.
   
Rick Fox, who had served as offensive coordinator at Centre (Ky.) College since 1999, is in his third year as Drake's special teams coordinator and offensive line coach. Aaron Selby also is back for his third year as tight ends coach. Kyle York returning for his second year as cornerbacks coach, was promoted to recruiting coordinator this past spring.

FAMILIAR TRIO: Part-time coaches Bill Charles and Jeff Martin, who have been fixtures on the Drake coaching staff for more than two decades, also return along with defensive line coach George Sypniewski who comes back after a two-year absence. Charles, who is the running backs coach, began coaching at Drake under coach Chuck Shelton when the program was Division I from 1980-85.  He also served on the coaching staffs of Nick Quartaro in 1987-88, Rob Ash (1992-2006) and Steve Loney (2007). Martin, who is the receivers coach, is in his 15th year as an assistant at Drake. The Des Moines native graduated from Drake in 1977 as owner of five school records, including career pass completions (370) and total offensive plays (982). Sypniewski, who was a three-year starting linebacker at Drake from 1969-71, was an assistant coach for the Bulldogs from 1990-2007.