Football 10/25/2011 10:12:00 AM Drake Athletics

Drake Football Travels To Marist Saturday; Still In Race For PFL Title

Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011

The Bulldogs (6-2, 4-1 PFL) take to the road for the third time in four weeks for a PFL matchup at Marist, Saturday at Noon (ET), seeking to keep pace in the race for the conference title. The Bulldogs are tied at 4-1 in the conference with San Diego, both in second place behind 5-0 Jacksonville. Drake has won six of its last seven games with the lone loss coming at San Diego two weeks ago.

MEDIA LINKS: 2011 YEARBOOK/MEDIA INFO STATS (2006-11) ONLINE ROSTER

TOP NOTES FOR THE WEEK:
--Drake leads the PFL in rushing defense (82.3, 5th NCAA FCS) and tackles for loss (8.5/game, 6th FCS); ranks 2nd in total defense (309.0, 16th FCS), scoring defense (18.1, 13th FCS) and passing efficiency (151.6, 17th PFL); and 3rd in passing efficiency defense (119.7) and sacks (3.3, T-8th FCS).

--K/P Billy Janssen was named National Punter of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards. He leads the PFL and is No. 4 in the FCS in punting (45.3).

--QB Mike Piatkowski ranks 20th in the FCS in total offense (262.6). He leads the PFL (14th FCS) in passing efficiency (154.7) with three 300-yard passing games, four for his career. Piatkowski has thrown 17 TDs in his last seven games.

--Piatkowski has career bests for passing yards (2,202) and TDs (17) with three games to play.

--Piatkowski threw a career-best four touchdowns in the win over Valparaiso.

--DE Brandon Coleman leads the team with a career-high 9.5 sacks and is tied for fifth in the FCS (2nd PFL) at 1.19/game.

--Drake's 50 points vs. Valparaiso were the most it has scored since 10/29/05, 56-10 vs. Butler. The 50-0 win was Drake's first shutout since 10/2/10 vs. Marist (42-0).

--LB Jake Underwood returned an interception 65 yards for a touchdown. It was the first interception return for a score by Drake since Ben Morrison (95 yds) vs. San Diego (10/30/10).

--Drake has won eight games in a row at home, the longest home winning streak since the 2008-09 Bulldogs also won eight consecutive at Drake Stadium. One more home win Nov. 5 vs. Jacksonville would match the 1997-99 teams' streak of nine consecutive home wins.

RADIO/TV: The game will be broadcast on KRNT 1350 AM with Sean Neugent handling the play-by-play. Fans can also listen to the game online via the Drake Athletics website at www.GoDrakeBulldogs.com.

DRAKE-MARIST SERIES: Drake leads 2-0 in a series that began in 2009. The Bulldogs have dominated the two games, outscoring Marist 76-6. Drake is 1-0 on the Red Foxes' home turf.

ABOUT THE RED FOXES: Marist is 3-5 overall, 2-3 in the PFL, and coming off a 28-10 win at Butler. The Red Foxes have been effective through the air, averaging 226.3 yards per game compared to 170.1 for opponents. In the rushing category however, opponents have put up 1,096 yards compared to just 624 for Marist, though the Red Foxes outgained Butler 148-117 on the ground in Saturday's win at Butler. QB Tommy Reilly completed 21 of 24 for 283 yards and 2 TDs in the win. Senior WR Kevin Fitzpatrick (37-438) and junior TE Anthony Calcagni (29-399) lead Marist in receiving. On defense, sophomore Paul Sakowski leads the way with 49 tackles. Junior Terrence Fede leads the Red Foxes in sacks with 5.5.

HEAD COACH CHRIS CREIGHTON: Drake football is in its fourth season under the direction of head coach Chris Creighton, who has compiled a 27-14 record (.659) over his first three-plus years, including victories in 25 of the Bulldogs' last 35 contests. Creighton's .659 winning percentage is the best by a head coach in school history.

Creighton's 21 wins in his first three seasons were the most by a head coach in school history in his first three seasons at the helm. His total was two greater than that of Warren Gaer (1949-51), who compiled a record of 19-6-2 in his first three seasons.
He ranks No. 20 in career winning percentage (.761) among all head coaches with at least five seasons at four-year colleges, entering this week's game with a record of 122-38 in his 15th season of coaching.
Creighton was named a 2011 winner of the Giant Steps Award presented by the National Consortium for Academics and Sports as part of National Student-Athlete Day on April 6, 2011. Creighton, awarded for the Coaching category, was one of just five 2011 winners of the Giant Steps Award, given annually to individuals who use sport to positively affect social change, actualizing the mission of the NCAS. The awards honor student-athletes, athletic administrators, civic leaders, coaches, parents, organizations, and other individuals who demonstrate an outstanding ability to manage life on and off the field, and who demonstrate a commitment to the betterment of society.
His Wabash teams won North Coast Athletic Conference titles in four of his seven seasons at the Division III school in Crawfordsville, Ind.
In four seasons at Ottawa (Kansas) his teams won two Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference titles (1997, 2000), its first two since 1972.
An All-America quarterback at Kenyon (Ohio) College, Creighton led the school to its only North Coast Athletic Conference title in 1989 and was named conference player of the year. He was inducted into the Kenyon College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008. Creighton earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1991 and a master's degree from Concordia (Ill.) University in 1993.
Creighton was hired Dec. 22, 2007, as the 25^th head coach in the history of Drake football.

Chris Creighton's Head Coaching Career:
Drake University                      2008-present                             27-14 (.659)
Wabash College                     2001-07                                      63-15 (.808)
Ottawa (Kansas) University   1997-2000                                    32-9 (.780)
Totals                                        15th season                           122-38 (.763)

BULLDOGS-RED FOXES: THE LAST TIME (Oct. 2, 2010): The Bulldogs used a season-high 433 yards of total offense to defeat the Red Foxes 42-0. Drake tallied a season-high 320 passing yards to improve to 3-2 on the year. Fifth-year senior Steve Platek shined for Drake, tallying 11 receptions for 106 yards. Quarterback Mike Piatkowski completed a career-high 29 passes for 266 yards. Despite the impressive showing on offense, Coach Creighton was quick to point out Drake's solid defensive performance. The Bulldogs' defense held Marist to a season-low 77 yards, highlighted by minus-21 yards rushing. They also rallied around five sacks for a net loss of 38 yards. Fifth-year senior Andrew Asbell led the way with two tackles-for-loss (-11), including a sack (-9).

MEDIA PROCEDURES: To arrange interviews with Drake football players and coaches, please contact Assistant A.D./Athletic Communications Paul Kirk in advance (paul.kirk@drake.edu). Availability can be arranged either before or after practices, which generally run from 3:30-5:30 p.m. during a typical game week. Credential requests should also be directed to Kirk.

FOUR BULLDOGS HAVE EARNED PFL WEEKLY HONORS IN 2011: RB Nathan Paddock was named PFL Offensive Player of the Week for games of Oct. 8 and K/P Billy Janssen earned Special Teams Player of the Week off Drake's 41-26 win at Morehead State. QB Mike Piatkowski earned Offensive Player of the Week after setting an NCAA FCS record for single-game completion percentage (90.9%, 30-33) versus Campbell Oct. 1. It was Piatkowski's first such honor and the first time a Bulldog was named Offensive POW since Week 1 in 2007 (Cole Ingle). Piatkowski's honor came a week after DE Brandon Coleman was named PFL Defensive Player of the Week for his 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss in Drake's 24-14 league-opening win at Butler Sept. 24.

SEVEN BULLDOGS HAVE EARNED WEEKLY CFPA HONORS: Seven players have earned weekly recognition from the College Football Performance Awards. DE Brandon Coleman earned honorable mention recognition for Defensive Line Performer of the Week for the game at North Dakota (9/1) when he had 3.0 sacks. Drew Blackmon earned honorable mention at WR after Game 2 vs. Grand View (9/10) when he tied his career with nine receptions for 118 yards and two touchdowns. For Game 3 vs. Missouri S&T (9/17), the CFPA recognized K/P Billy Janssen for both kicking and punting (3-3 PAT; 2-2 FG; 47.0 ypp) and LB Tyler Moorehead for his 9 tackles, 1.0 sack, 3.0 tackles-for-loss and blocked punt. Drake's 31-14 defeat of Campbell (10/1) earned QB Mike Piatkowski recognition as national co-Quarterback of the Week (90.9% completions, 342 yards 3 TDs) and Janssen again as honorable mention kicker/punter (4-4 PAT; 1-1 FG; 48.0 yards per punt). Janssen was named again after Drake's Week 6 win at Morehead State (10/8), along with Nathan Paddock who was named honorable mention running back of the week. DT John Sawhill was recognized with honorable mention status for his team-leading 8 tackles and a sack at San Diego (10/15). K/P Billy Janssen was recognized for the third time, and first time as National Punter of the Week, for his 52.0-yard average and long of 70 yards on three punts in Drake's 50-0 win over Valparaiso (10/22).

PIATKOWSKI'S RECORD-SETTING DAY: Mike Piatkowski broke the NCAA FCS single-game record for completion percentage (min. 30 comp.) in Drake's Oct. 1 win over Campbell, completing 30 of 33 passes, 90.9% (since broken). That topped the previous standard of 88.9% set by Appalachian State's Richie Williams vs. Furman, Oct. 9, 2004 (40-45). Piatkowski threw for a career-high 342 yards and tied his career best with 3 touchdowns to fuel the Bulldogs' 31-14 win, and earned his first PFL Offensive Player of the Week honor, along with National co-Offensive Player of the Week by The Sports Network/Fathead.com and National co-QB of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA).

PIATKOWSKI MOVES UP CAREER PASSING CHART: Drake QB Mike Piatkowski climbed from seventh to third on Drake's career passing yards list in the first four games of 2011, and now has 6,195. He began the year with 3,993 yards, and moved past previous No. 6 Rick Casko (3,935; 1977-80) at North Dakota (9/1); current Drake wide receivers coach and then-No. 5 Jeff Martin (4,365; 1973-76) vs. Grand View (9/10); previous No. 4 Ron Royer (4,677) vs. Missouri S&T and previous No. 3 Gary Yagelski (4,795) at Butler. The top five list is below.

DRAKE CAREER PASSING YARDS LIST
1) 7,868-Ira Vandever (1999-2002)
2) 6,525-Connor Jostes (2002-05)
3) 6,195-Mike Piatkowski (2009-curent)
4) 4,795-Gary Yagelski (1979-82)
5) 4,677-Ron Royer (1963-66)

NUMBERS TO WATCH:

331-Passing yards needed by Mike Piatkowski to move into second place on Drake's career list, passing Connor Jostes (6,525; 2002-05). The all-time record is 7,868 by Ira Vandever (1999-2002).

62.4%-Career completion percentage for Piatkowski (535-857); best in school history. His 62.8% mark in 2009 (203-323) is the best single-season figure ever by a Bulldog, and he is completing 66.8% of his passes thus far in 2011 (171-256).

OFFENSIVE NOTES FROM GAME 8 VS. VALPARAISO (10/22/11):

QB Mike Piatkowski threw for 214 yards and a career-best four touchdown passes to four different targets--all in the first half--and led Drake to touchdowns on each of its first five possessions.
Piatkowski now has 17 touchdown passes for the season, topping his previous best of 15 in 2009.
Piatkowski passed for 214 yards in just more than one half of play to increase his season total to a career-best 2,202. His previous best was 2,139 in 2009.
Four different Bulldogs caught touchdown passes from Piatkowski, including career firsts for WRs Jacob Dines and Nick Rosa.
The 50 points scored are the most by a Drake team since a 56-10 win over Butler at Drake Stadium on Oct. 29, 2005.

DEFENSIVE NOTES FROM GAME 8 VS. VALPARAISO (10/22/11):

LB Jake Underwood intercepted his second pass of the season and returned it 65 yards for a touchdown. It was the first interception return by a Bulldog since Oct. 30, 2010 when linebacker Ben Morrison returned an interception 95 yards for a score vs. San Diego.
LB Tyler Moorehead intercepted his second pass of the season and third of his career.
DE Brandon Coleman had one sack to raise his season total to 9.5.
It was Drake's first shutout since Oct. 2, 2010 vs. Marist (42-0).

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES FROM GAME 8 VS. VALPARAISO (10/22/11):

K Billy Janssen earned National Punter of the Week honors from the College Football Performance Awards for his 52.0-yard average on three punts. His 70-yard punt was the longest of his career. Janssen was 6-7 on PAT attempts and placed two punts inside the 20 with no touchbacks.

BLOCK PARTY: Drake has blocked six kicks this season (3 FGA, 1 PAT, 2 Punts), tied for second-most by any NCAA FCS school. LB Tyler Moorehead has two blocks-a punt that was returned for a TD vs. Missouri S&T (9/17) and a 37-yard field goal attempt vs. Campbell (10/1). CB Dustin Davis blocked a 20-yard field goal attempt vs. Grand View (9/10); DE John Sawhill blocked a PAT in the second quarter vs. Missouri S&T (9/17); S Michael Ratelle blocked a punt in the first quarter at Morehead State (10/8) and CB Michael Lahart blocked a second quarter 29-yard field goal in the same game.

AT HOME IN DRAKE STADIUM: Drake has won eight home games in a row and is 18-3 at Drake Stadium since Chris Creighton became head coach in 2008. That matches the eight-game home winning streak fashioned by the 2008-09 Bulldogs, and is the longest streak of home wins since 1997-99 when Drake won nine in a row. Furthermore, under Coach Creighton Drake is 12-2 in PFL home games, including wins each of its last six conference games at Drake Stadium.

EXCELLING ON AND OFF FIELD: Two Drake fifth-year seniors have received significant off-the-field honors this year. CB/PR Michael Lahart was announced Sept. 29 as a candidate for the National Football Foundation's National Scholar-Athlete Award, and a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy as the top scholar-athlete in the nation. LB Stoy Hall was named Sept. 20 as the first Bulldog to make the prestigious 22-man Allstate/AFCA Good Works Team for his community work. He will take part in events at the 2012 Sugar Bowl and be recognized at the game.

OVERTIME NOT SO COMMON OCCURRENCE FOR DRAKE: Drake's Sept. 10 overtime win against Grand View was just the third played by the Bulldogs, and the first since Oct. 25, 2003. That game was a 51-45 loss at Valparaiso. Drake's first overtime game came a year earlier, Oct. 12, 2002, when the Bulldogs defeated Albany 49-42 in double overtime at Drake Stadium. Drake is 2-0 at home in overtime games and 0-1 on the road.

LEADERSHIP FROM THE CAPTAINS: Drake's players voted during the summer to elect one team captain for the entire season, and chose fifth-year senior cornerback/return specialist Michael Lahart to serve in that role. One game captain has joined Lahart each week: Wk. 1 at North Dakota (9/1/11), Wk. 3 vs. Missouri S&T (9/17) & Wk. 7 at San Diego (10/15)-Fifth-year senior kicker Billy Janssen; Wk. 2 vs. Grand View (9/10)-senior linebacker Tyler Moorehead; Wk. 4 at Butler (9/24)-junior linebacker Jake Underwood; Wk. 5 vs. Campbell (10/1)-sophomore cornerback Joshua Matthews; Wk. 6 at Morehead State (10/8)-senior DT David Witkiewicz; Wk. 8 vs. Valparaiso (10/22)-senior DE E.J. Walter.

BULLDOGS AMONG THE BEST: Drake ranks No. 20 in overall victories (569) among the 123 schools that make up the Division I Football Championships Subdivision (FCS). This week's game will be the 1,084th in school history, dating back to the initial campaign in 1893. The Bulldogs' all-time record is 569-485-29 (.539).

THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED:

Last time Drake played an overtime game -at Drake 28, Grand View 21 (one overtime), Sept. 10, 2011

Last time Drake played an overtime game on road -Valparaiso 51, Drake 45, (one overtime), Oct. 25, 2003

Last shutout by Drake - 50-0 vs. Valparaiso, Oct. 22, 2011

Last shutout by Drake at home - 50-0 vs. Valparaiso, Oct. 22, 2011

Last time Drake shut out - 16-0 at North Dakota, Sept. 1, 2011

Last time Drake shut out at home - 37-0 by San Diego, Oct. 21, 2006

Last Drake kickoff return for touchdown - 90 yards, Augustine Agyei vs. Waldorf, Sept. 8, 2007

Last Drake punt return for a touchdown - 49 yards, Mike Lahart vs. Marist, Oct. 2, 2010

Last time Drake blocked a punt for a touchdown - 28 yards, Brent Shelton vs. Missouri S&T, Sept. 17, 2011

Last time Drake blocked a punt for a safety - Mike Bialas vs. Butler, Oct. 6, 2007

Last Drake pass interception for a touchdown - 65 yards, Jake Underwood vs. Valparaiso, Oct. 22, 2011

Last Drake fumble return for a touchdown - 22 yards, Mike Piatkowski vs. Davidson, Oct. 23, 2010

Last Drake player to rush for 100 yards - 114 (22 carries) Patrick Cashmore at Morehead State, Oct. 8, 2011

Two Drake players 100+ rush yards same game - 101 yards (19 carries), Willie Cashmore; 216 yards in (27 carries), Scott Phaydavong vs. Jacksonville, Nov. 10, 2006

Last Drake player to have 100 or more yards receiving - 163 yards (5 receptions, 2 TDs), Nathan Paddock at Morehead State, Oct. 8, 2011

Last Drake player to pass for more than 300 yards - 310 yards, Mike Piatkowski at Morehead State, Oct. 8, 2011

Last Drake player to rush for three touchdowns - 3, Scott Phaydavong vs. Valparaiso Sept. 29, 2007

Last Drake player to catch three touchdowns - 3, Jason Jones vs. Jacksonville, Oct. 4, 2003

Last Drake player to pass for four touchdowns - 4, Mike Piatkowski vs. Valparaiso, Oct. 22, 2011

Last Drake player to pass for five touchdowns - 5, Connor Jostes vs. Upper Iowa, Nov. 6, 2004

Last Drake player to score three touchdowns - 3, Scott Phaydavong vs. Valparaiso, Sept. 29, 2007

Last Drake player to make four field goals - 4, Billy Janssen at Morehead State, Oct. 8, 2011

POSTGAME QUOTES (VS. VALPARAISO, OCT. 22, 2011):
Head Coach Chris Creighton:
(General)
"I was really pleased. The challenge was to come out and play well. This game couldn't come fast enough after last week. The thing is that it wasn't just a seven-day challenge, but that taste from last week is going to last for four weeks and one of those four weeks is done now and I'm really proud of how the guys came out and played. The challenge for what we want to do...the easiest game, no matter who you're playing, is that game after. You can wallow in pity and not do well, but I knew our guys wouldn't do that. It's going to be in seven days from now, are we still responding to how bad we want it and in 14 days and 21 days so it's one at a time but the challenge is not over.

(on getting the chance for younger plays to gain experience)
"You wish that every single guy could play. These games (are tough) because somebody didn't get to play as much as you'd want him to. It is a good time that guys who don't normally get to play much get to play. It makes them better and for all of their hard work you want them to get a chance to get out here. I just told the upper classmen, the guys who are normally playing, their responsibility is to help out the younger guys and be excited for them. That's what the family is all about, so I was really pleased with that."

(on today's game)
"I want to say this about Valporaisio. I have a ton of respect for their team and for their staff. I don't know what's more impressive, a team that is 6-2 or a team that is 0-7 but fights and believes and plays hard every week. I've been in situations where things aren't going your way week after week. That's true character and they're going to have a really solid foundation when they get through this. In terms of our team this week I think that we had a lot to do with how it went today. We talked about no matter who we're playing, we need to come out and we did that."

(on the games ahead)
"The challenge is going to be to not be an 'up one week, down one week, up one week, down one week' team. We haven't been that, but I think that we're close enough to the end right now that I think everybody understands that when we're locked in and we're playing like we're capable, we're pretty good. When we don't, when we have lapses, whether it's a quarter or one part of the ball game or a half, we might not be able to overcome that against teams in our league. So that's a fun challenge. I'll take this team any time."

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