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Football Team Seeks PFL Crown At Butler
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DRAKE BULLDOGS (8-2, 6-1 PFL) at BUTLER BULLDOGS (9-1, 6-1 PFL)
12 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21 — Butler Bowl (2,500), Indianapolis, Ind.
GAME SIGNIFICANCE: The Drake football team will try to keep its road magic alive when it travels to Butler Saturday with the Pioneer Football League title hanging in the balance.
Drake, Butler and Dayton are involved in a three-way tie for first place with 6-1 record. Drake needs to beat Butler and have Marist defeat Dayton to claim the outright title and host the Gridiron Classic Dec. 5.
Drake is riding a four-game PFL road winning streak, dating back to the 2008 season finale, which is the longest at the school since the 2006 Bulldogs won four consecutive league road games at Valparaiso (21-7), Butler (29-0), Dayton (35-15) and Jacksonville (47-28).
SENIOR SALUTE: Sixteen seniors will be playing their final regular season game. Leading the contingent are captains Cale Hunt, senior linebacker (Littleton, Colo.) and Eric Mora, senior offensive lineman (Roselle, Ill.).
Other veterans nearing the end of their collegiate careers include safety Skye Buckner-Petty (Florissant, Mo.); J-Back Mason Bucklin (Solon, Iowa); receiver Travis Bogaard (Pella, Iowa); receiver Spencer Cady (Fort Dodge, Iowa); receiver Jonathan Gerken (Adel, Iowa); defensive tackle Sean Kitts (Leawood, Kan.); tight end Travis Klatt (Albert Lea, Minn.); defensive end John Meehan (St. Louis, Mo.); senior center Quinn McVey (Bettendorf, Iowa); tight end Frank Pucher (Skokie, Ill.); offensive lineman John Pugh (Des Moines, Iowa); running back Aaron Wies (Waukee, Iowa); kicker Brandon Wubs (Hawthorn Woods, Ill.); and tight end Will Yocius (Fox River Grove, Ill.).
AMONG LEADERS: Drake ranks 19th in overall victories (556) among the 123 schools which play in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
The game against Butler will be the 1,064th game in school history with Drake owning a record of 556-478-29 for a winning percentage of .535.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: Butler, seeking its first PFL championship since 1994, had a nine-game winning streak snapped with a 36-7 setback at Jacksonville last Saturday.
Butler leads the Pioneer Football League in total offense, averaging 396.3 yards per game. Sophomore Zach Watkins leads the Pioneer Football League in receptions per game (6.3 avg.) after hauling in 63 passes for 768 yards, including nine touchdowns. Sophomore quarterback Andrew Huck, a four-time PFL Offensive Player of the Week, ranks second in the league in total offense with 2,487 yards. He has thrown for 2,038 yards, including 20 touchdowns, while rushing for 449 yards including seven touchdowns.
Two secrets behind Butler's success this fall have been turnover margin where the Bulldogs lead the PFL at 0.70 and fewest quarterback sacks allowed at just 0.80.
Jeff Voris, a 1989 graduate of DePauw, was named the 24th head coach at Butler in December of 2005 and owns a 22-21 record in three-plus seasons. Voris had posted a 15-34 record in five years as head coach at Carroll College (Wis.). He served one season (2000-01) as offensive coordinator at Edinboro University and six seasons (1994-2000) at DePauw, the last four serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He also spent four seasons (1990-94) as a graduate assistant coach under head coach John Makovic at Illinois and Texas.
Voris' first team at Carroll had 51 players in 2001 before growing to 111 in his last season in 2005. In his final season he guided the Pioneers to a 6-4 record which was the school's first winning season since 1996.
PRESEASON PFL POLL: Drake was picked to finish sixth in the Pioneer Football League preseason coaches poll, receiving 40 points. Drake won four of its final five games in 2008 to finish fifth in the league standings with a 4-4 mark.
For the fourth consecutive season, San Diego was tabbed as the favorite in the PFL Preseason Coaches’ Poll, receiving five first-place votes. Only six points separated the Toreros from Dayton and Jacksonville who were picked to finish tied for second. Dayton picked up three first place votes and 71 points, while 2008 PFL Champion Jacksonville received the other two first place votes and also finished with 71 points. Following Jacksonville and Dayton were Morehead State (51) and Butler (42) to round out the league’s top five. Drake (40) was sixth, followed by Davidson (37), Marist (32), Valparaiso (20) and Campbell (nine).
THE SERIES: Drake owns a 12-5-1 (5-4-1 road/7-1 home) lead in the series, having won nine of the last 11 games.
LAST YEAR: Butler 21, Drake 15 (Oct. 4, 2008, Indianapolis, Ind.) -- Drake couldn't take advantage of red-zone opportunities en route to dropping a 21-15 Pioneer Football League verdict. Butler, playing its PFL opener, snapped a five-game losing streak to Drake while earning its first victory over the Bulldogs since 2002.
Drake won the statistics battle with 412 yards total offense, while limiting Butler to a season-low 209. Drake marched inside Butler's 20-yard line five times in the game but had to settle on a career-best three field goals by senior kicker Logan Rees.
Senior quarterback Ben Ostermann, making his third straight start, enjoyed the best outing of his career, accumulating 302 yards total offense, including 232 passing. A nine-yard touchdown run by Ostermann with 10:21 left in the third quarter pulled Drake within 14-12. Drake then had a two-point conversion pass by Ostermann fall incomplete.
A swarming Drake defense forced Butler to go three and out on six of its nine possessions.
Drake's defense contained Butler quarterback Matt Kobli, who entering the game ranked sixth nationally in total offense averaging 299.3 yards per game. Kobli was held to 167 yards total offense.
Drake had two time consuming drives in the second quarter, but had to settle for field goals from 25 and 23 yards by Rees. After Kobli threw a six-yard touchdown pass to Dan Bohrer to give Butler a 7-0 lead with 6:47 left in the first quarter, Drake had a 16-play, 62-yard drive that consumed 7 minutes 3 seconds, ending on the first field goal by Rees.
Rees' second field goal pulled Drake within 7-6 before Rob Blevins returned an Ostermann interception 39 yards for a touchdown with 5:24 to go in the second quarter, pushing Butler's advantage to 14-6.
Drake's Spencer Cady caught a team-high five passes for a career-high 129 yards. Linebacker Cole Douglas led Drake with seven tackles. Defensive back Lucas Mosier, linebacker Ben Morrison and defensive back Jeremy Gehl added five tackles apiece.
Brandon Wubs continued his torrid punting on the season with four punts for a 43.0 yard average, including a 58-yarder.
TEAM LEADERS: After 10 games, redshirt freshman quarterback Michael Piatkowski (Wheaton, Ill.) leads Drake in passing with 1,973 yards, completing 186 of 294 passes for 65.3 percent, including 13 touchdowns. Piatkowski's totals are the most by a Drake quarterback in a season since Connor Jostes threw for 2,196 yards in 2004.
Senior J-Back Steve Platek (Arlington Heights, Ill.) has caught a team-high 43 passes for 516 yards, including three touchdowns. Sophomore Drew Blackmon (Florissant, Mo.) has caught 29 passes for 434 yards, while fifth-year senior Spencer Cady (Fort Dodge Iowa) has 28 receptions for 298 yards, including two touchdowns.
Junior Tom Kostek (West Des Moines, Iowa) paces a balanced running attack with 344 yards in 81 carries (4.2 avg.), while freshman Trey Morse (Elmo, Texas) has 300 yards in 75 carries.
Fifth-year senior linebacker Cale Hunt (Littleton, Colo.) leads the Drake defense with 81 tackles, including 50 solos. He has 5.5 tackles for 15 yards in losses. Senior linebacker Ben Morrison (Long Grove, Ill.) has 70 tackles, including 13.5 tackles for 47 yards in losses. Senior safety Skye Buckner-Petty (Florissant, Mo.) has 68 tackles, including 40 solo, along with a pass interception and a fumble recovery.
Sophomore defensive back Tyler Moorehead (Mason City, Iowa) has 61 tackles, including 13.5 tackles for losses, totaling 56 yards.
Senior end Dain Taylor (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) leads the team with 16.5 tackles for losses totaling 78 yards. He also has a team-high 8.5 quarterback sacks for 62 yards in losses. Senior linebacker Josh Walkup (Littleton, Colo.) has 6.5 quarterback sacks totaling 36 yards in losses.
RED ZONE EXPRESS: Drake has converted on 37 of 42 (.880) red-zone opportunities once it has crossed inside the opponents' 20 yardline. The Bulldogs have turned 26 of those opportunities into touchdowns, while also converting 11 into field goals.
DRAKE DROPS HOME FINALE: Dayton held Drake to a season-low 166 yards of total offense en route to a 23-6 Pioneer Football League victory, spoiling the Bulldogs' regular-season home finale Saturday.
The Bulldogs also had a seven-game PFL winning streak, dating back to last season, halted.
Dayton quarterback Steve Valentino threw touchdown passes of 30 and 36 yards to Justin Watkins and Luke Bellman, respectively.
Junior Tom Kostek caught a four-yard touchdown pass from redshirt freshman Michael Piatkowski with 4:43 left in the game to account for Drake's lone touchdown. The Bulldogs didn't cross midfield until their first drive of the second half, mustering just 49 yards total offense in the first half.
Linebacker Cale Hunt and strong safety Skye Buckner-Petty, who were two of 16 players playing in their final home game at Drake Stadium, led the Bulldogs with 10 tackles apiece. Linebacker Ben Morrison added eight tackles, including a five-yard quarterback sack and three other tackles for eight yards in losses. Junior defensive back Tyler Moorehead had a seven-yard quarterback sack and three tackles for 18 yards in losses for Drake.
Piatkowski completed 15 of 32 passes for 88 yards with Kostek hauling in a team-high four catches for 24 yards. Junior Pat Cashmore led Drake with 29 yards rushing in six attempts.
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: Drake has accumulated a record of 67-16-1 at Drake Stadium dating back to 1994. The Bulldogs have won 16 of their last 21 Pioneer Football League home games, including six of the last seven against Campbell, Davidson, Morehead State, Valparaiso, Jacksonville and Campbell.
FRESHMAN KEYS RUNNING ATTACK: Drake piled up 422 yards total offense, including a career-high 100 yards rushing by freshman reserve Trey Morse, to post a 49-6 Pioneer Football League romp past Campbell Nov. 7.
Morse led a stout Drake rushing attack that netted a season-high 200 yards. He nearly doubled his combined rushing yardage total (56) from his previous four games and capped a brilliant effort with a 34-yard scoring dash with 1:02 left in the third quarter.
Four of Drake's scoring drives took only 2 minutes 8 seconds or less. Drake scored three touchdowns on three straight possessions midway through the first half to race to a 21-0 lead.
Michael Piatkowski threw touchdown passes of eight and 24 yards to senior tight end Frank Pucher and freshman Joey Orlando (Park Ridge, Ill.), respectively, giving Drake a 14-0 advantage.
In the second half, sophomore Hans Broman (Fort Collins, Colo./Fort Collins) and junior Tom Kostek scored touchdown runs of eight and two yards, respectively. Piatkowski completed 21 of 26 passes for 201 yards. Orlando and sophomore Drew Blackmon each caught five passes for Drake.
THE DEFENSE RESTS: Drake's defense limited Campbell to 202 yards total offense with Drake senior linebacker Cale Hunt recovering a fumble at the Campbell 27 yardline to set up the Bulldogs' third touchdown. It took only four plays before senior Spencer Cady scored on a two-yard touchdown run with 9:42 left in the second quarter. Hunt finished with nine tackles, including seven solo hits, to pace the Drake defense. Sophomore Tyler Moorehead (Mason City, Iowa) and senior Skye Buckner-Petty added seven tackles apiece.
RESERVE RESCUES DRAKE: Redshirt freshman Peter Badovinac (Inverness, Ill.) came off the bench to engineer two fourth-quarter touchdowns as Drake rallied from a 28-10 deficit to post a 45-38 victory past defending conference champion Jacksonville in Des Moines Oct. 31. Badovinac, who is scheduled to have shoulder surgery following the season, scored on a fourth-down attempt at the one-yardline on a quarterback sneak with 11:21 left enabling Drake to tie the score at 38-38.
The Bulldogs' Rashad Stewart (Smyrna, Ga.) forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff with teammate Hans Broman recovering at the Jacksonville 26 yardline. Badovinac then directed Drake on a five-play, 26-yard game winning touchdown march, capped off by a two-yard run by fifth-year senior Steve Platek to give the Bulldogs a 45-38 advantage with 9:04 remaining in the game.
With Drake trailing 38-32, Badovinac entered the game on third play from scrimmage in the fourth quarter when starting quarterback Mike Piatkowski suffered a sprained right ankle after completing a 32-yard pass to Spencer Cady. Badovinac completed an 18-yard pass to senior Aaron Weis (Waukee, Iowa) on his first play down to the Jacksonville nine yardline. Five plays later he scored the game-tying touchdown.
PIATKOWSKI MAKES STATEMENT: Michael Piatkowski had thrown three touchdown passes against Jacksonville and scored on a two-yard run before his injury. After Jacksonville mounted a 14-0 lead, Piatkowski threw a 35-yard touchdown strike to Steve Platek with 2:31 left in the first quarter. A 26-yard field goal by Brandon Wubs pulled the Bulldogs within 14-10. Jacksonville pushed its advantage to 28-10 following a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown by Kennan Bowe with 1:14 left in the second quarter.
Drake wasn't to be denied in the waning minute. Piatkowski completed passes of seven and 21 yards to Platek and Spencer Cady, respectively, that marched the Bulldogs to the Jacksonville 38 yardline.
Drake took advantage of 24 yards in penalties by Jacksonville to keep the drive alive, moving down to the eight yardline. Two plays later, Piatkowski rolled around the left end for a two-yard touchdown with four seconds remaining in the first half to pull Drake within 28-17. Piatkowski threw third-quarter touchdown passes of eight and five yards to Cady and freshman Mike Bilton (Lincolnshire, Ill.), respectively, that moved Drake within 35-32.
Cady led Drake with seven receptions for 93 yards. Platek had four receptions for 53 yards. Tom Kostek paced a balanced rushing attack with 53 yards in 13 carries, while junior Pat Cashmore (Kansas City, Mo.) added 25 yards on the ground in seven attempts.
MORRISON, BUCKNER-PETTY KEY DEFENSE: Senior linebacker Ben Morrison led Drake with 11 tackles, including seven solo hits. He also had three tackles totaling 16 yards in losses, along with two quarterback sacks for 14 yards.
Drake's defense rose to the occasion late in the game, stopping Jacksonville on a fourth-down conversion attempt at the Bulldog 28 yardline. After Drake had grabbed the 45-38 lead, Jacksonville drove to the Bulldogs' one yardline where center Ian Osking snapped a grounder past running back Rudell Small who was operating out of the Wildcat formation. Drake safety Skye Buckner-Petty scooped up football, returning it 46 yards to the Jacksonville 37 yardline before fumbling it back to the Dolphins. Buckner-Petty finished with nine tackles, including six solos.
3RD QUARTER FLURRY KEYS WIN: Drake scored two touchdowns in a three-minute span midway through the third quarter to earn a come-from-behind 21-16 Pioneer Football League victory at Davidson Oct. 24.
First-team All-Pioneer Football League performer Steve Platek, running out of the Wildcat offense, scored two touchdowns for Drake while accounting for 139 yards in all-purpose running. The Bulldogs had grabbed a 7-0 lead on a nine-yard touchdown burst up the middle by Platek with 3:24 left in the first quarter to cap a four-play, 77-yard drive. Freshman redshirt quarterback Michael Piatkowski teamed up with Platek on a 64-yard pass on the first play of the touchdown march.
Trailing 10-7, Platek gave Drake the lead for good when he took the snap from center on a first-down play and rambled along the left sideline for a 63-yard scoring gallop with 7:58 left in the third quarter.
Piatkowksi completed 17 of 26 passes for 220 yards. Sophomore Drew Blackmon and freshman Joey Orlando (Park Ridge, Ill.) caught five passes apiece for Drake. Platek finished with 75 yards rushing in five carries, while junior Tom Kostek added 39 yards on the ground in 10 carries.
MORRISON KEYS SPECIAL TEAMS, DEFENSE: The Bulldogs relied on special teams plays to preserve a 20-17 home victory against Davidson last year when nose guard David Witkiewicz (Hales Corner, Wis.) blocked a 28-yard field goal by Davidson on the last play of the game.
Drake used a similar script in the second half last Saturday to improve its record to 6-1 overall when senior linebacker Ben Morrison blocked a 42-yard field goal by Davidson's Ben Behrendt with 4:59 left in the third quarter. Drake teammate Michael Lahart (Chariton, Iowa) scooped up the loose football, rambling 58 yards to give the Bulldogs a 21-10 advantage with 4:53 left.
Morrison thwarted Davidson's opening drive of the game with an interception at the Drake 31 yardline and finished with seven tackles. Senior linebacker Cale Hunt led Drake with 10 tackles, while senior end Dain Taylor had eight tackles, including a six-yard quarterback sack and 1.5 tackles for nine yards in losses. Sophomore defensive back Tyler Moorehead (Mason City, Iowa) also had eight tackles, including three for seven yards in losses.
WUBS HONORED AGAIN: For the second consecutive week fifth-year senior Brandon Wubs (Hawthorn Woods, Ill.) was named the Pioneer Football League Special Teams Player of the Week Oct. 18 for his effort in the 21-14 victory at San Diego. Wubs punted eight times for a 41.0 average, including a 56-yard punt. He had three punts downed insider the 20-yardline.
Wubs was honored Oct. 11 after making four field goals from 36, 33, 45 (career best) and 29 yards in a 19-0 victory past Missouri S&T. He also punted three times, averaging 35.3 yards including a long of 46 yards. Wubs also was recognized by the PFL in Drake's season opener against Grand View Sept. 5.
RUSHING ATTACK POWERS WIN: Steve Platek scored two touchdowns, including a game-winning pass with 4 minutes 23 seconds left, as Drake rallied for a 21-14 victory at preseason Pioneer Football League favorite San Diego Oct. 17. Drake junior Patrick Cashmore (Kansas City, Mo.) playing in his first game of the season, rushed for a career-high 127 yards, while catching a 20-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. Drake snapped a four-game losing streak to the Toreros, while earning its first victory in San Diego since 2004.
The Bulldogs netted a season-high 179 yards rushing with Tom Kostek adding a career-high 69 yards on the ground in nine carries. Kostek gained 58 yards in the last 9:31 of the game on just five carries, while igniting the game winning touchdown drive. On Drake's first play from scrimmage with 5:21 left in the game, Kostek broke free for a 36-yard gallop down to the San Diego 17. Two plays later freshman redshirt quarterback Michael Piatkowski rifled a 20-yard scoring strike to Platek on the left sideline which proved to be the difference in the game.
Kostek also kept San Diego's offense from getting another possession late in the game with consecutive runs of 12 and 11 yards in the waning minutes.
A one-yard touchdown burst by Platek with 6:32 left in the first quarter capped a time consuming 14-play, 63-yard scoring drive that allowed Drake to tie the score at 7-7.Platek finished with four receptions for 57 yards, while freshman Mike Bilton (Lincolnshire, Ill.) caught three passes for 16 yards.
GETTING DEFENSIVE: San Diego, which entered the game at San Diego ranked second in the PFL in rushing offense with a 157.2 yard average, was held to a season-low 19 yards on the ground in 16 carries against Drake. Senior linebacker Ben Morrison and strong safety Skye Buckner-Petty led Drake with nine tackles apiece. San Diego scored on its first possession of the first half as well as the second half but was nullified the remainder of the game.
HE'S B-A-A-A-C-K!: Junior Patrick Cashmore, who had missed the first five games of the season, became the first Drake player to rush for more than 100 yards this season. Cashmore gained 92 yards in just 13 carries in the first half, while catching a 20-yard touchdown pass from Mike Piatkowski with to give the Bulldogs a 14-7 second quarter lead.
TEAM EFFORT SPURS HOMECOMING WIN: Fifth-year senior Brandon Wubs kicked four field goals and redshirt freshman Michael Piatkowski passed for a career high 340 yards when he opened the game by completing 11 of his first 12 passes for 122 yards, but Drake only owned a 3-0 lead early in the second quarter. The 340 yards passing by Piatkowski were the most by a Drake quarterback in a game since Connor Jostes passed for 389 yards at Valparaiso Oct. 25, 2003.
Senior J-back Steve Platek caught seven passes for 118 yards, while fifth-year senior Travis Bogaard (Pella, Iowa) caught a career-high five passes for 102 yards. Platek scored Drake's lone touchdown on a one-yard plunge with 1:17 left in the first half to cap a six-play, 49-yard drive. Piatkowski opened the scoring drive by completing passes of 22 and 15 yards to Bogaard and Platek, respectively.
The Bulldogs lost fumbles on two of their first three possessions which ended drives. Drake took the opening kickoff, marching to the Missouri S&T four yardline before freshman running back Trey Morse coughed up the football.
The Bulldogs marched down to the Miners' 18 yardline on their next series before having to rely on a 36-yard field goal by Wubs with 6:31 left in the first quarter. Wubs added a 33-yard field goal on the last play of the first half and then connected on a career-long 45 yard field goal with 10:52 remaining in the third quarter. He closed out Drake's scoring with a 29-yard field goal midway through the third quarter. Morse and junior Tom Kostek led Drake's rushing attack with 36 yards apiece.
DEFENSE PITCHES SHUTOUT: Drake's defense posted its fifth shutout since the third game of the 2008 campaign. Drake held Missouri S&T to just 120 yards total offense including 55 on the ground in 31 attempts. The Miners crossed midfield on just two of their 14 possessions. Senior linebacker Ben Morrison led Drake with seven tackles, including two tackles for three yards in losses, while also forcing a fumble. Linebacker Cale Hunt and senior Sean Kitts, making his first start at nose guard, added six tackles apiece.
DEFENSE DELIVERS: Drake limited Valparaiso to just 89 yards rushing in 27 carries, while defensive backs Skye Buckner-Petty and Michael Lahart (Chariton, Iowa) had interceptions. Drake's defense forced Valparaiso into six straight three and out punting situations midway through the game. Drake junior end Dain Taylor thwarted Vaparaiso's opening drive when he recovered a fumble at the Crusaders' 27 yardline. But the Bulldogs couldn't capitalize and had to wait until their third possession of the game to get on the scoreboard. Buckner-Petty's 13-yard interception return set up a career-long 42-yard field goal by senior Brandon Wubs to push the score to 10-0 with 1:07 left in the first period. Wubs closed out the first half by making a 27-yard field goal with five seconds remaining. He also had a long punt of 58 yards and six kicks inside the Valparaiso 20 yardline.
Senior defensive back Lucas Mosier led Drake with 10 tackles, including two pass break ups. Senior Cale Hunt added nine tackles, including six solo hits. Taylor finished with two quarterback sacks for 13 yards in losses, along with three tackles for 15 yards in losses.
ROOKIES KEYS DRAKE TO PFL WIN: Four freshmen played prominent roles in Drake's 34-14 Pioneer Football League home victory against Valparaiso Oct 3. Freshman redshirt quarterback Michael Piatkowski threw two touchdown passes and ran for another as Drake kept its home record against the Crusaders perfect at 8-0.
Piatkowski spotted fifth-year senior Frank Pucher open for a 10-yard touchdown pass with 3:26 left in the first quarter to give Drake a 7-0 lead it would never relinquish. Piatkowski accounted for both of Drake's touchdowns in the second quarter. He rifled a 39-yard scoring strike to freshman Joey Orlando with 7:05 left and then capped a seven-play, 74-yard scoring march with a three-yard touchdown burst that gave the Bulldogs a 24-7 cushion. Freshman Trey Morse, making his first collegiate start, led a balanced Drake rushing attack with 39 yards in 14 carries. Freshman Hans Broman added 37 yards on the ground in eight attempts.
Piatkowski passed for 207 yards with senior Steve Platek collecting a game-high seven receptions for 58 yards. Sophomore Drew Blackmon caught four passes for 65 yards. Junior Tom Kostek rounded out Drake's scoring with a four-yard touchdown run with 4:29 left in the game.
HUNT HONORED BY PFL: Drake linebacker Cale Hunt was named the Pioneer Football League Defensive Player of the Week for his effort in the Bulldogs' league opening 34-6 victory at Marist Sept. 12. Hunt led Drake with 10 tackles, including a seven-yard quarterback sack, while also collecting an interception in the fourth quarter that set up a Bulldog touchdown.
DEFENSE KEYS DRAKE IN PFL OPENER: Drake's defense converted six turnovers into scores en route to spoiling the debut of Marist in the Pioneer Football League with a 34-6 victory Sept. 12 The Red Foxes played last season as an FCS independent before becoming the tenth member of the PFL. Drake held the Red Foxes to 181 yards total offense, including just 38 yards on the ground on 36 carries. The Bulldogs recorded six quarterback sacks totaling 55 yards in losses. Linebacker Cale Hunt led Drake with 10 tackles, while senior cornerback Lucas Mosier and senior end Josh Walkup added eight tackles apiece. Mosier added an 11-yard quarterback sack. Senior linebacker Ben Morrison added six tackles while forcing a fumble and recovering a fumble. Junior defensive back Tyler Moorehead forced two fumbles while Morrison, senior end John Meehan (St. Louis, Mo.) and sophomore nose guard David Witkiewicz (Hales Corner, Wis.) recovered fumbles.
PLATEK SETS MARK: All-conference J-Back Steve Platek set a school nonscholarship record with 13 receptions for 112 yards at Marist, capping the day with a 10-yard touchdown reception from Mike Piatkowski with 7:56 left in the game. Aaron Overton held the previous Drake single-game mark of 12 receptions at Truman State in 2002.
OPPORTUNISTIC OFFENSE: Trailing 6-3, Drake reeled off 31 straight points scoring on all six red zone opportunities inside the 20 yard line. Michael Piatkowski completed 22 of 33 passes for 184 yards, while senior Brandon Wubs kicked field goals of 27 and 29 yards for Drake. On Marist's second play of the game, Drake linebacker Ben Morrison stripped running back O'Neil Anderson of the football at the seven yard line with cornerback Lucas Mosier recovering to set up Wubs' first field goal. Piatkowski teamed up with Platek on consecutive passes of 26 and 15 yards early in the second quarter that set up a 14-yard touchdown run by Tom Kostek which gave Drake a 10-6 lead it never relinquished.
A 26-yard interception return by sophomore free safety Nick Chenier (Hinsdale, Ill.) halted the opening drive by Marist to start the second half while setting up Drake's second touchdown. A six-yard touchdown gallop by sophomore Patrick Oliver with 10:10 left in the third quarter capped an eight-play 34-yard scoring drive. Spencer Cady rounded out Drake's scoring with a two-yard touchdown burst with 3:51 left in the game. The scoring drive was set up after linebacker Cale Hunt intercepted a pass at the Marist 31 yardline.
HE'S NO ROOKIE: Freshman redshirt quarterback Michael Piatkowski making his first collegiate start, threw a touchdown pass, while senior Brandon Wubs kicked three field goals to lead Drake to a season opening 22-0 victory past Grand View Sept. 3
Piatkowski gave Drake a 9-0 lead after throwing a 61-yard touchdown strike to sophomore Drew Blackmon with 52 seconds left in the first quarter. Piatkowski played the entire game completing 23 of 34 passes for 248 yards which marked the most passing yards by a Drake team since the 2007 season finale against Dayton. He completed passes to 10 receivers. Blackmon, freshman Joey Orlando and fifth-year senior Spencer Cady each caught a team-high three passes.
SECOND STRAIGHT SHUTOUT: The Drake defense, posting its second straight shutout dating back to last year, limited Grand View to just 144 yards total offense including 58 yards in the first half. The Bulldogs have posted four shutouts dating back to a 36-0 blanking of William Penn at home Sept. 13, 2008.
Drake thwarted a Grand View scoring opportunity late in the second quarter when senior linebacker Ben Morrison blocked a 27-yard field goal attempt by Blake Stell. Drake junior Michael Lahart (Chariton, Iowa) retrieved the loose football, returning it 46 yards. Sophomore defensive back Tyler Moorehead led Drake with nine tackles along with a fourth-quarter interception. Cale Hunt added eight tackles, while Josh Walkup collected five tackles along with two quarterback sacks for 11 yards in losses, while forcing a fumble.
BALANCED BACKFIELD: Seven players rushed the ball for Drake in the season opener. Junior Tom Kostek, making his first collegiate start, led Drake with 31 yards rushing in nine carries. Freshman Trey Morse added 28 yards on the ground, while sophomore Patrick Oliver netted 27 yards rushing in nine carries. A three-yard touchdown burst by sophomore Nathan Paddock (Lee's Summit, Mo.) pushed Drake's lead to 16-0 with 11:47 left in the second quarter.
WUBS EARNS PFL HONOR: Drake senior kicker Brandon Wubs was named the Pioneer Football League Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts in the Bulldogs' 22-0 season opening victory past Grand View. Wubs, who has been the team's regular punter the last three years before also assuming place kicking duties this year, hit all three field goal attempts from 37, 32 and 25 yards. Wubs also enjoyed a solid punting effort by averaging 44.5 yards on four punts, including a long of 51 yards in the second quarter. He also handled kickoff duties where his six kickoffs averaged 57.7 yards. Wubs converted his first field goal - from 37 yards - with 4:37 left in the first quarter after Drake stopped Grand View on its opening drive when the Vikings failed to convert a fourth-down gamble at the Drake 35-yard line. In the second half, Drake relied on field goals from 32 and 25 yards by Wubs.
DRAKE SQUAD BREAKDOWN: Drake's 97-man roster includes 11 fifth-year seniors, 14 seniors, 11 juniors, 27 sophomores and 34 freshmen. There are players from 13 states with Illinois leading the way with 42, followed by Iowa 22, Missouri nine, Colorado 6, Kansas 5, Minnesota 3, Oklahoma 3 and one apiece from Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Nebraska and Texas.
THE CREIGHTON ERA: Chris Creighton, who was named the 25th head football coach at Drake University Dec. 22, 2007, has a 14-7 year in two years with the Bulldogs. Creighton, 40, owns an overall record of 109-31 (.778 winning percentage) in 13 years as a college head coach to rank 14th among all time winningest percentage coaches at any college level.
He was head coach at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Ind., from 2001-07 where he constructed a 63-15 record with teams winning four North Coast Athletic Conference championships, while competing in three NCAA Division III playoffs. He was 32-9 as head coach at Ottawa (Kan.) from 1997-200.
During his last three years at Wabash, Creighton led teams 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, while being ranked No. 8 in the final NCAA Division III coaches poll. Wabash went 12-1 in 2002 and 11-1 in 2005, capping both seasons with appearances in the NCAA Division III 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.
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 conference championship in 2000, along with appearances in the NAIA playoffs in 1997 and 2000. Creighton served as 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 College in 1991 and a master’s degree from Concordia (Ill.) University in 1993.
CO-CAPTAINS: Linebacker Cale Hunt, offensive lineman Eric Mora (Roselle, Ill.) and senior fullack Steve Platek have been named captains for the 2009 Drake football team. Hunt was a co-captain last year, starting the first four games before suffering a season-ending elbow injury against San Diego. At the time he led the Drake defense in tackles with 35.
Platek earned first-team All-Pioneer Football League honors after moving from starting linebacker to J-Back in Drake's new offense during the 2008 preseason camp. He was Drake's second leading receiver with 41 catches for 468 yards (11.4 avg.), including four touchdowns. Mora will enter his third season as starting offensive guard.
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