PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University football team return to Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium Saturday (Oct. 14) for an MIAA match-up against Missouri Western State University.
Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. (CDT).
Pitt State enters Saturday's contest with a 2-4 record. The Gorillas are seeking to become the first Division II team to reach 700 all-time victories with a victory over the Griffons. Only 32 schools across all divisions of the NCAA have eclipsed 700 all-time wins.
The Gorillas are seeking to halt a three-game losing streak. Pitt State dropped a 21-17 decision to No. 11 Fort Hays State University last Saturday (Oct. 7) at Hays, Kan.
MWSU is 4-2 on the season and riding a three-game winning streak. The Griffons rolled to a 40-8 home victory over Lindenwood University last Saturday at St. Joseph, Mo.
Saturday is the Gorillas' Homecoming game. Pitt State has compiled a 54-12-2 record on Homecoming since 1949. This will be the seventh time the Gorillas have meet the Griffons on Homecoming, with Pitt State posting a 4-2 record against MWSU in those match-ups.
The Coaches
Tim Beck is in his eighth season as head coach at Pitt State. He has compiled a 62-27 (.697) career record.
Beck led his alma mater (PSU, '88) to the 2011 NCAA Division II National Championship, earning national coach of the year honors from Liberty Mutual, the Don Hansen Football Committee and FieldTurf™.
Beck became the school's 14th all-time head football coach in December 2009, after serving for 23 seasons as an assistant coach for the Gorillas including 16 years as the team's offensive coordinator from 1994-2009.
In his first season leading the Gorillas, Beck guided Pitt State to a 6-6 record and a victory in the 2010 Mineral Water Bowl. In 2011, Beck led the Gorillas to the program's second NCAA national championship and the school's fourth national title overall in a 13-1 campaign. Pitt State captured the MIAA Championship and ultimately the NCAA-II National Championship with a 35-21 victory over Wayne (Mich.) State on Dec. 17, 2011.
In 2012, the Gorillas opened the season 5-0 before finishing the year 7-3 overall, while in 2013 Pitt State posted the program's 20th all-time 10-win season during a 10-2 campaign.
In 2014, the Gorillas shared the MIAA regular season title and advanced to the second round of the NCAA-II playoffs during an 11-2 campaign.
In 2015, a young Pitt State team battled a rash of key injuries to frontline players and the Gorillas had to settle for an uncharacteristic 6-5 season. Last year, the Gorillas battled key injuries once again and Pitt State posted a 7-4 season.
During his 16 seasons as offensive coordinator, the Gorilla offense consistently ranked among the finest units in NCAA Division II.
In 2008, Beck was selected the inaugural NCAA Division II Coordinator of the Year by FootballScoop.com, following a vote of his coaching peers.
In 2004, Beck's offensive unit established itself as the most prolific squad in the history of NCAA football. PSU shattered a 118-year-old scoring record, scoring an amazing 837 points (55.8 ppg). His squad also set the NCAA all division records for rushing (5,320 yards) and total offense (8,976 yards).
Beck's teams led Division II in scoring in two of the last six years (2004, 2006) and ranked in the top two nationally in total offense three times in the last six seasons (2004, 2005, 2006). His squads ranked among the national rushing leaders every season, leading Division II in 1995 (318.8 ypg) and 2004 (354.7 ypg). Beck's "multiple choice" option attack also compiled 16,483 passing yards (216.9 ypg) and 143 aerial touchdowns during the last six years.
Pitt State averaged a staggering 38.8 points and 442.5 yards of total offense per game during his tenure as offensive coordinator.
Prior to assuming the offensive coordinator's role, Beck served two years as Pitt State's defensive coordinator (1992-93). He became a full-time assistant on the Pitt State staff in 1989, after serving first as a student assistant (1987) and then as a graduate assistant (1988).
This will be Beck's eighth meeting vs. MWSU. He is 5-2 vs. the Griffons.
Matt Williamson is in his first season directing his alma mater after being hired as MWSU's head coach in December 2016. Williamson (MWSU, '96) previously served as an assistant coach at Western from 2000-07. He spent 10 years at the Division I level, most recently serving as defensive coordinator at Stephen F. Austin University. He has a 4-2-0 (.667) career coaching record. This will be his first meeting vs. Pitt State.
The Pitt State-MWSU Series
This will be the 43rd all-time meeting between the Gorillas and Griffons in a series that dates back to the 1970 season. Pitt State holds a 31-11 (.738) advantage in the series, including a 16-5 record against MWSU in Pittsburg.
The visiting team has won seven of the last 10 meetings in the series.
Last year, quarterback John Roderique passed for a career-high 373 yards and five touchdowns to lead Pitt State to a 55-47 road win over Missouri Western on Oct. 15 at Spratt Memorial Stadium.
The Gorillas built a 55-26 lead on the Griffons with 13:24 to play in the game, but Western scored the game's final 21 points to make it interesting down the stretch.
Roderique tied a school record with his five touchdown passes in the contest. He tossed a pair of scoring passes to Brenner Clemons – of 49 and 44 yards. Clemons finished the game with six receptions for a career-high 153 yards. Roderique completed 22 of 29 passes in the game.
Austin Panko also made five catches for 112 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown grab. Kyle Swartz added a pair of short TD receptions from Roderique as well.
Michael Rose also rushed the ball 28 times for a career-high 175 yards and two touchdowns, scoring from five and three yards out. Roderique added 74 rushing yards on 14 carries to compile 447 yards of total offense.
Chad Levin added field goals of 25 yards and a career-long 49 yards in the contest.
Spencer Brown made a team-leading 12 stops for the Pitt State defense, while DeShaughn Terry added nine tackles for the Gorillas.
Skyler Windmiller passed for 392 yards and three touchdowns for the Griffons, while Josh Caldwell rushed for 188 yards and three scores.
Gorillas at Home
Pitt State holds a 346-131-12 (.720) record in 489 games inside Carnie Smith Stadium (including postseason). The Gorillas have won 146 of their last 172 regular season home games, posting a 146-25-1 record (.852) over the last 33 seasons.
MWSU is 9-11 (.450) in 20 road games since the start of the 2014 season.
PSU's Regular Season Success
Pitt State has won 290 of its last 352 regular season games, posting a phenomenal 290-60-2 (.827) mark during the past 33 seasons (1985-2017). PSU is 155-24-1 at home, 131-27-1 on the road and 4-9-0 at neutral sites in the regular season during that span.
All-Time Winningest Programs
Pittsburg State is the all-time winningest NCAA Division II football program. The Gorillas, who are in their 110th season of intercollegiate competition, have compiled a 699-346-48 overall record, winning 66.1 percent of their 1,093 all-time games.
Pittsburg State is one of just five NCAA Division II institutions to have recorded 600 all-time victories and the Gorillas are bidding to become just the 33rd program across all levels of college football
to reach the 700-win plateau.
Tuskegee is second on the Division II all-time list with 681 victories, followed by Hillsdale (625), Carson-Newman (622) and Central Oklahoma (619).
MWSU has a 281-231-9 (.5486) record in 48 seasons of intercollegiate play.
Quick Strike Offense
The Pitt State offense has exhibited a penchant for being a "quick strike" unit. During the last 13 seasons (2005-17), the Pitt State offense has generated 811 scoring drives (674 TDs, 137 FGs) and averaged just 2:54 of elapsed time per drive.
2005 97 scoring drives (86 TDs, 11 FGs) 2:40 elapsed time 2012 51 scoring drives (40 TDs, 11 FGs) 2:58 elapsed time
2006 79 scoring drives (72 TDs, 7 FGs) 2:14 elapsed time 2013 83 scoring drives (70 TDs, 13 FGs) 2:29 elapsed time
2007 64 scoring drives (55 TDs, 9 FGs) 3:02 elapsed time 2014 74 scoring drives (53 TDs, 21 FGs) 3:06 elapsed time
2008 69 scoring drives (61 TDs, 8 FGs) 3:23 elapsed time 2015 50 scoring drives (41 TDs, 9 FGs) 2:53 elapsed time
2009 49 scoring drives (44 TDs, 5 FGs) 3:21 elapsed time 2016 60 scoring drives (48 TDs, 12 FGs) 2:54 elapsed time
2010 41 scoring drives (34 TDs, 7 FGs) 3:04 elapsed time 2017 23 scoring drives (15 TDs, 8 FGs) 3:20 elapsed time
2011 78 scoring drives (60 TDs, 18 FGs) 2:54 elapsed time
The Gorillas have been highly successful when they are quick out of the gates. Pitt State has scored on its opening drive 71 times (60 TDs, 11 FGs) in the last 149 games, posting a 63-8 (.887) record in those games. By contrast, Pitt State is 42-36 (.538) in games it doesn't score on its opening drive during the same span.
Inside The Pitt State Offense / Defense
Senior running back Michael Rose rushed for 85 yards against Fort Hays State last week. The Albuquerque, N.M., native has 102 carries for 456 yards (4.5 ypc) on the season, averaging 91.2 rushing yards per game. He currently ranks third in the MIAA in rushing yards. For his career, Rose has gained 1,714 yards on 336 carries (5.1 ypc) with 14 touchdowns.
Senior wide receiver Austin Panko has amassed 97 career receptions for 1,489 yards (15.4 ypc) and 11 touchdowns. The Lee's Summit, Mo., entered the Gorillas' all-time top 10 list for receiving yards following the Washburn game on Sept. 30. Bryan Pray (2005-06) is currently ninth on the list with 80 grabs for 1,510 yards. Panko also broke into Pitt State's top 10 list for career receptions against NSU on Sept. 16. His 97 receptions currently ranks seventh all-time at PSU – he needs two receptions to climb to No. 6 on the list.
Sophomore defensive tackle Simanu'a Thomas recorded his first career interception against Fort Hays State last Saturday, returning it for a touchdown for the Gorillas. For the season, Thomas has made 22 tackles (12 solo) with a team-leading 6.0 tackles-for-loss and 2.5 quarterback sacks.
Thomas earned honorable mention All-MIAA honors as a true freshman in 2016 when he made 37 tackles (18 solo) with 8.5 tackles-for-loss and 4.0 quarterback sacks.
Sophomore placekicker Jared Vincent has converted eight of 10 field goals (.800) and 18 of 20 PAT tries (.900) on the season, scoring a team-leading 42 points (7.0 ppg). Vincent ranks third in the MIAA in field goals (1.33 pg) and tied for third in the conference in field goal percentage. The Claremore, Okla., native ranks ninth in the MIAA in scoring – fourth in the league in kick scoring.
Scouting the Griffons
Junior quarterback Dom Marino directs the MWSU offense. Marino (6-2, 200) has completed 44 of 79 passes (.557) for 595 yards (99.2 ypg) and eight touchdowns with two interceptions. He also has rushed the ball 46 times for 299 yards (6.5 ypc) and three scores.
Junior running back Josh Caldwell (5-11, 230) has rushed the ball 116 times for an MIAA-leading 730 yards (6.3 ypc) and eight touchdowns, averaging 121.7 yards per game.
Junior wide receiver Keylan Mack (5-10, 180) has caught 13 passes for 155 yards (11.9 ypc), while senior wide receiver Dijuan Ussery (5-11, 175) has nine grabs for 151 yards (16.8 ypc) and three touchdowns.
The MWSU offense is averaging 39.7 points and 40.5 total yards (273.0 rushing).
Senior linebacker Cody Lindsay (6-2, 245) has made a team-leading 38 tackles (21 solo) with 8.0 tackles-for-loss and 2.5 quarterback sacks, while senior safety Jonathan Owens (5-11, 210) has posted 35 tackles (17 solo) with two interceptions and two pass break-ups to date.
As a unit, the MWSU defense is allowing 24.8 points and 374.2 total yards (220.7 passing) per game.
Senior Tyler Basch (6-1, 195) has converted 12 of 15 field goals on the season and 26 of his 28 PAT tries. Sophomore Luke Theis has punted 31 times for a 38.4-yard average.
