PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University football team will make its 32nd all-time post-season appearance Saturday (Dec. 2) when the Gorillas face Arkansas Tech University in the 2017 Agent Barry Live United Bowl at Texarkana, Ark. Kickoff is set for Noon (CST) at Razorback Stadium.
Pitt State wrapped up regular season play on a five-game winning streak after posting a lopsided 56-7 victory over Missouri Southern State University in the regular season finale on Nov. 11 at Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium.
The Gorillas battled back from a 2-4 start to the season to finish the regular season with a 7-4 overall record. Pitt State knocked off previously No. 1 ranked Northwest Missouri State University on Oct. 28, snapping the two-time defending NCAA Division II national champion Bearcats 38-game winning streak.
The Gorillas became the first Division II team to reach 700 all-time victories with a 26-10 home win over Missouri Western State University on Oct. 14. Pitt State became just the 33rd team across all levels of NCAA football to reach 700 all-time wins.
Arkansas Tech posted an 8-3 record in the regular season, narrowly failing to qualify for the NCAA Division II national playoffs when the Wonder Boys dropped a 24-17 decision to Harding University in the regular season finale on Nov. 11.
The Coaches
Tim Beck is in his eighth season as head coach at Pitt State. He has compiled a 67-27 (.713) 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 that ended with a victory in the 2013 Mineral Water Bowl.
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 first meeting vs. Arkansas Tech.
Raymond Monica is in his fifth season directing the Wonder Boys program and his 12th year as a collegiate head coach. Monica (North Alabama, '90) has a 76-59 (.563) career record, including a 31-25 (.554) mark at ATU. He spent seven seasons as head coach at Kutztown (2006-12).
Monica also served as an assistant coach at North Alabama (1990-97) and Temple (1998-2005).
This will be his first meeting vs. Pitt State.
The Pitt State - Arkansas Tech Series
This will be the 11th all-time meeting between the Gorillas and the Wonder Boys. The series is tied 4-4-2.
Pitt State has won the last four meetings, which took place between 1983-86. ATU posted a 4-0-1 record against the Gorillas in five games between 1935-38 and the two squads also played to a 20-20 tie during the 1949 season.
Gorillas in the Post Season
Pitt State is making its 32nd appearance in post-season play in the 110-year history of the program with its berth in the 2017 Agent Barry Live United Bowl.
The Gorillas have qualified for the national playoffs 25 times including NAIA National Championships in 1957 and 1961 and NCAA Division II National Championships in 1991 and 2011. Pitt State also has an NAIA national runner-up finish to its credit in 1981 as well as NCAA-II national runner-up finishes in 1992, 1995 and 2004.
This will be Pitt State's seventh post-season bowl appearance and the Gorillas' first invitation to the Live United Bowl.
Pitt State has played in the Mineral Water Bowl three times, defeating SW Minnesota State, 90-28, in 2013; Bemidji State, 35-27, in 2006; and Concordia-St. Paul, 13-9, in 2010.
The Gorillas are 4-2 in six previous bowl appearances.
ATU has a 6-8 all-time postseason record.
The Wonder Boys finished as the NAIA national runner-up in 1971 and ATU has made three appearances in the NCAA Division II playoffs, most recently in 2009. ATU posted a 51-35 win over Eastern New Mexico University in the C.H.A.M.P.S Heart of Texas Bowl in its last postseason appearance on Dec. 5, 2015.
PSU's Regular Season Success
Pitt State has won 295 of its last 357 regular season games, posting a phenomenal 295-60-2 (.829) mark during the past 33 seasons (1985-2017). PSU is 158-24-1 at home, 133-27-1 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 704-346-48 overall record, winning 66.3 percent of their 1,098 all-time games.
Pittsburg State is one of just five NCAA Division II institutions to have recorded 600 all-time victories and the Gorillas became just the 33rd program – the first Division II institution – across all levels of college football to reach the 700-win plateau.
Tuskegee is second on the Division II all-time list with 686 victories, followed by Hillsdale (629), Carson-Newman (626) and Central Oklahoma (624).
ATU has a 562-376-41 (.595) record in 102 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 837 scoring drives (694 TDs, 143 FGs) and averaged just 2:56 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 49 scoring drives (35 TDs, 14 FGs) 3:25 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 72 times (61 TDs, 11 FGs) in the last 154 games, posting a 64-8 (.889) record in those games. By contrast, Pitt State is 46-36 (.561) in games it doesn't score on its opening drive during the same span.
All-MIAA Gorillas
Sixteen members of the Pitt State football team earned All-MIAA honors following a vote of the conference head coaches.
Senior offensive lineman Codey Funk and sophomore defensive lineman Simanu'a Thomas were named to the first-team All-MIAA squad, while junior defensive back Marcus Brantley and senior running back Michael Rose garnered second-team All-MIAA accolades.
Senior offensive lineman Bo Farrow, senior linebacker Ethan Fugitt and senior wide receiver/return specialist Austin Panko were named to the third-team All-MIAA squad, while junior cornerback Juanté Baldwin, sophomore defensive back Josh Hornback, junior cornerback Carnell Lewis, junior defensive lineman Bradley Payne, freshman linebacker Morgan Selemaea, junior defensive back Darian Taylor, redshirt freshman offensive lineman Zach Thomas, redshirt freshman placekicker Jared Vincent and senior tight end Jovon Wilson all received honorable mention All-MIAA recognition.
Inside The Pitt State Offense / Defense
Senior running back Michael Rose rushed for a career-high 202 yards and a pair of touchdowns against Emporia State on Oct 21. He became the first Pitt State back since 2008 to record a 200-yard rushing game. The Albuquerque, N.M., native has 197 carries for 1,003 yards (5.1 ypc) and six touchdowns on the season, averaging 100.3 rushing yards per game. He ranks third in the MIAA in rushing yards. For his career, Rose has gained 2,261 yards on 431 carries (5.2 ypc) with 20 touchdowns.
Senior wide receiver Austin Panko has amassed 112 career receptions for 1,749 yards (15.6 ypc) and 14 touchdowns. The Lee's Summit, Mo., entered the Gorillas' all-time top 10 list for receiving yards following the Washburn game on Sept. 30 and he currently ranks seventh on the list. Panko also broke into Pitt State's top 10 list for career receptions against NSU on Sept. 16. His 108 receptions currently ranks fifth all-time at PSU.
Senior quarterback Thomas LePage completed 10 of 17 passes for 163 yards and three touchdowns for the Gorillas against MSSU – his 12th career start under center for Pitt State. LePage (6-3, 204) has completed 68 of 123 passes (.553) for 926 yards and 10 touchdowns with just three interceptions in eight games played. He also has carried the ball 67 times for 250 net yards (3.7 ypc) and one score. LePage has passed for 2,374 yards and 20 touchdowns in 31 career games for the Gorillas. The Jefferson City, Mo., native has compiled a 9-3 record as Pitt State's starting quarterback, including a 5-0 mark this year.
Freshman safety Morgan Selemaea was named MIAA co-Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 6 after he made five tackles, 2.0 quarterback sacks and a forced fumble in the Gorillas' road win over UNK on Nov. 4. The Harrisonville, Mo., native also earned MIAA Defensive Player of the Week honors against ESU after making nine tackles, one QB sack, an interception and a forced fumble. For the season, Selemaea has made 36 tackles (25 solo) in nine games played, including an MIAA leading 8.0 quarterbacks. He also has three forced fumbles, a fumble recover and 9.0 tackles-for-loss to his credit.
Redshirt freshman placekicker Jared Vincent was selected the MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week on Oct. 23 after booting a pair of field goals against ESU. The Claremore, Okla., native converted a 31-yard field goal with 7:27 remaining in the game to give Pitt State a three-possession lead over ESU on the fourth play after the game was resumed Sunday following an overnight weather delay. For the season, he has made 14 of 16 field goals (.875) and 38 of 41 PAT tries (.927), scoring a team-leading 80 points (7.3 ppg). Vincent leads the MIAA and ranks fourth in Division II in field goal percentage. He ranks second in the MIAA and 20th in Division II in field goals (1.3 pg).
Scouting the Wonder Boys
Senior quarterback Ty Reasnor directs the ATU offense. Reasnor (6-2, 204) has completed 186 of 289 passes (.644) for 2,271 yards (206.5 ypg) and 19 touchdowns with five interceptions. He also has carried the ball 77 times for 372 yards (4.8 ypc) and eight scores.
Junior running back Bryan Allen (5-11, 191) has rushed the ball 166 times for 814 yards (5.1 ypc) and eight TDs, while senior running back Braden Stringer (5-7, 188) has carried the ball 89 times for 7550 yards (8.5 ypc) and nine scores.
Junior wide receiver Jakcob Dean (5-10, 190) has caught 50 passes for 594 yards (11.9 ypc) and three touchdowns, while seniorr wide receiver Tevin McKenzie (5-11, 200) has 34 grabs for 478 yards (14.1 ypc) and six scores. Junior wide receiver J.V. Davis (6-0, 193) also has 30 catches for 306 yards (10.2 ypc) and two TDs.
The ATU offense is averaging 40.6 points and 434.6 total yards (225.4 rushing).
Junior linebacker K.J. Reid (6-1, 219) has made a team-leading 102 tackles (48 solo) with 9.0 TFLs including 4.5 quarterback sacks. He also has registered one interception, four PBUs, five fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.
Junior safety Cua' Rose (5-10, 183) also has posted 76 tackles (41 solo) with five interceptions and eight pass break-ups.
As a unit, the ATU defense is allowing 18.3 points and 351.0 total yards per game (190.5 passing).
Senior Eric Perez has converted 12 of 14 field goals (.857) on the season, while senior Clayton Watson has punted 40 times for a 42.0 yard average.Senior Braden Stringer (5-7, 188) has averaged 20.7 yards per punt return with two return touchdowns. He also has averaged 21.3 yards on kickoff returns.
