PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University football team will travel to Tahlequah, Okla., Saturday (Sept. 16) for an MIAA match-up against Northeastern State University. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. (CDT) at NSU's Doc Wadley Stadium.
Pittsburg State, the winningest all-time NCAA Division II program, is 1-1 on the season. The Gorillas bounced back from a 28-23 season-opening loss to No. 21 University of Central Missouri on Aug. 31 by claiming a 31-28 victory over the University of Central Oklahoma in their home opener last Saturday (Sept. 9).
NSU brings an 0-2 record into Saturday's action. The RiverHawks have dropped a pair of games – 31-7 at home to Washburn University on Aug. 31 and 49-10 on the road against Lindenwood University on Sept. 7 to open the season.
The Coaches
Tim Beck is in his eighth season as head coach at Pitt State. He has compiled a 61-24 (.718) 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 sixth meeting vs. the RiverHawks. He is 5-0 vs. NSU.
Rob Robinson is in his fourth season directing the RiverHawks program, after serving as an assistant coach at MIAA rival Washburn University for 12 seasons. Robinson (William Jewell, 2000) has a 5-30-0 (.167) record leading NSU. He is 0-3 all-time vs. Pitt State.
The Pitt State-NSU Series
This will be the 33rd all-time meeting between the Gorillas and the RiverHawks in a series that dates back to the 1912 season.
Pitt State holds an 18-12-2 advantage in the series. The Gorillas have won the only six contests between the two schools since 1970.
Last year, DeShaughn Terry stopped NSU's La'More Wise on a 2-point conversion run in overtime to lift Pitt State to a 38-37 victory over the upset-minded RiverHawks on Sept. 17) at Carnie Smith Stadium.
Thomas LePage passed for 286 yards and three touchdowns and ran for a fourth score in front of 11,495 partisan fans – the third-largest home crowd in school history. He play-faked and tossed a two-yard touchdown pass to Levi Copelin to put the Gorillas in front in overtime.
NSU's C.J. Shavers scored on a four-yard run to cap the RiverHawks OT possession. His run came two plays after a pass interference call gave NSU a 1st-and-goal from the PSU 2. The RiverHawks sent the game into overtime thanks to Eddie Garcia's 33-yard field goal with 39 seconds remaining in regulation.
LePage completed 20 of 37 passes for 286 yards in the contest. He also rushed the ball 17 times for a team-leading 78 yards and a score. Copelin made six catches for 100 yards and three touchdowns.
Gorillas on the Road
Pitt State has posted an 81-26-0 (.757) record in its last 107 road games (including post-season play). The Gorillas are 28-5 (.848) in their last 33 road games dating back to Oct. 23, 2010.
Pitt State posted a school and MIAA record 20 straight road wins between the 2010 and 2014 seasons before dropping a 24-21 overtime decision to Minnesota State in the second round of the NCAA-II playoffs on Nov. 29, 2014.
During the last 24 years (1994-pres.), the Gorillas are an equally impressive 92-28-1 (.764) on the road.
PSU's Regular Season Success
Pitt State has won 289 of its last 348 regular season games, posting a phenomenal 289-57-2 (.833) mark during the past 33 seasons (1985-2017). PSU is 155-22-1 at home, 130-26-1 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 698-343-48 overall record, winning 66.3 percent of their 1,089 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 678 victories, followed by Hillsdale (624), Carson-Newman (620) and Central Oklahoma (618).
NSU has a 444-421-30 (.513) record in 95 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 796 scoring drives (665 TDs, 131 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 8 scoring drives (6 TDs, 2 FGs) 2:39 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 145 games, posting a 63-8 (.887) record in those games. By contrast, Pitt State is 41-33 (.554) in games it doesn't score on its opening drive during the same span.
Inside The Pitt State Offense
Senior running back Michael Rose made his season debut against Central Oklahoma on Sept. 9 after missing the Gorillas' season opener with a foot injury. The Albuquerque, N.M., native posted his fifth 100-yard rushing game against the Bronchos, carrying the ball 21 times for a game-high 102 yards. For his career, Rose has rushed the ball 255 times for 1,360 yards (5.3 ypc) and 14 touchdowns. He earned honorable mention All-MIAA honors as a junior in 2016, rushing for 584 yards and seven TDs in eight games.
Sophomore wide receiver Brenner Clemons made a team-leading four catches for 89 yards (22.3 ypc), including a 60-yard touchdown, against UCO. The Lee's Summit, Mo., has a team-best 10 catches for 165 yards (16.5 ypc) and two TDs on the season, ranking third in the MIAA in receiving yards to date (82.5 ypg). Clemons, the 2016 MIAA Freshman of the Year, now has 52 career receptions for 724 yards (13.9 ypc) and six touchdowns.
Senior quarterback Thomas LePage completed 12 of 21 passes for 174 yards and a touchdown for the Gorillas against UCO – his eighth career start under center for Pitt State. LePage (6-3, 204) has passed for 1,762 yards and 12 touchdowns in 25 career games for the Gorillas. He completed 20 of 37 passes for a career-high 286 yards and three touchdowns against NSU on Sept. 17, 2016. The Jefferson City, Mo., native has compiled a 5-3 record as Pitt State's starting quarterback.
Senior wide receiver Austin Panko has amassed 87 career receptions for 1,336 yards (15.4 ypc) and nine touchdowns. The Lee's Summit, Mo., native 83 more receiving yards to break into the Gorillas' all-time top 10 list for receiving yards. Pierce Curran (2004-07) is currently 10th on the list with 97 grabs for 1,419 yards. Panko also needs two more receptions to break into Pitt State's top 10 list for career receptions. Marques Nelson (2005-08) and Jon Thomas (2008-11) are tied for ninth on the list with 89 receptions.
Inside The Pitt State Defense
Sophomore safety Josh Hornback has made a team-leading 13 tackles (six solo) in the Gorillas' first two games. The Wichita, Kan., native was named the MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week Monday (Sept. 11) after he blocked a punt that led to the decisive points in Pitt State's 31-28 victory over Central Oklahoma on Sept. 9. Hornback also made a team-leading eight stops in the game as the Gorillas limited the Bronchos to 87 net rushing yards.
Junior cornerback Carnell Lewis made his Pitt State debut against UCO, registering an interception on the second play of the game. The Raleigh, N.C., also made five tackles and registered a PBU against the Bronchos. Lewis transferred to Pitt State from Santa Monica College, where he earned first-team All-Conference honors while making 61 tackles and four interceptions in 2016.
Redshirt freshman defensive end Levi Wyrick enjoyed a solid outing against UCO last Saturday. The Elk City, Kan., native made four tackles (three solo) with 2.0 tackles-for-loss, including a quarterback sack. Wyrick signed with Pitt State as a quarterback and spent his initial season as a QB (2015), before moving to defensive end in 2016.
Senior linebacker Ethan Fugitt made six stops (three solo) against UCO. The Oak Grove, Mo., native now has 110 career tackles (49 solo) with 8.0 TFLs. Fugitt made 90 tackles as a junior in 2016, earning honorable mention All-MIAA honors.
Scouting the RiverHawks
Junior quarterback Dom McKinzie directs the NSU offense. McKinzie (6-0, 220) has completed 27 of 48 passes (.562) for 375 yards (187.5 ypg) and one touchdown with two interceptions on the young season.
Senior running back Ra'Keim Abdul has rushed the ball 25 times for 113 yards (4.5 ypc).
Freshman wide receiver Isiah Upshaw (5-9, 160) has been McKinzie's favorite target thus far, catching a team-high 11 passes for 72 yards (6.5 ypc). Senior wide receiver Gary McKnight Jr. (6-1, 200) has three catches for 104 yards (34.7 ypc).
The RiverHawks are averaging 8.5 points and 289.5 total yards per game. NSU has struggled on third downs, converting just seven of 26 third down plays (.269).
Senior linebacker La'More Wise (6-0, 235) has made a team-leading 20 tackles (12 solo) with 2.0 TFLs and two forced fumbles. He ranks sixth in the MIAA in tackles and leads the conference in forced fumbles.
As a unit, the NSU defense is surrendering 40.0 points and 549.5 total yards per game (323.5 rushing yards).
