PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University football team will travel to St. Joseph, Mo., for an MIAA match-up against Missouri Western State University. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. (CDT) at Spratt Memorial Stadium.
Pittsburg State, the winningest all-time NCAA Division II program, has accumulated 711 victories, posting a 711-348-48 overall mark in 111 years of intercollegiate play.
The Gorillas, who bring a 6-2 record into Saturday's action, are seeking their second straight victory after claiming a 48-28 home win over the University of Central Missouri last Saturday (Oct. 20). Pitt State opened the season 5-0 climbing to No. 8 in the AFCA/NCAA Division II Top 25 poll before suffering back-to-back losses to Northwest Missouri State University and Fort Hays State University.
The Gorillas had won 11 games in a row dating back to the 2017 campaign before suffering the home loss to Northwest Missouri on Oct. 6.
Missouri Western brings a 5-3 record into Saturday's match-up. The Griffons have won four of their last five games after a 1-2 start to the season. MWSU posted a 42-28 road win over Emporia State University last Saturday at Emporia, Kan.
The Coaches
Tim Beck is in his ninth season as head coach at Pitt State. He has compiled a 74-29 (.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. In 2016, the Gorillas battled key injuries once again and Pitt State posted a 7-4 season.
Last year, Pitt State posted six straight wins to end the season with an 8-4 record including a victory in the 2017 Agent Barry Live United Bowl.
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 ninth meeting vs. the Griffons. He is 6-2 vs. MWSU.
Matt Williamson is in his second season directing his alma mater. Williamson (MWSU, '96) previously served as an assistant coach at Western from 2000-07. He has a 9-10-0 (.474) career coaching record. This will be his second meeting vs. Pitt State. He is 0-1 against the Gorillas.
The Pitt State-Western Series
This will be the 44th all-time meeting between the Gorillas and Griffons in a series that dates back to the 1970 season. Pitt State holds a 32-11 (.744) advantage in the series, including a 16-6 record against MWSU at St. Joseph.
The visiting team has won seven of the last 11 meetings in the series and Pitt State has won the last four match-ups at Spratt Stadium.
Last year, Pitt State jumped out to a 14-0 first quarter lead and rode the early momentum to a 26-10 victory over Missouri Western on Oct. 14.
The Gorillas became the first NCAA Division II program to reach 700 all-time victories with the win over the Griffons).
The Gorillas compiled just 263 yards of total offense in the contest, but the Pitt State defense limited Western to 189 total yards. The Griffons came into the contest averaging 420.5 total yards and 39.7 points per game.
Michael Rose rushed for a game-high 68 yards and a two-yard touchdown to cap Pitt State's 12-play, 75-yard drive to start the game. Keynan Scheurich carried the ball just twice, but scored on runs of one and two yards in the contest. His one-yard plunge capped an 11-play, 64-yard drive with 2:26 to play in the opening period.
Jared Vincent added a 31-yard field goal with three seconds remaining in the second quarter as the Gorillas took a 17-3 lead to the intermission. The Griffons got on the board with Tyler Basch's 37-yard field goal with 5:38 remaining in the second period.
Vincent added a 30-yard field goal on Pitt State's opening drive of the second half.
Western quarterback Corey Bertini scored on a nine-yard run with 7:45 remaining in the game to make it a 20-10 game, but the Gorillas effectively sealed the win by marching on a 12-play, 75-yard drive with Scheurich scoring from two yards out with 1:24 to go.
John Roderique completed 11 of 21 passes for 104 yards with an interception. Lorenzo West and Austin Panko had four catches apiece – West for 50 yards and Panko for 42.
Bertini completed 12 of 22 passes for 100 yards in the contest. He was sacked four times.
Gorillas on the Road
Pitt State has posted an 86-28-0 (.754) record in its last 114 road games (including post-season play). The Gorillas are 33-7 (.825) in their last 40 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 25 years (1994-pres.), the Gorillas are an equally impressive 97-30-1 (.762) on the road.
PSU's Regular Season Success
Pitt State has won 301 of its last 365 regular season games, posting a phenomenal 301-62-2 (.827) mark during the past 34 seasons (1985-2018). PSU is 161-25-1 at home, 136-28-1 on the road and 4-9-0 at neutral sites in the regular season during that span.
Pitt State in the AFCA Top 25 Poll
Pitt State has been ranked in Division II's top 10 118 times in the last 247 polls and the Gorillas have been ranked in the top 25 poll in 188 of 247 weeks overall (dating back to the 1999 season). The Gorillas slipped out of the NCAA Division II Top 25 poll following their loss to FHSU on Oct. 13.
All-Time Winningest Programs
Pittsburg State is the all-time winningest NCAA Division II football program. The Gorillas, who are competing in their 111th season of intercollegiate competition, have compiled a 711-348-48 overall record, winning 66.4 percent of their 1,107 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 690 victories, followed by Hillsdale (636), Carson-Newman (631) and Central Oklahoma (630).
MWSU has a 286-239-9 (.544) record in 49 seasons of intercollegiate play.
Quick Strike Offense
The Pitt State offense has exhibited a penchant for being a "quick strike" unit. During the last 14 seasons (2005-18), the Pitt State offense has generated 882 scoring drives (733 TDs, 149 FGs) and averaged just 2:44 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 56 scoring drives (42 TDs, 14 FGs) 3:18 elapsed time
2011 78 scoring drives (60 TDs, 18 FGs) 2:54 elapsed time 2018 31 scoring drives (27 TDs, 4 FGs) 3:36 elapsed time
The Gorillas have been highly successful when they are quick out of the gates. Pitt State has scored on its opening drive 75 times (64 TDs, 11 FGs) in the last 163 games, posting a 67-8 (.893) record in those games. By contrast, Pitt State is 50-38 (.568) in games it doesn't score on its opening drive during the same span.
Inside The Pitt State Offense / Defense
Senior quarterback John Roderique made his 29th start under center for the Gorillas against UCM last week. The Webb City, Mo., native has passed for 5,544 yards and 38 touchdowns in 32 career games for the Gorillas. He also has rushed for 1,264 yards and 18 TDs, compiling 6,808 yards of total offense (212.8 ypg) and accounting for 56 touchdowns. Roderique climbed to No. 3 on Pitt State's career passing yards chart with his 106-yard effort vs. UCM. He needs 288 more passing yards to eclipse Neal Philpot (2001-04, 5831 yards) for No. 2 on the list.
Junior wide receiver Lorenzo West has a team-leading 40 grabs for 573 yards and four TDs on the season, ranking fifth in the MIAA in receiving yards (71.6 ypg) to date. The Lawton, Okla., native has made 85 receptions for 1,167 career yards (13.7 ypc) and nine touchdowns. West tied the PSU single-game record with 13 receptions against FHSU on Oct. 13, equaling the mark set by John Brown vs. Missouri on Oct. 20, 2012.
Sophomore running back Tucker Horak carried the ball 19 times for a career-high 139 yards and two touchdowns in the Gorillas win against the Mules, earning co-Offensive Player of the Week honors from the MIAA Monday (Oct. 22). The Rossville, Kan., native has rushed 57 times for 342 yards (6.0 ypc) and two scores on the season. He has 124 career carries for 717 yards (5.8 ypc) and three touchdowns.
Junior defensive tackle Simanua' Thomas was named the MIAA Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts vs. UCM. He posted five tackles (three solo) with 2.5 tackles-for-loss, 1.5 quarterback sacks and two forced fumbles. For the season, the Independence, Mo., native has made 33 stops (16 solo), including 12.0 tackles-for-loss and 6.0 QB sacks. He leads the MIAA in TFLs and ranks second in the conference in sacks. For his career, Thomas has made 106 tackles (55 solo) with 29.5 TFLs and 12.5 QB sacks.
Sophomore safety Morgan Selemaea has made 37 tackles (23 solo) on the season with 6.5 tackles-for-loss, 4.5 quarterback sacks and five pass break-ups. The Harrisonville, Mo., native led the MIAA in QB sacks as a freshman in 2017 with 8.0 in 10 games. For his career, Selemaea has made 77 tackles (52 solo), 15.5 tackles-for-loss, 12.5 QB sacks, one interception, seven pass break-ups and three forced fumbles. He returned a fumble recovery 18 yards for a touchdown against the Mules last week.
Scouting the Griffons
Senior quarterback Dom Marino directs the MWSU offense. Marino (6-2, 200) has completed 108 of 186 passes (.581) for 1,203 yards (150.4 ypg) and seven touchdowns and rushed the ball 79 times for 480 yards (6.1 ypc) and five scores.
Senior wide receiver Keylan Mack (5-10, 180) has been Marino's favorite target, catching a team-leading 26 passes for 292 yards (11.2 ypc) and two touchdowns.
Senior wide receiver Elijah Cunningham (6-2, 200) also has made 20 grabs for 227 yards (11.4 ypc), while junior tight end Luke Vang (6-3, 230) has caught 10 passes for 157 yards (15.7 ypc) and two scores.
Sophomore running back Shamar Griffith (5-7, 150) has carried the ball 76 times for 505 yards (6.6 ypc) and three touchdowns, while redshirt freshman running back James Bailey, Jr. (6-0, 205) has added 84 carries for 502 yards (6.0 ypc) and seven TDs to MWSU's ground totals.
MWSU is averaging 238.5 rushing yards and 409.2 total yards per game. The Griffons are scoring 29.8 points per game.
Defensively, MWSU is allowing 21.2 points, 115.4 rushing yards and 353.5 total yards per game.
Junior linebacker Anthony Williams (6-2, 215) has made a team-leading 59 tackles (37 solo). Sophomore defensive tackle Tyler Baska (6-4, 230) had made 30 tackles (16 solo) with 5.5 tackles-for-loss and 3.5 quarterback sacks.
Senior cornerback Brandin Dandridge (5-10, 180) has made an MIAA-leading four interceptions and nine pass break-ups.
Junior Luke Theis has punted 37 times for a 39.8-yard average, while senior Tyler Basch has converted five of seven field goals on the season.
Dandridge has averaged 15.1 yards on punt returns for the Griffons, while Griffith averages 18.6 yards on kickoff returns.
