PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University football team will make its 20th all-time appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs Saturday (Nov. 18) when the Gorillas host the University of Indianapolis of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) in a first-round game at Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium.
Pittsburg State, the winningest all-time NCAA Division II program, qualified for the 28-team playoffs after finishing the regular season with a 10-1 record (9-1 MIAA) and sharing the 2023 MIAA Championship. The Gorillas, ranked No. 7 in the final regular season AFCA/Division II Top 25 poll [for complete poll, see page 5], posted a 20-10 victory over the University of Central Oklahoma in their last action on Nov. 11.
UIndy qualified for post-season play by finishing the regular season with a 9-1 record and finishing as the GLVC champion. The Greyhounds, the No. 17 team (tie) in NCAA Division II, wrapped up their GLVC championship regular season with a 41-3 road win over Southwest Baptist University in their last action on Nov. 11.
Kickoff for Saturday's game is set for 1 p.m. (CST).
Tickets
Tickets are $12 for reserved seats, $10 for general admission and $5 for PSU Students (with I.D.). All tickets on game day will be $12.
The PSU Ticket Office is open until the close of business Friday (Nov. 17). Online ticket sales are available at
www.pittstate.edu/tickets
For additional ticket information, please call (620) 235-4796.
The Coaches
Brian Wright is in his fourth season as head coach at Pittsburg State. He has a 32-7 (.821) record leading the Gorillas and a 36-7 (.837) mark as a collegiate head coach.
Wright was hired as the program's 15th all-time head coach on December 7, 2019. He led the Gorillas to a 2-2 record during the abbreviated 2020 season; and he guided Pitt State to an 8-3 mark in 2021.
Last year, Wright led the Gorillas to a 12-1 record and an 11-0 unblemished MIAA Championship, garnering 2022 MIAA Coach of the Year honors. He led Pitt State to a 12-1 record as the Gorillas made their 19th all-time trip to the NCAA-II postseason. Pitt State dropped a 17-14 decision to eventual national champion Ferris State University in the second round of the NCAA-II playoffs.
He has guided the Gorillas to a 10-1 record this fall, leading the program to its second straight MIAA Championship campaign.
Wright came to Pitt State after serving the previous four seasons as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at the University of Toledo.
Prior to coming to Toledo, Wright coached at Florida Atlantic for four seasons as the Owls' offensive coordinator. He stepped in as interim head coach for the final four games of the 2013 season, leading the Owls to four consecutive victories and bowl eligibility (6-6) for the first time since 2008. Prior to his stint at Florida Atlantic, Wright spent two seasons at Montana State as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach.
Before heading west to Montana State, Wright served nine years at perennial FCS power Youngstown State.
Wright joined the Penguins' staff in 2001 as quarterbacks coach, also working as offensive coordinator from 2005-09. He began his collegiate coaching career at Walsh (Ohio) University as a graduate assistant in 1995-96.
After a year as a graduate assistant at YSU in which the Penguins won the NCAA Division I-AA national title, Wright returned to Walsh in 1998 and served until 2000.
Saturday's action will be Wright's second meeting against UIndy. He is 1-0 vs. the Greyhounds.
Chris Keevers is in his fifth season as head coach at UIndy, after serving as an assistant coach for the Greyhounds for a quarter century. Keevers (Purdue, 1989) has compiled a 37-9-0 (.804) record leading UIndy. He led the Greyhounds to a 9-2 record and an NCAA Division II playoff appearance in his first season as head coach in 2019 as well as back-to-back postseason berths the past two seasons. Keevers also earned GLVC Coach of the Year honors during the Covid-19 shortened 2020-21 campaign.
This will be his second meeting vs. Pitt State. He is 0-1 vs. the Gorillas.
The Pitt State - UIndy Series
This will be the second all-time meeting between the Gorillas and the Greyhounds.
The two squads met last year in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs on Nov. 19 as an opportunistic Pitt State defense forced six turnovers, including five interceptions, and the No. 4 ranked Gorillas blanked No. 13 UIndy, 35-0, at Carnie Smith Stadium.
Return specialist Kolbe Katsis returned the game's opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown to ignite the Gorillas just 14 seconds into the game.
Quarterback Chad Dodson Jr completed 18 of 26 passes for 255 yards, including a pair of touchdown passes to tight end Devon Garrison.
The Gorillas managed just 36 net rushing yards against UIndy's No. 1 nationally ranked run defense, but that hardly mattered as Pitt State's defense shut down the Greyhounds offensive efforts.
Antione Nunn Jr. snared two of Pitt State's five interceptions, including one he returned 68 yards for a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter.
UIndy had four drives end with turnovers in Pitt State territory and the Gorillas halted another drive on downs at the PSU 25 yard line.
UIndy's Christian Conkling completed just 15 of 35 passes for 184 yards on a blustery day that featured a stiff southeast wind. Running back Toriano Clinton rushed for a game high 53 yards (on 16 carries) to eclipse 1,000 yards for the season.
Gorillas vs. GLVC Foes
Pitt State has a 91-30-5 (.742) all-time record against GLVC foes, which primarily includes former MIAA members Missouri S&T (40-15-4), Southwest Baptist (21-0) and Truman (27-15-1). The Gorillas also are 2-0 vs. William Jewell.
Pitt State is 62-1-1 (.977) against current GLVC member schools since the Gorillas' NCAA era began in 1989.
Pitt State-UIndy in the NCAA-II Playoffs
Pitt State is making its 20th appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs since joining the NCAA ranks 35 years ago, prior to the 1989 season.
The Gorillas have compiled a 26-17 (.605) mark in the NCAA-II playoffs.
Pitt State captured the 1991 and 2011 NCAA Division II National Championships and finished as the National Runner-Up in 1992, 1995 and 2004.
UIndy is making its eighth appearance in the NCAA-II playoffs since 2012, it's second straight trip. The Greyhounds are 2-7 in nine postseason games, including a 1-2 mark against MIAA teams.
All-Time Winningest Programs
Pittsburg State is the all-time winningest NCAA Division II football program. The Gorillas, who are competing in their 116th season of intercollegiate competition, have compiled a 751-361-48 overall record, winning 66.8 percent of their 1,160 all-time games.
Pittsburg State is one of just nine 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 714 victories, followed by Hillsdale (664), Carson-Newman (655) and Central Oklahoma (653).
UIndy has a 437-375-23 (.537) record in 86 seasons of intercollegiate play.
Gorillas at Home
Pitt State holds a 371-137-12 (.725) record in 520 games inside Carnie Smith Stadium (including postseason). The Gorillas posted an unblemished 7-0 record at home in 2022 and the Gorillas have won their last 12 home games.
Pitt State has posted a 26-8 (.765) all-time record in home playoff games, including a 19-5 (.792) mark in NCAA-II postseason play. The Gorillas are 10-1 in home playoff games since 2001 and riding a six-game home win streak.
UIndy is 18-5 (.783) in its last 23 road games dating back to the start of the 2019 season under Coach Keevers.
Gorillas Play Ahead
Pitt State has capitalized on first half leads to take control of several games this season.
The Gorillas, who lead all NCAA Division II squads in time of possession (34:44), have trailed for just 16:34 of game clock in their last seven games. Pitt State has played in the lead for an average of 44:37 per game in those contests.
While the Gorillas have scored on their opening drive just twice this season – vs. MSSU on Oct. 14 and vs. MWSU on Nov. 4 – the Pitt State defense has allowed just 68 first-half points to date (5.8 ppg).
Pitt State has trailed in just five games this season for a total of 86 minutes, 10 seconds out of a possible 660 minutes overall.
Scouting the Gorillas
Junior quarterback Chad Dodson Jr. leads a Pitt State offense that averages 34.9 points and 401.5 total yards per game on the season.
Dodson (5-11, 205) has compiled a 22-2 (.917) record as the Gorillas starter. He missed the regular season finale vs. UCO last week but he's expected to return to action for the Gorillas against the Greyhounds.
Dodson, who earned second-team All-MIAA honors earlier this week, completed 20 of 24 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns in his last outing vs. Missouri Western on Nov. 4. He has completed 173 of 248 passes (.698) for 2,068 yards and 15 TDs on the season.
The Jacksonville, Fla., native has completed 421 of 673 (.626) career passes for 5,642 yards and 51 touchdowns. He ranks third in Pitt State history for career TD passes and foutth for career passing yards.
Dodson earned third-team All-MIAA honors in 2022, passing for 2,975 yards and 29 TDs.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Ty Pennington started for the Gorillas under center in Pitt State's 20-10 victory over Central Oklahoma last week. The Sand Springs, Okla., native completed 18 of 30 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown in the victory.
For the season, Pennington (6-3, 207) has played in all 11 games and completed 45 of 65 passes (.692) for 430 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions. He also has carried the ball 66 times for 268 yards (4.1 ypc) and four scores.
Senior tight end Devon Garrison has caught a team-leading 42 passes for 687 yards (16.4 ypc) and five touchdowns. The Elk River, Minn., native ranks second in NCAA Division II in tight end receiving yards and third nationally in tight end scoring. Garrison, who garnered first-team All-MIAA honors for a second straight seasons earlier this week, ranks eighth in the MIAA in receiving yards (62.5 ypg).
Garrison (6-6, 240) caught five passes for 90 yards against Missouri Western on Nov. 4 to set the Pitt State career receiving record for a tight end. He now has 861 catches for 1,413 yards (16.4 ypc) and 14 touchdowns. Blaise Bauer (1985-88) formerly held the Pitt State record with 44 receptions for 1,284 yards.
Garrison earned first-team All-MIAA and NCAA-II All-America honors as a junior in 2022 when he caught 35 passes for 614 yards (17.5 ypc) and seven touchdowns.
Senior running back Antwan Squire (5-9, 195) has carried the ball a team-leading 120 times for 628 yards (5.2 ypc) and six touchdowns in 10 games played. He also has caught 16 passes for 150 yards (9.4 ypc) and one TD.
The Suitland, Md., native ranks eighth in the MIAA in rushing, averaging 60.0 yards per game. He carried the ball 31 times for 135 yards (4.4 ypc) and one touchdown in six games played in 2022.
Squire received honorable mention All-MIAA recognition earlier this week.
Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Kolbe Katsis has made 38 receptions for 506 yards (13.3 ypc) and three touchdowns on the season.
The Owasso, Okla., native earned MIAA Offensive Player of the Week honors when he caught nine passes for a career-best 200 yards and a touchdown in Pitt State's week three win vs. Central Missouri. Katsis became just the sixth receiver in Pitt State history to record a 200-yard game.
Katsis also has returned 10 kickoffs for 292 yards (29.2 ypr), including a 100-yard return for a touchdown vs. Sioux Falls on Oct. 28. The MIAA coaches voted him a third-team All-MIAA honoree at both wide receiver and return specialist.
For his career, Katsis has caught 60 passes for 1,011 yards (16.9 ypc) and eight touchdowns. He also has averaged 31.4 yards on 25 career kickoff returns with two TDs.
Three members of the Pitt State offensive line earned All-MIAA honors: redshirt senior tackle Trase Jeffries, graduate center Zane Madison and sophomore guard Drew Daniels.
Jeffries (6-4, 322), a two-year team captain, was a unanimous first-team All-MIAA selection. The Broken Arrow, Okla., native has earned first-team All-MIAA honors each of the past three seasons. An All-America performer in 2022, Jeffries has made 39 consecutive starts for the Gorillas.
Madison (6-3, 297), who transferred to Pitt State in January from West Texas A&M University, garnered second-team All-MIAA honors, while Daniels (6-2, 300) received honorable mention All-MIAA recognition.
Freshman placekicker Austin Schmitt is 13-for-16 on field goal attempts on the season. He leads the MIAA and eighth in D2 in field percentage (.813 pg). The Grain Valley, Mo., native also ranks second in the MIAA and 17th in D2 in field goals per game (1.2 pg).
Schmitt (6-1, 170), who garnered second-team All-MIAA honors earlier this week, has scored a team-leading 80 points (7.3 ppg).
The Pitt State defense has allowed an MIAA low 16.3 points per game on the season and just 285.5 total yards per game to date. The Gorillas rank 15th in D2 in scoring defense. Pitt State also ranks second nationally in passes intercepted (19) and sixth in NCAA-II in turnover margin (+16, +1.45 pg).
Redshirt junior linebacker Jack Barkley leads the Pitt State defense with 77 tackles (37 solo) on the season. The Tulsa, Okla., native also has 9.0 tackles-for-loss, 3.0 quarterback sacks and three pass breakups to his credit.
Barkley (6-1, 220), a first-team All-MIAA selection, ranks third in the conference in stops this season, averaging 7.0 tackles per game. He earned MIAA Defensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 5, after posting a career-best 14 tackles (seven solo) and 3.5 tackles-for-loss in the Gorillas' 34-7 season opening win over Washburn (Aug. 31).
For his career, Barkley has compiled 142 tackles (58 solo) with 11.0 tackles-for-loss, one interception and four pass breakups.
Senior safety Michael Lacey was an unanimous first-team All-MIAA selection earlier this week. The Cleveland, Ohio, native has registered 41 tackles (25 solo) with 5.0 tackles-for-loss, two interceptions, 10 pass breaksups and two fumble recoveries on the season.
A two-time All-MIAA performer, Lacey (5-10, 188) ranks fourth in the MIAA in passes defended (12, 1.1 pg).
Redshirt senior Rico Payton also ranks fourth in the MIAA in passes defended. The St. Louis, Mo., native has made 30 tackles (21 solo) with three interceptions and nine PBUs to date.
Payton (6-0, 182) was voted a first-team All-MIAA performer this fall. He has compiled 40 career tackles with four interceptions and 23 PBUs.
Redshirt junior defensive end Dubem Okonkwo garnered first-team All-MIAA honors for a second straight seasons in 2023. The Kansas City, Mo., native has registered 22 tackles (11 solo) with 3.0 tackles-for-loss, 2.0 quarterback sacks and 11 quarterback pressures.
Okonkwo (6-0, 228) has compiled 92 career tackles (68 solo) with 21.0 tackles-for-loss and 15.5 quarterback sacks.
Sophomore safety Jordan Rogers leads the MIAA and ranks fourth in NCAA Division II this season with six interceptions. The Bellmead, Texas, native logged a takeaway in each of Pitt State's first five games, including a "pick six" against NSU on Sept. 30.
For the season, Rogers (5-10, 178) has made 29 tackles (21 solo) with 5.0 tackles-for-loss, 1.0 quarterback sack and four pass breakups. He was a third-team All-MIAA selection.
Redshirt sophomore Ryan Medeiros has averaged an MIAA leading 11.4 yards per punt return this season. He garnered honorable mention All-MIAA honors as a return specialist. Medeiros (6-0, 192) also has posted 29 tackles (12 solo) and three PBUs from his safety position.
Scouting The Greyhounds
Sophomore quarterback Gavin Sukup directs the Greyhounds offense. Sukup has completed 175 of 265 passes (.660) for 2,535 yards and 24 touchdowns on the season. He also has carried the ball 82 times for 240 net yards (2.9 ypc) and six scores.
Sukup ranks third nationally in passing efficiency (171.6 rating) and 15th in D2 in total offense (276.9 ypg).
Junior running back Jon Lewis (5-10, 189) has rushed the ball 155 times for 848 yards (5.5 ypc) and seven touchdowns, averaging 84.8 yards per game. He ranks second in the GLVC in rushing. UIndy is averaging 195.1 rushing yards per game this season.
Sophomore wide receiver Cobi Sukup (5-11, 198) has been Sukup's favorite receiving target. He has caught a team-leading 28 passes for 422 yards (15.1 ypc) and seven touchdowns. Sophomore wide receiver Markez Gillam (5-8, 155) also has 18 receptions for 334 yards (18.6 ypc) and two TDs in nine games played.
As a team, UIndy is averaging 34.1 points and 453.8 total yards per game, including 195.1 rushing yards per game. The Greyhounds rank 15th in Division II in total offense and seventh nationally in passing efficiency (171.1 rating).
Junior linebacker Clay Schulte (5-11, 202) has posted a team-leading 74 tackles (54 solo) with one interception and two pass breakups.
Sophomore defensive end Justin Thomas (6-2, 246) has made 29 tackles (24 solo) with 15.5 tackles-for-loss and 7.0 quarterback sacks. Junior defensive tackle Dylan Shelton (6-1, 273) also has posted 11.0 TFLs and 4.0 QB sacks this season. Thomas leads the GLVC in tackles-for-loss and ranks second in the GLVC in sacks.
As a team, the Greyhounds are allowing just 12.9 points per game and 279.7 total yards per contest. UIndy ranks sixth nationally in scoring defense.
Senior Dylan Hillger (5-10, 191) has converted five of seven field goal attempts and 28 of 31 PATs on the season. Redshirt senior Luke Keller has punted 39 times for a 37.6 yard average with nine kicks placed inside the opponent 20 yard line.
Gillam is averaging 23.4 yards per kickoff return, while Anthony Crowell has averaged 6.7 yards on punt returns to date.
