Gorillas to Host Ferris State in Top 10 Match-up in Season Debut Saturday

PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University football team will make its 2024 season debut Saturday (Aug. 31) when the Gorillas play host to NCAA Division II powerhouse Ferris State University.

Kickoff is set for 7:05 p.m. (CDT) at Carnie Smith Stadium with the contest airing on live television – in the greater Kansas City metropolitan area on KMCI, 38 The Spot – to open a slate of season long contests as the MIAA Football Game of the Week.

Pitt State enters the 2024 season with high aspirations following an 11-2 season a year ago. The Gorillas, the No. 6 ranked team in the 2024 AFCA NCAA Division II Preseason Top 25 poll, captured their second straight MIAA crown and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II national playoffs before falling to Grand Valley State, 24-21.

The Gorillas return 13 starters (six offense, seven defense) from last year's squad, including 10 players who received All-MIAA accolades a year ago.

Ferris State, a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), posted an 8-3 record in 2023 after capturing the 2022 NCAA Division II National Championship. The Bulldogs, the preseason No. 3 ranked team in the AFCA Top 25 poll, dropped a 21-14 decision to GVSU in the first round of the NCAA-II playoffs last year.

The Coaches
Tom Anthony enters his first year as head football coach at Pittsburg State University. Anthony returned to campus after a six-month absence to become the Gorillas 16th all-time head coach in December 2023.

Anthony, who served as Pitt State's defensive coordinator from 2020-22, replaced Brian Wright who accepted the head football coach position at NCAA FCS member Northern Arizona University. Wright fashioned a 33-8 record the previous four seasons (2020-23), including a 23-3 mark the past two years with back-to-back MIAA titles and NCAA Division II playoff appearances.

Anthony joined Wright on his initial staff in December 2019 as defensive coordinator. He was elevated to the role of associate head coach/defensive coordinator prior to the 2022 season. Anthony helped fashion one of the top defensive units in NCAA Division II during his three years with the Gorillas. He stepped away from his position in June 2023 to pursue a non-coaching professional opportunity in Ohio.

This will be Anthony's first match-up against Ferris State.

In 2022, Anthony's Pitt State defensive squad led the MIAA in scoring defense (14.1 ppg) and ranked second in the conference in total defense (282.6 ypg), rushing defense (93.0 ypg), passing defense (189.6 ypg) and sacks (31). The Gorillas ranked seventh nationally in scoring defense and 19th nationally in total defense. Pitt State was one of just four defensive units to return four or more interceptions for touchdowns in 2022.

Tony Annese begins his 12th season as head coach at Ferris State. Annese (Alma College, 1983) has compiled a 123-20-0 (.860) record leading the Bulldogs. He led Ferris State to back-to-back NCAA Division II National Championships in 2021 and 2022, including an unblemished 14-0 record in 2021. Annese also directed the Bulldogs to a national runner-up finish in 2018. His Bulldog squads are a combined 62-6 (.912) since the 2018 season.

Prior to assuming the head coach role at FSU in 2012, Annese posted a 30-4 (.884) record in three seasons as head coach at Grand Rapids Community College. This will be his second meeting vs. Pitt State. He is 1-0 vs. the Gorillas.

Gorillas at Home
Pitt State holds a 372-137-12 (.726) record in 521 games inside Carnie Smith Stadium (including postseason). The Gorillas have won 170 of their last 202 regular season home games, posting a 170-31-1 record (.844) over the last 38 seasons. Pitt State, which has won its last 13 home games, posted an unblemished 7-0 record at home in 2022 and a perfect 6-0 home mark in 2023.

Ferris State is 26-3 (.897) in its last 29 road games dating back to the start of the 2018 season.

The Pitt State - Ferris State Series
This will be the second all-time meeting between the Gorillas and the Bulldogs in a series that dates back to the 2022 season.

Ferris State posted a 17-14 victory over Pitt State in the second round of the 2022 NCAA Division II playoffs in the only previous battle between the squads on Nov. 26, 2022, at Big Rapids, Mich. The Bulldogs went on to post a 14-1 record and capture their second straight NCAA-II National Championship that year.

The two squads inked a two-year deal for a home/home series beginning in 2024. Pitt State and Ferris State will open the 2025 campaign at Big Rapids.

Gorillas in Season Openers
Pitt State has compiled a 72-39-5 (.642) record in season openers over the program's 116-year history.

Since the 1978 campaign, Pitt State has built a 38-7-1 (.837) record in season openers with a 23-4 (.852) record the past 27 seasons. The Gorillas are 16-3 (.842) in home season openers since joining NCAA Division II and the MIAA in 1989.

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 752-362-48 overall record, winning 66.8 percent of their 1,162 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 (663), Carson-Newman (655) and Central Oklahoma (653).

Ferris State has a 500-445-42 (.528) record in 114 seasons of intercollegiate play.

Scouting the Gorillas
Senior quarterback Chad Dodson Jr. returns as a two-time All-MIAA performer who has fashioned a 23-3 record as the Gorillas' starting quarterback.
Dodson (5-11, 202) completed 216 of 310 passes (.697) for 2,589 yards (215.8 ypg) and 20 touchdowns in 2022, earning second-team All-MIAA accolades.

For his career, the Jacksonsville, Fla., native has completed 464 of 735 passes (.631) for 6,163 yards and 56 touchdowns in 31 games played. Dodson enters the 2024 campaign ranked No. 2 in Pitt State history for career passing yards and No. 3 for career touchdown passes.

Redshirt freshman Tre Baker and sophomore transfer Jake Wolff also figure to provide quality depth to the quarterback position.

Baker (6-0, 197) transferred to Pitt State in January from FCS member Southern Illinois University. He passed for 2,400 yards and 29 touchdowns as a senior at Lee's Summit (Mo.) North High School in 2022. Wolff (6-2, 211) comes to Pitt State from FCS member University of Northern Iowa, where he exercised a medical redshirt last year. Wolff earned second-team All-Jayhawk Conference honors at Butler Community College in 2022, passing for 1,718 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Up front, the Gorillas return a stable of veteran linemen led by redshirt senior Riley Teutsch and juniors Drew Daniels and Landon Blubaugh.

Teutsch (6-5, 305), an All-MIAA performer in 2021, has battled back from a knee injury that sidelined him in 2022 and limited his performance in 2023. The Catoosa, Okla., native was voted a 2024 team captains by his peers and stands poised to return to pre-injury form this fall. Daniels (6-2, 285) earned honorable mention All-MIAA honors while starting 12 games in 2023, while Blubaugh (6-3, 284) started nine games last year before suffering a season-ending injury vs. Sioux Falls on Oct. 28.

Other veteran returners include redshirt juniors Carter Stanchfield and Braden Stein and redshirt sophomore Kaden Degraffenreid (6-5, 295). Stanchfield (6-4, 312) competed in 10 games in 2023, including one start vs. Emporia State (Oct. 7), while Stein (6-7, 314) saw action in nine games in a reserve role a year ago.
Redshirt freshmen Levi McGee (6-1, 317) and Kaden Keith (6-3, 302) and redshirt sophomore Aidan Chance (6-4, 314) also are expected to vie for action for the Gorillas. Sophomore transfer Coby Jones (6-3, 285) also has joined the squad from FCS member Northwestern State University and will look to be an impact performer for Pitt State this fall.

In the backfield, the Gorillas welcome back a pair of players that recorded 70+ carries in 2023: redshirt senior Noah Hernandez and redshirt junior Cleo Chandler Jr..

Hernandez (5-11, 200) carried the ball 73 times for 427 yards (5.8 ypc) and three touchdowns last fall, earning honorable mention All-MIAA honors. Chandler (5-11, 215) added 90 carries for 394 yards (4.2 ypc) and a score. The duo each have more than 600 career rushing yards to their credit – Hernandez has 697 rushing yards (4.9 ypc) and six TDs and Chandler has 611 rushing yards (4.0 ypc) and 11 touchdowns.

Redshirt sophomore Jahkobie Smith (5-8, 205) also returns for his fourth year in the program, while the Gorillas have added a trio of transfers in redshirt freshmen Joshua Ficklin (5-10, 189) and Dylan Van (6-0, 160) and sophomore Tagg Campbell (5-8, 185) to bolster depth at the position. Ficklin joins the Gorillas from Illinois State University, while Van comes to Pitt State from Western Illinois University. Campbell joined the squad in January from Northeastern State University.

The Gorillas will utilize a deep, veteran squad in the wide receiving corps led by seniors Jack Roberts, Jake Bogdon and Christian Carter.

Roberts (6-3, 205) caught 30 passes for 364 yards (12.1 ypc) and three touchdowns in 11 starts for the Gorillas in 2023. Bogdon (5-10, 185) added 30 grabs for 270 yards (9.0 ypc) while starting seven games last year. Carter (6-0, 170) returns to the squad after playing the 2023 season at the University of Memphis. He garnered second-team All-MIAA for Pitt State in 2022 when he made 51 receptions for 692 yards (13.6 ypc) and five touchdowns. Carter has 95 career receptions for 1,316 yards (13.9 ypc) and 10 scores.

Redshirt sophomores Kuron Parchmon and Kam Gillespie and junior Greyson Holbert (5-11, 198) also will seek to be impact performers for the Gorillas again this fall. Parchmon (5-11, 168) made 15 for 150 yards (10.0 ypc) and one score last year, while Gillespie (6-0, 185) posted 11 catches for 123 yards (13.6 ypc) and three TDs.

Senior Matthew Brown (6-3, 198), redshirt senior Aidan Koenig (6-0, 181) and redshirt junior transfer Arlandes Mitchell (6-1, 181) also are expected to vie for significant action for the Gorillas this fall.

At tight end, seniors Dallas Bond and Mario Kirby Jr. bring veteran leadership to the position. Bond (6-3, 233) and Kirby (6-0, 240) combined for 13 receptions and two touchdowns apiece in 2023. Redshirt junior transfer Will Huggins (6-7, 254) also joined the Gorillas in January from the University of Kansas and he is expected to be an impact performer for Pitt State this fall.

The Pitt State Defense
The Gorillas return seven starters from a 2023 defensive unit that paced the MIAA in points allowed (16.7 ppg), passing yards allowed (180.7 ypg) and total yards allowed (287.3 ypg), led by All-America linebacker Jack Barkley.

Barkley (6-1, 220), a redshirt senior, made a team-leading 95 tackles (47 solo) with a team-best 11.0 tackles-for-loss and 5.0 quarterback sacks last year, garnering first-team All-MIAA and second-team All-America accolades.

Senior Alex Gaskill also returns for a sixth season to the Pitt State linebacker room. A two-time All-MIAA performer, Gaskill (6-3, 197) made 60 stops (26 solo), 4.0 tackles-for-loss, 1.5 quarterback sacks, six pass breakups and one interception in 2023, earning first-team All-MIAA honors. Gaskill enters the 2024 campaign with 172 career tackles (88 solo), 22.5 TFLs, 6.0 QB sacks, six interceptions and 13 PBUs to his credit.

Senior Brandon Stegall, redshirt junior Zach Coenen and redshirt sophomore Bryce Johnson also figure to be impact performers at linebacker again this fall. Stegall (6-2, 231) made 28 tackles (10 solo) with 2.5 tackles-for-loss, 2.0 quarterback sacks and two pass breakups last year. Coenen (6-0, 224) logged 25 stops (10 solo), 2.0 tackles-for-loss and 1.0 quarterback sack, while Johnson (6-1, 220) chipped in with 24 tackles (17 solo), one interception and five pass breakups.

Sophomore Dagen Dean (6-2, 223) and seniors Thomas Cook (6-1, 212) and Durbie McReynolds (6-2, 185) also bring veteran experience to the linebacking corps. The Gorillas also added redshirt junior transfer Steven Ward Jr. (6-0, 208) from FCS member Missouri State University in January and junior transfer Tyler Ross (6-1, 224) from Harding University.

In the secondary, the Gorillas welcome back a pair of All-MIAA performers in redshirt junior cornerback Jaylen Fuksa and redshirt junior safety Jordan Rogers.

Fuksa (5-11, 171) earned second-team All-MIAA honors in 2023 after posting 31 tackles (19 solo) with one interception and 13 pass breakups. He has registered 19 PBUs in 24 career games played. Rogers (5-10, 176) garnered third-team All-MIAA accolades by making 35 tackles (26 solo), 6.0 tackles-for-loss, six interceptions and five PBUs last year.

Redshirt junior Tedrick (T.J.) Tate Jr. (6-2, 190), junior Aabiyas Wakes (6-0, 182) and seniors JoJo Nichols (5-10, 188) and Dominique Shelmon (6-0, 186) also bring veteran experience to the cornerbacks room. Shelmon made 16 tackles and four pass breakups last year. Redshirt senior Antione Nunn Jr. also is looking to bounce back from a medical redshirt season in 2023. Nunn (5-10, 165) led the MIAA in interceptions (5) and logged 10 pass breakups in 2022. Junior newcomers Kristian Cross (Fullerton College) and Lance Saizan (Fresno City College) also have joined the Gorillas for the 2024 campaign.

Juniors Ryan Medeiros and Carson Otworth return to the secondary with valuable experience at safety positions. Medeiros (6-0, 192) started 12 games last year and logged 38 tackles (15 solo) with one interception and three pass breakups, while Otworth (6-1, 191) registered 10 tackles and a pair of interceptions in his first season with the Gorillas.

Sophomore Jasper Ogburn also gained valuable playing time as a true freshman in 2023, while redshirt junior transfer Reginald King Jr. (6-3, 186) joined the Gorillas in January from FCS powerhouse North Dakota State University. Redshirt freshmen Luke McLaughlin (6-2, 197) and Mario Menghini (6-3, 206) also provide quality depth.

On the defensive line, the Gorillas welcome back a trio of standout veterans in seniors Cole Sample, Malik Berry and Trent Thompson.

Sample (6-3, 314), an interior lineman, returns as a two-time All-MIAA performer. He logged 22 tackles (four solo) last year with 1.5 tackles-for-loss, earning third-team All-MIAA recognition. Sample received honorable mention All-MIAA honors as a sophomore in 2022. Berry (6-4, 262) made 21 tackles (six solo) with 2.0 tackles-for-loss and 1.0 quarterback sack in his debut season for the Gorillas in 2023. He enters the 2024 campaign as a team captain. Thompson (6-3, 268) also chipped in with 27 tackles (12 solo), 3.0 TFLs and 2.0 quarterback sacks last year. He has 11.5 TFLs and 4.0 QB sacks to his credit for his career.

Redshirt junior Jeremy Sharp (6-3, 284), redshirt sophomore Isaiah Alexander (6-1, 267) and sophomore Sam Hultz (6-3, 266) will add veteran experience to the defensive line unit. Redshirt junior transfer James Smith (6-2, 282) also has joined the squad from Butler Community College and sophomore transfer Max Dulansky (6-2, 270) has joined the Gorillas from Wofford College.

Pitt State Special Teams
The Gorillas return a second-team All-MIAA placekicker in Austin Schmitt to lead their special teams unit. Schmitt (6-1, 179) converted 15 of 18 field goal attempts and 47 of 48 PAT tries as a true freshman in 2023, finishing the season with a team-leading 92 points (7.1 ppg). He ranked seventh in NCAA Division II in field goal percentage (.833) and 18th nationally in field goals per game (1.15 pg).

Redshirt senior Gentry Cole, returns as the team's kickoff specialist. Cole (5-9, 172) averaged 57.9 yards on kickoffs with 25 touchbacks among his 82 kicks in 2023.

Graduate transfer Casey Rauch and redshirt sophomore Caleb Chandler are expected to battle for the punting duties. Rauch garnered first-team NAIA All-America honors at Concordia University Ann Arbor in 2023. He averaged 40.8 yards per punts for his career with the Cardinals, placing 79 kicks inside the opponent 20 yard line. Chandler punted four times for a 33.8-yard average in limited duty for the Gorillas last year.

Incoming freshman Lane Wood (6-1, 222) and junior Austin O'Hara (5-11, 201) figure to battle for Pitt State's long snapping chores.

Medeiros earned honorable mention All-MIAA honors as a return specialist for the Gorillas in 2023, averaging 9.7 yards on punt returns a year ago.

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Players Mentioned

#99 Isaiah Alexander: DL; 6' 1"; Redshirt Sophomore

#40 Jack Barkley: LB; 6' 1"; Redshirt Senior

#91 Malik Berry: DE; 6' 4"; Redshirt Senior

#50 Landon Blubaugh: OL; 6' 3"; Junior

#11 Jake Bogdon: WR; 5' 10"; Senior

#82 Dallas Bond: TE; 6' 3"; Senior

#7 Matthew Brown: WR; 6' 3"; Senior

#75 Aidan Chance: OL; 6' 4"; Redshirt Sophomore

#47 Caleb Chandler: P; 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore

#20 Cleo Chandler Jr.: RB; 5' 11"; Redshirt Junior

#23 Zach Coenen: LB; 6' 0"; Redshirt Junior

#8 Gentry Cole: PK/P; 5' 9"; Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

#99 Isaiah Alexander
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Sophomore
: DL

#40 Jack Barkley
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Senior
: LB

#91 Malik Berry
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Senior
: DE

#50 Landon Blubaugh
: 6' 3"; Junior
: OL

#11 Jake Bogdon
: 5' 10"; Senior
: WR

#82 Dallas Bond
: 6' 3"; Senior
: TE

#7 Matthew Brown
: 6' 3"; Senior
: WR

#75 Aidan Chance
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Sophomore
: OL

#47 Caleb Chandler
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore
: P

#20 Cleo Chandler Jr.
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Junior
: RB

#23 Zach Coenen
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Junior
: LB

#8 Gentry Cole
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Senior
: PK/P