EDINBORO Fighting Scots (2-1, 0-0 PSAC West) at #6 INDIANA(PA) Crimson Hawks (3-0, 0-0 PSAC West)
Date: Saturday, September 23, 2017
Site: Indiana, Pa.
Stadium: George P. Miller Stadium (6,000)
Kickoff: 12 noon
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Radio: WFSE 88.9
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Edinboro Game Notes
IUP Game Notes
Scouting the Teams
The All-Time Series
IUP leads 58-23-4
IUP has won the last three meetings with the Fighting Scots. Edinboro last prevailed in 2013, winning a 36-30 decision at IUP.
The Last Meeting
2016 -- IUP 56, Edinboro 28
In a meeting of undefeated teams, ninth-ranked IUP jumped out to a 35-0 halftime lead and extended the margin to 42-0 before the Fighting Scots scored four touchdowns over the last 16 minutes. Jake Sisson threw for three touchdowns and 281 yards while completing 23 of 37 passes. Jordan Williams enjoyed a career-best day with 8 catches for 121 yards, scoring Edinboro's first touchdown on a 40-yard reception. Nick Helmick scored his first touchdown of the season on a three-yard TD pass, and Ta'Nauz Gregory capped the scoring a fingertip catch for a 33-yard touchdown. The freshman finished with 198 all-purpose yards. Brandon Rios, another freshman, scored his first career touchdown on a one-yard run. Edinboro was unable to slow down the IUP ground game, as the Crimson Hawks ran for 335 yards and finished with 585 yards. Edinboro totaled 366 yards. Samir Bullock paced IUP with 158 yards and 2 TDs on 18 carries. Walt Pegues caught seven passes for 169 yards and a touchdown.
The Coaches
Wayne Bradford (Salisbury St. '90) was named Edinboro's 15th head coach on March 29, 2017. Bradford worked under four different head coaches and was an assistant at Edinboro for 18 years before taking over as the interim head coach. He has spent a majority of his time as the Fighting Scots' defensive coordinator. Bradford has master-minded some brilliant defensive performances over the years in a day and age when offense has taken over. For instance, in 2011 the Fighting Scots ranked eighth in Division II in scoring defense (17.0 ppg.), 11th in pass efficiency defense, and 18th in total defense (292.6 ypg.). Edinboro gave up fewer than 20 points in seven of its 11 games. A year ago, his Edinboro defense finished first in the PSAC and fourth in Division II in tackles for losses, and second in the PSAC and sixth in the country in sacks. Edinboro finished the 2016 campaign with a 9-2 record, marking the fifth time an Edinboro team with Bradford on the staff tied the school record for victories (9). Three of Edinboro's teams during his tenure have reached the NCAA playoffs, including the 2009 team, which finished at 9-4 and reached the Super Region One semifinals. All told, he has been a part of 111 wins.
Paul Tortorella (Slippery Rock '85) is in his first season as the head coach at IUP, but he is no stranger to Crimson Hawks' football. Prior to taking over for Curt Cignetti in early January, Tortorella spent the last 22 years as IUP's defensive coordinator, and was the associate head coach from 2011-16. His IUP defenses consistently ranked among the best in Division II, with his 2016 squad ranking third in the country in interceptions (24) and caused turnovers (35). Since his first season at IUP in 1995, Tortorella has coached 15 defensive All-Americans, with 107 All-PSAC West honorees. Four players earned PSAC West Defensive Player of the Year honors under his tutelage. Ten IUP squads were selected for the NCAA Division II Playoffs during his tenure as the defensive coordinator. Prior to his arrival at IUP, Tortorella served as an assistant coach at Maryland and Akron.
The Game Stories
- The going doesn't get any easier for Edinboro as the Fighting Scots open up PSAC West action at sixth-ranked Indiana(Pa.). The Crimson Hawks were selected the preseason favorite in the Western Division, as Edinboro plays back-to-back games against the conference's divisional favorites. West Chester was the preseason favorite in the PSAC East. Edinboro was picked to finish fourth in the Western Division.
- The Edinboro-IUP game features a matchup of long-time assistant coaches in their first season as the head coach at their respective schools. Edinboro began a new coaching era in 2017 as Wayne Bradford debuted as the interim head coach after serving as an assistant for 18 years under four different head coaches. Paul Tortorella was the defensive coordinator at IUP for the last 22 years before being named as the replacement for Curt Cignetti.
- The Fighting Scots are 2-1, opening the season with wins over Lake Erie (30-3) and Lock Haven (20-3) at Sox Harrison Stadium, before going on the road for the first time a week ago and suffering a 62-28 loss at West Chester.
- Indiana(Pa.) owns a perfect 3-0 record under first-year head coach Paul Tortorella, and are ranked sixth in the latest AFCA Division II Top 25 and fourth in the D2Football.com Top 25. The Crimson Hawks are playing their fourth straight game at home. They opened the season with a 26-23 win over Ashland on a 46-yard field goal as time expired. They followed with a pair of PSAC crossover wins, 38-14 over East Stroudsburg and 65-16 over Cheyney.
- Bradford took over for Justin Lustig, who was Edinboro's head coach for just a year. Lustig moved on to an assistant coaching position at Syracuse. He enjoyed a monumental one season as head coach, as Edinboro recorded the largest turnaround in NCAA Division II history. The Fighting Scots went 9-2 in 2016, tying the school record for wins in a season, after finishing 0-11 in 2015.
- A year ago, Edinboro featured a high-scoring offense while posting a 9-2 record. The offense has struggled somewhat in 2017, but the defense had stepped up prior to the West Chester game, allowing just a pair of field goals in the first two games. The unit has forced 15 turnovers in the first three games. The Fighting Scots had ranked first in Division II in scoring defense (3.0 ppg.) after two weeks, but fell to sixth in the conference after the WCU loss.
- The Edinboro defense will be put to the test for the second straight week, this time by a bruising IUP attack that features the ground game. The Crimson Hawks lead the PSAC and rank tenth in Division II in rushing offense (262.3 ypg.), along with ranking second in the conference and ninth nationally in scoring offense (43.0 ppg.), and first and 12th, respectively, in total offense (489.7 ypg.). IUP also showcases one of the top defenses in the PSAC, ranking second in scoring defense (17.7 ppg.), rushing defense (89.0 ypg.), pass defense (190.3 ypg.), and total defense (279.3 ypg.).
- IUP has won the last three meetings and six of the last seven, but Edinboro has claimed two of the last four meetings to take place at George P. Miller Stadium. That includes a 36-30 win in 2013 over an IUP team that was ranked 22nd at the time. The Fighting Scots were led by redshirt freshman Jon Girvin at quarterback, who is now a starter at defensive end.
- After finishing 9-2 finish in 2016, Edinboro was ranked in several preseason polls. The summer began with the Fighting Scots picked 16th in the Street and Smith's Division II Preseason Top 25 Poll. Next came a ranking of 30th in the College Football America 2017 Yearbook Division II Preseason Top 30. The AFCA released its 2017 AFCA Division II Preseason Coaches' Top 25 Poll on August 14, with defending national champion Northwest Missouri State ranked number one. While failing to land a spot in the top 25, Edinboro was one of the top teams among "others receiving votes". The Fighting Scots received 57 votes after ending the 2016 season among "others receiving votes", as well.
- The Edinboro offense continues to revolve around quarterback Jake Sisson. The senior quarterback enjoyed his eighth career 300-yard game two weeks ago, throwing for 323 yards against Lock Haven. Last week, he threw for four touchdowns at West Chester to move into third place in career touchdown passes with 66. It marks the eighth time he has thrown for four-or-more touchdowns.
