CLARION Golden Eagles (0-4, 0-1 PSAC West) at EDINBORO Fighting Scots (2-2, 0-1 PSAC West)
Date: Saturday, September 30, 2017
Site: Edinboro, Pa.
Stadium: Sox Harrison Stadium (6,000)
Kickoff: 4 p.m.
Live Stats: Click Here
TV: ESPN3/SPORTSfever Television Network
Radio: WFSE 88.9
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Edinboro Game Notes
Clarion Game Notes
Scouting the Teams
On Radio and TV
The Edinboro-Clarion game is the second of three Edinboro games on the SPORTSfever Television Network Game of the Week. The contest can be seen live on ESPN and ESPN College Extra, along with several other outlets listed below. Phil Schoener will provide the play-by-play, with former Fighting Scot Dr. Pete Yaksick on color commentary. Brett Hildebrand will be handling the sideline reporting duties. As always, the game can be heard live on WFSE FM 88.9, with Gabe Hypes and George Schmidt calling all the action. The WFSE stream can be heard at www.edinboronow.com.
SPORTSfever Game of the Week Carriage
LIVE
ESPN 3 (Accessible on line to more than 88 million households at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app and streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 and Xbox One)
ESPN College Extra (Live TV available to AT&T Uverse, DirecTV, Bright House Networks, Cox, Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS and select NCTC subscribers)
WHP 21.2 (21.1 over-the-air, Comcast 19, Armstrong 15, Blue Ridge 133, Nittany 99, Verizon 21, DirecTV 22) Harrisburg/Lancaster/York/Carlisle/Lebanon
WPNT 22 (22 over-the-air, Comcast SD 10/HD 812, Comcast Clarion SD 12/HD 812, Armstrong SD 22/HD 105, Atlantic Broadband SD 8/HD 707, Citizens SD 12/HD 812, Time Warner SD 22/HD 1022, Verizon SD 10/ HD 510, Consolidated SD 10/HD 710, DirecTV 22, Dish Network 22) Pittsburgh
WJAC 6.2 (6.2 over-the-air, Comcast 110-187-202-248, Armstrong 410, Atlantic Broadband 110, Windstream 16, Laurel Highland 15) Johnstown/Altoona/State College
DELAY/REPLAY
Wednesday October 4 Noon
SPORTS TIME OHIO (Erie Time Warner 21-23/HD308-1308, Armstrong 47/HD177, Sharon Time Warner 76/HD 308-1308, DirecTV 662, Dish Network 431) Erie, Meadville, Sharon, Cleveland, Columbus, Akron, Toledo, Huntington, Charleston, Youngstown & Buffalo
The All-Time Series
Edinboro leads 46-39-2
The Fighting Scots made it six wins in the last seven meetings with Clarion with a 62-14 win 0n Clarion's Homecoming. Clarion claimed a 36-23 win in 2015 at Sox Harrison Stadium, ending Edinboro's five-game winning streak in the series. (NOTE: Edinboro and Clarion records indicate a difference in the all-time series. The difference lies in the 1961 game, won by Edinboro, 13-12. Clarion's results show that game was later forfeited.)
The Last Meeting
2016 -- Edinboro 62, Clarion 14
One year after Clarion spoiled Edinboro's Homecoming, the Fighting Scots returned the favor with a convincing win. Offensively, Jake Sisson became the first player in school history to pass for a touchdown, run for a touchdown, and catch a touchdown pass in the same game. The junior quarterback threw for five scores, ran for another, and caught one. The defense turned in its finest effort of the season, recording three turnovers and five sacks. All three turnovers led to touchdowns, including a 27-yard interception return for a score by Zuril Hendrick. In addition, the defense stopped Clarion on downs at the Edinboro two and five yard lines. Finally, special teams turned in a touchdown as Ta'Nauz Gregory returned a kickoff 96 yards for six points. Edinboro scored on five of their first six possessions, and on the one they were forced to punt, the Fighting Scots recovered a fumble on the punt return. They would score on the next play. Edinboro led 41-7 at the half. Sisson opened the scoring on a trick play, catching an eight-yard touchdown pass from Walter Fletcher. He would later score on a four-yard run. Sisson threw two touchdown passes to Alex Caratelli (16 and 52 yards) and two to James Clark (43 and 32 yards), along with a 30-yarder to Jordan Williams. Sisson completed 22 of 37 passes for 357 yards and was also the leading rusher with 38 yards.
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.
Chris Weibel (Clarion '98) is in his second year as the head coach at Clarion. He enjoyed a highly-successful first season, leading the Golden Eagles to a 7-4 finish after starting the year with seven straight wins. Weibel had previously made a name for himself with the Golden Eagles. He served as an assistant coach at Clarion for 11 years, and before that was a standout quarterback. Weibel holds Clarion records for career pass attempts (1,065), completions (586), passing yards (7,845) and passing TD's (65). He also owns the record for single season passing yards (2,880 – 1996) and TD passes (32 – 1996). His top season came in 1996 when he led the Golden Eagles to an 11-3 overall record, the PSAC West title, the NCAA Division II East Region crown, and a berth in the NCAA "Final Four" before losing in the final seconds to Northern Colorado, 19-18. Weibel earned All-American honors and Clarion was awarded the Lambert Cup, signifying the top team in the East. He has served as an assistant coach for the Golden Eagles for 11 seasons and offensive coordinator the last 2 years, was named Clarion's 12th head football coach on February 6, 2015. A 2010 inductee into Clarion's Sports Hall of Fame, Weibel spent the last 11 seasons coaching at Clarion, the last two as the offensive coordinator.
Last Week
#6 Indiana(Pa.) 38, Edinboro 7
Turnovers continued to plague the Fighting Scots as they opened the PSAC West campaign at sixth-ranked IUP. Five interceptions led to a pair of touchdowns for the Crimson Hawks. Despite being held to a season-low 287 yards, Edinboro was able to move inside the IUP 10 on four occasions, but could only come up with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Jake Sisson to James Clark in the third quarter. The Edinboro defense was unable to find a way to stop IUP's standout quarterback, Lenny Williams. Williams threw for 274 yards and 4 TDs, adding 60 yards rushing. JoJo Gause caught three of those touchdown passes. Clark continued his hot play with eight catches for 88 yards, with Sisson throwing for 221 yards while completing 26-of-47 passes. IUP would hold a 21-0 lead at halftime on a pair of Williams' touchdown passes and a Bullock touchdown run. The Crimson Hawks added ten points in the first six minutes of the third quarter as the lead grew to 31-0. The Sisson-to-Clark connection got Edinboro on the scoreboard with just over five minutes remaining in the third period.
Mercyhurst 21, Clarion 18
Asiantii Woulard ran for one touchdown, passed for another, and hauled in a two-point conversion, but Clarion's rally came up just short. Woulard completed 13-of-30 passes for 195 yards. After a short punt gave the Golden Eagles a 1st-and-10 from the Mercyhurst 39, Woulard connected with Greg Leonard for a 39-yard TD pass to cut the deficit to 21-16 with 7:30 left to play. Mason Standard's two-point conversion pass to Woulard on a trick play cut the deficit to a field goal. Clarion got the ball back one last time and moved to the Mercyhurst 22. A sack, and ultimately an interception, ended Clarion's comeback efforts. Mylique McGriff rushed for a career-high 66 yards on 13 carries, while Kyle Evans added 50 yards on 14 carries. The Clarion defense limited Mercyhurst to 316 total yards.
The Game Stories
- After two tough weeks on the road facing the PSAC preseason favorites in the PSAC Eastern and Western Divisions, Edinboro returns home to host Clarion. In fact, the Fighting Scots won't leave Erie County over the next four weeks, with a road game at Gannon next week, followed by home contests with Mercyhurst and Slippery Rock.
- Edinboro comes off back-to-back weeks facing the PSAC preseason favorites in the PSAC Eastern and Western Divisions, and both games on the road, no less. Edinboro suffered a 62-28 loss at West Chester, the Eastern Division favorite, and this past week, dropped a 38-7 decision at sixth-ranked and PSAC West preseason favorite Indiana(Pa.) in the PSAC opener. That left Edinboro with a 2-2 record. The Fighting Scots opened the season with a pair of games at Sox Harrison Stadium, defeating Lake Erie (30-3) and Lock Haven (20-3).
- Clarion comes in with a 0-4 record, with one of those losses to Division I UT Martin, 36-0. That was the lone road contest for the Golden Eagles, as they have spent the last three weeks at home. Clarion suffered PSAC crossover losses to Bloomsburg (29-20) and Shippensburg (31-0), before opening PSAC West action with a 21-18 loss to Mercyhurst last Saturday.
- Edinboro was picked to finish fourth in the PSAC West in the coaches' preseason poll, while Clarion was picked seventh.
- Wayne Bradford is in his first season as Edinboro's interim head coach. He was on the Edinboro staff for 18 years, most of that as the defensive coordinator, before assuming the head coach responsibilities.
- 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. After ranking third in the PSAC and 12th in Division II in scoring at 41.5 ppg., the Edinboro offense has been plagued by turnovers and is averaging 21.3 ppg. this season. The Fighting Scots have committed 18 turnovers on the season, including 15 the last three games. The Edinboro defense has forced 15 turnovers.
- Clarion's offense has also struggled to put points on the board, being shutout twice while averaging 9.5 ppg. Turnovers have not been the issue, as the Golden Eagles have committed just eight miscues. However, Golden eagle quarterbacks have been sacked ten times and the ground game is averaging 79.8 ypg.
- 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.
