LOCK HAVEN Bald Eagles (0-1, 0-0 PSAC East) at EDINBORO Fighting Scots (1-0, 0-0 PSAC West)
Date: Saturday, September 9, 2017
Site: Edinboro, Pa.
Stadium: Sox Harrison Stadium (6,000)
Kickoff: 12 noon
Live Stats: Click Here
Radio: WFSE 88.9
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Video Stream: ETV
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Edinboro Game Notes
Lock Haven Game Notes
Scouting the Teams
The All-Time Series
Edinboro leads 42-14-1
Edinboro has won the last 14 meetings in the series, and 32 of the last 33. Lock Haven claimed a 20-16 win at Hubert Jack Stadium in 2000. Lock Haven has not won at Sox Harrison Stadium since 1981.
The Last Meeting
2016 -- Edinboro 44, Lock Haven 38
In a back-and-forth contest that featured five lead changes, the Fighting Scots rallied with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns.
Jake Sisson capped a spectacular day with a 13-yard TD pass to
Alex Caratelli to give the Boro the lead for good. Just over two minutes later, the junior threw a school-record 99-yard TD pass to
James Clark for a 44-32 lead. The game featured five lead changes and six drives of 70-or-more yards, along with five scoring plays of 45-or-more yards. Sisson would end the day throwing for 486 yards, the second-highest total ever at Edinboro, along with 517 yards in total offense, which also is second all-time. He accounted for six touchdowns -- five passing and one rushing -- to tie a then school record. Clark would finish with 9 catches for 193 yards and 2 TDs.
Walter Fletcher was held to 14 yards rushing, but caught 4 passes for 122 yards, including a 64-yard TD catch. True freshman
Ta'Nauz Gregory scored for the second straight week, this time catching a 57-yard TD pass. The defense came up with the big plays when it needed to, particularly
Victor Hudson. The senior defensive end had a career-high 12 tackles while setting a school record with 8.5 TFL. That included five sacks, two shy of the school record.
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 110 wins.
Dave Taynor (Urbana '99) is in his third season as Lock Haven's head coach after being named the 24th head coach on April 12, 2015. He owns a 6-17 record during that period at Lock Haven after a 2-9 finish in his first season, and 4-7 a year ago. He previously was the head coach at Urbana for seven seasons, where he posted a 39-49 record. He has a career record of 45-66. LHU's four wins in 2016 were the most since the 2002 team won four games. The four conference wins marked the most since the 1979 season. Following the season, four players were named to various All-American teams. A total of seven players earned All-PSAC East honors, including five first team honorees. The five first-teamers were the most since 1982 when LHU also had five. At Urbana, Taynor led the Blue Knights from NAIA to NCAA Division II status. He led Urbana to Great Lakes Football Conference championships in 2010 and 2011. Recognized for his offensive prowess, his Urbana teams set over 50 team offensive records.j.
The Game Stories
- Edinboro opened the 2017 campaign with a 30-3 win over Lake Erie at Sox Harrison Stadium. The Fighting Scots pulled away in the second half after leading 10-0 at halftime. Lock Haven played at Division I FCS opponent St. Francis(Pa.), suffering a 69-3 defeat. This marks the first of ten straight games against PSAC opponents, with Edinboro scheduled to play crossover contests against Lock Haven, West Chester, and Cheyney.
- Edinboro began a new coaching era a week ago as long-time assistant coach Wayne Bradford debuted as head coach. An assistant for 18 years at Edinboro, he opened his reign as interim head coach with a 30-3 win over Lake Erie. The 15th head coach overall at Edinboro, he became the third straight head coach to win his first contest. Scott Browning and Justin Lustig also won their first games.
- 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.
- Edinboro renews what has been a lopsided rivalry with Lock Haven. The Fighting Scots have won the last 14 meetings and 32 of the last 33 contests. The lone interruption came in 2000. However, the Bald Eagles were a much-improved team in 2016, winning four games in the PSAC East for the first time since 1979. Edinboro needed a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns to pull out a 44-38 win at Lock Haven last year.
- Edinboro was ranked fourth in the PSAC West coaches' preseason poll, while Lock Haven was picked sixth in the PSAC East.
- 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 defense allowed 404 yards to Lake Erie, but just three points. The defense recorded six turnovers, including four interceptions. Zuril Hendrick returned the last pickoff 61 yards for a touchdown to cap the win, one of three interceptions the junior cornerback had on the day. In addition, the defense recorded three sacks.
- The weather conditions proved a little difficult for the offenses, as a strong wind swept Sox Harrison Stadium most of the day, part of the remnants of Hurricane Harvey. After a slow start, Edinboro would finish with 414 yards in total offense. The unit featured the running of Walter Fletcher and the receiving of Ta'Nauz Gregory. Fletcher posted his third career 100-yard rushing effort with a career-best 189 yards on 25 carries. That included a 28-yard TD run. Gregory added 123 yards on seven receptions, with touchdown catches of 32 and 34 yards.
- After back-to-back home games to start 2017, the Fighting Scots have two games on the road, and both are against the preseason favorites in the PSAC East and West. On Saturday, September 16, Edinboro heads to southeastern Pennsylvania to face West Chester on Saturday, September 16. The Golden Rams were 8-3 a year ago and picked to finish first in the PSAC East in the coaches' preseason poll. The following week, Edinboro opened up PSAC West action against the division's preseason favorite, playing at Indiana(Pa.). The Crimson Hawks were 10-2 a year ago. Both IUP and West Chester are currently nationally-ranked, with IUP sixth in the AFCA Division II Top 25, and West Chester 24th.
