Saturday's Game
UW-Whitewater welcomes Salisbury University to Perkins Stadium in Whitewater, Wisconsin for a NCAA III playoff quarterfinal game that will kick off at 12:00.
UW-Whitewater postseason website
Past NCAA Appearances
UW-Whitewater returns to the postseason for the tenth time in program history, and seventh consecutive year, with an overall record of 28-6. UW-W is the two-time defending Division III champion. Three of Whitewater's playoff losses came in the championship game with the Warhawks finishing as the runners-up in 2005 and 2006 under head coach Bob Berezowitz and in 2008 under
Lance Leipold. The Warhawks won the title under Leipold in 2007, 2009 and 2010.
This is the first time Salisbury University has advanced to the NCAA III quarterfinals since 1986. The Sea Gulls have made five NCAA tournament appearances in the last ten years, 2002, 2004, 2007, and 2010. They won the ECAC Southeast Bowl Championship in 2005, the ECAC South Atlantic Bowl Championship in 2006, and the ECAC Southwest Bowl Championship in 2008. Salisbury, although affiliated with the ECAC for all of its other sports, now plays football in the Empire 8 Conference.
In the Polls
UW-W is ranked number one in both the AFCA III poll and by D3football.com. Salisbury University is ranked 13th in the AFCA III poll and 10th by D3football.com.
Purple Streak
The Warhawks have the longest active winning streak in college football, 42 games. That is the fifth longest streak in NCAA football history, with number four on the list the University of Oklahoma's 47 game string under Bud Wilkinson (1953-57). The Warhawks have also built streaks of 18 in a row on the road, 24 in a row at Perkins Stadium, 21 consecutive non-conference games, 24 WIAC games, and 12 in a row in the NCAA III playoffs.
The Coaches
Whitewater's
Lance Leipold has compiled a record of 69-3, including 29-1 in the WIAC, in his fifth year as head coach. Leipold has earned National Division III Coach of the Year honors three out of the four years and was named WIAC Coach of the Year the last three. Salisbury's Sherman Wood, head coach at Salisbury for the past 12 years, has led the Sea Gulls to seven postseason appearances and an overall record of 92-45. Wood earned the Empire 8 Coach of the Year award.
Salisbury University Notes (11-1 overall, 7-0 Empire 8)
Salisbury opened NCAA play with a 62-24 win over Western New England. Last week the Sea Gulls persevered, winning 49-47 in triple overtime against Kean University.
Salisbury will present something that UW-W has seen very little of (partial exception, UW-Oshkosh), but certainly hasn't seen in the Ferrari version. Salisbury's option offense has produced the number one scoring offense in Division III, averaging 47.5 points per game based on a rushing attack that is number two at 364.8 yards per game. The Sea Gulls' rushing numbers are eye-popping with the
team averaging 6.6 yards per attempt. Running backs Randal Smedley (6.8/attempt), Ross Flanigan (8.0) and QB Dan Griffin (5.4) are the big three. Griffin earned league offensive MVP honors. While the trio is obviously talented, the offensive line still provides backups Jonathan Briscoe (8.9), Joe Bennedetti (7.8) and Tyler Curley (6.8) with running room.
And for those Warhawk fans that may remember the old River Falls wishbone, the Gulls' passing attack isn't an afterthought. Griffin only averages seven pass attempts a game, but he has completed 56% for 1,159 yards and 15 TD's. Doug Ticse leads the team with 18 receptions -- but he averages 30.1 yards per catch. Consider Juma Richards 23.7, Flanigan 23.7, James White 20.5 -- in all, eight receivers that average double figures in yards per catch.
Although any defense would be overshadowed by that offense, there are some players that UW-W will want to note. Safety Chris Everett leads the team with 95 tackles, cornerback Andre Carter has seven interceptions, and lineman Matt Leon (watch for his unusual #6) has 18 tackles for a loss and five sacks.
This isn't the first time these schools have met with a shot at a national title on the line. UW-W defeated Salisbury 8-1 in the 2004 NCAA III World Series in Grand Chute, Wisconsin. Whitewater finished fourth that year.
UW-Whitewater Notes (12-0 overall, 7-0 WIAC)
UW-W defeated Albion College 59-0 in week one of the playoffs, and topped Franklin College 41-14 last week.
With the number one offense coming to Perkins Stadium it's probably a good thing that Whitewater's defense will be coming off a memorable performance last week. Franklin managed two yards of offense in the second half, minus five passing. The Warhawk defense made ten tackles for a loss, and senior linebacker
Greg Arnold (Big Bend/Mukwonago) accounted for three turnovers. UW-W is fifth in scoring defense in D3 (11.5), including fourth in rushing defense (72.8) and fourteenth in total defense (253.7). The unit includes seven players with 45-53 tackles, evidence of the team concept and frequent substitutions used by Whitewater. Lineman
Casey Casper (Dousman/Kettle Moraine) is tops with nine TFL's and 5.5 sacks; and DB
Noah Timm (Two Rivers/Two Rivers) has six picks and ten passes broken up.
Fool me once … Opponents are averaging 7.4 points per game against UW-Whitewater in the first half -- but just 4.1 points over the last two quarters.
UW-W doesn't have an option when it rushes the ball, but with
Levell Coppage (Oak Park, IL/Oak Park) that would be superfluous. Already a three-time All-American, twice MVP of the WIAC, holder of every school and WIAC rushing record, the senior has total 1,706 yards this season despite being the focus of every defensive coordinator. He is second all-time in Division III rushing with 7,381 career yards.
Whitewater's line is equally adept at pass blocking, providing
Matt Blanchard (Lake Zurich, IL/Lake Zurich) with time to complete 69% of his passes for 2,442 yards and 22 touchdowns with just three interceptions. Blanchard was recently named a finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy. Blanchard has been sacked just seven times this season, helped by the fact that he has rushed for 339 yards and a 5.1 average.
Tyler Huber (North Prairie/Mukwonago) (64, 16.1/catch, 10 TD) and
Luke Menzel (Sheboygan Falls/Oostburg) (40, 14.2, 2) have been Blanchard's most frequent targets, but he spreads it around with eight Warhawk receivers in double figures for receptions.
Follow the Leaders
UW-Whitewater
Passing:
Matt Blanchard 186-270, .688, 203.5/game, 22 TD, 3 INT
Rushing:
Levell Coppage 1,777, 142.1/game, 5.9/att, 23 TD
Receiving:
Tyler Huber 64-1,033, 86.1/game, 16.1/att, 10 TD
Field Goals:
Eric Kindler 16-24
Punting:
Kris Rosholt 44-1655, 37.6, long 65
Defense: Linebacker
Greg Arnold (Big Bend/Mukwonago) 53 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions;
linebacker
Kyle Wismer 51 total tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 5 passes broken up.
Salisbury University
Passing: Dan Griffin 46-82, .561, 96.6/game, 15 TD, 0 INT
Rushing: Randal Smedley 1,014, 91.2/game, 6.8/att, 11 TD
Receiving: Doug Ticse 18/541, 45.1/game, 30.1/att, 7TD
Field Goals:
Andy Estrain 2-3
Punting:
Kyle Hamby 34-1271, 37.4, long 69
Defense: Safety Chris Everett
95 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, 8 passes
broken up; linebacker
Jamey McClendon 87 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss, 4
passes broken up.
By Numbers
UW-Whitewater
Offensive Line (5 players) averages 292 pounds
Defensive Line (4 players) averages 252 pounds
Offense, Class Breakdown: six seniors, five juniors
Defense, Class Breakdown: five seniors, three juniors, three sophomores
Salisbury University
Offensive Line (5 players) averages 276 pounds
Defensive Line (3 players) averages 243 pounds
Offense, Class Breakdown: four seniors, six juniors, one sophomore
Defense, Class Breakdown: four seniors, two juniors, three sophomores, two freshmen
What's Coming Up
The winner of Saturday's game will advance to the fourth round (semifinals) on Saturday December 10, and will face the winner of the quarterfinal between the University of Saint Thomas and Saint John Fisher. The Division III championship game, the
Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, will be held in Salem, Virginia Friday December 16.
