The 2016 weekly LHU Football Game Notes are presented by Pizza City, located just a half mile from Hubert Jack Stadium at 270 Susquehanna, Avenue (Lock Haven, Pa.). Join the crew at Pizza City for pizza, wings and more!
The Lock Haven University football team (0-2) is set to host No. 11 Slippery Rock University (2-0) on Saturday, September 17. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. from Hubert Jack Stadium.
Saturday marks LHU's second straight home game as the Bald Eagles enter Week 3 action at 0-2. Slippery Rock, ranked No. 11 in the most recent (Monday, Sept. 12) American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) National Poll, enters the game at 2-0 with wins over New Haven (W, 31-28) and West Chester (W, 36-28).
Despite the Week 2 loss to Edinboro University (L, 44-38), LHU head coach
Dave Taynor has plenty to be happy about as his offense continues to shine.
The Bald Eagles dropped their 2016 home-opener to Edinboro 44-38 in a shootout. The two teams thrilled the fans with 1,075 total yards of offense, including 920 through the air and 82 total points.
Once again LHU quarterback
Caleb Walton was a big player and for the second straight week turned in a career-game. After opening the season with a then career-high of 392 passing yards at Clarion in Week 1, Walton threw for 423 (*new career-high) vs. Edinboro. He added two more TD passes, pushing his career total to 52, which is just eight away from tying the all-time LHU career record. Walton now has 6,671 career passing yards, also No. 2 all-time in school history
Linebacker
Kevin Chapple, who spent the last three seasons at Urbana made his mark during his Week 1 Bald Eagle debut at Clarion. He finished with a game-high 14 tackles including two tackles-for-loss. Last week vs. Edinboro (Week 2), his strong play continued and he had six tackles, three TFLs and two sacks.
Chapple ranks in the top-five among all active NCAA DII players in total TFL, solo TFL and TFL/game. His five tackles-for-loss this season ranked No. 8 in DII football.
#11 Slippery Rock (2-0) at Lock Haven (0-2)
12 p.m. | Hubert Jack Stadium | LHU | Lock Haven, Pa.
Game Day Links:
LHU Depth Chart | Slippery Rock Football | Live Coverage | Ticket Information
LHU Week 3 storylines:
- After Week 2, LHU's passing offense ranks No. 1 in NCAA Division II football with 407.5 yards/game. LHU is ranked No. 15 in total offense (523.5 yards/game).
- QB Caleb Walton's 815 passing yards are tops in DII and his 407.5 passing yards/game also ranked No. 1.
- Walton's 400-yard passing game last week was not only an individual career-high, but it marked the first 400-plus yard passing game by a Bald Eagle QB since 1995.
- WR Shawn Seif ranks No. 2 in the NCAA (DII) in receiving yards (367) & No. 3 receiving yards/game (183.5).
- Seif's 87-yard TD reception last weekend was the longest by a Bald Eagle since 1995 (96 yards) and the third longest in school history (1993; 99-yard TD reception).
- LB Kevin Chapple has five TFLs this season, which is ranks No. 8 in DII football.
- Chapple is ranked No. 2 among all active DII players in solo TFL (43) & total TFL (53) and he's ranked fourth in TFL/game (1.51). He is fourth among all PSAC players with 10 tackles per game and fifth in the PSAC total tackles with 20.
Lock Haven vs. Slippery Rock:
Saturday's game will mark the 56
th meeting between Lock Haven and Slippery Rock in a series that dates back to 1931 (LHU won, 13-0). The two teams have not met since 2012 (SRU won 35-7).
Walton's by the Numbers:
2016
Passing TDs: 5
Passing Yards: 815
Rushing TDs: 0
Career
Career Passing TDs: 52
(#2 all-time, school record is 60)
Career Passing Yards: 6,671
(#2 all-time, school record is 10,640)
Career Rushing TDs: 6
Career TDs responsible for: 55
(#2 all-time, school record is 71)
200-yard + passing games: 17
300-yard + passing games: 6
400-yard + passing games: 1 (Week 2 (9/10) vs. Edinboro; 423 yards, 1
st 400-yard game for LHU QB since 1995).
*updated; as of Monday, September 12, 2016
Single Season Records
Passing TDs, 23
(2015)
Total TDs responsible for, 26
(2015)
Listen Live:
Bald Eagle football fans can listen to Saturday's game along with every 2016 LHU Football game - both home and away - live and locally on Bear Country Radio – WQBR 99.9FM. All games will be streamed online as well at www.Bear999.com.
2016 LHU Season Notes:
New Era:
The start of the 2016 season marks
Dave Taynor's second at LHU and he quickly has the Bald Eagles rolling in a new direction.
Taynor is now 2-11 at Lock Haven and 39-51 as a head coach.
*updated as of Monday, September 12.
The Bald Eagles 2016 Coaching Staff:
Dave Taynor (2nd Season) – Head Coach
Randi Moore (3rd Season) – Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach
Bill Nickell (2nd Season) – Co-Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach
J. Stephen Pribble (2nd Season) – Co-Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receiver Coach
Kevin Smith (2nd Season) – Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach
Rashad Elby (2nd season) - Defensive Backs Coach/Director of Football Operations
Dave Keeny (1st Season) – Tight Ends/H-Back Coach
Patrick McMullen (1st Season) – Running Back Coach/Offensive Assistant
Kevin McGiveron (1st Season) – Running Back Coach
Shaun Jones- Student Assistant (Offense)
Tony Ballon – Student Assistant (Defense)
Greg Segara – Administrative Student Assistant
New faces:
- On defense, LHU will benefit from the addition of transfer Kevin Chapple. While at Urbana, the 2015 All-Mountain East Conference (MEC) selection, recorded 23 sacks in three seasons at Urbana, and is one of the MEC's all-time leaders in sacks.
- Freshman Destyn Woody is a projected to see significant time at linebacker. He's 1 of 37 true-freshmen on the 2016 roster (also six redshirt-freshmen).
Walton under center:
QB
Caleb Walton was nothing short of sensational during the 2015 season and looks to cap his record-breaking career in style. Last season, he threw for 2,541 yards, marking his second straight season over the 2,000-yard mark. It's the fourth-most ever for a single season and he's just the second player in school history to pass for over 2,000 yards in two different seasons.
Walton finished the season with 23 passing TDs, a single-season school record. In all, Walton was responsible for 26 touchdowns last year (23 passing TDs, 3 rushing TDs), also a school record. Walton enters 2016 with 47 career passing TDs, the second-most in LHU history and 5,856 career passing yards, the second-most in school history. He now has 15 games with over 200 passing yards and four with over 300.
Offensive surge:
Offensively, the Bald Eagles will look to pick up right where they left off. Lock Haven's 2015 offense will go down as the one of the best in school history. LHU set a single-season record with 4,603 total yards of offense. Lock Haven's 277 points scored were the second-most ever for a single-season. The 2015 offense ranks sixth all-time in rushing yards with 1,839 yards and fourth in passing yards with 2,764. On paper the 2016 offense has all the right pieces and should bring another exciting season.
Defensive leadership:
Several of Lock Haven's top-10 leaders in tackles return from last season, including defensive back
Rahjeir Miles-Eubanks, who registered 93 total tackles last season (93 was 2
nd on team). Both Miles-Eubanks and
Daniel Strawbridge finished with 61 solo stops. The duo will look to lead a talented defensive unit that registered at least one takeaway in nine of 11 games last season. In all, LHU returns five defensive starters from last season.
*Strawbridge is out with an injury.
Trio of All-Conference players back:
The Bald Eagles 2016 roster features three returning All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) players, including running back
Malyk Harris, tight end
Del'Vaughn Dennis and defensive standout
Daniel Strawbridge. Strawbrige was a 2016 All-PSAC East First Team defensive selection (DB), while both Harris (RB) and Dennis (TE) were Second Team offensive picks. Strawbridge finished with 82 tackles, including 61 solo stops, the fifth-most in the PSAC. He also had a team-best eight pass breakups. Strawbridge's 6.1 tackles per game ranked second in the league and 14th in all of Division II football. Harris, who didn't make his first start of the season until Week 8 in a thrilling comeback win at Millersville, finished with 929 rushing yards and five touchdowns. His 84.5 yards per game were the seventh-most in the PSAC and the second most of any player from the Eastern Division. Harris now owns two of Lock Haven's all-time top-10 single-game rushing performances, including the sixth-best mark in school history (224 yards vs. Kutztown). Dennis averaged 57.2 yards per game (21st PSAC). He had 38 catches and four TDs in nine games (7 starts). Dennis caught two TDs in the win over Millersville including the game-winner as time expired. In the double-OT thriller at Bloomsburg in Week 10, Dennis had nine catches for a career-high 140 yards. Dennis was also a 2015 All-Region selection and gives the Bald Eagles another dynamic offensive threat in the pass-game thanks to his speed and size.
Strawbridge is projected to miss Week 2 action with an injury.
Krupko scores big in classroom:
In April (2016), senior wide receiver
Dan Krupko was named a Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame Collegiate Scholar-Athlete. Krupko enjoyed a stellar 2015 season for the Bald Eagles and also excelled in the classroom, achieving a 3.8 GPA. Krupko was the Bald Eagles main playmaker, finishing with 37 catches and a team-high eight touchdowns after staring all 11 games. He averaged 56 receiving yards per game and 16.65 yard per catch.
Walton named MTC Player of the Year:
In May (2016), quarterback
Caleb Walton was named the Manheim Touchdown Club's 2015 Small College Player of the Year. The Manheim, Pennsylvania native and Manheim Central High School graduate received the Dr. Gene Carpenter Award for the Small College Player of the Year and deservingly so after the LHU quarterback turned in a remarkable effort for the Bald Eagles during the 2015 season.
Over 200 not once, twice:
In Week 8 (Saturday, October 24, 2015) last season, running back
Malyk Harris made his first career start and rushed for 200 yards on 28 carries. Two of his 28 carries went for TDs. The very next week (Week 9, October 31, 2015) vs. Kutztown, Harris rushed for 224 yards on 24 carries.
Strength in the run-game:
Last season, the Bald Eagles ran for three of their greatest individual performances in school history.
Bald Eagles all-time single-game rushing leaders:
Three of LHU's top 13 single-game rushing performances came last season behind an experience offensive line. Four of five offensive line starters are set to return in 2016.
1. 318 Mike Kresovich 1981 vs. Indiana (PA)
2. 272 Joe Speese 1978 vs. Salisbury State
3. 238 Joe Speese 1978 vs. Shippensburg
4. 233 John Kaluzny 2005 vs Mansfield
5. 225 Steve Housler 1977 vs. Indiana (PA)
6. 224 Malyk Harris October 31, 2015 vs. Kutztown
7. 223 Jim Blacksmith 1966 vs. Shippensburg
8. 210 Justin Marshall 2000 vs. Cheyney
9. 201 Mike Kresovich 1981 vs. Shippensburg
10. 200 Malyk Harris October 24, 2015 vs. Millersville
11. 197 Sean Fisher 1997 vs. Clarion
12. 194 Maurice Walker 2001 vs. Cheyney
13. 193 Beau Swales September 26, 2015 vs. East Stroudsburg
Points on the board:
Lock Haven's 56 points scored in the Week 7 (October 17, 2015) win over Cheney last season marked Lock Haven's most points scored in game since LHU beat Edinboro, 56-21 in 1968.
- LHU scored 59 points in 1947 (Won, 59-0 vs. Alliance).
- LHU scored 65 points in 1931 (Won, 65-0 vs. Kutztown).
30 or more:
The 2015 season marked the first time LHU has scored 30+ points in four games during a season since the Bald Eagles did it in 1979. Lock Haven went 9-2 (6-0 PSAC West) in 1979 on the way to the PSAC title. LHU scored 30 or more points five times, all wins during that '79 season.
2015 30+ points scored -
Week 4 vs. ESU: L, 37-34
Week 6 at Shippensburg: L, 44-34
Week 7 vs. Cheyney: W, 56-20
Week 8 at Millersville: W, 36-28
1979 30+ points scored –
Week 3 vs. Bloomsburg: W, 31-21
Week 8 vs. Shippensburg: W, 35-27
Week 8 vs. California (Pa.): W, 40-0
Week 10 vs. Slippery Rock: W, 42-26
Week 11 vs. Cheyney (PSAC Championship): W, 48-14
Where the 2015 offense ranks:
Team Rushing
Rank Yr. Yards
1. 1985 2,394
2. 1979 2,213
3. 1986 2,124
4. 1981 2,046
5. 1978 2,019
6. 2015 1,839
Team Passing
Rank Yr. Yards
1. 1994 3,044
2. 1993 3,028
3. 1995 2,984
4. 2015 2,764
Total Offense
Rank Yr. Yards
1. 2015 4,603
2. 1994 4,423
3. 1993 4,186
4. 1979 4,020
5. 1995 3,885
Single-Season Points Scored
Rank Yr. Points
1. 1979 314
2. 2015 277
3. 1993 259
4. 1999 232
5. 2002 222
Up next:
The Bald Eagles travel to West Chester for Week 4 action (Saturday, September 24; 6 p.m.) action.
