LHU Week 6 Depth Chart
The Lock Haven University football team is set to host Millersville on Saturday, October 6 at 12 p.m. in PSAC East action. The Bald Eagles have won four of the last five games vs. Millersville dating back to the 2013 season when LHU first played in the PSAC Eastern Division.
The Bald Eagles are coming off a loss at No. 9 Texas A&M Commerce in Week 5 action. LHU is 1-4 overall, but 1-0 in PSAC East. Millersville is 1-4 overall and 1-1 in PSAC East action. Last week, Millersville rallied from a 10-0 deficit by holding ESU scoreless for more than three quarters and won, 11-10.
Live coverage:
Live stats, video and audio links will available at
www.GoLHU.com. Fans can also listen to the game on the radio locally via Bear Country Radio, 99.9FM WQBR.
LHU news, notes and storylines:
- Saturday's game with Millersville marks the third of five home games during the 2018 season.
- Last week, the Bald Eagles played the defending NCAA Division II national champions. The loss to Texas A&M Commerce marks Lock Haven's first ever football game in the state of Texas.
- Last week's game marked Lock Haven's second game in the last three vs. a team ranked nationally in the top-10. On September 15, LHU hosted IUP, ranked No. 3 at the time.
- To date, two other nationally-ranked opponents await Lock Haven. This week, next week's opponent – Kutztown – is ranked No. 23. West Chester is ranked No. 13 in this week's DII national poll.
- LHU is 0-2 at home this season.
- RB Chantz Swartz has rushed for two touchdowns on the season.
- QB Cameron Tobias is averaging 141.8 yards per game and he has thrown for four TDs.
- DB Javon Whitfield leads Lock Haven with 40 tackles, while LB Obadiah Asare is right behind him with 39.
- Both Whitfield and Dontae Mason have three interceptions on the season.
- Whitfield's 28 solo tackles are the second most in the PSAC behind only West Chester's Nate Barnes (30).
- Rookie kicker Austyn Carson is 4 for 5 on the season on field goal attempts. He's a perfect 3 for 3 from 20-29 yards and has a long of 36-yards on the season.
- At 1-0 in PSAC East play, Lock Haven is one of three undefeated teams in PSAC Eastern Division play. West Chester is 2-0 and Kutztown is 1-0.
Series history with Millersville:
32nd all-time meeting
Series: LHU leads 20-10-1
Last Meeting: October 14, 2017; Millersville – W, 34-21
Streak: Millersville, 1
First Meeting: 1928; T, 6-6
Last Five Meetings:
- 2017: Millersville (at MU) , 34-21
- 2016: Lock Haven (LHU), 29-17
- 2015: Lock Haven (at MU), 36-28
- 2014: Lock Haven (LHU), 17-10
- 2013: Lock Haven (at MU), 26-14
Opened PSAC East play with a win:
On Saturday, September 22, LHU opened PSAC East play and the Bald Eagles used 31 second-half points and held off host-East Stroudsburg, 44-41, in a second-half offensive shootout.
Cameron Tobias threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns,
Nysir Minney-Gratz returned a punt 84 yards for a TD, and
Javon Whitfield finished with a team-high 11 tackles and two interceptions, sparking the comeback. The win – Lock Haven's first of the 2018 season – came in the PSAC Eastern Division opener for both LHU and host East Stroudsburg. Both teams combined for 55 second-half points, and Lock Haven came back to win after trailing 14-0 in the first quarter, 17-13 at halftime and 27-13 midway through the third quarter.
Tobias, PSAC East Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 24):
Following the Week 4 (Sept. 22) win over East Stroudsburg, redshirt-senior quarterback
Cameron Tobias was named the PSAC Eastern Division Offensive Player of the Week for sparking LHU to its first win of 2018. Tobias' exceptional play at quarterback, particularly in the second half, sparked the Bald Eagles to their first win of 2018. Tobias threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns. Both of his TD-passes came in the first minute of the fourth quarter, as he rallied Lock Haven back in the second half to down the Warriors. Tobias was 18 for 27 passing with one interception. He also ran for 39 yards. Thanks to Tobias' play, LHU scored 31 second-half points to rally past host-ESU after trailing until late in the third quarter.
Minney-Gratz, PSAC East Special Teams Player of the Week (Sept. 24):
Following the Week 4 (Sept. 22) win over East Stroudsburg, wide receiver and return specialist
Nysir Minney-Gratz was named the PSAC Eastern Division Special Teams Player of the Week. Minney-Gratz, one of the elite return specialists in all of NCAA Division II football, sparked the Bald Eagles to victory Saturday at East Stroudsburg, thanks to an 84-yard punt return for a touchdown in the second half. The electrifying return tied the game (27-27) with 3:09 left in the third quarter and started the LHU offensive surge. Minney-Gratz's punt return touchdown was the first for Lock Haven since the Bald Eagles recorded a punt return for a TD after a block, back in the 2016 win at East Stroudsburg. Minney-Gratz also caught a TD-pass in the fourth quarter and the wide receiver finished with two catches for 45 yards. He scored on a 24 yard catch-and-run pass-play. In all, Minney-Gratz racked up 218 all-purpose yards in the win thanks to 10 rushing yards, 45 receiving yards, 82 kick-return yards and 81 punt-return yards.
A number of 'firsts' vs. IUP:
Despite the Week 3 (Sept. 15) loss to nationally-ranked IUP, the Bald Eagles recorded a number of 'firsts' in the game. Rookie kicker
Austyn Carson knocked home his first career field goal and fellow true-freshman
Dante Graham ran for his first career TD. Sophomore tight end
Jalen Jackson hauled in his first touchdown catch of the 2018 season.
Mason makes history in Week 2:
In the narrow Week 2 (Sept. 8) loss to Clarion, redshirt-sophomore defensive back
Dontae Mason made history with three interceptions, which tied the single-game LHU record.
Staton holds down the O-line:
Redshirt-junior
David Staton (LT) leads the way on the offensive line. The 6-foot-6, 305-pound left tackle has played in all 27 games of his career for the Bald Eagles and is without question one of the premier lineman in the entire PSAC.
The 'grand re-opening' of Hubert Jack Stadium surface:
During LHU's 2018 home-opener in Week 2 (Sat, Sept. 8) action, the Bald Eagles took time to celebrate the 'grand re-opening' of the Hubert Jack Stadium surface. Prior to the coin toss, there was a special ribbon cutting ceremony. Following the ribbon cutting and as part of the grand re-opening, the LHU offense ran a ceremonial first play and it was only fitting that new LHU President Robert Pignatello scored the first touchdown on the new turf. Last spring, LHU replaced its former surface with Astroturf's Trionic fiber, one of the most technologically advanced surfaces in the world.
2018 Gridiron Greats:
On Saturday, Sept. 8 (home-opener vs. Clarion), the LHU football team honored its 2018 Gridiron Greats class at halftime: Jim Doran, Brian Sekerak, John Spinosa, Maurice Walker and Chris Kustanbauter.
Starting vs. FCS opponents:
For the second straight season, the Bald Eagles opened a new season with an NCAA Division I FCS opponent. On Saturday (Sept. 1), LHU fell to host Duquesne, 45-0. It marked the first meeting between the two Pennsylvania schools. Last year, Lock Haven dropped its 2017 opener at Saint Francis, 69-3. Last season's opener marked LHU's first game vs. an FCS team since the 2012 season-opener at Fordham. In all, Saturday's game at Duquesne marked LHU's 13th game vs. an NCAA DI FCS opponent since 2000. Nine of those games served as season-openers. LHU hasn't beaten an FCS opponent since 1971 when the Bald Eagles opened the season with a 14-7 victory over Delaware State.
Taynor in fourth season:
- Dave Taynor (Urbana, '99), fourth season at LHU (9-29, 9-13 PSAC East)
- Career Record, 11th season (46-69 overall)
For LHU head football coach
Dave Taynor, the 2018 season will mark his fourth at The Haven. On April 12, 2015 he was named the school's 24th head coach.
2018 LHU Coaching Staff
The road ahead:
On Saturday, October 13 (Week 7), the Bald Eagles will head to No. 23 Kutztown University for a PSAC East game (2 p.m.). LHU will return home on Saturday, October 20 for the Bald Eagles annual Homecoming Game, as Lock Haven hosts local-rival Bloomsburg University at 12 p.m.
