- Men's Sports
Football
Urbana Inks 12 on National Signing Day
URBANA, Ohio (February 3, 2010) - The Urbana University Football Staff wants to say thank you to everyone who made the 2010 signing day a success. Without the help of President Dr. Stephen Jones, Athletic Director Doug Young, Brian Kesse and his entire admissions staff, Amy Barnhart and Robin Makarius and the entire Financial Aid Staff, this day would not be possible. The hard work of everyone on campus who assisted us with this recruiting class is deeply appreciated. The entire coaching staff, each current and future student-athlete, and their families are extremely grateful.
We would like to announce the signing of the letter of intent of 12 new players to the Urbana University Blue Knight Football Family, and we would also like to recognize the arrival of 5 new Blue Knights who joined us for the spring semester. Each are integral components of Head Coach Dave Taynor's second recruiting class at Urbana University. They are listed in no particular order. Click on each of the 13 signees' names for more information, as well as quotes from Coach Taynor. Check back regularly for any additions and updates. YouTube highlights of the signees will be added to the players' pages early next week.
New Semester Arrivals
Brandon Jackson, DB, 5'9", 190 lbs.
Logan Carey, WR, 5'10", 170 lbs.
John Krabill, OLB, 5'9", 185 lbs., West Liberty-Salem HS (West Liberty, Ohio)
Nathan Wilburn-Ogletree, WR, 6'1", 190 lbs.
Josh Miller, RB, 6'0", 200 lbs.
New Signees
Garyn Pride, DB/Returner, 6'1", 190 lbs., Princeton HS (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Kevin Smith, LB, 6'1", 215 lbs., Lexington HS (Lexington, Ohio)
Cody Townsend, DE, 6'1", 230 lbs., Jerome HS (Dublin, Ohio)
Kenya Coombs, WR/FS/Returner, 6'0", 180 lbs., Lexington HS (Lexington, Ohio)
T.C. Turner, DB/Returner, 5'10", 165 lbs., East HS (Columbus, Ohio)
Davonte Butler, OL/DL, 6'6", 240 lbs., Central HS (Westerville, Ohio)
Brad Young, DL, 6'0", 305 lbs., Olentangy HS (Lewis Center, Ohio)
Andrew Minda, OL, 6'4", 305 lbs., Coffman HS (Dublin, Ohio)/University of Hawaii-Hilo Transfer
Joe Webb, WR/Returner, 6'0", 185 lbs., Mechanicsburg HS (Mechanicsburg, Ohio)
Jared Gravely, DE, 6'4", 220 lbs., Gallia Academy (Gallipolis, Ohio)
Charles Gresham, RB, 5'9", 170 lbs., Heath HS (Heath, Ohio)
Cornell Grayer, FB, 5'10", 220 lbs., Cleveland Heights HS (Cleveland Heights, Ohio)
4 Seniors Selected to Play in OCF.com Bowl
COLUMBUS, Ohio (January 28, 2010) - The careers of four Urbana University senior football players aren't over yet. This week, OhioCollegeFootball.com announced that Blue Knights Troy Brookins, Shawn Lewis, Ian Iler and Tariq Kalimullah will compete at least one more time in the inaugural OCF.com Senior Bowl. The Blue Knight foursome will compete with and against the top 90 collegiate seniors in the state of Ohio. Teams will be divided into North and South All-Star teams. Each team consists of 45 players from all levels of collegiate football in the state. Urbana, a newcomer to NCAA Division II football, will join the likes of Ohio State, Miami, Ohio and many more to make up the South roster. The North roster consists of familiar foes from Findlay, Mount Union, Toledo and many more.
The game will take place at Marv Moorehead Stadium at Upper Arlington High School on Saturday, April 17, 2010. Kickoff is slated for 1:00 p.m. Sports Time Ohio will broadcast the game live. Tickets will go on sale after March 1st on OhioCollegeFootball.com.
Each of the four Blue Knights named to the South team were also named All-Ohio by OCF.com. Lewis landed on the First Team Defense. Brookins was named Second Team Defense, and Iler and Kalimullah were each named to the Second Team Offense.
Defensive back and return specialist Troy Brookins (Bedford Heights, OH/East Tech HS) is the only Ohio native from UU playing in the state showcase. He is coming off a solid Cactus Bowl performance where he emerged with the game's only interception while leading the East team in all-purpose yards on four kick returns. Brookins led the Blue Knights with 6 interceptions and 12 pass break ups in 2009. He also recorded 41 tackles. As the team's return specialist, Brookins finished the season second on the team in all-purpose yards with 997. Against Findlay, he scored on an 87-yard kick-off return.
Defensive end Shawn Lewis (Aberdeen, Maryland/Aberdeen HS) returned to the Blue Knights after sitting out the 2008 season. Lewis was named a First Team All-American for Urbana in 2007. He finished third on the team with 84 tackles, while recording 7 sacks. Lewis notched 21 career sacks at Urbana, which is third all-time behind current Blue Knight and OCF.com Defensive Player of the Year Travis Brisco (32) and former All-American Vince Scalmato (22). Lewis' 6 tackles for a loss in a Week 7 win over St. Joseph's set the school record.
Wide receiver Ian Iler (Redford, Michigan/Union HS) carried the load offensively for the Blue Knights in 2009. Iler set a new school record with 79 receptions while leading the team with 770 receiving yards and 9 total touchdowns. Iler also saw considerable action in the team's wildcat formation, finishing second on the team with 69 carries for 247 yards. His 3 rushing touchdowns in a 30-14 win over Seton Hill tied the school mark.
Tight end Tariq Kilimullah (Grandview, Missouri/Grandview HS) was a physical force all season long for the Blue Knight offense. At 6-3, 240 pounds, Kalimullah led all Blue Knight receivers with 6 touchdown catches while racking up 439 yards on 34 receptions. Kalimullah tied a school record by catching a TD pass in 5 consecutive games. The athletic tight end often lined up as a split receiver, showing his versatility and causing constant mismatches for opposing defenses.
For more information about the OCF.com Senior Bowl, visit ohiocollegefootball.com. To view the entire rosters, click on the team name. [South Roster] [North Roster]
Blue Knights to Join GLFC in 2010
URBANA, Ohio (January 25, 2010) - The Urbana University athletic department announced today that the football program has agreed to join the Great Lakes Football Conference through the 2011 season. Beginning this fall, the Blue Knights will enter a scheduling alliance with the four schools that make up the GLFC. These four schools currently include Central State University, St. Joseph's College, Missouri S&T University, and Kentucky Wesleyan College. Each school will be included in Urbana's 2010 and 2011 football schedules.
After a year as an NCAA Division II independent, Urbana will again have an opportunity to earn conference awards while competing for a championship. St. Joseph's College won the GLFC crown in 2009, finishing a perfect 4-0 in the conference. Meanwhile, Urbana tied the best record in school history at 6-5 under 2nd year Head Coach David Taynor.
Brookins Shines on National Stage
KINGSVILLE, Texas (January 8, 2010) - Urbana University's Troy Brookins (Bedford Heights, OH/East Tech HS) did his best to stand out in the NCAA Division II Cactus Bowl on Friday night. Playing against the best of the best in D-II, the senior cornerback/return specialist notched the only interception of the game late in the 3rd quarter. With his East All-Stars trailing 13-0, Brookins picked off Edinboro University's Trevor Harris on a deep pass. Unfortunately, Brookins' offensive teammates were unable to capitalize as the East All-Stars fell 16-0 to their western counterparts.
Despite the loss, Brookins played well on defense and special teams. He started at cornerback for the East and finished with a tackle and the 3rd quarter interception. Brookins also served as the East's primary punt and kick returner. He finished with 2 punt returns for 8 yards and 2 kick returns for 47 yards. His 55 all-purpose yards led the East as the team's offense struggled all night long.
Now, Brookins shifts his focus to the OhioCollegeFootball.com Senior Bowl where he hopes to add to his post-season accolades. Brookins is 1 of 4 Blue Knights selected to play in that game. He will play alongside teammates Ian Iler (Redford, MI/Union HS), Tariq Kalimullah (Grandview, MO/Grandview HS), and Shawn Lewis (Aberdeen, MD/Aberdeen HS) in the April 17th All-Star Game. Kickoff in the inaugural OCF.com Senior Bowl is slated for 1:00 p.m. at Marv Moorehead Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The game will consist of the top players from the NCAA I-A, II, III and the NAIA. Ninety senior football players, with no college eligibility remaining, have been selected to participate in the showcase. It will be broadcast on Sports Time Ohio. For more information, visit ohiocollegefootball.com. [Cactus Bowl Game Stats]
Brookins Selected to Play in Cactus Bowl
KINGSVILLE, Texas (December 10, 2009) - Urbana University football player Troy Brookins' collegiate career isn't quite over yet. Today, Brookins was selected to participate in the 2010 Valero Cactus Bowl, an NCAA Division II all-star showcase. The game will be played on January 8, 2010 at Javelina Stadium in Kingsville, Texas. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. CST. Brookins, a senior corner back and return specialist, will compete in an East vs. West game featuring 80 of the top Division II football players in the country. Brookins becomes the first Blue Knight ever chosen to play in the Cactus Bowl. He started his collegiate career at Tiffin University where he played for current Urbana University Head Coach Dave Taynor.
"My staff and I have had a long relationship with Troy, beginning when he played for us at Tiffin University," explains Taynor. "He was an outstanding defensive back for us at Tiffin, but the most impressive thing about Troy is the maturation on and off the field over the last year and a half since he transferred to Urbana University. He has become a well-rounded student-athlete, who has great abilities on the field and positive leadership skills off the field."
Coach Taynor continues, "I am very proud to see Troy selected to such a prestigious all-star game. It means a lot not only to him, but it is also a strong testament to the performance of his position coach (Defensive Coordinator Dave Barr) and his teammates. When one Blue Knight is recognized for personal accomplishments, it is always a product of the team."
"I wish him the best of the luck in the game, and I have complete confidence he will represent himself and this program extremely well."
The Bedford Heights, Ohio native finished his final regular season with a team-high 6 interceptions and 12 pass break-ups. In 11 games, Brookins posted 41 tackles and a forced fumble, but he performed best as the Blue Knights' featured return man on special teams.
The 6'0", 190-pound senior set school records for punt returns in a game (7 vs. Dayton), punt returns in a season (31) and kick return yards in a game (176 vs. Findlay). He tallied 997 all-purpose yards, averaging 90.6 yards per game, good for 2nd on the team. He scored once on an 87-yard kick return against Findlay.
Against Walsh University, Brookins returned 6 kicks for 186 total yards. He also had an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown that was called back on a roughing the kicker penalty. He was named D2Football.com's Independent Special Teamer of the Week following that performance. Last week, D2Football.com named Brookins to its First Team All-Independent Defense and OhioCollegeFootball.com awarded Brookins a Second Team All-Ohio nod.
The Cactus Bowl began in 1994 as the Snow Bowl. The game was originally played in Fargo, North Dakota, but it has since been moved to its new home on the campus of Texas A&M University-Kingsville. In its first 7 years, the game produced over 100 players signed to NFL contracts. The first game alone featured 25 players who were later signed by an NFL team.
Teams are comprised entirely of seniors who have been chosen as the "best of the best" of NCAA Division II football. Volunteers are responsible for all aspects of the game operations, and all net profits from the Cactus Bowl are donated to Shriners Hospitals for children throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada. For more information and a webcast of the game, visit www.cactusbowl.org. Also, the game will be televised on Fox College Sports and daily videos (featuring Troy and other players) will be posted at www.youtube.com/valerocactusbowl. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. eastern time.
Awards Keep Coming for Brisco, Blue Knights
URBANA, Ohio (December 4, 2009) - Record setting junior LB Travis Brisco (Columbus, Ohio/Marion Franklin HS) received more recognition today as he was named D2Football.com's Independent Defensive Player of the Year. Brisco led the nation in tackles for a loss, averaging 2.45 TFL's per game. He was joined by his head coach, Dave Taynor, who was named the Independent Coach of the Year, beating out the likes of Pete Shinnick, who guided UNC-Pembroke to a D-II playoff berth this season. Taynor orchestrated a 5-win turnaround, the best in school history, and his Blue Knights matched the best record in school history at 6-5.
Joining Brisco on the All-Independent First Team Defense were senior defensive end Shawn Lewis and senior cornerback Troy Brookins. Lewis was named First Team All-Ohio by OCF.com yesterday, and Brookins landed on OCF.com's Second Team Defense.
Seniors Ian Iler and Chad Kinkead were also named to D2Football.com's All-Independent Teams. Iler made Second Team Offense, and Kinkead landed on the Second Team Defense. Both garnered Second Team Mentions by OCF.com as well.
Urbana finished the season ranked 4th of 12 D-II Independents. To read the entire article and view the rest of the D2Football.com All-Independent Teams, click here.
Brisco Named OCF.com Defensive POY
5 Blue Knights join Brisco on 1st and 2nd TeamsURBANA, Ohio (December 3, 2009) - After a stellar year on the gridiron, junior linebacker Travis Brisco (Columbus, OH/Marion Franklin HS) has been named OhioCollegeFootball.com's Defensive Player of the Year in a category that includes all Ohio college football players in D-I FCS, D-II and NAIA institutions. Brisco was all over Urbana opponents this year, leading all NCAA divisions at the end of the regular season in tackles for loss with 27, a new Urbana record. Brisco now sits just 1.5 TFL's shy of the UU career record. On the season, Brisco registered 110 total tackles, 4 forced fumbles and 13 sacks. His sacks tied the Urbana single season record, which Brisco already had a share of after his 13-sack season in 2007. Brisco broke the UU career sack record during his 5-sack performance against Tusculum earlier this year, and he now has 32 career sacks and counting. This isn't the only recognition Brisco has received this year. After recording 12 tackles, 5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles against Tusculum College, Brisco earned D2Football.com Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Earning OCF.com's Coach of the Year honors were Findlay's Jon Waufford and Dayton's Rick Chamberlin. Urbana University split with those teams during the regular season, falling at Findlay 42-21 in the season opener and defeating Dayton at Welcome Stadium 13-10 in Week 3. The Offensive Player of the Year was Ashland QB Billy Cundiff.
Plenty of other Blue Knights were named All-Ohio by OCF.com. Along with Brisco, senior defensive end Shawn Lewis (Aberdeen, MD/Aberdeen HS) was named 1st team defense. Lewis ended the season 3rd on the team in tackles with 84 and also registered 7 sacks. Lewis' career sack total of 21 puts him 3rd on the Blue Knight all-time sack list, behind only Brisco and Vince Scalmato (UU '05). Lewis also broke Brisco's single game record for TFL, recording 6 in the Blue Knights' 21-14 win over St. Joseph's College in Week 7.
Senior tight end and co-captain Tariq Kalimullah (Grandview, MO/Grandview HS) and senior wide out and co-captain Ian Iler (Redford, MI/Union HS) were named 2nd Team Offense on the All-Ohio squad. At 6 foot 3, 240 pounds, Kalimullah proved to be a problem for the oppposing teams. T.K. registered more receiving TDs than any other Blue Knight with 6. He caught a TD pass in each of the Blue Knights 1st 5 games this season, and he finished 3rd on the team in receiving yards with 439 on 34 receptions. Iler was equally as impressive on the Blue Knights' offense. The versatile wideout/running back/kick returner recorded more receptions than any other Blue Knight in school history with 79. He led all Blue Knights in receiving yards with 770 and was 2nd behind Tariq in receiving TD's with 4. Iler also got to play a little running back this season with Urbana's version of the wildcat. He was most effective running the ball against Seton Hill University when he scored 3 rushing TDs, which tied the Urbana single game record.
Senior linebacker and co-captain Chad Kinkead (Warren, OH/Champion HS) and senior defensive back Troy Brookins (Bedford Heights, OH/East Tech HS) were named to the 2nd team defense. Kinkead was the team leader in tackles with 116. He was also recognized by D2football.com earlier in the year earning Independent Defensive Player of the Week honors after he registered a team season-high 17 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery in a 30-14 win at Seton Hill University. Brookins was the team leader in interceptions with 6, and he was also the primary punt and kick returner, returning 31 punts for 245 yards and 33 kicks for 700 yards and 1 TD. He, too, was named Independent Player of the Week by D2football.com for his efforts on special teams after Week 5. Brookins set UU records for punt returns in a game (7 vs. UD), season (31), and kick return yards in a game (176 vs. Findlay).
To view the rest of the All-Ohio Teams click here to be redirected to ohiocollegefootball.com.
A 'New Moon' Guides Blue Knights to Victory
URBANA, Ohio (November 20, 2009) - Just one week after WR Ian Iler rushed for a school-record 3 TDs in an Urbana win, the Blue Knights received yet another unconventional performance from a versatile wide receiver. This time, it was junior Boise Moon (Hamilton, Ohio/Hamilton HS) who stepped into the spotlight and carried his team to victory. Moon, who entered Saturday's game with just 13 career carries, rushed 20 times for a school record 268 yards in a 40-8 shellacking of Central State University. Today, Moon was named the Blue Knight Student-Athlete of the Week.
Moon's performance on Saturday is even more astounding when you consider that his first 2 seasons at Urbana were spent as a defensive back. In fact, Moon began this season playing defensive back, and on defense and special teams, Moon has even recorded 19 tackles. He added 2 more on Saturday, pulling double-duty during his record-smashing performance. In addition to the 268 yards rushing, Moon found paydirt twice on runs of 94 and 30 yards. He also caught 2 passes for 4 yards and returned a punt for another 5. Despite having just 33 carries, Moon ended the season as the Blue Knights' 2nd leading rusher. He broke another school record for rushing yards per attempt for a season, finishing with an average rush of 9.7 yards to surpass Rodney Holmes' old mark of 7.24 yds/rush in 2006.
Moon's record performance wasn't the only highlight of the week in Blue Knights' athletics. Moon beat out teammates Chad Kinkead, Wes Edwards, and Travis Brisco, along with UU swimmers Kristen Henderson and Said Mosquera, and Blue Knight basketball players Gail Hartings and Marcus Pearl.
OSU-Michigan Rivalry Reaches UU
URBANA, Ohio (November 19, 2009) - On Saturday in Ann Arbor, Michigan, quarterbacks Terrelle Pryor and Tate Forcier will take center stage in front 100,000 fans at Michigan Stadium and millions more watching on television across the world. The Buckeye sophomore and Wolverine freshman have been prepared for this moment by two men who share something in common. Both Pryor and Forcier's quarterbacks coaches, OSU's Nick Siciliano and UM's Rod Smith, passed through the coaching pipeline at Urbana University.
Smith got his collegiate coaching start at Urbana in 1998. That season, he served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Blue Knights. Smith stayed one more year, earning his masters in education from UU before moving on to West Viginia Tech, and later Clemson, where he was reacquainted with current Michigan Head Coach Rich Rodriguez. Rodriguez was Smith's head coach at Glenville State College, where Smith was an All-American QB. Rodriguez brought Smith with him to West Virginia when he landed his first head coaching gig with the Mountaineers. Smith left the Mountaineers for 4 seasons to coach the quarterbacks at the University of South Florida, but later returned for the 2007 season. Smith, Rodriguez, and the Mountaineers capped that season with a win in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl. West Virginia quarterback Pat White was named the Fiesta Bowl MVP, and a short while later, the Wolverines courted Rodriguez to replace the departed Lloyd Carr.
Siciliano made a similar trip through the coaching ranks. Early in his career, he served under current Ohio State Head Coach Jim Tressel at Youngstown State University. Siciliano was a student coach on Tressel's 1997 national championship team at YSU. He left YSU to become Bob Stoops' assistant video coordinator at Oklahoma, where he won another ring as a member of the coaching staff on the Sooners' 2000 national championship team. Siciliano returned to YSU for one season as the tight ends coach before beginning his stint as offensive coordinator at Urbana in 2002. After his season at Urbana, Siciliano made a 2-year stop at North Carolina A&T State before reuniting with Tressel at OSU. He assumed the duties of the Quarterbacks Coach just prior to this season.
Both coaches have ties to members of the current Urbana coaching staff. Smith's first season with the Blue Knights was current Urbana Head Coach Dave Taynor's last as a player. Smith coached the quarterbacks and Taynor was an All-American center during the 1998 season. Both made strong contributions to a '98 team that tied a school record for wins and set 12 passing records. The following year, Taynor made his coaching debut under Smith as the offensive line coach for the Blue Knights.
"Rod was a big part of the impetus of that '98 season," explains Taynor. "We set several school records that year, and Rod's offense was a big reason why."
Adds Taynor, "He brought in much of the system he played with under Coach Rich Rodriguez at Glenville State, and it worked for us that season."
Siciliano coached alongside current Blue Knight assistant coach Jeff Smith. Siciliano even helped Smith and his wife move into their first house in Urbana.
"Nick is a great guy, very organized and very intelligent," remembers Coach Smith. "He was the right man for the job at that time. He brought in a D-I element, right after winning a national championship with Oklahoma, and he helped move this program in the right direction."
On Saturday, Siciliano and Smith's star pupils, Pryor and Forcier, look to make their mentors proud on the big stage at Michigan Stadium.
Read More About Boise Moon's Big Day
HAMILTON, Ohio (November 18, 2009) - The Hamilton Journal News interviewed junior WR Boise Moon after his record-smashing rushing performance against Central State University. Moon, who entered the contest with just 13 career rushes, ran the ball 20 times for 268 yards and 2 TDs in UU's 40-8 win over CSU. He broke the old record of 224 rushing yards set by RB Kirk Hannah in the final game of the 2007 season. Click here to read more about Moon's big day.
Blue Knights Smash Central State 40-8; Moon Breaks Single-Game Rushing Record
WILBERFORCE, Ohio (November 14, 2009) - The Urbana University football team wrapped up the third winning season in school history on Saturday afternoon with a 40-8 victory at Central State University. After a 1-win season in 2008, the 6-5 Blue Knights also tied a school record for the biggest single-season turnaround.
For the second week in a row, a Blue Knight wide receiver carried the load. Last week, it was WR Ian Iler who got the call in the wildcat formation, carrying the ball 20 times and tying a school record with 3 rushing TDs in a 30-14 win over Seton Hill. Today, it was junior WR Boise Moon (Hamilton, Ohio/Hamilton HS) who entered the game with just 13 career carries. Moon got the call 21 times against the Marauders, breaking the single-game rushing record with 268 yards on the ground. Moon spent his first 2 seasons at Urbana playing defensive back. He also had 2 catches and 2 TDs in the rout. Moon surpassed 100 yards rushing on his 3rd carry of the day, a 94-yard scamper that gave the Blue Knights an early 10-0 lead.
Urbana scored the first 40 points and led 40-0 after 3 quarters. Central State avoided the shutout with a touchdown and 2-point conversion with 2:26 remaining in the game.
On the day, the Blue Knights outgained the Marauders 348 to 23 on the ground. Last week's star, Iler, had 58 yards and a TD on the ground. He also added 2 catches to his season total. He ends his senior season with 79 catches, the single season receptions record at UU. Freshman QB David Gerber returned from an injury, completing 12 of his 17 passes for 46 yards and a TD. WR Jerrell Leak had 3 catches and a TD.
On defense, the Blue Knights were led by senior Chad Kinkead's 14 tackles and a sack. Junior Travis Brisco (pictured left) added a sack to his season total, giving him 13 sacks this season, tying his own single-season record. His 3 tackles for a loss give him a new school-record 27 on the year. Brisco entered the game leading the nation in all divisions in TFL. Sophomore DB Wes Edwards (pictured right) had 8 solo tackles and an interception return for a TD, and senior Troy Brookins had 3 solo tackles and grabbed his team-leading 5th and 6th interceptions of the season.
Urbana began the year with a 6-33 record over 24 seasons against their 2009 opponents. They matched that win total against those same 11 opponents in just 1 season, including the program's first win over a D-I school, a 13-10 win over the University of Dayton in week 3. Central State finishes their season at 1-10. [Game Stats]
Blue Knights Try for Winning Season at CSU
WILBERFORCE, Ohio - The Urbana University football team has an opportunity to tie a school record for wins on Saturday as they travel to Central State University to take on the Marauders at McPherson Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
Twice before, the Blue Knights have finished at 6-5 (2005 & 2007), and with a win on Saturday, Urbana will clinch its 3rd winning season in school history. Central State enters the game on a 3-game skid and a 1-9 overall record. Their lone win this year came at home against winless Lincoln University. The Marauders shut out the Blue Tigers 22-0.
Urbana returned to the win column last week with a dominant 30-14 win over Seton Hill University. Senior linebacker Chad Kinkead (Warren, Ohio/Champion HS) was named D2Football.com's Independent Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in the win. Kinkead racked up a season and career-high 17 tackles (11 solo). He also had 2 tackles for a loss, a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Kinkead is the 2nd defensive player to win the award this season. With one game remaining, Kinkead has 102 tackles on the year, just 1 behind leader Travis Brisco's 103 tackles. To read about Kinkead's honor and to check out a preview of the season finale, click here to visit the article on D2Football.com.
Senior wide receiver Ian Iler (Redford, Mich./Union HS) was named the Blue Knight Student-Athlete of the Week after his performance against Seton Hill. In the first half, Iler also broke Urbana's single season mark for receptions, catching his 77th pass on the season, passing Marco Knorr who had 76 catches a decade ago. Iler currently leads the Blue Knights in receptions, receiving yards (754), rushing TDs (4), points scored (48), and all-purpose yards (1,039). He has 4 games in 2009 of 10+ catches, including a career-best 13 catches against ODU 2 weeks ago. To read the entire article, click here.
Click below to watch the first version of a new show called the Blue Knight Sports Report. Head Coach Dave Taynor and junior linebacker Travis Brisco talked about the Blue Knights' 30-14 win over Seton Hill last Saturday and what the team is doing to prepare for a Central State squad this week.
Iler Helps Blue Knights Run Past Griffins
GREENSBURG, Pennsylvania (November 7, 2009) - Urbana University senior WR Ian Iler (pictured left) entered today's contest ay Seton Hill University with just 36 rush attempts in the season's first 9 games. Against the Griffins, the versatile Iler racked up 20 carries, including 3 for touchdowns, in the Blue Knights 30-14 win.
Trailing 7-0 in the 2nd quarter, Iler got the Blue Knights on the board with a 1-yard TD run. Urbana's next drive stalled, but the Blue Knight defense helped the visitors take their first lead of the game just before the half. Redshirt freshman Dan Goodrum (pictured right) picked off a Griffin pass and returned it 57 yards for a 14-7 Urbana lead. It was a lead the Blue Knights would not relinquish.
A Matt Hausheer 28-yard field goal and another Iler touchdown gave Urbana a 24-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter. The Griffins made one last threat, scoring on a 4-yard TD run with 10:55 remaining, but Iler closed the door with his 3rd rushing TD of the day.
On the day, Iler collected 73 yards on the ground, scoring all 3 of Urbana's offensive touchdowns. Iler also had 3 catches for 42 yards. His 3rd catch was the 77th of his season, breaking an Urbana record.
The Blue Knights ground attack was effective in both the wildcat formation with Iler and more-traditional formations with senior RB Nigel Smith (pictured right). The Blue Knights rushed a season-high 42 times for 134 yards. Smith ran 17 times for 65 yards.
Once again, Urbana's defense was impressive, led by senior LB Chad Kinkead (pictured left). Kinkead had a season-high with 17 tackles, including 2 for a loss. He also had a forced fumble and recovery. Sophomore DB Wes Edwards had 8 tackles and a blocked kick, his 2nd of the season. Goodrum had 6 tackles to go with his pick-six. Junior LB Travis Brisco (pictured right), who entered the game leading the nation in all divisions with 21 tackles for a loss, added 3 more to his total today, including his 12th sack of the season. Brisco was tied for 7th in Division II with 10 sacks entering today's game. He has a school-record 30 career sacks. Brisco also forced a fumble in the game, one of four Blue Knights to do so.
Urbana (5-5) plays their season finale next Saturday at Central State University. The Blue Knights have an opportunity to tie the school record for wins and clinch the third winning season in school history. Game time has been moved up to 12:30 p.m. at CSU's McPherson Stadium. [Game Stats]
Central State Game Time Changed
The game time for the Central State football game next Saturday (November 14) has been moved up one hour from 1:30 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. to ensure there will be enough daylight for the entire game. The game will still be played at McPherson Stadium on the campus of Central State.
Blue Knights Look to Bounce Back vs. SHU
URBANA, Ohio (November 5, 2009) - With only 2 games remaining, the Urbana University Blue Knights (4-5) travel to Greensburg, PA to take on the Seton Hill University Griffins (1-9). The Blue Knights are 2-0 all time against the Griffins, winning the last game 33-7 in 2006. If the Blue Knights win their final 2 games, they will have done what only 2 other teams in the history of the football program have accomplished, a winning season.
After a tough 9-point loss last week to rival Ohio Dominican, the Blue Knights have dropped below .500, despite outgaining the ranked Panthers 365-294. In addition, the defense caused 5 Panther turnovers, but the Blue Knights were hurt by 18 penalties totaling 178 yards. Junior LB Travis Brisco (pictured left) has wreaked havoc in opponents' backfields this season. He has totaled 21 tackles for a loss which currently leads the entire nation. His 10 quarterback sacks is tied for 7th in NCAA D-II. Last week, Brisco recorded 12 total tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, a forced fumble, 2 QB hurries and a pass break up.
The Griffins' season has been the exact opposite of the Blue Knights. While Urbana has shown great improvement, winning 3 more times than they did last season already, the Griffins have won 9 less games in '09 after going 10-3, making the NCAA D-II playoffs and winning their first round game. Last week, Seton Hill closed out WVIAC play with a loss in their 9th straight game to #12 West Liberty by a score of 48-21.
Saturday's game time is slated for 3:00 p.m. at Offutt Field in Greensburg, PA. See what d2football.com is saying about the game by clicking here later this week, and as always, you can receive live score updates via Twitter if you can't make it to the game. Sign up today to follow the Blue Knights' tweets by clicking the Twitter button on the left of the page. To follow a live broadcast, click here starting at 2:30 p.m.
Penalties Cost Blue Knights on Senior Day
URBANA, Ohio (October 31, 2009) - On a cold and windy afternoon at Blue Knights Stadium, the Urbana University football team failed to overcome 18 penalties in a 21-12 loss to rival Ohio Dominican University. The Blue Knights drop to 4-5 on the year, while the 21st ranked Panthers improve to 6-2.
Urbana outgained ODU 365 to 294, but on more than one occasion, costly penalties and turnovers erased promising Urbana drives. A steady 25 mph wind wreaked havoc for most of the game as the quarterbacks combined to throw 7 interceptions.
On the first drive of the game, the Blue Knights managed to march the length of the field in less than 2 minutes. From 33 yards out, Urbana QB David Gerber found TE Tariq Kalimullah down the middle for an apparent touchdown, but Kalimullah was stripped just before the goal line. Panther Brian Babcock recovered, but he took the ball into the end zone to try to down the ball for a touchback. The referees ruled the play a safety, and Urbana led 2-0 early.
Four minutes later, the Panthers took a 7-2 lead on a Kyle Reichelderfer 6-yard touchdown catch. Urbana regained the lead on their next drive. Senior RB Nigel Smith scampered 14 yards into the end zone to give the Blue Knights a 9-7 advantage.
With a little over a minute to play in the first half, Panther QB Billy Griffin found pay dirt on a 1-yard scramble, and ODU took a 14-9 lead into the half.
The second half opened with a couple of Panther turnovers. The Blue Knights couldn't capitalize on the first, but the offense cashed in the second with a 21-yard Matt Hausheer field goal.
The deficit had been cut to 14-12, but the Blue Knights' hopes were dashed exactly a minute later. Two Griffin passes to WR Brandon Robinson covered 69 yards, and in a flash, ODU extended their lead to 21-12.
The Blue Knights threatened a couple times in the 4th quarter, but penalties hurt their chances of a comeback. Urbana was flagged for 6 penalties in the final quarter, including 4 personal fouls. A roughing the kicker penalty erased a 55-yard punt return by Troy Brookins to the Panther 4-yard line. The Blue Knights' final drive ended with an interception, and the Panthers ran out the clock for their 4th straight win over the Blue Knights.
In defeat, the Blue Knights were led by senior WR Ian Iler's (pictured left) career-high 13 catches for 108 yards. Senior TE Tariq Kalimullah (pictured right) finished with 6 catches and 112 yards. Senior RB Nigel Smith led the Blue Knights in rushing with 49 yards on 11 carries, including a TD. Jerrell Leak, Diamond Hart, and Smith all chipped in with 2 catches apiece. Freshman QB David Gerber had a career-high 287 yards passing in his 3rd career start, but he also had 4 interceptions in the blustery conditions.
On defense, senior LB Chad Kinkead (pictured left) led the way with 14 tackles, 2 for a loss, 2 fumble recoveries and an interception. Travis Brisco chipped in 12 tackles, 1 for a loss, and a forced fumble and pass break-up. Senior DB/KR Troy Brookins had 3 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 109 return yards. He also had a 55-yard punt return wiped out by a roughing the kicker penalty.
The Blue Knights play their final 2 games on the road, starting with a game at Seton Hill University next Saturday at 3:00 p.m. The Panthers travel to Connecticut to take on the University of New Haven at noon next Saturday. [Game Stats]
Blue Knights Look for Revenge Against Rival Panthers
URBANA, Ohio (October 28, 2009) - The NAIA's 21st ranked Panthers from Ohio Dominican University (5-2) come to town this week on Urbana University's Senior Day. The Blue Knights (4-4) look to bounce back after a tough 14-point loss at Lake Erie College. Urbana and ODU have played every year since the Panthers' inaugural season in 2004. ODU holds the slight 3-2 advantage in the series, winning each of the past 3 contests.
After winning 2 straight, the Blue Knights' offense was hampered by rain and soggy field conditions last week at Lake Erie College. Urbana kept it close early with a TD pass from freshman QB David Gerber to senior WR Ian Iler, but Lake Erie used their running game to pull away late, winning 20-6.
Ohio Dominican enters Saturday's game on a 4-game winning streak after defeating Central State in 55-35 shootout last week. Central State (1-7) led 23-20 at the half, but ODU's offense played well in the 2nd half, securing the 20-point victory. The Panthers are scoring 45.8 ppg during their 4-game win streak.
Kickoff is slated for 12:00 p.m. this Saturday at Blue Knights Field. Before kickoff, Urbana will honor its senior football players, as well as senior band members, cheerleaders, and athletic trainers. Members of the football team will also be wearing pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Stuck at home? You can catch a live video broadcast of the game by clicking here. Click on the "Watch Live" link just before game time on Saturday to follow live video of the action along with the call from ODU play-by-play man Todd Bell. As always, you can keep up-to-date on all UU sports by following us on twitter. Click on the logo to the right and sign up to follow the Blue Knights' tweets all season long.
"Hurricane" Hannah Touches Down in Alaska
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (October 28, 2009) - Former All-American Urbana University running back Kirk "Hurricane" Hannah has signed to play professionally for the Alaska Wild in the Indoor Football League. Hannah is the second former Blue Knight to play professionally in the Indoor Football League. Wide receiver Marc Burr played for the Colorado Ice during the 2007 season.
The Alaska Wild will play in the newly merged Indoor Football League in 2009. Seventeen teams form the IFL, including 2 Alaskan teams. The Wild became the first professional football team in the state of Alaska in 2007. They play their home games in Sullivan Arena in Anchorage, Alaska. IFL teams play a 14-game schedule that runs from March through July.
Hannah, a 2008 graduate, came to Urbana University from Miami, Florida's Archbishop Carroll High School in 2004. Hannah used a redshirt during his first year, and he saw very limited action in his second season. His career took off in 2006. Hannah was named an Honorable Mention All-American by the Don Hansen Gazette and the Victory Sports Network following a sophomore campaign that saw him become the Blue Knights' first 1,000-yard rusher on just 188 carries. He ended his UU career in 2008 as the all-time leading rusher, collecting 3,346 yards. Hannah currently holds 8 UU rushing records, including most yards in a game (224), season (1,145 in '08), and rushing touchdowns in a season (10). In his final season as a Blue Knight, Hannah was named 1st Team All-ICAA after rushing for a school record and ICAA-best 1,145 yards. To read the release and to follow Kirk, visit www.akwildfootball.com.
Urbana Unable to Weather the Storm
PAINESVILLE, Ohio (October 24, 2009) - In a battle between evenly-matched, new NCAA Division II members, the Lake Erie College Storm scored a home win over the Urbana University Blue Knights. Both teams entered the contest riding 2-game winning streaks, but only the Storm's streak will continue as Lake Erie locked up the first winning season in school history with their 6th victory of the season. Urbana drops to 4-4, still needing 2 wins in their final 3 games to secure the program's 3rd winning season.
The Storm surged out to a 10-0 lead early in the 2nd quarter behind a 52-yard TD pass and a 31-yard field goal. Urbana got on the board before the half on a 7-yard TD pass from David Gerber to Ian Iler. The extra point was blocked and Lake Erie took a 10-6 lead into halftime.
The Storm's lead grew to 14 thanks to another short field goal and 28-yard passing TD in the 3rd quarter. During the Storm's current 3-game winning streak, the defense has been dominant, holding their opponents to just 16 total points. Today was no different as Lake Erie was able to make key stops to end Urbana's drives. The Blue Knights tried to extend drives four different times on fourth down, converting just one of the attempts, and Lake Erie pitched a second half shutout for the 20-6 win.
In just his second career start, Blue Knight freshman QB David Gerber played well. Gerber completed 26 of 47 passes for 238 yards and a TD with no interceptions. He also racked up 31 rushing yards. Iler tied his career-high with 10 receptions for 73 yards and a TD. Jerrell Leak had 8 catches for 76 yards, and Nigel Smith had 12 rushes and receptions for a combined 59 yards.
Defensively, the Blue Knights were led by Travis Brisco and Chad Kinkead's 11 tackles. Kinkead collected 3 tackles for a loss, Brisco had 4 TFL, and Drew Underwood added 9 tackles.
Lake Erie (6-3) hosts Kentucky Wesleyan next week, while the Blue Knights return home to host their rivals from Ohio Dominican University. The contest is Urbana's final home game of 2009, and as such, it is also Senior Day for 16 UU seniors. Kickoff is slated for 12:00 p.m. [Game Stats]
Blue Knights Prepare to Take on the Storm
URBANA, Ohio (October 23, 2009) - The Blue Knights (4-3) head northeast this week and try to continue their winning streak as they travel to Painesville, Ohio to take on the Lake Erie College Storm (5-3). The Blue Knights have come up with key big plays to pull off wins in each of the past 2 weeks. Last week, on Homecoming, the big play was registered by redshirt freshman Daniel Goodrum. Goodrum was at the right place at the right time when sophomore Traylin Taylor blocked a Puma punt. Goodrum caught the ball on the fly, shook a tackler and took it 26 yards to paydirt. It turned out to be the game-winning touchdown as the Blue Knights held on to win, 21-14. Goodrum;s TD earned him D2Football.com Independent Special Teams Player of the Week, becoming the third Blue Knight this year to earn the award.
After a 3-8 campaign last year, Lake Erie has exceeded expectations. Lake Erie is coming off of a 28-7 win against NCAA D-III Salisbury last week, and they, too, are currently on a two-game winning streak. In that streak, the Storm have outscored their opponents 64-10. Their last loss came to Ohio Dominican University on October 3, which happens to be Urbana's next opponent.
Game time is set for 1:00 PM at Jack Britt Memorial Stadium at Painesville Kiwanis Recreation Park. The game is not on campus and if you're headed out that way the address is 99 Mill Street, Painesville, OH 44077.
Interested in what the experts have to say? You can check out d2football.com and see what they think about what they are calling the "Independents' Game of the Week." If you can't make it to Painesville, at game time on Saturday you can click here and then click the "Listen Live" link on the left side of the page to catch the game broadcast. As always, you can follow us on twitter and receive live game tweets by clicking our twitter logo to the right.
Goodrum Named Special Teamer of the Week
URBANA, Ohio (October 22, 2009) - For the second time this season, a Blue Knight special teamer was honored by D2Football.com as the Independents' Special Teams Player of the Week. Redshirt freshman Dan Goodrum (Cleveland, Ohio/Villa Angela St. Joseph's HS) earned the award after returning a blocked punt 26 yards for the Blue Knights' game-winning score against St. Joseph's College on Saturday. Goodrum caught the blocked punt on the fly, broke a tackle and raced into the endzone to give Urbana a 21-7 lead. The Blue Knights held on for the 21-14 win. Sophomore linebacker Traylin Taylor blocked the punt, his second blocked punt of the season.
Goodrum enjoyed his best game as a Blue Knight, making 7 tackles and recovering a fumble in addition to his game-winning TD. He is currently tied for 6th on the team with 30 total tackles in 2009. Goodrum is the 2nd Blue Knight to earn this recognition after senior return man Troy Brookins received the award after the Blue Knights' Week 5 loss to #24 Walsh.
UU Holds Off Pesky Pumas on Homecoming
URBANA, Ohio (October 17, 2009) - The Urbana University football team won their second straight game on Saturday in front of a large Homecoming crowd. The Blue Knights held off the Pumas from St. Joseph's College, 21-14. Urbana (4-3) has now won 7 of their last 8 on Homecoming. The Pumas (3-5) have fallen in 3 straight, including another Homecoming loss last week at Ohio Dominican University.
Early on, the game resembled a track meet more than a football game. The Pumas got the scoring started on their first drive of the game. Mike Hladik found Michael Cochran for a 14-yard TD to give the v