#17 Wittenberg vs. Wooster- Preview

#17 Wittenberg comes in to Saturday’s road game against the Fighting Scots of Wooster, riding a high after defeating arch-rival Wabash at home last weekend, 24-14. The Tigers defense shut down a Wabash team that came in to Springfield averaging 300+ yards on the ground and 50 points a game.

#17 Wittenberg vs. Wooster- Preview
September 30, 2016

SETTING THE SCENE

#17 Wittenberg comes in to Saturday's road game against the Fighting Scots of Wooster, riding a high after defeating arch-rival Wabash at home last weekend, 24-14. The Tigers defense shut down a Wabash team that came in to Springfield averaging 300+ yards on the ground and 50 points a game. The Tiger offense enters Saturday's game at Wooster allowing 75 rushing yards a game, and seven points a game. The Tigers have garnished back-to-back NCAC Defensive Players of the week at the linebacker position, as senior standouts Terrance Crowe and Dustin Holmes have each produced games of 20+ tackles thus far in 2016. Senior wide-out Luke Landis returned to form last week with sophomore signal-caller Jake Kennedy, as the Brookville native hauled in two-touchdown catches to down the Little Giants.

Wooster enters Saturday's game with a 1-3 record after falling to Washington & Jefferson, DePauw and Denison. The Fighting Scots lone win comes against a rebuilding Allegheny team, 49-40. The 3-0 Tigers enter the game with a different challenge this week; trying to stop the Fighting Scot's passing attack. Wittenberg has stuffed the run game-in and game-out so far in 2016, but they square off against a Wooster team that has completed over 100 passes, averaging 347 yards by air per game.

ON THE AIR

  • Saturday's game can be found on WKVX 960 AM and streamed live on wkvx.com.
  • MCTV will also carry this week's contest on tape-delay on Ch. 22 (Wayne County) and Ch. 81 (Stark County).
  • The game will air at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Saturday and then at noon and 3 p.m. on Sunday and Monday.
  • Fans can also watch this week's game live online at portal.stretchinternet.com/wooster.

SERIES HISTORY

  • Wittenberg leads the all-time series 37-12-1, dating all the way back to 1912. 
  • The Tigers hold a 16-3 record against the Scots since 1997, as Wittenberg has won 10 of the last 11 meetings.
  • As NCAC rivals, Wittenberg holds a 24-3 advantage overall.

File Photo | David Jablonski

RANKINGS

  • The Tigers enter play on Saturday at #17 in the latest American Football Coaches Association Poll and at #18 in the D3football.com Top-25.
  • A year ago, Wittenberg entered this week ranked at #24 by D3football.com, and in the "Others Receiving Votes" category for the AFCA.

DEFENSIVE NOTES

  • Wittenberg's defense has stuffed the run in 2016, as senior linebackers Crowe and Holmes have each surpassed the 40 tackles mark through three games.
  • Wittenberg's unit shut-down Wabash's offense all together a week ago, as the unit has registered five sacks for a loss of 38 yards on their way to a 3-0 start.
  • With two NCAC Defensive Players of the Weeks Honors under their belt, Jack Kayser appears to be next in line at the linebacker position as the ex-running back has been in on 24 tackles in 2016, while picking off a pass against Wabash last week.
  • Bobby Saul and Chandler Ferko have caused their fair share of problems off the edge for opposing quarterbacks, as the combo has combined for four-and-a-half tackles for a loss. 

OFFENSIVE NOTES

  • DeShawn Sarley comes in to Saturday's NCAC game averaging 88.7 yards on the ground for the Tigers, as the sophomore running back went for over 100 yards against OWU two-weeks ago.
  • Luke Bowling, Kennedy, and Landis have combined for an average of 180 all-purpose yards per game this season, as both wide-outs found the end-zone from Kennedy's three-touchdown day a week ago.
  • The Tiger's signal caller has thrown for 582 yards in his first season under center, completing 54.3% of his passes.

SPECIAL TEAM NOTES

  • Will Gingery has set the Tiger defense up for success time-and-time again, as the senior kicker/punter has positioned opposing teams with there backs against the wall all-season.
  • Gingery was honored as a member of the September Fred Mitchell Award Watch-List for his efforts thus far as a place-kicker, and his commitment to the community.

THE COACH

  • Joe Fincham (Ohio University 1988); 184-41 overall; 129-18 NCAC
  • 11-11 NCAA Division III Tournament record
  • Wittenberg has won 11 conference titles under Fincham, including four in the last six years
  • NCAC Coach of the Year 9 times
  • 1998 AFCA District IV Coach of the Year honors in 1998 and 2009
  • d3football.com North Region Coach of the Year in 2009