Warhawks Complete Football, Basketball, Baseball Sweep!

Warhawk Fan Pre-game Social in Texas!

Time: 11:30 AM to 1:20 PM

  Place: Wings, Pizza, & Things
2112 SW HK Dodgen Loop, Temple, TX 76504

  Map: http://www.mapquest.com/maps?address=2112%20SW%20H%20K%20Dodgen%20Loop&city=Temple&state=TX&zipcode=76504

 Conveniently located right off H.K. Dodgen Loop in the Bed and Bath and Beyond Shopping Center in Temple.

  Website http://www.wingspizzanthingstemple.com/index.html

  Directions to UMHB after the conclusion of the social: 10 minute drive:

 http://www.mapquest.com/#df39445d456a0951a6fb0b7c

 Ticket information: http://www.uwwsports.com/sports/2013/11/8/FB_1108132334.aspx?id=891

 We hope that if you are in the area that you will be able to join us! Please consider sharing this information to anyone you feel might be interested.

 Thank you for your time and consideration. Go Warhawks!

Hawks Clinch Share of WIAC, Playoff Berth

       With one game left on the regular season schedule, the UW-Whitewater football team reclaimed at least a share of the WIAC title with a hard fought 17-7 victory at Stevens Point on Saturday. The Warhawks also clinched an NCAA Division III playoff berth with the win over the Pointers.  Saturday’s victory topped off a three week stretch in which the Warhawks faced the three strongest WIAC opponents, two of them on the road.  Heading into the three week journey, the Warhawks were ranked 7^th in the nation by D3football.com. UW-Oshkosh was ranked 9^th and UW-Platteville was ranked 8^th.  The Warhawks won the battle against the Titans by 17-14 count at Oshkosh on October 26^th, ending the Titans 12 game WIAC winning streak.  After that big victory, the Hawks then hosted the 8^th ranked Pioneers.  In what may have been their most impressive showing of the season, the Warhawks defeated Platteville 35-16.  Then came Saturday’s journey to Stevens Point.  The Pointers, who boast the WIAC’s second ranked defense, proved a stubborn foe before falling 17-7. The victory advanced the Warhawks’ conference mark to 6-0 and moved their overall record to 9-0.  UW-W will look to win the conference title outright when they host the 0-9 River Falls Falcons on Saturday.

       Coach Lance Leipold took a moment to reflect on the season during WFAW’s Coaches Corner on Monday night.  “It’s been exciting, it’s been fun. It’s been fun to see this thing come together the way it has.  It’s been very enjoyable to watch our football team.”       The next order of business will be to defeat a River Falls team who is considerably better than their winless record would suggest. The Falcons possess the WIAC’s sixth ranked offense and fifth ranked defense.  The Falcons’ rushing defense allows only 3.6 yards per carry, roughly the same as nationally ranked Platteville (3.6) and Oshkosh (3.5).  In addition, the Falcons have the league’s third ranked red zone defense. The Warhawks know they must fully focus on the Falcons before turning their attention to the playoffs.  Leipold said, “I want to find a way to get a win this week and see where this team goes.  I’d like to go back and research the conference and see how many times you can win a conference championship with two freshmen starting in the offensive line. That doesn’t happen every day. So to see this happen has been really enjoyable and who knows where it goes from here?”

       One of the striking aspects of the 2013 UW-W season has been the unique contribution of the offense, defense, and special teams.  Offensively, the Hawks rank 2^nd in the conference in scoring, averaging 38.9 points per game.  The Hawks are 3^rd in total offense with 412.8 points per game. The Warhawks have the 2^nd ranked rushing offense, averaging 185.8 yards per game and 4.4 yards per carry.  The Warhawks are 5^th in passing yardage, averaging 227 yards per game and 2^nd in passing efficiency with a rating of 152.3.  Whitewater ranks 1^st in red zone offense and time of possession.  In addition, Whitewater has turned the ball over only 6 times all year.  The UW-W defense has been dominant, ranking 1^st in scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense, pass defense, pass efficiency defense, opponents’ first downs, and opponents’ 3^rd down conversion percentage. In addition, the Warhawks lead the conference with 25 takeaways.  It’s also worth noting that UW-W has allowed teams into their red zone only 10 times in 9 games.  By way of comparison, the Warhawk offense has been in the opponents’ red zone 46 times.  The Whitewater special teams have also done more than their share in this championship season.  UW-W ranks first in both kickoff return average and punt return average.  Whitewater also ranks third in punting , 2^nd in FG’s made, and 3^rd in kickoff coverage. The special teams units have also scored 3 TD’s, two on kickoff returns and one on a recovered fumble in the end zone.  

       All three phases of the game will be crucial if the Hawks are continue to meet their goals as a team this year. Stuck in between the glowing statistics of past games and the excitement of the playoff games ahead is the final conference game against River Falls.  For 2013 to be the season UW-W wants, beating River Falls is all that matters right now.

Showdown Saturday

This one has been in the making for over a year.  In the late afternoon of October 20, 2012, the UW-Oshkosh Titans walked off the field in Whitewater having just defeated the Warhawks and putting themselves squarely in the driver’s seat for the WIAC football title and the NCAA playoff automatic qualifier that goes with it.  And with that 28-13 defeat went any chance for UW-W to win their fourth consecutive national championship. The Titans went on to advance to the NCAA D-III semi-finals before falling to St. Thomas of St. Paul, MN 28-14.  Meanwhile, UW-W finished out their schedule with a 7-3 overall record and endured their longest off-season since 2004. 

       Saturday afternoon, the two teams will clash for the first time since that fateful meeting in October of 2012.  Both teams enter Saturday’s game with 6-0 overall records.  Both teams also have very different looks than they did a year ago.  Gone for UW-Oshkosh is All-American quarterback Nate Wara.  Wara, a final four Gagliardi award finalist, was the leader and unquestioned most valuable player on the Titans.  Senior Nick Olla has taken over the reigns for the Titans.  Olla has posted respectable numbers, completing 63% of his passes for 255 yards per game with 10 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.  On the season last year, Wara completed 65% of his passes for 236.5 yards per game with 30 TD’s and 5 interceptions.  Wara was a double threat averaging 52 yards per game rushing with 10 touchdowns.  While Wara would not hesitate to pull the ball down and run, Olla is a pass first quarterback. Olla has rushed for just under 16 yards per game and 1 TD through six games. Olla has plenty of weapons available to him as six different receivers have caught passes of at least 48 yards.  Caleb Voss, Zach Kasuboski, and running back Cole Myhra have all caught at least 20 passes for the Titans.  Myhra leads the Titans’ rushing attack with 567 yards in 6 games, averaging 4.2 yards per carry. Myhra has rushed for 10 TD’s already this year. Jake Dotalek has added 168 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns.  The defense Whitewater brings to Titan Stadium will surely be the strongest test to date for the the Titan’s prolific offense.  UW-W ranks 3^rd in the nation in total defense, yielding only 196.2 yards per game.  The Warhawks rank 8^th in the nation stopping the run and 2^nd in the nation in Team Passing Efficiency Defense. 

        Meanwhile, UW-W has a new look on offense as well. QB Matt Behrendt, who started three games at the end of last year, leads a Warhawk offense that is averaging 446.3 yards per game.  Behrendt has completed 65.9% of his passes for an average of 234.5 yards per game and 18 touchdowns.  Behrendt has not thrown an interception yet this year. This statistic will certainly be tested against a Titan defense that has intercepted 16 passes this year.   Jake Kumerow leads the receiving corps for UW-W with 32 receptions for 606 yards and 10 TD’s. 

       After mixing in 5 and 6 running backs earlier in the season, two have emerged healthy and effective for the Warhawks.  As a testament to the running back depth at UW-W. Jordan Ratliff and Booker Ross entered fall camp as the #5 and #6 running backs on the depth chart.  They are now leading the way for the Warhawks and proving more than capable.  Ratliff has gained 387 on 6.8 yards per carry and 4 touchdowns.  Ross has gained 251 yards on 6.2 yards per carry and 3 touchdowns.  Both will get plenty of work against the Titans. Along with those impressive statistics is another that speaks volumes of the ability of both the backs and the offensive line. In a combined 98 carries, Ratliff and Ross have each been tackled for a loss exactly one time for one yard.  The Titans’ defense is tied for 23^rd in the nation with an average of 8.7 tackles per loss per game.

       Last year, the Titans celebrated on the Warhawks’ home field after a victory that propelled them into the post-season.  It was a defeat that won’t quickly be forgotten by anyone within the UW-W program.  Without a doubt the Warhawks remember the Titans.  Saturday, UW-W will do their best to make sure the Titans remember them

All Three Phases Fuel 5-0 Start.

       How good are the 2013 Warhawks?  The first five games of a football season do not necessarily tell the full story of where a team will finish.  But ask the five opponents who UW-W played so far and you will likely find they are convinced the Hawks are pretty good.  While five games does not make a season, it is enough time for a team to begin to create an identity.  And when the football team starts the season 5-0, there is probably a lot to like about that identity. That is certainly true for the 2013 Warhawks.  UW-W seems to be improving every week on their way to outscoring their first five opponents by a decisive 239 to 37 margin. 

       Defensively, the Warhawks rank 4^th  nationally in scoring defense yielding merely 7.4 points per game.  When it comes to yardage, the Hawks rank 3^rd in the nation holding opponents to only 208.2 yards per game. One of the dilemmas faced by offensive coordinators is exactly how to attack Whitewater’s stubborn defense. The Warhawks rank 6^th nationally in passing yards allowed, permitting a meager 128.6 yards per game. and they also possess the 14^th ranked rushing defense giving up only 79.8 yards per game.  The Warhawks’ defense also has a penchant for making the big play, recording 6 interceptions, 7 fumble recoveries, and 3 touchdowns.

       Heading into the 2013, a veteran linebacking corps expected to lead the way defensively for the Hawks.  The unit has been every bit as good as advertised as Cole Klots, Kyle Wismer, Josh Williams, and Ryan Cortez lead the team in tackles.  

       Brady Grayvold leads the UW-W defense with 3 interceptions and Louis Minett leads the way with 3 sacks.  But as seems to be the case every year, triggering the big plays is an entire defense that has been physical and assignment sure.  The mastermind behind the defense is long-time defensive coordinator Brian Borland.

       When asked about Borland this week, Coach Lance Leipold stated emphatically, “Brian is the best.  If anyone wanted to really dig down and take a look at our program, not to take away from anyone else, it is always a team effort, but if you look at the transition of this program, there is a heavy correlation to Brian becoming the defensive coordinator and the success of this program.  He’s the best at this level. He is as good as anyone at putting together a game plan.” 

       Offensively, UW-W brought a young group into the 2013 season led by junior QB Matt Behrendt who had started merely 3 games before this season.  Behrendt is off to an excellent start completing 62% of his passes for 1183 yards, with 14 touchdowns and no interceptions.  Clearly one of UW-W’s deepest positions is wide receiver. Through five games, Jake Kumerow leads the receivers with 27 receptions, 567 yards, and 7 touchdowns.  Newcomer Justin Howard, a transfer from North Dakota State has caught 18 passes for 190 yards and 2 touchdowns.  Tyler Huber, who returns after a medical redshirt in 2012, has played in 4 games and has 15 receptions for 221 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Sophomore Joe Worth and seniors Zach Howard and Steve Morris round out this deep and talented unit. 

       While the wide receiver depth  has not been a surprise, the Warhawks have uncovered some surprising depth in the backfield.  Returning running backs Ryan Givens (junior) and Nick Patterson (sophomore) were expected to carry a large part of the load this year.  But because both of them have experienced some injuries, sophomores Jordan Ratliff and Dennis Moore lead the team in rushing.  As they get healthy, both Givens and Patterson are expected to continue to contribute.  Freshman Booker Ross could also be a factor as the season continues to progress. Unfortunately, it appears Moore is lost for the season due to a knee injury.

       The young offensive line continues to gel and improve with each game. With the production of both the running game and the passing game, Coach Leipold indicates the unit could be one of the strengths of the team by the end of the year.  “They’ve done a fine job to this point. (Coach) Darryl Agpalsa has done a nice job of putting a group together and finding the right pieces and putting them in the right places. We are encouraged by not only the first unit, but we are starting to develop some depth there as well. As we know, going into this season it was an area of concern just based on the youth. Very soon it will become an area of nice depth and a strength of our team.”

       With several new coaches on the offensive side of the ball including Offensive Coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, one question that needed to be answered heading into the season was regarding the chemistry that would develop between the coaches.   “I couldn’t be more pleased” said Leipold.  “It’s not just based on our record. The chemistry, the work ethic of the staff, how they relate to the players, the teaching aspect. Like I said, I couldn’t be more pleased.”

       The look of the entire offense has changed from a year ago.  Moving from a run first, take care of the ball, and wear teams out mentality to an offense looking to create big plays by getting the ball to their playmakers in space. Is this change a matter of simply utilizing the players on the current roster or is it a philosophical change to continue to grow and improve the program?  “It’s probably some of each. We knew we needed to be more aggressive. And like I’ve said before, that is probably more on myself than it is on any previous play caller. I probably made us a little too conservative. We were playing some excellent defense. We were doing some things and we allowed some people to load up the box on us and things like that. And then you put in the case to how our depth was at receiver and some other things.  We were transitioning ourselves to a lot of the things you are seeing in the spring before we even had more staff turnover. But Andy has really added  his touch as well as the other coaches. With all of it, we are probably even more apparently different than we even thought we would be.” 

       Nowhere is the Warhawks’ new identity more apparent than in the area of big plays.  Through five games in 2012, the Warhawks had 28 plays that went for 15 yards or more. Through the first five games of 2013, that number has skyrocketed to 42 plays, a 50% increase in big plays.  And the big plays haven’t been limited to the offense or the defense.  The 2013 special teams units have significant big play ability as well.  UW-W ranks 3^rd nationally in kickoff returns with a 32.27 yard per return average.  Justin Howard has returned 7 kickoffs for an average of 29.6 yards per return including a 77 yard return for a touchdown.  Marcus McLin has returned four kickoffs for a 37.0 yard per return average including returns of 61 yards and 50 yards.

       In addition, Howard is the leading punt returner in the WIAC with a 9.8 yard per return average.  Eric Kindler has connected on 9 of 10 fields goals (long of 50 yards) and all 30 of his extra point attempts.  Freshman Lake Bachar has been handling the kickoff duties registering 17 touchbacks on his 36 kickoffs. 

       Without a doubt, five games do not a season make.  But the 2013 Warhawks are well on their way to establishing their own identity.  That identity has been too much to handle for the first five opponents. And if the Hawks continue to improve week by week, the final five opponents will find them very hard to handle as well.

It’s WIAC Time!

It’s WIAC time.  The UW-Whitewater Warhawks completed a 3-0 pre-conference schedule with a 65-0 pasting of NAIA Waldorf College at Perkins Stadium.  In the words of Coach Lance Leipold, things will “change drastically” on Saturday when the Warhawks travel to UW-La Crosse to face the Eagles in the conference opener. While the Eagles come into Saturday with an 0-3 record, that record isn’t an indicator of the quality of UW-L according to Leipold. “More than a little deceiving”, he said in reference to the Eagles record. “They played one of the stronger non-conference schedules in the league. They played some good football teams. We have emphasized to our players and they have seen on film this is the best team we will have played to date.”

       Heading into WIAC play, the Warhawks have been able to use their pre-conference season to give young players experience and grow in consistency and continuity.  Following is a brief look at each position group and how they are shaping up heading into conference play.

QUARTERBACK

       Coming into the 2013 season, starter Matt Behrendt had started only 3 games. In 3 games this season, Behrendt has completed 42 of 75 passes for 495 yards and 6 TD’s. Perhaps most impressively, he has yet to throw an interception.  “Matt continues to improve each and every day and he embraces the challenge of leading this football team.” Leipold also noted that it was good to get freshman back-up Chris Nelson some snaps as well, calling him “a good football player.”

RUNNING BACK

       Five different running backs have logged significant playing time over the Hawks first three games. Injuries to the top two returning running backs, sophomore Nick Patterson and junior Ryan Givens, have opened the door for the coaches to look at the depth of the running back spot.  Sophomore Dennis Moore has rushed for 4.4 yards per carry, gaining 122 yards and scoring two touchdowns. Jordan Ratliff has rushed for 6.0 yards per carry and gaining 132 yards and 1 touchdown. Sophomore Byron Stanford has gained 1.5 yards per carry, netting 30 yards in his 20 rushing attempts.

       Patterson and Givens are healthy heading into the conference season and both averaged over 5 yards per carry in limited action over the first three games.

WIDE RECEIVER

       Junior Jake Kumerow and Senior Tyler Huber lead a deep and talented UW-W receiving corps.  The 6’5” Kumerow has caught 11 passes for 194 yards (17.6 ypc) and three touchdowns.  Leipold cited Kumerow as “maybe the most improved player both on and off the field from last year.” The athletic Huber, returning after being granted a medical redshirt for 2012 has caught 7 passes for 122 yards (17.4 ypc) and two touchdowns. Junior Justin Howard has added 9 catches for 83 yards and a touchdown. Kumerow, Huber, and Howard have all caught touchdown passes of over 30 yards. Steve Morris , Zach Howard, and Joe Worth round out the deep receiving corps.  One of two Morris’s catches went for 51 yards.

OFFENSIVE LINE

       The Warhawks enter WIAC play with 4 freshman, 5 sophomores, and a junior on the two-deep roster on the offensive line.  Freshmen Spencer Shier (C), and Tony Koepnick (RT) both started the final pre-conference game against Waldorf College. Shier stepped in for injured sophomore Conner Peters. Rounding out the starting unit are sophomores Johnny Wiederholt (LT) and Eli Sloneker (LG) and junior Lucas Skibba (RG). Rounding out the two deep roster to start the season are sophomores Tyler Janczak (RG) and Pat Suffield (RT) and freshmen Pat Costello (LT) and Austin Jones (LG).

       As a group, the offensive line continues to gain valuable experience with each game. Without a doubt, the biggest challenge lies ahead as they prepare to face the defensive fronts of their WIAC opponents. When asked about players that gave him increased confidence in the depth of the 2013 Warhawks, Coach Leipold cited the work of the freshmen, Shier and Koepnick. “I’m not surprised they are playing well and contributing because I knew they were good football players. I am maybe a little surprised at how quickly they were able to contribute on the field.”  Undoubtedly one of the keys to the 2013 season will be the continued development of this young, but talented group on the offensive line.

TIGHT END

       UW-W Undoubtedly features two of the biggest tight ends in the WIAC conference. Derric Junakin, a 6’3” 285 pound junior and Chris Davis, a 6’6” 265 pound senior man the position for the Hawks. The tight ends are crucial for setting the edge in the running game and being a factor in the red zone in the passing game. With the weapons UW-W possesses at wide receiver, the tight ends won’t get a huge number of targets each game, but will be counted on in key situations to move the chains and sustain drives as the season wears on.

DEFENSIVE LINE

       As expected, the defensive performance has been one of the strengths of the Warhawks’ season so far in 2013.  As always, the defense is anchored by the defensive front.  The defensive line is anchored by seniors DE Lou Minett and DT Marshall Rutherford.  Defensive Line Coach Kevin Bullis cited the leadership of the two seniors since spring practice as key to development of the defensive line.  Another emerging leader on the defensive front is junior Mykael Bratchett a junior from Hope School in Milwaukee. “The three of them are providing strong leadership”, according to Bullis.

       Bullis considers one of the strengths of the unit to be the ability of Minett to create pressure from the inside tackle position when Bullis wants their four best pass rushers on the field. Moving Minett inside allows him to athletically take advantage of some guards and creates room on the edge for speed rusher Kevon Clunis.  And while UW-W has only 3 sacks on the season, pressure and physical play from the defensive front has had a lot to do with the defense creating 13 turnovers over the first three games. Rounding out the 2 deep are starting defensive tackle Zach Franz, a sophomore from DeForest, sophomore back up defensive end Jon Groves, and back up freshmen defensive tackles Brandon Tamsett and John Flood. Leipold cited the performance of both Tamsett and Flood as impressive and giving him confidence in the depth of the unit.  The coaches had high expectations of the rest of the group coming into camp and they have certainly more than met those expectations three games into the season.

LINEBACKERS

       To know one’s surprise, the UW-W linebacking unit is one of the strengths of the team. When a team that usually plays three linebackers have four earn all-conference recognition, that is a sign of a pretty dominant group. When all four return the following year, the expectations can blow through the roof. The UW-W defense has allowed only 7 points and 188.7 yards per game over the first three games. Certainly the linebacking unit has had a lot to do with that. Veteran WIAC coach John Meich, who coached for 27 years at UW-Stevens Point (24 seasons as Head Coach), calls this year’s unit “potentially one of the best units” he has seen in his years in the WIAC.  The four senior linebackers who earned all WIAC recognition a year ago include Ryan Cortez, Cole Klotz, Kyle Wismer, and Josh Williams.  As could be expected, they are currently the four leading tacklers for the UW-W defense. Providing the depth in the two deep are senior Joe Paulus, and Ricky Valadez. 

       Anyone who has seen UW-W play within the last year recognizes this unit as one who has tremendous, speed, physicality, and a “fly to the ball” mentality. As the year presses forward, this group will be expected to make game changing plays, but not at the expense of being reckless about their assignments. As this group continues to work on playing sound fundamental football within the structure of the defense and let their natural ability take over, those momentum swinging plays will continue to come.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

       One of the developments of the first three games for UW-W has been the defensive backs’ penchant for making huge plays. Safety Andrew Keister has scored two touchdowns on an 88 yard interception return and on a 30 yard fumble recovery return.  Safety Zach Nellis also scored on a 37 yard fumble recovery return.  In addition, starting cornerback Brady Grayvold has 3 interceptions and the other starting corner, Marcus McLin, has another. Four sophomores back up in the defensive backfield and have gained valuable experience as well.  Shawn Shillcox, Dylan Morang, Zach Mutton, and Ryan Winske round out the two deep entering WIAC play.  Unfortunately, sophomore defensive back Chis Treptow has been lost due to an injury.  The continued development of this unit will be critical as the season progresses for UW-W. Several WIAC teams are expected to be “pass heavy” this year and because most teams find it difficult to run against UW-W, many opponents put the ball in the air a lot against the Hawks.  As the unit continues to mature and gain even further confidence, they have the potential to continue to make big plays. Without a doubt, this group would love to develop a “throw it at your own risk” reputation. If the first three games are any indication, that may be on its way to happening.

Special Teams

       Early indications are that special teams will be one of the absolute strengths of the 2013 Warhawks.  Led by senior kicker/punter Eric Kindler, the UW-W special teams units aspire to go beyond “adequate” and soar into the “difference maker” category. Kindler has made all six of his field goal attempts, including a long of 50 yards.  And while his punting average of 32.6 yards seems pedestrian, he has placed 9 of 19 kicks inside the 20 and forced 6 fair catches. In addition, he has hit two over 50 yards. 

       The coverage units have been exceptional over the first three games, allowing only 14.5 yards on kickoff returns and an astounding negative 1.5 yards on punt returns. The coverage team has delivered some devastating hits along the way.

       Leading the return game is junior Justin Howard. Howard is extremely aggressive in catching the ball and has dynamic return ability.  He is averaging 8.4 yards on punt returns with a long of 27 yards. He is averaging 24.3 yards on kickoff returns with a long of 32 yards.  Although, he has not broken a long return yet, most who watch him would agree it’s just a matter of time. In addtion to Howard, Zach Howard is an able punt returner. Zach Howard has returned two punts, including one for 35 yards.  Marcus McLin also contributes on kickoff returns. His game opening 61 yard return at Buffalo State set the tone for UW-W’s dominant performance in Buffalo.  All four returners have big play capabilities.

       Freshman kicker Lake Bachar appears poised to handle the kickoff duties for the Warhawks. Coach Leipold felt like it is a positive to relieve Kindler of that aspect of kicking given his other workload. But he gave the credit to Bachar. “We would’t have been able to go in that direction if Lake hadn’t proven he’s ready.”

OVERALL

       Given the schedule and level of competition, the Warhawks appear to have accomplished all that could have been expected from their three game pre-conference schedule. As Coach Leipold commented, “There’s much work still to be done and everything changes drastically this week” referring to the beginning of the WIAC schedule in LaCrosse.

       Time will tell as to how far the 2013 Warhawks can rise. There appears to be little doubt, they have set their sights high. There also is little doubt that they will continue to emphasize getting better one day at a time.  It’s impossible to answer every question about a football team during the first three weeks of their schedule.  But more questions are about to be answered. After all, it’s WIAC time!

       

2013 Season Begins Today: My Humble Opinion

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The sting of a disappointing 2012 season behind them, the UW-Whitewater Warhawks will be looking to start a new chapter beginning with the 2013 opener against Washington University today at Perkins Stadium. 

At this time last year, UW-W was a three-time national champion, riding a 45 game winning streak. With success of that magnitude, it is virtually impossible to manage expectations.  With the level of success the Warhawk football has attained, last year’s 7-3 record was not what the team had in mind. While most programs would celebrate a 7 win season, UW-W feels like it has some bouncing back to do.  How far will a 2013 bounce carry them? 

The general consensus is that the Hawks will come into 2013 with another championship caliber defense. In 2012, the Warhawks’ defense ranked #2 nationally in scoring defense and #6 in total defense while playing in the WIAC, largely considered the strongest division 3 football conference in the nation.  When a team is that strong defensively, yet loses three games, it is only natural to look to the other side of the ball for some answers.  

Over the past several seasons, UW-W has been a prototype of a fundamentally sound, philosophically conservative offensive football team. Prior to 2012, it not only was sufficient, it was probably wise.  As much as fans love and clamor for wide-open offensive football, a coaching staff is obsessed with one thing. Winning.  During the 45 game winning streak, the offensive coaches rode a mostly dominant offensive line and experienced and talented skill position players to victory. Through a power running game and an ability to wear down defenses, the Warhawks knew that they controlled their own fate. As long as they didn’t turn the ball over, they were going to win out in the end.  Although at times frustrating for fans, it proved to be a strong strategy because game after game the cream would rise to the top. The offensive line would wear down the defense and eventually, the offensive playmakers would make enough plays to win the game. 

However, 2012 was a different story.  While the Warhawks had good offensive players, they were clearly not good enough to sustain the level of success of the previous UW-W teams.  In watching the games, it did not appear that the 2012 offense had the “talent gap advantage” that previous UW-W teams held.  Less overall talent, combined with inconsistent play from the quarterback position, led to far less production. As a result, Warhawks found themselves compiling a 7-3 record and watching the playoffs from home.

Without a doubt, the Hawks will have the offensive talent to compete with every defense they play this year.  But after last season, it seems like a small shift in offensive philosophy may be in order.  One of the keys to the 2013 season for UW-W will be their offensive approach.  Will the Warhawks “open up the playbook” and look to attack the opponent with each and every possession? Too often in 2012, the Warhawks seemed to be slugging it out, waiting for the big plays that never came. 

Without a doubt, execution was a part of that.  In this year’s training camp, there has been an intentional focus on the word “Finish”.  Finish plays, finish drives, and finish games.  First and foremost, new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s job will be to get consistent execution from each offensive position group.  Without that, the most creative offense on earth will not succeed.  But there is another lesson to be learned from 2012.  Assuming that a defense will wear down or that victory will come eventually is a mistake.  Every possession is an opportunity to aggressively strike the opponent and put points on the scoreboard.  Coach Kotelnicki has a great resume in developing high scoring offenses. If he is able to do the same at UW-W this year, the sky is the limit for this football team.   How far back will UW-W bounce in 2013? We will begin finding out at noon today at the Perk.

UW-Whitewater Warhawks 2011: National Champions!

Keys to Salem

Here is a brief look at some keys for each team in both of Saturday's NCAA D3 Semi-Final games.  The winners will meet in Salem, VA to play in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl for the NCAA D3 National Championship.

Wesley at Mount Union


Wesley

• Keep their emotions under control and play relatively mistake free football.
• Get off to a fast start and make Mount Union come from behind.
• Rotate players regularly on the defensive side to avoid getting worn down.

Mount Union

• Establish the run to take pressure off their quarterbacks.
• Get off to a fast start.
• Disrupt the rhythm of Shane McSweeny

St. Thomas at Wisconsin-Whitewater

St. Thomas 

• Avoid giving UW-W early momentum.
• Stay with the run to avoid becoming one dimensional.
• Not allow the magnitude of the moment to affect how they play.

UW-Whitewater

• Prevent big plays in the passing game and special teams.
• Continue their stretch of premier ball protection.
• Take advantage when the big play opportunities present themselves.

NCAA D3 SEMI-FINAL PREDICTIONS AND ONE LINERS

Mount Union  24
Wesley             7
Mount Union defense steps up and offense wears down Wolverines.


UW-Whitewater 27
St. Thomas        13
St. Thomas more prone to mistakes and less experienced on this stage than rock solid Warhawks. 

NCAA D3 Quarterfinal Predictions and One Liners

Mount Union  24
Wabash          10
Wabash always fights, but Mount always wins in quarterfinals.

Wesley                       28
Mary Hardin-Baylor  21
Wesley familiar with Cru offense and McSweeny makes the difference.

St. Thomas               31
St. John Fisher        17
Takes most of the four quarters for Tommies to put the Cardinals away.

UW-Whitewater  38
Salisbury            21
If SU can't slow Coppage, Warhawks may not throw much more than Gulls.

Securing Success

       In an October showdown of undefeated WIAC contenders, an emotionally charged UW-Oshkosh Titan football team had outplayed UW-Whitewater to a 17-10 lead at halftime.  As the halftime break was winding down, the Titans sprinted back on the field to the roar of an approving crowd.  The officials made their way back on the field.  The clock ran down to 0:00 and was reset to 15:00.  There was only one thing missing.  The UW-W football team.  They still had not emerged from the locker room.  The officials fixed their stare towards the corner of the end zone that was the visiting team entry point for JJ Keller Field.  Finally, Coach Lance Leipold led his team to the brink of the field.  Rather than continuing to walk on the field, he turned and faced his team.  His team formed a line on either side of him and he slapped the hand of each and every member of the team as they took the field.  It was obvious.  This was a moment of truth; a challenge that would help define the Warhawks 2011 season.
      UW-Oshkosh was to receive the ball to open the second half.  Getting a stop was imperative.  The Titans got a couple of first down on the strength of the legs of QB Nate Wara.  They advanced the ball to their own 49.  That's as far as they would advance before being forced to punt.  After the punt was fair caught at the 23, the Warhawk offense took over determined to drive down the field and tie the game.  And they were crisp.  In 11 plays, the Hawks moved the ball to a first and ten at the UW-Oshkosh 20.  The Titans called time out.  UW-W had upped the tempo and the Titans were on their heels.  On the next play Matt Blanchard faded back to pass. He saw a receiver breaking free near the goal line and threw.  The pass was just a bit late.  Oshkosh DB Charlie Stueck intercepted the pass. It was only the third interception of the year and fourth in Blanchard's UW-Whitewater career.  It was very uncharacteristic of the Warhawk team to make this kind of a mistake.  And it was one they would learn from.  Led by a dominant defensive performance who shut out the Titans the rest of the game, UW-W went on to win the game 20-17.
     A lot of football has been played since that sunny October afternoon in Oshkosh.  In fact, since Blanchard's pass wound up in the hands of Stueck, the Warhawks have had 60 offensive possessions, not including possessions that were kneel down only to end a half or game.  That's 60 meaningful possessions and 334 offensive snaps generating 179 points.  All without one single turnover.  That's over 21 quarters of turnover-free football for the offensive unit of the Warhawks.
     Ball security and winning the turnover battle has been a key ingredient in Warhawks' post-season success.  It is a well documented football fact that winning the turnover battle is one of the biggest single statistical advantages a team can have in winning a football game.  And the offense knows that if they have perfect ball security, the likelihood of UW-W winning that key battle multiplies.  Currrently, the Warhawks rank second in the nation in fewest turnovers with 8 all season.  Certainly, over the past 5 weeks, no one has been better.  As a point of reference, Salisbury University, the Warhawks' quarterfinal playoff opponent Saturday, ranks 73rd with 18.
    There was a sense among most who attended the Whitewater-Oshkosh tilt on October 22nd, that the result would have post season implications.  And it certainly has.  What no one could have known is the supreme stretch of ball security the Warhawks' offense would demonstrate following that 3rd quarter interception.  And if the offense can continue to be so protective, it is likely the Warhawks will secure a whole lot more than the just the football when the 2011 season ends.

NCAA D3 Round 2 Predictions and One Liners

Mount Union  52
Centre              7
Colonels potent offense hasn't seen a defense like this.

Salisbury  35
Kean         24
Cougars can't slow Gulls quite enough to advance.

Linfield   27
Wesley   21
Expect special teams to factor in this one.

Delaware Valley   35
St. John Fisher    23
Aggies can score on Cardinals' defense

UW-Whitewater   41
Franklin                 7
Warhawks keep the pedal down.

St. Thomas      28
Monmouth       17
Tanney's remarkable career ends in St. Paul.

North Central   24
Wabash            13
This Cardinals defense is the real deal.

Mary Hardin-Baylor   42
McMurry                      24
Crusaders send War Hawks packing to Division II.

Deep Playoff Run: What Matters

There are innumerable ways dissect an upcoming football game.  Statistics, current level of play, comparative schedules, health of each team, match-up analysis based on assessment of strengths and weaknesses, athletic ability, size and speed, experience, previous results, and a host of other factors can go into an analysis of potential outcome. What about evaluating UW-Whitewater's chances of making a deep run in the NCAA D3 playoffs?  Because of the level the Warhawk program has reached, there are a number of questions that have already been answered.  Their talent level, competition level, athleticism, size, experience, coaching, and pedigree are all well established.  Therefore, the bottom line to UW-W's chances have to do with how they perform in certain key aspects of the game.
        When assessing on-field factors, there are several that stand out as vital in determining a team's ability to make a deep run in the D3 playoffs.  Below is an analysis of some performance keys to UW-W's bid for a third straight NCAA D3 National Championship.

1. Taking Care of the Football.  Turning the ball over is one of the quickest ways to assure an early exit in the playoffs.  Even the lesser teams in the tournament are teams that are used to winning and most are capable of making a team pay for giving the ball away.

UW-W Analysis: The Warhawks have turned the ball over 8 times in 818 touches (479 rushes, 280 passes, and 59 returns).  Only St. Scholastica has turned the ball over fewer times (7).  UW-W has not given the ball away at all in the last four games and only twice in the last six games.   QB Matt Blanchard has thrown 481 passes with 41 TD's and only 4 interceptions in his 21 career starts.  UW-Whitewater simply refuses to beat themselves, which has gone a long way toward extending the Warhawks' nation leading 41 game winning streak.

2. Balanced Offense. A team capable of both running and passing is far more difficult to defend and prepare for than a team that relies on a one dimensional attack.  When things don't go as planned, having both the run and the pass available as viable weapons is invaluable to a team in making necessary in-game adjustments.

UW-W Analysis: The presence of All-American running back Levell Coppage brings a unique weapon that other teams simply don't possess. Any defensive coordinator game planning for UW-W is almost forced to try to slow down Coppage first.  If he doesn't, the Warhawks will almost certainly pound his defense all afternoon and have them worn down by the end of the third quarter.  Although, Coppage has been contained on occasion, the overcommitment necessary to accomplish that containment has left the team vulnerable to the pass.  The key to slowing down the UW-W offense is to slow down Coppage while playing UW-W straight up.  A team with a superior defensive line who can compete with Whitewater on the line of scrimmage has the best chance of derailing the Warhawks offense.  Overall, the Warhawks offensive line has not been as dominant this year as last year.  While the UW-W offensive line is very good and appears to be improving in the past few games, their ability to win the battle against teams like St. Thomas and Mount Union will likely go a long way in determining the ability of UW-W to threepeat.

3. Creating turnovers:  Taking the ball away is a huge component of winning playoff football.  Takeaways have the immediate effect of changing momentum, confidence levels, and usually field position.  Over the course of a game, the extra possessions gained by a team taking the ball away will usually result in tipping the scales towards victory.

UW-W Analysis: The Warhawks 4 takeaways against Albion was a welcome playoff start in this important category.  That type of defensive intensity and mentality will be crucial to a deep playoff run for the Warhawks.  While UW-W has a respectable 25 takeaways, the following potential playoff opponents have more:
Kean (34), Mount Union (33), Salisbury (32), Delaware Valley (30), Mary Hardin-Baylor (29), McMurry (29), North Central (29), Wabash (28), and Monmouth (27). With an offense not likely to give the ball away, any takeaways the UW-W defense can get have the potential to be game-changers.

4. Forcing Teams to become one dimensional.  When an aspect of a team's offensive arsenal is nullified, they begin to become more predictable and easier to defend.  It also causes offensive teams to become less patient and more prone to mistakes.

UW-W Analysis:  The focus of the UW-W defense is usually to shut down the opponents running game.  The Warhawks defense has yielded 79.9 yards per game and 2.6 yards per carry.  In 2010, the UW-W defense gave up 46.6 yards per game and 1.7 yards per carry.  Part of the difference was one particular half of one game that stands out as an anomaly in 2010.  UW-Oshkosh gained 214 yards on 42 carries on October 22, 2011.  After repeatedly allowing UW-O to hurt them on the edge in the first half, UW-W adjusted and held the Titans to 2.2 ypc and 47 net rushing yards in pitching a second half shutout. This type of anomaly cannot be repeated in the playoffs.  One match-up to keep and eye on will be a potential match-up with Salisbury in the quarter-finals. Salisbury runs the most prolific option offense in the country and averages 363.27 yards rushing per game.

5.  Limit the opponents big plays. UW-W employs a fundamentally sound, gap disciplined approach to defense.  This defense is built on forcing an opponent to drive the length of the field and winning enough battles to stop that from happening. Needless to say, big plays throw a severe wrench into this philosophy.

UW-W analysis:  UW-W has allowed more long pass plays than they would have liked this year.  There seems to be a variety of reasons for the different breakdowns.  However, Noah Timm has emerged as a huge playmaker in the defensive backfield. UW-W will not be afraid to use Timm to shadow an opponents' top receiver when necessary.  UW-W will also focus on creating pressure on the opposing quarterback with well timed defensive line stunts and blitzes.

6.  Playmakers- As the playoffs progress, there will be more and more key moments in games in which teams' best players will be called upon to make a play, whether on offense, defense, or special teams.  The teams with the most talented and clutch playmakers will find themselves with a strong advantage.

UW-W Analysis: UW-W finds itself in a great position in this category. They have multiple players in every phase of the game capable of making a big play during crucial stretches of the game.  Although more could be mentioned, here are 3 playmakers on each UW-W unit.

Offense
Matt Blanchard
Levell Coppage
Tyler Huber

Defense
Greg Arnold
Casey Casper
Noah Timm

Special Teams
Levell Coppage
Jaren Borland
Eric Kindler

 It is this category as much as any that has separated the Warhawks from most of the field over the last six years and this category that will likely determine just how deep the playoff run will go for the 2011 Warhawks.

NCAA First Round Projections and One Liners

UW-W   42
Albion    3
Albion gets a taste of a new level.


Franklin            38
Thomas More   28
The Saints will find it hard to slow down the Griz passing attack

Kean                            17
Christoper Newport   13
CNU shows mettle, but Kean defense too much.

Salisbury                         63
Western New England    7
NEFC Champ suffers same fate as most of the E-8 this year.

St. Thomas                     61
St. Scholastica                0
Tommies like to pound inferior opponents

Illinois Wesleyan           42
Monmouth                      24
Monmouth ready to step up in class......offensively.

Johns Hopkins              42
St. John Fisher              28
Fisher has given up at least 36 points three times this year.

Delaware Valley            58
Norwich                          0
Del Val gets off to a big start in journey to justify #1 seed.

Mary Hardin-Baylor      45
Redlands                       17
UMHB figures to light up average Bulldogs defense.

McMurry                       35
Trinity                           14
Mullin not playing for War Hawks could change this result significantly.

Linfield                         41
Cal Lutheran                27
Linfield carries forward tradition of SCIAC graveyard.

Wesley                         42
Hobart                           7
Wolverines on a mission.

Wabash                 49
Illinois College     17
One of the strongest Little Giants teams of recent years.

North Central       34
Dubuque              14
Very tough draw for Spartans team that could beat much of the field.

Centre                      24
Hampden-Sydney   20
Hard to imagine either pulling away.

Mount Union         63
Benedictine            0
Impossible to imagine Purple Raiders NOT pulling away.

WIAC PROJECTIONS

UW-Eau Claire (4-5, 2-4) at UW-River Falls (1-8, 2-5)
When the Blugolds blew out St. John's, then won their first two WIAC games and  played UW-Oshkosh down to the wire, who would have thought they would play at Falls trying to avoid being dumped into last place in the final conference standings? Yet after three straight conference losses and four in their last five conference games, that's where they sit. Meanwhile, the Falcons are riding high after earning their first victory for first year coach Matt Walker last week at LaCrosse. Saturday, they will be gunning for Walker's first HOME win.  Taylor Edwards should carry the load for the Falcons, while the Blugolds' top rated passing offense could have their way with the Falcons' bottom ranked pass defense. Expect some points in this one.

UW-River Falls 34
UW-Eau Claire  31






UW-Stevens Point (4-5, 2-4) at UW-Platteville (6-3, 4-2)
The Pointers are looking to avoid their first overall losing season since 2005 with a win at Platteville.  The Pioneers come in riding a three game WIAC winning streak and have a chance for an outright second place finish with a victory and an Oshkosh loss.  UW-P has simply played better than Point this year. Having already clinched their first winning season since 2004, look for the Pioneers to finish well.

UW-Platteville 27
UW-Stevens Point 21






UW-Stout (5-4, 3-3) at UW-Oshkosh (6-3, 4-2)
The Titans seemed to regain their balance last week after consecutive disappointing losses to UW-Whitewater and UW-LaCrosse.  The Blue Devils have struggled on offense throughout the year, ranking last in the WIAC in scoring offense.  UW-S will be looking to avenge a September 56-10 non-conference embarrassment.  The Titans will look to take out their frustrations over a season that "could have been" on the Blue Devils. This one should be interesting to watch.

UW-Oshkosh 23
UW-Stout 14





UW-LaCrosse (3-6, 2-4) at UW-Whitewater (9-0, 6-0)
The up and down Eagles look to make their season against the defending National Champion and bitter rival Warhawks.  Beating UW-Oshkosh and losing to UW-River Falls in consecutive weeks is both mind boggling and WIAC typical.  UW-L will be loose and will probably take plenty of chances.  UW-W will be focused with a  #1 NCAA playoff seed likely on the line.

UW-Whitewater 38
UW-LaCrosse  14

WIAC PROJECTIONS

UW-Oshkosh at UW-Stevens Point
The Titans let down big time last week after playing UW-Whitewater very tough the week before.  This game isn't about how the numbers stack up nearly as much as it is about the internal mettle of UW-Oshkosh.  The Titans lose this one and they are just another WIAC team that possesses talent and toughness but unable to rise above the pack in the best conference in the country.

UW-Oshkosh 27
UW-Stevens Point 20




UW-Platteville at UW-Stout
Each team (both are 5-3, 3-2 in the WIAC) is looking to lock up a winning season and position themselves to be in the WIAC  upper tier. Both have won two straight. Stout has allowed only 10 points over the past two games and UW-Platteville seems to be gaining great offensive momentum, scoring 65 points over the same span.  It will be hard for UW-S to hold UW-P down and hard to keep up with them if they don't.

UW-Platteville 31
UW-Stout 20


UW-River Falls at UW-LaCrosse
UW-RF will be looking to get over the top and earn Coach Matt Walker his first win after narrow misses the last two weeks against Platteville and Stout. UW-LaCrosse's Ben Hertrampf is one of the hottest backs in the WIAC going over 180 yards in two of the last three weeks.  The Eagles shocked UW-Oshkosh last week. Can they carry the momentum forward or will they let down as the Titans appeared to last week?  Hertrampf vs a defense giving up 5.0 yards per carry is hard to overlook.

UW-LaCrosse 24
UW-River Falls 7


UW-Whitewater at UW-Eau Claire
The Blugolds come into Saturday's game having lost 3 of their last 4.  One of the problems has been a defense who allowed only 16.75 points per game the first four games, but 25.75 points over the last four.  Austin Neu, the conference's leading passer will be trying to test a UW-W defense that gave up completions of 36, 34, and 29 yards in the first half last week to UW-Stevens Point's Theo Maglio.   However, once the Warhawks adjusted by shadowing  Maglio with cornerback Noah Timm,  Maglio caught one pass for three yards in the second half.  After clinching a share of the WIAC crown last week, they look to claim it outright Saturday and begin to establish a rhythm offensively and defensively as the playoffs near.

UW-Whitewater 35
UW-Eau Claire 13

Rise Up, Shut Down, Close Out

Close games may scare fans, but they don't scare the UW-Whitewater Warhawks defense.  Since the beginning of the 2009 football season, 14 opponents found themselves one score away from tying or taking the lead against UW-W in the second half of a football game.  In all 14 of those games the Whitewater defense went into shut down, close out mode to take the game away from their opponent.  Whether the Warhawks forced a timely takeaway or simply became an impenetrable stone wall, there was a point in each "close game" where the UW-W defense simply took over. In 12 of the 14 games, Whitewater shut out it's opponent in the fourth quarter.

Here is a recap of the key moments and a description of when and how the UW-W defense rose the occasion in the 14 most competitive games since the beginning of the 2009 season.

October 10, 2009  UW-Eau Claire at Whitewater
In the 3rd quarter, the Blugolds culminated a 50 yard scoring drive with a 7 yard scoring pass from Kyle Paulson to Brett Schreiner.  UW-EC converted the 2 point conversion to close within 17-14 with 11:30 left in the 3rd quarter.  However, the Warhawks held the Blugolds scoreless over the final 26:30 of the game forcing two punts and holding on downs on a 4th quarter goal-line stand in a 31-14 UW-W victory.

December 5, 2009 Wittenberg at Whitewater. NCAA Quarterfinal
The Warhawks held a 14-13 lead at the half.  However, the UW-W defense held the Tigers scoreless in their 7 second half possessions.  The Warhawks forced 5 punts, an interception, and a stop on downs on their way to a 31-13 playoff victory.

December 12, 2009  Linfield at Whitewater. NCAA Semifinal
The Linfield Wildcats, led by QB Aaron Boehme, provided a huge threat to the UW-W title hopes.  Boehme led the Wildcats on scoring drives of 78 and 72 yards to turn a 10-7 halftime deficit into a 17-10 Linfield lead early in the fourth quarter.  On the second drive, the Wildcats faced a 3rd and 8 on the UW-W 14 yard line, threatening to go ahead by 2 scores.  Kyle Supianoski sacked Boehme for an 8 yard loss, forcing the Wildcats to take the field goal and settle for the 7 point lead.  On the Wildcats three fourth quarter possessions, the Warhawks defense forced a punt, held on downs, and intercepted a Boehme pass to seal the win and advance to the Stagg Bowl.

December 19, 2009  Mount Union. National Championship in Salem, VA.
The Warhawks held a 28-21 fourth quarter lead when the Purple Raiders' Alex Ferrara intercepted a pass at the UW-W 31.  Mount took advantage of the short field when QB Kurt Rocco scored from 5 yards out 5 plays later to tie the score at 28.  After an ensuing UW-W 3 and out,  momentum was on the Raiders' side. However, 3 plays later Whitewater linebacker Lane Olson hit running back Wes Ryder, forcing a fumble that UW-W's Paul Wick recovered on the Raiders 39 yard line.  Once again Mount held UW-W to a 3 and out.  However, once again Olson forced a fumble, this time by Terrance Morring. Whitewater's Matt McCulloch recovered at the UW-W 28.

After yet another Whitewater punt, the pressure was again on the defense to come up with a stop.  This time Olson sacked Kurt Rocco forcing a Raiders 3 and out. Whitewater finally regained the lead on a 31 yard Levell Coppage TD run.  On the next possession, Wesley Hicks sacked Rocco, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Supianoski at the Mount 30.  A Jeff Schebler 44 yard field goal sealed the victory and the National Championship for UW-W.  Fittingly, on the Raiders' final possession, Rocco was sacked by Whitewater's Anthony White on the last play of the game. All told, not including the final Mount possession, once the Purple Raiders tied the score, their final four offensive possessions ended in a punt and three UW-W takeaways.

October 9, 2010.  UW-Stout at Whitewater.
The Warhawks held a 10-7 halftime lead. However, in the second half the UW-W defense held Stout scoreless in the second half. QB Ross Carey was 6 of 18 passing and sacked three times in the second half of the 31-10 Whitewater win.

November 20, 2010.  Franklin at Whitewater.  NCAA First Round

With UW-W holding a 21-14 lead, the defense held the Grizzlies to 7 second half points in what turned out to be a 52-21 playoff route. The Warhawks forced 3 punts, 2 turnovers, and ended one possession on downs around the lone scoring drive in the second half. 

November 27, 2010. Trine at Whitewater. NCAA Second Round

After a wild First half, UW-W led 31-24 at the half.  Trine intercepted a Lee Brekke pass and returned it to the UW-W one. Two plays later, Trine scored, tying the game at 31.

The next two possessions, UW-W punted, so defense was critical during this juncture.  The Whitewater defense rose to the occasion intercepting a pass, recovering a fumble, and forcing three punts on Trine’s final 5 possessions, propelling UW-W to a 45-31 playoff win.  

December 4, 2010.  UW-Whitewater at North Central. NCAA Quarterfinal

After playing UW-W to a 7-7 tie in the first half, NCC kicked a field goal on their first second half possession to give the Cardinals a 10-7 lead with 6:30 left in the third quarter.  However, the Warhawk defense forced turnovers on the next three NCC possession propelling UW-W to a 20-10 victory.

December 11, 2010.  UW-Whitewater at Wesley

The Warhawks held a slim 10-7 lead at halftime of the National Semi-final game at Wesley. However, the UW-W defense intercepted passes on the first three possessions of the second half and pitched a second half leading the Warhawks to a 27-7 victory and a berth in the 2010 Stagg Bowl. 

December 18, 2010.  Mount Union. National Championship in Salem, VA.

After giving up 21 first half points, the Warhawks defense was called upon to come up big in the 2010 Stagg Bowl.  With only a 7 point lead and the first six UW-W second half possessions netting 4 punts and 2 interceptions, it was critical for the Warhawks defense to hold the fort.  The Warhawks brought home the National Championship when the defense limited the high powered Raiders to four punts, three turnovers, and no points in their seven second half possessions.  

October 1, 2011  UW-Platteville at Whitewater.

The Pioneers tied the score at 14 with 14 seconds left in the fist half when they fooled the Warhawks defense with a halfback pass for a 35 yard TD with 14 seconds left in the first half. However, UW-W pitched a second half shutout, stopping the Pioneers on downs on their first four second half possessions and intercepting a pass on their fifth and final possession as the Warhawks won going away 34-14.

October 14, 2011  UW-Stout at Whitewater.

The Warhawks were cruising, or at least they thought they were when they took a 28-7 lead into the locker room at halftime. However, the Blue Devils made a game of it with two third quarter TD’s to cut the lead to 28-21.  However, from that point on, the Warhawks forced a punt and two interceptions on the Blue Devils’ next three possessions, including a pick that set up the offense at the Stout 10 yard line.  The Warhawks converted and at the end of the day, UW-W had doubled up the Blue Devils 42-21.  

October 22, 2011 UW-Whitewater at UW-Oshkosh

The Titans led 17-10 at halftime in the battle of WIAC unbeatens.  However, the UW-W defense went into shut down mode shutting out the Titans in a 20-17 Warhawk win.  After giving up more than 200 yards in the first half, the UW-W defense gave up less than 100 in the second half.  UW-O’s 5 second half possessions resulted in 0 points, 3 punts, 1 stop on downs, and an interception on a desperation pass in the end zone with one second left in the game to seal the Warhawk victory. 

October 29, 2011  UW-Stevens Point at UW-Whitewater

One week after giving up 17 first half points to Oshkosh, the Hawks gave up 16 in the first half to the Pointers. Would they be able to turn things around defensively yet again?  For the second consecutive week, UW-W outscored it’s opponent 10-0 in the second half, this time pulling away to a 31-16 win.  In seven Pointer second half drives, four ended with punts, two with interceptions, and one ended on downs.  

There are likely to be a number of close games still ahead for the Warhawks.  That may be nerve wracking for fans, but it is good news for a defense that seems to relish the opportunity to rise up, shut down the opponent, and close out the game.  

WIAC PROJECTIONS

UW-Eau Claire at UW-Platteville
The Blugolds have been unable to gain any consistency on the ground this year putting a lot of pressure on QB Austin Neu. Neu has responded by leading the WIAC in passing yardage per game with 230.4. He has thrown 10 TD's against only 2 interceptions.  The Blugolds lost to Stevens Point last week after leading by 10 points with less than 6 minutes left in the 3rd quarter.  UW-Platteville needed a FG with 3 seconds left in the game to beat winless River Falls last week.   Eau Claire seems to be playing better right now, but with the WIAC being the WIAC.....

UW-Platteville 23
UW-Eau Claire 20

UW-LaCrosse at UW-Oshkosh
The Eagles hope to catch the Titans on a let-down after their emotional homecoming loss to UW-Whitewater last week.  LaCrosse has had their share of offensive struggles this year, culminating in last week's shutout loss to Stout.  The Titans rank second in the WIAC in both scoring offense and total offense.  If UW-O plays a clean game, they have too much for the Eagles.

UW-Oshkosh 24
UW-LaCrosse 10


UW-Stout at UW-River Falls
Falcons only win in the last 19 games was in former coach John O'Grady's last game to close out 2010.  The Blue Devils are one of four WIAC teams entering Saturday's play at 2-2.  Stout's offense has been inconsistent enough to give the Falcons some hope of giving Coach Matt Walker his first win.

UW-Stout 28
UW-River Falls 20


UW-Stevens Point at UW-Whitewater
Coming into the season ranked #23 by D3football.com, the Pointers got off to a disappointing 2-3 start this year.  They head into Whitewater coming off a come from behind 28-24 victory over Eau Claire.  The Pointers are the last team to beat UW-W in both the WIAC and in Perkins Stadium.  Stevens Point comes in second in the league in total defense and scoring defense, but dead last in total offense.  The Warhawks are fighting through a stretch of some recent injuries and coming off a hard fought 3 point win at Oshkosh.  If UW-W establishes an early lead, the Pointers don't figure to have the firepower to catch up.

UW-Whitewater 34
UW-Stevens Point 14

"Titan-ic" Challenge

    UW-Whitewater passed a major test in responding to adversity on Saturday, defeating UW-Oshkosh 20-17 on a beautiful afternoon in Oshkosh.  The Warhawks knew they were going to be challenged on the home turf of the Titans, who entered the afternoon 3-0 in WIAC play and ranked #20 by d3football.com.  And challenged they were as the Titans made a serious bid to end the Warhawks' nation leading winning streak at 36 games.  On an afternoon that saw the Warhawks lose three starters in the first half due to injury, Oshkosh seized the lead three separate times on their way to a 17-10 halftime advantage.  Senior linebacker Greg Arnold made a valiant effort by starting in spite of injuring his ankle in last week's victory over UW-Stout.  However, he was able to play only three plays before limping off the field for the afternoon.  Defensive back Sam Overton was hurt in a jarring collision with Oshkosh running back Justin Budiak at the one yard line.  Overton left the game with over 12 minutes left in the first half and did not return.  Starting center Grant Poenitsch left the game with an apparent leg injury in the first half and did not return.

    UW-Oshkosh struck first with a 29 yard field goal by Nate Becker with 2:04 remaining in the first quarter.  The Titans carried that 3-0 lead into the second quarter until QB Matt Blanchard gave the Warhawks the lead with a 23 yard designed quarterback run, capping an 89 yard TD drive with 14:52 to go in the half.  UW-O responded with a 68 yard drive, capped by a Charlie Weissman  one yard touchdown run.  The Warhawks tied the score on a 47 yard Eric Kindler field goal with 4:49 to play in the half, but the Titans weren't done yet.  They proceeded to drive 80 yards on 10 plays, culminated by a 14 yard TD run by Jeremy Roach and a 17-10 halftime lead for the Titans. Oshkosh gained 236 yards in the first half to Whitewater's 203 yards.

    UW-Whitewater's defense and Levell Coppage proved to be the difference in the game in the second half.  The Warhawks' defense forced four punts, made one huge fourth quarter defensive stand on downs, and made a game sealing interception with one second remaining in the game.

    With less than two minutes left in the third quarter and Whitewater still trailing 17-10, Whitewater QB Matt Blanchard hit a wide open Tyler Huber for a 62 yard gain to the Oshkosh 4 yard line.  After Levell Coppage was dumped for a 4 yard loss, Blanchard hit tight end Jason Ford for an 8 yard touchdown, tying the game at 17.  The game was still tied when Whitewater took over the ball at their own 20 with 5:51 left in the game.  Coppage and Blanchard put together consecutive 9 yard runs to give the Warhawks a first down on the 38.  Coppage gained 9 yards on two carries and Blanchard converted a third and one with a 3 yard run to midfield.  Then Coppage broke into the secondary and raced 47 yards to the Oshkosh 3.  Coppage ran twice advancing the ball to the one.  On third and one, Blanchard faked to Coppage and sprinted out to the right.  He was knocked out of bounds just short of the goal line by Austin Blashka.  Kindler then kicked what turned out to be the game winning field goal with 1:18 remaining.

    The Titans had one final chance to pull the upset.  The Titans began at their own 25.  On first down, Cole Myhra ran up the middle for 3 yards.  Oshkosh then used their final time out.  Nate Wara then hit Caleb Voss for 20 yards and a first down at the UW-O 48.  After an incomplete pass, Wara hit Garrie Fox for 15 yards to the Whitewater 37.  Defensive end Casey Casper then broke through and sacked Wara for a 3 yard loss.  Wara then scrambled the Titans to the line and spiked the ball to stop the clock.  After another incompletion, it was fourth down and 8 seconds remained.  Wara dropped back and rolled to his right.  He launched the ball into the end zone, but it was intercepted by Ryan Wenkman with one second left in the game.  The Warhawks then ran out the clock with one of the sweetest victory formations they have been able to enjoy during their nation leading 37 game winning streak.

    Blanchard finished the game 17-25 for 209 yards, a TD and an interception. He also gained 95 yards and scored a rushing TD in 14 carries. Levell Coppage led the Warhawks in rushing with 139 yards in 28 carries.  For Oshkosh, Wara was 17-33 for 148 yards and had 2 interceptions.  The interceptions were desperation passes at the end of each half.  Wara also ran the ball 14 times for 53 yards.  Six Titans gained at least 20 yards rushing, paced by Cole Myhra who ran it 7 times for  66 yards.  On the afternoon, the Warhawks out-gained the Titans 429 yards to 362 yards.

    The Warhawks return home to play their homecoming game against UW-Stevens Point at 1:00 PM on Saturday, October 29th.