I - A A P R E V I E W (VOLUME IV, NUMBER 16) WEEK OF DECEMBER 16, 1995 1995 WRAP UP ****************************************** CONTENTS I. 1995 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS II. 1995 SEASON SUPERLATIVES III. THE LAST WORD FROM VOLUME IV IV. DISCLAIMERS AND INVITATION FOR CONTRIBUTIONS ****************************************** I. 1995 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS MONTANA DEFEATS MARSHALL FOR FIRST NATIONAL TITLE Mistakes are a big part of the game of football. But so is poise. The team that showed the most poise, and made the fewest mistakes, won the 1995 Division I-AA National Football Championship last Saturday. In front of a record title game crowd of 32,106, including about 30,000 Marshall boosters, the Montana Grizzlies came together under their senior QB Dave Dickenson and made the plays when it counted, pulling out what I think was the best I-AA title game ever played by the score of 22-20. The contrast provided by examining two drives, Marshall's first of the game, and Montana's last, best tells the story of this game. Marshall had driven inside Montana territory after receiving the opening kickoff, but was faced with a fourth and one. Marshall QB Chad Pennington attempted to pitch to running back Chris Parker. The Montana defense, all eleven men, were packed inside to stop a dive or a draw up the middle. Diversion had worked to perfection. Then, the pitch hit Parker's leg, and what likely would have been an untouched run for a TD down a wide open sideline turned into an eight yard loss and a change of posession. Flash to the fourth quarter. Montana driving for a possible winning field goal faces a fourth and three near midfield. Everyone in the stadium knows what is coming. If the ball hits the ground, it would be time to think of next year for the Grizzlies. The ball did not hit the ground. Dickenson's pass was caught by a wide open Mike Erhardt and resulted in a twenty yard gain. Montana was then in long field goal position. Every extra yard made the opportunity better, and as time ran off the clock, the Grizzlies worked the ball down to the Marshall eight, where the winning points sailed through the south goalposts of Marshall Stadium with about forty seconds remaining. Ironically, Dickenson's last-drive heroics were Montana's only fourth down conversion attempt of the day. Marshall tried on three occassions, and only missed on the opening drive fumble. The game had been billed as a battle between offense and defense. Actually, the game came down to execution. Marshall could not come convert on big plays, and at times seemed to lose its composure. Four personal fouls in the first half--two for excessive celebration--hurt the Thundering Herd. Four dropped passes. Inability to score a first- half TD from the Montana three. Intentional grounding in the end zone for a safety. A fumble deep in its own territory. And so on. Montana, on the other hand, looked very much like a team destined to win this game from the first snap. The pass, with very well executed and timely draw plays, worked to perfection for the Grizzlies. The Marshall defense, to its immense credit, slowed the Grizzlies, amassed ten sacks, and held the Montana offense to just over three hundred yards of offense--a paltry figure considering the stunning numbers put up in the first three rounds of this year's playoffs. The Montana defense likewise showed that it was no fluke that only 14 points had been allowed against Eastern Kentucky, Georgia Southern, and Stephen F. Austin State combined. Marshall's Parker--one of the most formidable backs in the history of I-AA--was held to less than 100 yards rushing. When Marshall did execute its running attack, the gains were held to the two, three, or four yard variety on most occassions. Parker did show that he is among the great backs of I-AA on his 26 yard TD run, and on the final kickoff--which he almost broke, but did manage to set the Herd up near midfield for a desparation drive to win the title. However, the player that came through, as he has throughout his career at Montana, was Dickenson. Very often, 1995's Walter Payton Award winner was looking up at the clear skies and sunshine above the turf of Marshall Stadium, and took a number of horrendous-looking shots during the course of the game. He repeatedly shook these off, as anyone who is a champion must do. The quick release, the pinpoint accuracy, the superb decision-making--none of these were affected, up to the very end. One thing that was seldom mentioned in this game probably played a huge factor. Much attention had been given to Marshall's tradition, to their four previous championship game appearances. Every freshman player that has come to Marshall since 1984 and played out his eligibility has had the opportunity to play in at least one national championship game. Questions were asked about the ability of the Montana team to compete in a game they had never earned the privilege of playing in before. That was not the issue. Montana had seventeen seniors on its 1995 sqaud, seniors that had played together through four seasons and knew how to run offense and defense to perfection. On the other side of the ball was a team that had only five senior starters and eight total seniors on the entire squad. Four years of playing together, of developing offense and defense, and discipline, and of facing adversity with a game on the line, showed on the field for the Grizzlies. Maturity led to execution, to playing virtually mistake free and with that wonderful quality that marks championship teams: poise. One other thing must be said about the national championship game. Two thousand five hundred Montana fans made the trip to see the dream come true for their team. Practically all the way across the continent. That is dedication far above and beyond what I-AA fans are expected to show. The young Marshall team has one more season in I-AA before moving on to I-A, and with basically only a few spots to fill on the starting and two deep rosters come next summer's football camp, prognosticators likely will pick them to return for a final shot at the title when their preseason setiments come to light next July and August. Until that time, it is the University of Montana and their fans that will wear the garland of champion. This was the first trip for the Grizzlies to the pinnacle of I-AA football, but judging from the devotion and the energy that I saw from the wonderful fans from the Big Sky State gathering in Marshall Stadium, it certainly will not be their last. GAME SUMMARY/STATISTICS MONTANA 3 7 2 10 -- 22 MARSHALL 0 3 7 10 -- 20 MONTANA--Larson FG 48 6:09 1st. MARSHALL--Openlander 38 FG 12:54 2nd. MONTANA--Wells 24 pass from Dickenson (Larson Kick) 0:59 2nd. MARSHALL--Parker 10 run (Openlander kick) 9:46 3rd. MONTANA--Safety, Pennington intentional grouding in end zone 6:54 3rd. MONTANA--Wells 1 pass from Dickenson (Larson kick) 12:30 4th. MARSHALL--Openlander 21 FG 10:05 4th. MARSHALL--Parker 26 run (Openlander kick) 4:45 4th. MONTANA--Larson 25 FG 0:39 4th. TEAM STATISTICS MARSHALL MONTANA FIRST DOWNS 17 21 BY RUSHING 6 6 BY PASSING 10 13 BY PENALTY 1 2 RUSHES-GAINS-LOSSES-NET 32-121-(-9)-112 29-119-(-70)-49 PASS ATTS-COMPS-INTS- 41-23-1-0-246-0 48-29-1-281-2 YDS-TDS TOTAL OFFENSIVE PLAYS 73 77 TOTAL OFFENSE 358 333 AVG GAIN PER PLAY 4.9 4.3 FUMBLES-LOST 4-1 0-0 PENALTIES-YARDS 12-109 4-18 INTERCEPTIONS-RETURN YARDS 1-0 1-17 PUNTS-YARDS-AVG 5-185-37.0 8-255-28.1 PUNT RETURNS-YARDS 0-0 1-6 KICKOFF RETURNS-YARDS 4-76 4-81 3RD DOWN CONVERSIONS 6/16 4/16 4TH DOWN CONVERSIONS 2/3 1/1 SACKS BY-YARDS 10-57 0-0 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING (ATTS, YDS, TDS, LONG): MARSHALL--Parker 23-94-2-26; Darling 3- 8-0-4; Pennington 2-(-3)-0-4; Thomas 1-7-0-7; Gary 3-6-0-7. MONTANA-- Stensrud 4-5-0-8; Dickenson 18-0-0-15; Branen 6-33-0-12; Gales 1-11-0- 11. PASSING (ATT, COMP, YDS, TDS, INTS): MARSHALL--Pennington 40-23-246-0-1; Martin 1-0-0-0-0. MONTANA--Dickenson 48-29-281-2-1. RECEIVING (CATCHES, YDS, TDS, LONG): MARSHALL--Carter 5-56-0-12; Martin 4-50-0-23; Todd 5-44-0-16; Parker 1-(-3)-0-(-3); Thomas 1-7-0-7; Wicks 2-11-0-6; Wiggins 5-81-0-31. MONTANA--Douglas 8-102-0-31; Wells 8-62-2- 34; Stensrud 2-20-0-14; Erhardt 9-90-0-20; Branen 1-5-0-5; Gales 1-2-0- 2. PUNTING (ATTS, YDS, AVG, LONG): MARSHALL--Hanson 5-185-37-41. MONTANA-- Neil 8-255-28.1-44. ALL RETURNS (ATTS, YDS, TDS, LONG): MARSHALL--Summers 3-1-52-0-26; Parker 1-24-0-24. MONTANA--Branen 3-63-0-25; Gales 1-18-0-18; Douglas 1-6-0-6. INTERCEPTIONS (INTS, YDS, TDS, LONG): MARSHALL--Grayson 1-0-0-0. MONTANA--Temple 1-17-0-17. TACKLING (SOLO, ASST, TOTAL, SACKS): MARSHALL--Cohen 4-2-6-3; Cunningham 3-0-3-0; Duncan 2-0-2-0; Edwards 1-1-2-2; Embry 7-3-10-0; Grayson 2-0-2- 2; Hall 1-1-2-1; Lipscomb 1-1-2-0; Lyon 0-1-1-1; Martin 1-0-1-0; Maxwell 4-5-9-1; McCloud 0-1-1-0; Moore 5-1-6-0; Smythe 5-0-5-0; Stump 2-1-3-0; Summers 3-3-6-0; Wiggins 2-0-2-0. MONTANA--Bouchee 4-7-11-0; Crebo 9-3- 12-0; Duffin 2-1-3-0; Falls 2-0-2-0; Fitzgerald 0-1-1-0; Goicoechea 5-2- 7-0; Hampe 0-1-1-0; Hazel 4-0-4-0; Kowalski 2-0-2-0; Manzanerez, E 1-0- 1-0; Manzanerez, Y 2-4-6-0; McElmurray 4-2-6-0; Palma 3-1-4-0; Remington 0-1-1-0; Riley 1-0-1-0; Simon 6-2-8-0; Temple 4-2-6-0; Toone 1-0-1-0; Thompson 0-3-3-0. ************************************************************************ II. 1995 SEASON SUPERLATIVES I-AA football in 1995 had a lot of bizarre twists and turns. Some things stand out, for better or for worse, in the course of this season. Here are a few of my picks for the scrapbook: BIGGEST SUPRISES (GOOD SIDE): Murray State and Eastern Illinois. The two teams came out of nowhere and were a combined 21-1 for the regular season. Unfortunately for their fans, both lost in the first round of the playoffs. BIGGEST SUPRISE (BAD SIDE): Youngstown State. Everyone, but everyone, had picked the Penguins to be dominant in the I-AA scene once again. They were the Sports Network's preseason number one team. As it turned out, YSU did not have a win over an opponent higher than Division II until November 4, when it defeated hapless I-A Akron. I have a hunch, though, that the Penguins will not be buried under a snowbank of losses for many more seasons. NO SUPRISE: Prarie View A&M 0-11, again. TOUGH LUCK AWARD: William & Mary missed the playoffs for the second year in a row. For those two years, it was the seventeenth ranked team in the final poll. GOOD LUCK AWARD: To Southern University. If the NCAA had not selected Jackson State for the I-AA playoffs, JSU would have gone to the December 29 Heritage Bowl to face Florida A&M in Southern's place. (The NCAA does not allow a team to participate in both the Heritage and the playoffs, and if chosen for the playoffs, it must participate). GOOD LUCK AWARD, PART II: Idaho wins its final five games to make the playoffs at 6-4. LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Grambling's venerable Eddie Robinson finally got win 400 this year, a record which probably will never be broken, and almost certainly will never be broken by a coach at one institution. Keep up the good work, Coach Rob--you are one of a kind! PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Dave Dickenson, Montana. See Part I of this newsletter, above. Honorable mentions go to Chris Parker of Marshall, McNeese State QB Kerry Joseph and to the best QB in I-AA that no one ever seems to talk about (but should), Hofstra's Kharon Brown. COACH OF THE YEAR: Marshall's Jim Donnan has led his team to five playoffs, five semifinals, four division runner-up finishes, and one national championship in six years. This year he did it with a true freshman, third-string QB and a butchered offensive line for a significant part of the season. Truly an accomplishment to keep the string of success alive and keep this young team from self destructing when the chips were down. TOP NONSCHOLARSHIP TEAM: Duquesne, who won the first annual ECAC I-AA Bowl on November 25. STOCK IS RISING: 1) Hofstra went 10-2 while offering only 15 scholarships. The only scholarship Division I football program in the greater New York area is going to be a force to be reckoned with as the years and the scholarships mount; 2) Marshall, who returns nearly the entire team that led it to national title game and who still has one I- AA shot left next year; 3) The Big Sky Conference, who has put a team in the title game two years in a row. STOCK IS FALLING: I-AA Independents as a group. Two independents made the playoffs this season, and although they combined for a 21-1 regular season record, both lost in the first round. One of the top independents, Central Florida, goes to I-A next season. Several other top Independents are actively seeking conference affiliation. ************************************************************************ III. THE LAST WORD FROM VOLUME IV. This makes the fourth year that I have written a weekly magazine for Division I-AA football, and I intend to be back next season doing it again, provided that I have Internet access and enough time. The time problem was the big thing to overcome this season, but here at the end of this long, long season I can take a big deep breath and realize that it's over for another year. This newsletter takes about four to five hours a week to put together, including looking up information in newspapers, online, etc., browsing through email, figuring out what to say and how to pick games, typing it all in, and fighting the computer gremlins that really don't want me to send it out sometimes. In all honesty, though, if I didn't write it up, I'd still be doing the research and keeping the records for myself. Sharing it with other folks makes it much more enjoyable. Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to send along contributions or just to drop a line to send along some compliments or some encouragement. I really do believe that this newsletter serves a big need out there, since I-AA fans are too often starved for information and just can't find it, at least not easily. There may come a time in the next couple of years, with the prominence of WWW sites and home pages, that there will not be a need for this newsletter, at least not in its current form. Information on I-AA football is becomming easier to get, if you know where to look. When the time comes when information is easy to access, this newsletter may go to a home page format itself, it may change its content significantly, or it may simply cease to be. But you can count on a big Roll Call come August, 1996! If you no longer want to receive the newsletter, please drop me a line and let me know. If you know of someone else who would like to start receiving it come next season, have them to drop me a line at pdunn@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu. In the meantime, everyone have a safe and happy holiday and remember, there is always next season! SO LONG UNTIL AUGUST, 1996! ************************************************************************ IV. DISCLAIMERS AND INVITATION FOR CONTRIBUTIONS This newsletter attempts to present objective and correct information each week during the I-AA football season. However, due to the difficulties in obtaining accurate information, errors occassionallly occur. If an error is spotted by a reader, please contact me and I will make a correction as soon as possible. I-AA PREVIEW depends heavily on contributions from readers to allow broad coverage of as wide a scope of I-AA conferences and teams as possible. Therefore, contributions from readers are strongly encouraged. I reserve the right to edit submissions for content and brevity. Submissions must be received in by Wednesday at 10:00 PM, Eastern Time, to guarantee their inclusion in that week's newsletter. You may receive I-AA PREVIEW by sending an electronic mail request to pdunn@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu, and indicating the mailbox address where you would like to receive it. I-AA PREVIEW is also posted each week on rec.sport.football.college and is available on the World Wide Web at http://users.aol.com/lddev/web/main.html, and also at the new rec.sport.football.college archive site at http://www.engr.wisc.edu/~dwilson/rsfc/ ********************************************************************* Patrick Dunn Editor, I-AA PREVIEW pdunn@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu *********************************************************************