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Bulldogs Close Non-League Slate Against Missouri-Rolla
Sept. 19, 2007
Complete Release in PDF Format
FINAL TUNE-UP: Butler will face its final test before the start of league play when it hosts Missouri-Rolla on Saturday, Sept. 22. The two non-league foes will be meeting for the third consecutive year when they square off at the Butler Bowl in Indianapolis, beginning at 1 p.m. (ET). Missouri-Rolla (1-2) has won the first two meetings between the two teams, including a 45-28 decision at the Butler Bowl two years ago. The Bulldogs improved to 3-0 for the first time since 1991 with an 11-8 victory over St. Joseph's last weekend. The three wins match Butler's victory total for last season and give the Bulldogs their first 2-0 home start since 2002. The last time the Bulldogs won their first three home games was in 1992, Butler's last year in the NCAA Division II. Missouri-Rolla is coming off an open week, after defeating UW-Stout, 28-10, on Sept. 8. Butler will close out its current three-game homestand and begin Pioneer Football League play on Saturday, Sept. 29, against defending league champ San Diego. That contest will be Butler's Homecoming game. The Bulldogs are 5-4 in the Butler Bowl under head coach Jeff Voris. BEST DEFENSE: The Bulldogs survived a late field goal attempt and prevailed over St. Joseph's in a game dominated by the defensive units of the two squads. Butler limited the visiting Pumas to minus three yards rushing and 232 total yards for the contest. St. Joseph's held Butler to 158 total yards, including just 72 yards through the air. There wasn't an offensive touchdown scored in the contest! The Bulldogs jumped to an 11-0 advantage on the strength of three field goals and a safety, before St. Joseph's cracked the scoreboard on a 24-yard fumble return with just six minutes remaining. The Pumas had a chance to tie the game after driving to the Butler 11-yard line with 0:08 left, but kicker Michael Binder missed a 28-yard field goal attempt to end the game.
The last time Butler won a game without scoring a touchdown was against Dayton, 15-10, in 1987. LEAGUE RECOGNITION: Junior placekicker Jordan Quiroz was named Pioneer Football League Co-Special Teams Player of the Week for his effort in Butler's 11-8 victory over St. Joseph's. Quiroz scored all of Butler's offensive points in the game by connecting on three of four field goal attempts on the day. He gave Butler an early lead with a 43-yard kick in the first quarter and then added field goals of 32 yards and 26 yards in the third period. Quiroz matched his own single game career-high with the three field goals. CENTURY MARK: Running back Derek North recorded his first career 100-yard rushing performance with 101 yards on 23 carries in Butler's win over St. Joseph's. He had a career-long rush of 34 yards in the game to spark Butler's first scoring drive. The last Butler player to rush for 100 yards was Brian Holthaus, who had 100 yards against Valparaiso last season. SACK PACK: Sophomore Peter Xander and freshman Cody Bearden led a Butler defensive assault against St. Joseph's that resulted in a season-high seven quarterback sacks. Xander and Bearden each had a pair of QB sacks, while seniors Chris Marzotto and Buck Ulery and junior Derek Day each added one sack. Marzotto's quarterback sack in the first quarter resulted in a seven-yard loss and a safety. The Bulldogs have recorded 13 quarterback sacks in the past two games and 16 sacks on the season. Ten different Butler players have posted at least one quarterback sack. Butler stands second in the PFL in quarterback sacks behind Dayton (18). RED ZONE: The Bulldogs are leading the PFL in "Red Zone" defense after three games. Butler's opponents have reached the "Red Zone" (inside the Butler 20-yard line) four times in the first three games and have come up empty each time. Two of the drives were stopped on downs, one on a pass interception and one ended with a missed field goal. IMPACT PLAYS: Sophomore running back Scott Gray, who had just two carries against St. Joseph's, continues to lead the PFL in "Impact" Rushing Percentage. Impact plays are defined as plays resulting in a first down or a touchdown. Gray has 15 impact plays in 28 attempts (.536) this season. Sophomore Ricky Trujillo ranks ninth in the league with seven impact plays in 30 attempts (.233). Senior wide receiver Nate Miller is tied for fifth in "Impact" Reception Percentage with 10 impact catches in 14 total receptions (.714). Seniors Aaron Shaw (4-6 .667) and Tom Mulvihill (4-6 .667) are tied for ninth in the league in impact receptions. CHIEF THIEF: Freshman Tadd Dombart recorded his third pass interception in as many collegiate games during Butler's victory over St. Joseph's. Dombart picked off a St. Joseph's pass in the second quarter and returned it two yards to the visitor's 29-yard line. It was one of two Butler pass interceptions in the game. Tadd Dombart leads the PFL in pass interceptions (1.00/g). BULLDOG BITS: •The Bulldogs rank third in the PFL in both scoring offense (32.3 ppg) and scoring defense (12.0 ppg). San Diego leads the league in scoring offense (43.0 ppg), while Dayton tops the circuit in scoring defense (6.3 ppg). •Butler stands second in the league in time of possession (34:20) behind Morehead State (34:44). •Butler sophomore Scott Gray continues to lead the PFL in scoring (18.0 ppg) and touchdowns (3.0 pg). Gray scored nine touchdowns in his first two Butler games. •The 43-yard field goal by Butler's Jordan Quiroz against St. Joseph's is the second-longest in the PFL this season. Michael Zacco of Jacksonville kicked a 46-yard field goal against Gardner-Webb. •Senior Alex Davis recorded his seventh career pass interception with a theft and 41-yard return against St. Joseph's. All seven interceptions by Davis have come in the Butler Bowl. •Butler leads the PFL in pass interceptions with nine. Six different players have contributed to Butler's team total. •Sophomore Spencer Summerville shared Butler's lead in tackles against St. Joseph's with a career-high seven stops. Summerville had three solo tackles, four assists and added two pass breakups. •Sophomore Derek Guggenberger, who had seven tackles against St. Joseph's, continues to lead the Bulldogs in total tackles. He's tied for 10th in the PFL with 20 total tackles (6.7 pg). •Freshman tight end Kyle Bush came up with his first two collegiate catches in Butler's victory over St. Joseph's. His first career reception went for 10 yards and a first down. His second catch covered 16 yards in Butler's second scoring drive. •Senior Mike Morgan averaged 40.0 yards on a career-high nine punts against St. Joseph's. He had a long punt of 50 yards and dropped three kicks inside the St. Joseph's 20-yard line. Morgan ranks fourth in the PFL in punting (37.9 ypp). •Senior wide receiver Aaron Shaw scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 27-yard pass from T. J. Brown in Butler's game at Missouri-Rolla last year. |
