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Butler Faces Second PFL Interdivisional Game At Davidson
Sept. 24, 2004 'CATS AND 'DOGS: Butler will be seeking a turnaround when it visits Davidson for a Pioneer Football League interdivisional game on Saturday, Sept. 25. The 1 p.m. (EDT) contest will be played at Davidson's Richardson Stadium, and both teams will be looking for their first 2004 victory. The Bulldogs fell to 0-3 on the season with a 15-7 loss at PFL South foe Morehead State, while the Davidson Wildcats slipped to 0-2 with a 26-3 setback at Lenoir-Rhyne. The two league squads will be meeting for just the second time as football opponents. Davidson spoiled Butler's homecoming a year ago by out-scoring the Bulldogs, 36-0, in the second half to claim a 45-27 decision. Butler will be making its first-ever football appearance in North Carolina. Butler's trip to North Carolina marks the third state visited by the Bulldogs this month. ROUGH ROAD: Butler's road woes continued at Morehead State, where the Bulldogs dropped a narrow decision by a single touchdown. It was the Bulldogs' ninth straight road setback, including two this season. Butler grabbed a 7-0 lead in the second quarter, after taking a short Morehead State punt and marching 21 yards in seven plays. Sophomore tailback Billy Nardini scored his second touchdown of the season on a two-yard run to put the Bulldogs in front. But Morehead State answered with just 0:28 left in the half when a bad snap led to a short Butler punt. The Eagles scored on an eight-yard Brian Yost to Casey McCoy touchdown pass and then took the lead when a bad snap on the PAT attempt led to a two-point conversion pass. Yost and McCoy hooked up on another eight-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter, after a fumble by Butler's Justin Campbell gave the Eagles a first down on the Bulldogs? eight-yard line. Butler's two road losses this season have come by a total of just nine points. HOLDING FIRM: For the second consecutive road game, Butler's defensive unit turned in a solid performance. Morehead State only had one drive of more than 40 yards, and that drive - a 51-yard march - didn't result in a score. The Bulldogs forced the host squad to punt on five of the first six possessions in the game and nine times overall, and Butler held Morehead State to five drives of less than 10 yards. In Butler's three previous visits to Morehead State, the Eagles had averaged 51.3 points per game! Butler limited Albion to 229 yards in the Bulldogs' first road game this year. Butler had a season-high eight tackles for loss at Morehead State. LEAGUE RANKING: Butler currently ranks fourth in the PFL in team defense (375.3 ypg), despite giving up over 500 yards against Tiffin. The Bulldogs rank second in the league in passing defense (140 ypg). Butler is fourth in the league in opponents? first downs (16.7 pg). HAND PICKED: Sophomore defensive back Ben Hess came up with his second career pass interception in the third quarter at Morehead State, stopping the Eagles' second-longest drive of the game. The theft gave Hess the early lead in pass interceptions in the PFL (0.67 pg). Hess has both Butler pass interceptions this season. Former Butler player Brandon Martin led the PFL in pass interceptions last season. HIT PARADE: Sophomore linebacker Dave Inman recorded a career-high nine tackles against Morehead State, including one tackle for loss. Inman had one quarterback sack and one pass deflection in the game. Senior linebacker Jim Hart, Butler?s second-leading tackler on the season, matched his career-high with 10 tackles against the Eagles. He had six solo tackles and four assists. KICKBACK: Senior Justin Campbell had just two kickoff returns for 36 yards against Morehead State, but he climbed over the 2400-yard mark in career kick return yards. The Bulldogs' running back increased his Butler all-time records to 106 career kickoff returns for 2,407 career kickoff return yards. He currently ranks second in the PFL in kickoff return average (18.7 ypr). Justin Campbell became Butler's all-time kick return leader against Davidson last year. SINGLE CALLER: Senior Ian Nelson went the distance at quarterback against Morehead State and completed 20 of 31 passes (with two interceptions). His 20 completions were one shy of his career-high, set against Austin Peay in 2002. Nelson had split time at quarterback with senior Adam Webb in Butler's first two games this season. BULLDOG BITS: *Davidson and Butler rank among the PFL leaders in fewest penalties this season. Davidson leads the league with an average of just 22.5 penalty yards, while the Bulldogs rank fourth with a 37.0 average. *Senior Justin Campbell ranks second in the PFL in all-purpose yards (137.0 ypg). Campbell had 199 all-purpose yards against Davidson last year. *Justin Campbell rushed for 58 yards on 19 carries and scored two touchdowns against Davidson last fall. *Senior quarterback Ian Nelson ranks third in the PFL in passing efficiency (101.3) and sixth in the league in passing yards (116.0 ypg). *Sophomore tight end Mike Jasinski had a career-high five pass receptions for 25 yards against Morehead State. *Junior defensive end David McMahon finished with a season-high nine tackles against Morehead State, including two tackles for loss. His effort was one tackle shy of his career best. *Senior safety Andy Nelson had a season-best seven tackles at Morehead State, including three tackles for loss. *Junior defensive tackle Chris Durig had a career-high nine tackles as a starter against Davidson last year. *Butler quarterback Adam Webb threw his first career touchdown pass (a 14-yard strike to Kelly Disser) in Butler?s game against Davidson last year, and he scored his first career rushing TD (one yard run). *Senior offensive tackle Kyle Westerlind ran his string of consecutive starts for the Bulldogs to 24 straight games at Morehead State. *Butler's coaches named four players to receive "Player of the Game" awards following the Bulldogs' contest against Morehead State. Named on offense was senior quarterback Ian Nelson, while senior defensive back Andy Nelson was tabbed on defense. Sophomore linebacker Joe Frasca earned "Special Forces" (Special Teams) recognition, while freshman running back Alex Davis was chosen from the Scout Team.
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