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GAME #8: The USD Toreros (4-0 PFL; 7-0), the top ranked I-AA mid-major program in the nation, will put their I-AA best 15-game winning streak on the line this Saturday when they host the Morehead State Eagles (1-4 PFL; 1-7) in a 4:05 p.m. contest at Torero Stadium.
TOREROS MOVE UP TO #20 IN NATIONAL POLLS: For the 4th straight week the Toreros find themselves ranked in the Sports Network's I-AA College Top 25 Football Poll, moving up to a new high of No. 20. Coming off its 37-0 win over Drake, USD retains its No. 1 ranking for the 9th straight week, and 15th straight poll, in the 2006 Sports Network I-AA Mid-Major Poll (as of 10-23-06) - 1. USD (25), 2. Monmouth, 3. Central Connecticut, 4. Drake, 5. Albany, 6. Duquesne, 7. Robert Morris, 8. Stony Brook, 9. Davidson, 10. Jacksonville (1st place votes).
SERIES RECORD: This is just the 2nd meeting between USD and Morehead State... USD met the Eagles for the first time last year in the PFL Championship game played at Torero Stadium... USD prevailed in a close contest, 47-40.
4SD & USD TEAM UP FOR TWO TELECASTS: Channel 4 San Diego and USD have agreed to terms to televise San Diego's final two home football games of the season, it was announced by Dennis Morgigno, Channel 4 Station Manager, and Ky Snyder, USD Executive Director of Athletics. The first telecast will feature the 20th-ranked USD Toreros against Pioneer Football League foe Morehead State on Saturday, October 28th, at 4:00 p.m. The second telecast will be on Saturday, November 11th, when the Toreros take on the Dayton Flyers at 6:00 p.m. in USD's final home game of the season. Steve Quis will call the play-by-play for the telecast, and Akbar Gbaja-Biamila will handle the color analyst duties. "We are excited to continue our relationship with Channel 4 and in expanding our programming opportunities with them," said Ky Snyder.
1700 AM RADIO: Saturday's game vs. Morehead State can be heard locally on 1700 AM beginning with the pre-game at 3:50 p.m. (PT)... Jack Murray returns for his 7th year of calling play-by-play...Ted Tollner, with over 30 years of coaching experience at the college and NFL levels, joins Murray for all USD's home games to provide analysis... No stranger to San Diego, Tollner was head coach at SDSU (1994-2001), and was Offensive Coordinator for the Chargers (1989-91)... The games are also available throught Toreros All-Access via the internet at www.usdtoreros.com.
HEAD COACH Jim Harbaugh: Harbaugh is his 3rd season with a career record of 25-5. Last season he guided the Toreros to a program-best 11-1 record, the PFL North Division title, the PFL Championship, and to the Sports Network Cup crown as the No. 1 ranked I-AA Mid-Major program. He was named the PFL North Division Coach of the Year, in addition to being a candidate for the I-AA Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year. With this season's 7-0 start, he has guided USD to 23 wins in its last 24 contests, and to a No. 20 national ranking for all I-AA schools. Prior to being named USD's 11th head coach, he spent two seasons in the NFL as an offensive assistant with the Oakland Raiders. He spent 15 years in the NFL with five different teams - Chicago (1987-1993), Indianapolis (1994-97), Baltimore (1998), San Diego (1999-00) and Carolina (2001). A 1987 first round draft pick by the Chicago Bears, Jim played in 177 NFL games with 140 starts. For his career he completed 2,305 of 3,918 passes for 26,288 yards with 129 touchdowns. In 1995 he led Indianapolis to the AFC Championship game; was voted to the Pro Bowl; was named the 1995 Comeback Player of the Year and the AFC Player of the Year; and was runner-up in the NFL MVP voting. A 1986 graduate of Michigan, Jim was a 3-year starter for legendary coach Bo Schembechler. In his senior year in '86, Jim guided Michigan to a No. 2 national ranking while earning Big Ten Player of the Year honors and finishing 3rd in the Heisman race. Jim, who resides in Coronado, is the father of three kids - Jay, James, and Grace.
TOREROS TIDBITS: With their 7-0 start, the USD Toreros have now won 15 straight games, and 23 of its last 24 contests... During this amazing run USD's only loss is last year's 3-point defeat at Princeton (20-17) on Sept. 24th, 2005... In fact there is only one other school at the I-A or I-AA level that can match USD's 15 straight wins - Ohio State... USD's current 17-game home winning streak among I-AA programs ranks 2nd only to Appalachian State (W22)... During this 15-game win streak, USD has outscored its opponents 718 to 220 , an average of 47.8 ppg to 14.6 ppg (+33.2 scoring margin)...Torero players that rank in the Top-25 among I-AA stats include Josh Johnson: 1st in points responsible for (25.43), 2nd in total offense (322.3 ypg), 2nd in passing efficiency (177.8), 2nd in total passing (1,894), 3rd in passing yards per game (270.57), and 10th in passing (20.29 completions per game); JT Rogan: 7th in scoring (9.43 points per game), and 18th in all-purpose yards (141.29 yards per game); Wes Doyle: 19th in receiving yards (85.0 ppg).
TOREROS RANK NATIONALLY IN TEAM STATISTICS: As a team the Toreros rank in the Top-10 in 16 different I-AA statistics, including 11 areas where they are either #1 or #2: 1st in total offense (510.57 yards per game); 1st in scoring offense (46.0 ppg); 1st in 3rd down efficiency (66.7%); 1st in scoring defense (7.9 ppg); 1st in passing defense (117.29 ypg); 1st in pass efficiency defense (80.62 rating); 1st in kickoff returns (29.0 yards per return); 1st in punt return yardage defense (0 yards); 2nd in passing offense (289.6 ypg); 2nd in passing efficiency (176.17 rating); 2nd in total defense (203.86 ypg); 3rd in tackles for loss allowed (3.43); 4th in rushing defense (86.6 ypg); 4th in turnovers lost (6); 8th in passes had intercepted (3); and 9th in rushing offense (221.0 ypg).
PFL & NEC ANNOUNCE CHANGES TO GRIDIRON CLASSIC: The Pioneer Football League and Northeast Conference have changed the selection procedures regarding participating teams and the date of the Gridiron Classic, the respective offices announced Thursday. The Gridiron Classic, an exempted postseason football game that will match the champions of the two I-AA football conferences, originally was scheduled to be played Nov. 18 at the Northeast Conference champion. However, the date of the game has been moved to Dec. 2, or the second Saturday following Thanksgiving, to provide an opportunity for either league's regular-season champion to participate in the NCAA I-AA Football Championship as an at-large participant. Additionally, both conferences have agreed in the event the regular-season champion of either conference is selected to participate in the NCAA I-AA Football Championship, the second-place team from the respective conference will be selected to participate in the Gridiron Classic. In its 14th season, the Pioneer Football League is one of three Division I football-only sport conferences. The PFL is comprised of eight members: Butler, Dayton, Davidson, Drake, Jacksonville, Morehead State, San Diego and Valparaiso. The Northeast Conference consists of 11 institutions located throughout five states and is celebrating its 25th year as an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association. The NEC began sponsoring football at the I-AA level in 1996, and has since increased its membership from five to eight institutions. Central Connecticut State, Monmouth, Robert Morris, Sacred Heart, St. Francis (Penn.) and Wagner are full-time NEC members who, sponsor football, and they are joined by associate members Albany and Stony Brook.
SCOUTING MOREHEAD STATE: The Eagles come to town with a record of 1-7 overall and 1-4 in the PFL standings.... After opening the season with 5 straight losses, they earned their lone win with an impressive 22-15 victory at Dayton... They have since dropped two hard-fought league losses to Davidson (27-24) and Jacksonville (28-24)... Statistical leaders for the season include RB Jabari McGee (607 yards; 2 TDs), HB Erick Fitzgerald (337 yards and 4 TDs; 20 catches for 236 yards and 4 TDs), QB Brian Yost (122-199 for 1,321 yards and 10 TDs), WR Danie Vagni (23 catches for 299 yards and 2 TDs), LB Brett Mazaro (61 stops) and LB Andrew Sturzenbecker (54 stops).
TORERO DEFENSE SHUTS OUT DRAKE, 37-0 (10-21-06): In a pivotal PFL match-up between USD and Drake, the Torero defense shutout the host Bulldogs on their own field for the first time since 1991... Despite cold and windy conditions, USD came away with an impressive 37-0 victory... The Torero defense held Drake's running back Scott Phaydavong, the #2 I-AA rusher in the nation, to just 51 yards (101 yards below his average)... Senior defensive captain Josh Brisco was named the PFL Defender of the Week after he totaled 9 tackles, forced a fumble, and tallied 2 pass break-ups... Kyson Hawkins also had a big night with 13 tackles... JT Rogan paced the Torero offense with a season-best 173 yards rushing and 1 TD... Josh Johnson was solid as he completed 19-of-27 for 287 yards and 2 scores; he also added an 8-yard TD run... Wes Doyle was Johnson's favorite target as he hauled in 7 passes for 141 yards, including a 64-yard TD... For the game USD totaled 513 yards of offense while holding Drake to a season-low 200 yards (75 rushing)... Jon Polk opened with a 3-yard TD run, and John Matthews added an 18-yard TD reception.
TOREROS ALL-ACCESS: Torero fans that sign up for Toreros All-Access, USD's new audio & video streaming package, via the internet at www.usdtoreros.com, will be able to listen to all 11 football games with Jack Murray calling the play-by-play (Ted Tollner provides color for home games); listen in on weekly interviews every Friday's with coach Jim Harbaugh as he recaps USD's most recent game, and previews the upcoming contest; and watch highlights of USD's games ... The cost of this new feature is either $6.95 monthly, or a flat yearly fee of $49.95.
PIONEER FOOTBALL LEAGUE: The 2006 season marks the 14th year for the Pioneer Football League, which returns to a non-divisional format for the first time since the 2000 season. After five seasons playing a North-South divisional format, the league saw its numbers reduced to eight after the 2005 season (Austin Peay leaving the conference to return to scholarship football) and those remaining members voted to adopt a full-round robin scheduling format for 2006. Additionally, the PFL champion will participate in the Gridiron Classic versus the champion of the Northeast Conference. The NEC champion will host the inaugural Gridiron Classic on December 2nd. PFL Standings (as of 10-23-06): San Diego (4-0; 7-0), Jacksonville (4-1; 4-3), Drake (3-1 PFL; 6-2), Davidson (3-1; 4-3), Butler (2-3; 3-5), Valparaiso (1-4; 2-6), Morehead State (1-4; 1-7), Dayton (0-4, 3-4). Rest of PFL Schedule (for 10-28-06): Davidson at Valparaiso (1 pm), Drake at Dayton (1 pm), North Greenville at Jacksonville (1:30 pm), Butler at Missouri-Rolla (1 pm), Morehead State at San Diego (4 pm).
UP NEXT: USD plays at Jacksonville on Saturday, Nov. 4th, in a 12:30 p.m. kickoff. USD closes out its PFL schedule with Dayton at home on Nov. 11th (6 pm).
