Sept. 12, 2006
GAME #3: The USD Toreros (2-0), the top ranked I-AA Mid-Major program in the nation, take their I-AA best 10-game winning streak to New Haven, Connecticut this weekend to face the Yale Bulldogs (0-0) on Saturday, September 16, 2006. Kickoff is slated for 12 noon (ET) at Yale Bowl.
SERIES RECORD: This is the fourth meeting between USD and the Yale Bulldogs... Yale leads the series 2-1, but the Toreros won last year's meeting in San Diego on Sept. 17th by the score of 17-14... Trailing 14-3 at halftime, the Toreros' Hutch Parker nailed two 3rd quarter field goals (34, 39), and in the final period Josh Johnson connected with running back JT Rogan for a 2-yard TD reception... Johnson then connected with WR Nick Garton for the two-point conversion and final three-point conversion... With the win the Toreros became the first PFL team to defeat an Ivy League opponent... The win also snapped a 5-game losing skid against Ivy League opponents - vs. Yale in 1999 (17-6), at Brown in 2000 (36-20), at Yale in 2002 (49-14), vs. Penn in 2004 (61-18), and vs. Princeton in 2004 (24-17)... Following USD's win over Yale last season, the Toreros dropped a 20-17 contest at Princeton on Sept. 24, 2005... That date marks the last time USD lost a game.
ALL TORERO GAMES AIR ON 1700 AM: USD will have all of its games aired on commercial radio on KASH 1700 AM, the sister station to XX Sports Radio... Jack Murray returns for his 7th year to call 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 color 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 will also be available via the internet at www.usdtoreros.com. This Saturday's game at Yale will be broadcast delayed at 3:00 p.m. on 1700 AM.
TOREROS #1 IN I-AA MID-MAJOR POLL: The San Diego Toreros, coming off an 11-1 season, began the 2006 campaign as the No. 1 ranked team in The Sports Network I-AA Mid-Major Top 10 for the first time in school history... The Toreros began the 2005 season at No. 7 in the preseason rankings, but worked their way up to No. 1 on October 17th and held the top spot for the season's final six weeks... After their 41-7 win over Dixie State, USD retains its No. 1 ranking for the second straight week. The 2006 Sports Network I-AA Mid-Major Poll (as of 9-10-06) - 1. San Diego (15), 2. Central Connecticut (7), 3. Dayton, 4. Monmouth, 5. Albany, 6. Duquesne, 7. Drake, 8. Wagner, 9. Marist, 10. St. Francis-PA. (1st place votes in parenthesis).
HEAD COACH Jim Harbaugh: Harbaugh is his 3rd season with a career record of 20-5. 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. He has guided USD to 18 wins in its last 19 contests. 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.
Josh Johnson & Hutch Parker NAMED PFL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Junior QB Josh Johnson (Oakland, CA) was named the co-PFL Offensive Player of the Week after he completed 20-of-31 passes for 293 yards and 4 TDs in the team's 41-7 win over Dixie State... He also chipped in with a 15-yard TD rush in the 3rd period... Johnson shared the offensive honor with Drake's Scott Phaydavong who rushed for 184 yards and 3 TDs in the Bulldogs 40-7 win over Upper Iowa... Torero kicker Hutch Parker (Dana Point, CA) was tabbed the PFL Special Teams Player of the Week after converting both field goal attempts (36, 34), all five PAT kicks, and totaling 473 yards on 8 kickoffs (59.1 ave.)... His 11 points were fourth most by a kicker in Week 2.
TORERO TIDBITS: With their 2-0 start with wins over Azusa Pacific (27-0) and Dixie State (41-7), USD has now won 10 straight games (USD won its final 8 games in 2005), and 18 of its last 19 contests... during this amazing run USD's lone loss was last year's 3-point loss at Princeton (20-17) on Sept. 24th, 2005... in fact there is only one school at the I-A level that currently has a better streak than USD (TCU has won 12 straight)... the 10 straight wins is the top current I-AA winning streak (Brown ranks second with 8 straight)... the USD school record for consecutive wins is 12 (3 wins at end of 1980; opened 1981 with 9 straight wins)...USD's current 15-game home winning streak ranks second only to Appalachian State (W19)... Torero players that rank in the Top-25 among I-AA players include Josh Johnson - 4th in points responsible for (21.0), 13th in total offense (253.0 ypg), 18th in total passing yards (431), 20th in passing efficiency (150.8), 21st in passing yards per game (215.50), and 24th in scoring (9.0 ppg); Hutch Parker - 20th in field goals (1.0 made per game); and Ben Hannula - 21st in total receiving yards (164)... Josh Johnson's 4 passing TDs against Dixie was his third highest single game performance, ranking behind Valparaiso (7, all in 1st half) and Morehead State (5 TDs) in last year's PFL Championship game... it also marked the 9th time that Johnson completed 3 or more TD passes in a game.
USD DEFENSE PACES TEAM STATISTICS: As a team the Toreros rank in the Top-25 in 20 different I-AA statistics, however, it is the Torero defense that shines with seven Top-10 rankings - #1 in defensive 4th down efficiency (0%; tied with numerous teams), 2nd in punt return yardage defense (6.0 ypg), 5th in pass defense (55.0 ypg), 6th in tackles for loss (9.0 pg), 7th in total defense (150.50), 7th in scoring defense (3.5 ppg), and 7th in pass efficiency defense (61.76)... Additional Top-25 defensive rankings include 17th in kickoff return yardage defense (13.80), 18th in passes intercepted (2), 25th in turnover margin (+1.0), and 25th in rushing defense (95.5 ypg)... USD also ranks 1st in fumbles lost (0), 2nd in 3rd down conversion percentage (64.3%; 18x28), 6th in turnovers lost (1), 15th in scoring offense (34.0), 17th in kickoff returns (25.0), 18th in fewest yards penalized per game (5.50), 20th in passing offense (232.0), 21st in total offense (380.50), and 21st in 4th down efficiency (50%).
SAN DIEGO DEALS DIXIE STATE 41-7 LOSS (9-9-06): The No. 1 ranked USD Toreros (2-0) dealt the visiting Dixie State College Rebels a 41-7 defeat before 3,204 fans. The win improves USD's home field winning streak to 15 straight (2nd longest streak in I-AA). Junior QB Josh Johnson completed 20-of-31 passes for 293 yards and 4 touchdowns, and added a 15-yard rushing TD to pace the Torero offense. The defensive unit turned in their second straight outstanding effort limiting the Rebels to188 yards of offense.
"I thought we played much better tonight," said Torero coach Jim Harbaugh. "The penalties were way down and we looked a lot smoother on both sides of the ball. Offensively Josh was great tonight. He put the ball in his hands and he delivered a great performance. He is a playmaker and got it done for us. Defensively we played exceptional. Our line hit the gaps fast and hard and did a great job with defending the run. Josh Brisco went untested tonight, but Chase McBride and Patrick O'Neill played great ball."
USD's Hutch Parker gave USD a 3-0 lead early in the first period with a 36-yard field goal. On Dixie State's second play from scrimmage following USD's kickoff, QB Levi Manutai was sacked by LB Kyson Hawkins. Hawkins forced a fumble on the play and Torero teammate Jonathan Espe recovered on the Rebels' 14-yard line. USD's Johnson didn't waste any time getting the Toreros in the endzone as he found WR Wes Doyle for the 14-yard TD strike at the 10:10 mark.
USD added three touchdowns and a Hutch Parker 34-yard field goal in the 2nd period to head into halftime with a 34-0 advantage. Johnson connected with WR Taber LaMarr for 23 yards at the 13:12 mark; he hit Ben Hannula for a 39-yard TD with 2:36 left; and he found Doyle again just before halftime with a 7-yard pass with just :07 ticks on the clock. Johnson added his 15-yard TD run with 7:41 to go in the third that capped off an 8-play, 49-yard drive. Dixie State halted USD's chance for a second shutout by driving 72 yards on 11 plays in the final period with Diarra Fields rushing 5 yards for their lone score.
For the USD offense, Johnson's main targets were WR Ben Hannula (7 catches for 135 yards and 1 score) and WR Wes Doyle (7 catches for 69 yards and 2 TDs). JT Rogan led the Toreros on the ground with 12 carries for 40 yards. Defensively USD was paced by LB Tyler Evans (7 tackles), LB Kyson Hawkins (6 tackles, 1 QB sack, 1 forced fumble), DB Gabriel Derricks (5 stops) and DB Joe Staab (5 tackles). Dixie State received 60 rushing yards from junior Bo Hikila on 14 carries, while LB Andrew Hicks totaled a game-high 10 tackles.
TEAM CAPTAINS ANNOUNCED: At the completion of camp the USD players picked their 2006 team captains... Senior running back Jon Polk (Compton, CA) was tabbed the offensive team captain, while senior corner back Josh Brisco (Tucson, AZ) was named the defensive team captain... Last season Polk led all Torero running backs with 8 rushing TDs, while Brisco earned his second straight All-PFL honorable mention pick after totaling 36 tackles and a team-best 4 interceptions.
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 November 18th. PFL Standings (as of 9-10-06): San Diego, 2-0; Dayton, 2-0; Butler, 1-1; Drake, 1-1; Valparaiso, 1-1; Jacksonville, 0-1; Davidson, 0-2; Morehead St., 0-2. PFL Schedule (for 9-16-06): Valparaiso at Morehead State (1 pm), Butler vs. Robert Morris (1 pm), Davidson at Lenoir-Rhyne (7 pm), Dayton (bye), Drake vs. Wisconsin-Platteville (8 pm), Jacksonville at Southeastern Louisiana (7 pm).
SCOUTING THE YALE BULLDOGS: This is the season opener for the Bulldogs... Under the direction of 10th-year head coach Jack Siedlecki (47-42), the Elis return 40 lettermen and 17 starters (9 offensive/7 defensive/1 special teams) from last year's 4-6 ball club (4-3 Ivy; tie 4th)... Yale returns 5 starters from the offensive line and is led by LT Ed McCarthy (First Team All-Ivy)... Soph. RB Mike McLeod (689 yards, 6 TD), the 2005 Ivy Rookie of the Year, and senior RB Jordan Spence (468 yards) return... Matt Polhemus (6-2, 210) is the projected QB to replace 2005 starter Jeff Mroz... The receivers are paced by 2006 team captain Chandler Henley... The defense will be paced by LB Lee Driftmier (89 tackles) and DL Brandt Hollander (41 stops)... Yale follows their opener with three straight road contests.
UP NEXT: The Toreros have a bye week scheduled for September 23rd... They open up PFL play on the road at Davidson College on Saturday, September 30th. USD does not return to Torero Stadium on Saturday, October 7th when they host Butler at 2:00 p.m. in their annual homecoming game.
