Tartans Look to End Losing Streak

Oct. 3 – (PITTSBURGH, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University football team will look to end their two game skid Saturday, October 6 when they take the field at Randolph-Macon College.  Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. at Day Stadium in Ashland, Va.  Coming off their bye week, the Tartans look to bounce back to the winning side, as their track record over the past four years is perfect following a bye week.

“The bye week in the middle of the year is nice because it allows us to make some corrections with some of the mistakes we have made during the first half of the season,” comments Head Coach Rich Lackner.  “It also allows the players that have been nicked up a bit to become healthy.  This particular year it allows us some time to regroup after two tough losses.  We want to get the kids back physically and mentally.”

This will mark the third meeting between Carnegie Mellon (2-2) and Randolph-Macon (4-1) with the series tied at one apiece.  The first meeting between the two teams dates back to 2001 when Carnegie Mellon shutout Randolph-Macon 40-0 in Pittsburgh.  The Yellow Jackets got revenge the following year when they defeated the Tartans 17-14 in Ashland, Va.  

Senior Robert Gimson (Palm Beach Gardens., Fla./The Benjamin School) leads the Tartans ground game averaging 116.5 yards per game, while senior fullback Travis Sivek (Traverse City, Mich./St. Francis) continues to be a dominate threat with a team leading seven touchdowns, all coming inside the red zone.

In the Tartans last game, a 24-21 setback to Allegheny, sophomore wide receiver Brendan Howe (Grosse Pointe, Mich./Grosse Point South ) proved that Carnegie Mellon’s passing game is alive.  Howe caught a career-high seven passes for 96 yards and scored his first collegiate touchdown.  Howe leads the Tartans with eight receptions for 100 yards.  Gimson is the Tartans second leading receiver with four receptions for 43 yards and one touchdown.

The Tartans defense is headed by senior corner Jon Scholl (Coraopolis, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic), who leads the team with 47 tackles in three games.  Of Scholl’s 47 tackles, 25 have been solo stops.  The defense is allowing 73.0 yards per game from the ground and has not allowed a 100-yard rusher this season.

“You want to take away the run and make teams be more one dimensional,” added Lackner when asked about the defense against the rush.  “I think that says a lot about our front seven in their maturity and how they have come along by not allowing a 100-yard rusher this season.  It is an important statistic and one that the defense can be very proud of.”

After starting out 2-0, Randolph-Macon dropped a 20-13 decision to Frostburg State before winning their last two games.  The Yellow Jackets have outscored their opponents 142-69 over their first five games.

With a well balanced offense, Randolph-Macon’s backfield is headed by sophomore Zak Thornton who averages 123.2 yards per game with five touchdowns.  Sophomore quarterback Brandon Braner has thrown for 711 yards and five scores this season, including a season-high three touchdowns in the Yellow Jackets first game of the season.

Lackner said, “Thornton is a hard runner from what we have seen.  He has very good vision of the field and finds the seam while hitting the hole quick.  He provides a well balanced attack for them.”

The Yellow Jackets defensive front will pose a concern for the Tartans' offensive attack. Led by senior defensive lineman Ray Johnson (2.5 sacks, seven tackles-for-loss), Randolph-Macon has stalled the opposition with 13 sacks and 40 tackles-for-loss in their first five games.

“Their front seven’s size is not huge, but they have great quickness. They are an extremely sound team as for their schemes,” said Lackner.  “Head Coach Pedro Arruza was an excellent assistant football coach at Washington (Mo.) University along with Defensive Coordinator Russ Mollet.  They have a great staff and do a wonderful job preparing their defense.”