Saturday, Sept. 8, 2007

Box Score

  FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Now University of Saint Francis head football coach Kevin Donley knows what his 10th chapter of Cougars need to work on, though it didn't look like anything went wrong judging by the final score.

  Second-ranked USF opened its 10th football campaign with a dominant performance in a 71-7 win over unranked William Penn University. The Statesmen had won their first two games of the season, the first time that had happened since 1984. The Cougars showed no regard for WPU's record winning their 52nd consecutive regular season contest.

   "I can't complain about the final score," Donley said with a smile. "I'm sure after watching the breakdown of this game, there will be a number of elements we need to work on and improve on."

  Donley is a big believer in getting better each week and that many times the greatest improvement comes between Game 1 and Game 2. That crucial for USF as it heads into a three-game road trip starting at Pikeville College in Pikeville, Ky., next Saturday (Sept. 15), a 7-plus hour bus ride from Fort Wayne.

  The Cougars gave the Bears plenty to chew on from video of the season-opening win over WPU. USF racked up a school record 797 yards in total offense and played at least 70 players including three quarterback who all figured in the scoring onslaught that gave the new Bishop D'Arcy Stadium scoreboard a good breaking in.

     Junior quarterback Jeff Wedding (Kendallville, IN / East Noble H.S.) made his first collegiate start and threw two TD passes. Shaine Tierney (Stevensville, MI / Lakeshore) and Jordan Wise (Fort Wayne, IN / Homestead) each threw for solo TDs.

   Marcus Rush (Muncie, IN / Central) and Bart Schnur (Boonville, IN / Boonville) each scored twice for USF. Rush scored on runs of one and10 yards. Schnur scored on pass receptions of eight and 22 yards. Taylor Vieck (Vincennes, IN / Lincoln), Sam Daniels (East Chicago, IN / East Chicago) and Zach Till (Fort Wayne, IN / Bishop Dwenger) scored solo TDs for USF (1-0).

   Daniel Carter (Indianapolis / Decatur Central) led USF rushing with 82 yards on eight carries including a stop-and-go 10-yard TD. Though he didn't score on the play, Carter contributed a scintillating 58-yard run in the first half. Seeing his first collegiate action, Elijah Flowers (Cincinnati, OH / Northwest) added 76 yards on four carries.

   Wedding finished with a career best 226 yards on 9-for-19 passing in his first start. He connected with Bo Thompson (Indianapolis, IN / Ben Davis) for an 80-yard TD late in the first quarter and added a 25-yard clothesline to Zach Rainey (Indianapolis, IN / Ben Davis) late in the second quarter. Rainey led USF receivers with 95 yards on three receptions.

 On defense, Cody Capps made an impression with a forced fumble, a pass breakup and seven total tackles in his first collegiate start. Donavon Evans led USF with five solo tackles and Jarrell Hunter had two PBUs.

   USF embarks on the first of three consecutive road games next Saturday when the Cougars challenge Pikeville College in Pikeville, KY, starting at 1:30 p.m.

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                                                      -- GO USF --