Tiffin University will take on Gannon in a nonconference game this Saturday at 2 pm.
Posted: Mar 24, 2021
Tiffin University will take on Gannon in a non-conference game this Saturday at 2 pm.
Gameday Program - HERE
The game was scheduled as a last-minute addition after losing a game vs. Lake Erie last week due to Covid protocols. It will be played at Frost Kalnow Stadium and is the Dragons' season home opener.
Tiffin University hasn't played Gannon since 2007, one year before they joined the GLIAC. The Dragons defeated the Golden Knights 50-6 during a season in which they won the Great Lakes Football Independent Championship with a 9-2 record. Matt Root passed for 333 yards, Dyshaun Edwards had 169 receiving yards, and Pierece Wade rushed for 146 yards as TU outgained Gannon 594-77 in total offense.
Tiffin is 6-3 overall against the Golden Knights, having won the last three meetings between the two teams.
Gannon Notes
- Gannon's 30-22 loss to Davenport on March 20 was Gannon's first game in 489 days after the fall season was pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Head coach Erik Raeburn had to wait over 16 months from the day he was announced as Gannon's sixth head coach to coach his first game at the helm of the Golden Knights.
- Since joining the PSAC prior to the 2008 season, the Golden Knights have put together an impressive 10-3 record against teams from outside the league. That mark will get put to the test this spring, with five games, all against nonconference competition.
Gannon Offense
- Melvin Blanks rumbled for a career-high 142 rushing yards on a career-high 23 carries. It was the junior's first career 100-yard game, and he also added a career-high 58 receiving yards for an even 200 scrimmage yards.
- Johnny Freeman led the receiving corps with a career-high 81 yards on four grabs. Sam East also pulled in four catches for 47 yards.
- Quarterback Jimmy Keefe is back after making 20 starts behind center over the past three years. The redshirt junior, who is in his fifth year with the program, stands fifth in program history with 3,682 passing yards, and fourth with 28 passing
touchdowns.
- Gannon had more total offense (382-281) and first downs (22-15) against Davenport but was undone by turnovers. Three interceptions and a fumble lost cost the Golden Knights in the close game.
Gannon Defense
- Trey Baker led the Golden Knight defense with 10 tackles in his debut. Keith Thompson had his nose around the ball all day, making seven tackles, including 2.5 for loss. Matt Wiitenen and Thompson each put up seven stops as well.
- The Gannon defense held Davenport to just 281 yards of offense, the best performance by the Golden Knight unit since allowing just 183 yards to Clarion in 2018.
- A quartet of defensive players form the experienced core of a unit that saw plenty of youth dot its ranks a year ago. Jay Bullock and Malachi Woody have both started all but one game on the defensive front the past two seasons, while linebacker Keith Thompson has started 19 games in that same span. Senior defensive back Tre McNeill has 27 career games under his belt and led the defense with 77 tackles a year ago.
Tiffin Notes- The Dragons are coming off a historic 2019 season where they made their first NCAA Championships appearance after winning the GMAC Championship with a perfect 7-0 record. They finished the year ranked 23rd in the country with a 9-2 record, posting back-to-back nine-win seasons for just the second time in program history (2006-2007).
- Tiffin was selected first in the GMAC Coaches Poll with 34 total points along with four first-place votes.
- The Dragons are led by Cris Reisert who is in his second year at the helm for the Dragons. Reisert led the Dragons to arguably the best season in program history finishing the regular season 9-1 in his first year and looks to build on that success in the upcoming season.
Tiffin Offense
- Tiffins' offense was among the best in the country, ranking fifth in the nation in total offense averaging 507.8 ypg, seventh in scoring at 43.2 ppg, the rushing attack was ranked 15th at 245.5 ypg, and the passing game was ranked 32nd with 262.3 ypg.
- The Dragons are returning several veterans on offense led by Nick Watson who started in all 11 games last season completing 210 passes for 2806 yards and 30 touchdowns with just nine interceptions. Nationally, he ranked 10th in passing touchdowns, 20th in passing yards per game, 22nd in completions per game, 19th in passing efficiency, and 30th in completion percentage.
- Devin Butler is a returner as well for the Dragons. Last season, he started in all 11 games for Tiffin, and ranked in the top six in the GMAC with 54 passes caught for 679 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 60.6 ypg.
- With JaQuan Hardy opting out of this season, Tiffin's backfield will be led by two new faces, Marcus Davis and Devin Nelson. Davis finished with 89 yards rushing on 20 carries against Walsh last week.
- Last week TU outgained Walsh 464-239, including 302-129 through the air. They had 22 first downs to Walsh's 15. Watson was outstanding, connecting on 18 of 37 passes for 302 yards and 2 touchdowns while also rushing for 71 yards on 14 carries and another TD. Butler had a huge game with 161 yards receiving on 7 catches. James Dean also caught 4 passes for 99 yards.
Tiffin Defense
- Tiffin's defense led the GMAC in total defense and was second in scoring defense, nationally ranked 17th in interceptions with 16 on the year, and boasted a top-25 turnover margin of +82.
- The Dragons' defense is led by Charlie Cleveland on the defensive line who last year posted 61 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks and a forced fumble. He also ranked second in the GMAC in tackles for loss and third in sacks.
- The secondary is led Chrystian Watkins who started in all 11 games last year with 37 tackles, 1 tackle for loss and one forced fumble, and Tyler Richardson who played in all 11 games, registered 30 tackles and one interception.