November 2

Jackets Eye Senior Day Showdown with Franklin

DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Defiance College football team will host a high powered Franklin squad on Saturday in a battle for second place in the Heartland Conference. The contest will pit the Grizzlies potent offense against DC's suffocating defense. Both teams enter play boasting a 4-1 mark in league play.

The Yellow Jackets are 3-3 against Franklin since joining the HCAC in 2000 and will be looking to clinch a second-place finish in the conference with a victory.

Defiance will recognize its 26 seniors and their parents prior to the 1:00 pm kickoff.

The game will be broadcast live by Tom Jeffery and Greg Pscodna on WZOM 105.7 FM and can also be heard via the internet by clicking this link and typing in the word Defiance.

The Series History - Today marks the seventh meeting between Defiance and Franklin on the gridiron since DC joined the HCAC in 2000. The teams have split the previous six and if history holds true, scoring will come early and often in Saturday’s game. Each of the past three contests between Defiance and Franklin have seen at least one team break the 30-point barrier and the teams have combined to average over 53 points per game. Last season was no different as Defiance posted 38 points to take a 38-23 win over FC behind a 29-point outburst in the second quarter. Hans Vetter threw for 251 yards and a trio of touchdowns, Luke Dillon caught seven passes for 154 yards and a score and the defense earned a pair of safeties.

Scouting Defiance - The Yellow Jackets will take the field on Saturday hoping to avoid consecutive losses for the first time since dropping their first two games of the 2005 season. DC currently has several players among the leaders of the HCAC and will rely on them for heavy contributions in Saturday’s ballgame. Dillon leads the league with 5.0 catches per game while Dan Brown tops the charts with 1.0 made field goals a game. On the defensive side of the ball, Nic Cass leads the conference with 0.6 interceptions and is in the top three in passes defended while Mike Haydon also ranks in the top three in sacks and tackles for lost yardage.

Scouting Franklin - The Grizzlies, who have received votes in each of the past two weeks in the AFCA poll, ride a two-game winning streak into Saturday’s game after suffering a 21-14 loss to MSJ on Oct. 14. Franklin features a high powered passing game which is led by sophomore quarterback Chad Rupp and wideouts Danny Sears and Tony Gregory. Rupp tops the HCAC and is eighth in the nation with a 171.1 pass efficiency rating and also leads the league with 237.4 passing yards per game. Sears and Gregory are the top two receiving threats in the HCAC, combining for 155.7 yards receiving per contest.

The Matchup - Saturday’s game will feature a classic battle of Franklin’s potent offense against DC’s suffocating defense. Each unit ranks near or at the top in the HCAC in nearly every key statistic, while also ranking favorably in the national rankings. Franklin enters play on Saturday with top-30 rankings in total offense (387.1 ypg), passing offense (236.4 ypg) and scoring offense (32.0 ppg), while Defiance is ranked ninth in the nation in total defense (195.5 ypg) and pass efficiency defense (82.1), 15th in rushing defense (67.5 ypg) and 25th in scoring defense (11.9 ppg).

HCAC Player of the Week - Chris Tietje became the latest Yellow Jacket to earn Player-of-the-Week honors from the HCAC after his 14 tackle performance against MSJ. Tietje collected 11 of his 14 stops via the solo variety and also picked up 6.5 hits for lost yardage including a 12-yard sack. Tietje enters play on Saturday leading all Yellow Jackets with 34 solo tackles and is second with 51 hits and third with 10.5 stops for a loss.

Rewriting the Record Books - Dan Brown has drilled eight field goals through the uprights this season to top the Heartland Conference with 1.0 made field goals per game. Brown has also tied Matt Daniel (2001) for the single-season record at Defiance with the eight makes and will take sole-possession of the top spot with his next successful boot.

The Taylor Watch - Head Coach Robert Taylor has piled up 17 career victories at the helm of the DC program. That mark puts Taylor in a tie for eighth all time with Lance Tigyer (1971-73) in the Defiance record books and just one victory short of tying Kirk Mee (1964-66) for seventh.

Around the HCAC - For the second time in as many weeks, the biggest game in the HCAC will take place at Coressel Stadium as DC hosts Franklin in a battle for second place and a possible berth into the postseason. In other action, MSJ hosts Bluffton, Rose-Hulman travels to Manchester and Anderson plays at Hanover.

What’s On Tap? - The Yellow Jackets will play their final regular season contest next Saturday at Bluffton with the kickoff slated for 1:00 pm. If DC can win its final two games, it will position itself nicely for a potential at-large bid into the NCAA D-III Playoffs.