Football | 9/15/2009 6:25:11 PM

This Week: Saturday, Sept. 19, home v. Dixie State, 2:00 pm @ McArthur Field
Last Week: Western Oregon 17, Humboldt State 16
Record: 1-1 overall, 1-0 Great Northwest Athletic Conference
WOU Stats: www.wouwolves.com/custompages/football/stats/2009stats/teamstat.htm

It's nice to be home: After opening the season with its first two games on the road, the Western Oregon University football team will finally have a chance to play it front of its hometown fans as the Wolves host Dixie State College at McArthur Field Saturday, Sept. 15, at 2:00 p.m.

Listen in: If you can't make it to the game you will still be able to listen to the game live through a variety of different outlets on the Wolves Radio Network. On the internet, link to the game from the Wolves website at www.wouwolves.com, or go directly to http://www.am1600kohi.com/. The Wolves' games will also be heard on KLOO 1340 AM (Albany) and KOHI 1600 AM (St. Helens). Russ Blunck and "The Coach" Bear Blunck will be back for their 13th consecutive and final season providing the call for all road games. Joining the Wolves for the first time will be legendary three-time Oregon Sportscaster of the Year Darrell Aune as he takes over the play-by-play for all home games.

Take a peek: For the first time all Western Oregon home football games will be available free on the internet via live video stream. The games can be accessed by clicking on the GNAC TV link on home page of www.wouwolves.com or by going to www.greatnorthwest.tv. The video stream was made possible per an agreement between the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and Penn Athletic Inc., to video stream conference athletic events during the 2009-10 season.

A look at Dixie State: The Dixie State Red Storm are 1-2 this season but has faced a very difficult schedule along the way. It opened the season with a 37-28 home victory over Adams State of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference before going on the road to face Southern Utah and Montana State, two NCAA Division I FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) opponents. This will be the GNAC opener for the Red Storm.

Against Montana State, Dixie State came from 10 points down to take a 14-13 lead in the third quarter but Montana State answered back with two late scores and held on for the 23-20 victory.

This season, Dixie State quarterback Judd Thompson leads the GNAC with averages of 312 passing yards and 321.3 yards of total offense per game. His main target Kyser Christensen paces the league with 132.7 receiving yards per game as it tied for first with three touchdown grabs. Reigning conference defensive player of the week, Keauntea Bankhead is the only student-athlete in the GNAC averaging double-digit tackles (10.0) while fellow linebacker Nick Cragin leads the league with four tackles for loss.

Holding the edge: WOU is 4-0 all-time against Dixie State and have outscored the Red Storm 151-76 in the series. Last year, the teams played to within a touchdown in both contests but the Wolves walked away with a victory each time including a 42-35 win in Monmouth. Western Oregon and Dixie State have met each of the past three seasons with the matchups in 2006 and 2007 occurring before the Red Storm joined the GNAC.

Wolves top Jacks: WOU earned a 17-16 win in its GNAC opener against Humboldt State in Arcata, Calif., Saturday, Sept. 12th. The Wolves defense forced the Jacks into two turnovers and held them on a crucial fourth-and-inches with 1:42 remaining. On offense, WOU did not commit a turnover while Josh Riddell threw for 213 yards and two scores. He connected with Justin Ore on three occasions for 105 yards including a 66-yarder. Ben Kuenzi had 117 yards on the ground including 42 in the fourth quarter.

Riddell on a run: Senior quarterback Josh Riddell (Salem, Ore./McKay High School) has thrown a touchdown pass in every game since putting on the Western Oregon jersey. Riddell brought a streak of 11 straight games with a scoring pass into the season and has connected on two touchdown passes in each of the first two games. During the streak, he has recorded multiple touchdown performances in 11 of the 13 contests.

The century mark: With his 117 yard performance against HSU, running back Ben Kuenzi (Salem, Ore./McKay High School) has recorded at least one 100+ yard rushing game in each of the past four seasons. Last year at HSU, he also carved up the Jacks' defense for 101 yards and a touchdown on just 12 carries. Kuenzi has also had success against Dixie State in the past, rushing for 174 yards on 19 carries with a career-high three touchdowns during his freshman season in 2006.

Dowd all over the place: Senior wide receiver/kick returner Jon Dowd (Corvallis, Ore./Crescent Valley High School) leads the GNAC with 145.5 all-purpose yards per game. He is averaging a GNAC-best 31.3 yards per kickoff return and 10.1 yards per reception. This is the first season for Dowd playing on the offensive side of the ball as he converted from safety in the offseason.

Defensive dynamic: The Western Oregon defense has gone hard after the opponent's quarterback early in the season with six sacks through two games. Meanwhile the Wolves have yielded only one sack for a loss of one yard. The WOU defense has also created four turnovers (a fumble and three interceptions).

Strength up the middle: The top five tacklers for Western Oregon all play in the center of the field meaning the other guys are all doing their jobs to turn the plays back inside. Gavin Romanick is the team's leading tackler with 14 while John Breza and Caleb Singleton are tied for second with 13 stops apiece. Andy Douglas (11) and Andy Jackson are the only other Wolves with double-figure tackles.

By the numbers: Western Oregon is second in the GNAC with 143 rushing yards per game…The Wolves third down conversion rate is 47 percent…WOU has a +2 advantage in the turnover differential this season…Quarterback Josh Riddell has four passes of 20+ yards to four different receivers…Riddell has a 113.3 passer rating, completing 34 of 68 passes for four scores with only two interceptions…WOU has yet to score a rushing touchdown.

Dowd named GNAC special teams player of the week, Sept. 7: Dowd was named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Week for the week of Aug. 31-Sept. 6, as he recorded 203 all-purpose yards including 163 on five kickoff returns and 40 on five receptions. He returned two kicks for over 50 yards including a 58-yard return on the opening kickoff led to good field position as the Wolves battled Eastern Washington on even terms during the first half.

Breza plays both sides: Western Oregon fans will be seeing No. 44 all over the place this year for the Wolves as John Breza will line up on both sides of the ball. He has assumed the starting duties at middle linebacker this season and will enter the games as a fullback in short and goal line situations. His impact was felt in the Eastern Washington game as he intercepted a pass and returned it 21 yards in addition to making a three-yard touchdown reception.

Retooling the kicking game: Scott Buche and Kelly Morgan have both assumed new roles this season as the punter and kicker, respectively. Buche is averaging 38.5 yards per punt with three landing inside the 20 and two going for over 50 yards. Morgan has connected on all four extra point attempts and is one for three on field goal attempts, which included a 47-yarder missing after hitting the crossbar.

Coaches' second choice: Western Oregon was picked second in the 2009 GNAC preseason coaches' poll with 12 points. Central Washington was selected as the conference favorite, garnering 16 points and all four firs place votes.

Wins keep coming: Head coach Arne Ferguson led Western Oregon to a third consecutive winning season in 2008 as the team finished 7-4 after going 9-2 and 6-4 the previous two seasons. This is the first time WOU has put together three straight winning seasons since 1985-1987 when it was a member of the NAIA. Ferguson's coaching record is now 28-17 in his fifth season at the helm.

Ferguson facts: Head coach Arne Ferguson has put together a 28-17 record during his five seasons as the WOU leader. He has spent nearly a lifetime at the school as a player and as an assistant coach. The Vale, Oregon native was a three-time All-CFA defensive back for the Wolves from 1986-88, and began his coaching career at Western in 1989. He has been WOU's defensive coordinator since 1997. In Ferguson's first season at the helm in 2005, he took over a program that finished 1-9 the year previous and pushed them to a 5-6 mark, finishing the season on a three-game win streak. Ferguson has carried that same momentum into three consecutive winning seasons and a Rotary Bowl Championship.

What's missing: The Wolves lost 14 letterwinners off their 2008 squad including four All-GNAC performers; center Cory Perkins, wide receiver Isaiah Smith, and defensive tackles Anthony Marin and Matt Cox.

They're back: WOU will return a large batch of letterwinners for 2009, including six starters on the offensive side of the ball and eight on defense.

GNAC leaders return: Running back Ben Kuenzi finished second in the GNAC yards-per-game rushing category with 68.3 and was second in rushing touchdowns with six. Josh Riddell was third in passing yards a game (252.4) and pass efficiency (150.2). Shaun Kauleinamoku was eighth in receiving yards per game (52.1), fifth in TD scores (eight) and first in punt return average (11.3). Jon Dowd was third in the conference in kick-off returns with 22.4 per return. JT Gilmore ranked third in the GNAC in tackles with 8.9 per game (89 total). Gavin Romanick was second in the GNAC in interceptions with five and seventh in tackles for loss (0.91), with Caleb Singelton (four) right behind him in interceptions. Bryan Huber paced the GNAC in passes defended with 1.00 a game, while Miguel Gonzalez was sixth (0.80).

Touting the team: In 2008, Western Oregon led the GNAC in Rushing Offense (141.4), Pass Defense Efficiency (126.5), Rushing Defense (76.9), Interceptions (18), and Punt Coverage (34.8 net). The Wolves were sixth in the NCAA Division II listings in Rushing Defense.

Record watch: A number of student-athletes will be looking to break into or move up the Western Oregon football record books during the 2009 season. Here is a look at how some rank in school-history: