Illinois Wesleyan vs. Olivet - Game Notes
September 9,2006

THE GAME: Illinois Wesleyan (0-1) looks to rebound from a season-opening loss to Coe with a 1 p.m. home game against Olivet in its season opener.

THE SERIES VS. THE COMETS: This is the first football meeting ever between the Titans and the Comets.

ON THE AIR: The IWU/Olivet game will be broadcast live on WJBC 1230 AM...The game will be rebroadcast on Insight channel 5 for Bloomington-Normal cable subscribers three times: Sat., Sept. 9 - 7 p.m.; Sun., Sept. 10 - 4 p.m.; Tues., Sept. 12 - 8 p.m.

AT WILDER FIELD: Illinois Wesleyan is 54-18 (.761) at Wilder Field in the last 15 seasons (1991-2005). The IWU football facility is the fifth oldest football stadium in the country (1893), behind Wesleyan [Conn.] (1881), Williams [Mass.] (1883), Sewanee [Tenn.] and Amherst [Mass.] (both 1891).

FOR THE RECORD: IWU is 68-35 in its last 103 games (.673) since 1995...The 35 losses have come to Wheaton (7); Augustana and Millikin (6); North Central and Carthage (3); Simpson, UW-Eau Claire and Elmhurst (2); and Coe, Mount Union, UW-LaCrosse, and Washington U. (1)...The Titans are 64-25 (.727) at home and 51-39-1 on the road (.580) under Eash...2005 and 2004 are the first back-to-back losing seasons for IWU since 1987 (4-5) and 1988 (4-5)...In 2004, IWU (3-7) had its first sub-.500 season since the 1993 team was 4-5. The Titans had been at .500 or better for 10 straight years.

SEPTEMBER SUCCESS: In September, IWU is 35-15-1 (.710) in the Norm Eash era and was 1-2 last season in the month. IWU teams won 11 straight September games (all non-league) from 1995 (loss at Simpson) until 2001 (loss to Washington U.).

SEASON OPENERS: IWU is now 10-10 in opening-day games under Norm Eash.

ON TO THE NEXT 500: IWU is 501-372-42 (.578) in 114 years of football...IWU’s 500th win came in a 23-14 win over Wheaton on Oct. 22, 2005.

TITAN NOTES: Illinois Wesleyan jumped out to a 14-0 lead but wound up on the losing end of a 34-21 decision to Coe College on Sat., Sept. 2, at IWU Stadium. Sophomore Martin Ceisel (Deerfield HS) caught two 19-yard TD passes from Brandon Cotter in the first quarter but Coe scored twice in the second quarter to tie the game 14-14 at halftime. Ashton Northern, who ran for 127 total yards for the Kohawks, ran in from 2 yards out with 7:16 to go in the half, then Jonathan Rife caught an 84 yard TD pass from Robert DeMoulin with 39 seconds left in the first half. Rife caught an 22 yard TD pass from DeMoulin with 8:37 to go in the third and Grant Perry caught a 2-yard pass with 2:13 left in the third to give Coe a 28-14 lead. Marcus Dunlop (Maywood, Proviso East HS), who ran for 95 yards on 24 carries, scored the Titans’ other touchdown on a 7-yard run with 12:05 left in the fourth and Coe’s Neil Suckow scored on a 6 yard run with 7:21 to play in the game to finish the scoring. Ceisel had seven catches for 119 yards to pace IWU, who finished with 306 yards. Bo Osburn (Morton HS) led the IWU defense with 10 tackles and Charlie Welke (New Lenox, Lincoln Way Central HS) had nine.

MARCUS DUNLOP: Junior Marcus Dunlop (Maywood, Proviso East HS) ran for 95 yards vs. Coe and now has 1,360 career rushing yards, making him 17th all-time at IWU. He is immediately behind Bill Pfeiffer ( 1,400, 1965-68).

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Chosen by Titan coaches to honor top players in the week’s game and practices. The “Titan Award” honors a player for work ethic, loyalty and spirit.

OFFENSE: Martin Ceisel, sophomore, receiver, Deerfield (HS)

DEFENSE: Mike Stephens, senior, end, Orland Park, Providence Catholic HS)

SPECIAL TEAMS: Chad Olson, junior, returner, Bloomington (HS); Sam Vizza, freshman, punter, Crestwood (Shepard HS)

SCOUT (Offense): Kraig Ladd, freshman, quarterback, Shelbyville (HS); Cedric Bailey, sophomore, back, Chicago (Leo HS)

SCOUT (Defense): Josh Monk, sophomore, linebacker, Bloomington (Central Catholic); Kevin O’Connor, freshman, end, Dunlap (Peoria Notre Dame HS)

TITAN AWARD: Steve Groestema, senior, linebacker, (LaGrange Park, Lyons HS)

THE COACHES: Norm Eash (Illinois Wesleyan, 1975) is in his 20th season as head coach at IWU and has an overall record of 116-64-1 (.647) and a CCIW mark of 87-50-1 (.634) with league titles in 1992, 1994, 1996, 2000, and 2001. Eash, the CCIW “Coach of the Year” in 1992, 1996 and 2001, is fourth in all-time CCIW coaching wins, behind IWU’s Don Larson (142 wins), Bob Reade of Augustana (112) and Carthage’s Art Keller (105). Eash is second in victories at IWU, behind Don Larson (166 wins in 33 years, 1954-86). . .Dominic Livedoti (Olivet ‘65) is 26-26-3 in six seasons at Olivet and began his second stint as Olivet’s head coach in 2005, leading the Comets to a 5-5 mark. From 2002-04, he was Olivet’s assistant head coach and he previously served as head coach from 1988-92, compiling a 21-21-3 overall mark. After leaving Olivet in 1992, Livedoti was head coach at Wayne State University for two years. He has also coached football at four Michigan high schools. At Olivet, he was an all-conference football and baseball player and still holds the school’s record for most receiving yards in a game with 223, which he set in 1963 vs. Augustana.

SCOUTING THE COMETS: Olivet was 5-5 last season and 4-3 in the rugged Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association. Jeff Iciek and Ron Tyner are the returning starters on the offensive line for the Comets while in the backfield, Lonnie Jones returns after a stellar freshman campaign. He had 82 carries for 571 rushing yards and six touchdowns. Dwight Houston returns after missing last season due to injury.  Calvin McNamara and Rob White are battling for the starting nod at quarterback. The receiving corps is led by Chris Smith. Last year, Smith topped the team with 34 catches for 582 yards. Ryan Boone and Bryan Houston are other wideouts. Ryan Adams, Nick Johnson and Matt Reinhardt are returning starters on the defensive line. A year ago, Adams recorded a team-high 10 quarterback sacks. Marc Miller and DeRan Thomas lead the linebackers. They ranked 1-2, respectively, on the team in total tackles last year. Miller had 92 tackles, while Thomas had 88. The only returning starter in the secondary is Nate Hughes. A year ago, he recorded 43 tackles and four pass break-ups. Ken Lackscheide is the starting punter. In 2005, he punted 38 times for a 36.8-yard average. Kyle Zabel is handling the placekicking duties.

LOOKING AHEAD: The Titans play at Mt. St. Joseph (another first time IWU opponent) in Cincinnati, Ohio, next Sat., Sept. 16, at 12:30 p.m. (Central time) The Lions are No. 35 this week in the Football Gazette poll and beat Wilmington in their opener, 24-0. The Lions were 9-2 and played in the NCAA playoffs in 2005.

PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS: Four from IWU earned honorable mention notice on the preseason All-America squads chosen by Don Hansen's Football Gazette — senior DE Mike Stephens (Orland Park, Providence Catholic HS), senior KR Eric Esch (Bloomington HS), junior RB Marcus Dunlop (Maywood, Proviso East HS) and sophomore WR Martin Ceisel (Deerfield HS).

CCIW PRESEASON POLL: IWU was picked to finish seventh in the 2006 CCIW preseason coaches’ poll. Augustana was No. 1 with 46 points, including four first place votes, followed by North Central (38 points, two first place votes), Wheaton (36 points, one first place vote). Millikin (one first place vote) and Elmhurst tied for fourth with 27 points, followed by Carthage (26 points), the Titans (17) and North Park (7).

EARLY START: In a check of records since 1965, this is the earliest home football game played in the modern era at Illinois Wesleyan. . . Last year the Titans hosted Simpson on Sept. 3, the earliest season start ever prior to this year, and in 2004 IWU played at Simpson on Sept. 4. Other early season openers have been on Sept. 7, 1985 (DePauw at IWU); Sept. 8, 2001 (IWU at Washington U.) and Sept. 8, 1984 (IWU at DePauw) and Sept. 9, 2000 (Washington U. at IWU). What a difference 40 years makes - the IWU season in 1965 started on Sept. 25 with a home game against Illinois State.