Tech Football plays at Ferris State
Courtesy of MTU Athletics
*BACK IN THE RANKINGS*
After spending a week in the top 25 earlier this season, the Huskies are back in the national rankings. Tech appears at No. 22 in the AFCA poll and No. 25 in the D2Football.com poll.
*CURTIN TIES SEASON TOUCHDOWN RECORD*
Matt Curtin <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/fball/2012-13/bios/curtin%20matt00.html> continued his receiving tear with six catches for 98 yards and a touchdown vs. Northwood last Saturday. The senior wide receiver has posted a combined 24 receptions for 459 yards and eight touchdowns over the last three weeks. He owns nine TD catches on the year, tying a school record held by Keith White (2007) and Brian Janeshek (2003).
*STILL ATOP THE STANDINGS*
Thanks to losses by Grand Valley State and Wayne State last week, the five-way tie for first in the GLIAC North Division standings has shrunk to a three-way tie. Michigan Tech, Saginaw Valley State and Hillsdale all sit at 5-1 in league play. After this week’s game vs. Ferris State, the SVSU and Hillsdale are Michigan Tech’s next two opponents.
*EFFICIENT SCARLETT*
Quarterback Tyler Scarlett <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/fball/2012-13/bios/scarlett%20tyler00.html> has thrown 14 touchdown passes and just three interceptions this season to help Michigan Tech to a plus-five turnover margin in six games. Scarlett completed 18-of-32 passes last week for 267 yards and two touchdowns. His pass efficiency rating is 149.8—fourth best in the GLIAC and 26th best in the nation. Scarlett, at 257.8 yards per game, is on pace in a 10-game schedule to break his own season passing yards record of 2,406, which he set in an 11-game season a year ago.
*WIENKE BREAKS OUT VS. NORTHWOOD*
Sophomore defensive end Nelson Wienke <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/fball/2012-13/bios/wienke%20nelson00.html> posted eight tackles, 3.0 sacks and 4.0 tackles for loss in Michigan Tech’s 28-21 win over Northwood last Saturday. The Kingsford, Mich., native was part of a big defensive effort to hold the Timberwolves 112 yards below their rushing average of 246 per game. Wienke has recorded team highs of 7.0 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks this season.
*SERIES VS. FERRIS STATE*
Michigan Tech has dominated the recent series with Ferris State with nine consecutive victories. Tech has won three of those in Big Rapids, one at a neutral site (Fifth-Third Ballpark in Comstock Park, Mich.) and five at home including last year’s 41-14 decision. The series is one of Tech’s oldest with any team. It began in 1947.
*COACH KEARLY*
Michigan Tech head coach Tom Kearly is in his seventh season as head coach and 13th overall with the Huskies program. The skipper owns a 42-27 record (.609 winning percentage) and has coached Tech to two of the eight eight-win seasons in school history. Kearly, a Hancock native and 1979 Winona State graduate, coached at Central Michigan for 19 seasons before returning to the Copper Country in 2000. He was the GLIAC Coach of the Year in 2010.
*ALL-TIME RECORD*
Michigan Tech has an all-time football record of 345-332-17 (.509 winning percentage) in 90 seasons of intercollegiate football. The Huskies are 62-37 over the last 10 seasons (.626 winning percentage).
*NELSON NETS THIRD INTERCEPTION*
Sophomore defensive back DeShawn Nelson <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/fball/2012-13/bios/nelson%20deshawn00.html> made his third interception of the season with a third-quarter pick of Northwood quarterback Aaron Shavers. Nelson leads the team in both interceptions and total pass breakups (eight) this season.
*2012 CAPTAINS*
Michigan Tech’s team captains for the 2012 season are senior linebacker Justin Armstrong <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/fball/2012-13/bios/armstrong%20justin00.html>, senior defensive tackle Jake Clark, senior tight end Bryan LaChapelle <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/fball/2012-13/bios/lachapelle%20bryan00.html> and senior offensive lineman Chris Mullen <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/fball/2012-13/bios/mullen%20chris%203feb>.
*VANDERLIN SIGNS NFL DEAL*
Former Michigan Tech defensive end Drew Vanderlin (2007-11) was signed to the Green Bay Packers practice squad earlier this week. The former two-time All-GLIAC First Team pick ranks second all-time in sacks at Michigan Tech with 20. Vanderlin, a Green Bay native, took part in the Packers’ rookie orientation camp this summer but did not make a roster until last Monday (Oct. 15).
*HUSKY BITES*
Michigan Tech has four non-offensive touchdowns this season with a punt return TD, a fumble return TD, a kickoff return TD and a punt block return TD. The Huskies had just two non-offensive scores all of last season … This week’s road trip marks just the second time this season the Tech football team has had to leave the Upper Peninsula … The Huskies are 5-0 when scoring the first points of the game and when holding an edge in time of possession … Michigan Tech is 5-1 this season in Saturday games … The Huskies’ road white uniforms are new in 2012.
*SUPERIOR PLAYERS OF THE GAME*
Superior National Bank sponsors the Superior Player of the Game. Following each football game, a player is chosen. A list of the 2012 Superior Players of the Game is below.
Sept. 8 vs. Tiffin Dan Perrault <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/fball/2012-13/bios/perrault%20dan00.html> (9 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble)
Sept. 15 vs. Walsh Bryan LaChapelle (7 rec., 63 yds, 1 TD) &
Emmett Bjorn <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/fball/2012-13/bios/bjorn%20emmett00.html> (six tackles, 1 interception)
Sept. 22 vs. Findlay Emmett Bjorn (10 tackles, 2 pass breakups)
Sept. 29 vs. GVSU Matt Curtin (11 receptions, 190 yards, 4 TDs)
Oct. 6 at NMU Matt Curtin (7 receptions, 171 yards, 3 TDs)
Oct. 13 vs. N’wood Tyler Scarlett (18-of-32 passing, 267 yards, 2 TDs)