Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, September 11
Oxford, Ohio
2 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
0-2 , 0-1
21
at
28
Miami
1-1 , 1-0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Eastern Michigan
7
7
7
0
21
Miami
7
7
7
7
28
Photo by: Walt Middleton Photography
Football Comes Up Short at Miami, 28-21
9/11/2010 5:28:00 PM | Football, E-Gridiron Group
New punter breaks the single-game punting record held since Oct. 27, 1956
Box score.
Photo Gallery.
OXFORD, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University football team came up just short on its 2010 Mid-American Conference opener to Miami University, 28-21, Saturday afternoon, Sept. 11, here at Yager Stadium.
The Eagles had a pair of fourth-quarter drives into RedHawk territory but were turned away each time. With the ball at midfield, sophomore quarterback Alex Gillett (Green Springs, Ohio-Clyde) was sacked on third down as the clock rolled under three minutes. On 4th-and-9, senior tight end Josh LeDuc (Canton, Mich.-Plymouth) caught a Gillett offering that was just long enough for the first down at the MU 42. Two plays later, Trey Hunter (Pemberville, Ohio-Eastwood) looked to have caught a touchdown pass, but he was unable to get his foot down in the front corner of the end zone.
Then on 4th-and-11 at the 22-yard line with just 41 seconds showing on the clock, Gillett's pass intended for LeDuc was knocked away, giving the ball back to Miami. MU was able to run out the clock and preserve the 28-21 victory.
With the setback, Eastern Michigan drops to 0-2 overall and 0-1 in the MAC. Meanwhile, Miami evens its record at 1-1 and goes to 1-0 in league action.
Gillett led the Eagles offensively, going 18-for-30 for 171 yards via the air with two scores. Sophomore Kinsman Thomas (Bennettsville, S.C.-Marlboro County) caught four balls for 133 yards and two touchdowns, while LeDuc grabbed seven passes for 45 yards and a score plus throwing for a touchdown as well. Junior Corey Welch (Akron, Ohio-Green) picked up 18 yards on seven carries via the ground.
Newcomer Jay Karutz (North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia-Holy Cross College) had a career day punting the football, racking up four punts for 198 yards for a 49.5 yard average. Two of the punts were downed inside the one-yard line, that 49.5 yard average is a school record, shattering the previous single-game mark of 49.0 set by Jerry Wedge versus Eastern Illinois University, Oct. 27, 1956.
For Miami, Thomas Merriweather carried the ball 15 times for 105 yards and three touchdowns while Tracy Woods added nine carries for 41 yards. Quarterback Zac Dysert ran the ball nine times for 43 yards while going 16-for-25 via the air with one score.
The RedHawks drew first blood, marching 60 yards on just six plays to open the contest. With the ball resting at the EMU 24 yard-line, Thomas Merriweather took the handoff and scampered to paydirt for the score with 12:06 still to play in the first quarter. The Trevor Cook PAT was good to make the score 7-0 in favor of Miami.
The ensuing EMU drive stalled near midfield, but Karutz was able to turn it into a positive. The newcomer was able to pin Miami back at its own one-yard line with a 56-yard booming punt.
Miami would again move the ball past midfield, but on the 11th play of the drive Dysert would float a pass that was intercepted by Colin Weingrad (Woodlands, Texas-College Park) and returned seven-yards to the EMU 29-yard line.
After an EMU rush for no gain, Gillett would lateral the football to LeDuc. LeDuc heaved the ball down field to a wide-open Thomas for the 71-yard touchdown strike. Sean Graham (Orchard Lake, Mich.-Orchard Lake St. Marys-Florida State) followed with a PAT to knot the score at 7-7 with 2:34 left in the opening period.
The touchdown pass also marked the first career pass attempt for the senior, while Thomas has now caught a pair touchdowns in his career that have gone for more than 70-yards.
After a dry start to the ballgame, the sky filled with rain late in the opening stanza, making holding onto the football much more of a challenge. The rain subsided and eventually stopped at the game's halfway point.
Dysert would direct the RedHawks 85 yards in just eight plays, hooking up with Armand Robinson on the swing-pass for a 24-yard completion and the score. The PAT was true to give MU the 14-7 edge with 11:05 showing in the second quarter.
Eastern Michigan would tie the contest at 14, when Gillett rocked a pass into the chest of LeDuc for the 11-yard touchdown with 28 seconds remaining before the intermission. The score capped a 13-play, 71-yard drive that took 4:59 off the clock.
Following the intermission, the sides would exchange punts with neither side able to get its offense in gear. It was not until Gillett again found a streaking Thomas for a 40-yard touchdown toss with 6:43 left in the third period that either team had advanced past midfield in the second half. The scoring drive consumed 55 plays, with Graham tacking on the extra point to make it 21-14.
A great return on the ensuing kickoff gave the RedHawks starting position in Eagle territory. Three plays later, Merriweather repeated what he had done on the game's opening score, sweeping left and heading to the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown carry to again deadlock the score at 21-21 with 4:00 to go in the third.
The defense stiffened for both sides, however, it was the RedHawk offense going back to the air to start the fourth quarter that keyed the critical scoring drive. Dysert completed three passes, but it was Miami returning to the ground inside the red zone.
Despite being spun around at the goal line, Merriweather found the end zone from nine yards out for the third time on the day with 9:03 remaining. The run capped a 70-yard drive. The PAT was good to make it 28-21 in favor of the RedHawks.
Eastern was driving for what looked to be the tieing score when Gillett lofted a pass towards the sideline as the pocket collapsed that was picked off by a Miami defender at the six-yard line with 6:40 to play. Prior to the interception, the Eagles had marched 27 yards down to the RedHawk 33. MU would be unable to capitalize though, going three-and-out with a punt.
That set up the final EMU series that ended with an incomplete pass in the end zone with Miami running out the clock to end the game.
Eastern continues conference action Saturday, Sept. 18, against instate rival Central Michigan University. Game time is set for 4 p.m. at Rynerason Stadium in Ypsilanti., Mich. WEMU (89.1 FM) and WCHB (1200 AM) will carry the game on the radio with Eagle All-Access video streaming the game via EMUEagles.com For tickets, call 734.487.2282.
Photo Gallery.
OXFORD, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University football team came up just short on its 2010 Mid-American Conference opener to Miami University, 28-21, Saturday afternoon, Sept. 11, here at Yager Stadium.
The Eagles had a pair of fourth-quarter drives into RedHawk territory but were turned away each time. With the ball at midfield, sophomore quarterback Alex Gillett (Green Springs, Ohio-Clyde) was sacked on third down as the clock rolled under three minutes. On 4th-and-9, senior tight end Josh LeDuc (Canton, Mich.-Plymouth) caught a Gillett offering that was just long enough for the first down at the MU 42. Two plays later, Trey Hunter (Pemberville, Ohio-Eastwood) looked to have caught a touchdown pass, but he was unable to get his foot down in the front corner of the end zone.
Then on 4th-and-11 at the 22-yard line with just 41 seconds showing on the clock, Gillett's pass intended for LeDuc was knocked away, giving the ball back to Miami. MU was able to run out the clock and preserve the 28-21 victory.
With the setback, Eastern Michigan drops to 0-2 overall and 0-1 in the MAC. Meanwhile, Miami evens its record at 1-1 and goes to 1-0 in league action.
Gillett led the Eagles offensively, going 18-for-30 for 171 yards via the air with two scores. Sophomore Kinsman Thomas (Bennettsville, S.C.-Marlboro County) caught four balls for 133 yards and two touchdowns, while LeDuc grabbed seven passes for 45 yards and a score plus throwing for a touchdown as well. Junior Corey Welch (Akron, Ohio-Green) picked up 18 yards on seven carries via the ground.
Newcomer Jay Karutz (North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia-Holy Cross College) had a career day punting the football, racking up four punts for 198 yards for a 49.5 yard average. Two of the punts were downed inside the one-yard line, that 49.5 yard average is a school record, shattering the previous single-game mark of 49.0 set by Jerry Wedge versus Eastern Illinois University, Oct. 27, 1956.
For Miami, Thomas Merriweather carried the ball 15 times for 105 yards and three touchdowns while Tracy Woods added nine carries for 41 yards. Quarterback Zac Dysert ran the ball nine times for 43 yards while going 16-for-25 via the air with one score.
The RedHawks drew first blood, marching 60 yards on just six plays to open the contest. With the ball resting at the EMU 24 yard-line, Thomas Merriweather took the handoff and scampered to paydirt for the score with 12:06 still to play in the first quarter. The Trevor Cook PAT was good to make the score 7-0 in favor of Miami.
The ensuing EMU drive stalled near midfield, but Karutz was able to turn it into a positive. The newcomer was able to pin Miami back at its own one-yard line with a 56-yard booming punt.
Miami would again move the ball past midfield, but on the 11th play of the drive Dysert would float a pass that was intercepted by Colin Weingrad (Woodlands, Texas-College Park) and returned seven-yards to the EMU 29-yard line.
After an EMU rush for no gain, Gillett would lateral the football to LeDuc. LeDuc heaved the ball down field to a wide-open Thomas for the 71-yard touchdown strike. Sean Graham (Orchard Lake, Mich.-Orchard Lake St. Marys-Florida State) followed with a PAT to knot the score at 7-7 with 2:34 left in the opening period.
The touchdown pass also marked the first career pass attempt for the senior, while Thomas has now caught a pair touchdowns in his career that have gone for more than 70-yards.
After a dry start to the ballgame, the sky filled with rain late in the opening stanza, making holding onto the football much more of a challenge. The rain subsided and eventually stopped at the game's halfway point.
Dysert would direct the RedHawks 85 yards in just eight plays, hooking up with Armand Robinson on the swing-pass for a 24-yard completion and the score. The PAT was true to give MU the 14-7 edge with 11:05 showing in the second quarter.
Eastern Michigan would tie the contest at 14, when Gillett rocked a pass into the chest of LeDuc for the 11-yard touchdown with 28 seconds remaining before the intermission. The score capped a 13-play, 71-yard drive that took 4:59 off the clock.
Following the intermission, the sides would exchange punts with neither side able to get its offense in gear. It was not until Gillett again found a streaking Thomas for a 40-yard touchdown toss with 6:43 left in the third period that either team had advanced past midfield in the second half. The scoring drive consumed 55 plays, with Graham tacking on the extra point to make it 21-14.
A great return on the ensuing kickoff gave the RedHawks starting position in Eagle territory. Three plays later, Merriweather repeated what he had done on the game's opening score, sweeping left and heading to the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown carry to again deadlock the score at 21-21 with 4:00 to go in the third.
The defense stiffened for both sides, however, it was the RedHawk offense going back to the air to start the fourth quarter that keyed the critical scoring drive. Dysert completed three passes, but it was Miami returning to the ground inside the red zone.
Despite being spun around at the goal line, Merriweather found the end zone from nine yards out for the third time on the day with 9:03 remaining. The run capped a 70-yard drive. The PAT was good to make it 28-21 in favor of the RedHawks.
Eastern was driving for what looked to be the tieing score when Gillett lofted a pass towards the sideline as the pocket collapsed that was picked off by a Miami defender at the six-yard line with 6:40 to play. Prior to the interception, the Eagles had marched 27 yards down to the RedHawk 33. MU would be unable to capitalize though, going three-and-out with a punt.
That set up the final EMU series that ended with an incomplete pass in the end zone with Miami running out the clock to end the game.
Eastern continues conference action Saturday, Sept. 18, against instate rival Central Michigan University. Game time is set for 4 p.m. at Rynerason Stadium in Ypsilanti., Mich. WEMU (89.1 FM) and WCHB (1200 AM) will carry the game on the radio with Eagle All-Access video streaming the game via EMUEagles.com For tickets, call 734.487.2282.
Team Stats
EMU
MIAMI
Total Yards
322
345
Pass Yards
256
164
Rushing Yards
66
181
Penalty Yards
20
45
1st Downs
17
23
3rd Downs
8
3
4th Downs
3
0
TOP
29:28
30:32
1st Quarter
EMU 0, MIAMI 7
MIAMI - MERRIWEATHER, T 23 yd run (COOK, Trevor kick), 6 plays, 60 yards, TOP 2:54
EMU 7, MIAMI 7
EMU - THOMAS, Kinsman 71 yd pass from LEDUC, Josh (GRAHAM, Sean kick) 2 plays, 71 yards, TOP 0:51
2nd Quarter
EMU 7, MIAMI 14
MIAMI - ROBINSON, A. 24 yd pass from DYSERT, Zac (COOK, Trevor kick) 8 plays, 85 yards, TOP 3:55
EMU 14, MIAMI 14
EMU - LEDUC, Josh 11 yd pass from GILLETT, Alex (GRAHAM, Sean kick) 13 plays, 71 yards, TOP 4:59
3rd Quarter
EMU 21, MIAMI 14
EMU - THOMAS, Kinsman 40 yd pass from GILLETT, Alex (GRAHAM, Sean kick) 7 plays, 55 yards, TOP 2:57
EMU 21, MIAMI 21
MIAMI - MERRIWEATHER, T 20 yd run (COOK, Trevor kick), 5 plays, 44 yards, TOP 2:33
4th Quarter
EMU 21, MIAMI 28
MIAMI - MERRIWEATHER, T 9 yd run (COOK, Trevor kick), 7 plays, 70 yards, TOP 3:00
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
QB
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WR
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WR
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LB
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RB
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