Football Heads To Valparaiso for Final Road Trip of the Season

Davidson Wildcats (1-8, 1-5 PFL) vs. Valparaiso Crusaders (1-8, 1-5 PFL)

Site: Brown Field (5,000 capacity) - Valparaiso, Ind.

Audio: Mark Plemmons (play-by-play) and Ryan Arnold (color) call the action on the Davidson Radio Network (1350 AM, online at DavidsonWildcats.com and mobile with the TuneIn Radio App)

Video: Available at www.valpoathletics.com

Web sites: Davidson (DavidsonWildcats.com), Valparaiso (valpoathletics.com)

The Game

• Davidson and Valparaiso are both looking for their second win of the season, with kickoff at 2 p.m. Eastern on Brown Field.

• The Wildcats are coming off a 49-14 defeat at Morehead State, in which quarterback Jonathan Carkhuff became Davidson's all-time completions leader.

• It will be the Wildcats' first game with interim head coach Brett Hayford at the helm, as Tripp Merritt was relieved of his coaching duties Monday.

• This is Davidson's final road game of the season and and third road game in the past four weeks.

• With 98 tackles this season Patrick Moynahan needs 19 more to reach the Davidson single-season recordof 117, set by John Dalton in 1993.

• WR Lanny Funsten became Davidson's career receptions and receiving yards leader with a 17-catch, 246-yard game vs. Jacksonville. He needs one more touchdown to surpass the all-time Wildcat mark (19, Barrett Johnson, 2000-03 and Gifford Piercy, 1977-80).

• Valpo Running back Jake Hutson is the reigning PFL Co-Offensive Player of the Week, rushing for 248 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries in Valpo's win over Campbell.

• Davidson and Valpo's lone win this season came against Campbell.

• The 'Cats were picked ninth in the PFL preseason poll while Valpo was picked 10th.

Series Record

• Davidson leads the all-time series, which began in 2001, 6-1.

• The 'Cats are 3-1 against Valparaiso on Brown Field, losing on their last trip in 2008.

• Davidson receivers Jonathan Adams and Lanny Funsten combined for 25 receptions for 297 yards and two scores to lead Davidson to a 30-22 victory in the season finale last season.

• The Wildcat offense rolled up 463 yards and scored on 4-of-5 trips into the Red Zone. The 'Cats overcame three turnovers on the day, including a pick-six, with the help of a defense that recorded five sacks and 12 tackles for loss. Valpo finished the day with -18 rushing yards.

• Quarterback Jonathan Carkhuff completed 34-of-55 passes for 371 yards, and Chris Gorman had 54 rushing yards on 11 carries.

• Eric Hoffman completed 33-of-57 passes for 364 yards and two scores for Valpo, and Tanner Kuramata finished with six receptions for 107 yards. Sean McCarty had five receptions for 58 yards.

• After trailing 14-10 midway through the second quarter, Davidson scored 20 straight points to open a 30-14 cushion with 29 seconds left in the third quarter.

• The Crusaders trimmed the margin to 10 points on a 10-yard touchdown pass and Hoffman found Kuramata for the two-point conversion to make the score 30-22 with 1:55 to play.

• Josh Wiggins recovered the onsides kick for Davidson, and Clem Butler rushed twice for 11 yards and a first down to seal the win for the Wildcats.

Last Time Out

• Jonathan Carkhuff became Davidson's all-time pass completions leader, but Morehead State was victorious over the Wildcats, 49-14, last week in Jayne Stadium.

• Rees Macshara led Morehead State with 126 yards on 23 carries and two rushing touchdowns. Blake Stanley added 78 rushing yards on 15 carries, as well as two touchdowns on the ground. Zack Lewis completed 20-of-30 attempts for 267 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Donte Sawyer was his top target with nine catches for 128 yards.

• Carkhuff completed 22-of-41 attempts for 177 yards and was intercepted three times. He became Davidson's all-time completions leader with a 36-yard touchdown pass to Lanny Funsten on the 'Cats' second drive of the game to tie it at 7-7.

• The touchdown reception also allowed Funsten to tie Davidson's all-time mark in the category. He now has 19 for his career to equal Barrett Johnson (2000-03) and Gifford Piercy (1977-80). He finished the game with seven catches for 82 yards.

• Davidson's Bryant Bednarek led all defenders with a career-high 15 tackles.

• Morehead State struck first, as Macshara broke through the line to rush 15 yards for a touchdown on the Eagles' first drive of the game.

• Carkhuff and Funsten took advantage of a blown coverage, as Funsten was alone in the end zone to make the easy touchdown catch on the ensuing Davidson drive, but Cyrus Strahm returned the kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown to put the Eagles back ahead, 14-7, with 8:31 remaining in the first quarter.

• MSU went on to score five more touchdowns, with two in the second quarter and three in the third quarter.

• Freshman quarterback Connor Hall found classmate Desi Dockery with a 25-yard touchdown pass with 1:44 remaining in the game for the final margin. The touchdown pass and reception were the first of their respective careers.

Leftovers from Morehead State

• MSU's kickoff return for a touchdown was the first Davidson had allowed since Oct. 15, 2011 at San Diego. • Davidson had its three-game winning streak over MSU snapped

• Lanny Funsten extended his Davidson career leads in receptions to 215, and receiving yards to 2,621.

• Davidson had not allowed more than 38 points in a game this season.

Davidson Makes Coaching Change

• Tripp Merritt will be released from his contract as Davidson's head football coach at the end of the season and has been relieved of his coaching responsibilities for the remaining games this season.

• Brett Hayford, who has been the associate head coach for the past eight years, will serve as the interim head coach until further notice. Hayford, a 1993 graduate of Davidson, has served on the coaching staff the past 20 years and is also the defensive line coach.

• Merritt was in his eighth season at the helm of the Wildcats. He guided the 'Cats to a 31-51 record overall during his tenure to rank fifth all-time in coaching victories at Davidson.

• Merritt held a 22-32 mark in PFL contests and was named the 2006 PFL Co-Coach of the Year, becoming the first Davidson bench boss to earn conference coach of the year honors since Homer Smith in 1969.

Air Raid Needs a Traffic Controller - Milestone Watch

• Quarterback Jonathan Carkhuff will be making his 30th start today, and Davidson owns an 8-21 record when he starts.

• He is climbing the Davidson career records lists in multiple categories.

• Most Yards in a Career (1,542 yds. to next)

1. 9376 Ryan Alexander (775-1354) 2004-08

2. 7834 Jonathan Carkhuff (795-1297) 2010-Pres.

3. 5822 Paul Nichols (465-837) 1999-02

• Most Attempts in a Career (57 to next)

1. 1354 Ryan Alexander (775-1354) 2004-08

2. 1297 Jonathan Carkhuff (795-1297) 2010-Pres.

3. 837 Paul Nichols (465-837) 1999-02

• Most Completions in a Career (2 to next)

1. 795 Jonathan Carkhuff (795-1297) 2010-Pres.

2. 775 Ryan Alexander (775-1354) 2004-08

• Most Passing Touchdowns (6 TDs to next)

1. 72 Ryan Alexander 2004-08

2. 51 Paul Nichols 1999-02

3. 45 Jonathan Carkhuff 2010-Pres.

4. 41 Gordon Slade 1967-69

• Completion Percentage in a Career (min. 400 att.)

1. 61.3 Jonathan Carkhuff (742-1208) 2010-Pres.

2. 60.2 Gordon Slade (441-732) 1967-69

Reliable Receiver - Milestone Watch

• Lanny Funsten is Davidson's all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards.

• Yards in a Career

1. 2621 Lanny Funsten (208-2539) 2010-Pres.

2. 2220 Ryan Hubbard (153-2220) 2004-07

• Receptions in a Career

1. 215 Lanny Funsten (208-2539) 2009-Pres.

2. 179 Mike Mikolayunas (179-1830) 1968-70

• Touchdown Receptions in a Career

t1. 19 Barrett Johnson 2000-03

t1. 19 Gifford Piercy 1977-80

t1. 19 Lanny Funsten 2009-Pres.

4. 18 Mike Chase 1999-02

Veteran Defender

• Senior captain Patrick Moynahan has led the Wildcats in tackles for two consecutive seasons, logging 72 stops in 2011. He already has a team-leading and career-best 98 tackles through nine games and also leads the team with 31 consecutive career starts. He needs just 19 tackles to equal the single-season record of 117 set by John Dalton in 1993. His 246 career tackles rank 11th at Davidson.

PFL Leaders

• QB Jonathan Carkhuff ranks second with 277.0 yards per game passing (12th FCS).

• WR Lanny Funsten is tops in the PFL with 7.1 receptions per game (T-12th FCS) and 88.8 yards per game (22th FCS.)

• P Chazzo Habliston leads with 40.6 yards per punt (36th FCS).

• LB Patrick Moynahan is averaging 10.9 tackles per game to rank second in the PFL (14th FCS), and is fifth in tackles for loss with 1.17 (t-46th FCS)

Weekly Honors

• PFL Defensive Player of the Week: Patrick Moynahan, Sept. 23

• PFL Special Teams Player of the Week: Chazzo Habliston, Oct. 7

• PFL Offensive Player of the Week: Lanny Funsten, Oct. 14

• CFPA Honorable Mention Performer of the Week: Patrick Moynahan (LB), Sept. 2, Sept. 23; Dan Casey (DB), Sept. 23; Reese Williams (TE), Oct. 1, Oct. 22; Chazzo Habliston (P), Oct. 7, Oct. 22.; Lanny Funsten (WR), Oct. 15; Jonathan Carkhuff (QB), Oct. 22.

SportsCenter Top 10

• Danny Martinez's touchdown reception vs. Butler Oct. 27 was featured as the No. 10.

• Reese Williams' touchdown grab vs. Jacksonville Oct. 13 was featured as the No. 4 play.

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