COMING UP: vs. Eastern Oregon, Saturday, 1 p.m.
COMPLETE WEEKLY MEDIA NOTEBOOK
LIVE LINKS: The C of I-Western game will be broadcast live on the
Yotes Digital Network (PPV - $10.00 or $25.00 for a season pass) with Mike Safford calling the action. Live Statistics will be available for fans through
C of I's SIDEARM Stats Portal.
SPECTATOR INFORMATION: Tickets for the C of I-Eastern game are currently available for online purchase through the
C of I Ticket Portal, with tickets ranging from $12.00 to $30.00. The Tailgate Zone at the J.A. Albertson Activities Center opens at 8 a.m., gates to Simplot Stadium open at 11:30 a.m., with kickoff set for 1 p.m. Spectators are strongly encouraged to wear masks to help stop the potential spread of COVID-19.
77 YEARS OF COYOTE FOOTBALL: The 2021 season marks the 77th year of Coyote football as a collegiate program (C of I competed as an Academy from 1905-16 against high school and local town teams), recording an all-time record of 306-289-28. The Yotes had a football program every season from 1905-77 (minus the 1917 season, due to World War I, and the 1943, 1944 and 1945 seasons due to World War II). The team was disbanded following the 1977 season, with the squad returning to the gridiron in 2014. C of I has now logged 5-straight winning seasons (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021), including the record-setting 11-1 campaign in 2019.
SUCCESS AT HOME: With the overtime win over Montana Western on Oct. 23, the Yotes have posted a 24-14 record at Simplot Stadium since football returned to the College in 2014. Dating back to their first game at the facility in 1964, the Coyotes have an all-time record of 44-50-2 at Simplot Stadium.
POSTSEASON APPEARANCES: The 2019 season marked the Yotes third postseason appearance in program history and their first appearance in the NAIA Football Championship Series. In 1948, C of I was selected to participate in the Pear Bowl in Medford, Ore., defeating Southern Oregon, 27-20. In 1953, an unbeaten Northwest Conference champion Coyotes played in the Refrigerator Bowl in Evansville, Ind., losing to Sam Houston State, 14-12. In 2019, the Frontier Conference champs defeated Ottawa (Ariz.), 70-23, in a first-round game in Caldwell, before losing a 14-6 quarterfinal decision to Grand View (Iowa) in Des Moines.
4-0 ON THE ROAD: The come-from-behind 17-15 win last Saturday at Southern Oregon improved the Yotes to 4-0 away from Simplot Stadium this season. It marks just the third time in program history C of I has won their first four road games of a season - as the 1953 team went 4-0 and the 2019 squad went 5-0.
TIED ATOP THE FRONTIER: C of I's win at Southern Oregon, coupled with Montana Tech's 21-17 home win over Rocky Mountain, vaults the Yotes into a first-place tie with Rocky in the Frontier Conference standings with two games remaining. The league champion, if ranked in the Top-20 of the final NAIA poll, will earn an automatic bid to the NAIA Football Championship Series. If the two teams are tied following Week 10 - the tiebreak is complicated, as if one team is ranked in the final Top-20, that team will earn the auto bid. If both teams are in the Top-20, Rocky will earn the bid, due to their 33-30 win over C of I in September. RMC ends the season with a home game vs. MSU-Northern and a road game at Montana Western, while C of I hosts EOU and travels to Carroll.
IDAHO KIDS: A total of 83 players from the State of Idaho will be in uniform on Saturday - showcasing some of the top non-Division I talent from the Gem State. The C of I roster currently has 64 players from Idaho, including six offensive starters and five defensive starters, while Eastern Oregon has 19 Idaho players on their squad.
EASTERN LOOKING TO STOP SKID: Eastern Oregon opened the 2021 season 3-0 and climbed to No. 11 in the NAIA poll. Following a 24-7 loss to the Yotes on Sept. 25, the Mountaineers have seen their losing streak run to 5-in-a-row, including a 22-20 overtime loss at MSU-Northern and a 34-27 home loss Saturday to Carroll.
SENIOR DAY: Today marks the final home regular-season game for 14 senior student-athletes –
Nick Calzaretta,
Connor Gagain,
Hunter Juarez,
Braden Bale,
Bo Stevens,
Isaiah Veal,
Miles Maupin,
Keagan McCoy,
Vince Seth,
Taeson Hardin,
Isaiah Abdul,
Jae Vitin,
Mack Roesner and
Jacob Torres. The seniors, along with senior members of the marching band and cheer staff, will be honored in a pregame ceremony.
C OF I OFFENSE VS. EASTERN DEFENSE: After a tough offensive day in the rain at Southern, the Yotes look to rekindle the attack after putting up 419 yards of offense against EOU in September. Running back
Nick Calzaretta (162 rush 776 yards 12 TD) ran for 119 yards in the first meeting and ranks No. 9 in the NAIA in rushing scores. Quarterback
Ryan Hibbs (86-of-130 965 yards 5 INT 5 TD) did not play in the first meeting, but threw for 266 yards and three scores vs. the Mounties in the spring. With the receiving group still dealing with injuries,
Jake Nadley (34 rec 297 yards 1 TD),
Connor Gagain (16 rec 156 yards 3 TD) and
John Kreps (8 rec 106 yards) have stepped up to fill the void. Eastern's defense has been solid for the majority of the season - paced by the All-America tandem of linebacker Chase Van Wyck (39 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 5 sacks) and tackle Sage DeLong (34 tackles, 12.5 TFL, 8.5 sacks) - as the duo rank among the league leaders in tackles for loss and sacks (DeLong was named Frontier Conference Player of the Week after recording six sacks last Satuday vs. Carroll). Linebackers Solo Taylor (61 tackles, 3.5 TFL) and Hayden Brandon (62 tackles, 5.5 TFL) are among the top tacklers in the Frontier, with corner Brennan Pope (26 tackles, 1 INT) leading the secondary. The Mountie defense stopped the Yotes four times in the red zone in the first meeting this season.
EASTERN OFFENSE VS. C OF I DEFENSE: On paper, it seems like a mismatch, as C of I boasts the No. 1 defense in the Frontier, allowing just 297 yards per game, while EOU ranks seventh in the league, gaining just 284 offensive yards a contest. However, the Mountaineers have a veteran group on offense, led by senior quarterback Kai Quinn (122-of-228 1,352 yards 12 INT 6 TD; 87 rush 362 yards 2 TD), who will be starting his ninth game against the Yotes. Running back Jordan Eggers (77 rush 260 yards 2 TD) is the top ball carrier, while Quinn will look to speedy receivers Tyler Brown (24 rec 348 yards 1 TD) and Isaiah Brown (25 rec 339 yards 1 TD), along with the 6-foot-4 Saige Wilkerson (26 rec 290 yards 1 TD) in the pass game. C of I will look to the same game-plan vs. EOU, as the Yotes forced six 3-and-outs in the September win and held the Mounties out of the end zone for the final 52 minutes of the contest. Defensive ends
Keagan McCoy (33 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks) and
Cole Schmidt (29 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 5.5 sacks) are among the top players at their position in the league, while linebacker
Dylan Martinez (93 tackles, 9.0 TFL, 4 FumRec) ranks No. 4 nationally in tackles. Safety
Taeson Hardin (61 tackles, 2 INT 10 PBU) is having another All-America type season, with corner
Dorian Hardin (39 tackles, 1 INT, 14 PBU) leading the team in passes defended.
C OF I / EASTERN SPECIALISTS: Special teams will be key in the contest, with both teams return units ranked among the tops in the Frontier Conference. C of I kick returner
Caden Cobb (21.5 avg) and punt returner
Hunter Gilbert (10.0 avg) have been key to the Yotes gaining field position, while Eastern punt returner Isaiah Thomas (12.9 avg) leads the circuit return average and kick returner Parker Robinson (25.9 avg) has been a spart for the Mounties. The Coyotes have rotated two kickers this season, as
Cameron Simons (13-of-13 PAT, 3-of-7 FG) handled all duties at Southern, but
Stan Mulderij (15-of-17 PAT, 2-of-5 FG) has been the starter in four games. EOU has one of the top kickers in the Frontier in senior Zachary Cahill (16-of-16 PAT, 11-of-13 FG), who has a season-long field goal of 48-yards. Coyote punter
Jacob Johnson (33.3 avg) had two punts downed inside the 20 at SOU, while Jaiden Machuca (35.9 avg) is in his second season punting for Eastern.
AMONG THE TOP DRAWS IN THE NAIA: The Coyotes have been among the Top-3 in NAIA attendance every year from 2014-19 (fans were not allowed at games during the 2020-21 spring season) and 2021 has been no different. Through four home games, C of I is averaging 3,477 fans a game – second only to Georgetown (3,500) – but well ahead of Montana Tech (3,364), Evangel (3,220), Indiana Wesleyan (2,850) and Olivet Nazarene (2,825). The Coyotes are well ahead of every Division III Northwest Conference team – including Linfield (1,859), Whitworth (1,852) and George Fox (1,774), with the remaining five teams in the league averaging less than 900 fans a game. C of I ranks ahead of 24 NCAA Division I FCS teams – including Portland State (3,168) – along with Division II Western Oregon (2,667).
WINNING SEASON: Saturday's win guaranteed a .500 or better season for the Coyotes – the fifth-straight season with a .500-or-better record (32-14 during that stretch). It marks the first time C of I has recorded 5-straight seasons at .500 or better since 1951-55 (a combined 33-12-1 record). The longest streak of .500 or better seasons was 6-straight seasons from 1924-29 under Hall of Fame coach Anse Cornell.
HISTORY OF SECOND MEETINGS: As part of the Frontier Conference scheduling pods, the Coyotes play three teams twice each season. Since 2014, C of I has posted a 10-9 record in the second meeting between teams – including wins in 10 of the last 13 games. The Yotes are 4-3 in second meetings against Southern Oregon, 3-3 against Eastern Oregon, 1-3 vs. Montana Western and 2-0 vs. Montana Tech.
RAIN GAMES: Saturday's win at Southern Oregon marked just the third true "rain" game that the Yotes have played in since 2014 – with C of I now 3-0 in the inclement weather – allowing just one touchdown in the trio of games. In 2016, C of I earned a 20-7 road win at Eastern Oregon, a night game played in a driving rainstorm. In 2019, the Yotes earned a dominating 42-0 win at Rocky Mountain, limiting the Battlin' Bears to just 121 yards of offense on the rainy day.
DELAY – PART 2: In addition to the rain Saturday, the C of I-Southern game was delayed nearly two hours prior to kickoff due to lightning. It marked the second game in program history that featured a weather delay – as the 2019 home match-up between the Coyotes and Montana Tech started 45 minutes late due to a thunderstorm (C of I won the game, 16-14, on a 58-yard game-winning field goal from Kyle Mitchell).
CALZARETTA CLOSING IN: Running back
Nick Calzaretta continues his assault on the all-time record book, breaking Steve Douglas' school mark for career rush attempts on Saturday (688), while nearing the top spot for yards and touchdowns. The senior became just the third C of I player to rush for more than 3,300 yards in a career (3,301) – needing 20 yards to catch Tom Winbigler (3,321) for No. 2 on the list and 113 yards to pass Darius-James Peterson (3,413) for the all-time lead. Calzaretta, who leads the Frontier Conference in rushing yards 776 and rushing touchdowns (12), ranks second in career rushing touchdowns (40) – six behind Peterson – and is No. 3 in total touchdowns (42).
KREPS STEPS UP: Seeing his playing time increased over the past two weeks,
John Kreps has been instrumental in the Yotes last two wins. The true freshman caught three passes at SOU for 53 yards – including a 26-yard grab that set up the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. Over the last two games, Kreps is averaging 20 yards per reception and is averaging 15.8 yards per grab on the season.
NADLEY FINDS HIS ROLE: Third-year Coyote
Jake Nadley led the Yotes in receptions for the second-straight game, catching five passes for 33 yards. Nadley leads C of I with 34 receptions, ranking among the Top-10 in the Frontier Conference, with his total among the Top-15 by a Coyote in a single season.
TOUGH DAY IN THE RAIN FOR THE OFFENSE: The rain in Ashland slowed down the Coyote offense, as C of I was limited to just 209 yards in the road win. The Yotes rushed for 54 yards – the fewest rushing yards by C of I since a 2018 loss, while the 209 yards of offense the fewest by the squad since football returned in 2014.
SCHMIDT FILLS THE STAT SHEET: Saturday was a big day for
Cole Schmidt, as the second-year Coyote earned Frontier Conference Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Schmidt had four tackles and a sack to lead the C of I defense, adding an interception to seal the victory – while his fourth quarter blocked punt and return for a touchdown provided the winning score. His sack pushed his season total to 5.5 sacks – ranking No. 4 in the Frontier Conference.
BLOCKED PUNTS: The blocked punt for a touchdown by
Cole Schmidt marked the seventh blocked punt and third returned for a score since 2014. C of I blocked three punts in 2017 – including a Jordan Nero block vs. Montana Western that Mike Kirby returned for a touchdown, while in 2018, Levi Russo-Bell blocked a punt at Eastern Oregon that
Isaiah Abdul returned for a score. Other blocked punts included Josh Price vs. Southern Oregon in 2017, Segun Olubi vs. Montana Tech in 2017, Kai Walter at Montana Western in 2018 and
Keagan McCoy vs. Eastern Oregon in 2019.
MARTINEZ LEADS THE NAIA: With nine tackles at Southern Oregon, linebacker
Dylan Martinez took over the Frontier Conference lead in tackles with 93 – ranking No. 4 in the NAIA – and No. 3 on the C of I single-season list (trailing only Nate Moore, who had 119 tackles in 2016 and 96 in 2017). The junior also recovered his fourth fumble of the season in the win, tying for the NAIA lead in recoveries, upping his school record in the category to seven.
SECONDARY LOCKS DOWN SOUTHERN: The Yotes held SOU under their season passing yard average for a second time this season – thanks to the play of both Hardin brothers.
Taeson Hardin had nine tackles in the victory – pushing his season total to 61, adding his third forced fumble of the season. His younger brother,
Dorian Hardin, had five tackles and four pass break-ups and leads the squad with 14 passes defended on the year.
TACKLES GETTING HEALTHY: C of I has increased its depth at the defensive tackle position in recent weeks – as 2020 all-conference pick
Gino Allen made his season debut at Southern Oregon. In addition,
Vince Seth return to action after missing time due to injury, while
Alex Ojukwu has moved from end to tackle. The trio join
Brad Cushman, who has started all eight games, along with
Tanner Sackman and
T.J. Seguritan. The crew has combined to make 56 tackles and five sacks on the year.
SIMONS HAS PERFECT DAY: Cameron Simons handled all placekicking duties on Saturday and converted a three key boots in the victory. Simons converted a 31-yard field goal early in the third quarter to get C of I on the board – his longest field goal make of the season – while giving the squad their first lead with a fourth quarter extra point. For the season, Simons is a perfect 13-of-13 on extra points – one of two kickers in the league who have yet to miss a PAT.
RECORD BOOK: A total of 12 players find themselves on the career Top-25 record list, including
Nick Calzaretta, who holds the school record for rushing attempts (688), ranking No. 2 in rushing touchdowns (40), No. 3 in rushing yards (3,301), total touchdowns (42) and in touchdowns responsible for (42), No. 4 in points scored (250) and is No. 6 in total offense (3,301).
Hunter Juarez ranks No. 3 in receiving yards (1,924), No. 4 in receptions (97), No. 5 in receiving touchdowns (13), No. 19 in total touchdowns scored (13), No. 23 in points scored (78) and No. 24 in touchdowns responsible for (13);
Connor Gagain is No. 10 in touchdown receptions (7) and No. 16 in both receptions (65) and in receiving yards (631);
Ryan Hibbs is No. 8 in touchdown passes (10) and passing yards (1,617), No. 9 in pass completions (131) and is No. 11 in pass attempts (208);
Stan Mulderij is No. 6 in field goals made (4) and No. 9 in extra points made (24);
Cameron Simons is for No. 6 in field goals (3) and No. 15 in extra points made (14);
Isaiah Veal is No. 10 in touchdown receptions (7) and No. 19 in receiving yards (569); with
Jack Rice No. 12 in touchdown passes (6), No. 16 in pass completions (53) and in passing yards (667) and No. 19 in pass attempts (109). Defensively,
Keagan McCoy holds the school record for sacks (16.5), ranking No. 4 in tackles for loss (25.0) and No. 14 in tackles (117);
Isaiah Abdul is No. 13 in interceptions (5) and No. 13 in tackles (121);
Taeson Hardin is No. 9 in tackles (149) and No. 10 in interceptions (6); with
Dylan Martinez No. 1 in fumble recoveries (7), No. 8 in tackles (163) and No. 22 in interceptions (3). Ten players have cracked the single-season Top-25, as Martinez ranks No. 3 in total tackles (93); Calzaretta ranks No. 7 in total touchdowns (13) and rushing touchdowns (12), No. 8 in rush attempts (162), No. 10 in points scored (78) and No. 11 in rushing yards (776); Hibbs is No. 10 in pass completions (86), No. 14 in passing yards (965), No. 17 in pass attempts (130) and No. 19 in touchdown passes (5); Rice is No. 16 in touchdown passes (6), No. 19 in pass completions (53) and attempts (109) and No. 22 in passing yards (667),
Jake Nadley is No. 14 in receptions (34), Gagain and Veal rank No. 22 in touchdown receptions (3), while Juarez ranks No. 23 in receiving yards (384); Mulderij is No. 13 in extra points made (15) and Simons is No. 18 in extra points made (13).
LOOKING AHEAD: The Coyotes close out the regular-season next Saturday with a Noon kickoff at Carroll College in Helena.
