Miami Ohio University Athletics
RedHawks Face Huskies in DeKalb
10/13/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
Miami RedHawks (1-6, 1-2 MAC)
at Northern Illinois Huskies (4-2, 1-1 MAC)
Game 8: Sat., Oct. 18 • 5:00 p.m.
Huskie Stadium (23,595) - DeKalb, Ill.
Series vs. NIU: Miami Leads 8-7-0
Series Streak: Miami - 1
Last Meeting: Dec. 3, 2010 (Miami, 26-21)
Television: ESPN3 • Shawn Kenney (PxP) and Rocky Boiman (Analyst)
Radio: Miami Sports Network • Steve Baker (PxP), Tim Bray (Analyst), Terry Bridge (sideline)
Twitter Tidbits
• The Miami University football team is in its 126th season of football and has an all-time record of 669-428-44 (.606).
• Miami is coming off a 29-19 loss last Saturday at Akron and has a 1-6 overall and 1-2 Mid-American Conference record entering the contest with NIU.
• Head coach Chuck Martin is in his first year. Martin spent the past four seasons at Notre Dame and was 74-7 as a head coach for Grand Valley State University from 2004-09. He comes into Saturday’s contest with a 75-13 record as a head coach.
• Miami leads the all-time series 8-7-0 over Northern Illinois. The last time these two teams squared off was in the MAC Championship Game back in 2010 (Dec. 3), a contest Miami won 26-21.
• Andrew Hendrix currently ranks eighth in the nation in passing yards (2,131), ninth in passing touchdowns (17) and 16th in total offense per game (324.6).
• David Frazier ranks seventh in receiving yards (707) and 16th in yards per game (101.0) in the nation.
Need To Know
• Miami football ranks first all-time in the Mid-American Conference in wins (668), MAC Championships (15), bowl appearances (10) and bowl wins (7).
• In 126 years of Miami football, the RedHawks have had just 31 losing seasons. Since joining the MAC in 1948 (66 years) Miami has had just 14 losing seasons.
• Since 2006 it has been a different story. Miami has had losing seasons in seven of the last eight years, which includes just one MAC Championship (2010).
• Two weeks ago, the RedHawks snapped a 21-game losing streak last versus UMass. Miami’s previous win was on Oct. 27, 2012 at home versus Ohio (23-20).
• Head coach Chuck Martin, who earned that title on Dec. 3, 2013, brings an impressive resume to Oxford, Ohio. Not only was he 74-7 in six years at Grand Valley State (2004-09), he has coached in seven national championship games in the past 13 seasons. He has twice been named the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) National Coach of the Year and has been a coordinator on both sides of the ball.
• Martin brought in nine new assistant coaches with him, four of which coached with him during his time at Grand Valley State: Matt Pawlowski (Defensive Coordinator), Eric Koehler (Co-Offensive Coordinator/QB), George Barnett (Co-Offensive Coordinator/OL) and Bill Brechin (Wide Receivers). Pat Welsh (Tight Ends) played for Coach Martin at GVSU.
About Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois enters Saturday’s contest with a 4-2 overall and 1-1 record in the MAC. Offensively they are led by quarterback Drew Hare, who has thrown for 10 touchdowns and has just one interception on the season. Hare is also third on the team with 235 yards rushing and two scores. NIU comes into Saturday’s game averaging 29.0 points per game.
Defensively, the Huskies allow 25.3 points and 387.7 yards per game. They are led by Marlon Moore, who has 51 tackles this season.
Series Versus NIU
Miami holds a slight 8-7-0 all-time advantage over Northern Illinois including a 26-21 win back on Dec. 3, 2010 in the MAC Championship Game, which is also the last time these two teams have met. In DeKalb, the series is tied at 3-3. Miami has not beaten NIU on the road since 1998.
Recapping Akron
The RedHawks out-gained Akron 412-318, but three costly turnovers and 12 penalties doomed the Red and White last Saturday at Akron (29-19). In the loss, Andrew Hendrix threw for 352 yards, a majority of those going to senior wide receiver, David Frazier (132)
#MACTION Season Continues
Saturday’s contest versus NIU is the fourth of eight-straight MAC games for Miami to close the regular season.
Major Change
Is it possible that a college football team can have such a drastic change in passing offense in a single season? Last year Miami averaged 124.3 passing yards per game, which ranked 119th in the country. This season, Miami is 22nd with 304.4 passing yards per game. That’s a 180.1 yard per game improvement in the passing game.
Hendrix Leads The Way
While senior quarterback Andrew Hendrix has not yet even been on campus for an entire year (transfer from Notre Dame), he has taken the reigns of the Miami offense in a hurry. Through seven games he has completed 142-of-290 passes for 2,131 yards and 17 touchdowns. Hendrix is currently on pace for 3,653 yards and 29 touchdowns. His current pace would rank him second in Miami history for yards and passing touchdowns in a single season.
Blown Away
Andrew Hendrix has surpassed every passing number Miami had last season, despite the RedHawks still having five games to play. In all of last season Miami completed 131 passes for 1,491 yards and eight touchdowns. Hendrix has already surpassed all three marks in touchdowns (17), passing yards (2,131) and completions (142).
Figured It Out
You think Andrew Hendrix has figured out this Chuck Martin offense? In the last two games he has completed 56-of-99 passes for 789 yards and seven touchdowns, while throwing just one interception. Two weeks ago he was named ESPN.com’s Capital One Impact Performer of the Week after throwing for 437 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-41 win over UMass and this past week he registered 352 yards passing and three more scores. He has also added 118 yards rushing and one score in the last two weeks combined.
Streak Snapped
Hendrix threw an interception late versus Akron to have a streak of 134 consecutive passes thrown without an interception snapped. Since throwing three picks in a loss to Eastern Kentucky, the senior has thrown just three interceptions in his last four games (163 pass attempts), an average of one interception per 54.3 passes thrown.
Fighting Irish
Joining Andrew Hendrix on the offensive side of the ball from Notre Dame is tight end Alex Welch. Welch, who caught just one pass in 22 games for the Fighting Irish, has 17 catches for 218 yards and two touchdowns in six games with Miami. Two weeks ago he set career-highs in catches (5) and yards (63), while being named the John Mackey Tight End of the Week.
Welch Named to John Mackey Midseason Watch List
The John Mackey Award, given to the nation’s top tight end has announced its mid-season watch list and Miami University’s Alex Welch is one of the honorees. Welch, a fifth-year senior and a transfer from Notre Dame, is fourth on the team with 17 receptions for 218 yards and two touchdowns. He opened his Miami career with four catches for 28 yards and a score versus Marshall, had two catches for 59 yards and a touchdown at Buffalo and set career-bests in catches (5) and yards (63) in a 42-41 win over UMass. Welch was later named the John Mackey Tight End of the Week following his efforts versus the Minutemen.
RedHawks Named MAC Player of the Week This Season
• Quinten Rollins was named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week (week 3) following a performance at Michigan that included eight tackles and an interception.
• David Frazier was named MAC East Offensive Player of the Week (week 4) after recording five catches for 162 yards and two touchdowns in a loss versus Cincinnati. Earned the same award in week 7 versus Akron after recording nine grabs for 132 yards and two touchdowns.
• Andrew Hendrix earned MAC East Offensive Player of the Week after completing 32-of-58 passes for 437 yards and four touchdowns, while adding 91 yards on the ground in week six versus UMass.
Frazier Streaking
Through seven games this season, David Frazier has four 100-yard games. He opened the year with 109 yards versus Marshall and added 106 the following week versus Eastern Kentucky. He established a career-best 162 versus Cincinnati and had 132 versus Akron. Frazier is just one of five RedHawks in school history (Nick Harwell, Martin Nance, Ryne Robinson, Armand Robinson and Andy Schillinger) to have at least four 100-yard games in a single season.
Frazier Named MAC East Offensive Player of the Week
For the second time this season David Frazier has been named Mid-American Conference East Division Offensive Player of the Week following his performance last week at Akron. The announcement was made by the league office on Monday (Oct. 13) morning. Frazier finished the contest versus the Zips with nine receptions (career-high) for 132 yards and two touchdowns in a 29-19 loss. His touchdown grabs were from 18 and three yards out.
Earlier this year, the senior earned the same award after recording five catches for a career-high 162 yards and two touchdowns in the 31-24 loss versus Cincinnati inside Paul Brown Stadium. The Columbia, South Carolina, native has established career-bests in receptions (40), yards (707) and touchdowns (4) this season and was recently named to the Biletnikoff Watch List.
Breakout Party
Freshman wide receiver Sam Martin came into the UMass game with three career receptions. Versus the Minutemen, he had four receiving touchdowns, which matched a Miami/Yager Stadium record. In all, Martin finished the contest with eight catches for 111 yards and those four scores.
RedHawks In The MAC
• Andrew Hendrix is second in passing per game (304.4) and first in total offense per game (324.6).
• David Frazier ranks sixth in receptions per game (5.7) and second in receiving yards per game (101.0).
• Kaleb Patterson is ninth in kicker scoring (33 points).
• Jarrell Jones ranks 12th in tackles per game (8.4) and first in fumble recoveries (3)
• Bryson Albright is second in sacks (5.0)
• Quinten Rollins ranks first in the MAC in interceptions (4) and pass defenses (12).
• Tre Clifton leads the MAC with three forced fumbles.
Man of Steals
Quinten Rollins, who spent the past four seasons with the Miami men’s basketball team, began playing football for the RedHawks during the spring. Rollins, who ranks 12th in MAC history with 214 career steals on the basketball court, has added a different sort of steal this season on the football field. Rollins recorded his first career interception versus EKU, with a jumping catch in the endzone to save a touchdown and added his second interception the following week at the Big House. He added a career-high two interceptions versus UC.
Other Rollins Basketball Stats
• Finished his career ranked second at Miami and 12th in MAC history in steals (214).
• One of only 15 players in MAC history to reach 200 steals.
• Ranked fourth all-time at Miami in assists (391), seventh in games started (106) and ninth in minutes played (3,448).
• Played in 116 career games.
Prove the SID Wrong
Quinten Rollins is believed to be the first college athlete to ever score a basket versus Duke inside Cameron Indoor, intercept a pass versus Michigan inside Michigan Stadium and intercept a pass inside Paul Brown Stadium. Rollins was 1-of-6 shooting versus the Blue Devils as a freshman during the 2009-10 season and intercepted a pass as a fifth-year senior inside the Big House and at Paul Brown Stadium.
Fast Learner
Rollins’ four interceptions rank fourth and his 12 pass defenses rank third in the nation. Not bad for a former basketball player that just completed his seventh career collegiate football game.
Middle Linebacker Machine
In his last 18 games, Kent Kern has seven double-digit tackle performances, including 13 stops versus Marshall and 10 against EKU to open the 2014 campaign. Kern, who was named second-team All-MAC last season led the team with 98 tackles in 2013 and is sixth in the MAC with 39 stops this season.
Quick Impact
In his first career start, Tre Clifton had six tackles and two forced fumbles in the win over UMass. His first forced fumble came inside the Miami redzone as UMass was looking to take a 21-0 lead. His second credited turnover helped Miami set up the game-winning touchdown midway through the fourth quarter. Clifton is currently third in the country with three forced fumbles.
