Posted: Oct 05, 2018
Road swing continues with trip to Redlands
Chapman at Redlands
Saturday, October 6, 2018
Ted Runner Stadium (Redlands, Calif.)
7 p.m.
Live Stats | Video | Notes
THE MATCHUP
The last two SCIAC champions collide in Redlands on Saturday for a 7 p.m. kickoff. Redlands and Chapman have combined to win four of the last five SCIAC titles. Chapman comes into the matchup at 2-1 with Redlands owning a 3-1 record.
TEAMS AT THE TOP
Since Chapman joined the SCIAC in 2012, Chapman and Redlands have combined to win four of the six conference titles. Redlands claimed the titles in 2013 and 2016. Both Bulldog title runs were immediately followed by Panther championship seasons in 2014 and 2017.
DRAGGING DOWN THE QB
Chapman's front seven leads the nation in sacks per game. With 17 sacks in three games this season, the Panthers are averaging 5.67 sacks per game. That average leads all of Division III and is tied for the best average at any level of NCAA football. Two Panthers rank in the top-100 individually in Division III, senior Matt Layton's three sacks equating to one per game and ranking 32nd in the country. Senior Andrew Dieken ranks third in the SCIAC, averaging 0.83 sacks per game with two and a half so far this year. The Panthers have 12 different players that have recorded at least half of a sack through the first three games.
MORE ON DIEKEN
Dieken is putting the finishing touches on a solid career of wreaking havoc in the backfield. The senior defensive end is climbing the Panthers' career record books in both sacks and tackles for loss. His 13.5 sacks rank third all-time and also rank in the top-50 of active Division III players. His 24 career tackles for loss rank seventh all-time at Chapman.
PUNT COVERAGE
Head coach Bob Owens didn't have to call on All-American punter Elias Deeb once during the Panthers blowout win over Whittier. Despite not punting once in the SCIAC-opening win, Deeb and the punt team lead the nation in punting. The Panthers average a 41-yard change of possession on each punt with Deeb averaging 44.6 yards per punt. Opponents have had just three opportunities to return a Deeb punt with 60 percent of Deeb's punts landing inside the 20 and four being called for a fair catch.
GROUND GAME PICKS UP
The Panthers running game enjoyed a breakout performance against Whittier, racking up 270 yards and averaging 6.6 yards per rush. Junior Derek Bauerle had the best game of his career last Saturday with 18 rushes for 132 yards. Sophomore Nicholas Callen broke off a 52-yard run – the longest run of the season for Chapman – for the first TD run of his career. Ten different Panthers heard their number called and carried the ball at least once against Whittier.
VILL POWER
Junior Trevor Vill put up his third consecutive 100-yard game against Whittier but needed just four catches to do it. An 82-yard catch-and-run accounted for the majority of those yards as Vill crossed the field and sprinted down the sideline for the Panthers third TD of the third quarter. His 24 catches and 438 receiving yards puts him well ahead of the pace for the Panther records.
STILL NEAR THE TOP
With the running game working and a blowout win, senior Ian Fieber needed to throw the ball just 18 times in the three quarters he was in the game. Fieber completed 13-of-18 for 212 yards and a pair of TDs – both to Vill. He has completed over 65 percent of his passes in all three games and still ranks fifth in Division III with 341 yards per game. He eclipsed 1,000 yards for the season in the win over Whittier.
ABOUT REDLANDS
Redlands has relied heavily on its defense through the first four games of the season. Every Bulldogs' game has been decided by less than 14 points with opposing teams averaging less than 15 points per game. The Bulldogs have done a lot of damage up front, allowing just 37.5 rushing yards per game – the eighth-best run defense in Division III. The offense averages less than 300 yards per game with only 136.3 yards per game coming through the air. Senior Levi Plante has scored all five of their touchdowns on the ground and thrown for three more.
ROAD WARRIORS
The Bulldogs return to their home turf for the first time since the Sep. 1 season-opener against George Fox. Redlands made two trips to the Northwest and started the SCIAC schedule on the road at Pomona-Pitzer. Chapman is playing its third consecutive game on the road after travelling to Whitworth and starting the SCIAC season at Whittier.
WE'RE WITH YOU, 77
Just before his junior season on the Chapman football team, Hunter Spriggs was diagnosed with Leukemia. After receiving treatment, he received a second diagnosis last spring and is currently battling that second diagnosis. In a display of solitude with their brother, a Chapman football player will wear Spriggs' number 77 jersey in each of Chapman's games this year.
Game 1: Alec Kohn
Game 2: Ryan Moles
Game 3: Owen Savage