University of St. Thomas Athletics
Stetson
St. Thomas looks to rebound with win at Stetson
10/19/2023 10:00:00 AM | Football
Tommies suffered first PFL loss in nearly two years on Saturday
ST. PAUL, MINN. – Rebounding isn't a skill usually associated with football, especially at the University of St. Thomas. However, the Tommies find themselves in that exact position. After a disappointing 52-21 loss at Drake University last weekend, St. Thomas is looking for big rebound win in Pioneer Football League (PFL) play and will travel to Stetson University to try and earn it.
The Tommies and Hatters will square off for the third time in program history at 12:00 p.m. CT at Spec Martin Memorial Stadium in DeLand, Florida. Tickets for the game are still available and can be purchased at gohatters.com. Fans who cannot attend the game in person an watch on ESPN+ and tune in to the live radio call on 1500 ESPN. Live stats will also be available as well, and score updates will be made on Twitter.
Tommie Tidbits:
LAST TIME OUT: Iowa was not kind to St. Thomas, as the Tommies suffered their first Pioneer Football League (PFL) loss of the 2023 season last Saturday at Drake. St. Thomas saw its 13 game conference win streak snappetd, as the Bulldogs handed the Tommies a 52-21 loss in Des Moines, Iowa. St. Thomas kept pace with Drake in the first half, trailing 24-21 at halftime after a last second field goal by the Bulldogs kicker. However, the Tommies were outscored 21-0 in the third quarter, resulting in the devastating loss.
THE OPPOSITION: Like Drake and Butler, Stetson is one of the most improved teams in the PFL this season. Third year head coach Brian Young has led the Hatters to a 3-3 record, including a 1-2 mark in PFL play. In fact, for the third consecutive season, Stetson opened the season with a 2-0 record thanks to nonconference wins over St. Thomas University and Webber International. Two of the Hatters three wins this season, including the season opening victory over the other St. Thomas, were by a touchdown or less, while all of their losses have been by 10 points or more.
REBOUND WINS: Since head coach Glenn Caruso took over in 2008, the Tommies are 27-1 in games following a loss. Of note: Caruso never lost back-to-back games as St. Thomas' head coach until earlier this season, where he lost to South Dakota and (RV) Harvard back-to-back weekends. Entering Saturday's contest, the head coach has a .964 winning percentage in games following a loss and has never lost back-to-back contests in PFL play.
MAD HATTERS: Stetson is one of the most penalized teams in the PFL this season. The Hatters have been called for 15 penalties for 136 yards through three conference games. Their 15 penalties rank third in conference play this season, though their 45.33 penalty yards per game average ranks towards the bottom. On the flip side, St. Thomas has only taken 30 penalties in PFL play, but all 30 of those penalties have been for big yardage. The Tommies currently rank fourth in the conference in penalty yards per game, averaging 71.25. They also rank third in penalty yards taken with 285.
DEFENSIVE STATE OF MIND: The Stetson and St. Thomas football rosters possess seven of the top tacklers in the PFL this season. Entering Saturday's game, the Hatters Andrew Martin and Nicholas Lerew rank third and fourth in the conference in total tackles with 36 and 35 respectively. The Tommies Jack Mohler and Jonathan Bunce are no slouches either. Mohler and Bunce have both tallied 28 tackles this season, while Mohler leads the conference in tackles for loss with six total entering Saturday's game at Stetson.
HOME SWEET HOME: Thanks to home losses by Clemson and Cincinnati, the Tommies entered the 2023 season with the longest home field win streak at any level of college football. St. Thomas kept the streak alive this past weekend, winning its 29th consecutive game at O'Shaughnessy Stadium with a 17-10 win over Butler. The Tommies have not lost on their home field for over 2500 consecutive days, and their last loss came at the hands of UW-Oshkosh on December 3, 2016.
HALFTIME LEAD: The Tommies have won 16 consecutive games in the Division I era when leading at the half. In fact, St. Thomas' last loss when leading at the half occurred on October 19, 2019 when they were still a member of the MIAC. The Tommies led rival Saint John's 14-13 entering the half in a neutral site game at Allianz Field. The Johnnies outscored St. Thomas 25-6 in the second half of the game, beating the Tommies 38-20 in the final meeting between the teams in the Division III era. St. Thomas has yet to lose a game when leading at the half in the Division I era.
LONGEST YARD: Elliot Huether has made a name for himself as the Tommies punter in 2023. This weekend, he continued to make history, etching his name in the record books by becoming the first St. Thomas punter in the Division I era with a kick for over 70 yards. Huether's punt of 72 yards against Drake on Saturday is the longest in program history in the Division I era and the first to break 70 yards.
BLOCKAGE: Ryan Sever is known for his prowess on special teams. Prior to Matt Rink's blocked punt against Morehead State in September, Sever was the last Tommie to record a blocking punt in a game. On Saturday against the Bulldogs, he became the first player in the Division I era to block two punts in a single game. Teammate Lucas Torgerson became the second Tommie to return a blocked punt for a touchdown the 2023 season, which is also a first for St. Thomas. According to available records, the Tommies have never returned a blocked punt for a touchdown multiple times in a season in the DI era.
"TAK"TFULLY BRILLIANT: Freshman Tak Tateoka has been nothing short of brilliant since taking over as the team's starting quarterback in September. On Wednesday, Tateoka became the first freshman QB in the DI era named to the Jerry Rice Award Watch List. The Jerry Rice Award is given annually to the FCS Freshman of the Year, and Tateoka was one of 22 freshman/first years named to the list. In seven games, the freshman has amassed 598 passing yards, completing 60 of 123 passes, and a 120.33 QBR. He additionally has thrown for five touchdowns and connected with 15 different receivers this season.
OCTOBER SUCCESS: The month of October has treated St. Thomas well since head coach Glenn Caruso took over in 2008. The Tommies are 54-8 in October during Caruso's tenure and 9-2 since making the leap to Division I. St. Thomas lost its second October game of the Division I era on Saturday when Drake defeated them 52-21. The Tommies only other October loss in the DI era was handed to them by San Diego in 2021.
THIRD DOWN BLUES: Since beating Morehead State 35-28 on a last-minute drive, St. Thomas has recorded just one first down in the fourth quarter. In fact, the Tommies were held first down less in the second half of two games: the September 30 game at Dayton and this past weekend against the Bulldogs. Despite their recent struggled, the Tommies third down conversion rate is still 39.4% this season, while their fourth down conversation rate is 43.8%.
LONG ROAD HOME: It's no secret that St. Thomas is one of the best teams in football at home. The Tommies have won 29 consecutive games at O'Shaughnessy Stadium, but their road record, especially as of late, leaves something to be desired. St. Thomas is just 8-7 on the road since making the lead to Division I in 2021 and is 1-3 in road games this season (albeit two of those losses were against now top-25 opponents). However, since the Tommies last home field loss in 2016, the team is 23-12 in road games compared to 29-0 at home.
