2013-2014
Football
Football
BRENDON CUNNINGHAM SPENCER LENO
2013 Quick Facts General
School Name.........................................Wittenberg University Location............................................. Springfield, Ohio 45501 Founded..........................................................................1845 Enrollment......................................................................1,950 Nickname......................................................................Tigers Home Field.......................................... Edwards-Maurer Field Capacity.........................................................................3,000 National Affiliation...................................... NCAA Division III Conference.......................... North Coast Athletic Conference President................................................ Laurie Joyner, Ph.D. Alma Mater.................Loyola University New Orleans, 1986 Interim Athletics Director.............................. Dr. Jeff Ankrom Alma Mater...................................................Otterbein, 1978 Athletics Phone............................................. (937) 327-6450
Coaching Staff
Head Coach....................................................... Joe Fincham Alma Mater.......................................... Ohio University (‘88) Record at Wittenberg......................................... 154-35 (17) Career Record.............................................................. Same Football Office.............................................. (937) 327-6498 Recruiting Coordinator........Jake Bowman (Wittenberg ‘08) E-mail.......................................... bowmanj@wittenberg.edu Phone............................................................. 937-327-6497 Offensive Coord./QBs..... Andy Mitchel (Wis.-Platteville ‘03) Defensive Coord./LBs............ Sean Ross (Waynesburg ‘04) Cornerbacks...............................Dan Bauder (Wartburg ‘09) Running Backs.........................Ben Zoeller (Wittenberg ‘12) Defensive Line............................ Tom Mescher (Findlay ‘97) Off. Tackles/Tight Ends............. Dan Smith (Wittenberg ‘08) Centers/Guards............................... Joe Fincham (Ohio ‘88) Linebackers................................ John Derr (Wittenberg ‘10) Special Teams......................... Matt Gallatin (Wittenberg ‘01) Wide Receivers.................. Michael Cooper (Wittenberg ‘11) Strength................................... Sean Ross (Waynesburg ‘04) Athletic Trainer................................................ Ellen Crosbie Assistant Athletic Trainer.............................. Molly Hopkins Assistant Athletic Trainer............................Greg Schneider
REED FLORENCE
Football History
First Year.........................................................................1892 All-Time Record..................717-350-32 (.667 - 119 seasons) NCAC Championships....................................................... 11 NCAA Tournament Appearances......................................16 Last NCAA Tournament Appearance............................2012 Results.......................W, 52-38 at Heidelberg (First Round) ....................................... L, 10-35 at Hobart (Second Round)
Team Information
2012 Overall Record........................................................10-2 2012 NCAC Record (Finish) ................................. 6-1 (T-1st) Letterwinners Returning....................................................48 Offense: 28; Defense: 19; Special Teams: 1
Letterwinners Lost.............................................................14 Offense: 4; Defense 9; Special Teams: 1
Starters Returning..............................................................16 Offense: 9; Defense: 6; Special Teams: 1
Starters Lost.........................................................................8 Offense: 2; Defense: 5; Special Teams: 1
Offense..................................................................... Multiple I Defense................................................................ Multiple 4-3
Find the Tigers on EVAN KILLILEA
www.facebook.com/WittenbergAthletics CREDITS: 2013-14 Team Viewbook designed by John Strawn ‘07, associate director of sports information Photography by university photographer Erin Pence ‘04, Kate Causbie ‘14 and David Pence
Head Coach Head Coach Joe Fincham Joe Fincham has built on the long, proud Wittenberg football tradition, becoming just the second coach in program history to amass more than 100 career wins since becoming head coach prior to the 1996 season. In 2010, Fincham broke the school record for football coaching victories, surpassing National College Football Hall of Famer Dave Maurer, who had 129 win between 1969 and 1983. Fincham has led the Tigers to a 154-35 overall record, including a North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC)-best 102-16 record during that time. His teams have captured nine NCAC titles (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012), and Wittenberg has reached the NCAA Division III Tournament eight times during his tenure as head coach (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012). Fincham has also earned numerous coaching honors, including seven NCAC Coach of the Year designations (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2009, 2010), American Football Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year in 1998 and 2009 and Ohio College Football.com Coach of the Year in 2009. He was considered an ideal choice to take over Wittenberg’s coaching reins when hired in March 1996 after serving as an assistant for six years at Wittenberg. Fincham tutored the offensive line and served as Head Coach Doug Neibuhr’s chief aide on offense. As an assistant, Fincham was an integral part of teams that posted a combined record of 47-12-1 (.797), won two North Coast Athletic Conference championships and made an appearance in the 1995 NCAA Division III playoffs. He has successfully upheld the unmatched winning tradition established by the previous coaches of the “modern era” of Tiger football - National College Football Hall of Famers Bill Edwards and Dave Maurer, Ron Murphy and Neibuhr. During his tenure as offensive line coach (a job he continues to hold), he has tutored 10 All-America offensive linemen: Doug Cochran (1990), Mark Chubb (1994), Ron Cunningham (1995), Xan Smith (1996), Jonathan Farley (1997), Aaron Shaffer (1998), Mark Sunderman (2000), Chad Thompson (2002 and 2003), Brad Kassner (2003), Tim Funke (2006) and Dillon Hollin (2009). In addition, Fincham helped coach an offense which has put up record numbers since 1990. In 1995, the Tiger offense averaged a school-record 484.1 yards per game (third in Division III) and 304.0 ypg rushing (fourth). In 1990, Tiger tailback Jon Warga led Division III in rushing with 1,836 yards and he combined with teammate Jeff Stockdale to set a Division III record for yards rushing by two running backs, 2,563 yards. In 2000, tailback Casey Donaldson set school and conference records for rushing, scoring and touchdowns under Fincham’s guidance. In recent years, the Tigers ranked among the nation’s best in total offense and scoring offense several times, and in 2006 Tristan Murray shattered school records for consecutive 100-yard rushing games and 100-yard rushing games in a season. American Football Quarterly Magazine named former head coach Doug Neibuhr and Fincham as Division III “Co-Offensive Coordinators of the Year” in 1995. A native of Williamstown, W.Va., Fincham was a four-year letterwinner and threeyear starter at Ohio University. He served as team captain in 1986. A 1988 graduate of OU, Fincham received a scholar-athlete award from the university and earned a master’s degree from the school as well.
Fincham’s previous coaching experience includes two years as a graduate assistant at OU and one season as offensive coordinator at Urbana University. He ranks among the top active coaches in college football (based on winning percentage), he led the program to its 600th all-time victory in 1999 and its 700th all-time victory in 2011, and he has a playoff record of 10-8. Fincham resides in Springfield with his wife, Rita, and their children, Mac, Samantha and Annie.
THE FINCHAM FILE Born: October 6, 1964 Hometown: Williamstown, W.Va. Alma Mater: Ohio University ‘88 College Coaching Experience: 1987-89 Grad. Asst., Ohio Univ. 1989-90 Off. Coordinator, Urbana University 1991-96 Off. Coordinator/Off. Line Coach, Wittenberg University 1996-present Head Coach, Wittenberg University Fincham Year-by-Year: Overall NCAC Year W L Pct. W L Pct. 1996 9 1 .900 7 1 .875 1997 9 1 .900 7 1 .875 1998 11 1 .917 8 0 1.000 1999 11 1 .917 6 0 1.000 2000 12 1 .929 7 0 1.000 2001 11 2 .846 7 0 1.000 2002 10 2 .833 6 1 .857 2003 8 2 .800 4 2 .667 2004 7 3 .700 5 2 .714 2005 5 5 .500 5 2 .714 2006 7 4 .636 6 1 .857 2007 8 2 .800 6 1 .857 2008 6 4 .600 4 3 .571 2009 12 1 .923 7 0 1.000 2010 10 1 .909 6 0 1.000 2011 8 2 .800 5 1 .833 2012 10 2 .833 6 1 .857 Totals 154 35 .815 102 16 .864 Coaching Honors: NCAC Coach of the Year (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2009, 2010) AFCA/District IV Coach of the Year (1998, 2009) Am. Football Quarterly Co-Off. Coordinator of the Year (1995) Ohio College Football.com Coach of the Year (2009) Playing Experience and Honors: 1983-86 - Starter and Letterwinner, Ohio University 1986 - Team Captain, Ohio University
Head Coaching Ledger Name Ernie Godfrey T.W. Stobbs Carl “Ducky” Schroeder Richard Ainslie Howard “Red” Maurer Harold Shields R.E. “Tom” Ness Bill Edwards Dave Maurer Ron Murphy Doug Neibuhr Joe Fincham
Year(s) Seasons Games Wins Losses Ties Win Pct. 1916; 1919-28 11 95 63 24 8 .705 1929-41 13 110 54 54 2 .500 1942 1 7 1 5 1 .214 1945 1 7 3 4 0 .429 1946-48 3 25 8 17 0 .320 1949 1 9 2 7 0 .222 1950-54 5 46 20 25 1 .446 1955-68 14 122 98 20 4 .820 1969-83 15 155 129 23 3 .842 1984-88 5 51 34 17 0 .667 1989-95 7 69 50 18 1 .732 1996-present 16 189 154 35 0 .815
2013-2014 FOOTBALL
A HISTORY OF SUCCESS SEASON SINCE 1955 Best Across All Divisions of the NCAA 1 LOSING IN THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL H.O.F. Head Coach Ernie Godfrey (1916, ‘19-28) • Head Coach Bill Edwards (1955-68) 4 REPRESENTATIVES Head Coach Dave Maurer (1969-83) • QB Charlie Green (1961-64)
5 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 1962 • 1964 • 1969 • 1973 • 1975
• • • • 11 NCAC•• CHAMPIONSHIPS • • •
1992 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2006 2009 2010 2012
14 ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA AWARDS
Gene Miller • Robert Baum • Dean Caven • Jim Donnellon • Joe Govern • John Lutz Bill Beach (2) • Tom Jones • Paul Kungl • Victor Terebuh (2) • Dan Corfman
• • • • 15 OAC•• CHAMPIONSHIPS • • • •
1957 1958 1961 1962 1963 1964 • 1966 • 1969 1973 1974 1976 1978 1979 1981 • 1988
DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR • • • • • • • • 17 CONFERENCE • • • • • • • OAC: 1971 1972 1973 1974 1976 1977 1979 1981 1983 NCAC: 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 1998 2001 2009
AFCA ALL-AMERICANS • • • • • • • 19 ALL-TIME • • • • • • •
1968 1973 1974 1976 1978 1979 1980 1981 • 1983 • 1987 1988 1989 1990 1996 1998 1999 2005 2009 • 2010
19 UNDEFEATED REGULAR SEASONS
1918 • 1919 • 1920 • 1931 • 1940 • 1962 • 1963 • 1964 • 1969 • 1970 1973 • 1978 • 1979 • 1995 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2009 • 2010
OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR • • • • • • • • 20 CONFERENCE : • • • • • • • • OAC: 1960 1962 1963 (2) 1967 1969 1973 (2) 1976 1977 1988 NCAC 1990 1993 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2006 2010
RECORD OF JOE FINCHAM .814 Win Percentage • 3rd Active in D3 • Top 10 All-Time in D3 154-35 CAREER Top 15 Active Across All Divisions • Top 30 All-Time Across All Divisions ALL-NCAC SELECTIONS In 22 Years of Membership 168 FIRST-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS Since 1936 in the OAC and NCAC 355 FIRST-TEAM
717 ALL-TIME VICTORIES
Winningest Team in NCAA Division III Football History
Athletics Facilities
ROSENCRANS FITNESS CENTER
EDWARDS-MAURER FIELD
Wittenberg Athletics Facilities The Wittenberg athletic facilities, a unique blend of old and new, provide opportunities for a wide variety of recreational and fitness activities. The Health, Physical Education and Recreation Center (HPERC) is the centerpiece of athletic activity. The main unit can be converted to three full-sized basketball courts, three volleyball courts or three tennis courts. It seats 3,000 spectators for intercollegiate athletic events, and 4,300 for concerts and other public events. A second unit houses six raquetball courts with an upper balcony for instruction and a 25-meter by 25-yard swimming pool with one- and three-meter diving boards, and a spectator viewing area. An athletic training room, locker rooms and team rooms are also located in the HPERC, which connects to the Wittenberg Field House, home of the Tigers since 1929, which houses offices and a state-of-the-art weight training facility. A 4,622-square-foot extension off the front of the HPERC opened in August 2005. The Bob Rosencrans Hall of Honor Fitness Center includes a wide range of weight training and cardiovascular equipment.
HEINZEN STRENGTH CENTER
Edwards-Maurer Field and Earl F. Morris Track were renovated in 2005. Edwards-Maurer Field has a state-of-the-art artificial playing surface and Earl F. Morris Track is a 400-meter track outfitted with a similarly cutting-edge surface. The entire complex is lighted, and also serves as home to the Tiger football, track, field hockey, men’s and women’s soccer and men’s and women’s lacrosse teams. The David and Georgiana Albright Tennis Complex, a $2 million project completed in 1997, houses 12 tennis courts with a Dynaflex surface. Six of the courts are lighted, including two sunken center courts with space for seating. Situated a few blocks from campus are Bill Edwards Field, which offers playing and practice fields, and Betty Dillahunt Field, home of the Tiger softball team. Less than two miles from campus Carleton Davidson Stadium, which opened in 2004, is the home of Tiger baseball. Owned and maintained by the City of Springfield, Carleton Davidson Stadium has seating capacity of 1,061, nearly half of which is under cover, a media center, locker rooms with showers and secured storage.
PAM EVANS SMITH ARENA
CARLETON DAVIDSON STADIUM
2013-2014 FOOTBALL
SCHEDULE/RESULTS Sept. 1 at Capital Sept. 15 DEPAUW* Sept. 22 at Wooster* Sept. 29 at Case Western Oct. 6 WABASH* Oct. 13 CHICAGO Oct. 20 at Allegheny* Oct. 27 at Denison* Nov. 3 HIRAM* Nov. 10 at Oberlin* Nov. 17 at Heidelberg # Nov. 24 at Hobart# * NCAC Game # NCAA Division III Tournament
W, 44-17 W, 52-14 W, 17-7 W, 14-10 L, 24-27 W, 41-17 W, 35-6 W, 45-27 W, 71-7 W, 47-20 W, 52-38 L, 35-10
2012 Season
POSTSEASON AWARDS
All-NCAC: Newcomer of the Year Jimmy Dehnke First Team Stephen Zumdick, Aaron Coeling, Matt Widemon, Jon Daniels, Jamaal Everett Second Team Reed Florence, Jimmy Dehnke, Brendon Cunningham, Spencer Leno, Josh Montgomery, Mark Swope, Sean Williams Honorable Mention Garth Gilbert, Justin Bartlett, Karlos Marshall OhioCollegeFootball.com All-Ohio: First Team Aaron Coeling Second Team Jamaal Everett Third Team Sean Williams, Brendon Cunningham, Matt Widemon, Mark Swope, Spencer Leno, Jon Daniels D3Football.com All-North Region: Third Team - Aaron Coeling OhioCollegeFootball.com Senior Bowl: Jamaal Everett Beyond Sports Network All-America: Honorable Mention Sean Williams
DESI KIRKMAN
MARK SWOPE
In 2012-2013, the Wittenberg Tigers... • • • • • • • • •
Won 4 NCAC regular season championships in football, women’s soccer, volleyball and men’s golf. Finished in the top 5 in the final North Coast Athletic Conference standings in 16 of 23 sports Finished 4th in the final standings for the NCAC Dennis Collins Memorial All-Sports Trophy Earned 8 NCAC Player of the Year trophies Earned 2 NCAC Coach of the Year trophies and 1 Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year trophy Placed 90 student-athletes on All-North Coast Athletic Conference teams Placed 18 student-athletes on all-region teams and 6 on All-America teams Earned 3 CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-District awards Finished 91st in the NACDA Director’s Cup (NCAA Division III all-sports comparison) thanks to postseason appearances by 4 teams
2013 Season at BUTLER Saturday, Sept. 7 6 p.m. • Indianapolis, Ind. at DEPAUW Saturday, Sept. 21 1 p.m. • Greencastle, Ind.
AARON COELING
vs OBERLIN Saturday, Sept. 28 6 p.m. • Springfield, Ohio at HIRAM Saturday, Oct. 5 3 p.m. • Hiram, Ohio vs DENISON Saturday, Oct. 12 1 p.m. • Springfield, Ohio
JOSH MONTGOMERY
2013 Coaching Staff
at KENYON Saturday, Oct. 26 2 p.m. • Gambier, Ohio
Andy Mitchel Off. Coordinator
Sean Ross Def. Coordinator
Jake Bowman Defensive Backs
Dan Bauder Linebackers
Matt Gallatin Special Teams
Tom Mescher Defensive Line
Dan Smith Off. Tackles/TEs
Jamaal Everett Student Assistant
Michael Cooper Wide Receivers
John Derr Def. Quality Control
vs WOOSTER Saturday, Oct. 19 6 p.m. • Springfield, Ohio
Kyle Lusk Off. Quality Control
Ben Zoeller Running Backs
vs OHIO WESLEYAN Saturday, Nov. 2 1 p.m. • Springfield, Ohio at WABASH Saturday, Nov. 9 1 p.m. • Crawfordsville, Ind. vs ALLEGHENY Saturday, Nov. 16 1 p.m. • Springfield, Ohio
2013-2014 FOOTBALL
Statement of Responsibility for Balance Between Academics & Athletics
Wittenberg Athletics Philosophy
Student-athletes are primarily responsible for balancing academics and athletics. However, recognizing the pressure that studentathletes face from competing time demands placed upon them by both professors and coaches, we establish the following statement of responsibility. The statement assumes that the student’s primary responsibility is to academic coursework and that practice sessions are always subordinate to class attendance. Students should work with advisers to schedule courses so that practices and contests are not in conflict with academic courses. Student-athletes are expected to contact professors in advance in order to resolve conflicts between class attendance and participation in athletic contests. It is recommended that student-athletes miss not more than four sessions of any class in a semester for regular season athletic contests. Permission of a Faculty Athletic Representative is required before additional excused absences will be permitted. Coaches will, as necessary, establish and maintain communications with the professors of team athletes regarding academic progress. Professors should feel free to contact coaches regarding the academic responsibilities of student-athletes.
The Wittenberg Athletic Department is an integral part of the university that strives to achieve the same standards of excellence that exist within various academic disciplines at the university. Further, the athletic department embraces the concept that the studentathletes are first and foremost students, possessing individual rights, academic abilities, personal interests and ambitions comparable to those of other members of the general student body. Wittenberg University is committed to the principles and practices of amateurism, student-athlete welfare, gender equity, sportsmanship and fair play, cultural diversity and overall athletics excellence, and this commitment shall reflect in every aspect of the athletics departmental operations.
The North Coast Athletic Conference and Wittenberg University work together to encourage good sportsmanship on the court, on the field and in the stands. The Wittenberg Athletics Department expects all competitors and spectators to help maintain an open, accepting and competitive environment in order to promote positive, enjoyable experiences for all involved with Division III athletics.