GAME INFORMATION
Saturday, Sept. 14 • 1 pm CT
Busey Bank Field at Joliet Memorial Stadium
Joliet, Illinois

Series History
Overall: St. Francis leads 2-0.
First: St. Francis 48, at Lawrence Tech 28 (9/28/19)
Last: St. Francis 14, at Lawrence tech 12 (9/16/23)
Streak: St. Francis has won each of the two games in the all-time series.

The Two Coaches
USF: Joe Curry
Alma Mater: USF 2001
Career: 65-60 (13th year)
at USF: 65-60 (13th year)

LTU: Scott Merchant
Alma Mater: Albion College, 1993
Career: 0-1 (1st year)
At Lawrence Tech: 0-1 (1st year)


TOP STORYLINES
• Saturday's contest marks the first at Joliet Memorial Stadium between the two clubs in the all-time series.  St. Francis won the first two meetings in Southfield, Mich. in 2019 (48-28) and last year (14-12).

• Scott Tumilty needs just 46 yards on kickoff returns to become the career leader in Saints' history, eclipsing the 1,754-yard mark of Eliot Allen set between 2010-13.  Tumilty stands at 1,709 yards.
 
• USF scored on each of its first eight offensive possessions in Week 1, including all seven series in the opening 30 minutes of the contest.

• The Saints have made each of their last 56 PATs by kicking dating back to the final game of the 2022 season.      


GAME NOTES

THE HEAD COACH: Joe Curry enters his 13th season as the Saints' head coach, which makes him the longest serving coach in school history.  He has surpassed program founder Gordie Gillespie, who served as the head coach for eight seasons, and his own coach, Mike Slovick.  Slovick served the program from 1994 through 2004.  Curry is also the winningest coach in the program with 65 victories and second in winning percentage (.520).  Gillespie maintains the top spot in winning percentage at .593.

ABOUT LAWRENCE TECH: Scott Merchant has taken over the helm of the program in 2024 following a Hall of Fame high school coaching career at Chippewa Valley High School (Mich.), where he compiled a 104-53 record over 15 seasons.  The veteran mentor got his coaching career started at the collegiate level, serving as an assistant for five years at his alma mater, Albion College.  Merchant takes over a program that went 3-7 one year ago.  His debut as a collegiate head coach came one week ago, where the Blue Devils dropped a 31-7 decision to NAIA No. 8-ranked Saint Xavier University.  Also new to the fold is starting quarterback Ryan Schuster, a transfer from Lafayette College (Pa.).  The sophomore completed 50 percent of his passes (19-of-38) one week ago, while throwing for 139 yards.  One familiar face back is runningback D'Vaun Bentley, who placed second on the team in rushing yardage one year ago with 325 yards.  He also accounted for half of the team's six rushing touchdowns.  The junior picked up a team-high 67 yards on 16 carries last week, while also returning a pair of kickoffs.  LTU did outrush Saint Xavier 92-78.  The majority of the receiving corps is new, as well, following the loss of a pair of 40-catch guys.  Tyler Garrett, the No. 3 receiver last fall, had 6 catches for 61 yards last week with Brendan Sersaw right on his heels at five receptions and 39 yards.  Defensively, the Blue Devils are young upfront with three of the four starters being underclassmen (two freshmen, one sophomore).  Linebacker Brody Snyder is the top tackler back from the 2023 campaign.  He authored 51 stops one year ago, including nine for loss.  Last week, he produced 14 tackles.  As a unit, LTU gave up 325 yards passing last week, but did produce four takeaways (2 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries).  Saint Xavier was also 7-for-10 on third down and 1-for-1 on fourth down.  Vincent Robison, who had a pair of field goals against the Saints last year, is back to handle kicking responsibilities after nailing 10 of his 11 field goal attempts last fall, including a 44-yarder.  He missed his first two chances of 2024.  Brycetyn Hedden averaged 33.0 yards on six attempts as the Blue Devils' new punter last week.  LTU totaled nine penalties for 97 yards to begin the campaign.                 

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Saints have won both meetings against Lawrence Tech with each one coming on the road.  USF outscored the Blue Devils 48-28 back in 2019 before claiming a 14-12 defensive battle one year ago.  Last year's game also marked the debut of USF quarterback Carl Bew, who rushed for 115 yards and threw for another 102.  Replacing the injured Sam Tumilty, he scored on his second collegiate rush, a 65-yard scamper.  Lawrence Tech, which scored a pair of field goals in the opening half, had a chance to tie the contest just before the break.  The Blue Devils got as close as the USF two-yard-line before a sack and a rushed final play thwarted that bid.  The hosts got as close as 14-12 midway through the fourth quarter, but Kemon Reese's blitz on the ensuing two-point conversion proved to be the difference in the end.   

THAT'S A LOT OF POINTS: USF set a school record with its 70 points against Waldorf, which averaged out to 2.8 points per minute based on the Saints only having the ball for just under 25 minutes.  Eight different players scored in all, including first-time end-zone reachers Daniel McLaurin, Ryan Little and James Zilinger.  St. Francis also scored on each of its first eight possessions of the contest, including all seven times in the first half.  The old record for points was 69 set twice during the 2011 campaign against Olivet Nazarene University and Haskell Indians Nation University.
  
NEAR PERFECT: That is what Sam Tumilty was last Saturday when he completed 15 of his 17 passes for 310 yards with three scores and no interceptions to garner Mid-States Football Association Midwest League Offensive Player of the Week recognition.  The 80-plus percent completion ratio marked the third time in his career that he has hit that number of targets.  The 310 yards marked the second time he has thrown for 300 or more yards.

ABSOLUTELY PERFECT: While it is not the same as Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak, the Saints' 54-for-54 PAT streak dating back to the end of the 2022 campaign is still impressive.  Adrian Guerrero, USF's new placekicker, continued where Brian Maday (43-for-43) left off last year by converting all ten of his attempts on the day.  He also had one PAT last fall. 

PERFECT HERE, TOO: The Saints were a perfect 7-for-7 in red-zone opportunities last Saturday with all seven chances resulting in touchdowns.

RECORD-SETTING DAY: Already the program record holder for most rushing touchdowns in a season (16) and career (40), Sam Tumilty added to that count with his now 40 total touchdowns for his career and 240 career points.  Those numbers eclipsed the marks of Brandon Ruffin (38 TDs from 2016-19) and John Larsen (234 points, 1987-89).  Tumilty also ranks second for total touchdowns in a season (16 in 2002) and third for points in a season (90 in 2021).

ON THE RECORD WATCH SATURDAY: Scott Tumilty needs 46 yards to become the all-time leader for career kick return yards.  His 1,709 stands only behind Eliot Allen, who totaled 1,754 yards from 2010-2013.  Scott Tumilty already holds the mark for career punt return yards at 800.

MORE FUN ON SPECIAL TEAMS: MSFA Midwest League Special Teams Player of the Week Scott Tumilty recorded his longest kickoff return last Saturday when he returned a fourth-quarter play 84 yards for a score.  It marked the second kickoff return for a touchdown in his career and the fourth return for a score overall (2 punt returns).  The graduate senior also authored the second-longest punt return of his career last Saturday with his 56-yard play.  Between kickoff and punt returns, the Saints totaled 303 yards against Waldorf with a personal-best 229 coming from Tumilty. 

CENTURY MARK TIMES TWO: Scott Tumilty's 122 punt return yards and 107 on kickoff returns marked the second time in his career that he hit the 100-yard plateau in both departments.  The 229 yards eclipsed his previous high-water mark of 212 yards set versus Saint Xavier back on February 6, 2021 when he did it the first time.

WAITING IN THE WINGS: Redshirt freshman Latorius Holiday added to the Saints' 303 return yards with his 50 yards on punt returns, including one that went for 48 yards.

FOUR SURE: Joey Tumilty's 151-yard receiving day (on eight catches) as well as the 122-yard afternoon by Dezzion Jordan (on four grabs) marked the fourth time in each of their careers that they have hit the century mark.  For Jordan, it was a career day, while for Tumilty, it was his second-highest output.       

DOUBLE THE PLEASURE: USF's defense was equally as impressive as both the offensive and special teams' units with the Saints authoring four takeaways on the day, two each from Nick Franciskovich and newcomer Trey Sayers.  Franciskovich collected a pair of interceptions to go along with five tackles, three of which went for losses (two sacks) en route to MSFA Defensive Player of the Week accord.  Sayers had an acrobatic interception, a fumble recovery and finished as the Saints' second-leading tackler with nine hits.  Matthew Perry won that distinction with his ten stops.

OTHER NUMBERS: Gavin Day's 42 yards rushing tied a career high for him … Waldorf was held to 66 yards passing on 12-of-27 accuracy.     

FOR THE RECORD: The Saints are 173-228 all time, 144-169 in day games and 90-102 at home.