Romell Jones
Matt Mead Photography LLC
Gannon opens the PSAC Western Division schedule at home for only the fourth time in 10 years.

Football Dan Teliski, Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations

Gannon Football Team Hosts No. 21 Slippery Rock Saturday in PSAC West Opener As Part of American Law Enforcement Day (Video/Game Notes)



GAME DAY CENTRAL
No. 21 Slippery Rock University (3-0, 0-0 PSAC West) at Gannon University (1-2, 0-0 PSAC West)
  • When: Saturday, September 23, 2017
  • Where: Erie, Pa.
  • Stadium: McConnell Family Stadium (2,500)
  • Kickoff: 12 noon
  • Live Radio: Jet Radio (1400)
  • Live Audio via 90.5 WERG Stream: Click Here
  • Live Video (FREE): Click Here
  • Live Stats: Click Here

GAME INFORMATION
  • General Admission Tickets: $5 adults / $3 Non-Gannon students / $3 Senior Citizens
  • All Gannon students, staff and faculty are admitted free of charge by showing their school ID.
  • Parking: Free on-street parking
  • Directions: To McConnell Family Stadium I GPS Address: 430 Sassafras Street, Erie, Pa. 16507

GAME COVERAGE
AMERICAN LAW ENFORCEMENT DAY
  • As part of American Law Enforcement Day, all law enforcement personnel and their families will be admitted free of charge with a maximum of four complimentary passes per individual.
  • Among the festivities will be law enforcement personnel serving as honorary captains for the coin toss.
  • Kids participating in the Police Athletic League (PAL) will also be in attendance.
  • A group including law enforcement personnel and PAL kids will be honored during pregame ceremonies.

ALL-TIME SERIES BREAKDOWN
  • All-Time Series: Series tied 6-6
  • First Meeting: October 29, 1949 - Gannon 15, at Slippery Rock 0
  • Last Meeting: September 24, 2016 - at Slippery Rock 34, Gannon 13
  • Series Notes: Gannon and Slippery Rock have engaged in one of the best PSAC West rivalries over the years. Both programs own six victories in the all-time series. Slippery Rock has won the last three games in the series, but is only 1-3 at McConnell Family Stadium since Gannon joined the PSAC. The Golden Knights' last win in the series was a 38-27 decision at home in 2013.

OTHER LINKS
SATURDAY STORYLINES
  • Gannon attempts to snap a brief two-game losing streak Saturday afternoon when it opens PSAC Western Division play against No. 21 Slippery Rock at McConnell Family Stadium. The Rock has won the last three games in the series, but is only 1-3 at McConnell Family Stadium since Gannon joined the PSAC.
  • Slippery Rock is ranked No. 21 in the latest  American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Top 25 Poll.
  • Gannon is 2-7 all-time in PSAC West openers since joining the conference in 2008. Only three of those contests have been played at home. The Golden Knights are 1-2 all-time in PSAC Western Division openers played at McConnell Family Stadium.
  • Marc Jones (Painesville, Ohio/Riverside) leads NCAA Division II in rushing yards per game (174.7), rushing yards (524) and rushing touchdowns (6). The junior tailback also ranks third nationally in rushing yards per carry (9.03). He tops the PSAC in all four categories.
  • Gannon concluded PSAC crossover action last weekend with a 27-10 setback at traditional conference power Bloomsburg.
  • Jones produced his third consecutive 100-yard rushing performance and fourth in 14 games as a Golden Knight. He became the third Gannon player in program history to open a season with three consecutive 100-yard games. Brock Jones performed the feat during each of the first four games in 2014 while Jon Richardson did it in the first three contests of 2009.
  • Junior Anthony Howard (Temple Hills, Md./Bishop O'Connell) reached double digits in tackles and has done so during all three contests this season. He also set career-highs in sacks (2) and tackles for a loss (4).
  • Gannon produced season-highs in sacks (3), tackles for a loss (8) and pass break-ups (4).
  • Bloomsburg's 14 completions were the fewest by a Gannon opponent this season.
  • Jones has already surpassed his entire 2016 rushing production during the first three games. The leading rusher in NCAA Division II has 524 rushing yards this season, equaling the most by a Golden Knight during the first three games of a season since at least 1998.
  • Redshirt freshman Jimmy Keefe (Middleburg Heights, Ohio/St. Edward) made his collegiate debut with a starting assignment at quarterback.
  • Freshman Romell Jones (Woodbridge, Va./Brentsville District) recorded his first career interception during the third quarter.
  • Slippery Rock was picked to finish third in the PSAC Western Division according to the league's preseason coaches poll.
  • Gannon was predicted to finish fifth in that same poll.
  • Karch Holland (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington) ranks second all-time at Gannon with 211 career points. The senior can move past Jon Richardson (2006-09) and break Gannon's all-time scoring record with 12 more points. He converted 52 consecutive extra points from October 24, 2015-September 2, 2017.
  • Zach Phillips (Wheeling, W.Va./Wheeling Park) sits seventh all-time at Gannon with 2,405 career passing yards. The redshirt junior can move past Matt Butler (2004-06) and into sixth place with 399 yards. His 1,724 passing yards in 2016 represented the eighth-highest single-season total in program history.
  • Holland is tied for second place all-time at Gannon in career field goals (27) through 35 career games. He needs one field goal to move past Brendan McNicholas (2003-06) and into sole possession of second place. Holland's 84.6 field goal percentage (11-13) as a freshman in 2014 represents the best single-season mark in school history. He also holds the school record for PATs with 130.
  • Phillips enters Saturday's game eighth all-time at Gannon with 3,207 yards of total offense. He has rushed for 802 yards and passed for 2,405 yards. Phillips can move past Sterling Pierce (1996-99) and into seventh place with 128 yards. He can also jump Todd Heigley (1994-97) and Matt Butler (2004-06) into Gannon's all-time top five with 224 yards.
  • Dorian Jones (Gaithersburg, Md./Quince Orchard) didn't receive his first career start until week nine last year, but his four interceptions as a true freshman leaves him only two picks shy of Gannon's all-time top 15. Tashawn Sneed (2011-13) and John Yurisnec (1998-02) are tied for 13th place with six.
  • Geremy Paige (Wheeling, W.Va./Wheeling Park) has 7.5 quarterback sacks on his two-year collegiate resume. The redshirt junior needs five more sacks to move past Matt Jones (2009-12) and into Gannon's all-time top 15.
  • Junior Jarod Morrison (Hamilton, Ohio/Hamilton) enters Saturday's contest with a 39.9 punting average on 52 career punts. It currently ranks first all-time in program history ahead of Adam Schaffer's 39.4 average on 122 career punts from 2011-13.
  • Gannon has recorded three winning seasons during the last four years with a 6-5 mark in 2015, 9-2 record in 2013 and 6-5 mark in 2013. The program's streak of three straight winning seasons represented its longest since producing a program-record four consecutive winning seasons from 1992-95. Gannon has recorded 13 winning campaigns in school history, including a stretch of five in six seasons from 1990-95.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon begins a two-game local rivalry stretch Saturday, September 30 at crosstown rival Mercyhurst.
  • Game time for the Lakers' Homecoming Game at Tullio Field is scheduled for 1 p.m.
  • The contest will be televised live locally on The CW.
  • Mercyhurst escaped McConnell Family Stadium last year with a 38-35 overtime victory.
  • Gannon earned a 16-13 win during its last trip to Tullio Field in 2015.
  • Following the Mercyhurst contest, Gannon continues its stretch of local rivalry games Saturday, October 7 against Edinboro at McConnell Family Stadium.
  • Game time is slated for 12 noon.
  • It will be Homecoming Weekend for the Golden Knights.
  • Gannon had won three consecutive games against Edinboro until the Fighting Scots posted a 41-17 victory last season at Sox Harrison Stadium.
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Players Mentioned

Tyler Johnson

#28 Tyler Johnson

RB
5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Sport and Exercise Science/Physical Therapy
Karch Holland

#46 Karch Holland

K
5' 9"
Senior
Biology
Anthony Howard

#25 Anthony Howard

LB
6' 0"
Junior
Dorian Jones

#5 Dorian Jones

DB
6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
Biology
Marcus Jones

#4 Marcus Jones

RB
5' 11"
Junior
Middle Childhood Education
Jimmy Keefe

#16 Jimmy Keefe

QB
6' 2"
Redshirt Freshman
Middle Level Education and Special Education
Brandon Mansell

#21 Brandon Mansell

WR
5' 9"
Redshirt Senior
Sport and Exercise Science
Jarod Morrison

#39 Jarod Morrison

P
6' 3"
Junior
Education
Geremy Paige

#9 Geremy Paige

LB
5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
Sport Management and Marketing/Entrepreneurship
Tyler Palka

#2 Tyler Palka

QB
6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
Secondary Education

Players Mentioned

Tyler Johnson

#28 Tyler Johnson

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Sport and Exercise Science/Physical Therapy
RB
Karch Holland

#46 Karch Holland

5' 9"
Senior
Biology
K
Anthony Howard

#25 Anthony Howard

6' 0"
Junior
LB
Dorian Jones

#5 Dorian Jones

6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
Biology
DB
Marcus Jones

#4 Marcus Jones

5' 11"
Junior
Middle Childhood Education
RB
Jimmy Keefe

#16 Jimmy Keefe

6' 2"
Redshirt Freshman
Middle Level Education and Special Education
QB
Brandon Mansell

#21 Brandon Mansell

5' 9"
Redshirt Senior
Sport and Exercise Science
WR
Jarod Morrison

#39 Jarod Morrison

6' 3"
Junior
Education
P
Geremy Paige

#9 Geremy Paige

5' 11"
Redshirt Junior
Sport Management and Marketing/Entrepreneurship
LB
Tyler Palka

#2 Tyler Palka

6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
Secondary Education
QB