» Home
» Roster
» Schedule/Results
» Statistics
» News
» Archives

Baseball Men's Basketball Women's Basketball Cross Country Football Men's Golf Women's Golf Men's Soccer Women's Soccer Softball Women's Swimming Men's Tennis Women's Tennis Track & Field Volleyball News Releases

Academic Support/Life Skills Academic Recognition Band and Spirit Team Bulldog Club Butler Athletics Camps Compliance Directions Facilities Hall of Fame Marketing & Promotions Mission Statement NCAA Peer Review Report Priority Points Quick Facts Sports Medicine Sportsmanship Statement Staff Directory Student-Athlete Handbook Tickets Travel www.butler.edu



Printer Friendly

Oct 29, 2004

Bulldogs Host Potent San Diego Toreros


Oct. 29, 2004

FRIGHT WEEK: Halloween can't offer anything as frightening as the string of potent offensive teams Butler (1-7, 0-2 PFL) has faced in the last three weeks. And the nightmare stretch will continue with high-scoring San Diego (4-4, 1-1 PFL) coming to Indianapolis for a PFL North Division game on Saturday, Oct. 30. The two squads will square off in the Butler Bowl at 1 p.m. (EST) on Halloween weekend. Over the last three weekends, the Bulldogs have played the highest-scoring team in the NAIA (St. Francis, Ind.), the third-highest scoring team in the PFL (Drake) and the PFL's top scoring squad (Dayton)! San Diego, coached by former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Jim Harbaugh, brings an equally potent squad to Butler. The Toreros trail Dayton by a single point in the league scoring race, and Harbaugh's squad has averaged 47.7 points in its last three outings! San Diego leads the PFL in total offense (410.2 ypg) and passing offense (255.6 ypg), and the Toreros are coming off a 56-0 clubbing of Davidson. San Diego running back Evan Harney, who scored four touchdowns against the Bulldogs last year, leads the PFL in rushing (122.0 ypg) and scoring (9.8 ppg), while quarterback Todd Mortensen tops the league in passing (236.2 ypg) and total offense (233.2 ypg). The Toreros are riding a two-game winning streak.

Three of Butler's four previous wins over San Diego have come at the Butler Bowl.

PFL POWER: After falling behind in the second quarter, top-ranked Dayton reeled off 42 unanswered points and rolled past Butler, 49-10. The win was Dayton's fifth in a row. The Bulldogs struck first in the contest on a 23-yard field goal by junior Eric Neumeier, but Dayton countered with four consecutive touchdowns in the second period to take control for good. Butler added a fourth-quarter touchdown on a six-yard pass from Ian Nelson to running back Billy Nardini. The touchdown followed aerial an 88-yard drive, the Bulldogs' longest of the season.

LONG-DISTANCE DELIVERY: Freshman linebacker Buck Ulery entered his named in the Butler football record book in the first quarter of the Bulldogs' game at Dayton. Ulery scooped up a Dayton fumble in the Bulldogs' end zone and raced down field before being stopped at the Dayton 14-yard line. The 86-yard fumble return was the longest in Butler football history, breaking the previous record of 63 yards set by Marty Erschen against San Diego in 1994. Ulery's run was the longest play by for the Bulldogs this season!

Buck Ulery set a PFL record for longest fumble return with his 86-yard return at Dayton.

TAKE AWAY: Butler ranks fifth in the PFL in turnover margin (+2). Butler has seven fumble recoveries and ten pass interceptions through eight games. The Bulldogs rank fourth in the league in interceptions, trailing Drake (15), Morehead State (12) and San Diego (11). The Toreros lead the PFL in turnover margin (+6).

HAMMER TIME: Senior Parker Smith moved from an outside linebacker spot to the inside linebacker position against Dayton, and he wound up leading the Bulldogs with 12 total tackles. Smith had six solo tackles and six assists against the Flyer's powerful ground attack. It was the second time this season and the seventh time in his career that he recorded 10 or more tackles in a game. Smith didn't play against San Diego last year because of a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the entire 2003 campaign. He had 11 tackles and his first career pass interception against the Toreros in 2002.

Parker Smith is tied for eighth in the PFL in tackles (8.4 pg).

SOLO WORK: Butler linebackers Jim Hart (46) and Parker Smith (45) rank second and third, respectively, in the PFL in solo tackles. Brad Smeja of Valparaiso leads the league with 47 solo stops.

CAREER DAYS: Sophomore cornerback Mike Seidl came up with his first career pass interception at Dayton. Seidl, who returned the theft for 21 yards to set up Butler's first score in the game made the switch from wide receiver to defensive back last spring...Sophomore tight end Kevin Housand had two pass receptions for a career-best 43 yards against the Flyers. He had a career-long catch of 32 yards in the game. Housand was making just his second career start for the Bulldogs...Freshman Buck Ulery had a career-high five tackles at Dayton.

SCORING LEADER: Sophomore running back Billy Nardini scored his fourth touchdown of the season at Dayton and maintained his team lead in scoring. Nardini has three touchdown catches this season, along with one rushing TD. He?s tied for 11th in the PFL in touchdowns. Nardini scored one touchdown for the Bulldogs a year ago.

BULLDOG BITS:

*Butler leads the PFL and ranks second in the NCAA Division I-AA in punt returns (17.0 ypr).

*Quarterback Ian Nelson ranks third in the PFL in passing efficiency (104.9), fourth in total offense (167.0 ypg) and fifth in passing (126.2 ypg). Nelson was Butler's starting quarterback against San Diego two years ago, but he did not play against the Toreros last season.

*Wide receiver Phil Vorndran scored his first career touchdown in last year?s game against San Diego. He caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Bob Farmer for Butler's lone score against the Toreros. Vorndran has missed two games with an injury, but he's expected back this week.

*Senior offensive tackle Kyle Westerlind ran his string of consecutive starts for the Bulldogs to 29 straight contests in Butler's game at Dayton.

*Tight end Mike Jasinski has missed Butler's last two games with an injury, but he's available for the Bulldogs? game against San Diego. He stands third on the team with 15 pass receptions.

*Senior linebacker Jim Hart is tied for fifth in the PFL in tackles. Hart, who had 11 tackles at Dayton, has 70 stops on the season. He's tied with Charlie Forte of Austin Peay.

*Senior strong safety Andy Nelson matched his career-high with 10 tackles against Dayton, including eight solo tackles. Nelson is tied for fourth in the PFL in pass interceptions with three (0.38 pg).

*Senior tailback Justin Campbell continues to be sidelined with an ankle injury. He's missed Butler's last three games. Prior to his injury, Campbell was ranked third in the PFL in all-purpose yards.

*Butler's coaches named four players to receive "Player of the Game" awards following the Bulldogs' game at Dayton. Named on offense was sophomore tight end Kevin Housand, while senior linebacker Parker Smith was tabbed on defense. Junior placekicker Eric Neumeier earned "Special Forces" (Special Teams) recognition, while freshman quarterback T. J. Brown was chosen from the Scout Team.