Second Round Matchup - Franklin College

Looking back over the past 12 months there isn't a team that's more familiar with Whitewater than the Franklin College Grizzlies. This will be the third time the Warhawks have faced Franklin in the past 17 games. The first of the three meetings was in the first round of the 2010 playoffs, when Whitewater won 52-21 in Whitewater. Then in the Warhawks' second game of this season UWW won, at Franklin, 45-0. However, after the huge defeat earlier this year the Grizzlies have went on to win nine straight, including last week's first-round playoff win over Thomas More, 24-21. Franklin finished the regular season with a 10-1 record, and was a perfect 8-0 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. By winning the HCAC, Franklin was awarded the automatic Pool A playoff bid to get into the postseason. During this nine-game win streak Franklin has been on a tear, outscoring its opponents by an average of 26 points. A lot of people will just say, "Yea, but look who its competition is (or lack there of)...especially playing in the HCAC." Which is true, but good teams are suppose to destroy lesser opponents, which is exactly what the Grizzlies have been doing.




Franklin's sophomore QB Johnny West



Like usual, the Grizzlies' offensive is led by its quarterback. After Franklin's All-American QBs Chad Rupp and Kyle Ray, Johnny West seems to be filling in perfectly as the "next great Franklin quarterback." At only a sophomore, West was selected as the 2011 HCAC Offensive MVP for throwing for 3,144 yards and 30 touchdowns during the regular season. West had a 152.3 passing efficiency rating along with a HCAC-best 314.4 passing yards per game (6th best in Division III) in the regular season. One area of concern for the Grizzlies' QB has been his 14 interceptions this year. Only five quarterbacks in the country have thrown more INTs than West. I guess that comes with the territory when you attempt the fifth most passes in DIII (421 total attempts). West has a pair of First-Team All HCAC receivers in his arsenal that he's been using to burn teams down field with. Kyle Linville has been averaging over 100 receiving yards per game along with 11 touchdowns during the regular. The junior lead the HCAC in both categories. West's second option has been Logan Worley, averaging over 63 ypg and was second in the HCAC with 10 touchdowns. Considering how frequent Franklin drops back to pass this year, the offensive line has been doing a fairly descent job protecting its QB. The Grizzlies rank 49th in the country in Sacks Allowed with 1.18 per game. The line has been led by Nick Shultz and Colin Gallagher, both First Team All-HCAC. Being a predominate passing team, senior running back Reece Craig is only getting about 12 rushes per game, and has 694 yards in the regular season. I would believe Craig's running lanes are opened up with the constant threat of Franklin's aerial attack this year.



Grizzlies' senior defensive lineman David O'Rourke (43)



Franklin's 3-4 defensive scheme is centered around this season's HCAC Defensive MVP, David O'Rourke. The senior 6'2" 240lb defensive lineman led his conference with nine sacks, and finished fourth in the HCAC with 11 tackles for loss. As a team, Franklin is ranked fifth in the conference in total defense (359.3 ypg) and second in scoring defense (22.3 ppg). Along with O'Rourke, there are six other Grizzlies that made All-HCAC including Wes Kaminski (DL), Zach Ruark (DB), Zack Corpe (DB), Jordan Segner (LB), Scott Moore (LB) and Tyler Huls (DB). Both Ruark and Huls lead the team with three interceptions a piece. The 6'0" 205lb sophomore Moore leads the team with 86 total tackles (60 solo) and seven pass break-ups. Along with O'Rourke, Moore has spent a good deal of time in the opponents' backfield this year with 10 tackles for loss. Despite the inundation of individual awards on defense, I was surprised by the Grizzlies' fifth-ranked defense (out of nine) in its conference. However, that might have something to do with Franklin playing Whitewater earlier in the season where they gave up 473 yards. But still, I expected better defensive numbers from Franklin.



One thing that impressed me about the Grizzlies' fans is that they don't mess around when it comes to tailgating. You know you're serious about pregame parking lot festivities when you have your own T-shirts. I remember last season in the 2010 playoffs when the Grizzlies came to Whitewater. There were one or two huge custom-made grills that had to have been towed all the way from Franklin, IN. That's over 300 miles with grill attached to you trailer hitch!!!! Until that day I thought I had a sweet gas grill that folds up and stows nicely in my trunk. That was until I saw this beastly thing from Franklin that looks like it cooked those ribs that Fred Flintstone ordered at the Bedrock Drive-In. One of those grills was painted blue with a sweet Franklin symbol on the side of it. After gawking at this thing for what seemed like an hour, I sheepishly looked down at my grill which, in comparison, now looked like I was cooking my burgers in glofied pizza oven.

2011 Statistics (National Rank)

Franklin Rushing Offense: 157.0 ypg (102)
Whitewater Rushing Defense: 79.9 ypg (9)

Franklin Passing Offense: 314.3 ypg (7)
Whitewater Passing Defense: 178.3 ypg (81)

Franklin Total Offense: 471.3 ypg (11)
Whitewater Total Defense: 258.2 ypg (15)

Franklin Rushing Defense: 142.2 ypg (97)
Whitewater Rushing Offense: 231.7 ypg (23)

Franklin Passing Defense: 206.7 ypg (157)
Whitewater Passing Offense: 221.4 ypg (76)

Franklin Total Defense: 349.0 ypg (123)
Whitewater Total Offense: 453.4 ypg (21)

Whitewater's Second-Round Games (Since 2005)
2005 - UWW over St. John's, 34-7
2006 - UWW over La Crosse, 24-21
2007 - UWW over North Central, 59-28
2008 - UWW over Willamette, 30-27
2009 - UWW over Illinois Wesleyan, 45-7
2010 - UWW over Trine, 45-31

If the Warhawks can keep this high-powered Franklin offense in check - like they did earlier in the season - Whitewater should find themselves moving on to the next round. Considering how mediocre the Grizzlies' defense has been this year, I don't see how they are going to slow down Levell Coppage and Matt Blanchard on Saturday. Pound the rock, eat up the clock, keep West off the field, then onto the third round the Warhawks go. I believe this game should play out similar to the 2007 second-round game against NCC.