Back in the summer, the eight seniors on the University of Findlay football team were determined to turn past failures into success.
They were tired of being nothing more than a punching bag in the rugged Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
So they endured a rigorous offseason workout routine and came into the 2009 campaign with a desire to make their hard work pay off. Never mind that UF was 2-9 a year ago and that it was picked to finish ninth in the conference.
Ten games and seven wins later, the Oilers have put the once-proud UF football program back on track.
They have ended a streak of four consecutive losing seasons and have a chance to close the season with the second best record UF has had at the NCAA Division II level (UF was 9-2 in 2002).
The Oilers (7-3, 6-3 GLIAC) will battle in-state rival Ashland (5-5, 5-4) at noon Saturday in the season finale at Donnell Stadium.
Linebacker Joe Knopick has been one of the engineers of the turnaround, leading the defense with 107 tackles and five fumble recoveries. It marks the second consecutive year he has had at least 100 stops.
"It's been a great honor to be a captain of this great team that turned things around," Knopick said. "It's special because it was done with hard work, toughness and a refusal to be average."
Quarterback Andrew Beam came to UF from Bowling Green over the summer because he wanted to have a starting role. Beam (1,901 yards, 11 touchdowns) has played a big part in the success of an offense that is more balanced than it has been in the past.
The Oilers average 364.2 yards per game and Beam has a chance to become only the second quarterback in UF history to throw for more than 2,000 yards in a season. Bo Hurley had 2,133 yards during the 1997 NAIA championship season.
"It's been fun playing here and being part of a team that has been the underdog every week," Beam said. "We've been able to prove to our doubters that we are not some doormat in the GLIAC. We are a well-coached, hard-working football team."
Third-year head coach Jon Wauford can't say enough about what his seniors have meant to the program, particularly this season.
Joining Beam and Knopick in the senior class are running back Melvin Jackson, defensive linemen John Williams and E.J. Whitlow, linebacker Jesse Kontras, wide receiver Mike Chambers and defensive back Anthony Fields.
"We have leaned on those guys a lot," Wauford said. "They have been exceptional leaders and they have persevered through the tough times. The reality is you can work hard and still lose games. But we've been fortunate to turn our hard work into success."
Success is something AU was hoping to have this year. The Eagles were picked second in the league and expected to contend for a conference title and third consecutive trip to the playoffs.
But AU, ranked 13th to begin the season, fell 10-7 to No. 15 Bloomsburg in the season opener and has not been the same.
The Eagles knocked off Indianapolis 19-3 last week and will go into this game looking to avoid their first losing season since 2006, when they finished 4-6.
Ashland is dangerous, especially with quarterback Billy Cundiff running the offense. The redshirt senior has thrown for 2,355 yards and 21 TDs despite being sacked 35 times. He has only been picked off once. His top target is senior wide receiver Christian Livingston (51 catches, 549 yards, 4 TDs).
AU averages 382.6 yards per game and allows 370.2. Linebacker Marcus Council leads the AU defense with 76 tackles.
A year ago, UF and AU played a classic at Community Stadium in the season finale. The Oilers fell 45-38 on a day when then freshmen quarterback Billy Noonan shreddeed AU for a school-record 364 yards to go along with three TDs.
An 85-yard kickoff return by Carlton Isles in the fourth quarter was the difference as it broke a 38-38 tie and catapulted the Eagles into the playoffs.
"This game has special meaning to the coaches and players," Wauford said. "I have talked to the players about how much this game and rivalry as a whole means to the program and we want to go out and be successful Saturday."
The dream of a postseason berth is on hold until next year after a 24-16 loss to 24th-ranked Saginaw Valley State, but the seniors can walk away knowing UF is on the way up. The Oilers were ranked as high as No. 18 in the country and have been in the Super Region 3 top 10 all season.
"It feels wonderful to know that all the hard work that we have put in has paid off," Whitlow said. "We have left a legacy to build on."
Ashland
Record: 5-5 overall, 5-4 GLIAC.
Head Coach: Lee Owens (40-25, 6th season)
Series: UF trails 21-14-4.
Key Players: QB Billy Cundiff (176-of-268, 2.355 yards, 21 TDs, 1 INT); RB D'Marris McCoy (146 carries, 752 yards, 4 TDs); RB Dawon Harvey (74, 325, TD); WR Christian Livingston (51 catches, 549 yards, 4 TDs); WR Joe Horn (39, 588, 6); WR Nick Bellanco (36, 706, 5); LB Marcus Council (76 tackles); DB Brian Gamble (73 tackles, 2 INTs); LB Quinton Scott (59 tackles, 2 INTs).
Noteworthy: Eagles have been held to seven points twice this year (10-7 loss to Bloomsburg; 34-7 loss to Grand Valley State). ... Kicker Greg Berkshire made four field goals in AU's 19-3 win over Indy last week. ... There have been 11 shutouts and one scoreless tie in the UF-AU all-time series. ... Cundiff is in the midst of his third consecutive season of throwing for more than 2,000 yards.
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