Football 9/16/2016 3:41:00 PM Brendan Bittner

GAMEDAY CENTRAL: Hawks Eye Win No. 3 at Lincoln

Quincy University Hawks (2-0, 0-0 GLVC) at Lincoln University Blue Tigers (0-2, 0-0 GLVC)
Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016 | 2 p.m.
Dwight T. Reed Stadium | Jefferson City, MO

LOOKING TO GO 3 AND OH: The Quincy University football team enters Saturday's tilt at Lincoln with a 2-0 record for the first time since 1998. That season the Hawks finished 4-6 overall. Now the Hawks have a chance to go to 3-0 for the first time since their undefeated season in 1993. QU also went 3-0 in their first season after reinstatement in 1986, but most of that schedule consisted of JV competition.

HOME DRUBBING: The Hawks are coming off a 50-point second half performance as they toppled visiting Mayville State, 64-7, in the home opener at QU Stadium last week. The 50 points were the most scored in a half in QU history. Despite going scoreless in the first quarter and leading just 14-7 at halftime, the Hawks dominated all three facets of the game in the second half. It was Quincy's highest point total since a 65-0 win over Haskell Indian Nations on Sept. 27, 2014 and the third-highest point total in the five-year tenure of head coach Tom Pajic.

BALANCED ATTACK: For the second straight week, the Hawks used a balanced offensive attack dismantle an opposing defense. The Hawks slayed the Comets for 204 yards on the ground and 247 yards through the air. QU has now been over 200 yards in both categories in each of its first two games.

WORKHORSE: Leading the rushing attack has been redshirt-freshman bruiser Jaylan James (St. Louis, Mo./Miller Career Academy), who has rushed the ball 66 times for 285 yards and a GLVC-best five touchdowns. The 253-pound back ranks ninth in the country in rushing yards, third in rushing touchdowns and fifth in scoring (30). As a team, the Hawks are 23rd in rushing offense, averaging 232 yards on the ground.

GOING THE WRONG WAY: The QU defense pushed the Comets backward in the second half allowing minus-7 yards. MSU had one first down after halftime.

TARGETING THE MIDDLE: Redshirt-junior tight end Owen Schoenenberger (Evansville, Wis.) caught a career-high nine passes for 124 yards and a touchdown as the top target for redshirt-sophomore quarterback Robbie Kelley (Rochester, Ill.) in last week's victory. Schoenenberger is now the Hawks' leading receiver with 12 catches, already over halfway to last year's total of 23 receptions.

BIG MAN TOUCHDOWN: It's not often that an offensive lineman finds himself in the end zone holding the football. But starting junior center Ray Gieseo (Boca Raton, Fla.) lived out every lineman's dream last week. A fumble by freshman fullback Briar Hancock (Paris, Mo.) popped up into the air and fell in the middle of a half-dozen players bunched up in a scrum. Gieseo came down with the football and turned on his jets, high-stepping over the goal line for his first career touchdown at any level. Gieseo was credited with 14 rushing yards on the play and is now just four touchdowns behind James for the team lead in scoring.

PURPOSEFUL YARDS: Senior wide receiver and return specialist Eric Poindexter (Newport News, Va./Warwick/Monroe College) turned in his second straight outstanding performance. The 5-foot-11 Poindexter caught four passes for 80 yards and a touchdown and finished with 101 return yards. His 51-yard kickoff return to start the second half last week kickstarted the Hawks' second half rout. Against Drake in Week 1, Poindexter totaled 266 all-purpose yards last week. Poindexter leads the GLVC and is fifth nationally in all-purpose yards (223.5 per game).

STAND 'EM UP: The QU defense has put together two straight solid games to start the 2016 season. The Hawks rank 15th in the nation in total defense, allowing just 243 yards per game. QU is also 29th in rushing defense (94 yards allowed per game) and 19th in passing defense (149 yards allowed per game). Sophomore linebacker Cody Leonard (Carrollton, Ill.) leads the defense with 15 tackles and ranks fifth in the nation in tackles per loss per game (3.0). Leonard also has an interception and a quarterback sack.

IN THE SECONDARY: The Hawks' defensive backs and pass defense were outstanding in last week's win over Mayville State. QU was credited with nine pass breakups, including two by sophomore safety Theo Hopkins (Chicago, Ill./Leo/Illinois State).

THREE-WAY PLAYER: Speaking of Hopkins, he has made his presence felt in all three facets of the game this season. He not only plays as the starting safety, but also has rushed the ball four times to spell James in the backfield and features on the Hawks' special teams units. Last week, Hopkins played safety, scored a touchdown by recovering a muffed punt snap in the end zone, had a five-yard carry and made two special teams tackles, both inside the 20-yard line and one inside the five-yard line.

TIME IS MONEY: One result of Quincy's stifling defense on third downs has been that the unit has remained fresh all game. The Hawks are dominating time of possession on the season, holding the ball an average of 35 minutes, 59 seconds, which ranks seventh in Division II. QU has won the time of possession battle in all eight quarters.

TWO POINTS & THE BALL: The Hawks recorded their first safety in over two years last week. On a sweep to the left, redshirt-sophomore linebacker T.J. Daniels (St. Louis, Mo./Saint Louis University HS) pursued to the edge and pulled down Andrew Blake in the end zone. The Hawks' last safety came in the 2014 season opener at Lindenwood-Belleville on Sept. 4.

UP NEXT: The Hawks welcome Southwest Baptist for Homecoming on Saturday (Sept. 24) at QU Stadium. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#54 T.J. Daniels: LB; 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore

#72 Ray Gieseo: OL; 6' 1"; Junior

#30 Jaylan James: RB; 5' 10"; Redshirt Freshman

#3 Robbie Kelley: QB; 6' 1"; Redshirt Sophomore

#53 Cody Leonard: LB; 5' 11"; Sophomore

#13 Eric Poindexter: WR; 5' 11"; Senior

#88 Owen Schoenenberger: TE; 6' 4"; Redshirt Junior

#42 Briar Hancock: FB; 6' 2"; Freshman

#41 Theo Hopkins: DB; 6' 0"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#54 T.J. Daniels
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore
: LB

#72 Ray Gieseo
: 6' 1"; Junior
: OL

#30 Jaylan James
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Freshman
: RB

#3 Robbie Kelley
: 6' 1"; Redshirt Sophomore
: QB

#53 Cody Leonard
: 5' 11"; Sophomore
: LB

#13 Eric Poindexter
: 5' 11"; Senior
: WR

#88 Owen Schoenenberger
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Junior
: TE

#42 Briar Hancock
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: FB

#41 Theo Hopkins
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: DB