PREVIEW: IUP football set for season opener at Ashland

THE GAME
The IUP football program raises the curtain on the 2024 season Thursday night when it travels to Ashland University for the first of three consecutive road trips to open the campaign. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside Jack Miller Stadium at Martinelli Field in Ashland, Ohio. The Crimson Hawks are 4-0 in the all-time series against Ashland.

IUP put an exclamation point on the 2023 season with back to back road wins to secure the program’s 13th consecutive winning season (6-5). Eager to turn the page, IUP features a veteran-laden roster this fall including eight starters back on offense and six more on the defensive side along with experienced transfer additions. Six All-PSAC selections return and several more from 2022 are back in the mix. 

Ashland (9-3, 8-1) won its final eight games last season, marking the second-longest streak in NCAA Division II as the new season begins – behind only 2023 national champion and preseason No. 1 Harding (19 in a row). The Eagles are 63-15 (.808) in their first 15 years (14 seasons) at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field. 

 
QUICK NOTES/STORYLINES

• IUP has won 22 of its last 25 season openers dating back to 1998. The program has an all-time record of 56-33-3 (.625) in the first game of a season.
• The Crimson Hawks have not lost a season opener on the road to a non-conference opponent since falling to Findlay, 37-34 in 2002. (3-0 since)
• Thursday’s matchup between IUP and Ashland is the second in a four-year scheduling agreement through 2026. The Hawks will host the Eagles in 2025 and return to Ashland in 2026.
• IUP looks to remain undefeated in the all-time series against Ashland. All four previous matchups were decided by seven points or less.
• Paul Tortorella enters his eighth season as head coach and 30th overall at IUP. His first head coaching victory came against Ashland in 2017.
• Tortorella ranks third on the program’s all-time wins list (54), passing former IUP and current Indiana University head coach Curt Cignetti last fall with the season-finale victory over Bloomsburg.
• IUP will open with three straight road games for the first time since 2016. IUP started 3-0 that season and advanced to the NCAA Second Round.
• Since Tortorella took over the program in 2017, IUP has performed slightly better on the road (26-5) than at home (28-11). The Crimson Hawks dropped multiple road games last season (3-2) for just the first time since 2016 (5-2).
• The Crimson Hawks return their starting QB (Karst Hunter) for the first time since 2018.
• Last season, Hunter completed 60% of his passing attempts while throwing for over 1,500 yards with 16 passing touchdowns and six rushing scores, despite missing significant time (3+ games) due to injury.
• For his career, Hunter has thrown a combined 49 touchdown passes while rushing for 20 touchdowns.
• IUP has been selected to finish third in the Western Division of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). The Hawks received one first-place vote.
• Gerald Comedy, Chad Layton, Cyair Clark and Hilton Ridley are all former All-PSAC honorees on offense.
• On the defensive side of the ball, three-time all-league selection Darius Bruce is part of a talented secondary alongside former All-PSAC selections Kalen Frazier and Jaheim Howard.

NOTEBOOK

TORTORELLA THIRD IN IUP HISTORY IN WINS 

IUP head coach Paul Tortorella was named the PSAC West Coach of the Year for 2022, a reflection on the overall strength of the program under his leadership. Coaching his 70th career game in the 2023 season finale against Bloomsburg and now in his seventh season, Tortorella is 54-16 (.771) overall with a 32-10 mark against PSAC West opponents. His 54 wins at the completion of the 2023 campaign surpassed Curt Cignetti (53) for third place. In his 62nd game on Sept. 16, 2023, against Shippensburg, Tortorella become the second fastest coach to reach 50 wins in IUP history, behind Frank Cignetti (59 games). He reached 30 wins faster than any other IUP coach (35 games), and has three NCAA playoff berths (2017, 2019, 2022), two PSAC West titles, two PSAC Championships and a regional title. 

IUP IS NO STRANGER TO CLOSE GAMES 

IUP has seen its fair share of one-score games, dating back to the 2021 season. Since the start of 2021, IUP is 9-6 in one-score games. IUP was 5-1 in one-score games two seasons ago, and now 6-3 since the start of the 2022 campaign. The opening two matchups of the 2023 season (ASH/ESU) were decided by a combined margin of eight points, while the Hawks fell by one score in three of their five setbacks in 2023. 

IUP/ASHLAND SERIES HISTORY 

IUP and Ashland will meet for the fifth time overall and just the second time at Jack Miller Stadium when the two region powers kick off the 2024 season Thursday night. The Crimson Hawks look to remain undefeated in the tightly-contested series, which features an average margin of victory of only five points. The most recent matchup saw IUP overcome three turnovers and a fourth-quarter deficit for a thrilling 24-17 triumph in last season’s opener. It was the largest margin of victory in the series. IUP’s longest pass play of the 2023 season was recorded in the Ashland game, a 74-yard strike from Karst Hunter to Cole Laney to set up IUP’s touchdown in the final minute before halftime. The first meeting (26-23 IUP) launched the Tortorella era in 2017 with the Crimson Hawks kicking a game-winning field goal as time expired. The two teams also met in the 2018 season opener (21-17 IUP) and 2022 Super Region 1 Semifinals (19-13 IUP). 

QUICK GLANCE AT THE 2024 SCHEDULE 

IUP has just four home games on the schedule in 2024, losing a game after Mercyhurst made the jump to NCAA Division I. The Crimson Hawks open the season with three consecutive road games, including a highly-anticipated opener against Ashland on Thursday, September 5 in Ohio. IUP opens the home slate on Saturday, September 28 with the annual Hall of Fame Game against Clarion. From there, the Hawks play host to Slippery Rock for Homecoming on October 5 before matchups with Seton Hill (Senior Day; October 19) and Kutztown (PSAC Championship Weekend; November 16). 

ROAD WARRIORS 

IUP has been particularly strong on the road since Tortorella took over as head coach in 2017. IUP boasts a 26-5 (.838) mark in road games since 2017. IUP has a pair of undefeated seasons on the road under the direction of Tortorella, posting a 5-0 mark in 2017 and 2021. IUP closed the 2023 season with a pair of road victories at Clarion (39-27) and Bloomsburg (31-0), which clinched the program’s 13th consecutive season with an overall record above the .500 mark. 

PSAC PRESEASON POLL 

The IUP football program slotted third in the Western Division of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) preseason coaches’ poll, part of the league’s 2024 virtual media day. The Crimson Hawks picked up one first-place vote in the PSAC West.

VETERAN HAWKS TO LEAD IUP OFFENSIVE ATTACK

IUP will rely on its veteran line and signal caller to lead the offense. The Crimson Hawks ranked fifth in the league in scoring offense (26.3) and second in rushing (178.2) last season. IUP is boosted by the return of its starting QB for the first time since 2018 in Karst Hunter (6,143 Pass Yards, 49 TD, 22 Int; 1,060 Rush Yds, 20 Rush TD). Hunter ranked sixth in the league with 16 passing touchdowns despite missing several games due to injury. The South Dakota native ranks tied for second among D2 active career leaders in total TDs responsible for (69). All-PSAC honorees Chad Layton (center) and Gerald Comedy (right guard) anchor the offensive line unit that returns four of five starters. Wide receiver Hilton Ridley (103 Rec, 1,480 Yds, 16 TD), a 6-foot-3 redshirt-senior has hauled in 14 touchdown receptions over the past two seasons. Ridley had a breakout performance at Seton Hill with a career-high 11 catches for 131 yards last fall. Redshirt senior Adam Houser (61 ATT, 1,198 Yds, 11 Rush TDs) and senior all-league transfer Kaleb Monaco (2,172 Rush Yards, 399 Rec Yds, 11 Total TD) will carry the bulk of the load in the ground game. 

SECONDARY SET TO PLAY PRIMARY ROLE

The IUP secondary features a pair of returning All-PSAC honorees in Darius Bruce and Jaheim Howard with the duo lined up for their fourth season starting together. Two-year starter Kalen Frazier also returns as the team’s top cornerback. The experienced trio will lead a Crimson Hawks unit that ranked second in the PSAC and 33rd nationally in scoring defense last season, allowing 19.7 points per game. IUP has kept the opponent scoring average under 20 points per game in back-to-back seasons. The Crimson Hawks allowed 11 passing touchdowns, the fewest since giving up nine in 2018, with only three of those surrendered inside the red zone last season. Key contributor Chuck Ingram has shifted to linebacker after appearing in all 33 games over the past three seasons. Redshirt junior Isaiah Towler (33 career games) and redshirt freshman Ian Amegatcher are expected to step up into starting roles. 

KEY TRANSFERS ADDED ON DEFENSE THROUGH THE PORTAL

Despite a huge void left in the linebacker room from losing leading tackler Drew DiNunzio-Bliss and fellow senior Jay Holmes, IUP has added experience by bringing in Millersville transfers Garrett Cox and Randy Okungu, along with Notre Dame College transfer Nathan Rosario-Santos. Cox, who is a two-time first-team All-PSAC performer, led the league in tackles (114) last year. He is a former high school teammate of Kalen Frazier. Okungu recorded 5.5 sacks for the Marauders last season. Rosario-Santos (67 tackles) is expected to become a heavy contributor after ramping up from preseason injury. 

CRIMSON HAWKS ARE 26-1 SINCE 2011 WHEN THE DEFENSE SCORES A TOUCHDOWN

IUP has one defensive touchdown this year – coming on a 21-yard scoop and score by LB Jay Holmes against Shippensburg on September 16. The single defensive TD this season mirrors the team’s output 2021, 2018 and 2014. In every other year since 2011 the Crimson Hawks have had multiple defensive scores, including 4 in 2017, 5 in 2016, and 6 in 2015. In 2022, IUP had a pair of defensive scores, including a blocked punt in the postseason against Ashland’s first team offense along with a pick-six at Shippensburg. 

COMEDY AND TORTORELLA NOMINEES FOR AFCA GOOD WORKS TEAM

IUP football offensive lineman Gerald Comedy and head coach Paul Tortorella are among the nominees for the 2024 Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team. Established in 1992, the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team recognizes college football athletes for their unwavering commitment to community service and their “good works” off the field. Comedy has been a key leader in IUP football’s community service throughout his accomplished career, actively involved socially and within the town of Indiana. Comedy and his teammates primary community service initiative was helping to beautify and clean up the woods at an area near campus last spring. He has joined the football program to assist with move-in, reading at various elementary schools in Indiana County and volunteering as an assistant football coach as his schedule permits. Tortorella is the only NCAA DII head coach and one of just 11 head football coaches in the country recognized as a Good Works Team nominee. The IUP head coach spearheads all community service initiatives within the program, which recently included a stop at the Indiana Regional Medical Center (IRMC) Healthy Kids’ Camp in late June 2024.

A WINNING TRADITION

IUP has a long winning tradition with its football program, recording 604 total victories since 1927. IUP has 20 NCAA DII Playoff appearances, the most in the PSAC and fourth most all-time. Additionally, IUP is eighth in NCAA DII history with 23 playoff victories.

UP NEXT
IUP travels to Lock Haven for its Week 2 contest on Saturday, September 14 for a 6 p.m. kickoff.

FOLLOW

For coverage of the IUP football program, follow the Crimson Hawks on Twitter and Instagram @IUPfootball and online at IUPAthletics.com.