Week 4 Game Notes (.pdf)

OPENING DRIVE

The Alma College football team closes out a three-game homestand this afternoon, hosting the Kalamazoo College Hornets in the Scots' annual Homecoming game. Today's contest is also the opener for the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association portion of Alma's schedule, as six of the Scots' final seven games will be against league competition. 

SCOUTING THE HORNETS

Kalamazoo enters today's game looking for its first victory of the season. The Hornets fell to No. 5 Wheaton College (IL) in their home opener three weeks ago before suffering a 41-29 setback to Concordia University Chicago in the MIAA-NACC Challenge on September 16. Kalamazoo has used a pair of quarterbacks this season – Alex White and Zach VanFaussien – while in the backfield, Lorenzo Redmond and Jared Pittman share the workload and will be looking for the Hornets' first rushing score of the season. On the receiving end, Anthony Giovanni and Zak Zagon lead the team in catches, while Seth Dexter has a team-high three touchdowns. Jakob Frederick and Clay Wilkey pace the team on defense, with each recording more than 30 tackles, while Wilkey has collected a team-high five tackles for loss. 

THE SERIES

Today's game is the 107th meeting between the Scots and Hornets in a series that began in 1895. Alma leads the all-time series, 49-42-5, and has won the last two meetings against Kalamazoo, including a 56-26 victory a year ago. 

LAST GAME – at Alma 45, Benedictine (IL) 40

The Scots held on for a 45-40 victory over Benedictine University (IL), giving Alma its first home victory of the season. The Scots built a 26-point lead in the fourth quarter, then hung on for the victory as the Eagles mounted a late rally, scoring three times in a span of just over five minutes to pull within five points with 2:23 to play. Caleb Reinhart set a school record with 241 yards rushing and scored a school-record four times, including three touchdowns on the ground. As a team, Alma posted 405 yards rushing, with Austin Spratling also recording a 100-yard game with 107 yards and a score on 14 carries.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Dylan Zaborowski enters today's game with 49 career touchdown passes, one away from becoming the fourth player in school history to toss 50 or more scores. Zaborowski is also 16 yards away from becoming the third player in school history to throw for over 6,000 yards and rush for 1,500 or more yards in a career. 

TRYING TO PUT THE HOME IN HOMECOMING 

The Scots are looking to snap a nine-game losing streak in Homecoming games in today's contest. Alma's last victory on Homecoming came on Oct. 13, 2007, when it defeated Wisconsin Lutheran, 28-20.

ZABOROWSKI AGAINST THE HORNETS

Dylan Zaborowski has had three successful games against Kalamazoo and will start his fourth game against the Hornets today. In his career, Zaborowski is 57-of-116 for 905 yards against Kalamazoo, tossing 10 touchdowns to only two interceptions. In addition, he has rushed 41 times for 94 yards. 

THE RUNNING MAN

Caleb Reinhart's 241 yards rushing against Benedictine established a school record, topping the mark of 228, set by Ed Mason against Rockford in 2011. In addition, Reinhart's four-touchdown effort against the Eagles tied the school record for points scored in a game, matching the feat accomplished by six other players. Reinhart, who was named MIAA Offensive Player of the Week and earned a spot on the D3football.com Team of the Week for his effort, has scored at least two touchdowns in four straight games, dating back to last season's finale against Adrian College. Coming into today's game, Reinhart has scored at last three times in his last two appearances.  

MOVIN' ON UP 

Senior QB Dylan Zaborowski, in his fourth season as the starting signal-caller for the Scots, ranks third in Alma College history in passing yards (6,596) entering this week's game. He is  1,202 away from second place, held by Mackenzie McGrady (2007-09).

JOIN THE CLUB

With 1,484 career rushing yards, Zaborowski enters today's game 16 yards away from becoming the third quarterback in Alma College history to throw for 6,000 yards and rush for 1,500 yards in a career. Josh Brehm, the Gagliardi Trophy winner in 2006 and QB for the Scots from 2003-06, and Mackenzie McGrady, who started under center from 2007-09, are the other two in the 6,000/1,500 club. 

REINHART AMONG DIII SCORING LEADERS

Caleb Reinhart leads the MIAA and ranks fifth among NCAA Division III players with eight rushing touchdowns and is second in the league with a 141.3 yards per game average. In addition, he ranks second in NCAA III in scoring, averaging 18.0 points per game, and is fifth nationally with 54 total points. 

TARTAN TIDBITS

• The Scots' 405 yards rushing in their last game was the most yards gained under Head Coach Greg Pscodna, and the fourth time in school history that Alma has posted 400 or more rushing yards in a game.

MURRAY NAMED SEMIFINALIST FOR CAMPBELL TROPHY 

Senior wide receiver Lars Murray was named a semifinalist for the 2017 Campbell Trophy, awarded by the National Football Foundation to the top scholar-athlete across all divisions in college football. Murray has a 3.895 GPA and is a business administration major. The 12-14 finalists will be announced on November 1, with each finalist receiving an $18,000 post graduate scholarship.

NEXT UP ...

Alma will open a three-game road trip next week, traveling to Holland, Mich., to face Hope College. After trips to Aurora University (IL) and Albion College, the Scots will return to Bahlke Field on October 28 to host Olivet College.