Game night with the defending champs

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WHITEWATER, Wis. — This isn’t the only game going on, and it doesn’t even have an impact on the NCAA playoff selections, but it’s certainly where the most interesting game in Division III football is taking place tonight.

That’s why we’re here at UW-Whitewater tonight, to see exactly what the defending national champions are going to put on the field. We’re already well-versed in what the Warhawks graduated off last year’s team, and no, it wasn’t just Justin Beaver or A.J. Raebel. And tonight expected starting running back Jake Andersen, who ran for 233 yards and two touchdowns last season, is not dressed against St. Xavier, which is No. 8 in the NAIA’s preseason coaches poll.

But it’s still a festive night here at Perkins Stadium. The school will honor last year’s senior class at halftime and raise a national championship banner in the near end zone. The marching band is on the field and fans are packing in from the tailgating in the parking lot. Those who helped make the stadium renovations happen were recognized a few minutes ago, and the team is running out on the field as we speak.

I’ll keep you updated from here occasionally, but also follow along with the live audio, stats and/or UWW’s pay-per-view video from the links on our front page.

50 thoughts on “Game night with the defending champs”

  1. And what’s odd as this game gets underway is that I’ve seen Whitewater play a half-dozen times in the past three years but the first three people to touch the ball are guys I’ve never seen play.

    Jeff Donavan at quarterback for the Warhawks so far has had a nice unscripted draw for a first down, got sacked, then escaped another sack and hit Aaron Rusch on the run for a first down.

  2. Couple more passes to Rusch, one to Jordan Wells (fans should remember that name) and a 1-yard touchdown pass from Donovan to tight end Nick Slupski puts the Warhawks on the board first.

  3. Wow … bad opening drive for St. Xavier. Started with a completion for negative yards and got worse from there. Second down was a sack inside their own 5 and on third down they quick-kicked.

  4. Donovan underthrows Cory Robinson on a deep ball and St. Xavier intercepts it at its own 7-yard line. Third pass for Donovan in the early going that a Cougar has gotten his hands on.

  5. Defensive lineman Jon Baldwin has been in the St. Xavier backfield a couple of times and the Cougars have been unable to string anything together.

  6. Jeremy Deibert sat down right in front of a St. Xavier pass and returned it 20 yards to the end zone. Warhawks lead 14-0 with 2:16 to go in the first quarter.

  7. Troney Shumpert picks off St. Xavier quarterback Anthony Kropp and returns it to the 21, setting up a short Warhawk drive for a 27-yard field goal.

  8. St. Xavier is beginning to figure out how to throw on the Warhawks and has the ball inside the Whitewater 10.

  10. Whitewater dodges a bullet as the St. Xavier receiver steps out of bounds before making his catch inside the 10. Half ends with a 17-3 lead.

  11. I spent halftime on the air with the UW-Whitewater radio station so I am just catching up to the first half, but Whitewater is going to have to figure out how to run the ball. New offensive line needs to get a lot more reps.

    Levell Coppage had six carriers for 14 yards, and that was a fair representation of the amount of room he had to work with. There weren’t any holes he missed.

    In the second quarter, SXU figured out how to pass on the Warhawks, completing nine of 15 passes for 132 yards. Couple of patterns in open space that the Cougars turned into big yardage.

  12. watching this game as well it seems like whitewater has a ton of team speed but it lacks that big bruiser in the backfield or at tight end that they have had in the past

    the quick, athletic, and hard hitting defense is there again as it always seems to be!

  13. I am definitely seeing that speed on defense. I’m going to cut the running backs a little bit of slack tonight because first of all, the starter isn’t suited up and second, there just isn’t much blocking to work with at the moment.

    Passing game and running game both suffering from lack of protection.

  14. Since the early part of the 1st quarter, UWW is really being out-performed. Only 39 total yards for the Warhawks since the opening drive.

    Pat, any word why Jake Anderson did not suit up tonight?

  15. another name I haven’t really heard tonight is Jace Rindahl…I don’t know if I’m just not paying enough attention or if he’s not doing too much tonight…

    Pat, since it’s a little slower in here, what is your take on the talent and potential of Donovan at QB and then what you have seen out of him so far?

    Personally I think he has a ton of talent and arm strength, he just has to reel it in a little bit and be more of a game control type QB and not try to make that big play. We have seen about 5+ passes that could/should have been picked off that I don’t think too many WIAC teams will drop.

  17. Bad punt by St. Xavier puts WW in good position on the Cougar 47. The Whitewater running backs seem to be shifty but just lack the strength or maybe they are just running to high tonight. Lower those pads and do some damage!

  18. What I liked about the first half offensively: Donovan looked comfortable running the ball when things broke down. Rusch and Wells made a couple of nice catches. Thought it was the perfect play call on the touchdown pass to Slupski. But yes, Donovan was playing with fire on a couple of passes in the end zone and threw a pick.

  19. If the 24 graduated seniors showed me one thing it wasn’t just that they were talented and brought this team to top…it’s that we are VERY inexperienced this year. I said the key to the second half would be sustained drives and it seems like neither team has the offensive firepower to do so right now. St. Xavier has about 1 yard splits on the line. Haven’t seen that since high school!

  20. Rindahl’s name has been called a couple of times but they have not had a lot of success running the ball up the middle at all so I think the front four are getting the job done there.

  22. Pat, any observations about the OL play of the Warhawks, considering all the new faces there, too? With a per rush average under 2 yards at this stage in the game, is it an OL problem, the defense, or the inexperience of the backs? Or a combinations of things?

  23. Well, just that they need more reps, like I mentioned above. I am not a line play expert but I understand zone blocking has a higher learning curve. Hard to single any individual lineman out though in general I think I was seeing more of a problem from the left side.

    SXU just converted fourth-and-14 into about a 40-yard TD.

  24. 91 yard SXU drive – most of it through the air.

    The positive trends in this game are all in SXU favor – UWW really hasn’t done anything well since the first drive. If if wasn’t for the early TO’s, they would be trailing. UWW is in trouble unless they can find an answer…and quick!

  25. Pat might know more about it but I personally point the finger to inexperience/confidence right now. It seems as though the big play makers from earlier in the game has disappeared and someone for WW has to step up. Secondary had a mental lapse there on a 4th and 14. Whitewater is starting a Freshman running back but I still think the line has to pick it up a notch and our backs have to hit the holes better. Beaver always did a great job of reading his blocks and it seems we are a little more hesitant to hit the hole. I think the defense can only hold up for so long. The offense has to sustain a drive here one way or another. At least get into field goal range to make it a 2 score game. Should be a fun 4th quarter.

    Just like that…Donovan throws ANOTHER pick…yikes!

  26. I really do think it’s the line itself. Certainly Justin Beaver would make more with the room that the backs are getting tonight, but he wouldn’t get his average.

  29. Whitewater’s only bright spot is #7 Troney Shumpert at CB. He has been a ball hawk all game. Huge offensive pass interference call AGAINST St. Xavier that helps WW out of a huge hole. 3rd and 20+ yards. Come on secondary!

  31. Interesting reading from afar. Not quite sure what to make of it, sounds like Whitewater is going to be a work in progress for some time, but hopefully they’re still strong enough to vanquish a highly ranked NAIA team.

  32. Meanwhile WPI and Mass-Dartmouth are making a strong big to get in Keith’s ATN year in review. They are in the fourth overtime.

  34. Wow that sounds like a good game. I really don’t wanna sound like I’m making excuses for Whitewater but they are a much better team, they are just struggling to gel as a team. I really wonder how good the starting running back will be and I’m kind of shocked our #2 RB is a freshman. He did just bust his longest run of the game with about a 10-15 yarder up the gut. I think with a few weeks under their belt this team should return to a WIAC favorite but tonight they are playing as they are, an inexperienced team.

  35. The freshman RB Levell Coppage comes in highly regarded. Just his size and an injury in his HS senior year might have prevented him from a gig in a higher division.

  37. It looks like the freshman running back Levell Coppage out of Oak Park Illinois has some great breakout speed, but he doesn’t seem to be able to shake that first hit. He has gotten taken down on the first hit almost all game. If this kid hits the weights this year and next he could be a force to be reckon with in not only the WIAC but all of D3 for years to come.

    Donovan stringing together some real good throws here. Showing a little poise in the pocket making a huge 3rd and long conversion. Whitewater down inside the Cougar 30.

  39. This is the 2nd pick that Donovan has thrown that was called off on a roughing the passer for Whitewater. It seems as if Donovan has a hard time with the touch pass or a fade route but he can throw the ball with some zip on it. He seems to be a little shaken after the hit. WW ball on the 12 yard line.

  41. TD WW…Donovan to Jordan Wells…6 Yard TD Strike but once again pressured the whole time on a roll out.

    24-9 WW

  49. Here’s my very unexpert analysis. WW is young, there is no doubt about that. They have a ton of talent that was evident with Donovan, Wells, Shumpert, Rindahl, and Anthony White. But you take all of that athletecism with the inexperience. Donovan showed he has a stronger arm IMO then Danny Jones but he also showed he has a little bit of Rex Grossman in him with his decision making skills. That might have been a little harsh but just kind of pointing out the flashes of brilliance and then the head shaking. For his first start and almost everyone’s it seems it was a good test against a fairly good NAIA team. The defense front 7 looks solid. I am not really worried about our run defense at all. I think Anthony White will anchor the line for us as he is strong and quick off the ball. Rindahl in the middle will anchor our linebackers. It looks like Shumpert is out playmaker in the secondary but they seemed to throw his way a lot as well so that could mean that our other corners played solid. I can’t give it really a fair judgement cause I don’t know how good St. Xavier is but overall, 24-9 looks good but it was a much closer game. WW has a long way to go to be the best in the nation or in their conference for that matter but I look forward to the games. I think our biggest weaknesses were blocking/running back but we started our #2 back. I also think reading the blocks will be key in WW’s success. Seems like running backs missed the holes when they were open. Don’t think I’m dogging my team, I’m just trying to give a fair assessment. Every year I’ve been in school WW has gone to the National Championship, they can’t end that streak this year!

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