9/15/2009 12:00:00 AM

Butler Hosts Hanover In Final Non-League Tilt

HOME TURF: Butler will be gunning for its third straight win when it wraps up the non-league portion of its 2009 slate at home against Hanover on Saturday, Sept. 19. The Bulldogs will square off against the visiting Panthers in the Butler Bowl at 1 p.m. (ET). The two Indiana squads will be meeting for the third time in four seasons. Last year's meeting, scheduled to be played at Butler, was cancelled after the Hanover community suffered severe storm damage the weekend prior to the scheduled game. The Bulldogs have captured the first two meetings of the current series with Hanover, which concludes with Saturday's game. The Panthers are facing their second consecutive road test and are looking for their first 2009 victory. Butler improved to 2-0 on the young season with a 49-19 victory at Franklin last weekend. It marked the third straight year that the Bulldogs have opened the season with consecutive wins. Butler will begin Pioneer Football League play on Sept. 26 at Morehead State.

Butler has won eight of its last nine non-league games under coach Jeff Voris.

ON THE AIR: For the fifth straight year, Butler football games can be heard on XL 950 (AM) in Indianapolis and on the internet at BigPlayProductions.com. Calling the game for the Bulldogs are play-by-play announcer Brian Giffin and former Butler football coach Ken LaRose. This weekend's game against Hanover will be carried live, starting with a pre-game show at 12:40 p.m. (ET).

HIGH OCTANE: The Bulldogs rolled up over 500 yards in total offense for a second straight week, while picking up the road victory at Franklin. Butler had 341 passing yards in the win and 161 yards on the ground. The 49 points scored were the second-most by the Bulldogs in three-plus seasons under head coach Jeff Voris. Butler jumped to a 16-0 lead in the game and maintained that margin at halftime, 23-7. The Bulldogs stretched the lead to 30 points on three occasions in the second half, including the final tally. Six different players scored touchdowns for the Bulldogs in the victory.

AIR FORCE: Sophomore Andrew Huck, continued his impressive start for the Bulldogs, passing for over 300 yards against Franklin and rolling up more than 350 yards in total offense for a second straight week. He threw for four touchdowns in the victory, and he rushed for a fifth. His effort earned him Pioneer Football League Offensive Player of the Week recognition for the second consecutive week. Huck helped the Bulldogs to an early 16-0 lead with touchdown passes of three yards to Zach Watkins and nine yards to Dan Bohrer. He added an eight-yard TD pass to Eddie McHale in the first half and tossed a seven-yard scoring aerial to Watkins in the third quarter. He finished his day with a five-yard touchdown run, four seconds into the final period. The Butler quarterback completed 33 of 48 passes for 316 yards, and he added 45 rushing yards on eight carries.

Andrew Huck ranks second in the NCAA Division I FCS in total offense (373.0).

TOP DOG: Butler wide receiver Dan Bohrer caught an 11-yard pass on the Bulldogs' third play of the game against Franklin. That play gave him 143 catches for his career and made him Butler's all-time leader in pass receptions. Bohrer went on to catch seven more passes in the game, and he finished the day with a Butler record 150 career receptions. He had 72 yards on the eight catches, boosting his career total to 1,886 and moving him into fifth place on Butler's all-time list for receiving yards. His one touchdown reception against Franklin gave him 16 TD catches for his career, two shy of the all-time Butler record held by Mike Chrobot, 1975-78.

Dan Bohrer has caught at least one pass in 21 consecutive Butler games.

PICK TWO: Sophomore Mark Giacomantonio, making his second collegiate start, led Butler's defense at Franklin with a career-high seven tackles, a pair of pass interceptions and a pass break-up. The Butler safety had a first quarter pass interception that he returned for 11 yards, and he had a second interception in the fourth quarter, which he returned 15 yards. The two thefts gave him a league-leading three on the season and four for his Butler career.

Mark Giacomantonio has more pass interceptions this season than seven PFL teams.

POINTS LEADER: Sophomore wide receiver Zach Watkins recorded his second straight multiple touchdown performance with a pair of scoring catches against Franklin. He had three touchdown receptions in Butler's opening-week victory over Albion, and he currently leads the PFL in scoring with 30 points in two outings. Watkins is tied for second in the NCAA Division I FCS in scoring (15.0), and he's fourth in the FCS in receiving yards per game (137.0). The second-year end is tied for 12th in the FCS in receptions per game (7.50). He ranks first in the PFL in receiving yards per game and second in receptions per contest.

Bulldog Bits:

•Sophomore quarterback Andrew Huck leads the PFL and ranks eighth in the FCS in passing yards per game (321.5). He owns two of the PFL's three 300-yard passing performances this season. Huck also leads the PFL and ranks eighth in the FCS in completions per game (25.50). He tops the league in passing efficiency (181.8).

•Andrew Huck ranks fourth in the PFL in rushing with 113 yards after two games.

•Sophomore Grant Hunter recorded two quarterback sacks at Franklin. He's the PFL's active leader in career quarterback sacks with 16.

•Butler punter Michael Wilson averaged 45.0 yards on six kicks at Franklin, and he had a career-long 54-yard punt in the game. Wilson ranks second in the PFL in punting with a 43.7 average.

•Butler's offensive line did not give up a quarterback sack at Franklin. It was the second consecutive week that the Bulldogs have not allowed a sack.

•Redshirt-freshman Steven Depositar led the Bulldogs in rushing at Franklin with 50 yards on five carries. He had a career-long 41-yard rush in the victory.

•Junior Eddie McHale matched his career-high with seven pass receptions at Franklin. McHale also had seven catches against Albion a year ago.

•Redshirt-freshman quarterback Cal Blair completed all five passes that he attempted at Franklin, and he's a perfect six for six on passing for his young Butler career.

•Offensive guard Donny Gilmore started his 24th consecutive game for the Bulldogs in last weekend's game at Franklin.

•Sophomore placekicker David Lang ranks fifth in the PFL in scoring (6.5 ppg) after two games. He kicked a 28-yard field goal at Franklin, his first career field goal.

•Butler leads the PFL in scoring offense (45.5), passing offense (335.0) and total offense (515.5) after two weeks.

ON THIS DATE: On Sept. 19, 1998, running back Naim Sanders rushed for 244 yards and a touchdown on 38 carries to help lead Butler past St. Francis (Pa.), 13-0, in the Butler Bowl. It's the last time a Butler player has rushed for over 200 yards in a game.