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MINOT STATE UNIVERSITY GAMEDAY 2012

THIS WEEK: Minot State University renews another old series as the Beavers play host to St. Cloud State Saturday at Herb Parker Stadium (1:30 p.m.). The Beavers first played the Huskies in1937 and the last meeting came in 1965. Last week, Minot State played MSU-Moorhead for the first time since 1976.

RECORDS: MISU is 3-6 overall and 3-2 in the NSIC North Division. St. Cloud State brings a 5-4 overall record and a 3-2 mark in the NSIC North Division.
 
COACHES CORNER: Minot State's head coach is Paul Rudolph. Rudolph is 31-29 overall in five seasons with the Beavers and 74-76 overall as a head coach. SCSU's head coach is Scott Underwood, who is 29-15 overall in four seasons.
 
FOLLOW THE BEAVERS: The game is broadcast locally on KCJB 910-AM with Scott Kittell calling the play-by-play. Live audio can be accessed online at kcjb.com. MSU provides live video and live stats as well as links to the live audio at msubeavers.com. Minot State Athletics also is active on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube with all feeds accessible through the home page.
 
RANKINGS: Neither team is ranked in the AFCA Coaches' Top 25 Poll or the D2Football.com poll this week.
 
RECENT HISTORY: The Beavers earned their first winning streak and their first NSIC road win as they defeated Minnesota State Moorhead 31-10 in Moorhead, Minn., Saturday. The Huskies were defeated 37-20 at home to the other Beavers in the conference, Bemidji State.
 
OVERALL SERIES: St. Cloud State owns a 4-0-1 record against Minot State dating back to 1937. The last time the two teams met, in 1965, Minot State tied SCSU 14-14.
 
NOTING THE HUSKIES: St. Cloud State quarterback Phillip Klaphake was named the conference's preseason offensive player of the year and has lived up the early billing. The junior is fourth in the conference in passing, throwing for 2,294 yards and 23 touchdowns with only six interceptions… It has been an up-and-down season for the Huskies as they have an overtime win over nationally ranked Minnesota Duluth, but have lost two straight games in NSIC North play… SCSU has allowed the most sacks in the league, as Husky signal callers have been dropped 33 times in nine games… Junior Jack Moro leads the conference in interceptions with seven, including one return for a touchdown… Junior Chad Peterson is the top punt returner in the conference, averaging 14.8 yards per return… SCSU has been good not only throwing the ball, but defending the pass as well. St. Cloud State is allowing opponents just 202.8 yards per game.
 
PROGRAMS LINKED: Minot State and St. Cloud State haven't met each other on the gridiron since the 1960s, but there is some familiarity between the two program's coaching staffs. Minot State head coach Paul Rudolph was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at St. Cloud State for seven seasons, finishing with a 40-34 record. MISU's assistant coach Joe Ford was a graduate assistant at SCSU during Rudolph's final season. But, it isn't just one sided. SCSU has three assistant coaches who all spent time at Minot State. Doug Patterson spent seven seasons at Minot State as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach with the Beavers. Patterson earned his bachelor's degree in social science at MISU and played four seasons for the Beavers on the offensive line. Ian Shoemaker coached the quarterbacks and wide receivers at Minot State and was also the head baseball coach. Jim Louis spent five season coaching the linebackers, defensive line and was defensive coordinator from 2003-2004. Louis also assisted with the track and field program at MISU.
 
BETTER UP NORTH: Minot State's much maligned turnover ratio has been a thorn in the Beavers side all season, as MISU is last in the conference at minus-16. But in five NSIC North games, the Beavers are much better at minus-2. Minot State has 10 take-a-ways in its past five games and is even during its two-game winning streak.
 
LINEBACKERS LIVING LARGE: Minot State has rotated six main linebackers in and out of various formations and each one has had big success. The Beavers top four leading tackles are all linebackers, as Casey Weinmann (So., Selz, N.D.), Chad Marshall (Jr., Hazen, N.D.), Brett Mohr (Sr., Southey, Saskatchewan) and Josh Weidler (Jr., Velva, N.D.) have paced the team in 2012. MISU's Jeff Buchert (Jr., Painfield, Conn.), although listed as a defensive back has played much of the year at linebacker, is No. 5 on the team in total tackles and Uepati Fatilua (Jr., Vallejo, Calif.) is sixth overall.
 
NOW YOU SEE YELLOW, NOW YOU DON'T: Minot State has drawn more penalties against its opponents than any other team in the conference, as the Beavers opponents have averaged 83.0 yards per game and 76 total flags. In all games, Minot State is in the middle of the pack as far as flags on the Beavers, being whistled 64 times for 520 yards. But in NSIC North games, the Beavers are the least penalized team as far as total yards, losing just 238 yards in five games. MISU has been flagged just 31 times in NSIC North games.
 
COMING ON STRONG: Minot State struggled rushing the ball in the crossover portion of the conference, but has come on lately. Led by senior Blake Eggl (RB, Minot, N.D.) and freshman Randel Barber (RB, Maricopa, Ariz.) who are second and fifth in rushing in NSIC North games, MISU has moved up the list. Eggl has rushed for 388 yards and a 4.6 per carry average in his past five games, while Barber has 291 yards and a gaudy 6.1 per carry average in his last five. They have combined for five touchdowns in the span.
 
SETTLING IN: Beavers freshman quarterback Zac Cunha (Rocklin, Calif.) has settled into his starting role for Minot State over his past five contests. After throwing a career high four interceptions against Upper Iowa, Cunha has thrown just six in five games. He has tossed eight TDs in that span as well. On the year, Cunha has 13 TDs and 1,738 yards passing, looking to become the first MISU signal caller to throw for 2,000 yards in a season since Jon Meier tossed 2,134 in 2009.