February 22, 2008

Pitt State Inks Chadron State to Two-Year Deal; Fills 2008-09 Schedules

    PITTSBURG -- Pittsburg State University athletics director/head football coach Chuck Broyles announced today (Feb. 22) that the school has signed a a two-year contract with Chadron State College to play a home and home series, filling the Gorillas’ final open date on both their 2008 and 2009 football schedules.
    Pitt State will travel to Chadron, Neb., on Sept. 6 with a scheduled Noon kickoff, Mountain Daylight Time, (1 p.m. CDT) and Chadron State will come to Pittsburg on Sept. 5, 2009, to face the Gorillas in “The Pitt”.
    The Eagles, the two-time defending champions of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and the No. 5 team in the final 2007 AFCA Division II Top 25 poll, have posted back-to-back 12-1 seasons in 2006-07, advancing to the NCAA-II national quarterfinals each year. Chadron had its undefeated 2007 season halted, 26-13, by eventual national runner-up Northwest Missouri State University.
     Pitt State will play a pair of non-conference games in 2008 -- both on the road. The Gorillas will travel to Edmond, Okla., to face the University of Central Oklahoma in their season opener on Aug. 30, before making the trek to Chadron to take on the Eagles. Both 2008 opponents then come to Pittsburg in 2009 to face the Gorillas in the opening weeks of that season.
    “We feel like we’ve added another quality Division II opponent to our schedule,” said Broyles, who has compiled a 182-39-2 record, 14 trips to the NCAA-II playoffs and four appearances in the DII national championship game in 18 seasons leading his alma mater. “Chadron State has established itself as a very formidable team. Coach (Bill) O’Boyle and his staff have done a very credible job. Certainly this will be one of the premier early season contests in Division II this year. I think our players and fans will look forward to playing quality teams the likes of Chadron State and Central Oklahoma in the non-conference portion of the schedule.”
    Chadron State is expected to return 16 starters (seven offense, nine defense) from its 2007 squad. Among the Eagles’ returnees will be senior quarterback Joe McLain, who passed for 2,688 yards and 19 TDs and rushed for 260 yards and nine scores as a junior in 2007. The Eagles will be without the services of two-time defending Harlon Hill Trophy winner Danny Woodhead. Woodhead, who exhausted his eligibility during the 2007 season, set the all-time NCAA all division rushing record during his decorated career with 7,962 career yards.

2008 Pitt State Tentative Football Schedule (subject to change)
Date   Opponent                     Site                   Time
 8/30  at Central Oklahoma..........Edmond, Okla. .........TBA
 9/ 6  at Chadron State.............Chadron, Neb. .........1 p.m.
 9/13  Missouri Southern............The Pitt...............TBA (Family Day / U.S. Cellular Miner’s Bowl XI)
 9/20  at Missouri Western..........St. Joseph, Mo. .......TBA
 9/27  Central Missouri.............The Pitt...............TBA
10/ 4  vs. Northwest Missouri.......Kansas City, Mo. ......TBA (The Fall Classic at Arrowhead VII)
10/11  Truman.......................The Pitt...............TBA
10/18  Nebraska-Omaha...............The Pitt...............TBA (Homecoming)
10/25  at Fort Hays State...........Hays, Kan. ............TBA
11/ 1  Washburn.....................The Pitt...............TBA
11/ 8  at Emporia State.............Emporia, Kan. .........TBA

* denotes MIAA game
Home games in bold and played at Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium