Illinois Wesleyan (2-0) vs. Taylor University (1-1)
Sat., Sept. 23, 2000 • 1:30 p.m.
Jim Wheeler Stadium • Upland, Ind.

TITAN NOTES
IWU shoots for its 11th straight non-league regular-season win at Taylor Saturday. The Titans' last non-CCIW regular-season loss came to Simpson (Iowa), 24-21, in 1995. . . The Titans won last week, 7-6, at Aurora. Senior Shawn Emerson (Zion, Zion-Benton HS) caught a 5-yard TD pass from senior Joel Castillo (Elgin, Larkin HS) to account for the only IWU scoring. Freshman Brian Klesath (Peoria, Notre Dame HS) added the extra-point kick. Castillo was 22 of 37 with one interception in the game while Emerson made seven catches for 56 yards. Sophomore Joel Dodson (Pontiac HS) was named “Defensive Player of the Week” in the CCIW as he made 12 solo tackles while Creighton Drescher (Palatine HS) and Shawn Schadle (Crystal Lake, Marian Catholic HS) both had six total tackles. Junior Brad Andrekus (Carol Stream, Glenbard North HS) had a late interception.

LEAGUE HONORS
Sophomore Joel Dodson (Pontiac HS) has been named “Defensive Player of the Week” in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin. Dodson made 12 solo tackles and assisted on one more, had a quarterback sack for -3 yards, recovered a fumble and, late in the game, forced a fumble that helped secure the Titans’ 7-6 win at Aurora. North Park’s Darnell Rios had 126 rushing yards and three TDs to earn the “Offensive Player” honor.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Chosen by Titan coaches to honor top players in the week’s game and practices.
OFFENSE: Jacob Quinton, junior, tight end, Franklin Grove (Sterling Newman HS)
DEFENSE: Joel Dodson, sophomore, linebacker, Pontiac (HS)
SPECIAL TEAMS: None chosen
SCOUT TEAM (Offense): Jacob Norris, freshman, line, Springfield (Sacred Heart Griffin HS); Joe DiSantis, freshman, line, Joliet (Plainfield HS)
SCOUT TEAM (Defense): Jason Trotter, freshman, linebacker, Decatur (Meridian HS).

THE TROJANS
Taylor (1-1) is No. 19 in this week’s NAIA rankings done by Don Hansen’s Football Gazette. . . The Trojans lost to Tri-State, 28-17, last Saturday. The game was tied at halftime, 14-14. Ryan Kunc led Taylor with 37 yards rushing and Jeremy Roberts had five catches for 101 yards and a 68-yard TD. Justin Harrison had nine total tackles, including six solo, and safety Scott Blackford had four tackles and intercepted a pass. . . This is Taylor’s first home game of the season. . . A member of the Mid-States Football Association-West League, Taylor was 10-2 last season and appeared in the NAIA playoffs in 1999 and 1998.

THE SERIES
This is the first meeting in football between Taylor and IWU.

EMERSON
Senior Shawn Emerson (Zion, Zion-Benton HS) was a preseason fourth team All-American in usafootball.com and was listed as a “Player to Watch” in Don Hansen’s Football Gazette. He was also called “one of the top receivers in the nation” by Street & Smith’s national college football magazine. Emerson has 105 career catches (9th all-time at IWU), 1,522 career receiving yards (11th all-time), and 17 TD catches (tied for No. 8 at IWU).

FOR THE RECORD
IWU has won 37 of its last 45 games (.822) and has had better than .500 seasons for six straight seasons and for 10 times in the last 11 years. . .IWU teams were 72-21-1 in the 1990s (.769) and, in the Eash era, are 24-8-1 in September (.742). The Titans are 46-14 (.759) at home and 39-23-1 on the road (.627) under Eash’s tutelage. . . IWU is 35-7 (.829) at Wilder Field in the last 10 years, including 2000.

THE COACHES
Norm Eash, a 1975 IWU graduate, is in his 14th season as head coach at Illinois Wesleyan. He has an overall record of 85-37-1 (.690) and a CCIW mark of 65-30-1 with three league titles (1992, 1994, 1996). Eash is second in victories at IWU, behind Don "Swede" Larson (166 wins in 33 years, 1954-86) . . . Steve Wilt, a 1966 graduate of Shepherd College, is in his sixth season as head coach at Taylor, where he has an overall record of 34-32. He is 69-76 in 15 seasons as head coach at the college level, the rest coming at Wingate College.

LOOKING AHEAD
This is the second of two road non-conference games in a row for IWU. The Titans return home to open their CCIW season against the North Park Vikings (2-1).

RANKINGS
The Titans moved up to No. 29 from No. 37 in Don Hansen’s Football Gazette, and are among teams receiving votes in the American Football Coaches poll for the second straight week. The Titans were No. 28 in the first usafootball.com poll.