Schedule
Hillsdale College (0-0, 0-0 G-MAC) at #20/21 Indianapolis (0-0, 0-0 G-MAC) | 6 p.m. ET Saturday, Sept. 2 | Key Stadium | Indianapolis, Indiana
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Additional Info
Hillsdale Roster | UIndy Roster | 2022 Hillsdale Stats | 2022 UIndy Stats | G-MAC Schedule | G-MAC Standings | Game Notes
Last Season
Hillsdale battled through a roller coaster season that included six games decided by 10 points or less. A few plays away from being either 9-2 or 3-8, the Chargers largely split the difference in those close contests to finish 5-6 for the 2022 campaign, and 4-4 overall. Hillsdale started the season strong with a 3-1 record that included a stirring rally from a double-digit deficit in the second half to beat Lake Erie, 35-31, in the first week of the season. A tough 1-3 stretch followed that included a difficult road loss at Kentucky Wesleyan in the final minutes of the game. The Chargers got their biggest win of the season on Saturday, Oct. 29, stunning sixth-ranked and undefeated Ashland in a comprehensive 36-20 victory to improve to 5-4 on the year and hand the eventual G-MAC Champion Eagles their only regular-season loss. Hillsdale, however, couldn't get over the hump in narrow losses to Michigan Tech and Ohio Dominican to end the season. Isaac TeSlaa and Kyle Kudla each earned All-American honors for their play for the Chargers in 2022, while tailback Michael Herzog, tight end Michael Harding, offensive lineman Nick Affholter and defensive lineman Kendall Tobin all earned All-G-MAC honors.
Scouting the Opposition
Indianapolis has been the dominant force in the Great Lakes Valley Conference since the league began officially sponsoring football in 2012, winning eight conference titles in the last decade and becoming a perennial NCAA DII playoff team in that span. The Greyhounds enter the 2023 season with high expectations once again, as the only GLVC team ranked in the top 25 nationally and a runaway favorite to bring home its third league title in four seasons.
Those expectations come despite losing both quarterbacks who started for the Greyhounds in 2022 to graduation, as well as over 85% of the team's rushing production, headlined by NCAA DII All-American tailback Toriano Clinton.
While UIndy has questions to answer at the skill positions, there's strong optimism the Greyhounds will be reloading instead of rebuilding thanks to a decorated offensive line that returns four starters that all earned first or second team All-GLVC honors in 2022. The combination of first-team All-GLVC left guard Kendal Alexis and center Austin Keele up front should help keep what has been the GLVC's best rushing attack rolling.
DI transfers Jon Lewis and Kellen Porter will get the first crack at replacing Clinton in the backfield, while sophomore and JuCo All-American Gavin Sukup will take over as the starting quarterback.
Sukup will have a solid target to throw to on the outside in the Greyhounds' 2022 leading receiver, Alonzo Derrick, as well as returning tight end Ethan Hand.
Defensively, UIndy will be tough as well with seven returning starters, led by preseason All-Americans in defensive end Aaron Barnett, who had 6.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss in 2022, and Michael Brown, a playmaking safety who picked off four passes and led UIndy in tackles last season.
Up front, disruptive defensive tackle Dylan Shelton, who also had 6.5 sacks in 2022, returns, as does talented linebacker Clay Schulte, who finished with 65 tackles last season.
In the secondary, Brown is flanked by another playmaking safety in sophomore Kivonte Houston, who added five interceptions of his own in 2022, as well as first-team All-GLVC cornerback Landry Mavungu.
On special teams, Colin Seymour returns as kicker for the Greyhounds after going 9-14 with a long of 39 on field goals last season. Luke Keller, a graduate transfer from Hillsdale who was first-team All-G-MAC as a punter in 2022, takes over the punting duties for UIndy.
UIndy is coached by Chris Keevers, who is entering his fifth year at the helm of the Greyhounds. In four previous seasons, Keevers has gone 28-8, won two GLVC crowns and made two NCAA DII Playoff appearances. Prior to taking the head job at UIndy, Keevers was defensive coordinator for 12 years for the Greyhounds.
The Series
With four straight victories, UIndy has taken a narrow edge in what has been a long running and competitive series between the two teams. The series currently stands at 18-16 in favor of the Greyhounds, who won a 35-31 thriller at Hillsdale in the most recent meeting on Sept. 11, 2021. Hillsdale's last victory in the series was a 30-24 win on Sept. 3, 2016. Not only is the overall record in this series close, but the individual games themselves are often tight – five of the last eight games between the two teams have been decided by seven points or less.
Other Notes
- Hillsdale brings the foundation of what could be one of the G-MAC's best rushing attacks into the 2023 season. Senior tailback Michael Herzog rushed for 940 yards and eight touchdowns last season, the most by a Chargers running back since All-American David Graham in 2019, and returns for his final campaign this fall. He'll be running behind an experienced offensive line that returns all five starters from last season's squad, led by All-G-MAC center Nick Affholter.
- The safety position should be a strength defensively for the Chargers in 2023. Sophomore Vince Francescone was a breakout star for the Chargers defensively in 2022, finishing second on the team in tackles (74) and tying for the team lead in interceptions with fellow safety Sam Zemis, who was fourth on the team in tackles. Both players return and should spearhead the coverage units for Hillsdale in 2023.
- Junior captain Riley Tolsma was a revelation in 2022, becoming Hillsdale's most effective pass rusher at defensive end in his first full season as a starter with team highs in sacks (7.5) and tackles for loss (11). Tolsma's 7.5 sacks were the most by a Charger in a single season since Zach VanValkenburg in 2018. The junior will be a major player up front for the Chargers in 2023 along with veteran nose tackle Zachary Tokie and defensive end Trevor DeGroote, both of whom played significant roles in 2022.
- A three-time All-G-MAC honoree, senior tight end Michael Harding should be a focal point of Hillsdale's offense in 2023. Harding is the third of three brothers to play for the Chargers, following in the footsteps of siblings Steve and Matt, and was one of the program's top receivers in 2022, finishing third on the team in catches and yardage and second in receiving touchdowns. Harding will continue to be an important part of Hillsdale's run-blocking up front, and could see his role as a receiver grow in his final season at Hillsdale.
- The Charger football program continued to shine academically this past season, with five players earning College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors, including Harding and Tolsma. In addition, 51 Hillsdale football players received Academic All-G-MAC honors for posting a 3.3 or better cumulative GPA through the spring 2023 semester.
- The Charger football program has long been known for its strong family tradition, and that continues in 2023 with multiple sets of brothers on the roster. On the offensive line, twin brothers Nick Affholter and Benjamin Affholter (Quincy, MI/Reading) will hold down interior line spots for the third straight season, and are joined on the roster by younger brother Zac Affholter, a true freshman lineman. All three are sons of Brad Affholter, a multi-year starter on the Charger offensive line in the mid-90s and an assistant coach with the team in 2023. There are several other sibling duos on the team – twin brothers Josh Lee and Sam Lee (Toledo, OH/Central Catholic) return as sophomores this season, as do junior tight end Ben Hinrichs and his younger brother, Christian (Escondido, CA/Classical Academy). Also in 2023, Hillsdale sophomore wide receiver Corban Creason (Coppell, TX/Founders Classical Academy) is joined by his younger brother, Christian, and sophomore offensive lineman John VanOpstall (Jenison, MI/Jenison) is joined by his younger brother, Chris. Along with those sibling pairs, several other players on the roster have older brothers, fathers or grandfathers who suited up for previous Charger teams.
- Hillsdale's longest-tenured assistant coach received a prestigious honor in the offseason as Offensive Coordinator Nate Shreffler was named the American Football Coaches Association's NCAA DII Assistant Coach of the Year for 2022. Shreffler is entering his 25th season with the Chargers and was recognized for both his outstanding contributions to Hillsdale's success on the field, and his work running the Chargers' "Guys With Ties" program that helps teach elementary school kids confidence and proper etiquette through interactions with players on the football team.
- With 127 wins to date, Otterbein is third all-time in career coaching victories at Hillsdale, trailing two Charger Athletics Hall of Famers in Frank "Muddy" Waters (138) and Dick Lowry (134). If he maintains his current career pace of wins per season, Otterbein would pass Waters for the all-time record in the fall of 2024.