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PITTSBURG —
Players, coaches and fans themselves never underestimate the home-field advantage during a football season.
Pittsburg State, traditionally a difficult team to beat at home, benefited greatly from its home-field advantage during its National Championship run last year — winning seven of its eight games at Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium, including three straight in the NCAA Playoffs.
At the National Championship send-off last December, head coach Tim Beck touched on the loudness of the Pitt State fans during the National Semifinal against Delta State — a crowd of 8,427 . . . mostly Pitt State fans hellbent on as making as much noise as possible.
“We’ve got the best fans in America,” Beck said, “and we want to tell you that last week at the game, all of you that were there, it was awesome. Those first three plays that we had on defense and then John Brown returning that punt for touchdown, that’s as electric as I’ve heard Carnie Smith Stadium.”
Keep in mind that Beck has been involved with the Pitt State program since 1985 — player (1985-1986), student assistant (1987), graduate assistant (1988), assistant coach (1989-1991), defensive coordinator (1992-1993), offensive coordinator (1994-2009) and head coach (since 2010).
Defensive players especially feed off crowd noise and at the Kick-Off News Conference in Florence, Ala., last year, defensive end Gus Toca and linebacker Nate Dreiling talked about the home-field advantage, especially against Delta.
“It’s a great feeling,” Toca said, “especially the last game. We fed off it and it got us really hyped up to go against Micah Davis (Harlon Hill Trophy finalist quarterback) and Delta State.”
“The playoff games were unbelievable,” Dreiling said. “After the last game, them charging the field, I can hardly describe it. I still get goosebumps thinking about it.”
Pitt State totaled 69,256 attendance for its eight games at Carnie Smith or an average of 8,657 in a stadium with an official capacity of 8,343. Only two of the eight games were not sellouts — Missouri Southern and the playoff game against Washburn, both figures perhaps affected by subpar weather.
The Gorillas have a 329-118-12 all-time home record since 1924, the first season of their stadium known as Brandenburg Stadium until 1987 and then Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium since 1987. The Gorillas have won 91.3 percent of their home games the last 27 seasons — 132-12-1 record.
Brandenburg served as the first university president from 1913-1940 and Smith coached the Gorillas to their first national championships in 1957 and 1961, playing a central role in the building of the pigskin power.
Players, coaches and fans themselves never underestimate the home-field advantage during a football season.
Pittsburg State, traditionally a difficult team to beat at home, benefited greatly from its home-field advantage during its National Championship run last year — winning seven of its eight games at Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium, including three straight in the NCAA Playoffs.
At the National Championship send-off last December, head coach Tim Beck touched on the loudness of the Pitt State fans during the National Semifinal against Delta State — a crowd of 8,427 . . . mostly Pitt State fans hellbent on as making as much noise as possible.
“We’ve got the best fans in America,” Beck said, “and we want to tell you that last week at the game, all of you that were there, it was awesome. Those first three plays that we had on defense and then John Brown returning that punt for touchdown, that’s as electric as I’ve heard Carnie Smith Stadium.”
Keep in mind that Beck has been involved with the Pitt State program since 1985 — player (1985-1986), student assistant (1987), graduate assistant (1988), assistant coach (1989-1991), defensive coordinator (1992-1993), offensive coordinator (1994-2009) and head coach (since 2010).
Defensive players especially feed off crowd noise and at the Kick-Off News Conference in Florence, Ala., last year, defensive end Gus Toca and linebacker Nate Dreiling talked about the home-field advantage, especially against Delta.
“It’s a great feeling,” Toca said, “especially the last game. We fed off it and it got us really hyped up to go against Micah Davis (Harlon Hill Trophy finalist quarterback) and Delta State.”
“The playoff games were unbelievable,” Dreiling said. “After the last game, them charging the field, I can hardly describe it. I still get goosebumps thinking about it.”
Pitt State totaled 69,256 attendance for its eight games at Carnie Smith or an average of 8,657 in a stadium with an official capacity of 8,343. Only two of the eight games were not sellouts — Missouri Southern and the playoff game against Washburn, both figures perhaps affected by subpar weather.
The Gorillas have a 329-118-12 all-time home record since 1924, the first season of their stadium known as Brandenburg Stadium until 1987 and then Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium since 1987. The Gorillas have won 91.3 percent of their home games the last 27 seasons — 132-12-1 record.
Brandenburg served as the first university president from 1913-1940 and Smith coached the Gorillas to their first national championships in 1957 and 1961, playing a central role in the building of the pigskin power.
Pitt State plays its first home game of the 2012 season against Central Oklahoma Sept. 8, followed by contests against Lincoln (Sept. 22), Central Missouri (Oct. 6), Missouri Western (Oct. 20) and Lindenwood (Nov. 3).
A Brief MIAA Stadium Tour
Bearcat Stadium (add Herschel Neil Track and Mel Tjeerdsma Field) began hosting Northwest Missouri games in 1917, making it the oldest stadium in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association and the whole of Division II. It was first called Memorial Stadium, then Rickenbrode Stadium from 1961 through 2005 after private donors requested Bearcat Stadium.
Good news: Northwest Missouri was the only team undefeated at its home stadium last season. Bad news: Northwest Missouri played only five home games over a 14-game season, including three road playoff games.
The official 6,500-capacity Bearcat Stadium holds more fans, drawing a season-high 10,073 for Washburn. The Bearcats averaged 7,309 attendance last season.
Audrey J. Walton Stadium/Vernon Kennedy Field, home of the Mules of Central Missouri, owned the largest on-campus attendance last season — 14,377 for a showdown between Central Missouri and Northwest Missouri.
The Mules went 3-2 in home games last season (losses to Northwest Missouri and Pitt State) and averaged 9,558 fans per contest.
Kennedy was a three-time All-MIAA football player (1926-1928), won the decathlon at the Penn Relays in 1927 and played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (1934-1945). He tossed a no-hitter in 1935 with the Chicago White Sox, won a career-high 21 games in 1936 and played on the American League All-Star team in 1936 and 1938.
Spratt Memorial Stadium (named for zealous Griffon supporter Eliiot “Bub” Spratt) began hosting Missouri Western games in 1979 and the Griffons host the Kansas City Chiefs training camp (July 27-Aug. 17 this year).
Pitt State began its National Championship season with a 34-7 dismantling of the Griffons in St. Joseph. Western ended its season with a 35-29 NCAA Playoffs loss at home to Northwest Missouri. In between, Western took five straight home games — Central Missouri, Langston, Lincoln, Truman State and Northwest Missouri in the regular season finale.
Washburn made history last season at its home Yager Stadium at Moore Bowl with a 52-49 playoff win over Abilene Christian — its first playoff win in school history. The Ichabods finished 5-1 at Yager Stadium, averaging just under 6,000 fans in the 7,200-capacity facility.
Emporia State will be celebrating its 75th anniversary in Francis G. Welch Stadium, named after the all-time winningest football coach in Emporia State history (115 wins from 1928-1942, 1946-1954). The Hornets went 3-3 last season at Welch Stadium.
The Fort Hays State Tigers have been playing home games in Lewis Field Stadium — built on the former Golden Belt Fairgrounds — since 1936. It was named after William Alexander Lewis, FHSU president from 1913-1933. Fort Hays went 2-4 at home last season.
Missouri Southern drew its largest attendances for two losses — 5,280 for a 35-23 loss to Missouri Western and 3,524 for a 52-21 loss to Northwest Missouri. Southern finished 2-3 in games at Fred G. Hughes Stadium.
MIAA schools may soon play their final games in Stokes Stadium, home of the Truman State Bulldogs, as the Bulldogs depart for the Great Lakes Valley Conference after this upcoming school year. Stokes Stadium opened in 1930, named after Truman State physics professor James Stokes.
The Blue Tigers of Lincoln averaged only 850 fans for home games. When Lincoln played in Pittsburg for Pitt State Homecoming, more fans showed up for that game (9,915) than four Lincoln home games at Dwight T. Reed Stadium combined (4,251) and doubled (8,502). Of course, there’s a big difference between a team with one win and a team with one loss last season.
The Nebraska Kearney Lopers play in Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field, home of the Lopers since 1939. The Copes are Kearney community philantrophists and Charlie Foster a former Nebraska Kearney track and football coach. Nebraska Kearney finished 5-2 at home last season — both of its 2011 losses came at home.
The Central Oklahoma Bronchos won their only two games last season at the 10,000-seat stadium named after former UCO head coach C.W. Wantland. Their 41-21 win over East Central ended a 10-game losing streak and drew 6,200 fans. However, over the next four home games, Central Oklahoma attracted 5,800 to Wantland Stadium — including a season-low 500 for a 30-17 win over Black Hills State.
The Northeastern State RiverHawks play their first MIAA game at home against Pitt State — Doc Wadley Stadium can hold 12,000 fans.
The Lindenwood Lions play in Harlen C. Hunter Stadium, a stadium originally built for the 1976 St. Louis Cardinals (NFL) training camp and now hosting football, men’s and women’s soccer, field hockey and men’s and women’s lacrosse in St. Charles, Mo. Lindenwood went 5-1 at home last season.
The Southwest Baptist Bearcats scuffled at Plaster Stadium last season with a 1-4 record. Southwest Baptist hosts Pitt State this season on Sept. 15.
