PREVIEW: Huskies close regular season at Saginaw Valley State

HOUGHTON, Mich. - Michigan Tech (4-6, 2-3) meets Saginaw Valley State in the final week of the regular season Saturday, November 12 at 1 p.m. at Harvey Randall Wickes Memorial Stadium. The Huskies aim to spoil SVSU's senior day and avenge a loss in week four to the Cardinals in Houghton. 

Fans can tune in to the game on Mix 93.5 FM WKMJ or online at pasty.net with the voice of Husky football Josh Ylitalo.

THE ARK HE BUILT

• It will be the final game wearing the Husky colors for 23 seniors, including four-year starting quarterback Will Ark.
• Ark will likely finish third on the Michigan Tech charts for all-time passing yards, needing one yard to pass Dave Walter for third place Saturday (6,875). 
• Since joining the Huskies as a redshirt in 2016, he has appeared in 38 games with 49 touchdown passes and 12 touchdown rushing.
• Ark surpassed current Huskies' assistant coach Dan Mettlach this season for third place in Tech history in career total offense (7,108 yards) and still trails Steve Short (8,987) and Tyler Scarlett (10,506).
• He was named All-GLIAC honorable mention last season and Second Team All-GLIAC in 2019-20.
• Ark joined Tyler Scarlett (2011-14) to become the second starting quarterback in Tech history to win four straight Miner's Cups under center.
• This season, Ark ranks third in the GLIAC in passing yards per game (187.5) with 15 touchdown passes (second), six interceptions, and four rushing touchdowns (12th). 

SIPPEL AIMS FOR NCAA DIVISION II TACKLES LEAD

• Linebacker Marc Sippel posted another 14 tackles Saturday at Hillsdale to bring his GLIAC leading total to 125 total tackles (12.5 per game) this fall.
• Sippel trails only Grant Bruner (Washburn) for the NCAA Division II lead in the category. Bruner stands at 127. 
• Last week, Sippel tied Todd Chiesa for third place on Michigan Tech's all-time season tackles record board.
• He needs one more Saturday to catch Tim Davey (1983) for second place. Tyler Kunz (linebacker) set the record in 1994 with 139 total tackles for the Huskies.

HUTTULA HANGS IT UP

• Senior Hayden Huttula plays his final game Saturday as the reliable Huskies center.
• From Hartland, Michigan, Huttula has played 25 games since his arrival in 2017.
• He garnered AFCA First Team All-America honors last season as well as the GLIAC Commissioner's Award.
• The defending team offensive lineman of the year missed one game due to injury this fall but recently returned to his starting role snapping the ball to Ark.
• Sophomore Darius Willis ranks second in the GLIAC in receiving touchdowns (8) and receiving yards (85.3). Josh Cribben is also tied for second in sacks (6.5).

LAST TIME OUT

• Ethan Champney reeled in a career-high three touchdown passes and Darius Willis added 150 yards receiving as Michigan Tech escaped with its fourth straight victory over Hillsdale College 28-24 Saturday afternoon at windy Frank Waters Stadium.
• Ark was an efficient 26-for-38 through the air for 314 yards and Sam Ahern made the game-clinching interception with three seconds remaining as MTU improved to 4-6 overall.
• Hillsdale fell to 5-5 with one week to play in the regular season.

LAST TIME AGAINST SAGINAW VALLEY STATE

• Then ranked No. 19 in Division II, Saginaw Valley State upended Michigan Tech 35-13 on September 24 in Houghton.
• The Huskies led 13-7 but Isaiah Malcome rushed for 145 yards and two touchdowns to help the Cards pull away in the second half. The Huskies did score a pair first half touchdowns, including a 59-yard connection between Ark and Willis. Deploying a bit of trickery, Champney also passed one to a wide-open Brandon Michalak in the endzone to start the second quarter. Tech mustered just 176 of total offense. Sippel led the way on defense with 11 tackles. 

SCOUTING THE CARDINALS

LAST TIME OUT

• Saginaw Valley State polished off Northern Michigan on the road 30-21 Saturday after scoring 27 unanswered points.
• SVSU outgained NMU 355-290 in total yards, including 277-114 on the ground.
• SVSU outgained NMU 355-290, including 277-114 on the ground.
• Jarius Grissom made his second straight start at quarterback for the Cardinals. He was 11-of-20 passing for 78 yards and one score. Grissom added 24 carries for 93 yards and another touchdown.
• Isaiah Malcome added 14 carries for 65 yards and a touchdown. He added a 51-yard punt return to set up an SVSU score.
• Tyler Amos carried the ball 11 times for 60 yards and a score.
• Casey Williams added six carries for 54 yards and four receptions for 31 yards.
• Trevor Nowaske led the SVSU defense with 10 total tackles, two tackles for loss, one pass breakup, and an interception.

HEAD COACH

• Ryan Brady is in his third season as head coach.
• He led the Cardinals to a 7-4 record in 2021 and 17 players garnered All-GLIAC recognition last fall.

STAND OUT PERFORMERS

• Senior Isaiah Malcome (Springboro, Ohio) ranks third in the GLIAC in the backfield with 65.1 rushing yards per game and five scores.
• Quarterback Andrew Brito's 12 touchdowns is good for fourth best in the conference.
• Brito averages 113.7 passing yards per game with 12 touchdown passes and just two interceptions. Brito's completion percentage is 60-percent.
• Sophomore defensive lineman Victor Nelson leads the team in sacks (5.5), which is fourth in the league, just behind Josh Cribben (6.5) of the Huskies.