Mount Union game notes

PURPLE POWER: The 2000 Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl marks Mount Union's fifth appearance in the game, all in Salem in the last eight years. The only school with more Division III title game trips in the division's 28-year history is Ithaca, with seven (a 3-4 record). Augustana (4-1), Dayton (2-3) and Rowan (0-5) also have played in five Stagg Bowls.

POINTERS: Mount Union's 70-30 rout of Widener (Pa.) in last weekend's semifinals was impressive on the scoreboard, but it wasn't a Division III playoff record. Stagg Bowl foe St. John's owns that, with a 75-2 crushing of Coe in a 1991 first-round game. The Purple Raiders' 70-point day ranks fourth in playoff history. Two teams had 71 - Baldwin-Wallace, 71-7 over St. Lawrence in the 1978 first round, and Central, 71-0 over Occidental in the '85 quarterfinals.

CLIMBING THE MOUNT: Mount Union has the longest active streak of playoff appearances, at nine (1992-2000), and trails only four-time Division III titlist Augustana (Ill.) for the division record, at 10 (1981-90). The Purple Raiders and Augustana share the Stagg Bowl championships record, at four. The Illinois school won its four crowns in succession ('83-86).

REGULAR SEASON SAVVY: In the last 90 regular season games, dating back to the beginning of the 1992 season, Mount Union has an 89-1 mark. Since 1990, the Purple Raiders are 53-1-1 at home in the regular season.

OWN THE '90s: Mount Union has the best winning percentage and most wins in all of college football during the 1990s. The Purple Raiders are an astonishing 120-7-1 (.941) during that time including four national championships all won in the City of Salem and Salem Stadium.

POINT MACHINE: The Purple Raiders are the only Division III team to score 500 points or more in six consecutive seasons (620 in '00, 593 in '99, 523 points in '98, 752 in '97 669 in '96 and 547 in '95) - no other DIII team has done it more than three years consecutively.

Head coach Larry Kehres
Larry Kehres (CARE-us), who is in his 15th year at the helm of the Purple Raider football team, has built one of the most successful programs in all of college football.

His teams have won 11 Ohio Athletic Conference championships while posting 10 undefeated seasons. Under Kehres, the Raiders have won four national championships in the last seven years and will be making their fifth Stagg Bowl appearance on Dec. 16.

For his efforts Kehres has been named the GTE Division III National Coach of the Year four times (1993, '96, '97, 98) - as voted on by the AFCA.

Kehres, 51, threw 28 touchdown passes as a Raider quarterback from 1967-70. A native of Diamond, Ohio, he also has been Mount Union's Director of Athletics for 15 years.

Kehres spent 11 years as a Mount Union assistant coach, serving primarily as the offensive coordinator. He also started and coached the college's swimming program from 1974-1986.

Kehres and his wife, Linda, have three children - Vince, Faith and Jan. They live in Alliance.

In addition to his duties in the athletic department, Kehres serves as an associate professor of physical education at the college.

Quick facts

Coaching staff
Head Coach: Larry Kehres (Mount Union, 1971)
Record at Mount Union: 163-17-3 (15 years)
Overall Record: 163-17-3 (15 years)
Assistant Coaches: Don Montgomery, Jeff Wojtowicz, Joe Leigh, Marty Cvelbar, Clyde Ross, Ken Lewis, Rudy Sharkey, Paul Gulling, Vince Kehres, Joel Cockley, Gerald Jones,
Student Assistants: Jeremy McElroy, Mike Malone, Matt Domin, and Justin Sloan.