Box Score | Game Notes

The John Carroll University football team entered its homecoming game with high expectations in a game which also served as the home-opener. Featuring the No. 1 defense and the No. 17 offense in Division III the Blue Streaks did not disappoint in their 28-0 rout over Otterbein University.

One day after the 10th anniversary of Don Shula Stadium, John Carroll took care of business on the field to earn its first 3-0 start since 2003 and win its home-opener for the first time since 2010. Otterbein dropped to 1-2 with a 1-1 mark in the OAC.

"I'm very pleased with our effort," said newly enshrined John Carroll Athletic Hall of Fame inductee and head football coach Tom Arth. "Otterbein is a great football team. We won 28-0 so that's a lot to be excited about. We know we can play better. It's great for us. We just have to keep working hard."

Freshman sensation Marshall Howell continued to jump-start the offense. The Benedictine product recorded his third 100-yard game in as many games finishing with 124 yards on eight catches and a pair of scores.

Howell took over on the Blue Streaks' second possession darting his way to a 55-yard gain on the first play of the drive and capping it with a 20-yard touchdown three plays later.

On John Carroll's first drive of the second half Howell came through once again. While scoring from 11 yards out the big-play freshman kept the drive alive with a 5-yard catch on a fourth down play.

The Blue Streak defensive was just as impressive sending the Cardinals backwards every time they would get within a smelling scent of the end zone ending the night with 13 tackles for loss.

A Jordan D'Orazio muffed punt gave Otterbein the ball at the John Carroll 28. The Cardinals drove the ball inside the Blue Streak 10-yard line seemingly all but ending the shutout. The defense dug in and a sack by Andy Bryan and David Porter drove Otterbein just out of Nick Ganus' range to keep the shutout alive.

One week after the secondary shut down the Baldwin Wallace passing game, the Blue Streaks' front six took care of neutralizing the Cardinals' ground game on Saturday. On the night John Carroll finished with seven sacks led by Porter (two) and Nick Lasko (1.5). The defense also held Otterbein to 46 yards rushing on 39 carries.

The defense rattled Otterbein right from the get-go as a Justin Kravchuck sack and a bad snap by the Cardinals on the ensuing punt attempt gave the Blue Streaks the ball on the Otterbein 10-yard line to start the second quarter.

DaQuan Grobsmith scored from three yards out and added a 37-yard score on the next possession, the longest run from scrimmage thus far this season.

The Blue Streaks also were more disciplined as a team. After racking up 19 penalties in its first two games John Carroll cut down the mistakes and only was flagged three times against Otterbein.

Junior Mark Myers finished 23-of-40 on the night with 226 yards and two scores. Matt Feeney and Mitch Krotz paced the defense with nine tackles each.

"We're playing well but we just have to keep getting better, that's our biggest goal," said Arth. "I think we've gotten better every week and we feel we still have a ways to go in all phases. We're all still learning. We're doing a good job and we'll keep getting better."

Now armed with two shutouts for the first time since 2006 and with wins over two of the four teams picked ahead of the Blue Streaks in the OAC Media Poll, John Carroll remains home to take on Capital University on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. in Don Shula Stadium.