Tyre Coleman has improved his game both on the field and in the classroom. Hobart athletics photo

Tyre Coleman didn't play organized football until the seventh grade.

It wasn't by choice -- he was simply too big to play Pop Warner. The wait, as it turned out, has proved worth it.

Coleman, now a senior defensive end for Hobart, is writing the final chapters of one of the most dominant and productive careers for any defensive player in Division III football history. Few players could hope to match Coleman's list of accomplishments.

In 39 games over four seasons with the Statesmen, Coleman has piled up 42 sacks, the sixth most for any player in Division III history. With 12 more sacks, he would break the all-time record of 53.5, set by Waynesburg's Mike Czerwien. Coleman's also tallied 193 tackles, including a staggering 76.5 for losses, and forced 12 fumbles.

The Statesmen have also won 35 of the 39 games, with only a single loss coming in the regular season. Coleman has helped the team reach the NCAA postseason three times, with a fourth appearance looming this season.

"He's going to leave behind probably the strongest four years in Hobart football history," Hobart coach Mike Cragg said, "and he's a big part of that reason why."

The 6-1, 258-pound Coleman isn't too big to play football now. In fact, his ideal combination of size, strength and speed allows him to excel at rushing the passer and defending the run. He's been a fixture along the defensive line since the second game of his freshman year.

Coleman, a Poughkeepsie, N.Y., native, burst onto the scene in 2011. As a true freshman, he piled up 13 sacks -- second-most in the country -- and was named the Liberty League Rookie of the Year. As a sophomore, Coleman finished fourth in the country with a Hobart single-season record 17.5 sacks and was named Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year. 

Last season, Coleman began facing constant double teams, and his sack total dropped to 7.5. But his dominance was still felt as he repeated as the conference's top defensive player. It's been more of the same this season. In the face of regular double-, sometimes triple-teams, Coleman has still tallied 24 tackles (10.5 for loss) and four sacks.

"It doesn't frustrate me," Coleman said. "It just makes me happy my other teammates are getting involved. You've got to game plan for all us, not just me."

Coleman is the best player on a great defense. The Statesmen are allowing just 13.3 points per game this season, good for 20th in the country, and only 242.2 yards per game (12th best).

"He gets a lot more double- and triple-teams, but it doesn't stop his motor," Cragg said. "He just plays so hard all the time and has really developed into a great leader for us on the defensive side of the ball."

Coleman has not always had the best grades, but as an Africana studies major with a minor in education, Cragg said he's arguably worked harder off the field than on it. Coleman spent more hours seeking additional help and tutoring at Hobart and William Smith's center for teaching and learning than any other student at either of the colleges last year. Coleman was also afforded a unique opportunity to study abroad last summer in Wales.

Coleman remains on track to graduate next May, and said he hopes to return home and start his teaching career at his alma mater, Poughkeepsie High School. If he got an opportunity, coaching football would also intrigue him.

"I would consider being a teacher/football coach," Coleman said. "I probably will have a passion to do it."

Hobart (6-0, 3-0) has four conference games still remaining, but a fourth consecutive Liberty League title seems inevitable for the Statesmen. Hobart was bounced in the second round by St. John Fisher last season, but advanced to the quarterfinals two seasons ago for the first time in program history.

Coleman said the team's goal is simply to improve each day, with a continued focus on winning the conference. 

"We want to get deeper [in the tournament], but like coach says, we've got to focus on week by week," Coleman said. " ... This team, we've got talent. We could do some special things here."

Coleman's done many special things already. It's a safe bet he'll do a few more before his college career ends.

Frostburg State upsets Ithaca

Is the Empire 8 the deepest conference, top to bottom, in the country? Results like Frostburg State's 38-37 double overtime win against Ithaca certainly lend credence to the argument.

The Bobcats, in a period of transition under first-year coach DeLane Fitzgerald, snapped a four-game losing with a streak with an impressive win over the Bombers, one of the favorites to win the Empire 8 this season.

Frostburg scored 10 unanswered points in the final 8:51 of regulation to force overtime. In the second overtime, the Bobcats blocked Garrett Nicholson's extra point following Tom Dempsey's 4-yard touchdown pass to Vito Boffoli. Three plays later, Ben Sasu scored on a 1-yard run, and Isaac Robinson converted the ensuing extra point attempt to give Frostburg State the 1-point win.

Frostburg State quarterback Ken Emmons finished with 241 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Dempsey posted 325 yards and four touchdowns for Ithaca, but was sacked five times.

What once was a promising season for Ithaca looks bleak, as the Bombers face Salisbury, Brockport State, St. John Fisher and Cortland State -- all formidable teams -- to close out the season. They'll likely need to run the table to make a second straight trip to the NCAA playoffs.

Statement win for Rowan

Morrisville State has been a feel-good story so far this season. But Rowan served notice this past weekend that it's not ready to past the NJAC torch quite yet.

The Profs defeated the upstart Mustangs, 31-0, behind another tremendous game from Withler Marcelin (228 rushing yards, two TDs). Perhaps more impressively, Rowan held an explosive offense, led by dual-threat quarterback Lemar Johnson, to just 227 yards and zero points while forcing four turnovers.

Rowan lost two of its first three games this season -- tough nonconference games against Widener and Wesley. Since then, the Profs have won three straight by a combined margin of 102-28. 

They remain one of only two teams still unbeaten in the NJAC, and face the other (Montclair State) in a crucial game this coming Saturday.

Widener, Delaware Valley keep pace

Six games into the season, and neither Widener nor Delaware Valley has blinked.

Widener defeated Wilkes, 59-12, while Delaware Valley beat Stevenson, 35-13. Both teams improved to 6-0 overall and 5-0 in the MAC.

All signs point to a winner-takes-all game between the Pride and Aggies on Nov. 15 -- essentially a conference championship. Both teams still have three other games remaining, notably Widener's tough road game at Lycoming this weekend.

But there remains a real chance we will see two 9-0 teams meet in mid-November with a conference title on the line. It just doesn't get much better than that.

Quick hits

Tyler Fenti passed for 194 yards and two touchdowns, Tony Fusco rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown, and Brandon Miller finished with 17 tackles, including a sack, in St. John Fisher's 42-7 rout of Utica. ... Pat Caggiano returned a punt 54 yards for a TD, Josh Betts recovered a fumble in the end zone for another score, and Montclair State's defense forced six sacks and two turnovers in a 28-7 win over TCNJ. ... Jerome Johnson rushed for 148 yards, John Dunbar rushed for 127 yards and two TDs, and Aarron Moore ran for 93 yards and three touchdowns as Salisbury piled up 514 yards on the ground in a 59-49 shootout win against Hartwick. Tanner Williams caught nine passes for 193 yards and a score for the Hawks, who finished with 572 yards through the air. ... Jonathan Marrero rushed for 209 yards, including three TD runs of at least 39 yards, and tossed a pair of touchdowns to Andres Martin in Springfield's 48-21 victory against Merchant Marine. Matt McDaniels rushed for 165 yards and three touchdowns in the loss. ... Dylan Peebles rushed for 87 yards and two touchdowns, and Mark DelPrete returned one of Cortland State's three interceptions 20 yards for a score in the Red Dragons' 35-0 shutout win over Southern Virginia. ... Chase Venuto passed for 351 yards and four touchdowns -- 230 yards and two touchdowns to Andrew Mrozek -- and Brockport State scored on interception and fumble returns in a 45-42 win over Alfred. ... Daniel Bronson passed for 204 yards and three touchdown and added another 98 rushing yards in Rochester's 34-20 win over RPI. ... Robert Meade passed for 206 yards and three touchdowns, and Corey Miller had 2.5 of Kean's six sacks as the Cougars held off William Paterson, 30-24. ... Dan Kempa returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown and Anthony Martucio returned an interception 91 yards for a touchdown as King's defeated FDU-Florham, 45-17, for its third straight win.

Top 25: Little movement among East teams

Hobart, the top-ranked East region team, held steady at No. 8 in this week's D3football.com Top 25 poll.

St. John Fisher climbed one spot to No. 15. MAC powers Widener and Delaware Valley checked in at No. 16 and No. 23, respectively.

Buffalo State, Salisbury and Rowan all received votes in this week's poll.

Looking ahead

Salisbury (4-2, 3-1) at Ithaca (4-2, 3-2), noon, Saturday: A win against Ithaca would put Salisbury in great position to make a run at the Empire 8 conference title. Ithaca needs to snap its two-game losing streak if it hopes to win the conference. 

Rowan (4-2, 3-0) at Montclair State (5-1, 3-0), 1 p.m., Saturday: Key matchup here between the only two teams left with unbeaten NJAC records. The winner will move into the driver's seat in the race for the conference title.

No. 16 Widener (6-0, 5-0) at Lycoming (5-1, 4-1), 1:30 p.m., Saturday: Lycoming is trailing both Widener and Delaware Valley in the MAC standings, but has already lost to the Aggies. A loss to the Pride would seriously damage any conference title hopes.

Other games of note: No. 8 Hobart (6-0, 3-0) at RPI (4-3, 2-2), noon, Saturday; Springfield (5-2, 3-1) at St. Lawrence (5-1, 3-0), 1 p.m., Saturday; Utica (4-3, 2-3) at Buffalo State (5-1, 3-1), 2 p.m., Saturday

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