# 2017 Emporia State Hornets football team

The 2017 Emporia State Hornets football team represented Emporia State University in the 2017 NCAA Division II football season. The Hornets played their home games on Jones Field at Francis G. Welch Stadium in Emporia, Kansas, as they have done since 1937. 2017 was the 120th season in school history. The Hornets were led by head coach Garin Higgins, who finished his 16th season overall, and 10th season at Emporia State. Emporia State has been a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) since 1991.

## Preseason

The Hornets enter the 2017 season after finishing with an 11–2 overall, 10–1 in conference play last season under Higgins. On August 1, 2017 at the MIAA Football Media Day, the Hornets were chosen to finish second in both the Coaches Poll and Media Polls.
On June 1, 2017, the Hornets were ranked No. 4 in Street & Smith's National Preseason Ranking Poll, and landed in the same spot by Lindy's Sports on June 23, 2017.
On August 14, the American Football Coaches Association released its poll, with the Hornets ranked No. 4 in the nation, the highest in school history.

## Personnel
### Coaching staff

Along with Higgins, there are 10 assistants.
| Name | Position | Seasons at ESU | Alma Mater |
| Garin Higgins | Head coach | 11 | Emporia State (1992) |
| Matt Nardo | Off. Coordinator/Halfbacks | 4 | Ohio (2005) |
| Mike LoPorto | Co-Defensive Coordinator/defensive line Coach/Academic Coord. | 10 | Emporia State (2010) |
| Bryan Nardo | Co-Defensive Coordinator/linebackers Coach | 6 | Ohio (2008) |
| Nathan Linsey | Secondary/special teams Coordinator | 6 | Emporia State (2010) |
| Anthony Koehling | Offensive line Coach | 3 | Ohio (2013) |
| Antwon Crutcher | Defensive line | 2 | Ohio (2016) |
| Daniel Siehndel | Defensive Secondary Coach | 2 | Southeast Missouri State (2015) |
| Austin Willis | Running backs/Strength & Conditioning Coach | 1 | Emporia State (2014) |
| James Floyd | Inside Receivers Coach | 1 | Northern Colorado (2016) |
| Jarrett Sstastny | Offensive line Coach | 1 | Emporia State (2017) |
| Reference: ||||

### Roster
## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | Result | Attendance |
| August 31 | 7:00 pm | at No. 1 Northwest Missouri State | No. 4 | Bearcat StadiumMaryville, MO | L 34–0 | 8,055 |
| September 7 | 7:00 pm | Nebraska–Kearney | No. 15 | Francis G. Welch StadiumEmporia, KS | W 45–13 | 5,013 |
| September 16 | 6:00 pm | at Missouri Southern | No. 14 | Fred G. Hughes StadiumJoplin, MO | W 36–29 | 4,608 |
| September 23 | 2:00 pm | Central Missouri | No. 15 | Francis G. Welch StadiumEmporia, KS | L 31–37 | 5,023 |
| September 30 | 2:00 pm | at Central Oklahoma | | Wantland StadiumEdmond, OK | L 52–53 | 3,845 |
| October 7 | 2:00 pm | Northeastern State | | Francis G. Welch StadiumEmporia, KS | W 44–7 | 4,702 |
| October 14 | 1:00 pm | at Lindenwood | | Harlen C. Hunter StadiumSt. Charles, MO | W 41–30 | 2,751 |
| October 21/22 | 2:00 pm | Pittsburg State | | Francis G. Welch StadiumEmporia, KS | L 10–27 | 4,663 |
| October 28 | 2:00 pm | at No. 7 Fort Hays State | | Lewis Field StadiumHays, KS | L 34–7 | 4,519 |
| November 4 | 2:00 pm | Missouri Western | | Francis G. Welch StadiumEmporia, KS | W 30–27 | 3,805 |
| November 11 | 2:00 pm | Washburn | | Francis G. Welch StadiumEmporia, KS (Turnpike Tussle) | W 26–20 | 4,095 |
| HomecomingRankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time |||||||
Source:

### Game notes, regular season
#### Northwest Missouri

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| #4 Emporia State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • #1 Northwest Missouri | 3 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 34 |

#### Nebraska–Kearney

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Nebraska–Kearney | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 13 |
| • #15 Emporia State | 21 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 45 |

#### Missouri Southern

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • #14 Emporia State | 9 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 36 |
| Missouri Southern | 6 | 13 | 3 | 7 | 29 |

#### Central Missouri

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Central Missouri | 7 | 0 | 14 | 16 | 37 |
| #15 Emporia State | 14 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 31 |

#### Central Oklahoma

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Emporia State | 7 | 14 | 17 | 14 | 52 |
| • Central Oklahoma | 7 | 22 | 0 | 24 | 53 |

#### Northeastern State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Northeastern State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| • Emporia State | 13 | 21 | 10 | 0 | 44 |

#### Lindenwood

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Emporia State | 14 | 0 | 6 | 21 | 41 |
| Lindenwood | 0 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 30 |

#### Pittsburg State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Pittsburg State | 7 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 27 |
| Emporia State | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 |

#### Fort Hays State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Emporia State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| • #7 Fort Hays State | 7 | 6 | 14 | 7 | 34 |

#### Missouri Western

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Missouri Western | 10 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 27 |
| • Emporia State | 7 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 30 |

#### Washburn

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Washburn | 7 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 20 |
| • Emporia State | 7 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 26 |