Issue date: 8/28/08 Section: Sports

It's 9 p.m. Monday night and Matt Ticich has just left the library after the first day of school.

A senior biology and history double major from Temecula, Calif., Ticich has graduate school lined up after Truman.

But first, he has to finish his senior year as the football team's starting quarterback, where expectations are high.

"We expect him to be one of the better players in the country this year," head coach Shannon Currier said.

In just two seasons as a Bulldog, Ticich is fifth all-time in total offense and seventh in career passing at Truman. His 2007 season ranks third in total offense, and he has the record for passing yards in a game. He was named last season to the academic all-MIAA team, given to student athletes who are named to an all-conference team and have at least a 3.5 GPA.

Four years ago, Ticich had never heard of Truman. After going to the University of San Diego for one semester and then a community college for another, offensive coordinator Aaron Vlcko found Ticich on a routine recruiting trip.

"I think the first thing that impressed me was a young man at a community college that had a 4.0 grade point average," Vlcko said. "… On top of that, when you watched him play, he was a natural leader on the football field, and he made a lot of plays."

Ticich liked what he heard from Vlcko. He said Truman was the best academic fit for him, and he also had a chance to start right away.

"Originally I wanted to go to the highest level I could, and that was the [Div.] I-AA level," Ticich said. "After cranking out that first tuition check, I realized it would be more important to have my school paid for."

When Ticich first became a Bulldog, the team was coming off of back-to-back 2-9 seasons. In 2005, the team went 0-8 in conference play.

"It wasn't a turn [off] for me," Ticich said. "I knew that was kind of the administration's real first year with their guys, and I think you really need to give a coach at least three to four years before you can really see just what kind of product he can put on the field. So I wasn't really worried about that. I had all the confidence in the world that we could turn it around, and I think we have so far."

Since Ticich arrived at Truman before the 2006 season, the Bulldogs have had two 6-5 seasons in a row, and they have beaten every team in the MIAA at least once except for perennial powers Northwest Missouri State University and Pittsburg State University.

Continued...

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