GAME NOTES: Delta State at Arkansas-Monticello (10.7.10)
Complete Weekly Release in PDF

CLEVELAND - The Delta State University Statesmen (4-1, 3-0 GSC), ranked No. 11 and No. 13 respectively in this week's rankings, hit the road Thursday headed for Monticello, Ark., for a showdown with Gulf South Conference foe Arkansas-Monticello (2-3, 1-2 GSC) in the GSC-TV Live Game of the Week. The game will be televised regionally to over 15 million homes through Cox Sports Southeast. Kickoff is set for 7:05 p.m. at Convoy Leslie “Cotton Boll” Stadium.

Delta State has dominated the series over the years, holding a 26-5 edge in the standings. The Statesmen have out-scored the Boll Weevils 989-401 all-time and hold an 12-2 edge in GSC meetings since UAM joined the league in the mid-90's.

Thursday's clash with the Boll Weevils will mark the third time the Statesmen have appeared on TV this season. DSU defeated Arkansas Tech, 27-25, in the NCAA DII National Game of the Week aired on CBS College Sports on Sept. 9 and edged No. 15 West Alabama, 41-37, in the GSC-TV Live Game of the Week on Sept. 30.

The game will also be broadcast on the Statesmen Sports Network starting at 6 p.m. with the "Statesmen Game Day Locker Room Report insured by Shelter Insurance."  Matt Jones, Jimmy Smith and J.T. Webb have the call.  Cleveland's WMJW (107.5 FM), Jackson's WJNT (1180 AM) and Grenada's WQXB (100.1 FM) will carry this week's broadcast.  The event will also be streamed live on the internet through GoStatesmen.com.  

GSC-TV Live will begin their coverage at 7 p.m. Don Russell will handle the play-by-play with analysis from former Delta State head coach Rick Rhoades and sideline commentary provided by John Cox. The game is available in Cleveland and the surrounding areas on WHCQ-TV and in Greenville/Greenwood on Cable One.


THIS WEEK'S STATESMEN TO WATCH: L.J. Castile
University of Houston transfer wide receiver L.J. Castile is this week's “Statesmen to Watch,” leading the No. 19 Statesmen (4-1, 3-0 GSC) to a 41-37 victory over No. 15 West Alabama (3-2, 1-1 GSC) last Thursday in the GSC-TV Live Game of the Week.

The 6-foot-3, 225-pound senior grabbed a season-high nine passes for 89 yards with three touchdowns, including the game-winning 16-yard score from Micah Davis with 19 seconds remaining in the contest. The massive receiver also scored on receptions of eight and nine yards. His previous game-high was six receptions for 88 yards at Jackson State.

The La Marck, Texas native leads the Statesmen with 26 receptions for 332 yards and four touchdowns. He is averaging 12.8 yards per reception and 66.4 yards per contest. He has remained a mainstay in the DSU line-up this season, making key grabs in wins at Valdosta State (27-23) and versus Henderson State (41-37).

INSIDE THIS WEEK'S RELEASE:
• Under offensive coordinator Greg Stevens, Delta State has amassed 1,094 yards of total offense utilizing every conceivable way in its last two games. In last Thursday's victory over UWA, the Statesmen rolled up 538 yards, including a career-high 414 yards passing and five touchdowns by Micah Davis, on 77 plays. On Sept. 25, DSU amassed 556 yards of total offense in the 41-37 victory over Henderson State. Behind the 111 yards and three touchdowns of Trevar Deed, the Statesmen rushed for a season-high 331 yards on 43 carries with six touchdowns.

• L.J. Castile turned in his best performance as a Statesmen last Thursday, hauling in a season-high nine receptions for 89 yards and three touchdowns. The 6-foot-3 receiver caught the game-winning 16-yard touchdown pass from Micah Davis with just 19 seconds remaining in the game.

• Junior running back Brandon Lucas scored a touchdown in his second straight game versus West Alabama. The Covington, Ga., native rushed 10 times for 58 yards and a score, including a game-high 27-yarder.

• Maurice Moore, a University of Wisconsin transfer, caught a career-high seven passes for 84 yards and returned four kickoffs for 111 yards in the 41-37 win over UWA. The Fort Worth, Texas native totaled 189 all-purpose yards, marking his second highest total of the season. The speedster accounted for 227 all-purpose yards at Jackson State in the season opener.

• Senior defensive back Garrett Williams and junior corner Dominique Davenport led the Statesmen with eight tackles each versus UWA. Williams has led the Statesmen in tackles in 4-of-5 games this season, including a career-high 15 stops at Jackson State. He leads the green-and-white with 50 tackles through five games, including three interceptions.