GAME NOTES: Henderson State at Delta State
Complete Weekly Release in PDF

Trevar Deed copy.JPG" style="float: right; margin: 10px;" />CLEVELAND - Delta State University will be hosting the 25th annual Pig Pickin' Festival this Friday and Saturday at Statesman Park. The two-day event is the single largest attended activity on campus each year, with over 7,000 people served. The weekend will culminate with Saturday's Gulf South Conference showdown between the Reddies (2-1, 1-0 GSC) of Henderson State and the No. 23 Statesmen (2-1, 1-0 GSC) of Delta State. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m., but activities will go on all day. For a complete list of events, please log on to www.GoStatesmen.com.

The Statesmen and Reddies will be meeting for 24th time in series history and the first since a memorable 10-9 DSU win in 2007 on two blocked field goals by Jamarcus Wiggins. Delta State leads the all-time series 18-4-1, including an 11-3-1 mark in GSC play.

Senior running back Trevar Deed (Phoenix, Ariz.) became the school's first 4,000 yard back and the career leader in all-purpose yardage this past Saturday at Valdosta State. With 4,015 yards, the two-time All-American and 2009 CellularSouth Conerly Award Finalist eclipsed the previous mark of 3,978 yards held by former Statesman Rico McDonald (1998-2001). In just 25 games, Deed, who has accounted for 32 career touchdowns, has rushed for 1,755 yards, while hauling in 154 receptions for 1,761 yards.

His ability on the gridiron will be needed, as the Statesmen face a formidable Reddie offense that averages 33.0 points and over 440 yards of total offense per game.   HSU defeated Arkansas Tech last week 45-21 at Thone Stadium in Russellville, Ark., and a win Saturday would put the Reddies in the hunt for the GSC title.

The Statesmen defeated then-No. 20 Valdosta State, 27-23, at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium in Valdosta, ga., last week.  Junior quarterback Micah Davis completed 27-of-32 passes for 275 yards with a career-high three touchdowns and one interception. 

DSU hopes to bring that momentum into Saturday's clash with the Reddies.  A complete breakdown of what's inside this week's release is listed below. 

INSIDE THIS WEEK'S STATESMEN RELEASE:
• Delta State University will be hosting the 25th annual Pig Pickin' Festival this Friday and Saturday at Statesman Park. The two-day event is the single largest attended activity on campus each year, with over 7,000 people served. The weekend will culminate with Saturday's Gulf South Conference showdown between the Reddies (2-1, 1-0 GSC) of Henderson State and the No. 23 Statesmen (2-1, 1-0 GSC) of Delta State. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m., but activities will go on all day. For a complete list of events, please log on to www.GoStatesmen.com.

• The Statesmen and Reddies will be meeting for 24th time in series history and the first since a memorable 10-9 DSU win in 2007 on two blocked field goals by Jamarcus Wiggins. Delta State leads the all-time series 18-4-1, including an 11-3-1 mark in GSC play.

• Senior running back Trevar Deed (Phoenix, Ariz.) became the school's career leader in all-purpose yardage this past Saturday at Valdosta State. With 4,015 yards, the two-time All-American and 2009 CellularSouth Conerly Award Finalist eclipsed the previous mark of 3,978 yards held by former Statesman Rico McDonald (1998-2001). In just 25 games, Deed, who has accounted for 32 career touchdowns, has rushed for 1,755 yards, while hauling in 154 receptions for 1,761 yards.

• Junior wide receiver Chance Dennis (Houston, Texas) hauled in a season and career-long 72-yard touchdown pass in Delta State's 27-23 victory over Valdosta State. The 6-foot-3 receiver finished the game with three receptions for 93 yards and two touchdowns.

• Jerry Barnes, a junior defensive back from Oakland, Calif., continued to shine for the Statesmen defense, totaling a team-high 10 tackles and one tackle-for-loss Saturday at Valdosta State.

• Brett Butler, a junior safety for the green-and-white, made an immediate impact in Saturday's win over the Blazers with six tackles, one sack and 1.5 tackles-for-loss.

• David Williams, Mark Hoskins and Joe Marshall made the game saving tackle on 4th-and-1 with 30.5 seconds and the Blazers driving for the go-ahead score on Saturday. Williams (8), Melton (3) and Marshall (4) accounted for 15 total tackles on the day.

• The Statesmen finished the first decade of the new millennium with the 12th best winning percentage in all of Division II football. Delta State amassed an impressive 84-33 record during the ten year span for a .718 winning percentage. The 84 victories are tied with Gulf South Conference rival North Alabama for 11th best.

• No stranger to TV, the Statesmen appear on a regional or national broadcast four times in 2010, including the NCAA Division II National Game of the Week versus Arkansas Tech on Thursday, Sept. 9 on CBS College Sports. DSU will also appear on GSC-TV Live three times during the regular season. The Statesmen host nationally-ranked West Alabama next Thursday, Sept. 30 in the GSC TV Live Game of the Week.

DEED FIRST 1,750 RUSH/RECEIVING PLAYER IN DSU HISTORY
His exploits on the football field at Delta State have become legendary.  In 25 games for the Statesmen, Trevar Deed has amassed more yards than any player in school history with 4,015. 

En route to that total, the Phoenix, Ariz., native has become the only player to ever where the green-and-white to rush for at least 1,750 yards and grab at least 1,750 yards in receptions.  Deed has rushed for 1,755 yards on 323 carries with 19 touchdowns, while hauling in 154 passes for 1,761 yards and 13 touchdowns. 

DENNIS OUT BLAZES BLAZERS TO END ZONE
Junior wide receiver Chance Dennis (Houston, Texas) hauled in a season and career-long 72-yard touchdown pass in Delta State's 27-23 victory over Valdosta State.  The 6-foot-3 receiver finished the game with three receptions for 93 yards and two touchdowns.   

In three games, the Stephen F. Austin transfer has hauled in 10 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns.  He is averaging 18.5 yards per catch and 61.7 yards receiving per game.

BARNES HAS OPPONENTS ON LOCKDOWN
Jerry Barnes, a junior defensive back from Oakland, Calif., continued to shine for the Statesmen defense, totaling a team-high 10 tackles and one tackle-for-loss Saturday at Valdosta State. 

The De Anza College transfer has accounted for 17 tackles, one interception and a 39-yard fumble return for a touchdown this season. 

A BLITZING BUTLER
Brett Butler, a junior safety for the green-and-white, made an immediate impact in Saturday's win over the Blazers with six tackles, one sack and 1.5 tackles-for-loss.  The speedster from San Francisco, calif., has recorded 13 tackles with three tackles-for-loss and a sack this season.

STATESMEN REMAIN PERFECT IN GSC OPENERS UNDER ROBERTS
One thing remains a constant for Statesmen head coach Ron Roberts, he has never lost a Gulf South Conference opener.  Saturday's 27-23 win at VSU moved the Visalia, Calif., native to 4-0 in league openers and 27-10 overall as a head coach.  In his four seasons at the helm of the Statesmen, Roberts owns a 21-4 record in league play with back-to-back GSC titles in 2007 and 2008. 

DSU TO PARTICIPATE IN AFCA “COACH TO CURE MD”
The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) is proud to sponsor the third year of Coach to Cure MD on September 25, 2010.  Delta State football will participate for the third straight year, as the Statesmen host Henderson State University at Parker Field-McCool Stadium.   Coach to Cure MD is an incredible way to educate the country about Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and raise money to fight this deadly opponent. 

DEFENSIVE LINE MAKES GAME-SAVING STAND
Leading 27-23 with less than a minute to play and the Blazers facing a 4th-and-1 within the Statesmen 30-yard line, coach Ron Roberts knew his defensive line would have to make a play.  VSU redshirt freshman quarterback Blake Whitmire had converted on 3rd and short at least three times in the game with the sneak and everyone at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium knew what was coming.  So did DSU defensive tackles David Williams, Joe Marshall and Mark Hoskins.  As the ball snapped, the trio of Statesmen collapsed the VSU offensive line back on Whitemire, stoning the play and preserving the win for DSU.  

DAVIS NEARLY PERFECT IN WIN OVER VSU
His accuracy Saturday was uncanny and his performance was nearly perfect, as junior quarterback Micah Davis directed the Statesmen to a 27-23 win at Valdosta State. 

In just his third start for the Statesmen, Davis completed 27-of-32 passes (84.2 percent) to 11 different receivers for 275 yards with three touchdowns and just one interception, which came on a tipped ball.

In three games, Davis has completed 65-of-100 passes for 829 yards and five touchdowns with five interceptions.  He currently ranks fifth in the GSC in yards passing per game (276.3) and seventh in total offense (281.6). 

GREEN SHIRTS MAKING THE TURNOVERS ROUTINE
In DSU's last two games, a 27-25 victory over Arkansas Tech and a 27-23 win at Valdosta State, the Statesmen have forced a total of nine turnovers.  Against the Wonder Boys on Sept. 9, DSU forced ATU into six turnovers - the highest total for the “Green Shirts” defense since the 2008 season, and on Saturday at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium in Valdosta, Ga., the unit accounted for three turnovers.   

STATESMEN DEFENSE TURNS IN ANOTHER SOLID EFFORT
After surrendering 501 yards of offense to Jackson State in the season opener, the Statesmen defense has returned to form in back-to-back games, holding the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys to 257 yards and the Blazers of Valdosta State to just 303.  Both teams were averaging over 440 yards per game of total offense entering their contests with DSU. 

The Statesmen are allowing 353.7 yards of total offense per game, which ranks seventh in the GSC.   

WILLIAMS RECORDS THIRD INTERCEPTION
Senior defensive back Garrett Williams picked off two passes in Delta State's 27-25 victory over Arkansas Tech on Thursday, Sept. 9 and wasted little time in claiming his third, a touchdown saving interception of VSU's Blake Whitmire in Saturday's 27-23 win over the Blazers. 

The Leland native leads the Statesmen with 32 tackles on the season with 2.0 tackles-for-loss, one sack, three interceptions and two pass break-ups.  He also has a forced fumble. 

MOORE LEADING GSC IN ALL-PURPOSE YARDAGE
University of Wisconsin transfer Maurice Moore makes an impact on the game every time he steps on the field for the Statesmen.  In three games, the Fort Worth, Texas native has recorded 489 all-purpose yards and leads the GSC at 163.0 all-purpose yards per game. 

One of the top return men in the country, the speedster is averaging 22.0 yards per return, 308 yards on 14 returns, and 57.5 yards per game as a receiver.