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GAME NOTES: Delta State Statesmen (3-2) vs. No. 14 Tarleton State Texans (5-0)
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CLEVELAND, Miss. - The Delta State University (3-2) football team welcomes No. 14 ranked Tarleton State University (5-0) to Parker Field-McCool Stadium Saturday, Oct. 19 in the 8th annual Cancer Awareness Classic. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. The Statesmen and Texans are meeting for the second time on the gridiron after DSU claimed a 38-35 victory at Memorial Stadium in Stephenville, Texas last year.
The month of October is now widely known as Cancer Awareness Month and Delta State University will play its part as it has for the past seven years by hosting a "PINK OUT" at Parker Field – McCool Stadium on Saturday. The team will be sporting pink helmet stickers, tape and wristbands provided by the Delta Cotton Belles. As in years past, any fan wearing a predominate amount of pink will also receive free admission to the game.
Delta State will also recognize cancer survivors and those who lost their battle with the dreaded disease this year during a special halftime ceremony. The annual event is a partnership between Delta State Athletics, American Cancer Society, Delta Cotton Belles and the DSU Breast Education and Early Detection Program.
OPENING DRIVE
GSC-LSC Rivalry Renewed: The Statesmen (3-2, 2-1 GSC) of Delta State University will play host to the No. 14 Texans (5-0) of Tarleton State University on Saturday, Oct. 19 in a cross-region matchup featuring teams from the Gulf South Conference and Lone Star Conference. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. The game marks the second meeting between the schools all-time. DSU defeated TSU 38-35 last season at Memorial Stadium in Stephenville, Texas.
Against the Lone Star State: The Statesmen are playing their 19th game versus a team from the state of Texas this Saturday as DSU hosts Tarleton State. DSU is just 4-14 all-time against teams from the "Lone Star" state. The Statesmen fell 45-37 earlier this season to Texas A&M-Commerce in the Lone Star Conference Kickoff Classic at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, in Arlington, Texas.
Under the Lights: Saturday's game with Tarleton State will be played under the lights at Parker Field-McCool Stadium, marking the 511th game all-time at night. DSU is 271-235-4 in night games in program history.
Champion leading GSC in Passing; Leads NCAA DII in Completion Percentage: Junior quarterback
Travis Champion enters the week ranked No. 1 in the GSC in passing. The Moreno Valley, Calif., native has completed 152-of-212 passes for 1,604 yards this year, including 10 touchdowns and five interceptions. He currently leads the GSC in passing (320.8 ypg), completions (152), attempts (212), yards (1,604) and completion percentage (71.7), which also ranks as the top completion percentage in NCAA DII.
Freshmen making their mark on Statesmen: Coach
Todd Cooley and his staff certainly aren't afraid to give freshmen a chance to get on the field, as DSU has played 16 true or redshirt freshmen this season. Several Statesman freshmen have seen significant playing time, including
Timothy Foy (RB),
David Evans (SS),
Michael Davison (WR),
D'Juan Bellaire (RB),
Sifa Finau (DT),
Latrell Peterson (DE) and
Landry Tullo (LB).
Lethal Trio: Sophomores
Casey Osborne and
Patrick Bethley, and junior
Ricky Hunt are proving to be quite a lethal trio at for offensive coordinator
Joel Williams' scheme. The trio ranks first, third and fourth respectively in the GSC in receptions per game. Hunt has caught a team-leading 39 passes for 331 yards and a touchdown. Osborne has 31 grabs for 405 yards and six touchdowns, while Bethley has hauled in 23 passes for 330 yards and three scores.
Sciorrotta Scores A Lot: True freshman kicker
Vince Sciorrotta ranks second in the GSC in scoring at 8.8 points per game. The Cumming, Ga., native is 8-of-12 on field goals attempts this season and 20-of-20 on PATs.
Nash Leading By Example: Sophomore rover
Richard Nash continues to lead by example for the Statesmen. Nash leads DSU with 39 tackles and ranks ninth in the GSC.
Lubin Getting Loose: Redshirt junior defensive end
Diego Lubin has made a major impact for the Statesman defense since his return. The Winter Haven, Fla., native leads
DSU and the GSC with 4.0 sacks and ranks sixth in TFLs with 6.0 in four games.
Morgan's Message: Junior outside linebacker
Artavius Morgan is heating up at the right time for DSU. The Fairburn, Ga., native leads the league in tackles-for-loss (7.5). In five games, he has 23 tackles, 7.5 TFL and two sacks.
Island Stopper: Junior linebacker
Rory Island is once again on an All-GSC type pace, as the Waveland native has 33 tackles, 4.0 tackles-for-loss and a sack this season. In DSU's loss at UWA, Island topped the Statesmen with 10 tackles and two tackles-for-loss.
Boys of October: The Statesmen are looking to inch closer to .500 all-time in the month of October Saturday, Oct. 19 versus Tarleton State. DSU is 163-165-12 all-time in October.
Statesmen in the Stats: The Statesman passing attack has returned to the tops of the GSC rankings and fifth nationally, as DSU enters this week averaging 365.5 yards per game through the air. DSU ranks second in total offense (477.0) and fifth in total defense (373.4). The Statesman feature the league's third rated run defense, allowing just 125.8 yards per game.
Up Next: The Statesmen will travel to Rome, Ga., on Thursday, Oct. 24 to face Shorter University in the GSC-TV Live Game of the Week. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CST at Barron Stadium. Revenge will be on the mind of the Statesmen after last season's 32-21 loss to the Hawks in Rome.
SCOUTING THE TEXANS
Texans Coming Off Emotional Win: The Texans are coming off one of the biggest victories in program history, a 31-27 come-from-behind win over then-No. 6 and previously unbeaten West Texas A&M. TSU scored 28 unanswered points in the victory, thanks in large part to a second half shutout by the Texans defense. Jake Fenske completed 25-of-42 passes for 388 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winner with :44 seconds remaining in the game.
Road Warriors: Tarleton has now won seven consecutive games away from Tarleton Memorial Stadium, which dates back to a victory over A&M-Commerce on Oct. 13 last season. The last time a Texan team won at least seven straight away from home came during the 2007 and 2008 seasons when Tarleton won eight straight road contests from Sept. 1, 2007 to Sept. 27, 2008.
Mirror Image: The Texans' boast a 30+ points per game average along side the Statesmen offense. Tarleton's main offensive production comes from the passing game where they average 256.75 ypg and 11 touchdowns. Their attack is a balanced one at that also racking 707 total yards on the ground and seven scores.
The Extra Down: Tarleton doesn't always go for the three downs and out goes the punt team. The Texans are a perfect 8-for-8 on the season when going for it on fourth-down this season. TU also boasts a 45.5 percent (31-of-68) third-down conversion clip against opponents faced.
One Mistake: Jake Fenske, a senior from Round Rock, Texas, completed 11-of-12 (91.67) passing against Midwestern State on Sept. 14, for 107 yards and two touchdowns. His lone incompletion resulted in an interception by Ricardo Riascos, but the Texans held on to defeat the then No. 13 ranked Mustangs 27-24 in their season opener.
The Head Coach: Cary Fowler is in his fourth season at the helm for the Texans and since taking over in 2010 the team has steadily improved from year-to-year. In his first season he guided TU to a 3-8 overall record then improving the team to a 6-5 season in 2011 and a 6-4 season in 2012. In 2013 Fowler has his team poised for another winning season already sporting a 4-0 mark.
OFFENSE
Making the "Money": Money plays in college football are defined as plays resulting in first downs or touchdowns. DSU's
Casey Osborne has been "Mr. Money" for the Statesmen this season with 21 plays. The sophomore has six touchdown receptions and 15 grabs that directly resulted in a first down.
Timothy Foy is second with 16 followed by
Ricky Hunt (15),
Patrick Bethley (12) and
Jarvis York (8).
Champion leading GSC in Passing; Leads NCAA DII in Completion Percentage: Junior quarterback
Travis Champion enters the week ranked No. 1 in the GSC in passing. The Moreno Valley, Calif., native has completed 152-of-212 passes for 1,604 yards this year, including 10 touchdowns and five interceptions. He currently leads the GSC in passing (320.8 ypg), completions (152), attempts (212), yards (1,604) and completion percentage (71.7), which also ranks as the top completion percentage in NCAA DII.
Red Zone Effectiveness: Delta State continues to find ways to score once reaching the red zone this season and went 1-for-1 in the 48-14 loss at West Alabama on Oct. 3 in the GSC-TV Live Game of the Week. DSU is 21-for-26 on the year inside the zone with 13 touchdowns and eight field goals.
Spreading the Wealth: While the Statesmen offense has certainly proven it has some weapons this season. In the Pig Pickin' win, the Statesmen used seven different rushers and receivers against Florida Tech. In the win against UNA, DSU completed passes to 11 different receivers and utilized six different rushers in the game. On the season Delta State has utilized 11 different rushers and 15 separate receivers.
Three Headed Monster: Sophomores
Casey Osborne and
Patrick Bethley, and junior
Ricky Hunt are proving to be quite a lethal trio at for offensive coordinator
Joel Williams' scheme. The trio ranks first, third and fourth respectively in the GSC in receptions per game. Hunt has caught a team-leading 39 passes for 331 yards and a touchdown. Osborne has 31 grabs for 405 yards and six touchdowns, while Bethley has hauled in 23 passes for 330 yards and three scores.
Freelon Breaks 1,000 Yard Mark: Senior running back
Richard Freelon needed just four yards at North Alabama on Sept. 21, to join the 1,000 yard rushing club at DSU, he did just that picking up 12 yards on seven carries in the 37-34 win over the Lions. Freelon followed up with 117 yards rushing on 20 carries in the 52-31 win over Florida Tech last week.
The Bruce, Miss., native has rushed for 1,126 yards and nine touchdowns on 216 carries in his career at DSU.
Third & Fourth Down Effectiveness: DSU enters Saturday's game 37-of-90 (41-percent) on third down conversions and 9-of-14 (64-percent) on fourth down attempts.
Aerial Assault: The Statesman passing attack has returned to the tops of the GSC rankings, as DSU enters this week averaging 365.8 yards per game through the air. Junior quarterback
Travis Champion is also atop the GSC leader board in terms of passing yards (320.8), completions (152), attempts (212), and completion percentage (71.7).
Positive Debut for Sullivan: In DSU's 48-14 loss at West Alabama, redshirt freshman quarterback
Tyler Sullivan made the most of his fourth quarter opportunities, completing 5-of-7 passes for 71 yards and a touchdown. The 27-yard scoring strike went to
Patrick Bethley late in the fourth quarter. Sullivan, a transfer from Northwest Mississippi Community College, is a native of Louisville, Miss.
Making the Most of His Touches: Sophomore running back
Justin McArthur has finally returned to the lineup after a preseason injury that sidelined the Hoover, Ala., native. In three games, McArthur has scored two touchdowns on just seven carries. As the season progresses, expect McArthur to play a larger role for the Statesmen.
Average Starting Point: Field position is always an important variable in any game and the Statesmen are averaging a starting spot of the 29 yard line this season.
DEFENSE
Nash continues to play well at rover for Statesmen:
Richard Nash, a junior transfer from Georgia Military Institute, ranks ninth in the Gulf South Conference in total tackles with 39 (7.8 tpg). In week one, Nash was named the GSC Defensive Player of the Week after recording seven solo tackles, 2.0 tackles-for-loss and intercepting a pass.
Lubin cutting loose: Redshirt junior defensive end
Diego Lubin has made a major impact for the Statesman defense since his return. The Winter Haven, Fla., native leads DSU and the GSC with 4.0 sacks and ranks sixth in TFLs with 6.0 in four games.
Morgan's Message: Junior outside linebacker
Artavius Morgan is heating up at the right time for DSU. The Fairburn, Ga., native leads the league in tackles-for-loss (7.5). In five games, he has 23 tackles, 7.5 TFL and two sacks.
Island Stopper: Junior linebacker
Rory Island is once again on an All-GSC type pace, as the Waveland native has 33 tackles, 4.0 tackles-for-loss and a sack this season. In DSU's loss at UWA, Island topped the Statesmen with 10 tackles and two tackles-for-loss.
Opponents cold on third down: The DSU defense has done an excellent job on third down this season, holding the opposition to just 22-of-62 (35-percent) on third down conversion attempts. The Statesmen held the Delta Devils to 7-of-19 (36.8-percent), the Lions to 5-of-15 (33-percent) and UNA to just 2-of-12 (16 – percent) in the first three games of the season.
Chilly Red Zone for Statesmen Opponents: DSU's defense has been solid in the red zone through the first five games, allowing just
18 trips inside the Statesman 20-yard line. MVSU converted two times in a 24-14 loss to DSU, while TAMUC was 2-of-3 in the 47-35 loss
at AT&T Field in Arlington, Texas and only allowed the Lions of UNA to score once in their three opportunities on Sept. 21. Florida Tech converted 4-of-5 trips in a 52-31 loss, while West Alabama was just 3-of-5 inside the zone in a 48-14 win.
Camping out in the backfield: The Statesmen defense has been basically living in the opponent's backfield this season recording 42 tackles-for-loss along with GSC leading 16 sacks through five games this season.
Statesmen Defense by the Numbers: Delta State's defense took a bit of a hit in last week's loss at West Alabama, but looks to return to form against Tarleton State this week. The Statesmen are currently fifth in the GSC in total defense, allowing 373.8 yards per game. DSU's rush defense fairs much better, as the Green-and-White are surrendering just 125.8 yards per game on the ground.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Freshman place kicker delivering for DSU: True freshman kicker
Vince Sciorrotta has shined for the Statesmen this season, making 8-of-12 field goals and 20-of-20 PATs. The Cumming, Ga., native has nailed six of his last nine field goals, including the game winner, a 31-yard bomb with 9.9 seconds remaining in the game at North Alabama.
Sciorrotta leads the Gulf South Conference with 44 points on the season, and is tops in points per game (10.5). He also leads the league in made field goals with eight.
Mr. 20-Plus Man: Freshman return specialist
Michael Davison leads the Statesmen with 10 plays of 20-plus yards this season. The Avondale, Ariz., native has returned eight kicks and two punts for more than 20-yards, including a season-long of 58 yards.
Lightning in a Bottle: True freshman
Michael Davison has proven to be a major talent in the return game, as the Avondale, Ariz., native is averaging 28.8 yards per kick return. He has returned nine kicks for 259 yards with a long of 58 yards this season.
At the Opponent's 31.6: DSU's opponents this season are beginning each drive offensively, on average, at the 31.6 yard line.
