GAME NOTES: Fort Valley State at Delta State | Sept. 6, 2015
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CLEVELAND, Miss. - The No. 14/11 Statesmen (0-0, 0-0 GSC) of Delta State University open the season for a second-straight year against the Wildcats (0-0, 0-0 SIAC) of Fort Valley State University on Thursday, Sept. 3 at Parker Field-McCool Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. The Statesmen Sports Network will offer complete coverage beginning at 5 p.m. with the DSU Alumni Association Statesman Game Day. Matt Jones, Mark Williams, Philip Tang and Lane Quinton will have the call. 
 

STATESMEN FOOTBALL GAME DAY
Date/Location:	Sept. 3, 2015 | Parker Field-McCool Stadium | Cleveland, Miss.
Kickoff Time:	6 p.m. CST
Radio:	Statesmen Sports Network | Matt Jones (PxP), Mark Williams (Color), Philip Tang (Producer/Host), and Lane Quinton (Sidelines)
Rankings:	Delta State: No. 14 - AFCA | No. 11 - D2Football.com Fort Valley St.: NR - AFCA | NR - D2Football.com
Series History:	First Meeting; 5th overall | Series tied 2-2 Last Meeting: DSU W, 56-13 at FVSU | Sept. 6, 2014
Coaches:	Delta State: Todd Cooley (16-5, 3rd season) Fort Valley State: Donald Pittman (35-29, 7th season)
Live Audio:	Statesmen Sports Network (Click Here)
Live Stats:	Delta State Live Stats (Click Here)
Live Video:	GoStatesmen.com Web Stream (Click Here)

   

INSIDE THE SERIES: Thursday's matchup will be the fifth meeting all-time between the two Super Region II foes and the series is tied 2-2. Oddly enough, the Wildcats are 2-0 in Cleveland, while the Statesmen are 2-0 in Fort Valley, Georgia. The Statesmen defeated FVSU 56-13 in last season's matchup at Wildcats Stadium.

AGAINST NON-CONFERENCE FOES: The Statesmen face their eighth nonconference opponent under Todd Cooley, as Fort Valley State travels to Cleveland. Cooley and the Statesmen have posted a 6-1 record against nonconference foes, including a 3-0 mark in 2014. DSU defeated Fort Valley State 56-13 in the season opener, smashed Central State 72-8 on Sept. 27, and routed Concordia 73-6. The Statesmen are an unblemished 4-0 against out of conference opponents at Parker Field-McCool Stadium under Cooley.

GSC PREDICTIONS: Delta State was picked to finish second in the annual Gulf South Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll behind league favorite West Georgia. UWG is the first team other than Delta State, North Alabama and Valdosta State to top the poll since 2000 when former league member Southern Arkansas finished first. The Statesmen placed six Preseason All-GSC honorees in Casey Osborne, Mose Countryman, Randall Boyd, Wilson Curtis, Romelo Wilson, and Richard Nash.

YOUNG GUNS LEADING DEFENSE: After breakout sophomore seasons, linebackers Wilson Curtis (6-1, 225, Jr.) and Landry Tullo are ready to lead a rapidly improving Statesman defense. The duo helped DSU average 10.7 tackles-for-loss, ranking second in NCAA DII.

READY TO LEAD: Quarterback Tyler Sullivan (6-3, 230, Jr.) is ready to make another run at the coveted Harlon Hill Trophy, a year after finishing ninth in the national balloting. The Louisville, Miss., native led the GSC in passing last year, averaging 305.3 yards per game while accounting for 34 touchdowns. In his 16 games as Delta State's starter, Sullivan is 13-3 with a GSC title and NCAA postseason berth under his belt. For his career, Sullivan has completed 399-of-621 attempts for 5,122 yards with 42 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.

HOME SWEET HOME: A year after traveling 5,198 miles over the course of a season, the Statesmen are set to play seven regular season homes at Parker Field-McCool Stadium. The seven home games will be the most played in a regular season since coach Gene Chadwick led the Statesmen to a 6-3 record in 1960. DSU went 4-3 at home that year.

NASH, KNOX PACE SECONDARY: Richard Nash (5-9, 180, Sr.) and Jon Knox (6-3, 210, Sr.) lead a veteran secondary looking to improve on last season's production. Nash, a Macon, Georgia native, led the Statesmen with 74 tackles last year, while ranking seventh in the GSC in tackles per game (6.7). He also tallied 4.5 tackles-for-loss and broke up six passes. Knox, a transfer from the University of Georgia and a Statesboro native, made 52 tackles while breaking up five passes and recording one interception.

85TH SEASON: When the Statesmen kickoff Thursday versus Fort Valley State, Delta State will begin its 85th season of football in Cleveland. In the previous 84 years of football, the Statesmen are 449-374-23 (.531). Since 2000, DSU is 125-52 (.706) with six Gulf South Conference titles, seven NCAA postseason appearances and the 2000 NCAA Division II National Championship.
 
COOLEY ERA ENTERS YEAR THREE LOOKING TO REPEAT
Delta State completed its turn-around under head coach Todd Cooley in 2014, capturing a share of its seventh Gulf South Conference Championship with a 6-1 league record after defeating Mississippi College 27-3 on Nov. 15 in the Heritage Bell Classic.

After inheriting a 3-7 team in January of 2013, coach Cooley, who captured a piece of his fifth championship overall and first as skipper, has led Delta State to a 16-5 record and a 10-3 mark in GSC play.

DSU's offense has been on a record pace since Cooley took over in 2013. Under offensive coordinator, the Statesmen have averaged 42.3 points per game and DSU has led the GSC in total offense in each of the last two season, including 490.5 yards per game in 2014.

The Statesmen claimed league titles in 1998, 2000, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2014. DSU's seven league titles are second only to North Alabama's 11.

STATESMEN OPENING 85th SEASON OF FOOTBALL
When the Statesmen kickoff Thursday versus Fort Valley State, Delta State will begin its 85th season of football in Cleveland. In the previous 84 years of football, the Statesmen are 449-374-23 (.531). Since 2000, DSU is 125-52 (.706) with six Gulf South Conference titles, seven NCAA postseason appearances and the 2000 NCAA Division II National Championship.

PROTECTING OUR HOUSE
The Green-and-White will be playing their 228th home game on Thursday, Sept. 3 at Parker Field-McCool Stadium versus Fort Valley State. The Statesmen are 142-76-8 since opening the stadium in 1970. DSU, which played several seasons at Delta Field located where Wyatt Hall now stands, is 254-126-15 all-time at home.

STATESMEN PICKED SECOND IN GSC PRESEASON POLL
Delta State University football was picked to finish second in the annual Gulf South Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll.
 
Coming off their seventh GSC Title and an NCAA postseason appearance, the Statesmen feature five Preseason All-GSC honorees in Mose Countryman, Randall Boyd, Wilson Curtis, Romelo Wilson, and Richard Nash.

For the first time ever, the University of West Georgia finished atop the Gulf South Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, entering 2015 as the favorite to claim the league crown. In fact, UWG is the first team other than Delta State, North Alabama and Valdosta State to top the poll since 2000 when former Southern Arkansas finished first.

Only one point separates second and third place, as 2014 GSC Co-Champions Delta State (30) and North Alabama (29) shared the final two first-place nods.  Valdosta State came in at fourth place with 19 points, followed by Florida Tech's 17-point total.  Completing the seven-team list was West Alabama (12) and Shorter (six).

AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS
The Statesmen were 2-1 last season against ranked opponents after defeating No. 13 Valdosta State, 49-32, at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium on Sept. 20, and edging No. 3 North Alabama 33-28 at Parker Field-McCool Stadium on Nov. 1.  DSU's lone loss against a ranked team came against West Georgia, 37-27,  in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Since Todd Cooley took over as head coach, the Statesmen are 5-2 against ranked opponents.  

LAST CLEAN SHEET
The Statesmen blanked the Hornets of Concordia College of Selma, Alabama, 77-0 on Nov. 9, 2013 at Parker Field-McCool Stadium. Prior to last year's game, DSU had not shutout an opponent since defeating Arkansas-Monticello, 53-0, on Nov. 11, 2006.

LAST TIME STATESMEN WERE SHUTOUT
It's been 12 seasons since Delta State suffered its last shutout. Then No. 1 Valdosta State defeated the Statesmen 42-0 back on Sept. 1, 2002 at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium in Valdosta, Ga.

COOLEY VERSUS NONCONFERENCE OPPONENTS
The Statesmen face their eighth nonconference opponent under Todd Cooley on Thursday, Sept. 3, as Fort Valley State travels to Cleveland. Cooley and the Statesmen have posted a 6-1 record against nonconference foes, including a 3-0 mark in 2014. DSU defeated Fort Valley State 56-13 in the season opener, smashed Central State 72-8 on Sept. 27, and routed Concordia 73-6.

The Statesmen are an unblemished 4-0 against out of conference opponents at Parker Field-McCool Stadium under Cooley.

SET IT AT 60 & FORGET IT
Delta State is 18-0 all-time when scoring 60-plus points in a game. In fact, the Statesmen have scored 50-plus points in a game 39 times in school history and most recently in DSU's 73-6 thumping of Concordia College on Nov. 8, 2014 at Parker Field-McCool Stadium.

SULLIVAN READY TO RETURN TO HARLON HILL RACE
Quarterback Tyler Sullivan (6-3, 230, Jr.) is ready to make another run at the coveted Harlon Hill Trophy, a year after finishing sixth in the national balloting. The Louisville, Miss., native led the GSC in passing last year, averaging 305.3 yards per game while accounting for 34 touchdowns.

In his 16 games as Delta State's starter, Sullivan is 13-3 with a GSC title and NCAA postseason berth under his belt. For his career, Sullivan has completed 399-of-621 attempts for 5,122 yards with 42 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.

He ranks fifth on the school's career yards passing and total offense (5,476) charts.

YOUNG GUNS READY AT LINEBACKER
After breakout sophomore seasons, linebackers Wilson Curtis (6-1, 225, Jr.) and Landry Tullo are ready to lead a rapidly improving Statesman defense. The duo helped DSU average 10.7 tackles-for-loss, ranking second in all of NCAA Division II and leading the GSC in 2014.

Curtis, a native of Winnsboro, Louisiana, finished 2014 with 48 tackles, 15.0 tackles-for-loss and 4.5 sacks. Tullo, a Hoover, Alabama native, had 56 tackles, 13.5 tackles-for-loss and tied for the team lead with 6.5 sacks.

STALLONE HAS NOTHING ON OUR RAMBO
Sylvester Stallone played the mythical action hero Rambo on the big screen. Randall "Rambo" Boyd (6-0, 260, Sr.) doesn't just play the part on the gridiron, he lives it out daily.

The Forest, Mississippi native and All-GSC defensive end is a leading candidate for the Gene Upshaw Trophy in 2015. Boyd totaled 34 tackles, with 13.5 tackles-for-loss and 6.5 sacks, to lead DSU to a share of the GSC title in 2014.  

HONORING A FALLEN STATESMAN - ADRIAN DINKINS
Delta State football will honor former defensive end Adrian Dinkins' memory this season, one year removed from his tragic death in a car accident. Each week, defensive linemen will compete for the honor of wearing the former team captain's No. 93.

Latrell Peterson, a junior from Covington, Louisiana, was selected to wear the jersey to open the season. The 6-foot-3, 245 pound end recorded 24 tackles, 7.0 tackles-for-loss and 2.5 sacks last season.

Dinkins lettered one season for the season for the Statesmen, recording 33 tackles, 10.0 tackles-for-loss and 3.0 sacks in 2013 while leading DSU to a 7-3 record in coach Todd Cooley's first season. For his efforts, the Madison, Mississippi native was named to the All-Gulf South Conference Second Team.  

NASH, KNOX LEADING VETERAN SECONDARY
Richard Nash (5-9, 180, Sr.) and Jon Knox (6-3, 210, Sr.) lead a veteran secondary looking to improve on last season's production.

Nash, a Macon, Georgia native, led the Statesmen with 74 tackles last year, while ranking seventh in the GSC in tackles per game (6.7). He also tallied 4.5 tackles-for-loss and broke up six passes.

Knox, a transfer from the University of Georgia and a Statesboro native, made 52 tackles while breaking up five passes and recording one interception. He also forced two fumbles and recovered another.  

THUNDER & LIGHTNING
The Statesmen ground game returns "Thunder and Lightning" in 2015, as Eddie McCadney (5-9, 240, Sr.) and D'Juan Bellaire (5-6, 175, Jr.) prepare to lead the running backs.

McCadney led the Statesmen with 517 yards rushing and a GSC-best 11 touchdowns on 107 carries a year ago. Bellaire had 96 carries for 444 yards and seven touchdowns.

WILSON BACK FROM INJURY
After suffering a season-ending ankle injury versus Concordia (Ala.), junior corner Romelo Wilson (5-11, 175, Jr.) is back at 100 percent heading into the season. The Ewa Beach, Hawaii native tied for the GSC lead with four interceptions. He recorded 30 tackles, 2.0 tackles-for-loss, four interceptions and eight passes defended in nine games in 2014.

GSC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR READY FOR MORE IN 2015
Trey Shaw (6-2, 200, Soph.), the GSC's reigning Defensive Freshman of the Year, is back at safety and ready to improve on last year's numbers. The Oxford, Mississippi native picked-off two passes and recorded 29 tackles in nine games, including five starts.
   
COUNTRYMAN & SMITHSON BOOKEND TACKLES
Delta State's offensive line features a pair of returning starters in Mose Countryman (6-5, 295, Sr.) and Jesse Smithson (6-5, 300, Jr.) at left and right tackle, respectively.

Countryman, an All-GSC selection from Jacksonville, Florida, graded 91 percent in 11 starts last season after transferring from Charleston Southern University. Smithson, a two-year letterman from Springhill, Tennessee, posted 89 percent in 11 games and nine starts.

ONE-TWO PUNCH AT RETURNER
Ladarrell Hunt (5-8. 160, Sr.) and D'Juan Bellaire (5-6, 175, Jr.) give the Statesmen a dynamic one-two punch at kick returner this season but will have some big shoes to fill with the graduation of All-American Ricky Hunt.

SCIORROTTA CHASING RECORDS
Kicker Vince Sciorrotta (5-9, 180, Jr.) is set to rewrite the Delta State record book this season. He has a chance to break the marks for career scoring and PATs with two seasons to play. The Cumming, Georgia native enters the year with 173 points scored and 110 PATs. He ranks seventh on the career points scored chart and second on PATs, which he should break in the first few weeks of the season.

Last season, Sciorrotta connected on 11-of-14 field goals and 60-of-66 PATs. His 93 points led the Statesmen and ranked second in the GSC.

Matt Dean (2008-2011), a four-year letterman from Cleveland, Mississippi, owns the career PAT mark with 112.

23 DEEP
Delta State University's football roster features 23 seniors, including 15 starters this season. Coach Cooley expects big dividends from his senior leadership in 2015.

SIGNS, SIGNS, EVERYWHERE THERE'S SIGNS
Coach Todd Cooley and offensive coordinator Joel Williams will be using a new signaling system in 2015. The signage-based system features pop culture photos and celebrity icons. The cards will change throughout the season.