GAME NOTES: Kentucky Wesleyan at Delta State (9.1.16)
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CLEVELAND, Miss. -  Coach Todd Cooley and the Delta State University Statesmen welcome the Panthers of Kentucky Wesleyan College on Thursday, Sept. 1 to Parker Field-McCool Stadium to open the 2016 campaign. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. The game marks the second meeting between the schools on the gridiron after Delta State claimed a 51-18 victory in last year's meeting. Matt Jones and the Statesmen Sports Network crew will have the call beginning at 5 p.m. with the DSU Alumni Association Statesmen Game Day.  
 

STATESMEN FOOTBALL GAME DAY
Date/Location:	Sept. 1, 2016 - Parker Field at McCool Stadium
Kickoff Time:	6:00 p.m. CST
Radio:	Statesmen Sports Network | Matt Jones (PxP), Philip Tang (Color), Cody Clark (Host) and Lane Quinton (Sidelines)
Rankings:	Delta State: RV - AFCA | NR - D2Football.com Kentucky Wesleyan: NR - AFCA | NR - D2Football.com
Series History:	Second Meeting | DSU leads series 1-0 Last Meeting: W, 51-18 - Sept. 4, 2015 (Cleveland)
Coaches:	Delta State: Todd Cooley (22-10, 4th season) Kentucky Wesleyan: Brent Holsclaw (31-86, 14th season)
Live Audio:	Statesmen Sports Network (Click Here)
Live Stats:	Live Stats (Click Here)
Live Video:	Live Video ($$/Click Here)

Delta State enters the season picked to finish fourth in the Gulf South Conference race. The Statesmen received 46 poll points to finish behind preseason favorite and defending champion West Georgia (62). 2015 co-champion North Alabama finished second, while  Florida Tech earned its highest-ever ranking, claiming the final two first-place votes enroute to 48 points.  Delta State finished a close fourth-place with 46 points, followed by Valdosta State (40) and West Alabama (26). Led by Harlon Hill Trophy candidate quarterback Tyler Sullivan, the Statesmen placed four student-athletes on the Preseason All-GSC Team.  Defensive end Erin Brown, linebacker Jamel Dennis and punter Cody Mills joined Sullivan on the squad selected by a vote of league's head coaches.
 

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SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN: The Statesmen play a 10-game schedule in 2016, including three games against teams ranked in the AFCA Preseason Top 15 and two against teams currently receiving votes. DSU welcomes No. 9 Texas A&M-Commerce to Cleveland on Saturday, Sept. 10.  The Statesmen face No. 2 West Georgia to open GSC play on Saturday, Sept. 17 in Carrollton, Ga., before hosting No. 15 North Alabama on Saturday, Oct. 29. DSU also faces Valdosta State (Oct. 22/Valdosta, Ga.) and Florida Tech (Nov. 12/Melbourne, Fla.), both are receiving votes in the weekly poll.    

TURNING TO A NEW DC: Delta State head coach Todd Cooley named Raleigh Jackson his new defensive coordinator this past spring. He joins the program after spending the last three seasons at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, Ark. The Wonder Boys defense finished the regular season in the top 25 nationally in nine different categories over a two-year span from 2014-2015, including 12th in defensive scores, 20th in rushing defense, 23rd in pass efficiency defense, 24th in total defense, 24th in third down defense, sixth in Red Zone defense, 22nd in tackles-for-loss, 23rd in turnovers gained and 23rd in fourth down defense.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE: Seniors Joreco Beckwith and Jamel Dennis return to anchor the Statesmen defense in 2016. Beckwith, a safety from Winnsboro, La., finished 2015 with 65 tackles, 2.5 TFLs and three interceptions. Dennis, a preseason All-GSC linebacker from Abbeville, Miss., totaled 48 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 2.0 sacks and an interception in an injury shortened season.

WILSON'S WAY: Over the past three seasons, senior linebacker Wilson Curtis (31) has established himself as one of the Gulf South Conference's best defenders. In 2015, the Winnsboro, La., native racked-up 44 tackles, 9.0 TFLs and 2.0 sacks.

BUILDING A LEGACY: Tyler Sullivan is the leader of this squad. The Louisville, Miss., native enters his third season as DSU's starter, owning an 18-5 record and poised to finish building an exceptional legacy. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound signal-caller ranks third in DSU history with 7,250 yards passing and 7,709 yards of total offense, after completing 570-of-900 attempts for 7,250 yards with 62 TDs. He has also rushed for 15 TDs in his career. As a junior, Sullivan completed 171-of-279 passes for 2,128 yards and 20 TDs in just seven games.

WE HAVE THE BEEF: Delta State's offensive line this year averages 6-foot-5 and weighs in at 328 pounds. DSU's largest lineman is 6-foot-10, 385-pound redshirt freshman tackle John McNamara. Dakota Roberts checks in as the smallest at 6-0, 277 pounds.

PUTTING POINTS ON THE BOARD: Senior kicker Vince Sciorrotta needs just 12 points to become Delta State's all-time leading scorer. Former All-American Trevar Deed (2009-11) holds the record with 265 career points. Sciorrotta, a Cumming, Ga., native, already holds school records for career PATs made/attempted and career field goals made/attempted.

LEADING AT THE HALF: Delta State is 17-0 under head coach Todd Cooley when leading at half-time. The Statesmen are 5-8 when trailing and 0-2 when tied at the half.

BELLAIRE'S BALL: Running back D'Juan Bellaire is poised for a breakout season after leading the Statesmen in rushing a year ago. The 5-foot-6, 175-pound junior ran 105 times in 2015 for a team-leading 506 yards and five touchdowns. He's also DSU's top returning receiver, hauling in 20 passes for 159 yards.

SEPTEMBER SWOON: The Statesmen have enjoyed tremendous successes under Todd Cooley in the month of September. Delta State is 10-1 in September with Cooley at the helm.

TULLO RETURNS AT LB: After enjoying a breakout sophomore season at linebacker, Landry Tullo was forced to sit out the 2015 campaign. The Hoover, Ala., native returns this year, ready to pickup where he left off in 2014, playing in all 11 games, while making 56 tackles, 13.5 tackles-for-loss and a team-leading 6.5 sacks.

AWARDS WATCH LIST: Delta State's Tyler Sullivan (QB) and Vince Sciorrotta (PK) are considered among the top student-athletes at their positions and are listed on several awards watch lists. Sullivan, a 2014 Harlon Hill Trophy national finalist as a sophomore, is a strong contender for the nation's top NCAA DII award. Sciorrotta is chasing the Freddie Mitchell Award, presented annually to NCAA DII's top place kicker.