GAME NOTES: Delta State (0-2) at Florida Tech (2-0)
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CLEVELAND, Miss. - The Statesmen (0-2, 0-0 GSC) of Delta State University travel to Melbourne, Fla., to open the Gulf South Conference schedule this Saturday, Sept. 15 at the Florida Institute of Technology (2-0, 0-0 GSC). Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. EST. Since 2000, Delta State is 12-6 in league openers, including a 3-2 record under head coach Todd Cooley. Saturday's match-up with FIT will also be featured on ESPN3 as the Florida Space Coast GSC-TV Game of the Week. Don Russell and Rick Rhoades will have the call on ESPN3 for the GSC. Rhoades is a familiar face to the #DSUFamily, as the former DSU head coach returns to the GSC-TV Live production for another year as color analyst. Rhoades led the Statesmen to a 38-20 record from 2002-2006, including a run to the NCAA DII National Semifinals in 2006.

Delta State is picked to finish fourth in the 2018 Preseason All-Gulf South Conference Poll, as voted on by the league's head coaches. The Statesmen received 41 poll points, while West Alabama (62) is picked to repeat as league champions. West Florida, coming off an NCAA national runner-up finish in 2017, is picked second followed by West Georgia (44), DSU, Valdosta State (38), Florida Tech (32), North Greenville (24), Mississippi College (16) and Shorter (8). Junior offensive lineman Innis Claud, senior defensive end Tramond Lofton and senior linebacker Ovenson Cledanord were named Preseason All-GSC by a vote of the league's head coaches.

Delta State will appear three times this season on ESPN3 in the GSC-TV Game of the Week, presented by Florida's Space Coast. Saturday's clash with Florida Tech is the first appearance for the Statesmen this year. DSU will also appear on ESPN3 at No. 8 West Alabama on Saturday, Oct. 13 and again versus Shorter on Thursday, Oct. 25 at Parker-McCool. The Statesmen are 22-11 all-time in televised contests, including a 10-4 mark under coach Cooley.
 

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BEHIND ENEMY LINES: FLORIDA TECH PANTHERS
• Delta State and Florida Tech are meeting for the sixth time in series history on Saturday, Sept. 15 in Melbourne, Fla., at Panthers Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. EST and the game will be televised on ESPN3 as the Florida Space Coast GSC-TV Game of the Week. This year's game is also the fifth time the two schools have squared-off on television. The Statesmen lead the series 3-2 after claiming a 42-20 victory in last year's match-up at Parker-McCool.

• Florida Tech (2-0) is coming off a hard-fought, 17-10, victory over Newberry College last week at Panthers Stadium. Trent Chmelik completed 18-of-24 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown in the win.

• Junior running back Antwuan Haynes ranks seventh in the GSC in rushing yards, averaging 53.0 yards per game.

• Trent Chmelik, a junior quarterback from Clearwater, Fla., has completed 32-of-51 passes this season for 402 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He is currently sixth in the GSC in passing yards per game (201.0) and fourth in QB efficiency (131.5).

• Senior linebacker J.T. Hassell, the reigning GSC Defensive Player of the Week, ranks second in the league with 19 total tackles. Hassell recorded 19 tackles with one TFL and a forced fumble in last week's 17-10 win over Newberry.

• Florida Tech head coach Steve Englehart is in his sixth season in Melbourne. He enters Saturday's match-up with Delta State 33-25 at FIT and 59-39 overall in 10 seasons as a head coach.  
 

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GULF SOUTH CONFERENCE OPENERS: The Statesmen travel to Melbourne, Fla., to open the Gulf South Conference schedule this Saturday, Sept. 15 at Florida Tech. Since 2000, Delta State is 12-6, including a 3-2 record under head coach Todd Cooley, to start conference play, including a 17-7 win in last year's league opener versus then No. 17 West Georgia at Parker-McCool. Saturday's match-up with FIT will also be featured on ESPN3 as the Florida Space Coast GSC-TV Game of the Week. Don Russell and Rick Rhoades will have the call on ESPN3 for the GSC. Rhoades is a familiar face to the #DSUFamily, as the former DSU head coach returns to the GSC-TV Live production for another year as color analyst. Rhoades led the Statesmen to a 38-20 record from 2002-2006, including a run to the NCAA DII National Semifinals in 2006.

No. 8 LAKERS EDGE STATESMEN: The No. 8 Grand Valley State Lakers (2-0) edged Delta State, 21-10, this past Saturday, Sept. 8 at Parker Field-McCool Stadium. The Statesmen held GVSU to a season-low 313 yards of total offense, while amassing a season-high 325 yards against the Lakers vaunted defense. DSU's defense kept the Lakers off-balance all night, as Bart Williams completed just 8-of-26 passes for 133 yards. Patrick Shegog accounted for 186 yards of offense for the Statesmen, rushing for 85 yards and a touchdown while completing 12 passes for 101 yards.     

ON THE BIG SCREEN: Delta State will appear three times this season on ESPN3 in the GSC-TV Game of the Week, presented by Florida's Space Coast. Saturday's clash with Florida Tech is the first appearance for the Statesmen this year. DSU will also appear on ESPN3 at No. 8 West Alabama on Saturday, Oct. 13 and again versus Shorter on Thursday, Oct. 25 at Parker-McCool. The Statesmen are 22-11 all-time in televised contests, including a 10-4 mark under coach Cooley.   

CLEDANORD PACING GSC DEFENDERS: Ovenson Cledanord has picked up right where he left off last season, leading the Gulf South Conference in tackles. The 6-foot-2 senior from Greenacres, Fla., enters Saturday's game at Florida Tech with 21.0 tackles, 2.0 tackles-for-loss and 2.0 sacks. The former Dodge City (Kan.) CC transfer is averaging 10.5 tackles per game. He turned in a season-high 13 stops, including one tackle-for-loss and one sack, in last week's 21-10 loss to No. 8 Grand Valley State. Cledanord finished 2017 ranked in the GSC's top five in tackles (85), tackles-for-loss (13.0/71 yards) and sacks (7.5/50 yards).

AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS: The Statesmen are scheduled to play four ranked opponents in 2018, including No. 5 Grand Valley State (2-0), No. 8 West Alabama (2-0), No. 10 West Georgia (2-0) and No. 13 West Florida (1-1). Florida Tech, Valdosta State and Tarleton State are also among opponents receiving votes in the AFCA's Top 25 Poll. Delta State is 0-1 this season against ranked opponents, falling 21-10 to GVSU, and the Statesmen and 11-8 all-time under coach Todd Cooley against teams in the nation's top 25.

LOFTON & KING DISRUPTING OPPOSING BACKFIELDS: Senior defensive end Tramond Lofton and junior linebacker Vada King are wreaking havoc on opposing backfields, combining for 6.0 tackles-for-loss and 3.0 sacks. In last week's game versus No. 8 Grand Valley State, Lofton finished 5.0 tackles and 1.0 tackles-for-loss, while King tallied 5.0 stops and 2.0 tackles-for-loss.

SHEGOG EMBRACES LEADING ROLE: After an injury sidelined starting quarterback Breck Ruddick, true freshman Patrick Shegog stepped right in and kept the Statesmen within striking distance of the No. 8 Lakers all night. The Batesville, Miss., led the Statesmen with a career-high 85 yards rushing on 18 carries, including a 45-yard touchdown. He also completed 12-of-30 passes for 101 yards and an interception that came off a tip at the line. The former South Panola High School standout is set to make his first career start this week at Florida Tech.

ECTOR, HERRINGTON & TILLMAN LEADING BY EXAMPLE: Seniors Chandler Ector, Brandon Tillman and David Herrington are providing leadership for defensive coordinator Jerry Partridge's unit this season. All three are ranked in the GSC's top 10 in tackles, as Ector (8.0) is tied for fourth in tackles per game while Herrington (6.0) and Tillman (6.0) are tied for sixth.

MILLS PACING GSC PACK: Senior punter Cody Mills has been a major weapon for the Statesmen this season, nailing a GSC leading 593 yards on 13 kicks. The Oxford, Miss., native is averaging 45.6 yards per punt, including seven kicks downed inside the 20-yard line. He's also booted three punts greater than 50 yards, including the fourth longest punt in school history, a 76-yard effort at Tarleton State.          

GROUND & POUND: The Statesmen have been nearly unbeatable when out-rushing the opposition, posting a 26-3 record under head coach Todd Cooley. Delta State went 9-1 in 2017 when out-rushing its opponents. DSU rushed for a season-high 215 yards last week versus No. 8 Grand Valley State. Sophomore running back Kelon Wilson is ninth in GSC in rushing yards per game at 49.5 while freshman quarterback Patrick Shegog is 11th (47.0).

LEADING AT THE HALF: Delta State is 28-0 under head coach Todd Cooley when leading at half-time. The Statesmen are 7-20 when trailing and 0-2 when tied at the half.
        
WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE: Delta State is 25-2 under head coach Todd Cooley when winning the turnover battle.     

RACE TO 30: The Statesmen are 31-5 all-time when scoring 30 or more points against an opponent under head coach Todd Cooley.

FIRST STRIKE: Delta State owns a 25-10 record when scoring first under head coach Todd Cooley.

EXTRA YARDAGE: Most coaches don't like for their teams to put up more penalty yardage than their opposition, but the Statesmen are 22-4 under head coach Todd Cooley when leading in that category.

WINNING THE COIN TOSS: The Statesmen enter Saturday's game with Florida Tech having won both coin tosses in their previous two games. Delta State is 0-2 this season after winning the coin toss.    

EYSTER, BANKSTON TO BE INDUCTED INTO DELTA STATE HALL OF FAME: Record-setting quarterback Scott Eyster (2003-2006) and former standout running back Londale Bankston (1986-1988) are among the 11 inductees to the 2018 class of the Delta State Athletics Hall of Fame. Eyster, a three-time All-American and Harlon Hill Trophy finalist, finished his career at Delta State as the GSC's all-time leader in passing yards (13,889), passing touchdowns (116) and total offense (14,342). Bankston ranks third on the career rushing yards list with 3,180, including a personal best 1,120 as a junior in 1987.