CLEVELAND, MISS. - The Delta State University Football team are back on the road as they head to the Carolinas Saturday (Oct. 26) as they take on the Trailblazers of North Greenville University.
 
Kickoff will be at 12:00 p.m., (CDT) at Younts Stadium on the campus of North Greenville University. The Voice of the Statesmen, Michael Gross will have the call on the Statesmen Sports Network and North Greenville will provide the live stream on the FloFootball
 
The Statesmen took down the 10th ranked West Alabama Tigers at McCool Stadium last Satuday (Oct. 19) 21-6 to improve to 5-2 on the season. North Greenville won their second GSC contest this season as they took down the Flying Fleet from Erskine College 52-35.
 
THE COACHES
Todd Cooley enters his 11th season as head coach at Delta State.
He was hired as the program's 19th all-time head coach on January 25, 2013. In his first campaign as head coach, Cooley guided the Statesmen to a 7-3 overall record and a second-place finish in the Gulf South Conference. Inheriting a team that went 3-7 the year before, the high-energy Cooley built a cohesive family atmosphere in less than nine months. That energy helped feed a program's turnaround in just one season. In 2014, Cooley led the Statesmen to a 9-2 record, along with DSU's seventh Gulf South Conference title and a berth in the NCAA Division II Playoffs, the school's first since 2011.
For his efforts, Cooley was named Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year by his peers in the league. In all, 11 Statesmen were named to the All-GSC squad, including GSC Freshman of the Year Tyler Sullivan, who quarterbacked DSU to a 4-1 mark as a starter.
DSU averaged 40.0 points per game offensively, while averaging 472.2 yards per game. The Statesmen pulled off three victories over nationally ranked opponents after defeating No. 21 North Alabama 37-34, No. 14 Tarleton State 38-36 and No. 24 Valdosta State 63-55.
In 2014, Cooley earned his second consecutive GSC Coach of the Year accolade, sharing the honor with Florida Tech's Steve Englehart. Twelve Statesmen were selected to the All-GSC squads, while Trey Shaw captured the league's Defensive Freshman of the Year honor. DSU put up an impressive 5,395 yards of total offense, outscoring opponents 491-215.
With expectations riding high entering the 2015 season, the Statesmen raced out of the gate to a 4-0 record and No. 5 national ranking. Unfortunately, the ride was short-lived, as injuries began to mount and derailed a title run for DSU. The Statesmen finished the year 6-5 overall and 2-5 in GSC play.
The Statesmen finished the year leading the GSC in passing (312.4), while ranking second in scoring (36.4) and third in total offense (426.7).
In 2016, DSU finished its season ranked No. 3 in the GSC in scoring offense (36.9), total offense (446.8) and passing offense (287.7).
After an injury filled 2018 season that saw the Statesmen post a 2-8 mark, Cooley's Statesmen rebounded to finish 6-4 overall and 5-3 in the GSC in 2019. Overall, nine Statesmen earned All-GSC laurels and two were selected to the D2Football.com All-Americans. Additionally, 13 Statesmen made the GSC Academic honor roll for a GPA of 3.0 or higher while four were selected to the GSC All-Academic football team.
Jeff Farrington, who played high school football in Greer, SC, and coached for nine years at Furman University, tookover the North Greenville University football program in 2013, leading the team to a Victory Bowl Championship in 2014, a 7-3 record in 2015, and a Quarterfinals appearance in 2016 with a 9-5 record.
The Crusader mentor comes from the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia where he was the Keydets' defensive coordinator. Prior to his stint at VMI, Farrington spent a year at Mercer University in Georgia under Bobby Lamb helping to initiate the Bears' Division I FCS program which begins play in the fall of 2013.
Farrington was a defensive assistant coach for Lamb at Furman from 2002-2010 and was the Paladins' defensive coordinator in 2010.Furman's defensive teams under Farrington were highly regarded statistically in the Southern Conference, and the Paladins reached the NCAA Division I FCS playoffs four times (2002, 2004, 2005, and 2006). In 2005, Furman advanced to the FCS national semi-finals.
 
Before signing on at Furman, Farrington was the defensive coordinator and secondary coach for five seasons (1997-2001) at East Tennessee State University, and three of his Buccaneer defensive backs signed NFL contracts. No stranger to NCAA Division II football, he also was the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at West Georgia College from 1992 through 1996 and had defenses that attained national rankings.
A 1982 graduate of The Citadel where he lettered twice as a defensive back, Farrington began work in the coaching ranks as a graduate assistant at his alma mater (1982), and later at East Carolina (1983) and Florida State (1984). He was named outside linebackers coach at East Carolina in 1985. He later became defensive coordinator at Lenoir-Rhyne College (1987-90) and Presbyterian College (1991).
In his previous five seasons, Farrington and his staff have led the Crusaders to a third NCAA Victory Bowl title in 2014 while taking the program to its second NCAA Playoff appearance in 2016. The Crusaders advanced to the quarterfinals during the '16 playoff run and finished with a 9 - 5 record.
STATESMEN ON THE ROAD
Delta State holds a 31-23 (.584) record in 54 games on the road under Head Coach Todd Cooley. Delta State currently holds a 1-2 record on the road in 2024 as they defeated Mars Hill 47-16 and fell to Wingate 21-7 and West Florida 40-28.
North Greenville holds a 27-23 (.540) record in their past 50 home games dating back to 2013. The Trailblazers are currently 1-2 in the 2024 campaign as they start three-straight games against ranked opponents.
THE DELTA STATE-NORTH GREENVILLE SERIES
This will mark the eighth matchup in the history of both programs. The Statesmen hold a 5-2 overall record in the series against North Greenville. The first meeting between both teams was in the Division II Regional Final in 2011 where the Statesmen defeated at the time Crusaders 28-23. The Statesmen's two losses came in McCool Stadium in 2018 and 2021. Delta State holds an unblemished 3-0 record in Tigerville.
THE HISTORY OF BOTH PROGRAMS
The Statesmen, who are embarking upon their 94th season of intercollegiate competition, have compiled a 504-413-23 overall record, winning 53.5 percent of their 937 all-time games.
Delta State is one of just 38 NCAA Division II institutions to have recorded 500 all-time victories. The Statesmen have the second most program victories out of any Gulf-South Schools
North Greenville has a 138-177 (.438) record in 29 seasons of intercollegiate play.
SCOUTING THE STATESMEN
The Statesmen enter this weekend with a 5-2 record and a 2-1 GSC mark after defeating tenth ranked West Alabama last weekend in Cleveland. The Statesmen would have a big second quarter to pull ahead 21-6 and not look back. Junior quarterback Cole Kirk comes into this weekend with 103 completed passes for 1426 yards and 14 touchdowns as well as 297 yards on the ground. Kirk added a touchdown run and two through the air in the win against West Alabama Kelvin Smith leads the Statesmen ground attack and the GSC with 481 yards on 80 carries and five touchdowns. Jaylen Green continues to rack up receptions with 29 for 506 yards and a GSC leading seven touchdowns. Green had four receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown last weekend in Pensacola. Senior Jalen May grabbed his first touchdown reception of the year early in the second quarter as he got behind the defense for a 45-yard TD marking his longest reception in the 2024 season.
The Statesmen defense shined in the win against the tenth ranked Tigers. The Statesmen forced the Tigers offense to go 6-20 on third downs amd 1-5 in the redzone. The Statesmen forced three turnovers (two fumbles one interception) throughout the game. William Carter led the way for the Statesmen with eight tackles and a fumble recovery early in the game. Demetric Barnes and JJ Hudson both made big plays for the Statesmen defense as the shut the Tigers out in three quarters. Hudson had three tackles, a sack and an interception with a pass breakup as well. Barnes had five tackles, a sack that put the Tigers out of Field Goal Range, and forced a key fumble in the second half for the Statesmen
Nick Herber connected a perfect 3-3 on PATs last weekend against UWA. Parker Burleson had two kickoffs go through the endzone for touchbacks along with a 54-yard punt and pinned the Tigers inside their 20-yard line. Ahmir Taylor blocked the Tigers PAT which marks the second time this season the Statesmen have blocked an extra point attempt.
 
Scouting The Trailblazers
               North Greenville enters this weekend after a shootout 52-35 win against Erskine last Saturday in Tigerville.
The duo of Dylan Ramirez and Dre' Williams teamed up for four of North Greenville's touchdowns on Saturday. Ramirez also found Tyshon Mansell for a pair of scores including the first touchdown of the game, a 49 – yard touchdown pass. Later in the game Dre Williams would take a pass 70 – yards for a score, his longest touchdown reception of the season.
 North Greenville scored two touchdowns in each quarter of Saturday's conference tilt with the Fleet. Also getting in on the scoring was Jacob Walker who led all rushers in yards and touchdowns finding paydirt twice Saturday including 44 – yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter to drive in the final nail.
The trailblazers were dominant on the defensive side of the ball as well, tying the program record for sacks in a single game with nine. De'Iveon Donald led the charge with two sacks to go along with eight total tackles. NGU defenders also forced two turnovers. John Porter III punched out a fumble that was recovered by Brannon Teamer while Warren Coneway picked off an Erskine pass.
 NGU defenders held the Fleet to 289 – yards of total offense, allowing just 53 – yards on the ground.