CLEVELAND, Miss. - The Delta State University Football team will head to Clinton this Saturday for the annual Heritage Bell Classic with the Choctaws of Mississippi College.
 
The Voice of the Statesmen, Michael Gross will have the call on the Statesmen Sports Network
 
The Statesmen enter this weekend after suffering their first loss at McCool Stadium against the No. 1 Ranked Valdosta State Blazers 49-20. After starting the season 0-7, Mississippi College is coming off their second straight win against Northeastern State last weekend 35-7.

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 would be 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.
 
In the 2021 campaign, the Statesmen posted a 5-6 overall record, finishing the season strong winning three out of their last four games. Nine Statesmen earned All-GSC honors including the 2021 GSC Defensive Player of the Year in Marvin Terry. The Statesmen ranked third in the nation in time of possession, possessing the ball for an average of 34:15 per game. The Statesmen defense led the GSC as they forced 26 turnovers on the season. The Statesmen Special Teams made it tough for opposing kickers and punters as they were third in the nation with eight blocked field goals and four blocked punts.
 
The 2022 campaign saw the Statesmen winning their eighth Gulf South Conference Crown and their 10th Playoff appearance as they finished the season with an 11-2 overall record. Cooley earned Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year honors for the third time at the helm for the Statesmen. 12 Statesmen earned All-GSC honors including quarterback Patrick Shegog, who earned the GSC Offensive Player of the Year in 2022. The Statesmen offense ranked within the top 10 in the nation averaging 41.2 points per game, 230.1 yards per game on the ground, and 471.8 total yards per game. The Defense continued to give the Offense opportunities as they led the GSC forcing 27 turnovers in the 2022 GSC Championship season.   
 
In the 2023 season Cooley led the Statesmen to back-to-back GSC Championships for his first time as the Head Coach at DSU, the first time the Statesmen won back-to-back GSC championships since 2010-11. Cooley was named the GSC Coach of the Year for the fourth time at the Helm for the Statesmen Football Program. 14 Statesmen earned All-GSC honors including Offensive Player of the Year Patrick Shegog. Shegog was also the first Statesmen since Josh Bright in 2000 to win the C Spire Conerly Trophy. The Statesmen offense, averaging 42.9 points per game continued to be ranked amongst the top of the GSC averaging 451.3 total yards per game, and 224.2 rushing yards per game. The Statesmen Defense's four defensive touchdowns ended up leading the GSC along with being ranked in the top 10 in the nation.
 
Mike Kershaw was named the head football coach for Mississippi College on December 19, 2023.
 
Kershaw, known for his successful tenure at Rice University, joins Mississippi College with a wealth of experience, a strong leadership acumen, and a high-tempo offensive strategy to elevate the Choctaws' football program.
 
Kershaw's arrival follows a remarkable coaching stint at Rice University, where he helped to steer the Owls to commendable success, culminating in a 6-6 overall record in the 2023 season—a milestone achievement marking the team's highest win total since 2014.
 
During his tenure at Rice, Kershaw played a pivotal role in leading the Owls to consecutive bowl berths, with an appearance in the 2023 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.
 
Under Kershaw's guidance, the Owls' offensive prowess shone brightly, averaging 30.25 points per game and demonstrating a balanced attack, amassing 376.8 yards per game—264.17 passing yards and 112.6 rushing yards. Quarterback JT Daniels concluded the regular season with impressive stats, showcasing his talent with 2,443 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
 
The Owls' offense boasted a formidable receiving unit, led by Luke McCaffrey, with 963 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns, showcasing the team's depth with multiple receivers surpassing the 350-yard mark. Additionally, running back Dean Conners contributed significantly with 737 rushing yards, five touchdowns, and an impressive 6.7 yards per rush.
Kershaw's coaching expertise extends beyond wide receivers, having coached quarterbacks, wide receivers, and safeties at Delta State University. His tenure at DSU included guiding the top-ranked offense in Division II in 2004 and leading the 2006 squad to the NCAA Division II National Championship semi-finals.
 
STATESMEN on the Road 
 Delta State holds a 31-24 (.563) record in 55 games on the road under Head Coach Todd Cooley. Delta State currently holds a 1-3 record on the road 2024 as they defeated Mars Hill 47-16 in week 0.
Mississippi College holds a 19-31 (.380) record in their last 50 home games dating back to the 2013 season. The Choctaws are currently entering this weekend with a two-game winning streak in Robinson-Hale Stadium, winning their last two games at home against Erskine and Northeastern State.
 
THE HERITAGE BELL CLASSIC
This will mark the 45th meeting in the history of both programs. The Statesmen hold a 25-16-3 overall record in the series against Mississippi College. The first meeting between both teams was in September of 1930 when the Statesmen and the Choctaws tied 0-0. In the last 10 games, the Statesmen are 9-1 against Mississippi College. On the road, the Statesmen hold a 10-9 overall record against Mississippi College.
The Statesmen won the past three games in this rivalry while being 9-1 in the past ten meetings.

The history of both programs
 The Statesmen, who are embarking upon their 94th season of intercollegiate competition, have compiled a 504-414-23 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 entering the 2024 season. The Statesmen have the second most program victories out of any Gulf-South Schools
Mississippi College has a 512-480-37 (.497) record in 113 seasons of intercollegiate play.

Scouting the Statesmen
 The Statesmen enter this weekend with a 5-4 record and a 2-3 GSC mark after falling at home to no. 1 ranked Valdosta State 49-20. Going into this weekend, junior quarterback Cole Kirk enters the weekend with 133 completed passes for 1879 yards and 17 touchdowns along with 59 carries for 368 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. Senior running back Kelvin Smith enters this weekend leading the GSC with 679 rushing yards. Smith also has 15 receptions for 166 yards and two receiving touchdowns. Smith had 25 carries for 112 yards along with four receptions for 57 yards against Valdosta State last weekend. Jaylen Green continues to lead the GSC with nine touchdown receptions. The Norcross, Ga., native caught his ninth touchdown reception last weekend on an 18-yard touchdown. Green currently has 31 receptions for 589 yards.

On the defensive end, Taylon Doss led the defense with seven tackles and an interception on the first play of the fourth quarter while William Jenkins, Tylenn Bridges, and Mario Martin each added a sack. Sophomore defensive back Tye Holsey leads all Statesmen defenders with 47 tackles. Demetric Barnes currently is tied for fifth in the GSC with four sacks this season. Jarius McFarland currently leads all defensive backs in the GSC with his three interceptions.

On the Special Teams side, Parker Burleson currently leads the GSC with touchbacks as he has 39, which marks more than any other team in the conference. Nick Herber is currently tied for the conference lead as he is a perfect 34-34 on PATs this season. Herber is also 11-12 from inside of 40 yards. Sophomore running back Tamaj Hoffman currently leads all kick returners in the conference with 403 yards.
 
Scouting the Choctaws
After starting the season 0-7 Mississippi College has gone on a two-game winning streak defeating Erskine 42-7 and Northeastern State 35-7.
 
Last week against Northeastern State, Mississippi College showcased a dominant performance on both sides of the ball, cruising to a 35-7 victory over Northeastern State at Robinson-Hale Stadium. The Choctaws' ground game was nothing short of spectacular, as they rushed for 404 yards and three touchdowns to improve to 2-7 on the season.
 
Running backs Marcus Williams and Preston Godfrey led the way for the Choctaws, combining for 320 of those rushing yards. Williams found the end zone twice, while Godfrey added a score of his own. The Choctaws also capitalized on a defensive takeaway, with linebacker Marquez Grace returning a fumble 34 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to complete the scoring.