Football 8/29/2017 9:57:00 PM Trey Reed / MSU Athletic Communications

No. 24 @MWSUFootball faces Quincy in season opener Thursday

#24 Midwestern State vs. Quincy (Ill.)
*Season Opener*
Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017 | 7 p.m.
Memorial Stadium | Wichita Falls, Texas
Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com | Radio: ESPN 95.5 FM | Audio/Video: Mustangs Digital Network

HOOF MARKS

For the fourth consecutive year, Midwestern State opens the season against an opponent from the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Mustangs rolled to a 40-23 win over Missouri S&T in 2014 and thumped Truman State 31-3 in 2015 before outlasting the Bulldogs in a rematch 31-19 in Kirksville last season. It's the fifth time in seven season that MSU has played a GLVC squad in the season as the Mustangs also defeated Missouri S&T 41-0 on the road to start an unbeaten regular season campaign in 2011.
Midwestern State begins the regular season in the month of August for the first time since shutting out New Mexico Highlands 41-0 on Aug. 29, 2009. It's the fourth time in the Bill Maskill era that the Mustangs begin the season prior to Labor Day – all are wins. MSU beat Southern Arkansas (at home) 35-26 in 2002 and Arkansas Tech (at home) 27-12 in 2003 before defeating New Mexico Highlands in 2009.
Overall, Midwestern State boasts a 19-10 mark in season openers since bringing back football in 1988 and are 13-2 in the Bill Maskill era (since 2002).
The Mustangs are 11-2 in season openers played at Memorial Stadium including wins in the last eight home lid lifters. MSU's last season opening home loss came to Northwest Missouri State (52-14) in 1997.
For the second consecutive season, the Mustangs are picked to finish second in the Lone Star Conference behind Texas A&M-Commerce. Midwestern is coming off three consecutive runner-up showings in the LSC which includes a LSC Playoff title in 2015. MSU boasted three LSC titles in four seasons taking the crown in 2009, 2011 and 2012.
Midwestern State opens the season ranked 24^th in the American Football Coaches' Association Top 25. It's the 11^th straight year in which MSU received mention in the poll as the Mustangs were fourth in 2012, 14^th in 2016, 15^th in 2013, 19^th in 2010 and 23^rd in 2007.
The Mustangs earned a No. 22 ranking in the D2Football.com poll.
Bill Maskill enters his 16^th season at the helm of Midwestern State football. As the program's all-time wins leader, his 119 victories account for 52.7 percent of MSU's total wins as a four-year program. He earned Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2015. Maskill boasts a total career record of 132-54 (.710) through 17 seasons which includes a two-year run at Southeast Missouri State (1988-89).
Midwestern State completed its 17^th consecutive winning ledger with an 8-3 mark in 2016. In the State of Texas, the streak is matched only by defending NCAA Division III national champion Mary Hardin Baylor, which also clinched its 17^th straight winning season in 2016.
Midwestern State was won 13 more games than any other LSC member since the start of the 2000 season. That's an average of 7.8 wins per season for an overall mark of 133-54 (.711). The Mustangs are trailed by West Texas A&M (120-81, .597), Tarleton State (115-71, .618) and Texas A&M-Kingsville (98-85, .536).
Midwestern State returns 23 letterwinners and five starters off of the third-best offense in the Lone Star Conference. The Mustangs ranked 55^th nationally piling up 426.1 yards per game including 189 rushing yards (2^nd in LSC/39^th in D2) and 237.1 passing yards (6^th in LSC/75^th in D2).
Juniors Vincent Johnson (771 rushing yards, 19 TDs) and Adrian Seales (399 yards, 3 TDs) combined 1,170 rushing yards in 2016.
Senior DeAndre Black, a second-team Don Hansen Football Gazette All-American last season is the top returning receiver going for 398 yards on 31 receptions last season. Black ranked second in NCAA Division II at 18.6 yards per punt return.
Senior wideout Jerryl Yarbrough (14 rec., 194 yards, 5 TDs) and senior tight end Dorian Johnson (14 rec., 178 yards) also return for the Mustangs.
The Mustangs return two starters off of the offensive line from 2016 in junior Kevin Fisher, Jr. (11 starts at left tackle) and senior Islam Sbeih (7 starts at left guard), but also bring back John Rowell (first-team All-LSC in 2015) who missed last season due to injury.
Midwestern State has produced six of the last seven LSC Offensive Linemen of the Year including Amini Silatolu (2010, 2011), Ken Van Heule (2012), Shadow Stokes (2014), Alfredo Moreno (2015) and Akoakoa Paleka-Kennedy (2016).
Junior Layton Rabb (17-for-26, 185 yards, 3 TD) and senior Javin Kilgo (4-for-12, 42 yards) are the top candidates to step in from All-LSC honorable mention Quade Coward at quarterback.
The Mustangs return 20 letterwinners and seven starters off of the No. 5 defense in the Lone Star Conference. MSU was 106^th in NCAA D2 yielding 405.2 yards per game including 215.1 rushing yards (10^th in LSC/149^th in D2) and 190.1 passing yards (2^nd in LSC/37^th in D2).
Junior captain Sir'Vell Ford is the top returning tackler earning first-team All-Lone Star Conference honors finishing 80 tackles from the WHIP position with two interceptions, four pass breakups and a forced fumble.
Sophomore Jaydon Cunigan (39 tackles) enjoyed a solid true frosh campaign making six starts at free safety spelling junior-to-be Josh Wydermyer, who made 26 tackles in five games before suffering a season-ending injury.
Sophomore DaMarcus Wilson (29 tackles, 2 interceptions, 7 pass breakups) earned All-LSC honorable mention making all 11 starts at boundary corner.
Junior defensive end Alec DiValerio is the lone returning starter up front finishing with 10 tackles for loss and 5.5 quarterback sacks in 2016.
The Mustangs return starters at all three linebacker spots in senior rover Jordan Meyers (37 tackles, 4.5 for loss), junior linebacker Drew Bolin (57 tackles) and sophomore linebacker Tristan Shearman (45 tackles).
Senior punter Mitchell Henton earned All-LSC honorable mention ranking seventh in the league and 107^th in NCAA D2 with a 36.5 yards per punt average placing 11 of his 52 punts inside the 20-yard line (21.2 percent).
Sophomore Jaron Imbriani recorded touchbacks on 12 of 66 kickoffs (18.2 percent) for a 51.2-yard average handling primary kickoff duties in 2016. He is set to take over at place kicker this season.

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Players Mentioned

#14 Quade Coward: QB; 6' 4"; Senior; 3L

#52 Akoakoa Paleka-Kennedy: OL; 6' 3"; Senior; 1L

#1 DeAndre Black: WR; 5' 11"; Senior; 1L

#35 Drew Bolin: LB; 5' 10"; Junior; 2L

#30 Jaydon Cunigan: DB; 6' 0"; Sophomore; 1L

#48 Alec DiValerio: DE; 6' 4"; Junior; 2L

#79 Kevin Fisher, Jr.: OL; 6' 4"; Junior; 2L

#2 Sir'Vell Ford: S; 5' 11"; Junior; 2L

#84 Mitchell Henton: P; 6' 2"; Senior; 3L

#82 Jaron Imbriani: K/P; 5' 10"; Sophomore; 1L

Players Mentioned

#14 Quade Coward
: 6' 4"; Senior; 3L
: QB

#52 Akoakoa Paleka-Kennedy
: 6' 3"; Senior; 1L
: OL

#1 DeAndre Black
: 5' 11"; Senior; 1L
: WR

#35 Drew Bolin
: 5' 10"; Junior; 2L
: LB

#30 Jaydon Cunigan
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; 1L
: DB

#48 Alec DiValerio
: 6' 4"; Junior; 2L
: DE

#79 Kevin Fisher, Jr.
: 6' 4"; Junior; 2L
: OL

#2 Sir'Vell Ford
: 5' 11"; Junior; 2L
: S

#84 Mitchell Henton
: 6' 2"; Senior; 3L
: P

#82 Jaron Imbriani
: 5' 10"; Sophomore; 1L
: K/P