Due to the threat of severe weather forecasted for Saturday night, the kickoff time for Midwestern State's Homecoming game against West Texas A&M has been moved up to 5 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.
#5 Midwestern State vs. West Texas A&M
MSU 5-0, 4-0 LSC; WTAMU 3-4, 1-3 LSC
Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017 |
5 p.m. *** (Time change)
Memorial Stadium | Wichita Falls, Texas
Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com |
Radio: ESPN 95.5 FM |
Audio/Video (PPV): Mustangs Digital Network
HONORING ROBERT GRAYS
- Midwestern State will honor teammate Robert Grays with helmet decals with No. 24. The coaches have embroidered patches with Grays' No. 24, as well.
- Fans are encouraged to honor Robert Grays on each kickoff by holding up two fingers on the left hand and four on the right during each kickoff.
- Each of MSU athletic teams will honor Grays in a visual way throughout the 2017-18 academic year.
- The men's and women's soccer teams each intended to halt play in the 24th minute of games on Sept. 21st and 22nd with a minute long cheer. In the first competition following the incident, MSU senior forward Scott Doney scored in the 24th minute against Rogers State after the crowd spontaneous cheered to halt the game between 24:59 and 24:00 (22nd minute) of the first half then repeated the cheer at the same time in the second half.
- The MSU volleyball squad honors Grays by holding up two fingers on the left hand and four on the right on every Mustangs set point.
- Texas State sophomore linebacker Clifton Lewis, Jr. wore No. 24 in honor of Grays last Saturday against UTSA. Lewis and Grays were teammates at Hightower High in Missouri City.
- Grays suffered a severe neck injury with 3:24 to play in MSU's 31-13 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville on Sept. 16th and passed away on Sept. 19th.
HOOF MARKS
- Midwestern State welcomes West Texas A&M for Homecoming Saturday night at Memorial Stadium. The Mustangs have won the last eight years on Homecoming and 13 of the last 14. MSU is 13-2 on Homecoming dates in the Bill Maskill era with the only losses coming against Abilene Christian (21-20 in 2002) and Tarleton State (37-16 in 2008).
- The Mustangs have hit 70 three times in recent years on Homecoming including blowouts of Texas A&M-Kingsville (73-6) in 2007, No. 9 Abilene Christian (70-28) in 2011 and UT Permian Basin (76-21) in 2016.
- Midwestern State has not faced West Texas A&M on Homecoming during the modern football era, but did face the Buffs in 1953, falling 20-14 at the old Cullum Field on the Midwestern campus.
- Midwestern State is 5-0 for the third consecutive year. The Mustangs enjoyed starts of 7-0 in 2015 and 6-0 in 2016.
- MSU has started the season with at least five consecutive victories in six of the last 12 years dating back to the start of the 2006 season.
- Midwestern State is in sole possession of first place in the Lone Star Conference race. At 4-0, the Mustangs hold a one-game lead in the loss column over Eastern New Mexico (5-1) and Texas A&M-Commerce (3-1).
- The Mustangs are off to their best start since going 7-0 in 2016. MSU also rattled off a 6-0 run to begin the 2015 campaign and are notorious quick starters during the Bill Maskill era. Midwestern has started the season at 4-0 eight times in the last 12 years and have been 5-0 seven times over the same stretch. MSU's only unbeaten regular season came in 2011 when the teams went 10-0.
- Midwestern State used its home field dominance at Memorial Stadium to roll off four straight wins to start this season before last week's road win at Angelo State. The Mustangs own a 68-15 mark (.819) on the home field since the start of the Bill Maskill era in 2002 and are 13-2 (.867) since start of 2015 season.
- The Mustangs capped off a 3-0 September with a 35-24 win over Western New Mexico on Sept. 30th. MSU is 49-9 (.845) during the month of September during the Bill Maskill era (since 2002) and sport records of 48-21 (.696) in October and 22-15 (.595) in November.
- Midwestern will play a nine-game regular season slate in 2017 after its Sept. 9th matchup at West Florida was cancelled due to the threat of Hurricane Irma.
- MSU moved up one spot to No. 5 in this week's American Football Coaches' Association Division II Poll. It's the Mustangs' ranking since spending two weeks at No. 4 on Oct. 10 and 17, 2016.
- The Mustangs are ranked 7th D2Football.com rankings.
- MSU moved up six spots to 21st in the Massey Rankings.
- MSU improved to 12-2 during the regular season versus opponents ranked in the AFCA Top 25 since the start of the 2011 season with a 47-42 win over No. 2 Texas A&M-Commerce on Oct. 7th. Eight of MSU's 12 wins over teams rated in the AFCA Top 25 were higher ranked. Other top wins came against No. 9 Abilene Christian (70-28) in 2011, No. 8 West Alabama (45-21) in 2013, No. 6 Angelo State (29-20) in 2015 and No. 4 Texas A&M-Commerce (26-25) in 2016. The two losses came at the hands of No. 25 West Texas A&M (19-12) in 2013 and No. 11 Texas A&M-Commerce (27-14) in 2015.
- MSU's 47-42 win over No. 2 Texas A&M-Commerce came against the highest ranked opposition in program history. The Mustangs previously fell to No. 2 Northwest Missouri (27-0) in the 2006 NCAA playoffs and to No. 2 Abilene Christian (47-17) in 2008. Midwestern has never faced a team ranked No. 1.
- Midwestern State was picked to finish second in the Lone Star Conference heading into the 2017 season behind Texas A&M-Commerce. The Mustangs have finished second or better six of the last eight season including league titles in 2009, 2011 and 2012.
- The Mustangs are looking to start Lone Star Conference play with five consecutive wins for the second straight year. It would be just the third time MSU went to 5-0 in Lone Star Conference play. The Mustang were a perfect 8-0 on the way to a perfect regular season in 2011.
- Midwestern State displayed great discipline over the first five games of the season ranking 33rd nationally and are second in the LSC in fewest penalty yards assessed (345).
- Bill Maskill is in his 18th season as a head coach and 16th campaign at Midwestern State. Maskill has led the Mustangs to winning ledgers in each of his years at the helm of the program including the school's first Lone Star Conference championship in 2009 and first undefeated regular season in 2011. Under Maskill's guidance, MSU has advanced to the NCAA Division II postseason in the 2004, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2016 seasons while amassing a 124-46 record (.729). He was named LSC Coach of the Year in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2015, and was the AFCA Regional Coach of the Year in 2011. In all, Maskill has coached 23 All-Americans, 51 all-region selections and 61 All-Lone Star Conference first teamers in his 15 seasons in Wichita Falls.
- Maskill's 124 wins account for 53.7 percent of MSU's all-time victories on the gridiron.
- Midwestern State clinched its 18th consecutive winning season with a 41-27 win at Angelo State on Oct. 14th. In the State of Texas, the streak is matched only by defending NCAA Division III national champion Mary Hardin Baylor, which also clinched its 18th straight winning ledger. The top-ranked Cru is off to a 5-0 start this season.
- Midwestern State was won 15 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 138-54 (.719). The Mustangs are trailed by West Texas A&M (123-85, .591), Tarleton State (119-74, .617), Texas A&M-Kingsville (101-89, .532), Texas A&M-Commerce (88-101, .466), Angelo State (86-103, .455) and Eastern New Mexico (78-98, .443).
- Midwestern State boasts two alumni in the NFL as Amini Silatolu (taken by the Carolina Panthers in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft) and Marqui Christian (taken in the fifth round of the 2016 NFL Draft) both made opening day rosters. Silatolu is a reserve lineman making his return with the Panthers this season. He was a consensus All-America pick for the Mustangs in 2011. Christian serves as a reserve safety for the Los Angeles Rams. He was a first-team All American claiming the Cliff Harris Award as the nation's top small college defender in 2015.
- The Mustangs' tradition of O-Line Pride has produced six of the last seven Lone Star Conference Offensive Linemen of the Year including Amini Silatolu (2010, 2011), Ken Van Heule (2012), Shadow Stokes (2014), Alfredo Moreno (2015) and D2 Rimington Award winner Akoakoa Paleka-Kennedy in 2016.
AGAINST THE BUFFALOES
- Midwestern State and West Texas A&M meet for the 31st time on the gridiron Saturday night at Memorial Stadium.
- The Buffs hold a 17-13 edge in the series which dates back to the 1947 season.
- West Texas A&M has won three of the last four meetings between the programs including a 35-27 win last season in Canyon.
- West Texas A&M is one of only two programs that have winning ledgers against Bill Maskill-coached MSU squads. The Buffs are 7-8 against the Mustangs since the start of the 2002 season, while Tarleton State is 9-5.
- Midwestern State clinched Lone Star Conference championship with wins over WT in 2011 (35-21) and 2012 (52-48). The win in 2012 came on an errant punt snap which was retrieved and returned for a touchdown by MSU freshman Marqui Christian.
- The Mustangs have won three of the last four meetings with West Texas A&M at Memorial Stadium.
- West Texas A&M leads the 2017-18 version of the Highway 287 Challenge Cup, 2-1. Midwestern State claimed a men's soccer win on Sept. 14th in Canyon, but WT rallied for victories in volleyball (Sept. 15th) and women's soccer (Oct. 6th) to claim the edge. The programs square off in volleyball on Friday and at the LSC Cross Country Championship Saturday in Kingsville as well as on the gridiron.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
- Midwestern State bring the Lone Star Conference's No. 2 offense into Saturday's game against West Texas A&M. MSU ranks 20th in NCAA Division II piling up 470.2 yards per game including 216.2 rushing yards (20th in NCAA D2/2nd in the LSC) and 254 passing yards (42nd in NCAA D2/5th in the LSC).
- The Mustangs boast the top scoring offense in the Lone Star Conference averaging 42.2 points per game which rates eighth nationally.
- Midwestern State tops the nation in fewest turnovers with four through five games this season. The Mustangs have turned ball over once in the last three weeks – an interception by Angelo State's Fred Lawrence.
- Two-time Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week Layton Rabb continued his impressive run as a starting quarterback for the Mustangs completing a career-high 32-of-45 passes for 306 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-27 win over Angelo State on Oct. 14th.
- Rabb had a career-best 332 yards of total offense in leading the Mustangs to a 47-42 win over No. 2 Texas A&M-Commerce on Oct. 7th. Rabb completed 16-of-28 passes for 265 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for a career-best 67 yards on nine carries.
- Rabb passed for a career-high 326 yards on 20-of-31 passing with two touchdowns in a 35-24 win over Western New Mexico on Sept. 30. It was Rabb's second consecutive game with at least 200 passing yards and it was the biggest passing day by an MSU quarterback since Zack Eskridge threw for 356 yards at Eastern New Mexico on Oct. 31, 2009.
- Rabb's 32 completions against Angelo State were tied for the third most in a season game in MSU program history and were the most since Zack Eskridge had 34 completions in a 38-33 loss at Central Oklahoma on Oct. 25, 2008.
- Rabb's 45 pass attempts versus Angelo State were the sixth most in program history and most since Eskridge threw the ball 47 times at Central Oklahoma in 2008.
- Rabb ranks second in the LSC and is 17th nationally with a pass efficiency rating of 158.0. He is second in the league and 46th nationally in passing yards per completion (13.2) and third in the LSC and 36th in NCAA D2 with 242.8 passing yards per game.
- Junior running back Adrian Seales ranks second in the LSC in both rushing yards per game (116.0/21st in NCAA D2) and rushing yards per carry (8.00/6th in NCAA D2). He is also second in the league and 63rd nationally with 125.75 all-purpose yards per game.
- Seales notched the fourth best individual rushing game in school history finishing the night with 243 yards on 17 carries and one touchdown in the season opener against Quincy. Seales' performance stands as the fifth-best rushing day this season in NCAA II. The performance was his fourth 100-yard effort of his career. He followed with 83 yards on 13 carries against Texas A&M-Kingsville and 86 yards on 19 carries versus Western New Mexico. Seales has one rushing touchdown in each game this season.
- Former All-America quarterback Daniel Polk is the only player in program history to run for more yards in a game going for 290 against Abilene Christian in 2007, 259 versus Southeastern Oklahoma in 2006 and 244 at Eastern New Mexico in 2005. That means a runner wearing MSU's No. 5 jersey has accounted for the top four rushing efforts in program history as Polk also wore the number.
- Seales moved to 19th on MSU's all-time rushing list in MSU's win over Western New Mexico (9/20) and now has 1,163 rushing yards. He needs 128 yards to pass Stephon Brockington (1,290 yards/1994-95) to move into 18th.
- Junior running back Vincent Johnson ranks fourth in the LSC and 66th in NCAA D2 rushing for 83.0 rushing yards a game, but continues to find the end zone at a record setting clip. He scored three touchdowns in the season opener against Quincy, had two more in a win over Texas A&M-Kingsville then scored another against Western New Mexico before rushing for three in a win over No. 2 Texas A&M-Commerce and going for four more against Angelo State.
- Johnson has accounted for multiple rushing touchdowns in 13 games in his career turning the task two times as a freshman in 2015, seven times in 2016 and four times this season.
- Johnson moved past former All-America Brandon Kelsey on MSU's all-time rushing touchdowns list with his touchdown against Western New Mexico and now has 38. He trails Keidrick Jackson (61 TD/2010-13) and Daniel Polk (44 TD/2004-07). With 228 points, Johnson stands fifth on MSU's all-time scoring list behind Keidrick Jackson (372/2010-13), Jose Martinez (291/2007-10), Daniel Polk (266/2004-07) and Greg Saladino (245/2010-13).
- Johnson is 12th on MSU's all-time rushing list with 1,748 career rushing yards. He needs 43 yards to pass Dante Taylor (1,766 yards/2013-16), Derrick Wagoner (1,781 yards/1991-92) and Chauncey Harris (1,790 yards/2010, 12-14) to jump to ninth.
- Johnson has accounted for two 100-yard rushing games this season going for 136 yards on seven carries with three TDs in the season opener against Quincy. He ran for 133 yards and three more scores in a 47-42 victory over No. 2 Texas A&M-Commerce. Johnson has five career 100-yard rushing efforts.
- Sophomore wide receiver Tyrique Edwards enjoyed a breakout performance catching a career-high seven passes for 94 yards including a 23-yard touchdown against Texas A&M-Commerce then had six catches for 55 yards and another score at Angelo State. Edwards leads the MSU receiving corps with 20 receptions for 285 yards ranking eighth in the LSC at 57.0 receiving yards per game.
- Senior D.J. Myers exploded for four catches for 130 yards including a 54-yard TD reception against Western New Mexico then had six catches for 70 yards and a TD against Angelo State. His 15 receptions are second on the squad going for 251 yards and a team-best three touchdowns. Myers averages 16.7 yards per catch and ranks 12th in the LSC with 50.2 receiving yards per game.
- Myers' 130 receiving yards versus Western New Mexico were the most since David Little caught seven passes for 136 yards at Incarnate Word on Oct. 1, 2011.
- Sophomore wide receiver Xavier Land snagged his first collegiate touchdown on a 22-yard corner route against Texas A&M-Commerce. Land has made 10 catches for 87 yards this season.
- Senior wide receiver Brandon Sampson caught a season-best eight balls for 64 yards against Angelo State.
- Five different Midwestern State receivers have at least 10 receptions this season and six different receivers have scored touchdowns.
- The Mustangs have been great in the Red Zone scoring on 19 of their 20 excursions with 18 touchdowns.
- Behind the starting offensive line of John Rowell (LT), Islam Sbeih (LG), A.J. Roland (C), Kevin Fisher (RG) and Caleb Brown (RT), MSU have permitted a No. 2 in the nation 2.8 tackles for loss through four games this season. The group is 12th nationally and tops in the LSC allowing 0.80 quarterback sacks per game.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
- Midwestern State boasts the LSC's No. 2 scoring defense while ranking 51st in NCAA Division II allowing 22.4 points per game.
- The Mustangs rate eighth in the LSC in total defense allowing 436.6 yards per game including 134.2 rushing yards (5th in LSC/54th in D2) and 302.4 passing yards (9th in LSC/164th in D2).
- MSU tops the LSC and 13th in NCAA D2 in the Red Zone allowing 10 touchdowns and 14 total scores in 22 opponent opportunities inside the 20 (64 percent).
- Sophomore Marcus Wilkerson ripped the ball away from Carandal Hale in the third quarter and returned it 54 yards for a touchdown in a 47-42 win over Texas A&M-Commerce on Oct. 7th. It was his second defensive score of the season to go along with a 49-yard interception return in the season opener against Quincy (Ill.).
- Sophomore DaMarcus Wilson made seven tackles with an interception and a pass breakup against Texas A&M-Commerce. Wilson leads the Lone Star Conference and is 13th in NCAA D2 with 1.6 pass defenses a game.
- Sophomore Kevin Hayes claimed Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors after making two interceptions, breaking up two more passes, forcing and recovering a fumble and had a season-high seven tackles in a 41-27 win at Angelo State on Oct. 14th. Hayes is second in the LSC and 74th in NCAA D2 with 0.4 interceptions per game and is sixth in the LSC and 93rd in NCAA D2 with 1.0 pass defenses a contest.
- Junior safety Josh Wydermyer matched a career high with 13 tackles at Angelo State. He ranks sixth in the LSC and 92nd in NCAA D2 with 8.2 tackles per game.
- Up front, the Mustangs rank second in the LSC and 17th in NCAA D2 in quarterback sacks at 3.00 per game getting 4.0 from junior Alec DiValerio, 3.5 from senior Deandra Stevenson and 2.5 by senior Semaj Robinson. Freshman A.J. Gulley, sophomore Travon Ransom, junior Paul Manus and senior Jacob Sherrill have one each.
- Through five games, 10 different defenders have recorded at least 20 tackles for MSU led by junior safety Josh Wydermyer with 41. Wydermyer amassed a career-high 13 tackles at Angelo State after making eight stops three times this season – Quincy, Western New Mexico and Texas A&M-Commerce.
- Other players with at least 20 tackles include sophomore linebacker Tristan Shearman (34), junior safety Sir'Vell Ford (25), sophomore cornerback Kevin Hayes (25), junior defensive end Alec DiValerio (23), sophomore linebacker Zack MaMahen (22), senior safety Steven Rogers (22), senior linebacker Jacob Sherrill (21), sophomore J.P. Cognasi (20) and sophomore cornerback DaMarcus Wilson (20).
- The MSU defense ranks seventh in the LSC and 87th nationally with 6.4 tackles for loss a game led by junior Alec DiValerio (5.5/36 yards) and senior Semaj Robinson (5.0/27 yards).
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
- Senior Mitchell Henton ranks third in the Lone Star Conference averaging 41.1 yards on 20 punts this season. He boasts four punts of 50-or-more yards including a career-best 64-yard effort against Western New Mexico. Henton has placed five punts inside the 20 and forced six fair catches.
- Henton was 15-for-17 on point-after tries over the last two games since taking over for the injured Jaron Imbriani.
- Sophomore kicker Jaron Imbriani missed three games due to injury. He has connected on 9-of-10 point-after tries and made MSU's lone field goal of the season – a 30-yarder against Quincy (Ill.) in the season opener.
- Imbriani is averaging 49.0 yards on 15 kickoffs with two touchbacks over two games this season.
- Freshman Drew MacKay averaged 54.8 yards on 20 kickoffs against Texas A&M-Kingsville, Western New Mexico and Texas A&M-Commerce with five touchbacks and two out-of-bounds in place of Imbriani.
- Top return man DeAndre Black, an All-America last season, averages 8.4 yards on seven punt returns with a long of 24 yards. The senior also averages 22.4 yards on 10 kick returns with a long of 39 yards.
- Black is fourth in the Lone Star Conference and 90th in NCAA D2 in combined kick return yardage (283), third in the LSC and 52nd in NCAA D2 in punt return average (8.4) and third in the LSC and 76th nationally in kick return average (22.4).
