#11 Midwestern State vs. Humboldt State
*Season Opener*
Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018 | 7 p.m.
Memorial Stadium | Wichita Falls, Texas
Live Stats: MSUMustangs.com |
Radio: ESPN 95.5 FM |
Audio/Video: Mustangs Digital Network
HOOF MARKS
- Midwestern State opens the season with its second highest preseason ranking in program history holding the No. 11 spot in the American Football Coaches' Division Poll. The Mustangs were No. 4 after rolling through the 2011 regular season with a perfect 10-0 mark. MSU Texas are coming off of the second unbeaten regular season going 9-0 last fall.
- Midwestern State goes for its fifth consecutive season opening win Saturday against Humboldt State. The Mustangs are 14-2 in lid lifters during the Bill Maskill era (since 2002) with the only losses coming to Tarleton State to start the 2012 and 2013 campaigns.
- Midwestern State has been victories in each of its last 14 home openers dating back to the 2004 season. The average margin of victory is 27.3 points per game with the Mustangs winning by double figures in 10 of the games.
- The Mustangs are 12-2 in season openers played at Memorial Stadium including wins in the last nine home lid lifters. MSU's last season opening home loss came to Northwest Missouri State (52-14) in 1997.
- Overall, Midwestern State has won 16 of its last 17 regular season home games dating back to the start of the 2015 season. The lone setback during the stretch came to Eastern New Mexico in the 2016 regular season finale. MSU Texas boasts a staunch 71-15 home record (.826) during the Bill Maskill era (since 2002). The Mustangs clinched their third unbeaten home season going 7-0 last season and no or one loss at home in 14 out of 16 seasons under Maskill.
- For the third consecutive season, the Mustangs are picked to finish second in the Lone Star Conference behind Texas A&M-Commerce. Midwestern claimed its fourth LSC title last season rolling through the league with an unbeaten 8-0 mark. The title came on the heels of three consecutive runner-up showings in the LSC which includes a LSC Playoff title in 2015. MSU Texas boasted three LSC titles in four seasons taking the crown in 2009, 2011 and 2012.
- Midwestern State opens the season ranked 11th in the American Football Coaches' Association Top 25. It's the 12th straight year in which MSU received mention in the poll as the Mustangs were fourth in 2012, 14th in 2016, 15th in 2013, 19th in 2010, 23rd in 2007 and 24th in 2017.
- The Mustangs earned a No. 8 ranking in the D2Football.com poll.
- Bill Maskill enters his 17th season at the helm of Midwestern State football. As the program's all-time wins leader, his 129 victories account for 54.6 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, 2015 and 2017. Maskill boasts a total career record of 142-55 (.721) through 18 seasons which includes a two-year run at Southeast Missouri State (1988-89). Maskill boasts a 129-47 overall mark (.733) at MSU Texas.
- Midwestern State completed its 18th consecutive winning ledger with a 10-1 mark in 2017. 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 season in 2017.
- Midwestern State was won 20 more games than any other LSC member since the start of the 2000 season. That's an average of 7.9 wins per season for an overall mark of 143-55 (.722). The Mustangs are trailed by West Texas A&M (123-89, .580), Tarleton State (121-77, .611) and Texas A&M-Kingsville (102-92, .526).
- The Mustangs have five graduate student-athletes on the roster including senior defensive end Alec DiValerio (Exercise Physiology), senior defensive end D.J. Doggett (Sport Administration), senior linebacker Jacob Sherrill (Respiratory Care), senior center A.J. Roland (General Business) and senior quarterback Layton Rabb (Accounting).
OFFENSIVELY SPEAKING
- MSU Texas returns 23 letter winners and seven starters off of the 11th-best attack in NCAA Division II.
- The Mustangs ranked 11th in NCAA Division II piling up 483.3 yards per game including 175.3 rushing yards per game (3rd in LSC/59th in D2) and 308 passing yards a contest (3rd in LSC/11th in D2).
- Lone Star Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year Layton Rabb, a second-team All-LSC performer in 2017, completed 228-of-357 passes (63.9 percent / 2nd LSC / 19th D2) for 3,109 yards (2nd LSC / 14th D2) as a Harlon Hill Trophy candidate last season. He accounted for 31 touchdowns to just five interceptions for a pass efficiency rating of 162.9 (1st in LSC / 8th in D2).
- Rabb threw for at least 300 yards four times in 2017 including a school record 434 yards against Tarleton State.
- The Mustangs' top two rushers return in seniors Adrian Seales (All-LSC first team) and Vincent Johnson (All-LSC second team). Seales ran for 839 yards and eight touchdowns in 2017, while Johnson rushed for 722 yards and 16 touchdowns.
- Junior Tyrique Edwards returns to lead the receiving corps leading MSU Texas with 48 receptions for 680 yards and six touchdowns in 2017, but will miss the opening five games of the season.
- Junior wideout Xavier Land looks to build on a career-high 40 catches for 334 yards and seven touchdowns last fall.
- Sophomore Tyler Milliken enjoyed a breakout campaign as a true frosh with 18 receptions for 331 yards and four touchdowns.
- The Mustangs return four starters off of an offensive line that permitted an NCAA Division II low 2.91 tackles for loss in 2017 and 0.73 sacks a contest (1st in LSC / 8th in D2).
GETTING DEFENSIVE
- MSU Texas returns 27 letter winners and 10 starters off of the No. 7 defense in the Lone Star Conference.
- The Mustangs ranked 144th in NCAA Division II yielding 442.2 yards per game including 207.5 rushing yards per game (9th in LSC/142nd in D2) and 235.1 passing yards a contest (4th in LSC/129th in D2).
- Senior Josh Wydermyer was the Mustangs' lone All-Lone Star Conference performer in 2017 finishing the campaign with a collegiate-best 81 total tackles from the safety position.
- Senior Sir'Vell Ford, a second-team All-LSC pick last fall, paced MSU Texas with 88 tackles last season buoyed by a career-high 20 stops in a playoff win over Sioux Falls.
- Ford enters the season with 202 career tackles making 80 as a sophomore and 88 in his junior campaign of 2017. He needs 94 stops to overtake former teammate Marqui Christian as the program's all-time leader.
- Junior DaMarcus Wilson (42 tackles, 3 interceptions, 13 pass breakups) earned second-team All-LSC honors led the conference ranking 18th in NCAA D2 with 2.0 passes defended per game.
- Senior defensive end Alec DiValerio earned second-team All-LSC accolades after making 47 tackles including nine stops for loss, five sacks and seven quarterback hurries.
- Senior linebacker Jacob Sherrill (50 tackles, 3.5 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 interception) earned honorable mention All-LSC honors in 2017.
- Senior Steven Rogers made 11 starts at rover in 2017 finishing with 55 tackles including 4.5 for loss.
- Junior Zach Edwards (31 tackles, 6.5 for loss) started each of MSU's 11 games at defensive tackle spots last season.
- Junior Tristan Shearman (54 tackles, 3.5 for loss) led the linebacker corps in tackles in 2017.
ON SPECIAL TEAMS
- Junior Jaron Imbriani is the lone returning special teams member as the Mustangs will have to replace All-LSC first-team deep snapper Bobby Joe Nielsen and honorable mention All-LSC punter Mitchell Henton.
- MSU coverage teams fared well in 2017 as the Mustangs ranked third in the LSC and 24th in D2 kickoff return defense (17.82 yards per return) and were seventh in the LSC and 102nd nationally giving up 7.36 yards per punt return.
- Sophomore Jaron Imbriani recorded touchbacks on 11 of 52 kickoffs (21.2 percent) for a 50.8-yard average handling primary kickoff duties in 2017. He played a key role in helping MSU limit the opposition to 17.82 yards per return producing a 35.0 yardage net on kickoffs yielding average drive start at the (-)30-yard line.
- Senior linebacker Jacob Sherrill takes over primary long snapper duties, while true freshman Dylan Spears won the punting battle.
- Sophomore Bryce Martinez will play a big role on special teams this season serving not only as the primary punt and kick returner but will also serve as the holder.
- Sophomore Jaden Watson (2 ret., 31 yards) and senior Nicholas Gabriel (2 ret., 17 yards) returned kicks last season.
