MIDWESTERN STATE
vs TEXAS A&M-KINGSVILLE
Saturday, March 6 -- 1 p.m.
Memorial Stadium (Wichita Falls, Texas)
All-Time Series: MSU leads 15-6
 
WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Midwestern State officially kicks off its 2021 spring campaign against Texas A&M-Kingsville Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
 
Attendance is limited to the first 6,000 fans to purchase tickets for the cost of $5 each at MSUTicketsOnline.com. There are no walk-up ticket sales. All spectators are expected to wear face coverings and observe social distancing.
 
FIVE STORY LINES
  
1 |  Midwestern State had a 19-year run of winning seasons snapped by finishing with a 5-6 record in 2019. The Mustangs also finished sixth in the Lone Star Conference with a 3-5 league market. It was the Mustangs' lowest finish since placing seventh in 2008. It was also the first losing campaign in 20 years as a head coach for Bill Maskill. 
 
2 |  Midwestern State unleashes an entirely fresh offensive attack against Texas A&M-Kingsville. Skyler Mornhinweg -- the son of NFL veteran coach Marty -- takes over play calling duties and is joined by first-year offensive line coach Garrett Graf. Ashton Aikens is the lone returner on the coaching staff leading wide receivers. Oddly, the top returning rusher and receiver to take the field today is senior wideout Bryce Martinez, who caught 14 passes for 178 yards and netted (minus) 12 yards on three carries. Junior Triston Williams is the top returning passer throwing for 1,736 yards and 15 touchdowns.
 
3 |  Rich Renner begins his 13th season as defensive coordinator serving 11 of those years alongside defensive line coach Randy Wilkins. Nate Brown is the newcomer of the group in his first season at MSU coaching defensive backs. Top returning tacklers included senior linebacker Dwayne Tate (50 tackles), sophomore linebacker Justin Guillory (49) and junior defensive end Melik Owens (49 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks).
 
4 |  Junior punter Dylan Spears is the top returning special teams performer. The Fort Worth Timberview averaged 38.5 yards while placing 17 of his 68 punts inside the 20-yard line and forcing 24 fair catches with only two touchbacks. Senior Bryce Martinez averaged 18.8 yards on six punt returns including a long of 57 yards against Tarleton State.
 
5 |  Midwestern State defeated Great American Conference member Southeastern Oklahoma 28-14 in a non-counting game last weekend at Memorial Stadium. Senior quarterback Derrick Ponder paced the MSU attack connecting on 9-of-15 passes for 106 yards, while junior running back Trenton Kennedy accounted for 95 yards of offense running for 52 yards on nine carries with a touchdown, while catching two passes for 43 more yards. Junior Michael Ajayi accounted for two touchdown and 48 rushing yards. Redshirt-freshman Ja'Marzeyea Arvie snagged four catches for 43 yards. Senior cornerback Khalil Finley made five tackles to lead the defense, while junior Melik Owens was credited with a pair of sacks.
 
HEAD COACH BILL MASKILL is the dean of the Lone Star Conference football coaching fraternity and stands as the all-time winningest coach in program history boasting a 142-55 mark since taking over the reins of the Midwestern State program in 2002. During that time, Maskill coached the Mustangs to three Lone Star Conference titles (2011, 2012, 2017), eight playoff showings and one bowl appearance. Overall, Maskill sports a 155-63 career coaching record (.711) including a 13-8 run during two seasons at Southeast Missouri State in 1988 and 1989.
   
THE SERIES WITH THE JAVELINAS
  
Midwestern State owns a 15-6 edge in its series with Texas A&M-Kingsville. The Mustangs have won the last nine games between the programs including a 70-35 victory last season at Memorial Stadium. Texas A&M-Kingsville's last win came by a 27-7 score on Nov. 6, 2010 in Kingsville. MSU claimed victories in nine of the 10 games played between the programs at Memorial Stadium and has won the eight games played in Wichita Falls. The Javelinas only victory on MSU's home turf came in 2003 (29-23).