Football | 10/21/2014 11:56:00 AM
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
PORTALES, N.M. — The Eastern New Mexico University football team (4-3; LSC 2-3) is preparing for its final scheduled road trip of the season, before the upcoming Lone Star Conference playoffs. This week, the Hounds will visit Angelo State in a game that will be critical to both teams in the standings. Eastern boasts a 3-0 road record this year, while the Rams are 2-2 at LeGrand Stadium
- The Greyhounds lead the nation in time of possession
- On first downs, Eastern is 10th in the nation offensively and 19th defensively
- The Greyhounds are 30th in the country in total offense and lead the LSC in total defense
- The Greyhounds are sixth in the country in rushing offense and first in the LSC
- The Greyhounds are 12th (16th last week) in the nation in passing efficiency and second in the conference
- Eastern's is ninth in the nation in run defense and leads the LSC
- ENMU is 37th in the nation and leads the LSC in third-down conversion defense
- Jacob Johnson is 50th in the nation in receiving yards and fifth in the LSC
- E'lon Spight is ninth (13th last week) in the country in rushing yards and leads the LSC
- Jeremy Buurma is ninth (13th last week) in the nation and second in the conference in passing efficiency
LSC Notes After seven weeks of play, LSC teams are 13-11 at home and 12-10 on the road. Last week, Texas A&M-Commerce held on to the top spot in the standings with a 48-21 win at home over West Texas A&M. Midwestern State earned a 71-13 win at home over McMurry and Angelo State picked up a 57-31 win at Texas A&M-Kingsville.
On the Road Again The Hounds have won seven consecutive road games, dating back to a 33-26 loss at Incarnate Word on September 28, 2013. Eastern's last road loss to a Lone Star Conference team came on November 10, 2012 at Texas A&M-Kingsville.
This season, Eastern has defeated New Mexico Highlands, Texas A&M-Kingsville and McMurry by an average score of 45.7-14.7 and became the first team to shut the Javelinas out in Kingsville, since the 1983 season.
On the Run E'lon Spight (Sr., FB, St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood East HS/Grossmont College) rushed for a career-best 193 yards and three scores against Tarleton State, while
Aaron Johnson (So., WR, Colorado Springs, Colo./Vista Ridge HS) had a career-high 117 receiving yards and matched a career-best with two touchdown receptions. Spight has run for a Lone Star Conference best 905 yards, this season
Spight was the LSC Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 189 yards and four touchdowns on just 27 carries against McMurry. He is just the sixth player since 1998 to have four rushing touchdowns in a game.
The Hounds rushed for 290 yards against Texas A&M-Kingsville.
Jacob Johnson (R-Sr., WR, Idalou, Texas/Idalou HS) had another huge game with 110 yards and a touchdown on just three catches. His 75-yard scoring grab was the longest of his career.
Jeremy Buurma (R-Jr., QB, Las Cruces, N.M./Las Cruces HS) had a five-game streak with at least one touchdown pass, snapped against Midwestern State. The Mustangs also snapped his streak of 82 consecutive pass attempts without an interception.
Against Adams State, the Hounds rolled up 608 yards of total offense, the highest total since September 19, 2009 (736) in a 76-56 win over Texas A&M-Commerce. Eastern's 442 rushing yards marked the first 400-yard game on the ground since September 15, 2007 against Easter Central (488 yards). Spight continued to spark the offense with 142 rushing yards, with included 125 yards on 24 carries in the first half.
Aaron Johnson hauled in a pair of touchdown passes.
Jacob Johnson turned in a career game at New Mexico Highlands, with three touchdowns and 178 yards on just four catches. He posted the first two scores of the game on receptions of 22 and 69 yards and added a third, late in the half on a 49-yard grab. Over the last two games, he has five touchdown catches.
Spight crossed the century mark, with 144 yards rushing on 28 carries with a touchdown.
The Defense Doesn't Rest After giving up 457 yards of total offense including rushing yards 236 yards in the first half against Tarleton State, the Hounds limited Tarleton State to 206 yards with 41 rushing yards in the second half.
Seth Bailey (R-Sr., LB, Texico, N.M./Texico HS) registered the first pick six of the season, at McMurry. He also had seven tackles with 2.5 for a loss, a sack, batted down two passes and had a QB pressure.
The defense turned in a dominant performance at Texas A&M-Kingsville and limited the Javelinas to five plays or less on 10 of their 13 possessions. The 31-0 shutout marked the first time ENMU blanked an opponent since the 2007 finale at Oklahoma Panhandle and the first LSC shutout since Southwestern Oklahoma in 2005.
The Greyhound defense limited Texas A&M-Commerce to 24 rushing yards and just one rushing first down.
Julian Yearwood (Sr., LB, Las Vegas, Nev./Desert Pines HS/Mt. San Jacinto College) and
Benjamin Pedro-Langford (Sr., LB, Pago Pago, American Samoa/Kanona Falls HS/NMMI) both forced fumbles in the game.
Midwestern State's 153 yards rushing marked the first time the ENMU defense has given up a 100+ yard day on the ground, since playing the Mustangs, last season.
The 186 yards of total offense given up by to Adams State was the lowest total since Southwestern Oklahoma State managed 180 yards on September 5, 2009.
Teams that are Special D'Maujeric Tucker (Lubbock, Texas, Frenship HS) 100-yard kick return against Tarleton State was his second for a touchdown in his last two seasons. It also was the fifth 100-yard return in team history and earned him LSC Special Teams Player of the Week Honors.
Dillon Metzger (R-Jr., RB, Rio Rancho, N.M./Rio Rancho HS) and
Bradley Beeston (Sr., WR, Edmond, Okla./Edmond North HS/Eastern Arizona College) lead the special teams with five tackles each.
Logan O'Brien (R-Jr., TE, San Angelo, Texas/San Angelo Central HS) and
Adrine Baker (R-Fr., DB, Dallas, Texas/Connally HS) have three in punt coverage, while Beeston has five in kick coverage.
Kevin Reaves (Albuquerque, N.M., Manzano HS/ NMMI) was selected as the Lone Star Conference Special Teams Player of the Week after he blocked two field goals at Texas A&M-Kingsville. It marked the first time a player blocked two kicks in a game, since Nathan Uland at CSU-Pueblo in the
2009 opener.
Late in the first half against Texas A&M-Commerce,
Ryan Greene (Jr., QB, Roswell, N.M./Goddard High School) recovered a muffed punt, which set up ENMU's first touchdown of the game.
Mitchell Cox's (So., K/P, Kent, Wash./Kentwood Senior HS) 47-yard field goal against Adams State was just one yard shy of his career best, set against Incarnate Word, last season.
Angelo State Notes Two weeks ago, Texas A&M-Commerce hit a field goal with 2:04
remaining to edge Angelo State, 41-40. The Rams still managed to get into range for a 32-yard field goal. Since opening 2-0, the Rams have alternated wins and losses.
- Angelo State is tied for eighth in the nation in turnover differential
- ASU is tenth in the country in scoring offense and second in the conference
- The Rams lead the nation in kick return average
- Ryan Byrd is fifth in the league in rushing
- Kyle Washington is third in the league in passing and sixth in rushing
In the Series Angelo State holds a 22-15-1 edge in the overall series, which has seen the road team win each of the last three meetings. Last season, Angelo State raced to a 28-0 first half lead, before
Marcus Inglemon's fumble recovery in the endzone got Eastern on the board, right before the half ended.
Jordan Wells (Sr., RB, Austin, Texas/Round Rock HS/Southeastern Louisiana) caught a pair of touchdown passes from Buurma in the third quarter, and ENMU pulled within a touchdown on Cox's 28-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
Christian Long crossed the goal line on a 17-yard run with 5:18 left and
Jacob Johnson's two-point
conversion run gave the Hounds a 29-28 lead. The Rams had a field goal blocked on their final possession of the game.
Up NextNext week, the Greyhounds will host
West Texas A&M for 2014 Wagon Wheel Game.
