Gridiron Hounds to Host Angelo State in LSC Playoff at Blackwater Draw

Football | 11/12/2015 11:54:00 AM

Thursday, November 12, 2015

PORTALES, N.M. —This Saturday morning, the gates of Blackwater Draw will open one last time for the Eastern New Mexico University football team, as they host Angelo State in a Lone Star Conference playoff game. The teams bring an identical 6-4 record to Greyhound Stadium and are first and second in the LSC in scoring and total offense.

Both the Greyhounds and Rams are coming off tough losses to nationally-ranked opposition to open the playoffs. Midwestern State scored the final 13 points on Saturday to edge ENMU, while LSC champion Texas A&M-Commerce made a late goal-line stand to defeat Angelo State.

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Blackwater Draw

Since Greyhound Stadium opened in 1968, the Greyhounds have posted a 129-105 record within its friendly confines. In 48 seasons, Eastern has had winning home records in 27 years. Over the last two seasons, the Hounds are 7-2 at Blackwater Draw. ENMU's first winning record at the stadium came in 1973. That season started a run of four seasons in which the Greyhounds posted an 18-5 home record.
This season, Eastern has outscored the opposition in home games by a 47.3-23 points per game margin. The team also is averaging 443.7 yards rushing per game. Kamal Cass averages 149 rushing yards per game and has scored eight touchdowns. Jeremy Buurma has thrown just one interception in his last six home contests. The defense is limiting opposing ground games just 106.7 yards per game, with Lawrence Hall averaging seven tackles per game along with a sack and forced fumble.

In the Series

Angelo State has won seven of the last nine decisions between the teams, but the Greyhounds have won two of the last three. In the last meeting, Eastern jumped out to a 28-7 lead, with Cass and Tayshaun Gary each scoring twice.

Eastern's rushed for a team-record 583 yards, with Cass and Gary finishing with three touchdowns each. For the first time in recent history, the Hounds had a trio of 100-yard runners: Cass (188 yards), Gary (139), and Buurma (123 yards). Kyle Washington led the Rams offensively with 352 yards passing and 33 rushing yards.

De'Aundre Sanders paced the Greyhound defense with six tackles and a 35-yard interception return. Harry Lehauli also recovered a fumble, while Fe'ao Vunipola forced one. ASU's defense was led by Ryan Clapsaddle's 13-tackle performance, while three other players reached double figures in tackles.

Inside the Series (ASU Leads 23-15-1)

Date	Opponent	Result
10/25/2015	@Blackwater Draw, N.M.	W, 46-28
10/25/2014	@San Angelo, Texas	L, 20-41
10/12/2013	@San Angelo, Texas	W, 29-28
9/29/2012	@Blackwater Draw, N.M.	L, 19-49
9/4/2010	@San Angelo, Texas	L, 38-41
10/3/2009	@Blackwater Draw, N.M.	L, 23-47
10/4/2008	@San Angelo, Texas	L, 13-25
10/6/2007	@Blackwater Draw, N.M.	L, 21-28 2OT
10/7/2006	@San Angelo, Texas	L, 7-17
10/1/2005	@Blackwater Draw, N.M.	W, 38-14
10/2/2004	@San Angelo, Texas	W, 38-35
10/11/2003	@Blackwater Draw, N.M.	W, 31-0
10/12/2002	@San Angelo, Texas	W, 23-14
10/6//2001	@Blackwater Draw, N.M.	L, 0-28
10/7/2000	@San Angelo, Texas	W, 18-8
10/9/1999	@Blackwater Draw, N.M.	L, 19-24
10/10/1998	@San Angelo, Texas	W, 10-7
10/11/1997	@Blackwater Draw, N.M.	L, 7-16
10/12/1996	@San Angelo, Texas	L, 28-38
10/7/1995	@Blackwater Draw, N.M.	T, 10-10

On the Run

Through 10 weeks, the Eastern New Mexico University football team features the fourth-most prolific offense in the NCAA Division II, with a 43 points per game average (behind Slippery Rock, Humboldt State, and Ferris State). Eastern in 15th in the nation in passing efficiency, is sixth in total offense, and third in rushing (behind Lenoir Rhyne and Harding). The Hounds are sixth in the country in fourth-down conversion percentage. Eastern also ranks second in the country in yards per pass completion (behind Harding).

The Hounds already have set team records with 3,650 rushing yards and 47 rushing touchdowns. The totals surpassed the marks set last season (3,602/39). Kamal Cass also has tied E'lon Spight's record of 19 rushing touchdowns in a season. ENMU's 430 points is just seven away from the team record, which also was set last season.

The Hounds lead the Lone Star Conference in scoring by three points per game, and rushing by almost 150 yards per game. ENMU is also second in the LSC in punting.

Kamal Cass ranks ninth in the NCAA Division II in all-purpose yards, sixth in rushing yards per carry, third in rushing touchdowns, and seventh in rushing yards. Jeremy Buurma is eighth in the league in total offense, while Cass is ninth.

Three weeks ago against Angelo State, the Greyhounds rushed for a team record 583 yards to shatter the team mark of 512, set at Bacone College in 2007. The game marked the first time in recent memory the Hounds had a trio of 100-yard runners: Cass (188 yards), Tayshaun Gary (139 yards), and Buurma (123 yards). Gary and Cass each had three touchdowns. The total came within three yards of Southwest Texas' LSC mark of 586 rushing yards, set against Prairie View in 1978.

Eastern has been held under 40 points on just three occasions this season. Those games were setbacks against Midwestern State and Texas A&M-Commerce, the two top teams in the LSC.

The Defense Doesn't Rest

The Greyhound defense has taken the ball away from the opposition 20 times, which has allowed ENMU to jump out to early leads numerous times.

Eastern ranks third in the league in interceptions and are second in run defense. Fe'ao Vunipola is 17th in the LSC in tackles per game, while Brad Hardin is sixth in sacks.

Against Angelo State, De'Aundre Sanders nearly extended the Hounds' streak of games with a defensive touchdown to four. He returned an interception to the Rams' one-yard line. Sanders scored on a 51-yard interception return at Tarleton State, while Brad Hardin scored twice off fumble recoveries at Bacone. Elliott Peters scored on a 74-yard interception return against Texas A&M-Kingsville.

Teams that are Special

Timothy Callian is 56-57 on point-after-touchdown attempts and has four field goals this season. His 41-yard field goal against Angelo State was his longest of the season. He has punted 36 times this season, with 12 being downed inside the opponent's 20-yard line and eight requiring a fair catch. Only one punt has gone for a touchback. On kickoffs, Callian has registered 28 touchbacks on 74 attempts.

D'Maujeric Tucker and Cass have been a dynamic pair on kick returns and average 23.4 and 22.4 yards, respectively.

Ram Notes

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Angelo State boasts a 6-4 record and has posted road wins over Western State and West Texas A&M. Last week, the Rams suffered a 36-35 heartbreakers to LSC Champion, Texas A&M-Commerce.

The Rams lead the nation in total offense and are fourth in passing. Angelo State is also tenth in defensive touchdowns and leads the Lone Star Conference.

Kyle Washington is tenth in the NCAA Division II in completions per game, fourth in passing yards, and fifth in points per game. Donavan Thomas ranks eighth in receiving yards per game. Clayton Callicutt is fifth in sacks and 14th in tackles for a loss

LSC Playoffs

Last season, the Greyhounds posted a 2-0 mark in the LSC playoffs, with wins over Texas A&M-Kingsville and West Texas A&M. Eastern won those two games by an average score of 58-26 points per game. The Hounds rushed for 403.5 yards per playoff game. Quarterback Jeremy Buurma had four touchdown passes with no interceptions and completed 68.8 percent of his attempts for an efficiency rating of 300.35.

Lynn in the Numbers