Football | 11/3/2015 2:50:00 PM

Tuesday, November 03, 2015

PORTALES, N.M. —The Eastern New Mexico University football team (6-2; LSC 3-2) is looking to bounce back from last week's setback at West Texas A&M. After a coin flip, the Hounds earned the third seed for the Lone Star Conference playoffs and will open at second-seeded Midwestern State.

The Greyhounds have won four of their last five games. The margin of victory in those games was 54-33.8 and ENMU rushed for an average of 439 yards per game with a total of 30 rushing touchdowns.

ENMU Athletics
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Lone Star Conference Scoreboard
Lone Star Conference Football Schedule
Lone Star Conference Football Standings
Lone Star Conference Football Statistics

National Recognition
Eastern's season has garnered national attention and come in at 18^th in the latest Massey Rankings and 14^th in this week's HERO SPORTS poll. Midwestern State ranks 11^th in the latest American Football Coaches Association poll.

In the Books
For the second time in team history, the Greyhounds have topped the 400-point mark in a season. Last year, ENMU scored a team-record 437 points. Currently, Eastern has 409 points.
 
Eastern also has scored a record 44 rushing touchdowns, surpassing the mark of 39, set last season. Kamal Cass has 16 of those touchdown runs, just three shy of E'lon Spight's record from last season.
 
The Hounds rushing total of 3,356 rushing yards is third in program history, with only the 2007 (3,444) and 2015 (3,602) seasons surpassing that total.
 
On the Road Again
The Greyhounds are 3-2 on the road this season and are outscoring the opposition by a 48.6-36.4 points per game margin. Eastern has posted wins at Adams State, Bacone College, and Tarleton State.
 
Kamal Cass averages 119.4 yards per road game and have eight touchdowns. Jeremy Doucette and D'Maujeric Tucker are right behind with 51.8 and 53.2 rushing yards per game. The defense has intercepted five passes and recovered five fumbles in away games.
 
In the Series
The Mustangs have won the last two meetings, including a 28-24 decision at the Lone Star Conference Football Festival, this season. Eastern took a 24-21 lead late in the fourth quarter on a four-yard run from Jeremy Doucette. On their game-winning drive, the Mustangs converted a fourth-and-six and recovered a fumble forced by De'Aundre Sanders. Quade Coward scored with 21 seconds left to provide the final margin.
 
Eastern's last win over MSU in the state of Texas came by a 36-33 score in Wichita Falls, on September 15, 2001. ENMU trailed 19-14 at half, , but a touchdown run from Antoine Lacy and two Heath Ridenour touchdown passes lifted the Hounds to victory.
 
Inside the Series (Midwestern State Leads 15-5)

Date	Opponent	Result
9/20/2014	Arlington, Texas	L, 24-28
9/20/2014	Arlington, Texas	L, 17-42
11/9/2013	@Blackwater Draw	W, 40-21
10/27/2012	@Wichita Falls, Texas	L, 28-51
10/29/2011	@Blackwater Draw	L, 34-57
9/11/2010	@Blackwater Draw	L, 17-44
10/31/2009	@Blackwater Draw	L, 17-50
11/1/2008	@Wichita Falls	L, 16-59
11/3/2007	@Blackwater Draw	L, 7-63
11/4/2006	@Wichita Falls, Texas	L, 19-29
10/29/2006	@Blackwater Draw	L, 29-62
10/30/2004	@Wichita Falls, Texas	L, 20-34
10/18/2003	@Wichita Falls, Texas	L, 14-24
10/19/2002	@Blackwater Draw	L, 14-28
9/15/2001	@Wichita Falls, Texas	W, 36-33
9/16/2000	@Blackwater Draw	L, 16-33
11/13/1999	@Wichita Falls, Texas	W, 38-33
11/14/1998	@Blackwater Draw	W, 21-18
11/15/1997	@Wichita Falls, Texas	L, 7-24
10/15/1955	@Portales, N.M.	W, 13-6

 
 
On the Run
 
Through nine weeks, the Eastern New Mexico University football team features the third-most prolific offense in the NCAA Division II, with a 45.4 points per game average (behind Ferris State and Slippery Rock). Eastern leads the nation in passing efficiency, is fifth in total offense, and second in rushing (behind Lenoir Rhyne). The Hounds are sixth in the country in fourth-down conversion percentage and tied for 11th in turnover margin. Eastern also ranks second in the country in yards per pass completion (behind Harding)
 
The Hounds lead the Lone Star Conference in rushing by over 150 yards per game. ENMU is also third in the LSC in kick-return average and in punting.
 
Kamal Cass ranks 11th in the NCAA Division II in rushing yards leads the league. He is tied for fourth in the nation in rushing touchdowns and leads the conference in that category. Adrian Horton is ninth in the league in receiving yards, 11th in touchdown receptions, and 11th in yards per catch. Jeremy Buurma is eighth in the league in total offense, while Cass is 11th. D'Maujeric Tucker is ninth in total offense.
 
Two 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 two occasions this season. Those games were setbacks against Midwestern State and Texas A&M-Commerce, the two top teams in the LSC. Dating back to last season, ENMU has averaged 47.7 points over its last 11 games and posted an 8-3 record.
 
The Defense Doesn't Rest
 
The Greyhound defense has taken the ball away from the opposition 19 times, which has allowed ENMU to tie for 31st in the country in turnover margin.
 
Eastern ranks third in the league in interceptions and are second in run defense. Lawrence Hall is 13th in the LSC in tackles per game, while Brad Hardin is seventh 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. Peters scored on a 74-yard interception return against Texas A&M-Kingsville.
 
Teams that are Special
 
Timothy Callian is 53-54 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 29 times this season, with 11 being downed inside the opponent's 20-yard line and five requiring a fair catch. Only one punt has gone for a touchback. On kickoffs, Callian has registered 25 touchbacks on 70 attempts.
 
Tucker and Cass have been a dynamic pair on kick returns and average 24.4 and 24.6 yards, respectively.
 
Mustang Notes

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Mustang Roster
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Midwestern State has suffered just one loss this season and is on a five-game win streak at home. Midwestern State's last loss at Memorial Stadium came in a 44-41 decision to Tarleton State in last year's LSC playoffs.
 
The Mustangs lead the LSC in scoring defense and total defense. Their defense ranks third against the run and fourth against opposing passing games.
 
Vincent Johnson is seventh in the conference in rushing, while Hagen Hutchinson are sixth and seventh in passing. Andy Alkhazshvilly is ninth in the LSC in scoring. Dominique Rouse is third in the conference is passes defended.
 
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
 

	W	L
Overall	20	17
At Home	9	6
Away	10	9
Scoring First	15	7
Opponent Scores First	5	11
Scoring 30	18	4

 
Up Next
                   
Next Saturday, the Eastern New Mexico University football team will either play top-seeded Texas A&M-Commerce or fourth-seeded Angelo State. A game with A&M-Commerce would be played at Memorial Stadium, in Commerce, Texas. As the higher seed, the Hounds would host Angelo State.