Saturday, October 28, 2017
PORTALES, NM — Saturday's Lone Star Conference matchup between the 21
st-ranked Eastern New Mexico University football team (7-1; LSC 6-1) and Texas A&M-Kingsville (3-6; LSC 2-5) had a bit of everything. Strong defense, explosive offense, and plenty of big plays. Senior fullback
Kamal Cass paced the Greyhounds with a season-high 187 yards and four touchdowns, en-route to a 51-34 victory at Al Whitehead Field at Greyhound Stadium.
The win staked ENMU to its first 7-1 record since the 1998 season.
Eastern entered the game ranked first in the nation in time of possession and held the ball for 32:24 of play. The offense managed to convert six-of-14third down attempts. The Hounds also scored seven points off turnovers while allowing just six to the Javelinas.
In the Series
- The win was ENMU's tenth against Texas A&M-Kingsville
- Eastern has won five of the last six meetings between the teams
- The 51 points was the Hounds' second-highest total in the series
On the Defensive Side
- Eastern entered the game ranked second in the LSC in total defense, while the Javelinas ranked second against the run
- The Hounds limited TAMUK to 25 total yards in the first half, and 0-for-8 on third downs
- The Javelinas also played tough defense, but ENMU managed to score on long runs from Tayshaun Gary (45 yards) and Cass (88 yards)
- Dante Urrea and Brad Hardin came up with interceptions for Eastern in the second half
- The Hounds allowed just two third down conversions in 12 tries
- The Javelinas forced and recovered three fumbles to win the turnover battle 3-2
Offensively Speaking
- The Greyhounds rushed for a season-high 482 yards with seven touchdowns (also a season high)
- For the second straight game, both Cass (187 yards) and Gary (108) topped the 100-yard mark, the Hounds are 4-0 when both reach the century mark
- Russell Montoya made a spectacular diving catch for 20 yards, to set up a field goal late in the opening half
- Johnny Smith rushed for a career-best 93 yards, while D'Maujeric Tucker had a season-high 64 yards
- The Javelinas Beau Reilly threw for 339 yards and two scores, while constantly under pressure for ENMU's defense
The Key Plays
- After forcing the Javelinas to punt after the first three plays of the game, the Hounds had a three-play initial drive of their own and took the lead on a 45-yard run from Gary
- Texas A&M-Kingsville's Braedon Robinson forced a second-quarter fumble, which Jalen Harrison recovered at Eastern's 29 yard line
- A pass interference penalty on third down extended the Javelina drive and helped set up a 29-yard Julio de la Garza field goal
- After an exchange of punts, Texas A&M-Kingsville had ENMU pinned at its own four-yard line
- On the third running play of Eastern's drive, Cass took the handoff at the 12-yard line and raced 88 yards to the endzone on the longest rushing attempt of his career
- Johnny Smith recovered the ensuing on-side kick to set ENMU up at the Texas A&M-Kingsville 38-yard line
- On the first play of the drive, Russell Montoya had to reach back for a ball thrown behind him, for a 20-yard reception
- Bailey Hale followed with a 31-yard field goal to give ENMU a 17-3 halftime lead
- On the first play of the second half, Johnny Smith sprinted 56 yards to the TAMUK one-yard line, before Cass scored his second touchdown
- After an exchange of punts, Hardin intercepted Reilly and returned the ball to the Kingsville 11-yard line
- Two Paul Terry carried later, the Hounds led 31-3
- Dante Urrea picked off Reilly on the next Javelina possession and set the Hounds up in Texas A&M-Kingsville territory
- Trevor Moses forced a fumble on the ensuing ENMU possession, which was recovered by Devonte Williams
- The Javelinas moved to the Greyhound nine-yard line on seven plays, but were forced to settle for a field goal to pull within 31-6
- Cass capped the ensuing drive with a two-yard touchdown run to give Eastern a 37-6 lead late in the third quarter
- The next three Javelina drives ended in touchdowns, as they closed within 37-27 on Nick Pelrean's one-yard run with 6:35 remaining
- A 42-yard run from Gary sparked Eastern on the ensuing possession, and Cass finished the drive with a one-yard touchdown to give the Hounds a 44-27 lead
- Reilly connected with Jordan Thomas on the first play of the next Texas A&M-Kingsville drive for a 59-yard touchdown to again cut the deficit to 10 points, with 4:23 left
- The Hounds responded with a seven-play drive to take 3:13 off the clock, punctuated by a nine-yard touchdown from Tucker to seal the win
Up Next
- The Greyhounds will travel to play West Liberty University (WV), next Thursday
- The contest will kick off at 4 p.m. MT
