SAU hosts Southern Nazarene for Homecoming

MAGNOLIA, Ark.—The Southern Arkansas football team enters this Homecoming/ Hall of Fame weekend with a good bit of momentum as they are 3-1 on the year with two of those wins coming at the friendly confines of their home venue, Wilkins Stadium at Rip Powell Field.

In this year’s homecoming, SAU is looking to make it nine in a row as they are unbeaten in their last eight homecoming games dating back to 2008. The last seven of the Mulerider triumphs have come under current head coach Bill Keopple. Among those homecoming victories, SAU has defeated GACfoes, Arkansas Tech (2011 & 2008), Oklahoma Baptist (2015), Ouachita Baptist (2013 & 2009), and Southern Nazarene (2014 & 2012). The eighth win during this stretch came against former conference opponent West Alabama in 2010.

This year’s homecoming game will be played against Southern Nazarene and it will be the third time that the matchup will serve as SAU’s Homecoming. Additionally, SAU will publicly induct 10 new members into its Sports Hall of Fame.

SCHEDULE

The Southern Nazarene football team enters play with an 0-4 overall record and an 0-4 record in the GAC. The Crimson Storm are in their third year as full members of the NCAA after transitioning from the NAIA ranks prior to the 2012 football season. Since making that transition, SNU has an overall record of 3-45. Their most-recent win came against GAC-newcomer Oklahoma Baptist in the season finale last year. In that game, the Crimson Storm beat the Bison 33-32 in overtime. The win also snapped a 32-game losing streak that began at the start of the 2013 season.

THE COACH

The Crimson Storm are coached by Andy Lambert, who is in his first season as head coach of Southern Nazarene. In the midst of his first season, Lambert is 0-4, but prior to coming to Bethany, Lambert had won over 100 games across a 19-year coaching career that saw stops at his alma mater, Trinity International, and most-recently a 12-year stint at Sterling College ins Sterling, Kans. At Trinity, Lambert was 30-45 and at Sterling, he went 72-51.

SCOUTING THE OFFENSE

Offensively, the Crimson Storm are averaging 6.8 points per game and 170.0 yards of total offense per game with 133.8 of those yards coming on the ground and 36.3 coming through the air. The Crimson Storm’s points per game, total offense and passing yards rank 12th in the GAC while their rushing yards ranks eighth.

Commanding the offense for the Crimson Storm is sophomore quarterback Jacob Spady. In four games this season, Spady has completed 17-of28 passes for 141 yards and no touchdowns. Spady is the team’s leading rusher with 200 yards on 30 carries. He has also rushed for a team-best two scores.

Additionally on the ground the Crimson Storm have two other players that have found the endzone in Terence Olds and Alec Lafoon. Olds is the second-leading rusher with 159 yards on 30 carries.

SCOUTING THE DEFENSE

Defensively, the Crimson Storm are allowing 44.2 points per game and 472.8 yards of total offense per game with 316.5 of those yards coming on the ground and 156.2 yards through the air. The Crimson Storm’s opponents points per game and total offense are the 10th-most in the GAC while their rushing yards ranks 12th in the GAC.

On the year, SNU has forced five turnovers with four being fumble recoveries and the other an interception.

A total of 13 players have registered double-digit tackles on the season with Damion Willis and Trystan Slinker leading the way with 28 tackles each.

THE SERIES

This will be the fifth meeting all-time between the Muleriders and Crimson Storm in a series that began in 2012 when Southern Nazarene began its transition to the NCAA and became members of the Great American Conference. In the four previous meetings, SAU has come out on top in lopsided decisions as the average margin of victory for the Muleriders in the those games is 43.0 points. This will also be the third meeting between the two in Magnolia as SAU took the first two meetings, 47-14 in 2012 and 62-7 in 2013.

HENDERSON STATE AT ARKANSAS TECH

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark.— Henderson State will make its second consecutive road trip

as the No. 7 Reddies travel to Arkansas Tech with kickoff slated for 6 p.m. at Thone Stadium.

Arkansas Tech is 2-0 at home this year and have won seven of its last eight games in Russellville. The Wonder Boys enter the game with a 2-2 record overall following a 28-21 loss last week at Southern Arkansas.

The Reddies are coming off a 45-17 win over Southwestern Oklahoma extending their GAC win streak to 13 games.

Henderson has used a balanced offensive attack this season averaging 223.5 yards passing per game and 208.2 yards rushing. The Reddies rank fourth in the GAC in total offense averaging 431.8 yards per contest.

Andrew Black has been a duel threat averaging 199.5 yards passing and 49.5 yards rushing per game as the Reddie quarterback. The sophomore from Tyler, Texas has completed 65.6 percent of his passes (63-of-93) and has carried the ball 37 times for 198 yards.

Evan Lassiter backs up Black and has completed 9-of-14 passes for 96 yards with two touchdown tosses.

Jeremy Wilson leads Henderson’s ground game averaging 80.8 yards per game which ranks seventh in the league. He gained 100 yards for the second consecutive time last week against Southwestern Oklahoma.

Jaquan Cole follows Wilson averaging 63.5 yards per contest. The 2015 GAC Offensive Player of the Year has 254 total yards on 48 carries for an average of 5.3 yards per attempt.

Henderson’s defense leads the league and ranks third nationally in turnovers with 14 including eight fumble recoveries. The Reddies have totaled 32 tackles for lost yardage including a league best 14 sacks.

The Reddies allow just 315.8 yards and 14.5 points per game, with both ranked second in the GAC.

Cameron Sonnier leads the defensive unit with 28 tackles including 5.5 tackles for lost yardage. Dondre Wright follows with 24 stops to go along with a sack, interception and a pass breakup.

Sheldon Watson has come up big in the secondary having 14 tackles, three interceptions and a 44-yard scoop-and-score.

Arkansas Tech averages 403.0 yards of offense per game which ranks sixth in the GAC.