Southern Utah's football team plays its final home game until mid-November this weekend when the Thunderbirds host Youngstown State at 1:00 p.m. in Eccles Coliseum.
The Thunderbirds (2-3, 0-0 Great West) will be looking to build some momentum after a 34-20 win at Texas State last weekend. SUU had its best rushing effort of the season at TSU, picking up 199 yards on the ground, and the the team's 369 yards of total offense were nearly 100 better than the previous best effort, a 278-yard night against Northern Arizona on Sept. 20.
Youngstown State (2-3, 1-1 Missouri Valley) saw a modest two-game winning streak snapped in a 31-28 loss to undefeated Liberty on Saturday. The Penguins opened the season with road losses at Ohio State (43-0) and South Dakota State (40-7) before bouncing back with home wins against Central State (Ohio, 38-0) and then-FCS No. 2 North Dakota State 32-24.
The Game: Youngstown State (2-3, 1-1) at Southern Utah (2-3, 0-0), Saturday, 1:00 p.m. at Eccles Coliseum (8,500).
The Series: Saturday's game will mark the second game between the Thunderbirds and Penguins. The first game was played last year in Youngstown, Ohio. YSU pulled out a 23-22 come-from-behind victory in that one after a bad snap denied Steve Pulver an opportunity at a game-winning 34-yard field goal attempt.
Radio: All of Southern Utah's 2008 football games will be available over the Thunderbird Sports Network. Due to this weekend's LDS Church Conference, however, SUU flagship station KSUU (91.1 FM) will be the only station carrying Saturday's game. KSUU carries every game on the worldwide web at www.suu.edu/ksuu as well. With the exception of this week's game, Thunderbird Radio Network affiliate KSUB AM (590), which covers southwest Utah, also broadcasts every game. Art Challis is in his 34th season as the Thunderbirds' football voice. He is joined on home broadcasts by former SUU coach and athletic director Steve Lunt. SUU Director of Athletic Media Relations Neil Gardner provides color commentary on road broadcasts.
TV: There will be no live television for Saturday's game. However, highlight feeds of all five Thunderbird home games will be available via SUU's FTP site. For information on obtaining those feeds contact SUU Director of Athletic Media Relations Neil Gardner.
GWFC Teleconference: The Great West Conference holds a weekly teleconference, beginning at 12:45 p.m. (MST). The conference's head coaches all address their previous and upcoming games. For information on accessing the teleconferences, contact SUU Director of Athletic Media Relations Neil Gardner. The schedule follows:
12:45 p.m. - Introduction by Great West Commissioner Ed Grom
12:47 p.m. - Cal Poly Coach Rich Ellerson
12:55 p.m. - USD Coach Ed Meierkort
1:03 p.m. - UND Coach Chris Mussman
1:11 p.m. - SUU Coach Ed Lamb
1:19 p.m. - UC Davis coach Bob Biggs
Thunderbird Club Luncheons: The Thunderbird Club's weekly no-host luncheon is held Mondays at noon at the Cedar City Crystal Inn. The public is invited to attend the luncheons where Southern Utah's in-season coaches talk about their upcoming contests and review the past week's action.
The Coaches: SUU's Ed Lamb (BYU, 1996) has a record of 2-3 in his first season as the Thunderbird head coach and his first season as a head coach overall. Lamb spent the past three seasons at the University of San Diego where he coordinated the special teams and recruiting and was the Toreros' defensive backs coach. Prior to his time at USD Lamb spent two seasons as defensive coordinator at Idaho. He also served a season at BYU as a linebackers coach and four seasons at Redlands, three as defensive coordinator and one as defensive line coach.
At age 34, Lamb is believed to be the youngest Division I head coach in the country this season. Georgia Southern's Chris Hatcher, 35, was the youngest last year.
Youngstown State's John Heacock (Muskingum, 1983) is 42-34 in his eighth season at YSU and his eighth season overall as a head coach.
Affiliations: Southern Utah is in its fifth season in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) Great West Football Conference after competing eight seasons as an NCAA I-AA independent. SUU is affiliated with The Summit League in all its other sports except women's gymnastics, which competes in the Western Athletic Conference. Youngstown State is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference.
SUU In The FCS National Ranks:
Individuals: SUU has individuals ranked among the nation's top-50 FCS performers in eight categories this week, including two special teams, three offensive and three defensive categories. Return specialist/wide receiver Nick Miller is ninth in punt return average, at 18.00 ypr, ninth in all-purpose yards (167.75) and is just outside the top-50 in kickoff returns with an average of 21.07 ypr, which ranks 77th. Punter Trevor Ward is eighth in the nation with a 44.13 yards per punt average. In addition to Miller's all-purpose ranking, Tysson Poots has both of the other offensive marks, ranking 13th in receiving yards per game (101.0) and 14th in receptions per game (6.75). On the defensive side of the ball, D.J. Senter is tied for fifth in tackles per game with 13.0, while Robert Takeno is seventh with 12.75 and Akeem Anifowoshe is 36th with 9.25. Senter is also 14th in tackles for loss with an average of 1.75 per game and 29th in sacks at 0.75 per contest. Takeno is tied for 49th in TFLs with 1.38 per game.
Team: As a team, SUU is third in the country in tackles-for-loss with an average of 9.75 per game, sixth in punt returns with an average of 20.1, 21st in net punting at 35.29 yards per punt, 45th in sacks at 2.0 per game and is 43rd in kickoff returns at 21.07 yards per return.
Anifowoshe Earns GWC Player of the Week Honor: Southern Utah's Akeem Anifowoshe has been named this week's Great West Conference defensive player of the week for his performance in the Thunderbirds' 34-20 win at Texas State Saturday night.
Anifowoshe, a sophomore strong safety from Las Vegas, Nev. (Las Vegas HS) tallied eight tackles against the Bobcats, including four solo stops and one-and-a-half tackles for losses. He also recovered two fumbles.
Anifowoshe recovered a loose ball on the opening kickoff and returned it 18 yards for a touchdown but the score was disallowed as the officials ruled it was a muffed reception. Muffs can not be advanced. The Thunderbirds were able to cash in on the recovery, however, as three plays later sophomore running back Deckar Alexander ran eight yards for a score.
Anifowoshe's second recovery also led to a score as he picked up a loose ball in the third quarter to set up a 30-yard Cody Stone-t-o-Nick Miller touchdown pass.
Anifowoshe is SUU's GWC fourth player of the week this season. Punter Trevor Ward earned special teams recognition ? and national player of the week honors ? after the Air Force game, return specialist Nick Miller was named special teamer of the week after the Adams State game and linebacker D.J. Senter got the defensive nod following the Montana game.
Thunderbird Quick Hits:
? RB Deckar Alexander (Fontana, Calif.; Menlo College) tallied 32 carries at Texas State. It was the first time a Thunderbird had 30 carries since Chuck Henderson had exactly 30 at Montana on Oct. 19, 2002 and the most by a T-Bird since Sept. 12, 1998, when Matt Cannon carried 34 times in a 45-35 SUU win at Montana. The 32 carries in a game are also tied for the seventh-most rushing attempts in SUU history (Zed Robinson vs. Santa Clara in 1991). The 114 yards mark the highest rushing total by a Thunderbird since Johnny Sanchez ran for 143 yards last season at South Dakota State (Nov. 10).
? Freshman Safety Blake Fenn (Roosevelt, Utah; Union HS) picked off his team-leading second pass of the season at Texas State on Saturday. Fenn had an outstanding debut in his first collegiate game at Air Force. Pressed into full-time duty after senior Troy Osborne left the game with an injury, the redshirt freshman from Roosevelt, Utah (Union HS) led the team with 16 tackles, 11 of them solo. Fenn followed that performance with seven tackles and an interception vs. Adams State and eight at Montana but had just three vs. NAU in limited duty.
? Senior kicker Steve Pulver (Salt Lake City; Highland HS) booted a 51-yard field goal at Texas State, the second-longest of his career and his longest this season. The 51-yarder is tied for the fifth-longest field goal in Thunderbird history.
? Senior WR Nick Miller (Scottsdale, Ariz.; Scottsdale CC) caught a season-high six passes for a team-high 91 yards and a touchdown at Texas State. It was Miller's first TD catch since the opener at Air Force and marked the first game all year that sophomore Tysson Poots (Las Vegas, Nev.; Coronado HS) hadn't led the team in receptions and yards.
? Poots also had six receptions at TSU but finished with a season-low 43 yards. He did have a TD reception, however, giving him at least one in each game since going without one at Air Force and keeping him atop the SUU scoring list with 30 points. Poots caught seven passes for 136 yards vs. NAU. He had four for 52 yards (all in the second half) at Montana, seven for 143 yards vs. Adams State and nine for 73 yards at Air Force.
? After controlling the ball for just 17:06 vs. Northern Arizona the Thunderbirds turned the tables at Texas State, running 78 plays and keeping the ball for 33:59. It was the first time this season SUU had finished with a higher time of possession than its opponent. The 78 plays were also the most by the Thunderbirds this season.
? In addition to the time of possession and total plays number, SUU also posted team-season-highs for rushing attempts (42), yards rushing (199), yards per carry (4.7), TD carries (two), total offense (369 yards) and yards per play (4.7) at TSU.
? SUU went without recording a sack for the first time since the opener at Air Force. The Thunderbirds didn't take a sack either, however. It was the first time since the Adams State game an SUU quarterback hadn't been sacked.
? LB Robert Takeno (Sandy, Utah; Hillcrest HS) ? who has finished among the Thunderbirds' top three tacklers the past two seasons ? tallied a team-season-high and a career-high 18 tackles vs. NAU. He also had a team-best 12 solo tackles vs. the Lumberjacks. The 18 tackles were the most in a game by a Thunderbird since Nov. 2, 2002, when Steve Smith finished with 21 at Arkansas State.
? Takeno has picked up right where he left off last season, finishing second on the team in tackles in each of the first two games and third at Montana. Takeno tallied 15 tackles (seven solo), with two tackles for loss at Air Force, then came back with a nine-tackle effort (four solo) with one TFL vs. Adams State. Takeno, who was the team's leading tackler last year, finished with five at Texas State, his season-low.
? After D.J. Lucchesi (Panaca, Nev.; Lincoln County HS) intercepted a Michael Herrick pass in the third period vs. Northern Arizona it gave the Thunderbirds five picks on the season, just one fewer than they had all last season. It was Lucchesi's first career interception. He returned it 57 yards, SUU's longest interception return of the season. Lucchesi also tallied a career-high 10 tackles vs. the Lumberjacks. Lucchesi saw significant playing time at safety vs. NAU after distinguishing himself as a special teamer earlier in the year. He was a special teams demon against Adams State, with five tackles on kick coverage, including three solo stops.
? Prior to finishing with eight stops and earning this week's GWC Defensive Player of the Week award, sophomore safety Akeem Anifowoshe (Las Vegas, Nev.; Las Vegas HS) had posted career-highs in tackles in back-to-back games. He had a career-best 12 tackles at Montana, including 10 solo stops, then topped that with 13 vs. Northern Arizona.
? Senior defensive tackles Austin Curtis (Layton, Utah; Layton HS) and Aaron Fernandez (Mesa, Ariz.; Mesa CC/Red Mountain HS) have had a big impact on the SUU defense. They both had big days at Air Force as the SUU defense did a good job of taking away Air Force's inside running game. They both finished with seven tackles at Air Force, where Fernandez had four solo stops and Curtis had 1.5 tackles-for-loss. Curtis had six tackles, including 1.5 TFLs, and two QB hurries vs. Adams State, while Fernandez tallied four stops with two TFLs, two QB hurries and a pass knock-down. At Montana Curtis was fifth on the team with six tackles, and he had seven, including a sack and two TFLs vs. NAU. Fernandez had five tackles at Montana, with four vs. NAU, including half a sack, a QB hurry and a pass knock-down. The duo didn't get much credit for clogging the middle at Texas State, however, as Fernandez finished with three tackles and Curtis had a season-low one.
? The Thunderbird defense has also recorded at least one sack in three straight games and had a season-high four vs. NAU. After going sack-less vs. Air Force, SUU had three vs. Adams State and one at Montana. D.J. Senter (Las Vegas, Nev.; Bishop Gorman HS) led the way with 1.5 sacks vs. the ?Jacks, while Curtis and Chad Westwood (Cedar City, Utah; Cedar HS) each had one and Takeno had a half.
? QB Cody Stone (Bakersfield, Calif.; Bakersfield CC) passed for 304 yards against Northern Arizona. It was the first time the Thunderbirds had passed the 200-yard passing mark this season as well as the most passing yards since last year's game vs. Cal Poly (Nov. 2), when Stone threw for 310 yards.
? Stone's 48 pass attempts vs. NAU are the second-most in SUU history, tying a mark by Rick Robins (vs. St. Mary's in 1995) and Ryan Zimmerman (vs. McNeese State in 2003), who also attempted 48 passes in a game. The SUU record for pass attempts in a game is 54, by Jerry Dyer way back in 1974, at Western New Mexico. It seems that 48 or more pass attempts in a game isn't a great idea, however, as the ?Birds lost all four games.
? Nick Miller finished with184 yards in kickoff returns at Montana, the second-most kick return yards in a single game in SUU history. Miller now holds the top two spots, as his 208 yards at North Dakota State last season is the record. Miller's 117 punt return yards vs. Adams State ranks fourth on the SUU single-game top-10.
? SUU's announced crowd of 8,018 for the NAU game was the sixth largest in Eccles Coliseum history. The largest was against Cal Poly, on Oct. 9, 2004, when an over-flow crowd of 9,028 filled the Coliseum.
? Colin Pretlow (Las Vegas, Nev.; Las Vegas HS) and Senter each picked off a pass at Montana, giving the Thunderbirds two picks in back-to-back games. The last time the Thunderbirds picked off two or more passes in back-to-back games was in 2003, when they had two against Northern Colorado on Nov. 8, then picked off three at St. Mary's on Nov. 15.
? Prior to Takeno's 18 tackles vs. NAU, Senter's 17 tackles at Montana were the most in a single game by a Thunderbird this season, one more than the previous high or 16 Blake Fenn had at Air Force. The 17 stops were also a career-best for Senter. The 17 tackles were also the most by a Thunderbird since Nick DiPadova had 17 against South Dakota State back on Nov. 13, 2004.
? Senter was already off to a great start. He made a dozen tackles, eight solo, at Air Force, then led the team with 11, including a sack and four TFLs, vs. Adams State. He made his presence known vs. NAU as well, finishing with 12 stops, giving him double-figure tackles in each game this season. Senter was the team's leading tackler two years ago as a strong safety but made the move to inside linebacker last spring.
? When Mike Kaniho (Waikoloa, Hawaii; Kealakehe HS) blocked a Ryan Hedberg punt and Thatcher Taylor returned it 29 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter against Adams State it marked the first punt blocked for a TD by a Thunderbird since Sept. 30, 2006. Brian Kofoed blocked that one and Robert Takeno scooped it up and ran 11 yards for the score at Cal Poly.
? Redshirt freshman Jared Ursua (Kailua-Kona, Hawaii; Kealakehe HS) scored the first touchdown of his career when he gave SUU a 7-0 lead with a seven-yard run in the first quarter against Adams State. He scored his second against Northern Arizona on a 5-yard pass from Stone.
? Junior punter Trevor Ward (Ogden, Utah; Bonneville HS) set the SUU record for longest punt when his kick at the end of the Air Force game flew, then rolled, 91 yards into the Falcon end zone.
? SUU played before the largest crowd in its football history at Air Force. The official attendance for the game was 39,180, which shattered the previous high-attendance mark for SUU: 26,715 back in 2000 at Utah State.
? The Thunderbirds also played in front of 25,056 fans at Montana, a then-home-record for the Grizzlies and the fourth-largest crowd to watch an SUU game (behind the two mentioned above and a crowd of 26,624 at South Florida in 2001).
? SUU gave up two safeties at Air Force, one when Kennie Apilli was tackled in the end zone and another when Cody Stone was sacked. It was the first time since 1999 at Idaho State that the Thunderbirds had given up a score on a safety.
? SUU is in its 46th season as a four-year football-playing institution and its 23rd as a member of the NCAA. The 2008 season also marks the Thunderbirds' 16th as a member of the NCAA's Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) and is the school's fifth in the Great West Football Conference.
? The opener at Air Force marked the fifth time in the last six seasons the Thunderbirds have played their first game of the season away from home. The only time SUU opened at home during that stretch was in 2006 when they kicked off the season with a 34-0 defeat of Montana Tech at Eccles Coliseum.
? The Thunderbirds have five returning all-conference players on the roster, including linebackers Robert Takeno and D.J. Senter, cornerback Colin Pretlow, kicker Steve Pulver and punter Trevor Ward. In addition to those five, defensive end La'Var Porter was a second-team selection at linebacker in 2006 before injuries limited his play last year.
? SUU also returns three academic all-GWFC honorees from the 2007 squad: running back Brandon Godfrey, wide receiver Tysson Poots and Ward.
? The Thunderbirds have always been proud to be Utah's Team and this year is no exception as the SUU squad boasts 47 home-grown players. California has the second-highest number of players on the roster, with 16, followed by Nevada with 13. There are five players hailing from Arizona, three from Hawaii, and one each from Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Montana, New York and North Carolina. The Thunderbirds also have four international players on the roster this season: three from American Samoa and one from Sweden.
Penguin Papers: Last week SUU played an opponent in Texas State which was very balanced, offensively, after gaining 565 yards rushing and 595 passing yards but Youngstown State is nearly as balanced, with 768 of their yards coming on the ground and 725 through the air, averages of 153.6 rushing and 145 passing yards per game. Defensively the Penguins have given up an average of 193.8 rushing and 231.6 passing yards.
Quarterback Brandon Summers (6-0, 210, Jr) set a YSU record with 32 completions last week and has completed 57-of-80 passes for 620 yards and seven TDs with four interceptions this season. His favorite targets have been WRs Ferlando Williams (6-0, 195, Jr; 16 catches for 209 yards and four TD)s, Dominique Barnes (5-11, 180, So; 11-35, one TD) and TE Derrick Bush (6-4, 275, Sr; 10-109). Jabari Scott (5-10, 190, Jr) leads the team in rushing with 49 carries for 304 yards and three TDs, but Kamryn Keys (5-11, 185, RSFr) has 44 carries (243 yards and a score) and Summers has 47 attempts for 142 yards (and has been sacked seven times).
Defensively the Penguins have been led by safety Andre Elliott (6-2, 190, So), with 41 tackles, while safety Brandian Ross (6-0, 185, So) has 36 stops, including one TFL and in interception. DE Jamie Frasure (6-0, 230, Jr) leads the squad with four TFLs among his nine tackles and seven players have been in on sacks but none has more than one. CB De'Angelo Wilson (5-10, 195, Sr) leads the team with two interceptions.
