• OVC Football Report - October 29 (PDF)
This Week’s Schedule
Saturday, November 3
*#18 Tennessee State at Murray State, 11 a.m. (FOX College Sports)
*Jacksonville State at UT Martin, 12:00 p.m. (OVC Digital Network)
Culver-Stockton
at Austin Peay, 1:00 p.m. (OVC Digital Network)
#23 Eastern Kentucky at Southeast Missouri, 1:00 p.m. (OVC Digital Network)
*Eastern Illinois at Tennessee Tech, 1:30 p.m. (OVC Digital Network)
This Week’s OVC Highlights/Storylines
The OVC race continues to be tight at the top, as Eastern Illinois and Tennessee State both won and UT Martin having a bye week, giving the league three 4-1 teams...Preseason favorite Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State (who was picked second in the preseason) are a game back in the loss column at 4-2 with three weeks to go...Murray State senior quarterback Casey Brockman set the OVC career passing yards mark on Saturday, passing Morehead State’s Chris Swartz (1987-90) to establish the new record; Brockman currently has 9,187 career passing yards and needs just 231 yards of total offense to hold the Conference’s career total offense record...With three games to still play in the regular season, Eastern Illinois junior wide receiver Erik Lora set the OVC single-season receptions record, recording his 93rd catch to pass Samford’s Efrem Hill, who had 92 catches during the 2003 season...The 93 catches are tied for 25th in NCAA FCS single-season history, 30 away from tying the all-time record currently held by Elon’s Terrell Hudgins (done in 12 games in 2009); Lora is on pace to finish the regular season with 128 receptions...Despite having his OVC record mark of 7-straight 100-yard receiving games snapped on Saturday, Lora, who was added to the Walter Payton Award Watch List last week, currently leads all FCS players in receptions/game (11.63), receiving yards/game (153.25) and total receiving yards (1,226)...TSU kicker Jamin Godfrey was named National Specialist of the Week after hitting 5-of-5 field goals and nailing the game-winning PAT with no time on the clock in the team’s win over Tennessee Tech; Godfrey’s five made field goals is tied for the most in the FCS this season (with Murray State’s Jordan Benton)...Jacksonville State head coach Jack Crowe recorded his 100th career victory in the team’s victory over Murray State on Saturday...As a whole the OVC ranks first nationally in total offense (410.3 yards/game) and points (30.0/game)...This week’s games include Tennessee State at Murray State in the OVC TV Game of the Week (seen live on FOX College Sports and delayed on FOX Sports South), Jacksonville State at UT Martin, Eastern Kentucky at Southeast Missouri and Eastern Illinois at Tennessee Tech...In non-conference action Austin Peay hosts Culver-Stockton.
adidas® OVC Players of the Week
OFFENSIVE
Washaun Ealey, RB • Sr., 5-11, 215 • Stillmore, Ga. • Jacksonville State
Ealey rushed for 146 yards and a career-high three touchdowns as Jacksonville State topped Murray State 38-35 on Saturday. Ealey carried the ball 37 times (the second-most rushes in a game in the FCS this season) and also caught a nine-yard pass in the victory. The senior scored on a 29-yard rush early in the first quarter and then added a one-yard run at the end of the first quarter to tie the game at 14. His final rushing touchdown came with 11:33 to play in the third, a two-yard run that put the Gamecocks on top for good (35-28). It marked Ealey’s third-straight 100-yard rushing game and he now has eight touchdowns over his past four games.
Others Nominated: Jake Ryan, Austin Peay; Jake Walker, Eastern Illinois; Scott Lathrop, Southeast Missouri; Michael German, Tennessee State
DEFENSIVE
Artavious Dowdell, DL • Sr., 6-2, 230 • Belle Glade, Fla. • Eastern Illinois
Dowdell helped key an Eastern Illinois defensive attack that limited the No. 18-ranked Eastern Kentucky Colonels to only 81 yards of rushing in the Panthers 24-7 victory in Richmond on Saturday. The victory was the first for EIU over a ranked opponent since the 2009 season. Dowdell recorded seven tackles, 2.0 tackles-for-loss, a sack and a quarterback hurry. His performance was part of a defensive unit that overall had 12.0 tackles-for-loss, 5.0 sacks and five quarterback hurries.
Others Nominated: Johnathan Shuler, Austin Peay; Artavious Dowdell, Eastern Illinois; Jermaine Hough, Jacksonville State; Branden Spann, Southeast Missouri; Steven Godbolt III, Tennessee State.
SPECIALIST
Jamin Godrey, K/P • Jr., 6-0, 190 • Englewood, Tenn. • Tennessee State
A week after missing two field goals late in an overtime loss at Jacksonville State, Godfrey was a perfect 5-of-5 in lifting the 21st-ranked Tennessee State Tigers to a 22-21 win over Tennessee Tech on Saturday. Godrey connected from 37 and 32 yards in the first quarter, 27 and 41 yards in the second quarter and added a 22-yard field goal in the third quarter. With TSU trailing 21-15 and Godfrey’s 15 points being the only points the team had scored all day, the Tigers scored a touchdown with no time remaining to tie the game and Godfrey made the extra point attempt to lift TSU to the victory. The five made field goals set a new Tennessee State record and are tied for the most made field goals in a FCS game this season (with Murray State’s Jordan Benton). Godfrey also punted four times, with a long of 44 and one downed inside the 20-yard line. Godfrey currently ranks sixth nationally in field goals made/game (1.56).
Others Nominated: Cameron Berra, Eastern Illinois; Griffin Thomas, Jacksonville State; Drew Geldbach, Southeast Missouri.
NEWCOMER
Scott Lathrop, QB • R-Fr., 5-10, 175 • Warrenton, Mo. • Southeast Missouri
Lathrop rushed for a career-high 179 yards and accounted for 215 yards of total offense in Southeast Missouri’s 48-27 win at Austin Peay on Saturday. His performance helped the Redhawks snap a 10-game road losing streak as the team racked up season-highs in both rushing yards (399) and points (48). Lathrop completed 2-of-9 passes for 36 yards and carried the ball 20 times for 179 yards (8.9 ypc) and two touchdowns. That included a season-best run of 67 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter that put Southeast up 14-0; he later added a one-yard run prior to halftime to give his team a 31-7 advantage. The rushing output marked the second time this season Lathrop has rushed for 100 or more yards in a game and marked the second-highest rushing output by a quarterback in Southeast Missouri history.
Others Nominated: Reco Williams, Austin Peay; LeQuince McCall, Eastern Illinois; Jermaine Hough, Jacksonville State; A.C. Leonard, Tennessee State.
Notes From Around the Gridiron
Godfrey Named National Special Teams Player of the Week (Oct. 29): Tennessee State junior kicker
Jamin Godfrey was named National Special Teams Player of the Week by both the Sports Network and College Sporting News following his performance in a 22-21 win over Tennessee Tech on Oct. 27. A week after missing two field goals late in an overtime loss at Jacksonville State, Godfrey was a perfect 5-of-5 in lifting the 21st-ranked Tigers to the one-point win. Godfrey connected from 37 and 32 yards in the first quarter, 27 and 41 yards in the second quarter and added a 22-yard field goal in the third quarter. With TSU trailing 21-15 and Godfrey’s 15 points being the only points the team had scored all day, the Tigers scored a touchdown with no time remaining to tie the game and Godfrey made the extra point attempt to lift TSU to the victory. The five made field goals set a new Tennessee State record and are tied for the most made field goals in a FCS game this season (with Murray State’s Jordan Benton).
Brockman Sets OVC Career Passing Mark: Murray State senior quarterback
Casey Brockman set the OVC career passing yardage mark against Jacksonville State on Oct. 27. Brockman broke the record of 9,028 yards previously held by Morehead State’s Chris Swartz (1987-90). Brockman currently has 9,187 career passing yards. Brockman now needs just 231 yards of total offense to hold the OVC’s career record in that category (which is currently held by Murray State’s Michael Proctor - 9,886 yards from 1986-89).
Lora Sets OVC Single-Season Receptions Record: It took just eight games for Eastern Illinois wide receiver
Erik Lora to set the OVC single-season receptions record. Lora recorded his 93rd catch of the season on Oct. 27 at Eastern Kentucky, breaking the previous record of 92 catches by Samford’s Efrem Hill (2003). Lora can now set his sight on the NCAA record of 128 receptions currently held by Elon’s Terrell Hudgins (accomplished in 12 games in 2009). Lora is averaging a FCS-best 11.63 catches/game and is on pass for 128 receptions this year. Lora is also only 227 yards away from the OVC single-season receiving yards record of 1,453 currently held by Southeast Missouri’s Willie Ponder; Lora currently has an FCS-best 1,226 receiving yards and is averaging 153.25 yards/game.
EIU’s Lora Added to Walter Payton Award Watch List, Pushing OVC Total on List to Four: Eastern Illinois junior wide receiver
Erik Lora has been added to the Walter Payton Award Watch List as announced by the Sports Network. The addition of Lora gives the OVC 20 percent (4-of-20) of the individuals on the list. No other FCS conference has more than four players on the list (the Big Sky also has four). Other OVC players on the list include Eastern Illinois junior quarterback
Jimmy Garoppolo, Murray State senior quarterback
Casey Brockman and Eastern Kentucky senior running back
Matt Denham; Brockman and Denham were on the preseason list while Garoppolo was added in early October. The Walter Payton Award was established in 1987 and is presented annually to the most outstanding college football player on the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. The Watch List can undergo revision during the season. Ballots will be sent to a panel of about 175 sports information/media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries following the regular season on Nov. 19. The top three vote-getters will be invited to The Sports Network FCS Awards Presentation. The only former OVC player to win the award is former Eastern Illinois quarterback Tony Romo who took home the honor in 2002.
The Offensive Valley Conference: OVC teams have put up a lot of points this season. That includes a 70-point outing by Murray State on Sept. 29 (the 6th most points in a FCS game this season), a 66-point outing by UT Martin on Oct. 13 (the 13th most points in a FCS game this season) and a 65-point effort by Eastern Illinois on Sept. 29 (the 16th most points in a FCS game this year). In the four Conference games on Sept. 22, eight OVC teams combined to score 287 points and account for 3,641 yards of total offense. That night saw three teams score 49 or more points, as Eastern Kentucky scored 51, Eastern Illinois scored 50 and Murray State scored 49 points. It is the most combined points in Conference games since the league went from 10 to nine teams in 2007. So far through nine weeks this season OVC teams have scored 40 or more points in a game 19 different times. As a whole the OVC ranks first nationally in average total offense (410.3 yards/game) and points (30.0/game).
The League of Extraordinary Wide Receivers: Through nine weeks of the season the OVC is showcasing what can be considered the best collection of wide receivers in the nation. Currently OVC wideouts rank first (Eastern Illinois’
Erik Lora) and seventh (Murray State’s
Walter Powell) in receiving yards/game giving the OVC two of the top seven receivers nationally; no other conference has more than one individual in the top 7 nationally. For receptions in a single game in 2012, the OVC has four individuals in the Top 10, including the first (Lora, 21), second (Rogers, 18), third (Lora, 17) and 10th (Powell, 14) while two others performances (Lora and Powell with 13 apiece) are tied for 15th; no other conference nationally has more than two individuals in the Top 10 for receptions in a game. Lora and Powell currently rank first (11.63) and second (9.25) nationally in receptions/game.
OVC Teams in the Top 25: Entering Week 10 of the season Tennessee State is now the highest-ranked team in the OVC, coming in at No. 18 in the Sports Network Top 25 and No. 19 in the FCS Coaches Poll after starting the season 8-1. Coming off a loss Eastern Kentucky is now No. 23 in the FCS Coaches Poll and No. 25 in the Sports Network Top 25. UT Martin, Eastern Illinois and Jacksonville State are all receiving votes in both polls.
NCAA Stats Leaders: In the latest set of NCAA statistical leaders, Eastern Illinois wide receiver
Erik Lora is first nationally in receptions/game (11.63), receiving yards/game (153.25) and total receiving yards (1,226) and ninth in all-purpose yards (158.75/game). Murray State wide receiver
Walter Powell is second in receptions (9.25/game), fourth in all-purpose yards (178.75/game), seventh in receiving yards/game (114.00) and seventh in total receiving yards (912). UT Martin’s
Quentin Sims is eighth in receptions/game (7.75). Eastern Illinois quarterback
Jimmy Garoppolo is fourth nationally in points responsible for (19.00/game), fifth in total passing yards (2,741), fifth in total offense (344.88 yards/game), sixth in passing yards/game (342.63) and sixth in completions/game (29.38). Murray State quarterback
Casey Brockman is first nationally in completions (34.75/game), second in total offense (369.38 yards/game), third in total passing yards (2,926), fourth in passing yards/game (365.75) and fifth in points responsible for (18.75/game). Eastern Kentucky quarterback
T.J. Pryor is fifth in passing efficiency (160.28). Tennessee State running back
Trabis Ward is seventh in rushing (133.89 yards/game) while Southeast Missouri’s
Levi Terrell is ninth (122.63). UT Martin’s
Jason McNair is fourth in punt returns (15.25 yards/game), Tennessee Tech’s
Chad Zinchini is sixth in punting (44.75 yards/punt), Tennessee State’s
Jamin Godfrey is sixth in field goals (1.56 made/game) and Jacksonville State’s
Telvin Brown is ninth in kickoff returns (28.58 yards/return). UT Martin’s
Ben Johnson is sixth in tackles/game (11.63). Tennessee State’s
Steven Godbolt III is first in interceptions (0.67/game), while Eastern Kentucky’s
Brooklyn Fox is sixth (0.56/game) and Southeast Missouri’s
Tylor Brock is eighth (0.50/game). Murray State’s
Brandon Hathaway is third in fumbles recovered/game (0.38). In the team rankings Eastern Illinois is third nationally in total offense (506.00 yards/game), fourth in scoring offense (41.00 points/game), sixth in passing offense (367.13 yards/game) and ninth in fumbles recovered (11). Murray State ranks fifth in total offense (491.00 yards/game), fourth in passing offense (373.88 yards/game) and fifth in scoring offense (39.50 points/game). Eastern Kentucky ranks second in turnover margin (+1.56/game), third in fumbles lost (3), fourth in time of possession (34:04), fifth in passes intercepted (14) and fifth in turnovers gained (23). UT Martin ranks fourth in kickoff return yardage/defense (13.97 yards/return), seventh in turnover margin (+1.13), eighth in sacks allowed/game (0.88), eighth in turnovers gained (21) and ninth in fumbles recovered (11). Southeast Missouri ranks second in fewest yards penalized/game (32.88), fourth in fewest penalties/game (4.0), eighth in turnovers gained (21) and eighth in rushing offense (255.0 yards/game). Jacksonville State ranks sixth in third down conversion percentage (51.66%) and ninth in time of possession (32:59).
Attendance Figures: Tennessee State played in front of 42,257 fans on Sept. 8 against Jackson State in the Liberty Bowl in Memphis. That is the second-most fans to see a FCS game so far in the 2012 season. In average home attendance Jacksonville State ranks 12th nationally averaging 17,127 in four home games while Tennessee State ranks 13th nationally, averaging 16,586 in five total home games.
OVC Announces Six-Game TV Deal with FOX College Sports; This Week’s Game Features Tennessee State at Murray State: The OVC announced a six-game football television package that will air on FOX College Sports (FCS) this fall. The six-game schedule will feature each of the nine OVC football-playing institutions at least once during the season and started with a Sept. 29 contest between Eastern Kentucky and UT Martin. Other games in the package include Tennessee State at Jacksonville State (Oct. 20), Eastern Illinois at Eastern Kentucky (Oct. 27), Tennessee State at Murray State (Nov. 3), Southeast Missouri at Eastern Illinois (Nov. 10) and Tennessee Tech at Austin Peay (Nov. 17). Each game will kick off at 11 a.m. CT. Kevin Ingram, host of “The Wake Up Zone” on 104.5 The Zone in Nashville, will handle play-by-play duties while and Bob Belvin, host of “The Team” on Sports Radio 540 The Fan in Clarksville, will provide analysis. FOX College Sports (FCS) is a set of three national college sports Networks, FCS Atlantic, FCS Central and FCS Pacific, providing 72-hours of college sports programming each day. FCS is available on most major TV providers including AT&T U-verse, Charter, Comcast, DirecTV, Time Warner Cable and Verizon FiOS. For complete TV provider information and availability log onto
http://fcs.channelfinder.net/start.asp. The games will also air on a delayed basis each week at 10 p.m. CT on FOX Sports South (the exception is this week’s game between TSU and Murray State, which will air on a delayed basis at 11 p.m. CT).
Three OVC Players Earn Honors From College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) For Week No. 9: Three OVC players earned National Positional Player of the Week honors from the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) following week nine of the season. Tennessee State kicker
Jamin Godfrey was named National Place Kicker of the Week after connecting on 5-of-5 field goals and the winning PAT in the team’s 22-21 victory over Tennessee Tech; the five made field goals is tied for the most in the FCS in a game this season. TSU’s
A.C. Leonard was named National Tight End of the Week after catching eight passes for 102 yards and the game-winning touchdown in the victory over TTU. Tennessee Tech punter
Chad Zinchini was named National Punter of the Week after averaging 52.6 yards/punt on five attempts, including a long of 60 yards and one punt downed inside the 20-yard line. In addition to those three winners, six other OVC players earned honorable mention honors for the week. The goal of CFPA is to provide the most scientifically rigorous conferments in college football. Recipients are selected exclusively based upon objective scientific rankings of the extent to which individual players increase the overall effectiveness of their teams. In addition to this duo seven other OVC players earned honorable mention honors for the week.
Lora Sets OVC Record for Consecutive 100-Yard Receiving Games (7): Eastern Illinois wide receiver
Erik Lora started the 2012 season by gaining 100 or more receiving yards in each of his first seven games (the streak ended with a 97-yard game at Eastern Kentucky on Oct. 27). The seven-straight 100-yard receiving games broke the previous OVC record of five held by Southeast Missouri’s Willie Ponder (Ponder accomplished the feat twice, both in the 2001 season and at the end of the 2001 season continuing over to the beginning of the 2002 season). In the last 12 years in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), only two players have had streaks equal to Lora, as Gramblings’ Tramon Douglas (2002) and Elon’s Aaron Mellette (2011) each had seven-straight games with 100-plus receiving yards.
Carr Sets NCAA Record for Single Game Passing Efficiency: In the Oct. 13 game against Murray State, UT Martin senior quarterback
Derek Carr set the NCAA record for passing efficiency (Min. 45 attempts). The senior completed 42-of-46 passes (91.3%) for 560 yards and seven touchdowns without an interception, giving him a passing efficiency of 243.78. That broke the previous record of 220.8 held by Stephen F. Austin’s Todd Hammel and set against Louisiana-Monroe on Nov. 11, 1989.
Eastern Illinois/Murray State Set NCAA Record for Combined Plays: In its Sept. 22 game, Eastern Illinois and Murray State combined for 210 plays which shattered the previous NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) record of 196 plays set by Villanova and UConn in 1989. Eastern Illinois won the game 50-49 in overtime.
UT Martin and Murray State Combine For Most Points in an OVC Game: When UT Martin defeated Murray State 66-59 on Oct. 13, the 125 combined points shattered the record for most combined points in an OVC game. The previous record was 110 set by the same two teams in 2007 (UTM won that game 76-34).
Brockman Establishes OVC Single-Game Passing Touchdown Record: In Murray State’s game against UT Martin on Oct. 13, Racers senior quarterback
Casey Brockman set a new OVC record for touchdown passes in a game with eight. The eight touchdowns broke the previous mark of seven which had been accomplished four times, including twice by Brockman (2010 vs. Missouri State and 2011 vs. Tennessee State). UT Martin’s Derek Carr had seven touchdown passes in the same Oct. 13 game and shared the record for one quarter until Brockman broke it late in the fourth quarter. The other instance of seven touchdown passes was by Morehead State’s Chris Swartz against Murray State in 1990.
Brockman Sets OVC Career Record for Completions: Murray State senior quarterback
Casey Brockman established a new OVC record for career completions in his team’s win over Austin Peay on Oct. 6. Brockman broke the record of 774 previously held by Morehead State’s Chris Swartz. Brockman now has 857 career completions.
TTU’s Vanlier Sets OVC Kick Return Attempts Record: Tennessee Tech freshman
Ladarius Vanlier set the OVC record with 11 kickoff returns in a Sept. 29 game at Murray State. The 11 returns were one off the NCAA record. Vanlier ended that game with 237 yards of kick return offense (13 yards shy of the OVC record) including a 94-yard touchdown.
Lora Establishes OVC Single-Game Receptions Record: Eastern Illinois redshirt junior wide receiver
Erik Lora broke one of the oldest standing records in the OVC record book on Sept. 22 when he caught 21 passes in the Panthers 50-49 overtime victory over Murray State. The record was previously 20 set by Austin Peay’s Harold Roberts against Murray State in the 1969 season. The 21 catches are the fourth-most in a single game in Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) history (the record is 24 by Mississippi Valley State’s Jerry Rice and Brown’s Chas Gessner). The 21 catches are the most by a player at any level of NCAA football this season.
Murray State Ties OVC Record for Points in a Half: With 49 points in the first half against Tennessee Tech on Sept. 29, Murray State tied the OVC record for most points in a half of football. The output tied the mark also set by UT Martin in the first half against Murray State on Nov. 10, 2007 and by Eastern Kentucky in the first half against Tennessee Tech on Nov. 7, 1981.
Murray State Sets OVC Record for Total Plays: In its Sept. 22 game at Eastern Illinois, Murray State set a new OVC record for total plays by one team, running 110 plays and breaking the previous mark of 106 set by Eastern Illinois the previous week against Illinois State.
Spann Ties OVC Record With 100-Yard Interception Return: Southeast Missouri State senior safety
Branden Spann intercepted a pass against Tennessee Tech on Sept. 22 and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown. The interception return tied the OVC record also held by
Ray Oldham of Middle Tennessee (1970),
George Floyd of Eastern Kentucky (1980) and
Eddie Calvin of Southeast Missouri (2007). Spann is one of 39 all-time players in NCAA FCS history to return an interception 100 yards for a score.
OVC Teams Versus FBS Foes: OVC schools will play 11 games against teams from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) this season. In week one of the season UT Martin topped Memphis 20-17 in the Liberty Bowl as Cody Sandlin hit a 43-yard field goal with four seconds remaining. It marked the first-ever win over an FBS team for UT Martin and the first loss for Memphis against an FCS foe in 23 years. It was the first OVC win over an FBS team since the 2010 season when Jacksonville State topped Ole Miss in double overtime. Overall OVC teams are 19-158-1 all-time against FBS foes. Below is a listing of the current OVC schools and wins over FBS schools while a member of the league. Five of the wins over FBS teams for OVC teams have been accomplished by teams no longer in the OVC (Akron, Middle Tennessee, Morehead State and Youngstown State - twice) and are not listed below.
1979 - Eastern Kentucky vs. Kent State (W, 17-14)
1979 - Eastern Kentucky vs. Cal State Fullerton (W, 33-17)
1980 - Eastern Kentucky vs. East Carolina (W, 28-16)
1980 - Murray State vs. Louisville (W, 13-9)
1984 - Austin Peay vs. Central Florida (W, 24-21)
1984 - Murray State vs. Louisville (W, 26-23)
1985 - Eastern Kentucky vs. Louisville (W, 45-21)
1987 - Austin Peay vs. Kansas State (W, 25-22)
1996 - Eastern Illinois vs. Western Michigan (W, 28-20)
1998 - Eastern Illinois vs. Northern Illinois (W, 24-10)
2002 - Southeast Missouri vs. Middle Tennessee (W, 24-14)
2004 - Eastern Illinois vs. Eastern Michigan (W, 31-28)
2010 - Jacksonville State vs. Ole Miss (W, 49-48, 2OT)
2012 - UT Martin vs. Memphis (W, 20-17)
FCS over FBS: Including UT Martin’s win against Memphis in Week 1 of the 2012 season, four Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams topped Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams. Other FCS teams to win included Eastern Washington (Idaho), McNeese State (Middle Tennessee) and Youngstown State (Pitt). Week two of the season saw four more FCS schools (Illinois State over Eastern Michigan, North Dakota State over Minnesota, Northern Arizona over UNLV and Sacramento State over Colorado) win games against FBS schools, while Cal Poly made it nine teams with a win over Wyoming in Week 3 and Stony Brook made it 10 teams with a win over Army in Week 5.
TSU’s Hooks Named to Jerry Rice Award Watch List: Tennessee State redshirt freshman running back
Telvin Hooks is one of 16 players named to the initial Jerry Rice Award Watch List by the Sports Network. The award, which was established in 2011, is given to the top freshman in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Rice Award, named for the legendary wide receiver, who played in the FCS (then Division I-AA) at Mississippi Valley State, will be voted on by a national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries following the regular season. The list will grow to 20 finalists by then.
Southeast Missouri’s Peiffer on Buck Buchanan Watch List: Southeast Missouri State senior linebacker
Blake Peiffer was one of 20 players on the initial Buck Buchanan Award Watch List as determined by the Sports Network and also appeared on the updated list in October. The Buck Buchanan Award was established in 1995 and is given to the top defensive player at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. The Watch List can undergo revision during the season. Ballots will be sent to a panel of about 175 sports information/media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries following the regular season on Nov. 19. The winner will be announced at the annual Sports Network FCS Awards Presentation. An OVC player has never won the Buck Buchanan Award.
Sgt. York Trophy Enters Sixth Season in 2012: The Sgt. York Trophy is a challenge trophy which goes to the annual winner of the quadrangular season series between the four football-playing OVC institutions in the state of Tennessee (Austin Peay, Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech and UT Martin). In July 2007, the Nashville Sports Council and the OVC announced the creation of the trophy, which is only the second traveling trophy involving more than two schools nationwide (the other is the Commander in Chief’s Trophy). It is named after Sgt. Alvin C. York, a native of Pall Mall, Tenn. and a Soldier who was one of the most honored of World War I. He received the Congressional Medal of Honor after the war and returned to his home state to dedicate his life to improving education and facilitating educational opportunities for children in the state of Tennessee. The trophy goes to the team with the best record against the other schools (in case of a tie there will be co-champions and the actual trophy will be retained by the defending champion if they are involved in the tie or if the defending champion is not involved in the tie it will go to the institution that has gone the most seasons without winning the trophy). In 2007 Tennessee State and Austin Peay finished in a tie for the trophy with identical 2-1 records; both shared the award but Tennessee State went home with the hardware due to a 1-point win in the head-to-head meeting during the season (that was the tiebreaker used only for the first year of the trophy series). Tennessee State went 3-0 in Sgt. York play in 2008 to claim its second trophy. In 2009 Tennessee Tech claimed the trophy after going undefeated in Sgt. York games and a year ago UT Martin became the third-straight OVC team to go 3-0 and win the trophy in claiming its first title. Last year Tennessee Tech and Tennessee State each finished 2-1 in Sgt. York play this season to share the trophy; Tennessee State, however, took home the actual trophy by a tiebreaker, since they had gone longer without possessing the trophy (TSU last won in 2008 while TTU won in 2009). The trophy is presented at the Pepsi Celebration of Champions hosted by the Nashville Sports Council in the spring.
NCAA Division I Playoff Information: This season marks the third of the expanded 20-team playoff field. Two years ago the field was expanded from 16 to 20 teams, marking the first expansion since the field grew from 12 to 16 teams in 1997. The eight lowest-rated teams will play in first round games while the 12-highest rated teams will receive a bye into the second round. For the third-straight year the championship game will be played in Frisco, Texas at FC Dallas Stadium. The Southland Conference will serve as the host of the championship, which will be held on Saturday, January 5. The playoff field will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 18. It was announced in August 2012 that the field would once again expand, this time to 24 teams beginning in the 2013 season. With the expansion will come an automatic bid for the Pioneer League, giving the playoffs 11 automatic bids and 13 at-large selections.
Two OVC Football Student-Athletes Named Semifinalists for William V. Campbell Trophy: Two OVC student-athletes, Austin Peay running back
Wesley Kitts and Eastern Kentucky offensive lineman
Patrick Ford, are among the 147 semifinalist named for the 2012 William V. Campbell Trophy, endowed by HealthSouth, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation. The list was announced by the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame and are part of the 2012 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented by Fidelity Investments®, a leading provider of not-for-profit workplace retirement savings plans in higher education. Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates for the awards must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor, and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. The class is selected each year by the NFF Awards Committee, which is comprised of a nationally recognized group of media, College Football Hall of Famers and athletics administrators. The NFF Awards Committee will select up to 16 recipients, and the results will be announced via a national press release on Thursday, October 25. Each recipient will receive an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship, and they will vie as finalists for the 2012 William V. Campbell Trophy. Each member of the 2012 National Scholar-Athlete Class will also travel to New York City to be honored December 4 during the 55th NFF Annual Awards Dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria where their accomplishments will be highlighted in front of one of the most powerful audiences in all of sports. One member of the class will also be announced live at the event as the winner of the Campbell Trophy.
Hough Named National Freshman of the Week by Sports Network (Oct. 22): Jacksonville State true freshman defensive back
Jermaine Hough was named National Freshman of the Week by the Sports Network on Oct. 22. Hough had two interceptions as Jacksonville State handed No. 17 Tennessee State its first loss of the season on Saturday by winning 31-28 in overtime. He also added three tackles on the day. Hough intercepted TSU’s Michael German on the third play of the game which led to a Gamecocks touchdown nine plays later as the team took an early 7-0 lead. In the fourth quarter, one play after JSU had fumbled at its own 40-yard line, Hough intercepted his second pass of the day, returning it 14 yards. Hough also earned National Freshman Defensive Player of the Week by College Sports Journal.
Carr Named National Offensive Player of the Week by Sports Network, College Sporting News and College Sports Journal (Oct. 15): UT Martin senior quarterback
Derek Carr was named National Offensive Player of the Week by both the Sports Network, College Sporting News and College Sports Journal on Oct. 15 following his record-breaking performance against Murray State. Carr completed 42-of-46 passes (91.3%) for 560 yards and seven touchdowns without an interception or being sacked. He had touchdown passes of 22, 15, 22, 34, 17, 42 and 34 yards in the victory. The seven touchdown passes set the UT Martin school record (and momentarily tied the OVC record, until broken later in the game by Murray State’s Casey Brockman), as did his 560 passing yards. For the game Carr had an passing efficiency rating of 243.78, which set the NCAA record (minimum of 45 attempts), breaking the previous mark of 220.8. The 560 passing yards are the second-most in a single game in the FCS this season and the seven touchdowns are tied for second among all FCS players. It marks the second-straight week and fourth time this season (in 7 total weeks) the OVC has produced the National Offensive Player of the Week.
Carr Named National Performer of the Week, Ward National Running Back of the Week Honors From College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) For Week No. 7: UT Martin senior quarterback
Derek Carr was named National Performer of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) after completing 42-of-46 passes for 560 yard and seven touchdowns while setting the NCAA record for passing efficiency (min. 45 attempts) with a mark of 243.78. Carr was also named the National Quarterback of the Week. In addition Tennessee State junior running back
Trabis Ward was named National Running Back of the Week after carrying the ball 43 times (an FCS high this season) for 267 yards (the fourth-most yards nationally this year) and four touchdowns (tying the FCS high this year) in a win over Southeast Missouri.
TSU’s Ward Named National Co-Player of the Week By College Sports Journal (Oct. 15): Tennessee State running back
Trabis Ward joined UT Martin quarterback Derek Carr as National Co-Players of the Week by College Sports Journal following his performances in Week 7 of the season. Ward carried the ball 43 times for 267 yards (6.2 ypc) and four touchdowns in a 40-28 victory at Southeast Missouri. The 267 yards and four touchdowns were both the second-highest single-game totals in Tennessee State history. Among all FCS performances this season, the 43 carries were the most, the four rushing touchdowns were tied for the most and the 267 yards were the fourth most this season. Ward scored on a seven-yard run in the second quarter and then added three fourth quarter scores, running it in from four yards out, one yard out and capping the game with a 30-yard touchdown scamper with 1:26 to play.
Brockman Named National Player of the Week by Sports Network (Oct. 8): Murray State senior quarterback
Casey Brockman was named National Co-Offensive Player of the Week by the Sports Network after throwing for as many touchdown passes (5) as incompletions (5) in the Racers 52-14 road win over Austin Peay. Brockman completed 38-of-43 passes for 455 yards and in the process set the OVC career completions record and become MSU’s all-time leader in touchdown passes. It marks the fifth time in his career he has been named National Player of the Week by either the Sports Network or College Sporting News.
Thrasher Named National Defensive All-Star by College Sporting News (Oct. 8): Tennessee State sophomore linebacker
Nick Thrasher was named the National Defensive All-Star of the Week by College Sporting News after his performance against nationally-ranked Eastern Kentucky. Thrasher had a game-high 12 tackles (including 9 solo stops) and a key sack in the win that helped TSU improve to 6-0 on the season. With the Tigers trailing by four points late in the fourth quarter he sacked the EKU quarterback, setting up a 4th and long that the Colonels did not convert and setting TSU up for the game-winning drive (which covered 68 yards on 13 plays).
Three OVC Players Earn Honors From College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) For Week No. 6: Three OVC players earned National Positional Player of the Week honors from the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) following week six of the season. Murray State quarterback
Casey Brockman was named National Quarterback of the Week after completing 38-of-43 passes for 455 yards and five touchdowns in a win over Austin Peay. UT Martin return specialist Kevin Barfield was named National Kickoff Returner of the Week after returning the opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown and finishing the game with 161 all-purpose yards and a receiving touchdown. Jacksonville State wide receiver and return specialist was named National All-Purpose Performer of the Week after registering 275 all-purpose yards in a win at Tennessee Tech, including an 86-yard receiving touchdown and 144 yards in kickoff returns.
JSU’s Brown Named National Freshman of the Week by College Sports Journal (Oct. 10): Jacksonville State freshman wide receiver/return specialist
Telvin Brown was named National Co-Freshman of the Week by College Sports Journal following the sixth week of the season. Brown had 275 all-purpose yards in a come-from-behind win at Tennessee Tech. Brown caught two passes for 98 yards including an 86-yard touchdown that put JSU ahead for good in the third quarter. Brown also had 144 yards on four kickoff returns (including a long of 72 yards), 29 yards on four punt returns and a rush attempt for four yards.
Vanlier Named National Specialist of the Week by Sports Network (Oct. 1): Tennessee Tech freshman
Ladarius Vanlier was named National Specialist of the Week by the Sports Network after netting 291 all-purpose yards, the fourth-most in school history, in a loss at Murray State on Sept. 29. Vanlier returned an OVC record 11 kickoffs (just one shy of the NCAA all-time mark) for 237 yards (13 yards shy of the OVC record), including a 94-yard touchdown in the second quarter (the sixth-longest in school history). He also returned a punt 30 yards and caught four passes for 24 yards to account for his 291 all-purpose yards.
Four OVC Players Earn Honors From College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) For Week No. 5; Garoppolo Named National Performer of the Week for Second Time This Season: Eastern Illinois quarterback
Jimmy Garoppolo was named the National Performer of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) after throwing for 453 yards and five touchdowns and rushing for another score in his team’s 65-15 victory over Austin Peay. It marks the second time this season he has been named National Performer of the Week (he also earned the honor in week one). Garoppolo was also named National Quarterback of the Week. In addition Eastern Kentucky’s
Tyrone Goard was named National Wide Receiver of the Week after catching four touchdowns in his team’s come-from-behind win over UT Martin. Murray State return specialist
Walter Powell was named National Punt Returner of the Week after returning a punt 70 yards for a touchdown. Tennessee Tech freshman return specialist
Ladarius Vanlier was named National Kick Returner of the Week after netting 237 yards on an OVC record 11 kickoff returns. In addition to this group six other OVC players earned honorable mention honors for the week.
Lora Named National Player of the Week by Sports Network, National All-Star of the Week by College Sporting News and National Player of the Week by College Sports Journal (Sept. 24): After catching an OVC record 21 passes for 269 yards and three touchdowns and also throwing the winning two-point conversion pass to lift his team to a 50-49 overtime win over Murray State, Eastern Illinois redshirt junior wide receiver
Erik Lora was named National Co-Player of the Week by the Sports Network, National All-Star of the Week by the College Sporting News and National Player of the Week by College Sports Journal on Sept. 24. Lora broke a 43-year old OVC record by catching the 21 passes; the mark is the fourth-most catches in FCS single-game history (just three off the all-time record). Lora had 13 catches for 172 yards and three touchdowns in the first quarter of that game.
Rogers, Ceniza and Benton Earn National Positional Honors From College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) For Week No. 4: Four OVC players earned National Positional Player of the Week honors from the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) following week four of the season. Tennessee Tech’s
Da’Rick Rogers was named National Wide Receiver of the Week, Eastern Kentucky’s
Cejay Ceniza was named National Defensive Back of the Week and Murray State’s
Jordan Benton was named National Placekicker of the Week. Rogers caught 18 passes for 303 yards and two touchdowns, Ceniza forced three turnovers including returning an interception 84 yards for a touchdown and Benton was a perfect 5-of-5 on field goals and 4-of-4 on PATs. In addition to those players 14 other OVC players earned honorable mention honors for the week.
Smith Named National Defensive All-Star of the Week (Sept. 10): Jacksonville State junior linebacker
Rashad Smith was named the National Defensive All-Star of the Week by the College Sporting News following his performance against Chattanooga on Sept. 8. Smith had a career-high 15 tackles (11 solo stops) in the team’s 27-24 victory over the Mocs. He also forced a fumble that teammate Pierre Warren recovered and returned 75 yards for a touchdown.
Huzzie Named National Linebacker of the Week From College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) For Week No. 2: Murray State junior
Qua Huzzie was named the National Linebacker of the Week from the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) after registering nine tackles, four tackles-for-loss and his first career interception against nationally-ranked Central Arkansas. In addition to Huzzie seven other OVC players earned honorable mention honors for the week.
Garoppolo and Fox Earn National Player of the Week Honors From College Sports Journal (Sept. 5): Eastern Illinois quarterback
Jimmy Garoppolo and Eastern Kentucky defensive back
Brooklyn Fox earned National Player of the Week honors from College Sports Journal for their performances in Week 1 of the season. Garoppolo completed 32-of-49 passes for a career-high 369 yards and five touchdowns in the 49-28 victory while Fox intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble in a loss to FBS Purdue.
Garoppolo Named National All-Star By College Sporting News (Sept. 3): Eastern Illinois junior quarterback
Jimmy Garoppolo was named a National All-Star by College Sporting News after his performance in Week 1 of the season against Southern Illinois. Garoppolo completed 32-of-49 passes for a career-high 369 yards and five touchdowns in the 49-28 victory.
Five OVC Players Earns Honors From College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) For Week No. 1; Garoppolo Named National Performer of the Week: Eastern Illinois quarterback
Jimmy Garoppolo was named the National Performer of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) after throwing for 369 yards and five touchdowns in EIU’s win over Southern Illinois. Garoppolo was also named one of the organization’s National Quarterbacks of the Week, sharing the honor with Tennessee Tech’s
Tre Lamb, who threw for 339 yards and four touchdowns in a win over Hampton. Eastern Illinois wide receiver
Erik Lora was named National Wide Receiver of the Week after catching 13 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Among the other wideouts sharing the award is Jacksonville State’s
Alan Bonner who had eight catches for 107 yards and a touchdown against No. 10 Arkansas. Eastern Kentucky defensive back
Brooklyn Fox was named National Defensive Back of the Week after picking off two passes and recovering a fumble in the Colonels game at Purdue. In addition to this group seven other OVC players earned honorable mention honors for the week.
A Look at the Coaches: Eight of the nine head coaches from last season return to their schools in the Ohio Valley Conference this season. The only newcomer is Eastern Illinois head coach Dino Babers, who took over for Bob Spoo who retired following a 25-year career at the school. Babers was most recently the special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach at Baylor. Jacksonville State’s
Jack Crowe is the longest tenured coach in the league (in his 13th season at JSU). Two OVC coaches, Austin Peay’s
Rick Christophel and Tennessee State’s
Rod Reed, are currently coaching at their alma maters.
Preseason Forecasts: For the 12th time in the last 25 years (and first time since 2009), Eastern Kentucky was picked as the preseason favorite in the Ohio Valley Conference football race. The Colonels picked up 12 of the 18 possible first-place votes (124 points) while second-place Jacksonville State received the other six first-place votes (117). The poll was rounded out by Murray State (85 points), Tennessee Tech (83), Tennessee State (69), UT Martin (67), Southeast Missouri (44), Eastern Illinois (42) and Austin Peay (17). Is being picked first in the preseason poll necessarily a good thing? In the past 34 years of preseason polls (all that were available), the preseason predicted champion has only gone on to win the OVC Championship 13 times (38.2%). After eight years of not picking the champion right (2003-2010), last season the preseason poll and actual champion (be it by a three-way tie) were the same.
Murray State’s Brockman, Southeast Missouri’s Peiffer Headline Preseason All-OVC Team: Murray State senior quarterback
Casey Brockman was named 2012 Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year while Southeast Missouri State senior linebacker
Blake Peiffer was tabbed OVC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year in a vote of by the league’s head football coaches and sports information directors. Eastern Kentucky led the way with 10 selections on the preseason team while Murray State, Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech had three picks apiece. Returning players who were first-team All-OVC selections last season (13 in total) were automatic selections to the preseason team this year. The squad also included nine players who were second-team selections in 2011. Of the 26 total selections, 18 were seniors, six were juniors and two were sophomores.
NFL Connections: As of October 1, there are 13 former Ohio Valley Conference players are on NFL rosters (8 active players, 4 practice squad players and 1 on IR). Those players include former Eastern Illinois standout Tony Romo, a three-time Pro Bowl pick, Cortland Finnegan (Samford), who has been a Pro Bowl defensive back selection and Tennessee State’s Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who was a starter for the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, has been a Pro Bowl selection and is now in his first season with the Philadelphia Eagles. Seven of the nine current OVC football schools have at least one player in the NFL with Eastern Kentucky and Southeast Missouri leading the way with two active players apiece.
I-AA No More: Although some people may accidentally still refer to it as I-AA football, the term that represents the level of Division I football in which the Ohio Valley Conference competes has been retired. Beginning with the 2006 National Championship game, the term Football Championship Subdivision (or FCS) is to be used. FCS is the only Division I football rank to host a NCAA-sponsored national championship (one of 89 championships the NCAA sponsors). The division formerly known as I-A was changed to Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and those teams compete for the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) national championship. Teams who play at the FCS level can offer a maximum of 63 scholarships (FBS teams can offer 85) and compete in a 20-team playoff at the end of the season to determine the national champion.
OVC Digital Network: The OVC launched the OVC Digital Network (OVCDN) in August 2012. The OVCDN is the exclusive home for live web streamed athletic contests involving OVC schools. This marks the seventh year the OVC has streamed live events, but first time the events will be offered free of charge and in an HD format and will feature improved quality thanks to an investment in new equipment conference-wide. Fans will also find it easier to log onto
OVCDigitalNetwork.com and access the streams and can do so without any registration. The events will be available on any computer, tablet or smart phone without needing any special downloads or apps thanks new streaming technology.