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Post by Press Release on Oct 14, 2012 6:45:45 GMT -5
Morehead State University Football
Morehead senior Zach Lewis
Dayton Scores 41-27 Pioneer Football League Win Over MSU
Morehead State University Press Release
Dayton scored 24 unanswered points on Saturday afternoon at Welcome Stadium and never looked back in a 41-27 Pioneer Football League victory over Morehead State. The Flyers improve to 3-4 overall and 2-2 in PFL play, while the Eagles slip to 1-5 on the year and 0-3 in league action. UD also improves to 13-5 in the all-time series with its fourth straight win over MSU. “We made lots of little mistakes today, which added up to one big problem and another loss,” Head Coach Matt Ballard said. “I really feel like our problems are correctable moving forward, but we have to get to the point where we’re executing on a more consistent basis.” Morehead State held a 13-10 lead late in the first period, but Dayton responded with two touchdowns late in the second, a field goal in the third and another TD early in the fourth to take control. Sophomore quarterback Will Bardo gave the Flyers a 17-13 lead on a 16-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Nik Gillum with 2:56 remaining before intermission. Bardo, freshman flanker Ross Smith and senior running back Robert Washington then pushed the advantage to 24-13 on a 39-yard hook-and-lateral play to end the half. “Those two late first-half touchdowns were certainly the turning point today,” Ballard added. “We had a decent amount of momentum on both sides of the ball, and Dayton’s trick play as time expired took the wind out of our sails. It was unfortunately downhill from there.” Dayton senior kicker Pat Sankovic booted a 24-yard field goal with 8:08 remaining in the third before senior running back Dan Jacob made it 34-13 with a 29-yard sprint to the end zone on the first play of the fourth. The Flyers scored one more time in the final stanza. UD collected 25 first downs, 263 passing yards, 269 rushing yards, 532 total yards and 92 kick-return yards on the afternoon, while MSU finished with 26 first downs, 315 yards in the air, 138 yards on the ground and 57 kick-return yards. Dayton’s scoring run overshadowed a 45-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Zach Lewis to freshman slot receiver Justin Cornwall, which was the first TD catch of Cornwall’s collegiate career. The PFL’s top tackler, sophomore linebacker Jordan Hendrix, led the Eagles with 10 stops. Freshman defensive lineman Austin Hollingsworth posted his first career forced fumble and senior defensive back Rashaad Palmer tallied his first fumble recovery at MSU. Senior linebacker Colin Monnier led the Flyers with a game-high 14 tackles, while Monnier and sophomore safety Matt Bianco also recorded interceptions for the UD defense. Bardo finished 15-of-23 for 214 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Freshman running back Connor Kacsor added 106 yards via the ground attack and one touchdown on 13 attempts. Gillum was UD’s top receiver with 57 yards and one score on three catches. Lewis wrapped up the affair 34-of-50 for 311 yards, with three touchdowns and two turnovers. Sophomore running back Rees Macshara managed 109 yards and one touchdown on 16 carries for the Eagles, while senior wide receiver Kevin Thomas collected 94 yards and one score on eight receptions. Morehead State continues its PFL slate next Saturday with a 6 p.m. ET contest at Butler. The Eagles return to Jayne Stadium on Oct. 27 for the annual homecoming game against Campbell.
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Post by Press Release on Oct 18, 2012 18:49:12 GMT -5
Morehead State University Football
Morehead senior Zach Lewis
Football Ready for Trip to Butler Bowl in Indianapolis
By Matt Segal, MSU athletic media relations
Morehead State continues Pioneer Football League action on Saturday at Butler. Kick-off from the Butler Bowl is set for 6 p.m. ET. It will be the 16th meeting between MSU and BU in a series that began in 1963. Morehead State, 1-5 overall and 0-3 in the PFL, dropped a 41-27 decision to Dayton last Saturday. Butler, 5-2 on the campaign and 4-0 in conference action, posted a 17-14 victory over Marist a week ago. Ten notes heading into the contest: THE RUNNING BACK IS ON A ROLL Morehead State sophomore Rees Macshara ranks second in the Pioneer Football League with 62.7 rushing yards per game. He has recorded 275 rushing yards (91.7 ypg) over the past three contests. THE GUY WHO THROWS IT Senior Zach Lewis ranks third in the Pioneer Football League with 262 passing yards per game. He is 151-of-234 this season, with 12 touchdowns and eight interceptions. AND THE GUY WHO CATCHES IT Senior Donte Sawyer ranks second in the Pioneer Football League this year with 6.3 catches per affair and fifth with 63.2 receiving yards per tilt. THE STANDARDS HE ALREADY HAS Zach Lewis, who has completed 821-of-1,335 attempts for 8,868 yards and 59 touchdowns in 35 games, has already set the Morehead State career records for completions and TD passes. He also owns the Pioneer Football League standard for completions. THE MARKS HE IS STILL CHASING Zach Lewis needs just 73 attempts and 161 yards to break the Morehead State career passing records currently held by Chris Swartz (1987-90). DON’T FORGET ABOUT MY RECORDS Donte Sawyer, who has tallied 156 receptions for 1,910 yards and 19 touchdowns in 38 games, has already set MSU’s career TD catches record. He needs just 11 catches to pass Jerome Williams (1987-90) and 86 receiving yards to pass John High (1968-71). SERVING ALL PURPOSES Donte Sawyer leads the Pioneer Football League with 130 all-purpose yards per game. The average includes 379 receiving yards, 364 on kick returns and 37 on the ground. SHOULDN’T BIG LEADS EQUAL WINS? Morehead State led 17-0 on Sept. 15 against Saint Francis (Pa.), 14-0 on Sept. 22 at Drake and 14-0 on Oct. 6 versus Jacksonville, but lost all three contests. The Eagles have outscored their opponents, 75-20, in the first quarter this season. DOING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME Senior defensive back Rashaad Palmer recorded his first fumble recovery in a Morehead State uniform last Saturday at Dayton, while freshman defensive lineman Austin Hollingsworth posted his first career forced fumble and freshman specialist Luke Keller blocked his first career punt. AMONG THE PFL’S TOP TACKLERS Morehead State has had 39 different players make a tackle this season. Sophomore linebacker Jordan Hendrix leads the Pioneer Football League with 12.3 tackles per game, while sophomore linebacker Dillion Blackburn ranks third with 10.7.
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Post by Press Release on Oct 20, 2012 22:29:50 GMT -5
Morehead State University Football
Morehead senior Zach Lewis
Zach Lewis becomes Morehead State’s career passing yards leader
Morehead State University Press Release
Butler erased an 18-point deficit in the fourth quarter of Saturday night’s game at the Butler Bowl and went on to post a 39-35 Pioneer Football League victory over Morehead State. The loss continued a string of heartbreaking losses for the Eagles. MSU has now held double-figure leads against Saint Francis (Pa.), Drake, Jacksonville and Butler, but dropped all four contests. The Bulldogs improve to 6-2 overall and 5-0 in the PFL with their fifth consecutive win, while the Eagles slip to 1-6 on the campaign and 0-4 in conference action with their sixth straight defeat. Senior quarterback Zach Lewis, who finished 26-of-43 for 254 yards with two touchdowns and just one interception, became Morehead State’s career passing yards leader in the setback. Lewis now owns school standards for passing yards (9,122), completions (847) and touchdowns (61). All three marks were previously held by Chris Swartz, who played for MSU from 1987-90. Sophomore Rees Macshara led the Morehead State rushing attack with 116 yards on 16 attempts, while senior Donte Sawyer paced the Eagle receivers with 92 yards on nine grabs. Sophomore linebacker Dillion Blackburn led the MSU defense with 11 tackles, while senior defensive back Kameron Scott was credited with seven tackles and seven pass break-ups. Butler jumped out to a 10-0 advantage less than six minutes into the contest, but Morehead State scored the game’s next three touchdowns to take a 21-10 lead with 5:46 to play before halftime. The Eagles added to their advantage on a two-yard run by senior Kevin Thomas at the 13:09 mark of the fourth quarter, which made it 35-17, but Butler rallied for 21 unanswered points and the win. Junior quarterback Matt Lancaster led the Butler comeback with three touchdown passes -- two to sophomore wide receiver Brendan Shannon and another to freshman wide receiver Derek O’Connor. Lancaster wrapped up the evening 31-of-53 for 296 yards with four touchdowns and one interception. He also added a team-best 101 rushing yards on 15 attempts, plus one score on the ground. Junior running back Trae Heeter, who entered the affair averaging a PFL-best 107 rushing yards, finished with 100 on 21 carries. Shannon added 14 catches, 170 receiving yards and three scores. Butler finished with advantages of 32-23 in first downs, 296-254 in passing yards and 33:43 to 26:17 in time of possession, but Morehead State registered a 251-195 edge in rushing yards. Both teams converted a high percentage on third down, with MSU going 10-of-19 and BU finishing 9-of-18. The Bulldogs also moved the sticks three times in four tries on fourth down. The Eagles were penalized 10 times for 85 yards on the night. Two of those flags, one pass interference and one hold, gave Butler automatic first downs on its game-winning drive. Morehead State returns to Jayne Stadium next Saturday for its annual homecoming game against Campbell at 1 p.m. ET. The Eagles will play three of their final four games at home this year.
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Post by Press Release on Oct 22, 2012 12:31:37 GMT -5
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Post by Press Release on Oct 26, 2012 16:54:09 GMT -5
Morehead State University Football
Morehead senior Zach Lewis
Football Faces Campbell on Homecoming Weekend at MSU
Morehead State University Press Release
Morehead State continues Pioneer Football League action on Saturday when it welcomes Campbell for the annual Homecoming contest. Kick-off from Jayne Stadium is set for 1 p.m. ET. Morehead State, 1-6 overall and 0-4 in the PFL, dropped a 39-35 decision at Butler last Saturday. Campbell, also 1-6 overall and 0-4 in conference action, suffered a 28-21 home setback to Davidson a week ago. This will be the fifth meeting between MSU and CU in a series that began in 2008. Ten notes heading into the contest: SHOULDN’T BIG LEADS EQUAL WINS? Morehead State led 17-0 on Sept. 15 against Saint Francis (Pa.), 14-0 on Sept. 22 at Drake, 14-0 on Oct. 6 versus Jacksonville and 35-17 on Oct. 20 at Butler, but dropped all four contests. KEEPING THINGS CLOSE Morehead State, 1-6 overall, has been outscored by just 4.0 points per game this season. By comparison, 1-6 Campbell is being outscored by 22.4 and 1-6 Davidson by 15.0. NOW, HOW DOES THIS WORK? Morehead State places third in the Pioneer Football League with 412 yards per contest, despite being last with an average of just 23:02 in time of possession. ANALYZING THE RED ZONE Morehead State has scored on 83 percent of its red zone visits this season (16 touchdowns and four field goals), which ranks second in the Pioneer Football League. BREAKING ALL KINDS OF RECORDS Senior quarterback Zach Lewis recently set Morehead State career records for completions, yards and touchdowns. He has completed 847-of-1,378 attempts for 9,122 yards and 61 touchdowns in 36 games as an Eagle. MORE TALK ABOUT CAREER RECORDS With just two more catches, senior wide receiver Donte Sawyer will own Morehead State career records for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He has collected 165 receptions for 2,002 yards and 20 touchdowns in 38 games as an Eagle. ACTIVE PFL CAREER LEADERS Zach Lewis, who has tallied 847 career completions, continues to build on that Pioneer Football League record. In addition, Donte Sawyer leads all active PFL players with 20 receiving touchdowns and 3,656 all-purpose yards. THE RUNNING BACK IS ON A ROLL Morehead State sophomore Rees Macshara ranks second in the Pioneer Football League with 70.3 rushing yards per game. He has recorded 391 ground yards (97.7 ypg) over the past four contests. DON’T THROW IT MY WAY Senior defensive back Kameron Scott was credited with a career-high seven pass break-ups on Oct. 20 at Butler. He leads all active players in the Pioneer Football League with 42 career passes defended. LOOKING TO SNAP THE SKID Morehead State will look to snap its six-game skid on Saturday against Campbell. The Eagles have not dropped seven straight since the 2009 season (Butler, Dayton, Davidson, Jacksonville, Marist, Campbell & San Diego).
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Post by Press Release on Oct 27, 2012 17:12:13 GMT -5
Morehead State University Football
Morehead senior Zach Lewis
MSU Cruises to 70-28 Victory Over PFL Opponent Campbell
By Matt Segal, MSU athletic media relations
The Morehead State football team closed out Saturday afternoon’s game at Jayne Stadium with 35 unanswered en route to a 70-28 clobbering of Pioneer Football League opponent Campbell before a crowd of 7,300. The Eagles improve to 2-6 overall and 1-4 in the Pioneer Football League, while the Camels slip to 1-7 on the year and 0-5 in league play. The win also gives MSU a 3-2 edge in the all-time series. “I thought today was an outstanding effort and performance by our football team,” Head Coach Matt Ballard said. “This shows if you do things right and do things together, the results will come.” MSU’s 70 points were its most against a Division I opponent since a 73-10 victory over Austin Peay in 2000. The Eagles also rolled up season highs in total (700), passing (469) and rushing yards (231). “Our offense had tremendous balance and played fundamentally sound,” Ballard said. “Our defense was too high in the first half, but those guys made very nice adjustments in the second half.” Senior wide receiver Donte Sawyer, who already owns Morehead State career records for receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, set the school standard for career receptions. With six receptions for 89 yards and one touchdown on Saturday, he now has 171 catches for 2,091 yards and 21 scores in 39 games as an Eagle. And Sawyer’s contributions didn’t end with pass receiving as he returned a kick-off 94 yards for a touchdown with 31 seconds to play in the first half. It was the PFL’s fifth kick-off return for a touchdown this season and MSU’s first since the 2001 campaign. “It was one heck of a day for Donte,” Ballard said. “I definitely salute that young man because no one works harder and no one competes better. I’m sure Donte would also tell you (senior quarterback) Zach (Lewis) and the offensive linemen should get some credit for all of the work they do.” Lewis, who wrapped up the Campbell game 27-of-32 for 339 yards and five touchdowns, continued to build on his Morehead State career records for completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns. He is now 874-of-1,410 for 9,461 yards and 66 touchdowns in 37 games as an Eagle. Sophomore Rees Macshara led the Eagles in the rushing department with 17 carries for 110 yards and one touchdown. It was his fourth 100-plus performance in the past five contests. Sophomore linebacker Dillion Blackburn paced the Morehead State defense with 12 tackles, while freshman defensive lineman Rob Lewis posted a career-high 10 stops. The Eagles collected seven tackles for loss as a team. Morehead State jumped out to a 28-14 advantage late in the second quarter on Sawyer’s kick return to the end zone and a 43-yard connection from Lewis to senior slot receiver Blake Stanley. Campbell trimmed the deficit to 35-28 on a five-yard pass from junior quarterback Dakota Wolf to junior running back Kurt Odom, but the Eagles unloaded for the next five TDs en route to the win. Odom led all rushers in the contest with a school-record-tying 170 yards and one score on 17 carries. Morehead State continues its home slate next Saturday when PFL opponent Davidson visits Jayne Stadium at 1 p.m. ET. Visit MSUEagles.com throughout the week for updates on Eagle football. “It was really nice to have a ‘team’ victory on Homecoming, but we have to put this behind us and get ready for Davidson,” added Ballard, who notched his 100th win at MSU. “It would be great to get some positive momentum going over these final three games of the season.”
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Post by Press Release on Oct 29, 2012 12:07:17 GMT -5
Morehead State University Football
Zach Lewis, Donte Sawyer
Sawyer & Lewis Earn Pioneer Football League Weekly Honors
By Matt Segal, MSU athletic media relations
Morehead State senior wide receiver Donte Sawyer and senior quarterback Zach Lewis have earned Pioneer Football League weekly honors after their performances in a 70-28 win over Campbell on Saturday afternoon at Jayne Stadium. The league office has selected Sawyer as Special Teams Player of the Week, while College Sports Madness has chosen Lewis as Offensive Player of the Week. The award is Sawyer’s first this year, while Lewis was honored by three media outlets on Sept. 2. Sawyer returned a kick-off 94 yards for a touchdown with 9:15 remaining in the second quarter on Saturday. It was the PFL’s fifth kick return for a score this year and Morehead State’s first since the 2001 campaign (Toby Moeves and Nicholas Wooldridge). Sawyer, who also collected six catches for 89 yards and one touchdown, set the Morehead State career record for receptions (171) against Campbell. He already has the MSU career standards for receiving yards (2,091) and receiving touchdowns (21). Lewis wrapped up Saturday’s tilt 27-of-32 for 339 yards and a career-best five touchdowns. His efforts helped the Eagles to season highs in total (700) and passing yards (469). The 70 points were also MSU’s most against a Division I opponent since the 2000 season. Lewis continued to build on his MSU career records for completions, passing yards and passing touchdowns against Campbell. He is now 874-of-1,410 for 9,461 yards and 66 touchdowns in 37 games as an Eagle. The completions are also an all-time PFL standard. The Eagles continue their home slate on Saturday when PFL opponent Davidson visits Jayne Stadium at 1 p.m. ET. Visit MSUEagles.com throughout the week for updates on MSU football.
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Post by Press Release on Nov 2, 2012 18:08:08 GMT -5
Morehead State University Football
Morehead senior Zach Lewis
Eagles and Wildcats Ready to Square Off at Jayne Stadium
By Matt Segal, MSU athletic media relations
Morehead State continues its regular-season slate on Saturday when Pioneer Football League opponent Davidson visits at Jayne Stadium at 1 p.m. ET. It will be the 14th meeting between the Eagles and Wildcats. Morehead State, 2-6 overall and 1-4 in the PFL, rolled to a 70-28 victory over Campbell last Saturday. Davidson, 1-7 on the campaign and 1-4 in conference action, suffered a 31-20 home setback to Butler a week ago. Ten notes heading into the contest: A BIG WIN SNAPS THE SKID Morehead State snapped a six-game skid with a 70-28 victory over Campbell last Saturday at Jayne Stadium. The points were MSU’s most against a Division I opponent since 2000. PFL SEASON HIGHS Morehead State posted Pioneer Football League season highs for points (70), touchdowns (10), extra points (10), passing TDs (6), total yards (700), pass completion percentage (85.7) and passing yards per attempt (13.2) in last Saturday’s victory over Campbell. WHERE DO WE RANK? Morehead State ranks in the Pioneer Football League’s top three for scoring offense (1st, 33.6), fewest sacks allowed (1st, 1.12), total offense (2nd, 448.0), passing offense (2nd, 303.5), fourth-down conversions (2nd, 53.8), red-zone efficiency (2nd, 86.7), third-down conversions (3rd, 45.9) and first downs (3rd, 22.2). LEWIS IN THE RECORD BOOK Senior Zach Lewis owns Morehead State career passing records for completions, attempts, yards and touchdowns. He is 874-of-1,410 for 9,461 yards and 66 scores in 37 games as an Eagle. SAWYER IN THE RECORD BOOK Senior Donte Sawyer owns Morehead State career receiving records for catches, yards and touchdowns. He has collected 171 receptions for 2,091 yards and 21 scores in 40 games as an Eagle. REALLY HITTING HIS STRIDE Morehead State sophomore Rees Macshara ranks second in the Pioneer Football League with 75.2 rushing yards per game. He has recorded 501 ground yards (100.2 ypg) over the past five contests. THE PFL’S TOP DEFENSIVE DUO Sophomore linebacker Jordan Hendrix leads the Pioneer Football League with 11.8 tackles per game, while sophomore linebacker Dillion Blackburn ranks third with 10.9. Hendrix (94) and Blackburn (87) are both chasing Morehead State’s single-season tackles record (122), which Tony Bachman set in 2010. TAKING IT TO THE HOUSE Senior Donte Sawyer broke a tie game last Saturday against Campbell by returning a kick-off 94 yards to the end zone. It was the Pioneer Football League’s fifth kick return for a touchdown this year and Morehead State’s first since 2001. ALREADY IN THE RECORD BOOK Senior specialist Rainer Duzan owns Morehead State career records for points by a kicker (237), made field goals (36) and successful extra points (129). He is the Pioneer Football League’s active career leader in all three categories. WEEKLY AWARDS GALORE Seven different Morehead State players earned weekly awards after the 70-28 victory over Campbell. Donte Sawyer was named the Football Championship Subdivision’s National Kick Returner of the Week by two different media outlets. All releases are available via the football page of MSUEagles.com.
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Post by Press Release on Nov 3, 2012 22:56:36 GMT -5
Morehead State University Football
Morehead senior Zach Lewis
Zach Lewis throws for 267 yards in 49-14 Win Over Davidson
By Matt Segal, MSU athletic media relations
Sophomore Rees Macshara registered 126 yards on 23 carries and senior Donte Sawyer pulled in nine catches for 126 yards as the Morehead State football team rolled to a 49-14 win over Davidson on Saturday afternoon at Jayne Stadium. The Eagles improve to 3-6 overall and 2-4 in the Pioneer Football League, while the Wildcats slip to 1-8 on the campaign and 1-5 in league play. The win also gives MSU an 8-6 advantage in the all-time series, which began in 1999. “I’m very pleased with the way we’ve played these past two weeks,” Head Coach Matt Ballard said. “I would use the word ‘convincing’ as a good description for last week’s win over Campbell and today’s victory over Davidson.” Macshara, who ranks second among league running backs, posted his fifth 100-yard performance in the past six contests. He also managed touchdown sprints of 15 yards in the first quarter and three yards in the second period. Sawyer, who ranks second among conference receivers, recorded his second 100-yard effort this year and the seventh of his career. He now owns 180 catches for 2,217 yards and 21 touchdowns, which are all MSU career records. Senior quarterback Zach Lewis added a 20-of-30 performance for 267 yards, with two touchdowns and just one interception. He is now 894-of-1,440 for 9,728 yards and 68 touchdowns, which are all MSU career standards. The teams traded early touchdowns before the Eagles put together 42 consecutive points to build a 49-7 cushion. The effort came just one week after MSU registered 35 unanswered points to close out a 70-28 victory over Campbell. “I thought we got better as a football team today -- and that’s what it’s all about,” Ballard said. “I thought we played well in all three phases of the game. We made plays across the board and executed at a high level.” The scoring spree was highlight by sophomore specialist Cyrus Strahm’s 83-yard kick return. It was the second straight week of an MSU kick return for a touchdown after Sawyer converted on a 94-yard play in the Oct. 27 win. Senior slot receiver Blake Stanley, who contributed 78 rushing yards for MSU, also managed two touchdown runs. He scored from six yards out in the second quarter and five yards away six minutes after intermission. Thirty Morehead State defenders were credited with a tackle. Sophomore linebacker Jordan Hendrix and senior defensive back Rashaad Palmer led the way with six apiece. The Eagle defense also forced two fumbles and collected three interceptions, while junior defensive lineman Aaron Meadows notched two of MSU’s three sacks in the contest. Morehead State posted advantages of 497-308 in total yards, 230-78 in rushing yards and 28-19 in first downs. The Eagles also converted on 9-of-17 third-down situations. Davidson junior quarterback Jonathan Carkhuff finished 22-of-41 for just 177 yards and had three turnovers. He entered the day second in the PFL with 290 passing yards per outing. Sophomore defensive back Bryant Bednarek turned in a game-best 15 tackles for the Wildcats. Morehead State wraps up the road portion of its 2012 schedule next Saturday at PFL opponent San Diego. Kick-off from Torero Stadium is set for 9 p.m. ET. Visit MSUEagles.com throughout the week for updates on MSU football. “San Diego will be as good as any team we’ve played this season,” Ballard added. “It’s a very tough trip and very difficult place to play, but I think our guys are playing with a lot of confidence right now. “It would be great to win these last two contests and finish the year on a four-game winning streak. People don’t always remember how you start the season, but they tend to remember how you finish.”
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Post by Press Release on Nov 8, 2012 17:31:26 GMT -5
Morehead State University Football
Morehead senior Zach Lewis
Football Faces Long Trip and Tough Test at San Diego
Morehead State University Press Release
Morehead State will look to make it three consecutive wins when it travels to Pioneer Football League foe San Diego on Saturday. Kick-off from Torero Stadium is set for 9 p.m. ET. USD leads the all-time series, 7-0. Morehead State, 3-6 overall and 2-4 in the PFL, posted a 49-14 victory over Davidson last Saturday. San Diego, 5-3 on the campaign and 4-1 in conference action, had its game at Marist postponed due to Hurricane Sandy.
Ten notes heading into the contest: BACK-TO-BACK CONVINCING WINS Morehead State has won back-to-back games, by a combined score of 119-42, after dropping six consecutive contests. The Eagles posted a 70-28 win over Campbell on Oct. 27 and a 49-14 victory over Davidson last Saturday. HOW ABOUT THESE NUMBERS? Morehead State has tallied 58 first downs and 1,197 yards over the past two contests. The Eagles rolled up season highs in total (700) and passing yards (469) in their Oct. 27 victory over Campbell. WE WILL RUN ON YOU Morehead State has posted 720 rushing yards over its past three games (240 ypg) after registering just 666 rushing yards (111 ypg) over its first six contests this season. WHERE DO WE RANK? Morehead State ranks in the Pioneer Football League’s top three for scoring offense (1st, 35.3), total offense (1st, 453.4), passing offense (1st, 299.4), fewest sacks allowed (1st, 1.00), fourth-down conversions (2nd, 60.0), red-zone efficiency (2nd, 88.2), third-down conversions (3rd, 47.0) and first downs (3rd, 22.9). LEWIS IN THE RECORD BOOK Senior Zach Lewis owns Morehead State career passing records for completions, attempts, yards and touchdowns. He is 894-of-1,440 for 9,728 yards and 68 scores in 38 games as an Eagle. SAWYER IN THE RECORD BOOK Senior Donte Sawyer owns Morehead State career receiving records for catches, yards and touchdowns. He has collected 180 receptions for 2,217 yards and 21 scores in 41 games as an Eagle. REALLY HITTING HIS STRIDE Morehead State sophomore Rees Macshara ranks second in the Pioneer Football League with 80.9 rushing yards per game. He has recorded 627 ground yards (104.5 ypg) over the past six contests. DID THAT HAPPEN AGAIN? After having no kick returns for touchdowns since 2001, Morehead State has had a specialist accomplish the feat each of the past two weeks. Senior Donte Sawyer returned a kick-off 94 yards to the end zone on Oct. 27, before sophomore Cyrus Strahm took one to the house from 83 yards away last Saturday. ALREADY IN THE RECORD BOOK Senior specialist Rainer Duzan owns Morehead State career records for points by a kicker (244), made field goals (36) and successful extra points (136). He is the Pioneer Football League’s active career leader in all three categories. MORE WEEKLY AWARDS Cyrus Strahm and junior defensive lineman Aaron Meadows earned weekly Pioneer Football League awards after their performances against Davidson.
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Post by Press Release on Nov 11, 2012 7:57:43 GMT -5
Morehead State University Football
Morehead senior Zach Lewis
Zach Lewis goes past 10,000 yards for his career with 316 yards vs San Diego
By Brent Fritzemeier, MSU athletic media relations
The San Diego football team used a 24-14 advantage in the second half to post a 41-28 victory over Morehead State on Saturday night at Torero Stadium. USD improves to 6-3 overall and 5-1 in the Pioneer Football League with its eighth straight win in the series, while MSU slips to 3-7 on the season and 2-5 in conference action. Morehead State senior wide receiver Donte Sawyer pulled in a career-best 13 catches for 152 yards, while sophomore linebacker Dillion Blackburn tied his career high with 18 tackles. Senior quarterback Zach Lewis, who owns MSU career passing records for completions (924), attempts (1,485), yards (10,044) and touchdowns (69), eclipsed 10,000 for his career with 316 yards vs. San Diego. The first half was back-and-forth, with the Toreros striking on an opening-drive touchdown pass. The Eagles answered when sophomore Rees Macshara ran it in from 11 yards out to cap a 78-yard opening drive. San Diego extended its lead to 17-7 by scoring 10 straight points to begin the second quarter. Morehead State scored its second touchdown when Lewis hooked up with senior wide receiver Kevin Thomas on a 12-yard pass right before halftime, which cut the deficit to 17-14. USD opened the second half by extending its lead to 17 with a 14-0 run before MSU answered with an 81-yard touchdown drive to cut the deficit to 31-21. Following an MSU touchdown run by senior wide receiver Blake Stanley, the Toreros tacked on an additional 10 points to extend their margin. Morehead State punched in a one-yard touchdown by Thomas with under a minute remaining in the game, but it was too little, too late. The Eagles wrap up their season next Saturday when Valparaiso visits Jayne Stadium at 1 p.m. ET. All MSU seniors will be recognized prior to the game.
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Post by Press Release on Nov 15, 2012 18:45:00 GMT -5
Morehead State University Football
Morehead senior Zach Lewis
Football Wraps Up Campaign with Senior Day vs. Valparaiso
By Matt Segal, MSU athletic media relations
Morehead State closes out its 2012 campaign on Saturday when Pioneer Football League opponent Valparaiso visits Jayne Stadium at 1 p.m. ET. The Eagles own a 14-3 advantage in the all-time series. Morehead State, 3-7 overall and 2-5 in the PFL, is coming off a 41-28 setback at San Diego. Valparaiso, 1-9 on the campaign and 1-6 in conference action, dropped a 28-27 decision to Davidson in overtime last Saturday. Morehead State has 13 individuals who will be playing their final collegiate game on Saturday -- Joey Clegg, Rainer Duzan, Dexter Geohagan, Greg Lewis, Zach Lewis, Eric Matteson, Rashaad Palmer, Donte Sawyer, Kameron Scott, Adam Slupski, Blake Stanley, Kevin Thomas and Jaison Yoshimura.
Ten notes heading into the contest: TALKING HOME ATTENDANCE Morehead State ranks first in Pioneer Football League attendance for a fifth straight year. The Eagles are averaging 4,933 fans in 2012. The PFL’s next highest per-game clip is Campbell at 3,882. THREE OUT OF FOUR WOULD BE NICE A win over Valparaiso would give Morehead State three wins over its final four contests. The Eagles have out-scored their opponents, 147-83, during the recent three-game stretch. HOW ABOUT THESE NUMBERS? Morehead State has tallied 81 first downs and 1,607 yards over its past three contests. The Eagles rolled up season highs in total (700) and passing yards (469) in their Oct. 27 win over Campbell. LEWIS IN THE RECORD BOOK Senior Zach Lewis owns Morehead State career passing records for completions, attempts, yards and touchdowns. He is 924-of-1,485 for 10,044 yards and 69 scores in 39 games as an Eagle. SAWYER IN THE RECORD BOOK Senior Donte Sawyer owns Morehead State career receiving records for catches, yards and touchdowns. He has collected 193 receptions for 2,369 yards and 21 scores in 42 games as an Eagle. A SINGLE-SEASON MARKS, TOO Donte Sawyer owns a Morehead State single-season standard 75 receptions for a team-best 838 yards and five touchdowns. He pulled in a career-best 13 catches for a season-high 152 yards last Saturday at San Diego. TWO OF THE PFL’S TOP THREE Sophomore linebacker Jordan Hendrix leads the Pioneer Football League with 11.2 tackles per game, while sophomore linebacker Dillion Blackburn ranks third with 10.9. Hendrix (112) and Blackburn (109) are both chasing Morehead State’s single-season tackles record (122), which Tony Bachman set in 2010. THE DOUBLE-FIGURE DUO Dillion Blackburn matched his career high with a game-best 18 tackles last Saturday at San Diego, while Jordan Hendrix contributed 12. Hendrix has recorded seven efforts of 10+ stops this season, while Blackburn has posted six. ALREADY IN THE RECORD BOOK Senior specialist Rainer Duzan owns Morehead State career records for points by a kicker (248), made field goals (36) and successful extra points (140). He is the Pioneer Football League’s active career leader in all three categories. AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS Rainer Duzan ranks second in the Pioneer Football League with a .957 extra-point accuracy and third among kickers with 6.2 points per outing, while Donte Sawyer places third in the conference with 22.9 yards per kick return.
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Post by Press Release on Nov 17, 2012 22:43:03 GMT -5
Morehead State University Football
Morehead senior Zach Lewis
Football Cruises to 76-24 Win over Valparaiso in Season Finale
By Matt Segal, MSU athletic media relations
The Morehead State football team scored six different ways en route to a 76-24 win over Pioneer Football League opponent Valparaiso in the season finale for both teams on Saturday afternoon at Jayne Stadium. Four of Morehead State’s touchdowns were via the pass and four were on the ground. The other three were via returns -- one kick, one interception and one fumble. Senior kicker Rainer Duzan also converted on 10-of-11 extra-point attempts. The Eagles finish the campaign 4-7 overall and 3-5 in the Pioneer Football League, while the Crusaders close out the year 1-10 in all games and 1-7 in league contests. Morehead State also improves to 15-3 all-time vs. Valparaiso. “Our preparation was very good this week, and it showed in the game today,” Head Coach Matt Ballard. “We had a ton of young men contribute, and it was nice to see us execute in all three phases of the game (offense, defense and special teams).” MSU honored 13 individuals prior to the Senior Day tilt, but it was sophomore Rees Macshara who posted a career-best 211 rushing yards in the victory. In the process, he became the first Eagle since 2000 to collect 1,000 rushing yards in a season. Morehead State finishes the campaign with three victories in its last four games, including wins of 42, 35 and 52 points. The Eagles collected 106 first downs (26.5 pg) and 2,303 total yards (575.8 pg) during the stretch, while out-scoring opponents, 223-107. “Our goal was to close out the season with four straight wins, but I’m happy that we were able to get at least three -- and all by big margins,” Ballard said. “We had a rough stretch in the middle of the year, but our guys stuck to the plan and continued to work really hard.” Morehead State senior quarterback Zach Lewis, who finished 12-of-14 for 207 yards and three touchdowns, wraps up his career with school records in all four categories. In 40 games as an Eagle, he finishes 936-of-1,499 for 10,251 yards and 72 scores. MSU senior wide receiver Donte Sawyer, who finished with six receptions for 186 yards and three touchdowns, wraps up his career with school standards in all three categories. In 43 contests as an Eagle, he finishes with 199 catches for 2,555 yards and 24 scores. Sawyer’s performance in the season finale pushed his season total to 1,024 receiving yards, which is a Morehead State single-season record. His 186 yards also edged his career-best outing by three. Duzan closes out his career with 258 points, 36 field goals and 150 extra points, which are all school records for a kicker. He wraps up the campaign 6-of-8 on field goals, with a long of 50 yards, and 54-of-57 on extra-point attempts. “This senior class will go down as one of the more accomplished in school history,” Ballard. “What Zach, Donte and Rainer have done from a statistical standpoint is very impressive, but every young man in that class has made contributions at one point or another.” The 76 points by Morehead State were its most in school history against a Division I opponent. The Eagles also collected a season-best 348 rushing yards in the win. Z. Lewis, Sawyer, Duzan, offensive lineman Joey Clegg, defensive back Dexter Geohagan, running back Greg Lewis, offensive lineman Eric Matteson, defensive back Rashaad Palmer, defensive back Kameron Scott, slot receiver Adam Slupski, slot receiver Blake Stanley, wide receiver Kevin Thomas and wide receiver Jaison Yoshimura were all playing in their final games at Morehead State. Check MSUEagles.com throughout the off-season for updates on Morehead State football.
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Post by Press Release on Nov 21, 2012 6:43:55 GMT -5
Morehead State University Football
Ballard out after 19 years on the sidelines
Morehead State University Press Release
Morehead State Director of Athletics Brian Hutchinson has announced that Head Football Coach Matt Ballard’s contract will not be renewed after it expires in December. Ballard served as head coach of the Eagles for 19 seasons and an assistant for four additional years. “It is very important to me that we express our gratitude for Coach Ballard’s efforts on behalf of our program for over two decades,” Hutchinson said. “He inherited a program that was in shambles, and had an opportunity to coach and lead several hundred young men over the years. I am grateful to him for his dedicated service to our university.” Morehead State posted a 102-105 record in Ballard’s time as its head coach. The Eagles finished the 2012 campaign 4-7 overall and 3-5 in the Pioneer Football League. “We have not made continual progress on the football field,” Hutchinson added. “The program is not performing up to the expectations we have for it. Over the years, we have identified obstacles to our success and have been diligent in addressing them. The results have been consistent for a few seasons now, and it is time to change leadership.” A national search for Ballard’s replacement will begin immediately.
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Post by Press Release on Nov 26, 2012 21:07:48 GMT -5
Morehead State University Football
Morehead senior Zach Lewis
Lewis named All-Pioneer Football League Second-Team
Morehead State University Press Release
Ten student-athletes from the Morehead State football team have picked up 2012 postseason honors from College Sports Madness. The list includes four Eagles who have garnered All-Pioneer Football League First-Team selections. Senior Donte Sawyer led MSU with a pair of first-team selections, including wide receiver and kick-return honors. The Acworth, Ga., native finished 2012 with 81 receptions for 1,024 yards and eight touchdowns. He also had 680 yards and two touchdowns on 26 kick returns. He led the PFL in receptions per game (7.4) and all-purpose yards (7.4), was second in receiving yards per game (93.1) and kick return average (26.2) and sixth in points per contest (5.5). In four years, Sawyer set school standards for receptions (199), receiving yards (2,555) and receiving touchdowns (24). Sophomore running back Rees Macshara and senior offensive lineman Joey Clegg picked up first-team offensive selections as well. Macshara, who became the first Eagle since 2000 to post 1,000 rushing yards in a season, finished with 1,013 yards on 173 carries and six touchdowns. He also collected 307 yards and one score on 39 receptions. He was second in the PFL in rushing yards per game (92.1) and third in all-purpose yards (120.0). Clegg, blocked for an offense that ranked first in the PFL in scoring offense with 58 touchdowns and 38.4 points per game. The Eagles were also first in total yards (471.5), first in pass offense (305.4) and third in rushing offense (166.2). Sophomore linebackers Jordan Hendrix and Dillion Blackburn rounded out the first-team honors for the Eagles. Hendrix, who posted eight performances of double-figure tackles, led the PFL with a school-record 123 total tackles. Blackburn, who reached 10 plus tackles on six occasions, finished second on the team with 118 tackles. Senior quarterback Zach Lewis was a second-team selection for his efforts in 2012. The Manchester, Ky., native ranked third in the PFL in passing yards per game (268.6), pass efficiency (143.0) and total offense (274.1). He ran the ball 33 times for 60 yards and completed 266-of-402 attempts for 2,955 yards. Lewis finished the season with 25 throwing touchdowns. He is also MSU’s all-time in completions (936), passing yards (10,251) and throwing touchdowns (72). Senior offensive lineman Eric Matteson was also a second-team selection for the Eagles. Like fellow lineman Clegg, he helped MSU to league-leading stats in scoring, total yards and pass offense. Senior defensive back Dexter Geohagan, also a second-team selection, was seventh in the PFL in passes defended, with 0.82 per contest. He registered 43 tackles and two interceptions. Senior kicker Rainer Duzan and junior defensive lineman Aaron Meadows completed the Eagles’ selections with third-team accolades. Duzan was 54-of-57 on point-after-attempts and 6-of-8 on field-goal tries. He also registered 35 punts for 1,333 yards and closed out his career with school standards in points for a kicker (258), field goals (36) and extra points (150). Meadows recorded 43 tackles in 2012, including 12 tackles for loss. He also added six sacks for 51 yards, two forced fumbles and five quarterback hurries. The Eagles finished the season 4-7 overall and 3-5 in the PFL.
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Post by Press Release on Dec 11, 2012 19:03:06 GMT -5
Morehead State University Football
Morehead senior Zach Lewis
Lewis earns Pioneer League postseason honor
Morehead State University Press Release
Fifteen Morehead State Eagles have earned 2012 Pioneer Football League postseason honors, including two individuals who were named to the league’s first team and four individuals who were tabbed to its second squad. Donte Sawyer and Rees Macshara are first-team selections on offense. Joey Clegg is a second-team choice on offense, while Aaron Meadows and Jordan Hendrix are second-team picks on defense and Sawyer is a second-team selection on special teams. In addition, Ronald Cooper, Rainer Duzan, Dexter Geohagan, Kalvin Harrington, Michael Jackson, Rob Lewis, Zach Lewis, Eric Matteson and Kameron Scott are all honorable mentions. A total of 116 individuals have been recognized from 10 PFL schools. Sawyer, a senior wide receiver from Acworth, Ga., set MSU career records for receptions (199), receiving yards (2,555) and receiving touchdowns (24). He also set school standards for single-season receptions (81) and receiving yards (1,024). Sawyer led the conference in receptions per game (7.4) and all-purpose yards per contest (159.0), while ranking second in receiving yards per affair (93.1) and kick-return average (26.2). He also posted two of MSU’s three kick returns for scores. Macshara, a sophomore running back from Danville, Ky., became MSU’s first 1,000-yard rusher since the 2000 campaign. He placed second in the conference and 37th in the Football Championship Subdivision with 92.1 rushing yards per game. Macshara also finished the season with five 100-yard rushing performances over his last six tilts. He rolled up a career-high 211 yards on 25 carries -- an average of 8.4 per attempt -- in a 76-24 rout of Valparaiso in the season finale. Clegg, a senior offensive lineman from Westerville, Ohio, blocked for a unit that led the conference in points (38.4), total yards (471.5), passing yards (305.4), third-down conversions (51.0), sacks allowed (1.00) and red-zone conversions (88.4). Meadows, a junior defensive lineman from Salt Lick, Ky., registered 43 total tackles. He tallied a career-high seven stops at rival Eastern Kentucky. He also paced the Eagles with six sacks (for 51 yards) and 12 tackles for loss (for 73 yards). Hendrix, a sophomore linebacker from Columbus, Ohio, set MSU’s single-season record with 123 tackles, which led the PFL and ranked 10th at the FCS level. He collected eight double-figure tackle performances, including 17 at EKU.
Lewis, a senior quarterback from Manchester, Ky., led the honorable mention selections in his final campaign by completing 266-of-402 passes for 2,955 yards (268.6 per game) and 25 touchdowns. Lewis finished his career by setting MSU records for completions (936), passing attempts (1,499), passing yards (10,251), passing touchdowns (72), offensive plays (1,710) and total yards (10,164).
Duzan, a senior specialist from Dublin, Ohio, also re-wrote his section of the MSU record book. He drilled 54-of-57 extra-point attempts this year, which were both single-season standards. From a career standpoint, Duzan established school records for field goals (36), field-goal attempts (53), extra points (150), extra-point tries (156) and points by a kicker (258). Harrington, a junior from Seville, Ohio, and Matteson, a senior from Saline, Mich., were both recognized with the offensive line group. Cooper, a freshman from Atlanta, and Lewis, a first-year player from Somerset, Ky., both earned honors at the defensive line position. Geohagan, a senior from Far Rockaway, N.Y., Jackson, a sophomore from Cincinnati, and Scott, a senior from Portsmouth, Va., were all given the nod at defensive back. Jackson led the defensive honorable-mention selections with 57 total tackles, while Scott added 54. Jackson also contributed an interception, fumble recovery and forced fumble, while Scott recorded one pick and scooped up three loose footballs. Morehead State finished the campaign 4-7 overall and 3-5 in the PFL. The Eagles won three of their last four contests after beginning the year 1-6.
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Post by Press Release on Dec 14, 2012 18:19:01 GMT -5
Morehead State University Football
Morehead senior Zach Lewis
Three Eagles Invited to FCS Senior Scout Bowl
Morehead State University Press Release
Zach Lewis, Donte Sawyer and Dexter Geohagan will represent Morehead State on Saturday at the 2012 Football Championship Subdivision Senior Scout Bowl in Myrtle Beach. Kick-off from Doug Shaw Stadium is set for 5 p.m. ET. The FCS Senior Scout Bowl, which is presented by the Collegiate Development Football League, showcases more than 100 players in a North vs. South All-Star Game format after each season. Lewis, a quarterback from Manchester, Ky., led the Morehead State offense in his final campaign by completing 266-of-402 passes for 2,955 yards (268.6 per game) and 25 touchdowns. Lewis finished his career by setting MSU records for completions (936), passing attempts (1,499), passing yards (10,251), passing touchdowns (72), offensive plays (1,710) and total yards (10,164). Sawyer, a wide receiver from Acworth, Ga., set MSU career records for receptions (199), receiving yards (2,555) and receiving touchdowns (24). He also set school standards for single-season receptions (81) and receiving yards (1,024) in 2012. Sawyer led the conference in receptions per game (7.4) and all-purpose yards per contest (159.0), while ranking second in receiving yards per affair (93.1) and kick-return average (26.2). He also posted two of MSU’s three kick returns for scores. Geohagan, a defensive back from Far Rockaway, N.Y., collected 43 total tackles, seven pass break-ups and two interceptions for the Eagles this past year. Sawyer was a First-Team All-Pioneer Football League selection as a wide receiver and second-team choice as a return specialist. Lewis and Geohagan were both named to the league’s honorable mention list at their respective positions. For more on the Senior Bowl, visit FCSSeniorBowl.com. For more on Morehead State football, visit MSUEagles.com.
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