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Sept. 24, 2009

WT OPENS LSC SOUTH PLAY AGAINST JAVS - The West Texas A&M Buffaloes open Lone Star Conference South Division play when they host 10th-ranked Texas A&M-Kingsville, Saturday, September 26. Kickoff at WT's Kimbrough Memorial Stadium (cap. 20,000/Field Turf) is set for 6 p.m. CDT.

THE RECORDS - West Texas A&M enters Saturday night's contest with records of 1-3 overall, 1-1 LSC, 0-0 LSC South. The Buffs will be looking to open LSC South play with a victory, something they've done every season since 2004, when Texas A&M-Kingsville hung a 69-21 defeat on the Buffaloes. Texas A&M-Kingsville sports records of 4-0 overall, 2-0 LSC, 0-0 LSC South.

50 YEARS OF KIMBROUGH - Saturday, Sept. 26 will be the 50th anniversary of the dedication and first game played in what was known as the Buffalo Bowl. That game saw the Buffs fall, 6-7, to Arizona. WT has played 49 seasons in the stadium (the school did not field a football program in 1991). Events planned around Saturday's game include a reunion of WT players, cheerleaders, etc. who participated in that first game, as well as commemorative t-shirts being distributed to the first 5,000 fans entering the stadium.

THE SERIES - The Buffs trail in the overall series, 8-14-1. However, WT is riding a four-game win streak over the Javelinas. The Buffs won, 55-35, last season in Kingsville, while the last contest played in Canyon saw WT take a 36-4 victory in 2007.

THE COACHES - WTAMU head coach Don Carthel, the winningest coach in WT football history, has a record of 45-10 (.818) in his fifth season at the helm of the Buff football program and sports a 13-year collegiate career mark of 91-56-1 (.619). He ranks atop all Buffalo football coaches in terms of winning percentage (min. 20 games coached) and stands third on the all-time WT victory list. Texas A&M-Kingsville is coached by Bo Atterberry (Southeastern Oklahoma `98), who is 14-12 (.538) ) in his third season as the Javelina's head coach.

LAST WEEK - The Buffs registered their first win of the 2009 season in decisive fashion, as they manhandled Southwestern Oklahoma State, 41-15, in Weatherford, Okla. The Buffs recorded a season-high 547 yards in total offense, while limiting the Bulldogs to a season-low 157 yards.

RUSH DEFENSE STINGY - The Buffs' defense held Southwestern Oklahoma State to just 17 net yards rushing on 25 carries, an average of just 0.7 yards per attempt. That marked the lowest rushing total allowed by WT since Oct. 25, 2008, when Angelo State mustered just 15 net rushing yards.

WT DEFENSE SHORT-TIMERS AT SWOSU - In holding Southwestern Oklahoma State to just 157 total yards, the Buffs' limited the Bulldogs to 12 drives which consumed less than 2:00, seven of which totalled 1:30 or less.

VOSS READY FOR PRIME TIME - True freshman MLB Kyle Voss (5-11, 220, Fr-HS) made his first career starting appearance at SWOSU, registering six tackles (four solo, two assists).

YOUTH WILL BE SERVED - In addition to the previously mentioned Voss, another three additional true freshmen, RB Tevin Mitchell (6-0, 200, Fr-HS), OL Shaun Wesley (6-7, 240, Fr-HS) and RB Chris West (5-7, 160, Fr-HS) have also seen activity this season. They are joined by no fewer than six redshirt freshmen who have also seen significant action thus far, including OL Jimmy Valenciano, QB Tanner Marsh, RB Joe Joe Jones, DT Aaron Wampler, OLB Bo Campbell, and DB Jordan Smith.

BRAMAN PLAYS BIG - While OLB Bryan Braman's (6-6, 245, Jr-TR) total tackle count (four) at Southwestern Oklahoma State may not be all that impressive, a closer look into those numbers reveal another story. Each of those takedowns came behind the line of scrimmage, accounting for minus-29 yards in losses. Additionally, three of those stops were QB sacks (for minus-23 yards). Those three sacks rank Braman atop the Buffs' season sack list.

SACK FEAST - Over their initial three contests, WT had managed just one QB sack, but against Southwestern Oklahoma State, they accounted for six sacks. That number ranks as the most since they matched that number with six sacks at Angelo State on Oct. 25, 2008.

THOMPSON TOPS THE CENTURY MARK - RB Kelvin Thompson (5-11, 200, Jr-2L) registered his second career 100-yard rushing performance when he gained 132 yards on 17 carries at Southwestern Oklahoma State. In addition to those 132 yards ranking as a career-high for the Mineral Wells, Texas, native, his average of 7.8 yards per carry in that game maintained a trend which has seen him average an impressive 5.8 yards per rushing attempt this season. In addition to his 342 net rushing yards this season, Thompson has also compiled 126 receiving yards in averaging 117.0 all-purpose yards per contest. The all-purpose back currently stands fifth among LSC rushing leaders and sixth among LSC leaders in pass receptions per game.

WATSON A RETURN WIZARD - Inside receiver/return specialist Jeremy Watson (5-10, 195, Fr-RS), continues to impress with his kick return abilities. At Southwestern Oklahoma State, the Lubbock, Texas, native averaged 29.6 yards per return, gaining 89 yards on three kick returns (with a long of 49 yards). He also averaged 7.6 yards per punt return, gaining 38 yards on five returns. For the season, the Lubbock Estacado HS product stands second among LSC leaders, averaging 27.6 yards per kick return, while his 130.2 all-purpose yard average also ranks among LSC leaders.

GRAHAM STEPS UP - WT inside linebacker Drew Graham (5-11, 225, So-1L) led the WT defensive unit with eight stops (6 solo, 2 assists) at Southwestern Oklahoma State. Included in that number was one tackle-for-loss totalling minus-four yards. For the season, the Crowley, Texas, native has 11 total tackles.

GOLDEN TOUCH - In a season in which the Buff offense hasn't produced many long plays (over 40 yards), outside receiver Brittan Golden (6-0, 180, So-1L) hauled in an 80-yard TD reception at Southwestern Oklahoma State, as well as nabbing a 47-yard reception to set up another Buff score. For the game, Golden had a career-best 137 receiving yards while averaging 45.6 yards per reception. Earlier, the Denver City, Texas, native also accounted for a 49-yard reception at Central Washington, giving him three of the Buff's four longest plays from scrimmage this season.

THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT - In racking up 41 points at Southwestern Oklahoma State, the Buffs had three scoring drives of less than 59 seconds, while their two longest scoring drives took less than 3:45. WT registered TDs on drives of :11 seconds, :47 seconds and :37 seconds, while their longest scoring drives were 3:12 (twice, resulting in field goals) and 3:41 (TD).

DRIVE TIME - This season finds WT trailing in overall time of possession, 27:51 to 32:09, due to a lack of time-consuming drives. Through four games, the Buffs have registered just three drives of four minutes or longer (two against #1-Grand Valley State and one at #6-Central Washington).

GREAT SCOTT - Inside linebacker Anthony Scott (5-11, 245, Jr-2L) is the Buffs' leading tackler through the first four weeks, despite not playing against Southwestern Oklahoma State due to an arm injury. During the Buffs' first two outings this season, the Amarillo, Texas, native recorded double-figure stop totals and totalled eight takedowns at Central Washington. For the season, Scott ranks LSC tackle leaders, while also ranking T2nd among conference leaders in forced fumbles.

SIMS-SATIONAL - Defensive end Eugene Sims' (6-6, 235, Sr-1L) made four stops at Southwestern Oklahoma State (1 solo, 3 assists) and ranks as the Buffs' leading tackler among down linemen this season. The Mt. Olive, Miss., native has 21 total tackles (7 solo, 14 assists), one TFL (for minus-13 yards), one QB hurry, three blocked kicks and one safety. Against Central Oklahoma, Sims blocked not one, but two PAT attempts, in addition to logging seven tackles. One week prior, against #1-ranked Grand Valley State, he recorded five stops (two solo, three assists), as well as being credited with a 13-yard loss when a GVSU snap sailed out of the end zone for a safety.

EVANS STANDS TALL AT CORNER - CB Tae Evans (6-0, 195, Jr-2L) enjoyed a stellar outing at Southwestern Oklahoma State, totalling five solo tackles, as well as intercepting a pass midway through the third quarter to set up a WT touchdown drive. For the season, the Amarillo, Texas, native is tied for third among Buff defenders, with 23 stops (18 solo, 5 assists). He also has a team-high three pass-breakups.

FORD LEADS BY EXAMPLE - Outside linebacker Mark Ford (6-1, 210, Sr-3L) has quietly gone about his business early in the season, having totalled 23 tackles (10 solo, 13 assists). He registered four stops at Southwestern Oklahoma State (incl. 2 for minus-16 yards), as wel as at Central Washington. One week prior, he had seven against Central Oklahoma (2 solo, 5 assists) and recorded eight tackles (3 solo, 5 assists) against #1-Grand Valley State.

JEFFERSON A LEADER IN BUFF SECONDARY - Strong safety Curtis Jefferson (6-0, 190, So-1L) was in on five stops (3 solo, 2 assists) at Southwestern Oklahoma State, as well as recovering a fumble to halt a SWOSU drive. Earlier this season, against #1-ranked Grand Valley State, he contributed three solo and three assisted stops, as well as assisting on a TFL and recovering a fumble. For the year, Jefferson has contributed 21 tackles (13 solo, 8 assists), two PBUs and two fumble recoveries.

TAYLOR ON THE MARK - In leading the Buffs to a 41-15 win at Southwestern Oklahoma, QB Taylor Harris (6-3, 220, Jr-2L) completed 20-of-31 passes for 259 yards and one TD. For the season, the Whitesboro, Texas, native has completed 64 percent of his attempts (93-of-145) with four TDs and four interceptions. Over his 22-game career, Harris has completed 209-of-328 passes for 2,114 yards, 15 TDs and seven interceptions.

MARSH GAINS EXPERIENCE AT SWOSU - The Buffs' reserve QB, Tanner Marsh (6-3, 195, Fr-RS) entered the game midway through the third quarter to log the most extensive playing time of his young career. He finished the night having completed 13-of-27 passes for 116 yards. In his collegiate debut against #1-ranked Grand Valley State, he completed 6-of-9 passes for 76 yards and directed the WT offense on a 10-play, 79-yard drive that culminated in Marsh hitting WR Brittan Golden (6-0, 180, So-1L) for a 12-yard TD strike.

FLEMMING CLOSER TO RETURNING - RB Keithon Flemming (6-0, 210, So-1L, Mesquite, Texas) has missed the first four games of the 2009 season due to a dislocated elbow suffered in the Buffs' final scrimmage. It is anticipated that he will return to action for the Midwestern State contest on Oct. 3. Considered to be one of the top running backs in the Lone Star Conference, if not all of Division II, Flemming has accounted for 3,212 all-purpose yards over the past two seasons. In 2008, he battled a broken bone in his hand with the result being that he missed all or part of four games on the offensive side of the ball. Still, he accounted for 1,143 all-purpose yards, rushing for 756 yards and 13 TDs. Included in his rushing total were four 100+ yard rushing performances, giving him a total of 10 for his career.