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Oct. 8, 2009

WAGON WHEEL TROPHY AT STAKE – The West Texas A&M Buffaloes and border-rival Eastern New Mexico renew their rivalry in the annual battle for the Wagon Wheel trophy when they meet, Saturday, October 10. Kickoff at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium (cap. 20,000/FieldTurf) is set for 6:00 p.m. CDT.

THE RECORDS – West Texas A&M enters Saturday night’s contest with records of 1-5 overall, 1-3 LSC, 0-2 LSC South. The Buffs will be looking to avoid consecutive LSC South defeats, something they’ve avoided doing in every season since 2004, when they opened LSC South play at 0-4. Eastern New Mexico sports records of 2-4 overall, 2-4 LSC, 0-2 LSC South.

THE SERIES – The Buffs have a narrow lead in the overall series, 12-11-0. Last season’s contest took 4:57 to complete, having been halted on three occasions due to lightning and heavy rain, as WT took a 51-27 victory at Blackwater Draw, N.M. The last meeting held in Canyon, Texas, saw the Buffs take a 62-21 win in front of a WT-record 23,276 at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium on Oct. 13, 2007.

THE COACHES – WTAMU head coach Don Carthel, the winningest coach in WT football history, has a record of 45-12 (.789) in his fifth season at the helm of the Buff football program and sports a 13-year collegiate career mark of 91-58-1 (.611). 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. Eastern New Mexico is coached by Mark Ribaudo (Arizona ‘88), who is 17-30 (.362) ) in his fifth season as the Greyhound’s head coach and holds a career mark of 19-39 (.328) in his sixth season as a head coach.

LAST WEEK – A wet, windy night saw the Buffaloes fail to capitalize on several red-zone opportunities as the Buffs squandered a 13-10 halftime advantage in falling, 31-19 at 23rd-ranked Midwestern State. Meanwhile, Eastern New Mexico suffered its second-consecutive LSC South loss, losing to Angelo State, 47-23.

THIS ISN’T GOOD - Comparing the Buffs current depth chart to what they showed to open the season reveals that no fewer than five opening-game starters are currently sidelined by injury. As a result, the Buffs current two-deep shows 13 true or redshirt freshmen, including four in starting roles

THIS WON’T TAKE LONG – Of the 22 scoring drives that the Buffs have undertaken in 2009, six have accounted for a time of possession of one minute, or less.

GOING THE DISTANCE – Thus far in 2009, WT has amassed 17 drives that have covered 50 or more yards, with 14 of those ending in scoring plays. Five times, the Buffs have driven 80 or more yards, with four of those opportunities ending in the Buffs putting points on the board. At Midwestern State, Kelvin Thompson’s 4-yard TD run capped the seasons’ second-longest drive, an 11-play, 88-yard trek.

DRIVE TIME – This season finds WT trailing in overall time of possession by an average of 26:41 to 33:19, largely due to a lack of time-consuming drives. Through six games, the Buffs have registered just six drives of four minutes or longer (two against #1-Grand Valley State, one at #6-Central Washington and three against #10-Texas A&M-Kingsville), with only two of those possessions resulting in points.

BUFF OPPONENTS FIND YARDAGE DIFFICULT – One statistic which doesn’t reflect WT’s current 1-5 record is the fact that the Buffs’ defense has allowed just two of its opponents 400 yards in total offense. Central Oklahoma (486) and Texas A&M-Kingsville (432) have topped the 400 mark. During WT’s 11-2, 2008 campaign, three opponents topped the 400-yard mark.

EARNING THEIR SPURS – OL Shaun Wesley (6-7, 260, Fr-HS), MLB Kyle Voss (5-11, 220, Fr-HS) and RB Tevin Mitchell (6-0, 200, Fr-HS) have seen activity this season, with Wesley and Voss drawing starting assignments. 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.

SACK FEAST CONTINUES – Over their initial three contests, WT had managed just one QB sack, but over their past three outings, they have accounted for 14 QB takedowns. At Southwestern Oklahoma State, they accounted for six sacks, the most since they matched that number with six sacks at Angelo State on Oct. 25, 2008. Against #10-Texas A&M-Kingsville, they logged five QB sacks (for minus-24 yards), and added three more (for minus-21 yards) at #23-Midwestern State.

HARRIS JOINS BUFF ELITE – In throwing for 320 yards at #23-Midwestern State, Taylor Harris (6-3, 220, Jr-2L) has vaulted into seventh place on the WT career passing-yardage list. Over his 24-game career, Harris has completed 268-of-579 passes for 3,629 yards, 17 TDs and nine interceptions. For the season, Harris has completed 60.6 percent of his attempts (152-of-251) for 1,515 yards, with six TDs and six interceptions.

WT CAREER PASSING YARDAGE 1. Keith Null (2005-08) 9,385 2. Derek Maupin (2002-04) 7,930 3. Dalton Bell (2003-06) 7,841 4. Tod Mayfield (1984-86) 7,424 5. Grady Benton (1994-95) 5,618 6. Victor McGee (1981-82) 4,529 7. Taylor Harris (2007-present) 3,629 8. Gary Thomas (1997-98) 3,593

JEFFERSON MAKES IMPACT AGAINST JAVS, MUSTANGS – Strong safety Curtis Jefferson (6-0, 190, So-1L) has certainly made his mark over the past two weeks, logging career-tackle numbers against both #10-Texas A&M-Kingsville as well as at #23-Midwestern State. Against the Javs, he registered a game and then-career-high 15 tackles (3 solo, 12 assists), while also enjoying his second career interception. One week later, at Midwestern State, he duplicated that 15-tackle effort (9 solo, 6 assists) to go with one pass breakup and a QB hurry. For the year, Jefferson has contributed a team-high 51 tackles (23 solo, 28 assists), three PBUs, two fumble recoveries and one interception.

SIMS-SATIONAL – Defensive end Eugene Sims’ (6-6, 235, Sr-1L) enjoyed possibly the best game of his collegiate career against #10-Texas A&M-Kingsville, when he made a career-high 11 tackles (3 solo, 8 assists), registered 3.5 TFLs for minus-17 yards (including 2.5 QB sacks), had two QB hurries and forced a fumble. He followed that outing with a six tackle outing (including 1.5 QB sacks for minus-13 yards and 2.5 TFLs for minus 15 yards) at #23-Midwestern State. The Buffs leading tackler among down linemen, the Mt. Olive, Miss., native has season totals of 38 tackles (12 solo, 26 assists), 7.5 TFLs (for minus-46 yards), four sacks (for minus-29 yards), four QB hurries, 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.

‘HELLO, MY NAME IS...’ – With WT’s injury-depleted roster, it wouldn’t be inappropriate for head coach Don Carthel to issue name tags. On the most recent trip to Midwestern State, 22 of the 60-man travel squad were true or redshirt freshmen.

BRAMAN TOPS LSC IN TFLs – Since being moved from an outside linebacking position to defensive end Bryan Braman’s (6-6, 245, Jr-TR) contributions have improved measurably, to the point where he leads the LSC in tackles for loss. His season total of 10 tackles for minus-53 yards leads the team and ranks atop LSC leaders, while his four sacks tie for the team lead and stand 3rd among LSC leaders. At-#23-Midwestern State, the Spokane, Wash., native recorded five tackles, of which three resulting in lost yardage (minus-12 yards). Against #10-Texas A&M-Kingsville, Braman logged five tackles (two of which came behind the line), was in on an assisted sack and batted down to passes. One week earlier, at Southwestern Oklahoma State, the Spokane, Wash., native logged four tackles, with each of those takedowns coming behind the line of scrimmage, accounting for minus-29 yards in losses. Additionally, three of those stops were QB sacks (for minus-23 yards).

WILLIAMS STANDS TALL – WT tight end Tyson Williams (6-0, 210, So-1L) enjoyed his most prolific game as a collegian at #23-Midwestern State, catching seven passes for 77 yards (an average of 11 yards per reception). For the year, the Aldine, Texas, native, has 27 receptions for 295 yards - an average of 10.9 yards per catch and 49.2 yards per game.

GREAT SCOTT! – Inside linebacker Anthony Scott (5-11, 245, Jr-2L) is among the Buffs’ leading tacklers through the season’s first six weeks, despite not playing against Southwestern Oklahoma State due to an arm injury. At #23-Midwestern State, the Amarillo, Texas, native logged 11 tackles (5 solo, 6 assists). During the Buffs’ first two outings of the season, Scott recorded double-figure stop totals. For the season, Scott ranks fourth among LSC tackle leaders, while also ranking T5th among LSC leaders in forced fumbles.

EVANS PICKS ‘EM OFF – Buff CB Tae Evans (5-11, 195, Jr-2L) registered his second interception of the season when he picked of a Zack Eskridge toss at Midwestern State and returned it 64 yards. Those two picks pace the squad, which has intercepted eight passes thus far in 2009.

GRAHAM STEPS UP – WT inside linebacker Drew Graham (5-11, 225, So-1L) has made starting appearances in each of the Buffs’ past three outings (at SWOSU, vs. #10-Texas A&M-Kingsville, at #23-Midwestern State). He logged five tackles at Midwestern State, had six tackles (all assisted) against #10-Texas A&M-Kingsville and led all WT defenders 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 22 total stops.