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Oct. 15, 2009

BUFFS HIT ROAD TO ABILENE TO FACE WILDCATS – The West Texas A&M Buffaloes and #1-ranked Abilene Christian square off, Saturday, October 17, at Abilene’s Shotwell Stadium (cap. 15,000/SafePlayTurf). Kickoff is set for 2:05 p.m. CDT.

THE RECORDS – West Texas A&M enters Saturday’s contest with records of 2-5 overall, 2-3 LSC, 1-2 LSC South. Abilene Christian sports unblemished records of 7-0 overall, 5-0 LSC, 2-0 LSC South.

TWICE IN ONE SEASON?? – With Grand Valley State’s loss to Hillsdale this past Saturday, Abilene Christian has moved atop the AFCA poll, marking the second top-ranked opponent which WT will have faced this season (Grand Valley was No. 1 on Aug. 29, 2009).

THE SERIES – The Buffs trail in the overall series, 16-26-0. The last meeting between the two schools, taking place on Nov. 22, 2008, was one to remember. Playing in the second round of the NCAA Playoffs, the two teams amassed a combined 1,531 yards in total offense and 161 points as the #2-ranked Wildcats took a 93-68 win over the #9-ranked Buffaloes.

THE COACHES – WTAMU head coach Don Carthel, the winningest coach in WT football history, has a record of 46-12 (.793) in his fifth season at the helm of the Buff football program and sports a 13-year collegiate career mark of 92-58-1 (.613). 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. Abilene Christian is coached by Chris Thomsen (Texas Christian ‘93), who is 40-13 (.755) over his five-year career, all spent as the Wildcat’s head coach.

LAST WEEK – A bitterly cold, windy, wet night did nothing to dampen West Texas A&M’s homecoming festivities, as the Buffaloes defeated Eastern New Mexico, 34-24, Saturday night at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium in Canyon, Texas. The win was the Buffaloes’ fifth-consecutive victory over the Greyhounds in the Wagon Wheel Series. Meanwhile, Abilene Christian remained unbeaten by defeating Angelo State, 38-14, in San Angelo, Texas.

OH NO, YOU DON’T! - The Buff defense played a key role in WT’s 34-24 win over Eastern New Mexico. In addition to forcing four turnovers (three fumbles and one interception), the Buffs held the Greyhounds to just 331 total yards (235.5 below their season average). In doing so, they also limited a squad that was averaged 511.8 passing yards to just 245...a minus-266.8 yard drop.

THIS WON’T TAKE LONG – Of the 28 scoring drives that the Buffs have undertaken in 2009, eight have accounted for a time of possession of one minute, or less. Two of those quickies, each elapsing just :12 seconds, came this past week against Eastern New Mexico.

GOING THE DISTANCE – Thus far in 2009, WT has amassed 13 drives that have covered 60 or more yards, with 11 of those ending in scoring plays. Six times, the Buffs have driven 80 or more yards, with five of those opportunities ending in the Buffs putting points on the board. The Buffs longest distance driven was a 13-play, 94-yard TD drive against #10-Texas A&M-Kingsville. This past weekend, the Buffs registered their second-longest drive of the season, a 9-play, 89-yard trek that ended with Keithon Flemming’s 15-yard catch and run for a TD.

DRIVE TIME – While WT finds itself trailing in overall time of possession this season, by an average of 27:42 to 32:18, they did help that cause against Eastern New Mexico by controlling the ball for 33:53 (to ENMU’s 26:07). The Buffs disparity in time of possession is largely due to a lack of time-consuming drives. Through seven games, the Buffs have registered just seven drives of four minutes or longer (two against #1-Grand Valley State, one at #6-Central Washington, three against #10-Texas A&M-Kingsville and one against Eastern New Mexico). Only two of those possessions resulted in points.

HARRIS JOINS BUFF ELITE– In throwing for 371 yards against Eastern New Mexico, Taylor Harris (6-3, 220, Jr-2L), who stands third among LSC passing leaders (269.4 ypg.) has now thrown for exactly 4,000 career yards and lies in seventh place on the WT career passing-yardage list, needing 530 yards to surpass sixth-place Victor McGee (1981-82, 4,529).

For the 2009 season, Harris has completed 60.9 percent of his attempts (179-of-294) for 1,886 yards, with nine TDs and seven interceptions, while, over his 25-game career, Harris has completed 295-of-622 passes for 4,000 yards, 20 TDs and 10 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) 4,000 8. Gary Thomas (1997-98) 3,593

BUFF OPPONENTS FIND YARDAGE DIFFICULT – One statistic which doesn’t reflect WT’s current 2-5 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, just three opponents topped the 400-yard mark.

SACK FEAST CONTINUES – Over their initial three contests, WT had managed just one QB sack, but over their past four outings, they have accounted for 16 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), added three more (for minus-21 yards) at #23-Midwestern State and a pair (for minus-26 yards) against Eastern New Mexico.

THOU SHALT NOT RUN – Not surprisingly, in each of WT’s two victories this season, they have not allowed 100-yards rushing. Southwestern Oklahoma was held to a season-low 17 rushing yards, while Eastern New Mexico could only muster 86 yards on the ground. Those 17 yards allowed at SWOSU marked the lowest rushing total allowed by WT since Oct. 25, 2008, when Angelo State mustered just 15 net rushing yards.

FLEMMING MAKES RETURN – The return of RB Keithon Flemming (6-0, 210, So-1L, Mesquite, Texas), who missed the first six games of the 2009 season due to a dislocated elbow suffered in the Buffs’ final scrimmage, was certainly attention-getting. Against Eastern New Mexico, he accounted for 101 all-purpose yards (52 rushing, 49 receiving), while accounting for two of WT’s four touchdowns in that contest. Considered to be one of the top running backs in the Lone Star Conference, if not all of Division II, Flemming has accounted for 3,313 all-purpose yards over the past two-plus 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.

EARNING THEIR SPURS – Four true-freshmen, WR Aarhon Flores (6-0, 170, Fr-HS), 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.

JEFFERSON MAKES IMPACT AGAINST JAVS, MUSTANGS – Over the past three weeks, strong safety Curtis Jefferson (6-0, 190, So-1L) has certainly made his mark, logging career-tackle numbers against both #10-Texas A&M-Kingsville as well as at #23-Midwestern State, and following with eight stops (two for lost-yardage) and an interception against Eastern New Mexico. 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 59 tackles (30 solo, 29 assists), four PBUs, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions.

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 and added a sack for minus-14 yards against Eastern New Mexico The Buffs leading tackler among down linemen, the Mt. Olive, Miss., native has season totals of 40 tackles (14 solo, 26 assists), 9.5 TFLs (for minus-74 yards), five sacks (for minus-43 yards), four QB hurries, three PBUs, 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.

BRAMAN AMONG LSC LEADERS IN TFL’s – 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 ranks among LSC leaders in tackles for loss. His season total of 11 tackles for minus-56 yards leads the team and ranks second among LSC leaders, while his four sacks rank second among Buff sack leaders 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).