SFA Heads To Houston To Tangle With HBU
10/15/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
Stephen F. Austin (4-2, 1-1 SLC) at Houston Baptist (1-5, 0-3 SLC)
Saturday, October 18, 2014 • 7 p.m.
Husky Stadium • Houston, Texas
Video: FoxSportsSouthwest.com
TV: Fox Sports Southwest (tape delayed Monday at 7 a.m.)
Radio: Q107.7 FM (listen online at Q1077.com)
Live Stats: HBUHuskies.com
Twitter Updates: @SFA_Football
Stephen F. Austin Game Notes
OPENING KICK
Stephen F. Austin looks to build on its newly-found road winning streak, traveling to Houston Baptist Saturday, October 18th. It is the first-ever meeting between the Lumberjacks and Huskies, who are in their first season as Southland Conference members, kicking off at 7 p.m. from Husky Stadium.
LUMBERJACKS ON THE WEB
SFA fans unable to make it to Houston for this weekend’s game at Houston Baptist can still stay up to date on every Lumberjack play. Live video of the game can be seen by logging on to FoxSportsSouthwest.com with the game re-airing over the air on Fox Sports Southwest at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, October 20. Fans can also listen online as Rob Meyers will have the call on Q107.7 FM as well as online at Q1077.com. Live stats are available at HBUHuskies.com with in-game Twitter updates @SFA_Football.
GAMEDAY FORECAST
Saturday’s forecast is shaping up to be a great day for some football down in Houston. Highs are expected to be in the mid 80s with plenty of sunshine, setting up ideal tailgating conditions. By kickoff time, temperatures should be in the low 80s to upper 70s with winds between 5-10 mph and low precipitation chances.
ROAD STREAK SNAPPED
Saturday’s win at Nicholls put to bed a lengthy streak the Lumberjacks are more than happy to see fall. The win in Thibodaux marked the first road victory for SFA since a 33-0 win at Northwestern State in Natchitoches, La., in 2011 - a span of 12 games. It was the longest road losing streak in program history as SFA now seeks its first road winning streak since a three-game span in 2011.
SCOUTING THE HUSKIES
2014: 1-5 overall, 0-3 Southland Conference play
Last Three Games: L at Central Arkansas (70-0), L at Incarnate Word (31-8), L vs. Abilene Christian (59-14)
Head Coach: Vic Shealy (Richmond, ‘84). Third season at HBU, first official (1-5, .167)
Key Offensive Players:
• #9 Jonathan Fleming (So., QB): 57-of-98 (58.2%) for 594 yds., 7 TDs, 5 INTs
• #5 B.J. Kelly (R-Fr., RB): 73 rushes for 321 yds. (4.4 ypr), 2 TDs
• #33 Larry Day (R-Fr., RB): 36 rushes for 150 yds. (4.2 ypc), 2 TDs
• #85 Kenneth Bibbins (Sr., TE): 17 catches for 222 yds. (13.1 ypr), 3 TDs
• #81 Wesley Lewis (R-Fr., WR): 17 catches for 170 yds. (10.0 ypr), 1 TD
Key Defensive Players:
• #40 Garrett Dolan (R-Fr., LB): 53 tackles (36 solo), 4.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks
• #14 Eric Amoako (So., CB): 34 tackles (28 solo), 4.0 TFL, 1 FR, 1 BK
• #36 Terrell Brown (R-Fr., LB): 32 tackles (21 solo), 2.0 TFL
• #22 Cody Moncure (R-Fr., LB): 28 tackles (20 solo), 3.0 TFL, 1.0 sacks, 2 PD
• #46 Josh Jones (Jr., DE): 18 tackles (15 solo), 7.5 TFL, 4.0 sacks, 1 FF, 1 safety
Synopsis: Houston Baptist is in its first official season as an FCS member, sitting at 1-5 overall after posting a 3-4 mark in its inaugural season in 2013. The Huskies are seeking their first Southland Conference victory, sitting at 0-3 in conference play with losses to Central Arkansas, Incarnate Word and Abilene Christian. HBU averages 21.8 points and 285.8 yards per game thus far in 2014, running a balanced offense that averages 136.8 rushing yards and 149.0 passing yards per game. Defensively, the Huskies are giving up 36.7 points and 414.8 yards per game, comprised of 181.7 yards on the ground and 233.2 yards in the air.
SERIES HISTORY
SFA and Houston Baptist meet for the first time in program history Saturday as the Huskies are in their first official season as a member of the Southland Conference.
JOHNSON, CONQUE LEAD SFA TO ROAD VICTORY AT NICHOLLS
Behind three rushing touchdowns each from RB Gus Johnson and QB Zach Conque, Stephen F. Austin notched its first road victory in three seasons, defeating Nicholls 42-20 at Guidry Stadium in Thibodaux, La. After a nearly hour-long delay for lightning and rain, SFA came out sluggish against the Colonels as the game was tied 7-7 at the half and held just a 14-13 lead in the third quarter. But SFA outscored Nicholls 28-7 over the final 21 minutes as the ‘Jacks won their seventh-straight over the Colonels and fifth-straight in Thibodaux. In addition to snapping the 12-game road losing streak, a number of career milestones were reached on the night as Johnson became SFA’s all-time touchdown leader while becoming just the third 3,000-yard rusher in program history and K Jordan Wiggs became SFA’s all-time leading scorer with his six extra points.
RUNNING WILD
In addition to Saturday’s victory snapping SFA’s road losing streak, it also brought to a close another extended streak. With six rushing touchdowns and no passing touchdowns against Nicholls, it marked the first Lumberjack victory without scoring a passing touchdown since October 12, 2002 when SFA, ironically, defeated Nicholls in Thibodaux 17-14. Tony Tompkins had a pair of rushing scores for the ‘Jacks in that game with Stephen Coker adding a 19-yard field goal. SFA has notched 64 victories during that 12-year span, recording at least one passing touchdown in each.
JOHNSON NOTCHES THREE CAREER MILESTONES AGAINST COLONELS
Senior RB Gus Johnson notched not one, not two, but three career milestones in the Lumberjacks’ 42-20 victory over Nicholls Saturday evening. In the first quarter, Johnson broke free for a 19-yard touchdown run, the 40th of his career as he surpassed former teammate Cordell Roberson (2009-12) as SFA’s all-time career touchdown leader, currently sitting at 42. Johnson rushed 19 times for 202 yards, the fourth 200-plus yard night of his career and second of the season, upping his career rushing total to 3,077 yards. That effort moved him past Larry Centers (1986-89) into third all-time Lumberjack rushing history while also making him just the third member of the SFA 3,000-yard club. Johnson now has his sights set on becoming number two all-time, trailing second-place Andy Hopkins (1967-70) by just three yards. Johnson’s 3,429 career all-purpose yards ranks seventh all-time as the dual-threat player also has 341 receiving yards for his career.
#GusForPayton
Senior RB Gus Johnson was named to the 2014 Walter Payton Award Watch List on September 30th and has continued to show why he is among the top players in the country. He posted his second 200-yard rushing game of the season Saturday against Nicholls, rushing for 202 yards on 19 carries, upping his season total to 853 yards. Johnson leads the nation with 13 rushing touchdowns while ranking second nationally in yards per carry (8.61), third in scoring (13.0 ppg), sixth in rushing yards (853) and seventh in rushing yards per game (142.2), leading the Southland Conference in each category. The Gilmer native continues to rewrite the SFA record book as he is now the Lumberjacks’ all-time career touchdown leader while becoming just the third member of SFA 3,000-yard club, joining Leonard Harris (1992-95) and Andy Hopkins (1967-70).
WIGGS BECOMES LUMBERJACKS’ ALL-TIME SCORING KING
Senior K Jordan Wiggs has been a constant for SFA over the last four seasons and that consistency has paid off. Wiggs hit all six of his extra point attempts against Nicholls Saturday, upping his career point total to 304 and surpassing Chuck Rawlison’s (1988-91) 300 career points to become the Lumberjacks’ all-time leading scorer. Wiggs has converted on four of his six field goal attempts so far in 2014 and is 24-of-25 in extra points, giving him 36 points on the year. The Grand Prairie native has already made his mark in the SFA record books, sitting first all-time in career PATs (154), second in field goals made (50), third in field goal percentage (72.4) and sixth in PAT kick percentage (95.7).
CONQUE FINDING HIS GROOVE
Sophomore QB Zach Conque is settling into his role as SFA’s primary signal caller as the ‘Jacks are 4-2 at the halfway point of the season. Conque rushed for three touchdowns in the 42-20 victory over Nicholls while passing for 291 yards, giving him 342 yards of total offense on the day. On the season, Conque has thrown for 1,363 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for 249 yards and eight scores, accounting for 1,612 yards of total offense. The sophomore ranks third in the SLC in passing yards per game (227.2), fourth in total offense (268.7) and third in scoring (8.0 ppg).
BOYD LEADS SLC IN RECEPTIONS
Senior WR Tyler Boyd has quietly emerged as one of the top receiving threats in the Southland Conference. The preseason first team All-SLC selection tied a career-best with 11 catches against Nicholls Saturday evening, which is tied for the 10th-best single-game reception mark. Boyd ranks second in the SLC in total receptions (36) while his 6.0 catches per game is tops in the Southland, ranking sixth in the SLC in receiving yards per game (62.8). It was Boyd’s third 11-catch game and sixth 10-plus reception game of his career as he sits on the verge of joining the all-time greats, sitting at 127 catches for 1,740 yards and 11 touchdowns as a Lumberjack.
GARRETT CONTINUES TO PACE ‘JACK DEFENSE
Senior LB Collin Garrett continues to be a major force among the revamped Lumberjack defensive unit. The Beaumont native leads SFA with 60 tackles on the season, including three double-digit tackle games on the year. Garrett is tied for third in the SLC in total tackles while leading the conference in tackles per game at 10.0, ranking 19th nationally. A three-year starter on defense, Garrett is threatening to join SFA’s all-time tackles leaders, sitting at 244 career stops with 19.0 tackles for loss.
MILES POISED TO JOIN SFA ALL-TIME LEADERS
Senior DE Ishmiah Miles has been a constant on the defensive line for SFA for the past four seasons and is on the verge of joining the list of all-time greats in a pair of categories. Miles leads the ‘Jacks in both tackles for loss (6.5) and sacks (4.0) in 2014 after leading the team in both categories in 2013. For his career, Miles has recorded 25.0 tackles for loss and 14.0 sacks, both of which are one shy of cracking the all-time top-10 for their respective categories as the Sachse native has added 90 career tackles to the SFA defensive front.
LUMBERJACKS MAKING NATIONAL NOISE
Through the first half of 2014, Stephen F. Austin continues to rank among the national leaders in a handful of categories. As a team, the ‘Jacks rank fifth nationally in both total offense (527.8 ypg) and sacks (3.50 spg) and eighth in passing offense (298.8 ypg), leading the Southland Conference in all three categories. Individually, in addition to the exploits of RB Gus Johnson, DB Keavon Madison sits third nationally in passes defended per game (2.0), LB Chance Barney is sixth in the nation in fumbles recovered (two) with QB Zach Conque ranking 13th in rushing touchdowns (eight) and 19th in total offense (268.7 ypg).
LUMBERJACK SACK PARTY
One of the strengths of the SFA defensive unit this season has been its ability to create havoc for opposing quarterbacks. The Lumberjacks rank fifth nationally in sacks, recording 21 on the year and averaging 3.5 per game. DE Ishmiah Miles has registered four of those sacks for SFA, sitting at 14 for his career and needing just one more to crack the SFA top-10 list. In all, 11 different Lumberjacks have recorded sacks on the year with DE Donald Bryant and LB Jamal Allen each adding 2.5 and DE Mitchell Zimmerle, LB Justin Owens and LB Avery Henderson each notching 2.0 on the year.
HOUSTON HOMECOMING
Saturday’s game at Houston Baptist will be a homecoming of sorts for a large contingent of SFA’s roster as 19 Lumberjacks hail from the Houston area. Five ‘Jacks (Keavon Madison, Hipolito Corporan, Robert Sylvester, Maurice Poullard and Ashante Joseph) return to their hometown of Houston with the surrounding areas of The Woodlands (DJ Ward), Spring (Hayden Scott, Patrick Martin and Rodney Young), Rosenberg (Eugene Wright), Pearland (Marlon Walls), Angleton (Joshawa West), Kingwood (Allen Stewart), Klein (BJ Fashola), Waller (Chris Wilkerson), Mont Belvieu (Jeremy Neff), Dickinson (Byron Williams), Missouri City (Darrion Ardoin) and Danbury (Mitchell Zimmerle) well represented.
STARTING FAST
One of the keys to SFA’s success thus far in 2014 has been its ability to start fast. The Lumberjacks have outscored their opponents 49-17 in the first quarter this season, recording the first points in the last five games. SFA has notched seven touchdowns in the first quarter this season, five of which have come courtesy of Gus Johnson. The other two have come courtesy of Zach Conque, rushing for a score and throwing a scoring strike to Jayson Clements.
LOOKING AHEAD
Stephen F. Austin returns home next weekend as the Lumberjacks host reigning Southland Conference champion Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday, October 25th, as part of SFA’s 2014 Homecoming festivities. The game against the Lions will be the Southland Conference Game of the Week, airing on the affiliated Southland Television networks as well as ESPN3, kicking at 3:04 p.m. from Homer Bryce Stadium.
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