Lumberjacks’ Passing Game Shines against No. 16 Central Arkansas

Saturday, October 13

Nacogdoches, Texas

2 p.m.

Stephen F. Austin

1-5 , 1-4

No. 16 Central Arkansas

4-2 , 3-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Central Arkansas

Stephen F. Austin

Photo by: Hardy Meredith | SFA Photography

Lumberjacks’ Passing Game Shines against No. 16 Central Arkansas

10/13/2018 5:34:00 PM | Football

Box Score

Junior quarterback Jake Blumrick passes for a career-high 358 yards, SFA has two players reach the 100-yard receiving mark in a single game for the first time since 2013

By: Luke Bolanos | SFA Athletic Media Relations

Photos

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Junior quarterback Jake Blumrick passed for a career-high 358 yards and two touchdowns as the Stephen F. Austin football team battled 16th-ranked Central Arkansas to a hard-fought 27-17 score at Homer Bryce Stadium Saturday afternoon. The Lumberjacks (1-5, 1-4 Southland) made things interesting by recovering an onside kick with three minutes left in the fourth quarter and later recovering a fumble, but were unable to close within two scores against the visiting Bears (4-2, 3-1 Southland).

"I thought we did some good things, but the bottom line is Goree (Terian) and Blumrick (Jake) did really well," interim head coach Jeff Byrd said following the game. "In order to win football games, you have got to be able to run the football. We couldn't run the football. You've got to be able to run it to give yourself a chance to win and we couldn't run it today."

For the first time since 2013, SFA had two receivers reach the 100-yard receiving mark in a single game as senior Terian Goree and sophomore Remi Simmons each amassed career-highs with 122 and 108 yards, respectively.

"We did a good job scheming and knowing what they were going to do defensively," commented Blumrick in the postgame press conference. "Both of these guys (Goree and Simmons) are just weapons. They do a good job working and doing what they need to do to get open. It makes it easier for me to just put the ball in the air, both of them are guys who will go up and get it."

"He brings the toughness that we are looking for in our football program," spoke coach Byrd on Blumrick. "To stand back there like he did tonight and take those shots, that's a tough football player. He's giving everything he has got to this football program."

Costly First-Quarter Turnover
UCA came up with a strip sack and a 46-yard fumble return on SFA's inaugural drive of the contest, turning the miscue into seven points on a two-yard touchdown run by Carlos Blackman. The score gave the visitors an early 7-0 lead after four and a half minutes of play.

Goree's Electric TD
After the Lumberjacks' second drive of the game resulted in a punt, SFA went 85 yards on only one play and tied the score up at 7-7 at the 5:08 mark of the first quarter. Blumrick found Goree on an inside screen and Goree busted down the middle of the field for an electric 85-yard touchdown. It was the longest play from scrimmage for the 'Jacks in five years and the longest passing play in 21 years.

Bears' Lengthy Second-Quarter Drive
Still knotted at 7-7 going into the second quarter of play, UCA took went 90 yards on 18 plays and used up 5:16 of clock before Matt Cummins knocked through a 19-yard field goal to give the Bears a 10-7 lead. Despite starting in favorable field position twice, SFA was unable to do much offensively in the second quarter and headed into the break trailing by three.

At the Half
Outgaining the Bears by 102 yards (129-27) in the opening quarter, the 'Jacks held UCA to just 107 yards of total offense in the first half. SFA accumulated 185 first-half yards, thanks to 194 yards through the air by Blumrick but were only able to muster just 56 yards of offense in the second quarter and were held to minus-nine yards rushing.

A Strong Boot
The 'Jacks tied things up once again at 10-10 on their first drive of the second half, going 29 yards on six plays before junior place-kicker Storm Ruiz nailed a career-long 48-yard field goal.

17 Unanswered Points
With just under nine minutes to go in the third and the score still at 10 apiece, UCA needed only three plays to go 66 yards. Greatly aided by a roughing the passer penalty and a 20-yard connection from Bear signal caller Luke Hales to Dwayne Smith, UCA's Carlos Blackman scored his second touchdown of the afternoon on a 31-yard rush in which he shook off many defenders. The Bears then capped a 10-play, 72-yard drive with a Hales to Lester Wells 13-yard touchdown pass, giving UCA a 24-10 lead with 2:16 remaining in the third. Following a terrific 36-yard kickoff return by junior Memphis transfer running back Jae'Lon Oglesby, SFA got the ball to the Bears' one-yard line on an eight-yard find by Blumrick to freshman wide receiver QuenTyvian "Q" Borders. Going for it on fourth-and-goal at the four, the 'Jacks were unable to find the promised land as a bad snap went over the head of Blumrick. The missed opportunity at the beginning of the fourth quarter cost SFA as UCA went 60 yards on eight plays and claimed a 34-yard field goal to go ahead by 17 at 27-10 with 6:15 to go.

Fourth-Quarter Comeback Bid
A seven-yard touchdown pass from Blumrick to senior wide receiver Frank Iheanacho completed an 11-play, 75-yard scoring drive for the 'Jacks and got SFA back within 10 at 27-17 with three minutes left. Iheanacho made a second consecutive play on the ball by recovering an on-side kickoff at the Bears' 34. However, the stout pass rush of UCA's defensive line forced a pair of sacks and incomplete passes before the Bears took over on downs. Moments later, graduate Illinois transfer safety Chris James forced out the ball from UCA's Kierr Crossley after a 41-yard run and senior linebacker Terrance Potts came up with the loose ball at the Lumberjack 15. Once again, the Bears' defense created tremendous pressure and picked off a pass to seal the win.

The Bottom Line
Despite gaining 358 yards through the air, SFA lost 20 yards on the ground and was hampered by 98 penalty yards on 11 yellow flags. UCA racked up 379 total offensive yards, including 226 passing and 153 rushing, with Hales going 19-for-41 and a touchdown. Blumrick was 26-for-45 passing with two scoring strikes, while Simmons finished with a career-high 10 catches and Borders claimed a career-best 55 yards on three receptions. The Bears' Crossley collected 91 yards on the ground on 14 carries, while Blackman had 12 rushes for 55 yards. The game saw 15 combined tackles for loss with UCA making 13 for a loss of 76 yards and the 'Jacks tallying eight for negative 22 yards. The Bear defense claimed six sacks as safety Juan Jackson posted a game-high 12 tackles, including seven solo stops. Junior safety Alize Ward led SFA defensively with 10 tackles and six individual stops, while junior linebacker Quin Jones made seven tackles and James, sophomore safety Trenton Gordon and senior safety Lawrence Ghansah each had six.

Of Note
Goree's 85-yard touchdown reception from Blumrick in the first quarter was the longest passing play from scrimmage for the 'Jacks since 1997 when Mikhael Ricks hit Peyton Jones for 97 yards against Troy, which stands as the program record. Furthermore, it was the first 80-yard reception for SFA since D.J. Ward's 80-yard catch versus Prairie View A&M on Sept. 28, 2013, and the longest play from scrimmage since Joshawa West's 88-yard run against Nicholls on Oct. 19, 2013. The last time the 'Jacks had multiple 100-yard receivers in the same game was on Nov. 2, 2013, when Tyler Boyd (206), Mike Brooks (133) and Aaron Thomas (132) each reached the 100-yard mark against then eighth-ranked Sam Houston State in the Battle of the Piney Woods. Blumrick's 358 passing yards was the most by an SFA gunslinger since Zach Conque tossed for 386 yards at Houston Baptist on Nov. 12, 2016.

Up Next…
The 'Jacks will hit the road next week and return to the Bayou City for a Southland matchup at Houston Baptist. Kickoff on Saturday, Oct. 20 is scheduled for 6 p.m. with the game broadcast on ESPN3, available everywhere via the ESPN app.

Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Lumberjack football throughout the 2018 season.

-SFA-