OUAZ FOOTBALL GAME 2 NOTES
• Week two of the OUAZ football season sees the Spirit at home for the first time this season when they face Western New Mexico on Saturday, September 7.
• Kickoff of the home opener is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Spirit Field on the OUAZ campus in Surprise, Arizona. The game is the first of three straight home games for the Spirit.
• OUAZ and Western New Mexico will meet for the first time on Saturday. The Mustangs will become the 12th different opponent OUAZ has faced in the program's history.
• The game will also mark the first time the Spirit have played a NCAA Division II team and a team from the Lone Star Conference.
HOW TO FOLLOW
• OUAZ will broadcast Saturday's game live online on the OUAZ Digital Network and through the NAIA Network OTT app that is available on Android TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku devices. The OUAZ Digital Network is available on game day at
OUAZSpirit.com/watch.
• James Poovey (play-by-play) and Vince D'Aliesio (analyst) will call the game for the Spirit.
• Live stats will also be available during the game at
OUAZSpirit.com/stats.
HOME OPENERS
• OUAZ enters Saturday trying to win its home opener for the second straight season.
• Last season, the Spirit defeated Cetys Universidad, 51-19, at Spirit Field to begin the team's inaugural season.
GAME 2 HISTORY
• For the second straight season the Spirit will enter their second game of the season with a 1-0 record.
• Last season, OUAZ lost at No. 14 Langston in that season's second game.
• Saturday will be the first time the Spirit have played their second game of the season at home.
LOOKING BACK
• It was a great start to the 2019 season last week as the Spirit traveled to Crete, Neb., and came home with a 48-7 win over the Doane Tigers at Al Papik Field.
• In the win, OUAZ scored 24 points in the first quarter on their way to scoring the first 41 points of the contest.
• The Spirit collected 567 yards of offense while holding the Tigers to just 186 yards and 1 of 15 on third down.
EARLY HONORS
• For their performance in the week one victory,
Austin McCullough and
John Williams received player of the week honors from the Sooner Athletic Conference.
• McCullough claimed his second career offensive award after throwing for 426 yards and three touchdowns.
• Williams earned his second career special teams award with 12 points behind hitting two field goals and six PATs.
PRESEASON HYPE
• At the SAC Media Day in July, OUAZ was picked to finish second in the nine-team conference this season.
• The Spirit received 56 points in the poll and were picked to win the conference on three of the coaches ballots.
• OUAZ also received nine points in the AFCA-NAIA Preseason Top-25 Poll that was released on August 5.
• That had the Spirit among the Others Receiving Votes section in a tie for 30th overall. This was the first poll OUAZ was eligible to be ranked in.
PRODUCTION RETURNING
• Entering year number two of competition, OUAZ brings back 48 letterwinners from the inaugural season. That groups accounts for large portion of statistical production from 2018.
| CATEGORY |
2018 TOTAL |
RETURNING |
PERCENT |
| Points |
508 |
356 |
70.1% |
| Touchdowns |
69 |
44 |
63.8% |
| Pass Yards |
3,670 |
3,670 |
100% |
| Rush Yards |
1,660 |
1,642 |
98.9% |
| Rec Yards |
3,670 |
2,019 |
55.0% |
| Tot Offense |
5,330 |
5,312 |
99.7% |
| Tackles |
880 |
630 |
71.6% |
| Sacks |
35 |
15 |
42.9% |
| Interceptions |
7 |
6 |
85.7% |
EXPERIENCED STARTERS
• While the 2019 team brings back 48 letterwinners from the inaugural season, that group is bolstered by 18 starters that features nine on offense and nine on defense.
• The Spirit also bring back AFCA-NAIA All-American punter,
Austin Bohn, and Second Team All-SAC kicker,
John Williams.
SWAPPING NUMBERS
• A handful of key players switching jersey numbers this year. Below is a list of number switches among lettermen.
STARTING WHERE THEY LEFT OFF
• After finishing third in the NAIA by averaging 533.0 yards per game last season, OUAZ racked up 567 yards in the win over Doane to rank fourth in the NAIA through week one.
• The Spirit gained 443 yards passing in the win to put them second in the country after one game. Only Kentucky Christian had more passing yards in week one with 523.
• OUAZ is sixth in the NAIA after one week in scoring with 48 points.
NEW LOOK DEFENSE
• Defensively, the Spirit really controlled the game against Doane as they held the Tigers to just 186 total yards. That has the team ranked sixth in the NAIA at this point of the season.
• The Spirit lead the nation in 3rd-down defense after holding Doane to 1 of 15 on Thursday for a 6.7 percent success rate.
• OUAZ is second in the NAIA in pass efficiency defense (54.9), third in opponent first downs (9), and fourth in scoring defense (7.0).
LIVING UP TO THE HYPE?
• After being named the SAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, OUAZ junior quarterback
Austin McCullough wasted little time living up to the hype by securing the conference's first Offensive Player of the Week award.
• McCullough finish the opener 37 of 62 for 426 yards and three touchdowns. He set school records for completions and attempts while posting the second-most yards in a game in program history.
• In the win, McCullough completed passes to 13 different receivers – including himself – to set a school record.
• He currently ranks second in the NAIA in passing yards and in total offense (415). His 113.4 passer rating is 20th in the nation.
WHAT MORELAND CAN HE DO
•
Shamar Moreland once again contributed in multiple ways for the Spirit as he gained 183 all-purpose years and scored three times.
• Moreland led the team in rushing with 56 yards while making two catches for nine yards. He also had seven yards returning punts and 111 yards retuning kickoffs, including a school record 94-yard return for a touchdown.
• His 18 points scored is tied for the lead in the NAIA this season and he is second in kick return average at 55.5 yards per return and seventh in all-purpose yards.
NOT JUST MORELAND
• The OUAZ backfield also saw production from
Joshua Vizcaya,
Marcelous Chester-Riley, and
Kristopher Ewens.
• Vizcaya carried the ball eight times for 44 yards and one touchdown while adding a pair of catches for 16 yards.
• Chester-Riley ran for 35 yards on eight carries with five catches for 57 yards with a 25-yard touchdown to open the scoring.
• Ewens finished with three catches for 17 yards.
STELLAR DEBUT
•
Richard Montello made a name for himself in the season opener with eight catches for 166 yards and a score.
• The eight receptions were one shy of the school record while the 166 yards are the second-most in program history.
• It was the ninth 100-yard receiving game in team history and the first by a freshman.
DEPTH AT RECEIVER
• Of the 13 players to record a catch in the win at Doane, eight came from an OUAZ receiver.
•
Ray Springer contributed seven catches for 55 yards.
•
Jeremiah Greylock turned his four grabs into 80 yards, including a 39-yard reception for the long of the day by any Spirit receiver.
•
Kavon Gardner had 23 yards on three catches with
Jose Manzo,
Jonah Alicea,
Caleb Easley, and
Antonio Day all making one catch apiece.
STARTS UP FRONT
• The Spirit had 10 players take snaps on the offensive line in helping the team gain 567 yards of offense at Doane.
• The starting unit of
Austin Lloyd,
Joseph Love,
Tristan Shehorn,
Samuel Laga, and
Elijah Boyd-Volakis were on the field for 65 of the 98 total snaps in the game.
• The group of Lloyd, Love, Shehorn, and Laga played 93 snaps apiece to lead the team in snaps played.
• OUAZ allowed just one sack on 63 dropbacks and the offensive line was called for two false starts and one holding penalty.
AFTER THE QUARTERBACK
•
Christian Viville led an OUAZ defense that pressured the quarter all game long at Doane with a pair of sacks for 17 yards of loss.
• The two sacks matched his total from all of 2018 and they accounted for both of his tackles in the game
• Viville also had one pass breakup against the Tigers.
WELCOME BACK FARRIA
•
Marcus Farria made his presence felt in his first game back after suffering an injury in game two last season.
• Farria finished the Doane game with four solo tackles from his defensive line position, including a tackle-for-loss of four yards.
• In just over one game last season, Farria totaled 5.5 tackles-for-loss and two sacks.
MAINSTAY AT LINEBACKER
• After starting every game at linebacker last season,
Justin Barnett did so again on Thursday and tied for the team lead with six tackles (two solo).
• Barnett also forced a fumble in the victory.
NOSE FOR THE BALL
•
Amare Burks also had six tackles (four solo) from his safety position at Doane.
• He would also record a forced fumble and a pass breakup in the win.
• Burks was third on the team with 63 tackles in 2018.
SCORING MONSTER
•
John Williams opened his season with 12 points to lead all kickers in the NAIA in points by a kicker. That earned him the SAC Special Teams Player of the Week award for the second time in his career.
• Williams hit on both of his field goal attempts – including a school record make of 43 yards – to extend his run to 10 straight made field goals dating back to last season.
• He also was 6 of 6 on PAT attempts to rank tie for third in the NAIA in makes without a miss through week one. Williams has now made 24 straight PAT chances dating back to last season for the second-longest streak in team history.
FLIPPING THE FIELD
•
Austin Bohn – last season's NAIA leader in punt average – punted three times on Thursday for an average of 40.0 yards per punt.
• He forced one fair catch and had a net average of 37.7 yards per punt with one inside the 20-yardline.
• Bohn was named AFCA-NAIA All-American last season after leading the NAIA by averaging 44.2 yards per punt.
NO RETURN
•
Landon Reeves provided the Spirit with a different weapon on special teams from last season as the kickoff specialists totaled six touchbacks on his nine kickoffs.
• The six touchbacks are more than the four OUAZ had as a team all of 2018.
ABOUT WESTERN NEW MEXICO
• Western New Mexico will open its 2019 season on Saturday when they visit Spirit Field. The Mustangs are coming off an 0-10 campaign in 2018.
• Frank Tristan begins his second season leading the Mustangs after going 20-12 in three seasons at SAGU before taking over in Silver City.
• WNMU averaged 14.1 points and 322.1 total yards per game last season. They were fifth in the LSC by totaling 141.1 rushing yards per game.
• DeAndre Williams returns to the Mustangs' backfield after running for 680 yards and four touchdowns last season.
• Roosevelt Calhoun is back after leading WNMU in tackles last season with 84.
• WMNU was picked to finish ninth in the nine-team Lone Star Conference this season according to LSC preseason poll released in July.
RACKING UP THE MILES
• This season the Spirit will rack up the miles while traveling to their five road games. The trips will see the team play games in Nebraska, Texas, Oklahoma, and Arizona.
• The five road trips will account for 8,696 round trip driving miles from Spirit Field, and that includes a 24-mile round trip to Cactus High School to face ACU.
BUILDING A PROGRAM
• With the Spirit in their second season of competition, it is actually the third year of the program. To build a new program, OUAZ has brought players in from across the country.
• The opening week roster included players that list 16 different states and American Somoa as their hometown.
• While 34 student-athletes are from Arizona, the team also features 28 from California. There are four players from Louisiana and three from Michigan, Texas, Utah, and Washington.
POSTSEASON ELIGIBLE
• OUAZ will be eligible for the NAIA Football Championship Series in 2019 after not being eligible last season. The Football Series is the 16-team single elimination playoffs held by the NAIA to determine its national champion.
• Played on the campus site of the higher seeded team through the semifinals, the 64th NAIA Football National Championship Game will be played on December 21, 2019 at Eddie G. Robinson Stadium on the Grambling State University campus in Ruston, Louisiana.
• Morningside (Iowa) won the 2018 title by defeating Benedictine (Kan.), 35-28. They made the title game by defeating two-time defending champion St. Francis (Ind.) in overtime of the semifinals.
NCCAA MEMBER
• OUAZ will again hold a dual affiliation with the NCCAA in 2019 after the Spirit were the hosts of the 2018 NCCAA Victory Bowl.
• That affiliation will give the Spirit a chance to again play in the Victory Bowl should the team not qualify for the NAIA Football Championship Series and be selected to the game of the NCCAA.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL 150
• College football will celebrate its 150th season in 2019. The first game was played between Rutgers and Princeton on November 6, 1869.
•
CFB150.org states that 897 colleges and universities across the country will field a football in 2019 at all levels (FBS, FCS, Division II and III, NAIA, NJCAA, CCCAA).
OUAZ SEASON TICKETS
• Season tickets for all five OUAZ home games are available now and they start at just $48 per seat.
• With most games expected to reach standing room only, the best way to guarantee your seat is by purchasing season tickets.
• Find complete season ticket information by visiting
OUAZSpirit.com/tickets.
LOOKING AHEAD
• OUAZ is off next week before returning to action on Saturday, September 21, when they host Texas Wesleyan in the SAC opener.
• Western New Mexico is a NCAA Division II team that plays in the Lone Star Conference. They will be the first Division II opponent the Spirit have played.
