Football 10/7/2022 10:00:00 AM

2022 Football Notes -- Game 6: vs. Texas College

OPENING KICKOFF: Now over halfway through its season, the 14th-ranked OUAZ football team returns to Spirit Field on Saturday when they host Texas College in the first-ever Orange Crush game at 7 p.m. Fans are encouraged to wear orange and arrive early for free orange floats.

WATCH: Saturday's game will be broadcast live on the OUAZ Digital Network, available on the web at OUAZSpirit.com/watch. It can also be found on Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku devices through the GSAC Sports Network app.

FOLLOW: Live stats will also be available through SIDEARM stats at OUAZSpirit.com/footballstats.

THE SPIRIT: OUAZ brings a 4-1 record into the home contests after falling for the first time last Saturday. They are in second place in the Sooner with a 4-1 conference record but can win a second straight conference title by winning the final four games on the schedule. The Spirit is 2-0 at home and has outscored the opposition 84-25 in those games.

THE STEERS: Texas College comes to Surprise with an 0-4 overall record and 0-3 in the Sooner. The Steers are 0-3 on the road and have lost 18 consecutive games dating back to the 2019 season. Their offense throws for 236.0 yards per game and averages 18.3 points per game, while they allow 51.0 points and 385.5 total yards per game.

THE SERIES: OUAZ is 3-0 all=time against Texas College, including a 48-6 win in Tyler, Texas, last season. The teams haven't played in Surprise since OUAZ picked up a 63-14 during the 2018 season. In the three games, the Spirit have outscored the Steers 187-41.

BOUNCING BACK: The Spirit has only once lost consecutive games in the same season in the program's history. That came in the 2018 season, where they lost the second and third games of the season. OUAZ has played 39 games since losing two straight games during the same season.

NAIA TOP 25 POLL: OUAZ dropped to No. 14 in the NAIA Football Coaches' Top 25 Poll presented by FirstDown PlayBook released Monday. OUAZ was listed in the poll for the 34th consecutive release dating back to the 2018 season. They now hold the seventh-longest streak in the poll after Concordia (Mich.) fell out this week for the first time since 2017 and 55 straight polls.

HIGH OCTANE OFFENSE: The Spirit is seventh in the NAIA, averaging 462.6 yards per game. They have accounted for 400-plus yards in a game three times – including a program record 737 at Lyon – while gaining at least 300 total yards in every game. OUAZ has gained the tenth-most yards in the NAIA since beginning the program in 2018. That comes despite playing at least six fewer games than any of the teams ahead of them on the list. The Spirit is second during the timeframe by averaging 503.7 yards per game.

POINTS ON THE BOARD: OUAZ has continued to be among the highest-scoring teams in the country, and they are currently sixth in the NAIA by averaging 43.8 points per game. Since 2018, only Morningside (52.4) and Kansas Wesleyan (46.3) are averaging more points than the 45.8 OUAZ averages. The Spirit has scored 50-plus points in a game 13 times in program history and had a run of 17 straight games with at least 28 points snapped at Texas Wesleyan.

DEFENSIVE PROGRAM: The blitzing Spirit defense has been solid for the team and is currently 24th in the NAIA by allowing 17.4 points per game. They are giving up 175.8 passing yards per outing to rank 29th in the nation. They started the season by recording the first shutout in program history in the 70-0 win at Lyon.

NO OFFENSIVE TOUCHDOWNS: Twice this season, the OUAZ defense has held the opposing offense without a touchdown. It started with the shutout at Lyon in the opener, and then they held the Texas Wesleyan offense to five field goals.

DOMINATING THE RED ZONE: OUAZ has won in the red zone at both ends of the field this season. Through five games, the Spirit has scored on 90 percent of their trips to the red zone, with touchdowns on 66 percent of those possessions. In contrast, they have allowed a red zone score by the opposition 69 percent of the time and a touchdown on 38 percent of red zone trips.

TURNOVERS A DIFFERENCE: The Spirit has 17 takeaways this season where they are currently tied for eighth most in the NAIA. Those extra possessions have resulted in 12.2 points per game, or 28 percent of the team's total points. OUAZ is tied for 19th in the country with a plus-five turnover differential

QUARTERBACK NOTEBOOK: OUAZ enters the weekend seventh in the NAIA by passing for 286.2 yards per game. The team has twice thrown for over 300 yards in a game and four times been above 270 passing yards.

• Isaiah Randalle followed his five-TD performance against Louisiana Christian with his first 300-yard passing game at Arizona Christian. Randalle leads the SAC with 1,144 passing yards and is second by throwing for 228.8 yards per game. His 11 touchdowns rank 15th in the NAIA, and he is 26th with a 136.6 efficiency rating.

• Carter Freedland has three starts and has gone 27 of 39 for 287 yards and two touchdowns.

RUNNING BACK NOTEBOOK: The Spirit averages 176.4 rushing yards per game, ranking 22nd in the country. They have run for at least 150 yards in a game three times, with at least one rushing touchdown in every contest.

• Kristopher Ewens has rushed for 474 yards and is averaging 94.8 yards per game to rank ninth in the NAIA in each category. He is eighth nationally with six rushing touchdowns while averaging 4.6 yards per rush on a SAC-leading 102 carries.

• Marcelous Chester-Riley is sixth in the Sooner and 82nd in the country with 227 rushing yards. His 56.8 rushing yards per game is 59th in the NAIA, and he places 47th with three rushing TDs.

RECEIVER NOTEBOOK: OUAZ has seen 11 different receivers/tight ends make a catch this season, with nine having at least three grabs. The Spirit ranks 37th in the NAIA by averaging 12.7 yards per catch and 15th with 13 passing touchdowns.

• Devone Humphrey has a team-best 20 receptions and 269 receiving yards to rank 63rd and 76th in the NAIA, respectively. Humphrey has multiple catches in every game and has scored a TD in two straight games entering Saturday.

• Donovahn Jones has snagged 15 balls for 263 yards. He is 27th in the NAIA with four receiving touchdowns, and his 17.5 yards per catch ranks 24th nationally.

• Jonah Alicea is at 13 catches for 175 yards and one TD, while Roman Sahagun has 12 receptions for 152 yards and four scores.

OFFENSIVE LINE NOTEBOOK: The Spirit has seen the same five starters on the offensive line in all four games this season. That group helps the Spirit account for 5.8 yards per play.

• Elijah Boyd-Volakis has started 22 consecutive games dating back to the 2019 season. During that time, he has been named First Team All-Sooner twice, and last season was a Second Team NCCAA All-American.

• Having last started in 2019, Tofiga Liaiga has started the first five games this season and now has 15 career starts. He has appeared in 35 games during his OUAZ career.

• David Sanchez III has started every game at center, with Zach Woltz and Harvey Gonzalez also starting all season. All three are new starters on the Spirit line this season.

DEFENSIVE LINE NOTEBOOK: The defensive line has helped OUAZ control the line of scrimmage and allow just 293.2 yards per game to rank 30th in the NAIA.

• David Sow is third in the team with 25 tackles while tying for the team lead with 8.5 tackles-for-loss and 4.0 sacks. He ranks 31st in the NAIA in sacks and 23rd in TFLs. Sow has recorded a sack in three of the five games.

• Seth Ham has tallied 16 tackles and 4.5 TFLs. He has twice recorded two TFLs in a game this season and recorded his sack against LCU.

• Giovonni White is at 14 tackles and 4.0 TFLs, and Elias Guerrero lll has posted 3.0 sacks while adding one forced fumble.

LINEBACKER NOTEBOOK: The most experienced position group on the team, the linebacker core plays a vital role in the Spirit, allowing 117.4 rushing yards per game where the team is 44th in the country.

• Brandon Tomerlin Jr. leads the team in tackles with 38, while his 31 solo tackles are the ninth-most in the NAIA. Tomerlin is tied for the team lead with 8.5 TFLs and 4.0 sacks. Tomerlin has a sack in four of the five games this season. The OUAZ all-time tackle leader posted his 200th career tackle on Saturday at ACU.

• Scott Bonham Jr. has tallied 30 tackles and is 52nd in the NAIA with 21 assisted tackles. He has 3.5 TFLs to go with three pass breakups, a forced fumble, and a recovered fumble.

• Khalil Lewis has made 16 tackles (10 solo) with 3.0 TFLs and 1.5 sacks. He is second on the team with four pass breakups.

DEFENSIVE BACK NOTEBOOK: The defensive backfield has been a pivotal contributor to the defense that is 29th in the NAIA by allowing 175.8 passing yards per game and placing 15th with eight interceptions.

• Eric Holman is fourth on the team with 21 tackles and ranks 11th in the nation with three interceptions. Holman has a team-leading five breakups and both a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

• James Randolph III has 19 tackles and is second on the team with 16 solo tackles. His season includes one TFL and two breakups.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTEBOOK: OUAZ has some of the top kickers in the NAIA on the roster, along with solid kick returners.

• Landon Reeves is 18 of 18 on PAT attempts while going 7 of 9 on field goals to give him 39 points. He ranks eighth nationally in kicking points and 13th among all players in points per game.

• After setting the OUAZ record with 10 punts for 480 yards against LCU, Austin Bohn is ninth in the NAIA by averaging 40.9 yards per punt. He is 25th in the rankings with nine punts downed inside the 20.

• Sahagun averages 14.4 yards per punt return to rank ninth, and he is 13th by averaging 27.7 yards per kick return. Sahagun has 631 all-purpose yards to sit 14th nationally.

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Players Mentioned

#9 Jonah Alicea: WR; 5' 11"; Graduate Student

#47 Austin Bohn: P; 6' 4"; Graduate Student

#44 Scott Bonham Jr.: LB; 6' 1"; Graduate Student

#79 Elijah Boyd-Volakis: OL; 6' 3"; Graduate Student

#5 Marcelous Chester-Riley: RB; 5' 7"; Graduate Student

#8 Carter Freedland: QB; 6' 3"; Sophomore

#77 Harvey Gonzalez: OL; 6' 3"; Junior

#98 Elias Guerrero lll: DL; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#2 Seth Ham: DL; 6' 5"; Senior

#6 Eric Holman: DB; 6' 1"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#9 Jonah Alicea
: 5' 11"; Graduate Student
: WR

#47 Austin Bohn
: 6' 4"; Graduate Student
: P

#44 Scott Bonham Jr.
: 6' 1"; Graduate Student
: LB

#79 Elijah Boyd-Volakis
: 6' 3"; Graduate Student
: OL

#5 Marcelous Chester-Riley
: 5' 7"; Graduate Student
: RB

#8 Carter Freedland
: 6' 3"; Sophomore
: QB

#77 Harvey Gonzalez
: 6' 3"; Junior
: OL

#98 Elias Guerrero lll
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: DL

#2 Seth Ham
: 6' 5"; Senior
: DL

#6 Eric Holman
: 6' 1"; Junior
: DB