Football 9/20/2022 10:00:00 AM

2022 Football Notes -- Game 4: vs Louisiana Christian

OPENING KICKOFF: With a vital road win behind them, the No. 7 OUAZ football team returns to Spirit Field on Saturday to host Louisiana Christian in the first of three straight games in Arizona for the Spirit. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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 enters Saturday with a 3-0 overall record. They are tied with Langston atop the Sooner standings with matching 3-0 records in conference play. The Spirit is 1-0 at home this season after defeating SAGU on September 10.

THE WILDCATS: Louisiana Christian comes to Surprise with a 1-2 overall record and 1-1 in the SAC. The Wildcats defeated Arizona Christian 40-26 on Saturday in Louisiana. They have dropped both of their road games this season.

THE SERIES: The two teams met for the first time last season as LCU joined the NAIA and SAC in the summer of 2021. That first result was a 49-19 win by the Spirit at Wildcast Field in Pineville, La. In that game, OUAZ built a 49-6 lead early in the fourth quarter.

3-0 STARTS: OUAZ is now 3-0 to start the season for the third time in the past four seasons. In 2019, the Spirit began with eight consecutive wins, and the 2021 team won the season's first six games. OUAZ won the conference in both seasons and advanced to the NAIA Football Championship Series.

LOVE THIS HEAT: The win at Texas Wesleyan was the 11th consecutive win by the Spirit during August and September. That streak dates back to the 2019 season. The team has gone 13-3 all-time in the warmer months of the schedule.

NAIA TOP 25 POLL: OUAZ moved up one spot to No. 7 in the NAIA Football Coaches' Top 25 Poll presented by FirstDown PlayBook released Monday. OUAZ received 343 points from the poll voters to move into the highest ranking in program history. The Spirit is the only team from the Sooner in this week's rankings, and they have now been ranked in the past 32 polls released by the NAIA.

HIGH OCTANE OFFENSE: The Spirit delivered a record-setting performance with 737 yards of total offense at Lyon. It was the first time the team surpassed 700 yards in a game and the sixth with over 600 yards. OUAZ has gained the ninth-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 509.4 yards per game.

POINTS ON THE BOARD: The 70 points scored at Lyon marked the sixth time in program history that OUAZ had reached the mark. Since 2018, only Morningside (52.53) and Kansas Wesleyan (46.35) are averaging more points than the 45.97 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 TWU on Saturday.

DEFENSIVE PROGRAM: The Spirit defense has been the season's story in holding the opposition to 11.3 points per game. They started the season by recording the first shutout in program history in the 70-0 win at Lyon. The team is currently 19th in the NAIA by allowing 253.0 total yards per game and ninth at 119.7 passing yards allowed per game.

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. In three games, the opposition has just one touchdown on 10 trips to the red zone.

QUARTERBACK NOTEBOOK: Both Carter Freedland and Isaiah Randalle have taken snaps as quarterback through the first three games. Freedland has started each game, and at Lyon, he became the first new OUAZ quarterback starter since the second game in program history.

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

• Randalle has taken the majority of the snaps on the season, going 43 of 76 for 572 yards and three touchdowns. His 127.6 rating is 34th in the country, and he is 37th in passing yards per game at 190.7

RUNNING BACK NOTEBOOK: Maybe the deepest group on the offense, OUAZ is 12th in the NAIA by rushing for 223.7 yards per game while sitting 10th with an average of 5.2 yards per rush.

• Kristopher Ewens is the team's leading rusher with 387 yards on 65 carries. After posting the third 200-yard rushing game in program history at TWU, Ewens is now fourth in the NAIA in rushing yards and is 2nd at 129.0 yards per game.

• Tyerell Sturges-Cofer has gained 104 yards on 15 carries to average 6.9 yards per attempt. He rushed for 86 yards, four touchdowns, and had two 2-point conversions at Lyon. His four TDs tied for the program record, and his 28 points set a new record. The performance earned him the SAC Offensive Player of the Week award.

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 ninth in the NAIA by passing for 286.3 yards per game.

• Donovahn Jones has a team-leading 198 receiving yards on 11 receptions. He is 66th in the NAIA in yards and 18th by averaging 18.0 yards per catch. Jones has made multiple receptions in every game while scoring a pair of touchdowns.

• Devone Humphrey leads the team with 12 receptions, accounting for 139 yards. He has snagged 10 balls in the past two games and had a game-high 72 receiving yards on Saturday.

• Richard Montello has added eight catches for 86 yards, with Roman Sahagun gaining 86 yards and two touchdowns on six catches.

OFFENSIVE LINE NOTEBOOK: The Spirit has seen the same five starters on the offensive line in all three games this season. That group helps the Spirit account for 510.0 yards per game and 6.3 yards per play.

• Elijah Boyd-Volakis has started 20 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 three games this season and now has 13 career starts. He has appeared in 33 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 253.0 yards per game.

• David Sow is fourth in the team with 15 tackles while tying for the team lead with 5.5 tackles-for-loss. He ranks 26th in the NAIA in TFLs, and those have accounted for 18 yards of loss by the opposition.

• Giovonni White had posted 10 tackles (six solo) with 2.0 TFLs for 11 yards of loss. White has added one sack for 10 yards lost and one forced fumble.

• Elias Guerrero lll is second on the team with 2.5 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 133.3 rushing yards per game and holding two opponents below 100 rushing yards.

• Brandon Tomerlin Jr. again leads the team in tackles with 21, including 18 solo stops. Tomerlin is tied for the team lead with 5.5 TFLs while notching a team-best three sacks to rank 18th in the NAIA. The OUAZ all-time leader in tackles needs 14 to reach 200 for his career.

• Scott Bonham Jr. has tallied 16 tackles with a team-best 12 assisted tackles. He has 2.5 TFLs to go with two pass breakups. Bonham has at least three tackles in every game this season.

• Khalil Lewis has made nine tackles (eight solo) with 2.5 TFLs and one sack. He had seven stops at Texas Wesleyan, and Lewis leads the team with four pass breakups.

DEFENSIVE BACK NOTEBOOK: The defensive backfield has been a pivotal contributor to the defense that allows 119.7 passing yards per game and 4.0 yards per attempt.

• Eric Holman is second on the team with 17 tackles after making 10 stops on Saturday at TWU. He added a forced fumble in the game and was named the SAC Defensive Player of the Week. Holman had three interceptions, and two pass breakups for five passes defended.

• Isaac Jennings has 10 tackles, one interception, and one pass breakup.

• James Randolph III has recorded nine tackles, one TFL, and a pass breakup.

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

• Landon Reeves followed his 13 points against SAGU with another nine points at Texas Wesleyan. Reeves is 5 of 6 on field goal attempts and 7 for 7 kicking PATs this season. His 22 kicking points rank 18th in the NAIA.

• Sahagun is 11th in the NAIA, averaging 29.7 yards per kick return and 15th at 11.0 yards per punt return.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

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

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

#14 Devone Humphrey: WR; 6' 2"; Senior

#4 Donovahn Jones: WR; 6' 3"; Graduate Student

#69 Tofiga Liaiga: OL; 6' 3"; Senior

#19 Richard Montello: WR; 5' 11"; Senior

Players Mentioned

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

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

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

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

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

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

#14 Devone Humphrey
: 6' 2"; Senior
: WR

#4 Donovahn Jones
: 6' 3"; Graduate Student
: WR

#69 Tofiga Liaiga
: 6' 3"; Senior
: OL

#19 Richard Montello
: 5' 11"; Senior
: WR