Football 9/27/2022 3:00:00 PM

2022 Football Notes -- Game 5: at Arizona Christian

OPENING KICKOFF: The season continues for the seventh-ranked OUAZ football team on Saturday when the Spirit makes the short trip to Glendale to face Arizona Christian. Kickoff from the ACU Football Field is set 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/acufbstats.

THE SPIRIT: OUAZ enters Saturday with a 4-0 overall record. They are the only team in the Sooner with a 4-0 conference record, with only Langston still unbeaten at 3-0. The Spirit has gone 2-0 on the road and outscored the opposition 97-22 in those games.

THE FIRESTORM: Arizona Christian enters the game with a 2-2 overall record after a 28-20 win at SAGU on Saturday. The Firestorm are 1-2 in SAC play and 0-1 at home.

THE SERIES: OUAZ holds a 3-1 edge in the all-time series after its 52-34 win at Spirit Field last season. The Spirit is 1-0 when playing on the road in the series – a 47-7 victory in 2019 – but will be playing at the ACU Football Field for the first time on Saturday. OUAZ has outscored ACU 207-114 in the four all-time meetings.

4-0 STARTS: OUAZ is now 4-0 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 over Louisiana Christian was the 12th consecutive win by the Spirit during August and September. That streak dates back to the 2019 season. The team has gone 14-3 all-time in the warmer months of the schedule.

NAIA TOP 25 POLL: OUAZ remained at No. 7 in the NAIA Football Coaches' Top 25 Poll presented by FirstDown PlayBook released Monday. OUAZ was listed in the poll for the 33rd consecutive release dating back to the 2018 season. They now hold the eighth-longest streak in the poll after Baker fell out for the first time since 2011 and a span of 122 consecutive polls.

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 504.8 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 (46.40) are averaging more points than the 45.95 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 Spirit defense has been the season's story in holding the opposition to 11.8 points per game to rank 11th in the NAIA. They started the season by recording the first shutout in program history in the 70-0 win at Lyon. The team is 30th in the NAIA by allowing 285.5 total yards per game and 26th at 165.3 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. The opposition has just two touchdowns in 11 trips to the red zone.

TURNOVERS THE DIFFERENCE: The Spirit currently ranks seventh in the NAIA with a plus-7 turnover margin with 14 takeaways. OUAZ is scoring 13.5 points per game from those extra possessions. That accounts for 30 percent of the team's total points scored.

QUARTERBACK NOTEBOOK: Using a dual quarterback system for most of the first four games, OUAZ is eighth in the NAIA by thowing for 282.8 yards per game.

• Isaiah Randalle made his first start of the season last week and threw for 272 yards and five touchdowns to earn SAC Offensive Player of the Week. On the season, Randalle completes 53.5 percent of his passes for 844 yards and eight touchdowns. He has a 135.5 passer rating which ranks 29th in the nation.

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

RUNNING BACK NOTEBOOK: Maybe the deepest group on the offense, OUAZ is 22nd in the NAIA by rushing for 181.0 yards per game while sitting 10th with an average of 4.5 yards per rush.

• Kristopher Ewens is the team's leading rusher with 396 yards on 76 carries. He is third in the country in total rushing yards and with an average of 99.0 rushing yards per game. Ewens is 10th nationally with five rushing touchdowns.

• Marcelous Chester-Riley has gained 147 yards on 27 carries while scoring a pair of touchdowns. His 5.4 yards per rush ranks 28th in the NAIA

• Tyerell Sturges-Cofer has gained 105 yards on 20 carries. His four TDs at Lyon 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 39th in the NAIA by averaging 12.9 yards per catch and 19th with 10 passing touchdowns.

• Devone Humphrey leads the team with 17 receptions, accounting for 227 yards. He has snagged 15 balls in the past three games and had a season-high 88 receiving yards against Louisiana Christian.

• Donovahn Jones has a team-leading 263 receiving yards on 15 receptions. He is 47th in the NAIA in yards and 24th by averaging 17.5 yards per catch. Jones has made multiple receptions in every game while scoring four touchdowns.

• Roman Sahagun has recorded 116 yards and scored three TDs on eight catches.

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 463.8 yards per game – ninth in the NAIA – and 5.9 yards per play.

• Elijah Boyd-Volakis has started 21 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 four games this season and now has 14 career starts. He has appeared in 34 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 285.5 yards per game to rank 30th in the NAIA.

• David Sow is fourth in the team with 18 tackles while tying for the team lead with 7.5 tackles-for-loss and 4.0 sacks. He ranks 20th in the NAIA in sacks and 18th in TFLs. Sow has recorded a sack in three of the four games.

• Seth Ham has tallied 13 tackles and 4.5 TFLs. He has twice recorded two TFLs in a game this season, and he recorded his first sack of the season on Saturday against LCU.

• 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 120.3 rushing yards per game and holding three opponents below 100 rushing yards.

• Brandon Tomerlin Jr. leads the team in tackles with 29, while his 24 solo tackles are the 16th-most in the nation. Tomerlin is tied for the team lead with 7.5 TFLs and 4.0 sacks. Tomerlin has a sack in every game this season. The OUAZ all-time tackle leader needs six to reach 200 for his career.

• Scott Bonham Jr. has tallied 25 tackles with a team-best 17 assisted tackles. He has 3.5 TFLs to go with two pass breakups. Bonham has recorded at least six tackles in three of the season's four games.

• Khalil Lewis has made 12 tackles (10 solo) with 2.5 TFLs and one sack. He is tied for the team lead with four pass breakups.

DEFENSIVE BACK NOTEBOOK: The defensive backfield has been a pivotal contributor to the defense that is 26th in the NAIA by allowing 165.3 passing yards per game and placing 11th with eight interceptions.

• Eric Holman is third on the team with 20 tackles and he made 10 stops at TWU. Holman is sixth in the NAIA with three interceptions and 44th with four pass breakups.

• Isaac Jennings has 12 tackles, one interception, and one pass breakup.

• James Randolph III has recorded 12 tackles, one TFL, and two pass 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 13 of 13 on PAT attempts while going 6 of 8 on field goals to give him 31 points. He ranks 11th nationally in kicking points and 12th among all players in points per game.

• After setting the OUAZ record with 10 punts for 480 yards on Saturday, Austin Bohn now ranks eighth in the nation at 41.2 yards per punt.

• Sahagun is 10th in the NAIA, averaging 30.0 yards per kick return and 12th at 13.3 yards per punt return.

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Players Mentioned

#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

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

Players Mentioned

#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

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