Football 9/6/2022 1:00:00 PM

2022 Football Notes -- Game 2: vs. SAGU

OPENING KICKOFF: Coming off one of the most dominant performances in program history, the 10th-ranked OUAZ football team plays its first game at home on Saturday when they host SAGU (Texas). Kickoff at Spirit Field is at 7 p.m. AZT and tickets are available at OUAZSpirit.com/tickets.

WATCH: Saturday's game will be broadcast live on 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 the game with a 1-0 record and is tied atop the Sooner standings with a 1-0 record in conference play.

THE LIONS: SAGU makes the trip to Surprise with a 1-0 record after a 27-0 win over Louisiana Christian on Saturday in Waxahachie, Texas. The Lions are among the four teams tied at the top of the SAC with a 1-0 conference record.

THE SERIES: The Spirit is 3-1 all-time against the Lions, including a 42-28 win at Lumpkins Stadium last season. OUAZ has won three straight over SAGU since falling 56-34 in Texas during the 2018 season. The only previous Surprise meeting was the Spirit's 37-7 win in April 2021.

HOME OPENERS: OUAZ is 3-1 in home openers in the program's history. They started the 2021 season with that 76-10 home win over Lyon. The Spirit won its first two home openers before dropping the home opener in the 2020(21) season.

NAIA TOP 25 POLL: OUAZ received a No. 10 ranking in the preseason edition of the NAIA Football FirstDown PlayBook Top 25 Poll released on August 1. That is the highest preseason ranking in program history. It is also the 30th consecutive poll to feature the Spirit dating back to the 2019 season. That is the ninth-longest active streak in the NAIA.

SOONER FAVORITES: Having won two of the past three SAC titles, OUAZ was chosen to win the conference again in 2022, according to a poll of the league coaches released on August 1. The SAC coaches awarded the Spirit 79 points with eight first-place votes to achieve the top position. OUAZ also received one third-place vote.

NEW YEAR, NEW ROSTER: OUAZ saw 21 players make their OUAZ debut in the win at Lyon on Saturday. Nine players made their first starts for the Spirit.

HIGH OCTANE OFFENSE: The Spirit delivered a record-setting performance with 737 yards of total offense on Saturday 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 10th-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 515.5 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 (52.47) and Kansas Wesleyan (46.74) are averaging more points than the 46.68 OUAZ averages. The Spirit has scored 50-plus points in a game 13 times in program history and is on a run of 16 straight games with at least 28 points.

NOT TOO BAD ON DEFENSE EITHER: The Spirit defense made a statement on Saturday with the first shutout in program history. They held Lyon to 144 total yards and eight first downs – the fewest ever allowed by a Spirit defense – in setting the record for the largest margin of victory.

QUARTERBACK NOTEBOOK: Both Carter Freedland and Isaiah Randalle took snaps at QB at Lyon. Freedland made the start to become the first new OUAZ quarterback since the second game in program history.

• Freedland played the first and third quarters and finished 19 of 23 for 224 yards and two touchdowns. He leads the NAIA with a .826 completion percentage, completing nine straight passes at one point.

• Randalle completed his first six attempts and finished 13 of 21 for 141 yards and two scores.

RUNNING BACK NOTEBOOK: Maybe the deepest group on the roster, OUAZ ran for a program record 372 yards at Lyon. Four players carried the ball, each gaining at least 50 yards.

• Kristopher Ewens led the way with 108 yards and a touchdown. His sixth straight game with 100-plus yards place him fifth in the Sooner and 49th in the NAIA.

• Tyrell Sturges-Cofer rushed for 86 yards, four touchdowns, and had two 2-point conversions. 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.

• Michael Green II ran for 76 yards on nine carries while scoring once. He is fourth in the SAC by averaging 8.4 yards per attempt.

• Marcelous Chester-Riley gained 59 yards and seven carries. He also scored on a 12-yard reception.

RECEIVER NOTEBOOK: OUAZ saw 10 different receivers/tight ends make a catch at Lyon. Seven of those had multiple grabs in the game.

• Donovahn Jones emerged as the No. 1 target with five receptions for 93 yards and two touchdowns. He currently ranks 26th in the NAIA in receiving yards per game and 17th in receiving touchdowns.

• Max Mayer also made five grabs going for 41 yards on Saturday.

• Jonah Alicea snagged four receptions for 32 yards.

• Roman Sahagun had a 57-yard touchdown among two catches for 61 yards.

OFFENSIVE LINE NOTEBOOK: Despite replacing four all-conference starters on the offensive line, the Spirit controlled the line of scrimmage at Lyon. Only two of the 90 plays went for a loss.

• Elijah Boyd-Volakis made his 18th consecutive start 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.

• Tofiga Liaiga made his 11th career start, but first since 2019, on Saturday. He has appeared in 31 games during his OUAZ career.

• David Sanchez III took over at center with Zach Woltz and Harvey Gonzalez making their first career starts.

DEFENSIVE LINE NOTEBOOK: The defensive line dominated the line of scrimmage, helping the Spirit hold Lyon to just 144 total yards and 49 yards passing.

• David Sow led the line with four tackles and 2.5 tackles-for-loss. He also had one sack and currently ranks 48th in the NAIA in TFLs.

• Christopher Scott made four tackles with one TFL.

• Giovonni White had a sack for 10 yards of loss among his three tackles.

LINEBACKER NOTEBOOK: The most experienced position group on the team, the linebacker core, delivered on Saturday.

• Brandon Tomerlin Jr. led the team with seven tackles while adding one TFL. The OUAZ all-time leader in tackles is now 28 shy of 200 for his career.

• Scott Bonham Jr. added six tackles and 1.5 TFLs on Saturday.

• Matthew Kuhlmann recorded five tackles and one pass breakup.

DEFENSIVE BACK NOTEBOOK: In holding the Scots to 49 passing yards, the Spirit DBs locked down the receivers and gave up just 2.7 yards per attempt.

• Eric Holman recorded his first career interception to halt the first Lyon drive of the game. He also made two tackles.

• James Randolph III finished with three tackles and one TFL in the win.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTEBOOK: OUAZ finished the game with zero punts for the first time in team history. They also failed to convert a PAT, going 0 for 1 with two fumbles on kicking attempts.

• Shane McInerey had 11 kickoffs for an average of 42.7 yards and an opponent starting position of the 34-yard line.

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Players Mentioned

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

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

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

#54 Matthew Kuhlmann: LB; 5' 11"; Senior

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

Players Mentioned

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

#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

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

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

#54 Matthew Kuhlmann
: 5' 11"; Senior
: LB

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