FINAL RELEASE (PDF)
GENERAL NOTES
FINISHING THE SEASON WITH A BANG
Morehead State rolled to a 55-35 win over Butler in its season finale on Nov. 19. The Eagles tallied 522 yards of total offense that afternoon, including 393 through the air. It was the final collegiate game for linebacker Tony Bachman, fullback Desmond Cox, defensive end Mark Hall, halfback Cory Jackson, defensive end Kyle Manley, linebacker Keaton May, halfback Ronnie McDermott, defensive end Jerome Raymond and wide receiver Andre Williams.
INVITED TO THE SENIOR SCOUT BOWL
Jerome Raymond and Tony Bachman were invited to the 2011 Football Championship Subdivision Senior Scout Bowl, which was played on Dec. 17 in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The event, which is presented by the Collegiate Development Football League (CDFL), showcases the talent of senior football players at the conclusion of each season. Raymond played in the game, but Bachman did not due to an injury in MSU’s season finale.
LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Rainer Duzan was honored as the Pioneer Football League’s Special Teams Player of the Week on three occasions during the 2011 campaign (Sept. 4, Sept. 25, Nov. 20), while Desmond Cox earned one Offensive Player of the Week nod (Nov. 20) and Jerome Raymond notched one Defensive Player of the Week award (Sept. 4).
JUMPING OUT TO BIG LEADS
Morehead State outscored its opponents by 32 points (309-277) over the first three quarters in 2011, but the Eagles were outscored by 24 points (112-88) in the fourth quarter. MSU went 3-8 overall, but held a fourth-quarter lead in five of the 11 contests.
A PAIR OF HEARTBREAKING LOSSES
Morehead State dropped back-to-back games in September by just a combined five points. The Eagles were ahead 21 points in the third quarter on Sept. 17 at Saint Francis (Pa.) and suffered a 50-49 setback to the Red Flash. MSU was then in front by 17 points after three quarters on Sept. 24 against San Diego and suffered a 48-44 defeat to the Toreros.
A CHALLENGING SCHEDULE
Five of Morehead State’s eight 2011 Pioneer Football League opponents received votes in either the Sports Network/Fathead.com or Football Championship Subdivision Coaches poll. Jacksonville received recognition in both polls each week of the campaign.
THE EAGLE OFFENSE
THE QB PUT UP BIG NUMBERS
Zach Lewis led the Pioneer Football League and ranked sixth among NCAA Football Championship Subdivision players with 3,449 total yards this season (313.6 per game). The signal caller, who threw 28 touchdowns and just seven interceptions, completed 324-of-513 passes for 3,585 yards in 11 games.
THE FIRST TO PASS FOR 3,000
Zach Lewis became the first quarterback in Morehead State history to pass for 3,000 yards in a single season when he tallied 338 yards on Nov. 12 at Davidson. He broke the record set by David Caudill, who amassed 2,979 yards via the air attack in 2002.
MORE SCHOOL RECORDS FOR LEWIS
Zach Lewis set Morehead State and Pioneer Football League records for completions (44) and attempts (68) on Nov. 5 at Campbell. He went 32-of-46 for 301 yards in the second half alone to help the Eagles score 28 points over the final 30 minutes.
MSU SINGLE-SEASON STANDARDS TOO
Zach Lewis also set Morehead State records for single-season completions and attempts for the second straight year. He connected on 260-of-423 as a sophomore in 2010 and has topped those figures by going 324-for-513 as a junior in 2011.
SAWYER SETS THE SCHOOL STANDARD
Donte Sawyer set a Morehead State single-season record with his 11th and 12th touchdown catches on Nov. 19 vs. Butler. Sawyer led the Eagles in catches (60), receiving yards (904) and TD receptions (12) in 2011.
CATCHING CHASE AND COMPANY
Donte Sawyer also owns Morehead State’s career record for touchdown receptions with 16 in just three seasons. Corkey Kirtley (1947-50) and Todd Chase (1995-98) shared the previous all-time standard with 15 TD catches apiece.
SHOULDN’T 400 TOTAL YARDS EQUAL A WIN?
Morehead State amassed 400+ total yards six times in 2011, but the Eagles lost three of those six games. MSU suffered defeats despite 651 yards at Saint Francis (Pa.), 555 yards against Drake and 514 yards at Campbell.
300 TOTAL YARDS IS A SAFE BET
Morehead State tallied 300+ total yards in 10 of 11 contests this past season. The Eagles posted a season-best 753 in the opener against Kentucky Christian.
300 PASSING YARDS HAPPENED FREQUENTLY, TOO
Morehead State also reached 300+ passing yards in nine of 11 affairs this past year. The Eagles recorded a season-high 512 at Saint Francis (Pa.).
FIRING IT TO THE END ZONE
Morehead State led the Pioneer Football League with 33 touchdown passes this past season. The total included 28 scoring tosses from Zach Lewis, three from redshirt freshman Boone Goldsmith and two from junior Kevin Thomas.
THE OFFENSE DEFINITELY IMPROVED
Morehead State improved eight first downs, more than 88 passing yards and 138 total yards per game from the previous season. The 2010 Eagles averaged 17.2 first downs, 269.8 passing yards and 340.8 total yards per contest. The 2011 Eagles averaged 25.2, 358.2 and 478.9 in those same offensive categories.
AMONG THE NATION’S BEST
Morehead State ranked in the top 10 of all NCAA Football Championship Subdivision schools for first downs (1st, 25.2), passing yards (2nd, 358.2), total yards (2nd, 478.9) and points (8th, 36.1) per game this past season.
NO. 1 IN THE LEAGUE
Morehead State led the Pioneer Football League in first downs (25.2), passing yards (358.2), total yards (478.9) and points (36.1) per contest this past year.
WE THREW TO EVERYONE
Morehead State had 16 different individuals with a catch in 2011, including six targets who averaged at least 20 receiving yards per game.
THE EAGLE DEFENSE
MORE LEAGUE-BEST NOTES
Morehead State also led the Pioneer Football League in lowest opponent third-down percentage (27.6).
A SCHOOL RECORD ON DEFENSE, TOO
Tony Bachman collected 107 tackles this past season to rank second in the Pioneer Football League with 9.7 stops per game. He finished his four seasons in an Eagle uniform with a school-record 304 tackles.
THIS LINEBACKER HAD A DAY
Tony Bachman collected a season-best 18 tackles on Nov. 12 at Davidson.
MANLEY WAS THE MAN AT CAMPBELL
Kyle Manley posted a career-best 17 tackles on Nov. 5 at Campbell. He recorded just 37 stops over his first eight games (4.6 tpg) in 2011.
YOU MAY WANT TO MARK THIS GUY
Jerome Raymond ranked 13th in the country with 1.05 sacks per game this past season. He drilled the opposing quarterback 11.5 times and tallied 68 tackles overall. Raymond, who recorded 27 career sacks at MSU, will go down as one of the top defenders in school history.
SENVISKY NAMED TO RICE AWARD WATCH LIST
Zachary Senvisky was one of 15 individuals named to the Jerry Rice Award Watch List. The award, presented by The Sports Network and sponsored by Fathead.com, honors the Football Championship Subdivision’s top freshman.
THE EAGLE SPECIAL TEAMS
THIS GUY CAN SCORE POINTS
Rainer Duzan scored a team-best 85 points in 2011. He knocked down 12-of-17 field-goal attempts and 49-of-51 extra-point tries.
PULLING DOUBLE DUTY
Rainer Duzan also punted 61 times for 2,202 yards this past season. His average of 36.1 yards per boot ranked 10th in the Pioneer Football League.
MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
HOME ATTENDANCE LED THE PFL
Morehead State led the Pioneer Football League in home attendance this past season with an average of 6,166 fans. That total was up over 2,000 fans per game from the 2010 season, which saw a clip of 4,119.
BEATING UP ON THE HOOSIER STATE
Both of Morehead State’s Division I wins this past season came against teams from the Hoosier State. The Eagles posted a 38-14 road win over Valparaiso on Oct. 1 and 55-35 home victory over Butler on Nov. 19. (MSU also rolled to a 67-0 win over NAIA foe Kentucky Christian in the season opener at Jayne Stadium.)
A FORMER EAGLE JOINS THE AFL
Former Morehead State defensive back David Hyland joined the Arena Football League’s Utah Blaze in mid-December. The 24-year-old has spent the past two campaigns in the Canadian Football League with the BC Lions and Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
OFFENSIVE RANKINGS & RECORDS
Team
** First downs -- 25.2 per game (1st in the PFL, 1st in the FCS)
** Total yards -- 478.9 per game (1st in the PFL, 2nd in the FCS)
** Passing yards -- 358.2 per game (1st in the PFL, 2nd in the FCS)
** Points -- 36.1 per game (1st in the PFL, 8th in the FCS)
Individual
** Zach Lewis, passing yards -- 325.9 per game (1st in the PFL, 5th in the FCS)
** Zach Lewis, total yards -- 313.6 per game (1st in the PFL, 6th in the FCS)
** Donte Sawyer, all-purpose yards -- 146.2 per game (2nd in the PFL, 13th in the FCS)
** Donte Sawyer, receiving yards -- 82.2 per game (3rd in the PFL, 27th in the FCS)
** Desmond Cox, rushing yards -- 86.9 per game (3rd in the PFL, 40th in the FCS)
** Donte Sawyer, points -- 6.5 per game (3rd in the PFL, T-59th in the FCS)
School Records (Team)
** Single-game total yards -- 753 vs. Kentucky Christian on 9/1 (also a PFL record)
** Single-game passing yards -- 512 at Saint Francis (Pa.) on 9/17 (also a PFL record)
** Single-game pass completions -- 44 at Campbell on 11/5 (also a PFL record)
** Single-game pass attempts -- 68 at Campbell on 11/5 (also a PFL record)
** Single-season total yards -- 5,268
** Single-season passing yards -- 3,940 (also a PFL record)
** Single-season pass completions -- 350 (also a PFL record)
** Single-season pass attempts -- 560 (also a PFL record)
School Records (Individual)
** Zach Lewis, single-season passing yards -- 3,585
** Zach Lewis, single-season pass completions -- 324 (also a PFL record)
** Zach Lewis, single-season pass attempts -- 513 (also a PFL record)
** Zach Lewis, single-game pass completions -- 44 at Campbell on 11/5 (also a PFL record)
** Zach Lewis, single-game pass attempts -- 68 at Campbell on 11/5 (also a PFL record)
** Donte Sawyer, single-game TD catches -- 3 at Campbell on 11/5
** Donte Sawyer, single-season TD catches -- 12
** Donte Sawyer, career TD catches -- 16
** Desmond Cox -- longest run -- 92 yards vs. Butler on 11/19
