By Matt Schabert, Morehead State Athletic Media Relations
GAME NOTES (PDF) | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE AUDIO
MOREHEAD, Ky. -- Following a week off of competition, the Morehead State football team gets back to PFL action on Saturday at Marist. Kickoff in the Hudson River valley is set for Noon ET.
The game will air live on the Eagle Sports Radio Network with Jason Blanton (WIVY-96.3 FM). Live video is on GoRedFoxes.com.
The Marist series has become somewhat heated. The last two games were decided by three points each, and the four in the series have been separated by only 22 points.
QUOTING COACH TENYER
On accomplishments during the bye week -- "Our bye week came a little late this year. To play nine weeks without a bye does take a toll on your team. We just went back to simplifying things this past week and letting guys make plays. We got some rest and relaxation early in the week last week, and then we've had a really good couple of days of practice."
On Marist -- "They have a high number of starters back and a really good quarterback. We have similar records, so we'll have to, again, take care of the football and execute."
GAME NOTES
THE MARIST SERIES
Morehead State and Marist have played four times since the Red Foxes began PFL play in 2009. The teams played in 2009 and 2010 before a four-year hiatus until 2015. Ironically, all four games have been won by the visiting team. The Eagles' last trip to upstate New York (2015)Â resulted in a 20-17 victory via a field goal in the last 30 seconds.
HOME ATTENDANCE LEADERS
Morehead and the region have shown tremendous support for the Eagle football program, and in fact MSU has led the Pioneer Football league in attendance for four consecutive seasons. Last year, MSU averaged 5,736 and averaged 6,401 in the first four games in 2017 - again leading the league.
MILLENNIUM MAN
Sophomore
Jaunyea Tarver continues to LEAD the NCAA FCS Division in kick return yardage. In fact, Tarver (1,020 yards) is one of only two FCS players with more than 1,000 yards and is one of only four in all of NCAA FBS, FCS, II and III to eclipse the century mark in kick return yards.Â
TURNING THE PAGE
Redshirt junior QB
Lawson Page already has the 17th-best passing season in program history with 2,042 yards. His current 226.9 per-game average is the 11th best in school history. Page has a pair of 300-yard games and two games with a career-best four touchdowns.
A BURST FROM HURST
Redshirt freshman receiver
Landon Hurst has averaged 77 receiving yards per game just in the past three contests. He has piled up 16 catches for 231 yards and scored three times in that span. Prior to that his career best was a 59-yard game in the season opener. Hurst also averages 15.8 yards on eight punt returns, which would lead the PFL if he had enough to qualify for stats minimums.
HARD TO COVER HIMJunior wide receiver Jarin Higginbotham leads the conference in yards per catch at 19.2. Higginbotham has three games with more than 100 yards, including a 126-yard effort at San Diego on a career-best 10 catches. If his current yard-per-game average holds up, it would be the third-best season in program history terms of yards per game
YOU GOT COOK'ED
Senior cornerback
Braylyn Cook leads all active players with 42 career passes defended and nine interceptions. He has three picks this season. Cook ranks in the top five in the PFL in passes defended and interceptions.
A STARR IS BORN
Freshman safety Starr Hutcherson finds himself as the second leading tackler on the defense in his first collegiate season. He has started the last four games and has piled up 53 total stops this year. Hutcherson has 21 solo tackles just in the last four games and had a career-best 11 stops at Campbell.
COMEBACK KIDS
Morehead State has a pair of fourth quarter game-winning rallies this year. The Eagles erased a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Dayton on Sept. 23. It marked the largest overall rally to win since being down by as many as 16 against Valparaiso on Oct. 25, 2014 (MSU rallied to win 48-47). The Eagles scored with just 30 seconds left to defeat Stetson 29-26. Since 2007, those two make only four fourth-quarter successful rallies for Morehead State.
INJURY UPDATE
The Eagles will be without senior wide receiver
Christian Robinson for the remainder of the season after an injury at Valparaiso two weeks ago. Also out is junior linebacker
Jerome Brooks, the Eagles' leading tackler.
SENIOR DAY COMING UP
Next weekend, 13 senior members of the Eagle football team will be honored prior to the season finale at home versus Davidson.
