The Fort Hays State football team played their first road game of the season on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 10) at Truman in Kirksville, Mo. The Tigers outgained the Bulldogs by nearly 100 yards, and had nearly three times as many rushing yards, but miscues by FHSU proved costly as Truman downed the Tigers 36-31.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Utah State: Senior cornerback Terrence Alston had a monster start to his final collegiate season, as he led the team with five solo tackles and a sack against SUU. Fellow senior McKade Brady was right behind him with three tackles of his own. The entire group allowed just 153 yards through the air from a total of just 12 completions. The Aggies’ secondary will be eager to pounce on Wynn early after watching his opening drive against Northern Colorado.

 

 

 

 

 

 Another former Viking, Terrance Alston, had a solid game in Utah State’s 34-3 win over Southern Utah State, leading the Aggies with five solo tackles, including a sack for a 10-yard loss.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 September 7, 2011 

 

Young Cougs make impact in first scrimmage
CONNOR HALLIDAY		By MICHAEL-SHAWN DUGAR Cougfan.com Correspondent Posted Apr 19, 2014   Share on twitterShare on facebook|More Sharing ServicesMore   PULLMAN – It’s ironic that amid a veteran-heavy Washington State receiving corps, the opening touchdown reception of the team’s first official scrimmage belonged to a freshman. But the speedy Robert Lewis was just one of several young Cougars flying around and making plays on Day 11 of spring practice.
The 5-foot-9, 160-pound receiver’s quickness was on full display during his 44-yard touchdown from quarterback Tyler Bruggman. Lewis hauled in the pass from about 10 yards away but managed to make a defender miss in the open field before turning on the jets the rest of the way.  “It was a scrimmage so I felt I had to make a few plays,” Robert Lewis said. “I’m just trying my hardest to make a few plays and earn my spot.”  Turns out Lewis was only getting warmed up, as he delivered yet another explosive scoring play later in the day. His second score came again on a connection with Bruggman, a 50-yard pass that traveled about 25 yards before landing in Lewis’ hands. Once he caught it, all the defenders could see was the back of his jersey as he raced into the end zone.  Lewis finished Saturday’s scrimmage with three catches for 101 yards.  In the 115-play scrimmage, three WSU quarterbacks combined for more than 700 passing yards with nine TDs. But the defense racked up nine sacks – three by Emmitt Su’a-Kalio and two by Toni Pole – and held Cougar running backs to 32 combined ground hashes and 2.0 yards per carry. Bruggman, who primarily spent the day running with the 3s on offense, completed 15 of his 28 passes for 250 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. In addition to the two plays to Lewis, the freshman hooked up with Daniel Lilienthal for an 8-yard score. His interception came on a tipped pass by defensive lineman Moritz Christthat eventually landed in the hands of linebacker Peyton Pelluer in the end zone.  Pelluer’s interception by was the first of the two turnovers he caused in the scrimmage. Three plays later, he laid a hit on running back Gerard Wicks that jarred the ball loose and he eventually recovered.  Pelluer also led the team with seven total tackles.  Luke Falk took the snaps at quarterback with the second team on Saturday. Falk finished the day 24 of 32 for 253 yards and three touchdowns. He found wide receiverTyler Baker for his first touchdown, from 18 yards out, while his second score came on a 34-yard deep ball to Lilienthal. A 15-yard pass to running back Jamal Morrowserved as his third and final score of the day.  Lilienthal joined Lewis as the only receivers to go over the 100-yard mark as the redshirt junior led the team with 114 yards and two scores.  The first-team offense was not to be outdone, though, as senior Connor Hallidaycompleted 24 of his 31 passing attempts and added three scores of his own, hooking up with wide receivers Vince Mayle and River Cracraft.  Halliday connected twice with Mayle, first from seven, then 20 yards out. The ball to Cracraft came from 13 yards away, which Cracraft did most of the leg work for. After the catch he used a few juke moves on safety Darius Lemora and cornerbackDaquawn Brown on his way to the end zone.  Mayle recorded seven catches for 89 yards and Cracraft brought in six passes for 64 yards on the day.  On defense, Beau Glover continues to play well in place of Isaac Dotson at starting safety. Glover led the team in solo tackles with six and nearly came away with an interception before Baker wrestled it away as the two went to the ground.  “Beau’s all over the place,” said defensive coordinator Mike Breske. “He’s having a great camp.”  Linebacker Darryl Monroe also had positive feedback about Glover.  “He doesn’t talk much but is always in the right spot, always wants to make a play,” Monroe said. “That’s one guy who I know passionately loves football more than a lot of people.”  The defensive lineups varied for the most part on Saturday, Breske said, which gave guys who typically run with the 2s and 3s to mix it up and get a feel for running with some other units.  “(The scrimmage) was pretty good, it was a lot better than last year,” Monroe said. “A lot less mistakes, the effort looks a lot better so compared to last year we’re a lot further ahead.”  Aside from the turnovers, the biggest defensive highlight of the day came from safetyDavid Bucannon. The younger brother of former All-American Deone Bucannon came flying down the middle of the field to thud Baker, preventing the receiver from holding onto the ball and causing the defensive to erupt in cheers.  In the backfield, each running back ran out with every unit with the exception ofTheron West, who strictly played with the 1s. Teondray Caldwell led the group in carries with six for 14 yards. Jamal Morrow had the only rushing touchdown of the day, a 1-yard carry on the first series of the day.  On special teams Erik Powell knocked 5 of his 7 kicks through the goal posts. The starting kicker made kicks from 24, 37, 40, 41, and 45. His attempt from 39 yards was wide left, as was his try from 42 yards.  NOTABLE NOTES:  • After fully participating in practice on Thursday, wide receiver Gabe Marks showed up to the scrimmage in street clothes.  • Other limited players included: LB Nate DeRider, RB Marcus Mason, S Isaac Dotson, WR Dom Williams and WR Isiah Myers.  • Former Coug Marcus Trufant appeared at practice and addressed the team after the scrimmage.  “He’s a just great example of a guy who really worked hard and made himself a player and did a tremendous job,” Leach said of Trufant.  Running with the 1s  OFFENSE  QB – Connor Halliday  RB – Theron West  X – Vince Mayle  Y – River Cracraft  H – Rickey Galvin  Z – Kristoff Williams  LT – Joe Dahl  LG – Gunnar Eklund  C – Riley Sorenson and Sam Flor  RG – Jacob Seydel  RT – Cole Madison  DEFENSE  CB – Tracy Clark and Daquawn Brown  S – Taylor Taliulu and Beau Glover  MIKE – Darryl Monroe  WILL – Tana Pritchard  BUCK – Kache Palacio  SAM – Cyrus Coen  NT – Toni Pole  T – Xavier Cooper  E – Destiny Vaeao  Running with the 2s  OFFENSE  QB – Luke Falk  RB – Teondray Caldwell, Jamal Morrow and Gerard Wicks  X – Daniel Lilienthal  Y – Tyler Baker  H – Robert Lewis  Z – Drew Loftus  LT – Devonte McClain  LG – Eduardo Middleton  C – Sam Flor and Riley Sorenson  RG – Cody O’Connell  RT – Jacob Seydel  DEFENSE  CB – Charleston White, Marcellus Pippins and Sebastian LaRue  S – Darius Lemora and David Bucannon  MIKE – Jeremiah Allison  WILL – Chester Su’a  BUCK – Ivan McLennan  SAM – Mitchell Peterson  NT – Robert Barber  T – Daniel Ekuale  E – Lyman Faoliu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BUCANNON IS 1ST-TEAM AP ALL-AMERICA
DEONE BUCANNON		By BARRY BOLTON Cougfan.com Managing Editor Posted Dec 17, 2013   Share on twitterShare on facebook|More Sharing ServicesMore   MARCUS TRUFANT didn't do it. Neither did Erik Coleman. Or Jason David, Paul Sorensen or even legendary Bill Gaskins. Washington State senior safety Deone Bucannon officially joined the pantheon of all-time Cougar greats today when he was named first-team Associated Press All-America.
Bucannon becomes the first Cougar to earn first-team AP honors since running back Jerome Harrison in 2005 and the first WSU defensive player since tackle Rien Long in 2002. He also becomes only the third WSU defensive back to receive top honors from AP since it started picking All-America teams in 1925. The other Cougar DBs to earn first-team AP recognition were Clancy Williams in 1965 and Lamont Thompson in 2001.  The Associated Press All-America team has long been considered the premier list in the nation. WSU's All-Time AP first-team All-Americans Turk Edwards, tackle, 1930 Clancy Williams, back, 1964  Dan Lynch, guard, 1984 Mike Utley, guard, 1988 Jason Hanson, kicker, 1989 Lamont Thompson, safety, 2001 Rien Long, defensive tackle, 2002 Jerome Harrison, running back, 2005 2nd-Team AP choices: C Mel Hein-1930, HB George Sander-1932, FB Bob Kennedy-1942, WR Bill Steiger-1956, WR Hugh Campbell-1962, RB Rueben Mayes-1984, DE DeWayne Patterson-1994, QB Ryan Leaf-1997, OG Derrick Roche-2002, CB Marcus Trufant-2002, DE Mkristo Bruce-2006 For all the news, information, opinion and recruiting insight available on Cougfan.com and its Scout.com network, click here to subscribe and start your 7-day free trial! The honor comes on the heels of Bucannon earning third-team All-America plaudits yesterday from CBS Sports, and first-team honors from Athlon Sports and second-team from the Walter Camp Foundation last week. Bucannon, who last month became the first Cougar to earn first-team All-Pac-12 accolades since wideout Brandon Gibson in 2007 and the first WSU defensive back since safety Eric Frampton in 2006, has a sensational senior campaign at Washington State, leading the conference in tackles this season with 109. Bucannon, who never redshirted, also was among conference leaders in interceptions, with five. In addition, he forced three fumbles, recovered two, tallied 4.5 tackles-for-loss and registered four double-digit tack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WSU's Bucannon headed to Senior Bowl by the staff of Cougfan.com, December 10, 2013 at 3:44 am ET Deone Bucannon Profile Washington State safety Deone Bucannon has accepted an invitation to play in the Reese's Senior Bowl all-star game Jan. 25 in Mobile, Ala., bowl officials said Monday. Bucannon led the Pac-12 in tackles this season with 109 and picked off five passes. He last week was named first-team All-Pac-12, marking the first time a Cougar has made the top unit since Brandon Gibson in 2007. He ranks in WSU's career top 10 for tackles and interceptions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WSU seniors will forever be remembered
HORTON: GRABBED HIS THIRD PICK-SIX OF 2013		By DANE BARGABUS Cougfan.com Correspondent Posted Nov 23, 2013   Share on twitterShare on facebook|More Sharing ServicesMore   PULLMAN – For years and years, they’ve worked for this out on the Palouse. And while there remains more to do in 2013, with an Apple Cup and bowl win still potentially in the cards, this group of Cougar seniors will forever be remembered -- for their perseverance, for helping to turn around the program, for getting that sixth win. Here’s post game video of three Cougar seniors – plus Mike Leach.
Deone Bucannon Damante Horton Andrew Furney Mike Leach

 

 

Bucannon shines bright on big stage for Cougars

 

As he has done throughout his career with the Washington State football team, Deone Bucannon again came up big on a big stage for the Cougars on Saturday.

It just didn’t add up to victory – or even a close defeat.

The Vanden High graduate had a game-high nine tackles and recorded his third interception of the year as WSU (3-2) fell 55-17 to No. 5 Stanford in the annual Seattle Game at CenturyLink Field, home of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks.

The senior strong safety leads the Pac-12 with 44 total and 26 solo tackles and is tied for second with an average of 8.8 tackles per game.

NOTABLE NOTES  Washington State scored on its opening drive for the first time since Halliday's 32-yard pass to Marks against Colorado last season.  Washington State's 120 rushing yards were the most it amassed since 2011 at Oregon, when it finished with 125.  Halliday threw for 344 yards, his sixth 300-yard game, tying him for third all-time with Jason Gesser and Timm Rosenbach.  Halliday's 65 pass attempts were the second-most in school single-game history. Drew Bledsoe caught 66 against Montana in 1992.  Andrew Furney's 44-yard field goal was the 32nd of his career, moving him into a tie for fourth place on the schook's career list with Rian Lindell.  Rickey Galvin matched a career high with five catches.  Deone Bucannon added 14 tackles for a career total of 284, including 202 solo, good for the sixth-most all time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BYU's Scott Arellano gets taken down by Washington's Deone Bucannon during the second half of the NCAA college football game between the BYU Cougars and the Washington State Cougars at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012. BYU went on to beat Washington State 30-6. (AP Photo/Spenser Heaps, Daily Herald)

By Paul Farmer
From page B1 | September 05, 2012 | Leave Comment

 

 

 

 

LEACH: No more 'frustration demonstrations'
MIKE LEACH		By JOE DOYLE Cougfan.com Correspondent Posted Sep 3, 2012   Share on twitterShare on facebook|More Sharing ServicesMore   PULLMAN – Few people would call the Cougars a “great” team one game into the 2012 season. But safety Deone Bucannon did just that on Monday. Meanwhile, based on what Mike Leach had to say, don’t expect any further displays of demonstrable frustration out on the field -- like what the ESPN cameras captured with Marquess Wilson at the end of the BYU game.
Morale was high and the demeanor was calm on Monday, a few days removed from Thursday’s disappointing loss to BYU.  “We’re a great team, we know we’re a great team,” Deone Bucannon said. “The performance we put on (at BYU) isn’t going to translate into any of the other games coming up.”  “If you guys expect us to sit around and mope all week, you’re wrong,” Jeff Tuel said. “Those times are over.”  During the BYU game, the Cougs drew Mike Leach’s ire for doing exactly that. A hot topic among CougFans since Thursday, I asked Leach about All-America candidateMarquess Wilson and how ESPN’s cameras showed him frustrated out on the field towards the end of the game.  “We spent more time putting on little frustration demonstrations than we did playing football -- that's a problem,” Leach said. “I’m not having him pout, or anybody else.”  Leach said body language has been a huge point of emphasis in film session and meetings this week.  He also added that he’d have no problem sending someone to the locker room if they were going to mope around. He didn’t refer to Wilson specifically on that last point -- it’s clear the team as a whole will need to avoid similar expressions of attitude this week and come Saturday.  TUEL SAID HE needs to play better next week and beyond and what needs work is obvious.  “I need to get through my reads quicker,” Tuel said. “I need to put the ball in play, really.”  Leach also noted that Tuel does have the freedom to take off and run on any play but it's not an emphasis. He said he was impressed with how Tuel avoided pressure and made things happen on the run, but added that he has to find his check downs and make things happen.  When asked if the new offense has led to some growing pains, Tuel somewhat agreed but said that it was no excuse for any shortcomings in his play on Thursday. As to the body language issue, he said that as a team captain, senior and veteran quarterback, it’s his job to help maintain team mettle.  “We’re a young team,” Tuel said. “It’s easy if you get in a hole just to kinda get upset and get your body language down and throw in the towel. We’re 0-1. It’s not the end of the world. It’s not catastrophic. We’ll come back and be ready this week.”  BUCK LINEBACKER Travis Long, the senior leader of the defense, said on Monday that the Cougar D has made strides and is beginning to gel.  “I thought we played well -- certain plays shot us in the foot, but we all did our jobs for a majority of the time.”  Long added that the new 3-4 system has contributed to his early success. The Spokane native tallied two sacks against BYU.  BUCANNON SAID THE Cougs need to fly around and let loose come Saturday against Eastern. And whether they’re an FCS team or not, they’re still a college football team that resides in the Cougars’ home state.  “I definitely see it as a rivalry,” Bucannon said. “It’s not as big as UW or anything, but they’re only an hour away and that’s how it’s gonna be on the field.”  Tuel echoed Bucannon’s sentiment, adding that Eastern’s spirited play on Saturday in the 20-3 win over Idaho is what WSU should strive for.  “This is how we want to play, this is how we should have played Thursday,” said Tuel in regards to EWU. “They just fly around, really high energy, with passion. They’re flying around the ball, having a good time.”  BUCANNON CAPPED OFF the afternoon by noting that with Leach now at the helm, the influx of support and attention nationwide is a new feeling for the Cougs, something they’re not yet used to yet.  “It’s new for us,” Bucannon said. “For everyone to have so much faith in us, even the coaching staff. To have some much poise and to by relying on us and confident in us, I believe we have to be more confident in ourselves.”  The Cougs next hit the practice field on Tuesday afternoon. Washington State will take on the Eastern Washington Eagles this Saturday at noon in Martin Stadium in a game being televised by the Pac-12 Network.  NOTABLE NOTES: An early copy of this week’s depth chart was handed out and Xavier Cooper is no longer listed as the starting right tackle on the d-line. Steven Hoffart, who got the start there against BYU, is now listed as the No. 1. Cooper has been out injured since early in fall camp but was dressed and warmed up on Thursday, but did not play.  Adam Coerper is no longer listed as the No. 1 d-line left tackle -- Matthew Bock is now slotted there. Bock started against BYU and Coerper played, though neither was credited with any stats by the official scorekeeper.  On offense, the left guard position continues to be noted as Wade Jacobson ORMatt Goetz. At right tackle, Dan Spitz continues to be listed as the starter. (Jacobson spent all of Sunday’s practice running at the No. 1 right tackle position while Spitz was the No. 1 right guard.  Leach displayed his usual calm demeanor throughout the 20-minute media session and also per usual, had a quip or two that broke up the crowd. “This is the hottest coffee in the whole wide world,” Leach proclaimed at one point. (You had to be there.)

NOTE: This is the sixth installment of our weekly series projecting the Top 10 players at each position for the 2013 Big Sky Conference football season.

Certainly, as the Oregon Ducks-style spread option offense continues to mark the trends in college football, the classic tight end -- the slower, big-bodied, possession-and-blocking type -- isn't utilized like he once was. Instead, a faster, hybrid version has taken root in many programs, and the Big Sky Conference boasts its share also.

The players on my list of the top tight ends in the league for the upcoming season haven't put up huge statistics, they haven't dominated games and they haven't made anybody forget about Shannon Sharpe or Tony Gonzalez. But there's still plenty of potential for big things. Have a read:

TOP 10 TIGHT ENDS FOR 2013

1. TAYLOR SLOAT, SR., UC DAVIS 2012: 30 rec, 428 yds, 14.3 avg, 2 TD. THE BUZZ FOR 2013: Sloat ranked second at UC Davis last season in catches and receiving yards, and will be a major threat this year too. The Aggies haven't aired it out too much in recent years -- they were a fairly balanced run/pass outfit under former coach Bob Biggs -- but looked to Sloat when they did. New coach Ron Gould is a running game type guy, too, having coordinated the ground attack at Cal. Sloat's touchdown catch late in the game against Sacramento State gave UC Davis the winning points, and he had seven catches for 108 yards in that game. Expect more of that in 2013.

2. R.J. RICKERT, JR., NORTHERN ARIZONA 2012: 27 rec, 272 yds, 10.1 avg, 3 TD. THE BUZZ FOR 2013: The media liked Rickert enough to make him its tight end selection on the preseason All-Big Sky Conference team, and why not? Rickert made at least one catch in every game he played last season, and enters 2013 off a stellar finale against Cal Poly a year ago when he made eight grabs for 66 yards. Rickert is a reliable pass catcher, but he's also a solid blocker for the league's top running back (Zach Bauman). As the Lumberjacks get ready to break in a new quarterback to replace Cary Grossart, Rickert will be an even bigger asset this season. 

3. ZACK GEHRING, SR., EASTERN WASHINGTON 2012: 7 rec, 75 yds, 10.7 yds, 1 TD. THE BUZZ FOR 2013: For as much as the Eagles sling the ball around the field -- Eastern Washington had 307 completions last year, sixth-most in the FCS -- Gehring could have had more touches. But with receivers Brandon Kaufman, Nicolas Edwards and Greg Herd now gone, Gehring might fit more in the pass-game picture this year. Gehring looks to become an important safety valve for multi-dimensional quarterback Vernon Adams, who played great last season as a redshirt freshman. Gehring is no stranger to experience, having started in 21 career games.

4. CLAY PIERSON, SR., MONTANA 2012: 2 rec, 34 yds, 17.0 avg, 1 TD. THE BUZZ FOR 2013: Traditional use of the tight end will again be a big part of the Grizzlies' offense this year as coordinators Kefense Hynson and Scott Gragg utilize a shorter passing game and conventional, pro-style sets. And Pierson figures to be a big winner in this scenario. Pierson switched over to tight end last year after spending time at different spots on defense, and the coaches like what he brings. With Greg Hardy graduated and with Oregon transfer Curtis White no longer on the roster, Pierson, a Twin Bridges product, should get many opportunities to catch the ball this year. 

5. TYLER WRIGHT, SO., IDAHO STATE 2012: 4 rec, 37 yds, 9.2 avg, 0 TD. THE BUZZ FOR 2013: Last year, senior Josh Hill led all Big Sky tight ends with 70 catches. Hill's eligibility is up (so is record-breaking WR Rodrick Rumble's), and Wright looks like a good candidate to become a bigger weapon in the Bengals' throw-the-ball-on-every-snap offense. Too high of expectations? Maybe. But somebody's going to fill that role. And it might as well be Wright, who made a handful of plays last year. Wright is only a sophomore, but he's the best option the Bengals have on their roster right now. Still, he's got work to do to produce like Hill did. He'll give it a shot in 2013.

6. TIAI SALANOA, JR., MONTANA STATE 2012: 11 rec, 89 yds, 8.1 avg, 1 TD. THE BUZZ FOR 2013: When healthy, Salanoa is a pretty important guy in the Bobcats' passing game. But that's the only problem -- the caveat, "When healthy, ... ." If Salanoa can stay on the field, quarterback DeNarius McGhee will find him. Salanoa is a big target and is really athletic. He can run, and he possesses good hands. With Salanoa injured the last half of 2012, Lee Perkins became a much bigger part of the offense late in the season in 2012 and into the playoffs. But the thinking here is that Salanoa can stay healthy. If so, he'll produce, especially in the red zone.

7. AUSTIN WILBERS, SR., NORTHERN COLORADO 2012: 13 rec, 101 yds, 7.8 avg, 0 TD. THE BUZZ FOR 2013: The most pleasant surprise of the 2012 season in the Big Sky might have been Northern Colorado. The Bears went 5-6 and closed the year on a three-game winning streak. The offense was more efficient. Among QB Seth Lobato's targets this season will again be Wilbers, who quietly went about his business to help UNC improve. If nothing else, he was consistent. He made three catches in a game three different times. Wilbers prepped at a top high school (Cherry Creek in Denver's Greenwood Village) so he knows how to play the game the right way.

8. CHRIS BROADNAX, JR., SACRAMENTO STATE 2012: 12 rec, 150 yds, 12.5 avg, 1 TD. THE BUZZ FOR 2013: Broadnax's initiation as a full-time tight end last year produced his biggest moment -- a 35-yard touchdown catch that helped the Hornets upset Pac-12 Colorado last September. Broadnax, who finished with five catches in that game, kept it up from there. And if he hadn't missed four straight games late in the year due to injury, his numbers would have been better. Broadnax and D.J. Maciel are Sac State's top tight ends. QB Garrett Safron hopes to prove his success last year was no fluke, and Broadnax will be included again among his options.

9. HAYDEN PLINKE, SO., PORTLAND STATE 2012 (at Boise State): 2 rec, 20 yds, 10.0 avg, 0 TD. THE BUZZ FOR 2013: Anyone who's played in Boise State's offense, if even sparingly, is a talent. Plinke spent a year at BSU, but has since transferred to Portland State, where coach Nigel Burton says he and his coaching staff can utilize Plinke's athleticism right away, almost in the mold of former Vikings star and current Denver Bronco Julius Thomas. Burton and Co. recruited Plinke out of high school, so they know what he has to offer. At 6-foot-4 and nearly 260 pounds, Plinke might have the biggest upside of any tight end in the Big Sky.

10. DREW EMANUEL, SR., NORTHERN ARIZONA 2012: 8 rec, 140 yds, 17.5 avg, 1 TD. THE BUZZ FOR 2013: This will be Emanuel's fourth year playing under coach Jerome Souers, and last season he earned an all-conference nod. Emanuel has the kind of size (6-4, 252 pounds) that makes him a very big and very important target in the Lumberjacks' short passing game. But he's also a downfield threat, having averaged 17.5 yards per catch a year ago. And that's great for a tight end. Blocking is also a key (as noted above with NAU teammate Rickert) in NAU's vaunted, straight-ahead running game spearheaded by Zach Bauman.  

*** NATIONAL NO. 1: A.C. LEONARD, JR., TENNESSEE STATE. Physically, Leonard is a freak. A major talent who dropped down to the FCS from the University of Florida prior to the 2012 season, Leonard (standing 6-4 and weighing nearly 250 pounds) made 51 catches for 733 yards and 6 TDs for the Tigers last year. He was named to three All-America teams in 2012, and he should be in line for a number of awards and honors again as a junior.

Read more: http://billingsgazette.com/sports/college/blogs/catgrizinsider/big-sky-position-rankings-tight-ends/article_c1c2e666-f716-11e2-bfd3-001a4bcf887a.html#ixzz2cNZuCE6o

 

 

By The Associated Press
From page B1 | September 09, 2012 | Leave Comment

Not only did the program earn a $460,000 paycheck, but the Hornets of the Big Sky Conference also pulled off an upset at a Pac-12 stadium for the second straight season and walk-on kicker Edgar Castaneda earned an education.

Castaneda nailed a 31-yard field goal as time expired in the Hornets’ 30-28 stunner over Colorado. His first game-winner at any level earned the transfer from City College of San Francisco not only a hug from his coach, but also a scholarship.

Marshall Sperbeck made the announcement during his postgame speech to the Hornets (1-1), who upset Oregon State 29-28 in overtime in last year’s opener.

Sacramento State tight end and Vanden High graduate Chris Broadnax finished the game with five catches for 92 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter after collecting just three receptions for 29 yards in his previous 12 games. Ex-Vacaville star Markell Williams had one solo tackle in the victory.

The Buffaloes (0-2) were kicking themselves after falling to 1-2 against FCS-level opponents. They also lost to Montana State at home in 2006.

“It doesn’t matter who it is. It’s tough when you lose, period,” said Buffaloes coach Jon Embree.

“I did not come into this game feeling like we were going to dominate. I came into this game thinking it was going to be a football game that we were going to have to fight and win,” Embree said. “So that’s how I coached all week and how they were talked to. No one thought we were just going to come in and win.”

So, the Buffaloes didn’t expect a cakewalk, but they didn’t foresee losing to a walk-on, either.

Trailing 28-27, the Hornets got the ball at their own 15 with 2:26 left and marched 77 yards behind the arm of sophomore quarterback Garrett Safron, who threw for a career-best 312 yards.

“I gathered around the offense and told them, ‘It’s go time. We’ve got to win it right here, right now,’” Safron said. “That’s what we did.”

He completed four passes totaling 53 yards on the game-winning drive and his receivers drew pass interference penalties on two other throws, accounting for another 15 yards, as the Hornets reached the Colorado 17.

From there, they ran three times before calling timeout with 1 second left for Castaneda, who had hit from 28 and 31 yards earlier.

“I was relaxed; it was just another kick,” Castaneda said. “I was calm.”

Safron sure wasn’t.

“I was getting hyped, holding everyone’s hand on the sideline,” he said. “It was the greatest feeling.”

Morris Norrise caught seven passes for 104 yards for Sacramento State, which piled up 466 yards of offense against a team that was missing two starters and lost star linebacker Doug Rippy (left knee) in the first half.

Norrise’s biggest contribution, though, was knocking away a pass that was about to get picked off by Parker Orms on the game-winning drive.

In his first start, Colorado fullback Christian Powell ran for 147 yards and tied a school freshman record with three touchdowns. He broke free for a 64-yard score on his second carry and added a pair of 1-yard scores.

He was stuffed for a 3-yard loss on his final carry, however, while the Buffs were trying to run out the clock.

Powell’s third TD put the Buffs ahead 28-24 in the third quarter, and Castaneda’s 31-yarder pulled the Hornets to 28-27 with 12 minutes left. The teams exchanged punts on the next five possessions before the Hornets got one last chance and went 77 yards in nine plays.

“This is not a game they were supposed to win,” Buffaloes defensive end Chidera Uzo-Diribe said. “And for them to go out there and do what they did to us today is embarrassing.”

Embree promised changes, and one could come at quarterback, where Webb was 12 of 24 for 160 yards. Backup Connor Wood threw a 28-yard screen pass on his only snap.

“Everything will be re-evaluated,” Embree promised. “Everything will, all positions.”

 

 

 

 CORVALLIS, Ore. — Brandyn Reed followed his 6-yard touchdown with a leaping two-point conversion grab to give Sacramento State a 29-28 overtime victory at Oregon State on Saturday in front of a stunned crowd of 41,581 at Reser Stadium.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Huskies Upset #2 Minnesota Duluth 51-49 on Final Play of Game

Michael Walker catches game winning pass

 

9/29/2012 11:55:00 PM

Box Score St. Cloud, Minn. – St. Cloud State University junior running back Michael Walker (Walworth, Wis.) caught the game winning pass as time ran out to give the Huskies a 51-49 upset win over #2-ranked University of Minnesota Duluth Saturday evening in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) match-up at Husky Stadium.

St. Cloud State improved to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in the NSIC North. The Bulldogs suffered their first loss of the season and dropped to 4-1 overall and 0-1 in the NSIC North.

Junior quarterback Phillip Klaphake (Princeton) threw for a school record 466 passing yards, tied a single game record for touchdown passes with five, the most important an eight yard strike to Walker, and rushed for another touchdown.

He broke the old passing mark of 377 yards set by Jon Quesnel on Oct. 14, 2006 against Augustana College.  He is the fourth Husky to throw five touchdown passes in a game and the first since Dan Kaczor threw five in 2004 against Western Washington.

Klaphake's touchdown passes were to five different players as the Huskies rolled up 642 yards of total offense, third most in school history.
Walker scored two touchdowns and for the third time this season Walker rushed for over 100 yards.  He finished the game with 12 carries for 107 yards and one touchdown and caught that game-winning pass for his only reception of the game.

“We tried to run the ball but it came down to having to throw it,” said St. Cloud State head coach Scott Underwood. “We found some holes and our offensive line executed very well and our receivers made some big plays.”

Junior receiver Chad Peterson (Winona) had a personal high seven receptions for 109 yards and one touchdowns. Junior receivers Eli Shoemaker (Graham, Wash.), Damon Treat (Fairfield, Calif.) and Renard Robinson (Bloomington) all had five catches each and Shoemaker and Robinson pulled in a touchdown pass.

Minnesota Duluth scored on their first two possessions of the game to take a 14-0 lead. A Taylor Berger(Ramsey) 23-yard touchdown reception and a 23-yard Tyler Aldridge (Woodbury) field goal with 5:42 left in the first half cut the UMD lead to 14-10. On the ensuing kick-off, UMD's Justin Fawlkes returned it 80-yards for a touchdown. A Chris Blake interception gave the Bulldogs the ball with under two minutes to go in the first half. Four plays later UMD quarterback Chase Vogler scored on a one yard run to give UMD a 28-10 lead at the half.

St. Cloud State outscored UMD 20-7 in the third quarter on a Klaphake run, a 36-yard pass to Shoemaker and a 38-yard Walker touchdown run and the Huskies trailed 35-30 going into the fourth quarter.

Vogler scored on an 11-yard run early in the fourth but the Huskies answered with two touchdown passes to Robinson and Peterson. A two-point conversion gave the Huskies their first lead of the game, 45-42 with 2:09 left.

Three plays later, Vogler scored on a 35-yard run with 1:16 on the clock. The Huskies took over on their own 25-yard line following the kick-off.
Klaphake completed six of eight pass attempts in the final drive. He gained five yards on a third and one play to put the Huskies on the UMD 33. Back to back completions to Peterson  put the Huskies on the UMD eight yard line. With :03 seconds left, SCSU called a time out and scored on the final play of the game.

Minnesota Duluth collected 367 yards of total offense and returned eight kickoffs for 205 yards and one touchdown. Vogler finished the game 11 of 25 passing for 164 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 120 yards and four touchdowns. Cameron Harper had a game high 11 tackles and the Bulldogs tallied four quarterback sacks and seven tackles for loss.

Junior defensive backs Jack Moro (Brookfield, Wis.) and sophomore back Kyle Risinger (Minnetonka) led the Husky defense with six tackles each. Risinger collected his first interception of the season.
 

 

 

 

 St. Cloud State’s season got off to a murky start with a 32-19 loss to Sioux Falls during which Damon Treat (Vanden) had a 3-yard run, caught three passes for 20 yards and returned a kickoff for 50 yards.

 

 

 

 

 California, Penn. -- Sophomore quarterback Phillip Klaphake (Princeton, Minn.) rushed for two touchdowns and threw for a third to lead the 13th-ranked St. Cloud State Huskies to a 26-3 season opening victory over 12th-ranked California University of Pennsylvania Thursday night at Adamson Stadium on the Cal U campus.