game notes at oua22

Football Jon Chidester, Assistant AD/Media Relations

Tough Test Awaits Bulldogs at No. 5/4 Ouachita

SWOSU (3-2) at #5/4 Ouachita
Arkadelphia, Ark. | 12:00 pm
Cliff Harris Stadium
swosuathletics.com/coverage
For Complete Game Notes, Click HERE (pdf)

Game Preview
  • SWOSU Football has now won back-to-back games for the first time since 2019 and will be looking to extend that win streak on the road against a top-five nationally ranked Ouachita team in the battle for the Paul Sharp Cup, named after the former head coach of SWOSU's 1996 NAIA National Championship team who also played and coached football at Ouachita
  • The Bulldogs have not won three games in a row since the 2016 season, when they were victorious in four-consecutive contests
  • After facing an Arkansas-Monticello offense last week who loved to run the ball, SWOSU will have to continue its focus on stopping the run against the Tigers who rank second in all of NCAA Division II averaging 314 rushing yards per game
  • SWOSU will also be looking to notch something on the program's resume that hasn't been done so far since the GAC formed in 2011: win on the road at Ouachita. The Dawgs are 0-4 against the Tigers in Arkadelphia.
  • The scheduled noon kickoff will be the earliest start of the season for SWOSU
The Opponent - #5/4 Ouachita
  • Ouachita sits a perfect 5-0 on the season and atop the GAC standings as the only undefeated team remaining in the league
  • Their 5-0 record has them ranked No. 5 in the AFCA National Poll and No. 4 in the D2Football.com National Poll
  • The Tigers are going to pound the rock. Ouachita is led by TJ Cole at running back who is fifth in Division II with 687 rushing yards and seven scores. Matching Cole is Kendel Givens who has also scored seven times and has rushed for 467 yards.
  • Quarterback Riley Harms has only thrown the ball 57 times this season, averaging just 11.4 attempts per game. Nine of those throws have been touchdowns.
  • The Tigers are also stout on defense. They are allowing just 13.2 points per game, having given up just nine TDs through five games. A GAC best.
SWOSU Offensive Notes
  • SWOSU eclipsed 500 yards of total offense (522 yds) for the first time all season last week against Arkansas-Monticello. The Bulldogs only tallied 500 yards of offense one time in the 2021 season, and prior to that, had not surpassed the 500-yard mark since 2018.
  • Quarterback Tylan Morton threw for a season high 358 yards through the air and added three more touchdowns to his stat sheet. After not scoring an offensive touchdown against Henderson State in the season opener, Morton has thrown for at least two TDs in the last four games. His 13 passing TDs ranks him first in the GAC and tied for seventh in Division II
  • Morton is now a 2x Offensive Player of the Week after earning the honor this past week
  • The Bulldogs are averaging 32 points per game and 414 yards per game. Both good for sixth in the GAC respectively. 
  • On the ground, SWOSU ranks 10th in the league by averaging 137 rushing yards per game. The five rushing touchdowns the Dawgs have scored this season is the lowest mark around the league.
  • Running Back Gerald Palmer has helped the run game tremendously since coming into the rotation. He became SWOSU's lone 100+ yard rusher this season when he tallied 131 yards against Oklahoma Baptist two weeks ago. He rushed for 71 yards last week against UAM and has now scored a touchdown in each of the last two games.
  • Troy Henderson is still leading the team in rushing with 252 yards on the year. Palmer is right behind with 244 yards. Both have two scores this season.
  • Receivers for SWOSU are thriving thanks to a strong passing attack. SWOSU averages 276 yards through the air which ranks them second in the GAC.
  • Six different pass catches have caught TDs from Tylan Morton this year, led by Deshon Moreaux with (4) and Jacob Karsak & Isreal Watson (3 each)
SWOSU Defensive Notes
  • After allowing 590 yards of offense against Southeastern, the defense has settled in the last two weeks and played extremely well -- holding OBU to 221 yards of total offense and now UAM to less than 100 yards of rushing
  • Against Monticello last week, the Dawgs held UAM to just 94 yards rushing in the contest. The Weevils entered the game averaging 281 yards per game on the ground
  • While Monticello did rack up 300 yards passing without a run game, SWOSU picked off UAM QB Demilon Brown three times
  • SWOSU had eight sacks against OBU two weeks ago and followed it up with six more against UAM. The Dawgs have 21 sacks on the year -- the most of any team in the GAC
  • The Bulldogs rank fourth in the GAC in run defense. They are allowing 166 yards per game on the ground
  • Keldric Martin still leads the team in tackles with 34 (17s-17a)
  • Richard Silva has come on strong at linebacker. After not playing the first two games of the year, Silva has racked up 20 tackles the last three games and his 6.5 tackles for loss leads the team
  • Ashton Hamby and Derrius Franklin both have two interceptions on the year. SWOSU has eight picks as a team, ranking them second in the GAC
SWOSU Special Teams Notes
  • 2x Special Teams Player of the Week Jaren Van Winkle is now 8-10 on the year in field goals. He has the most makes (8) of any kicker in the league
  • Van Winkle has missed a field goal in each of the last two games after starting the season a perfect 6-6
  • Jalen Lampley is one of two players in the league to return a punt for a TD this season



 
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Players Mentioned

Derrius Franklin

#9 Derrius Franklin

DB
6' 1"
Junior
Gerald Palmer

#40 Gerald Palmer

OLB
6' 1"
Redshirt Freshman
Jacob Karsak

#80 Jacob Karsak

TE
6' 3"
Freshman
Richard Silva

#19 Richard Silva

ILB
5' 11"
Freshman
Troy Henderson

#2 Troy Henderson

RB
5' 10"
Redshirt Junior
Tylan Morton

#4 Tylan Morton

QB
6' 4"
Graduate Student
Jalen Lampley

#8 Jalen Lampley

WR
6' 0"
Junior
Isreal Watson

#11 Isreal Watson

WR
6' 2"
Junior
Deshon Moreaux

#12 Deshon Moreaux

WR
6' 0"
Senior
Ashton Hamby

#15 Ashton Hamby

DB
5' 10"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Derrius Franklin

#9 Derrius Franklin

6' 1"
Junior
DB
Gerald Palmer

#40 Gerald Palmer

6' 1"
Redshirt Freshman
OLB
Jacob Karsak

#80 Jacob Karsak

6' 3"
Freshman
TE
Richard Silva

#19 Richard Silva

5' 11"
Freshman
ILB
Troy Henderson

#2 Troy Henderson

5' 10"
Redshirt Junior
RB
Tylan Morton

#4 Tylan Morton

6' 4"
Graduate Student
QB
Jalen Lampley

#8 Jalen Lampley

6' 0"
Junior
WR
Isreal Watson

#11 Isreal Watson

6' 2"
Junior
WR
Deshon Moreaux

#12 Deshon Moreaux

6' 0"
Senior
WR
Ashton Hamby

#15 Ashton Hamby

5' 10"
Sophomore
DB