Complete Delta State Weekly Release - No. 11
CLEVELAND - The No. 4 Statesmen (9-1, 8-0 GSC) of Delta State University will open play Saturday, Nov. 22, in the second round of the NCAA Football Championships against the No. 18 Pioneers of Tusculum College (9-3, 5-2 SAC) at Parker Field-McCool Stadium chasing history. Kickoff is set for noon.
With the Statesmen receiving a first round bye, Delta State enters the playoffs in unfamiliar territory, as favorites. After opening the season with a lop-sided loss to FCS powerhouse and No. 12 ranked McNeese State, Delta State has reeled off nine straight wins and claimed their second-straight Gulf South Conference title. Going undefeated in Division II play afforded the Statesmen the top seed in NCAA Super Regional Two.
"It's a little different feeling around here," said Statesmen head coach Ron Roberts. "We're in the playoffs for the third consecutive year with a nucleus that understands what's expected. Our guys have a hunger to get to the title game, but we know we have to take it one game ata time. Tusculum's up next and that's our complete focus."
Saturday's game will mark the fifth playoff appearance for the Statesmen since 1998, and the third straight for a program once grounded in the middle of the difficult GSC. The success over the past decade has carried the Statesmen to an 8-3 all-time record in NCAA postseason play and the second best winning percentage all-time at .727, trailing only Grand Valley State (.742).
In 2000 former head coach Steve Campbell led the Statesmen to the NCAA national title for the first time in school history, defeating Bloomsburg 63-36 in Florence, Ala. For the last eight years, Delta State has chased the national championship trophy only to see it hoisted by another university. In 2006, the Statesmen advanced to the national semifinals, but once again came up short.
This season, coach Ron Roberts has taken a different approach to the season. Each week forcusing on only that opponent and leaving the "big picture" discussion for another day. That formula has paid off, as the Statesmen prepare to face Tusculum Saturday.
"We've taken it one practice, one game, one series, one play at a time this season, and the guys have really responded. They understand the tradition and expectations that come with being a Statesman and they want nothing more than to bring the title back to Cleveland," added Roberts.
The game marks the first encounter on the gridiron between the two Super Regional II foes. The winner faces the Valdosta State/North Alabama winner on Nov. 29.
The Statesmen received the top seed in Super Regional II and did not play last Saturday. The fourth-seeded Pioneers fought back to defeat fifth-seeded Albany State, 34-22, at Pioneer Stadium in Greenville, Tenn., for the first ever playoff victory in Tusculum football history.
Two of the nation’s top players will go head-to-head in Saturday’s contest. Tusculum quarterback Corey Russell, a 2008 Harlon Hill Trophy finalist, will faceoff with Delta State junior linebacker Lardester Hicks-Green, the 2008 GSC Defensive Player of the Year and CellularSouth Conerly Award candidate. Russell has passed for 34 touchdowns and over 3,787 yards. Hicks-Green has totaled 13.5 TFL and 77 tackles.
"Tusculum is a very talented and well coached football team. Corey Russell is one of the top quarterbacks in the country and we'll have to play at the top of our game to contain him. On the other side of the coin, I think we pose some matchup problems for them and we'll try our best to exploit that throughout the game," Roberts stated.
While the Statesmen and Pioneers have never met on the gridiron, there are several connections between the two programs. For defensive coordinator Pete Golding and linebackers
coach Karl Scott, it’s more of a homecoming, and for the two head coaches a reunion of sorts.
Golding was a three-year All-GSC letter-winner from 2002-05 at safety for the Statesmen and a graduate assistant in 2006, while Scott served one season under coach Roberts as a graduate assistant, working with the linebackers in 2007.
Not to be lost in the mix is the connection between the two head coaches in the game. Ron Roberts served as defensive coordinator for Tusculum head coach Frankie DeBusk from 1998-2002.
"Coach DeBusk and I go way back. I had a great run as defensive coordinator at Tusculum from 1998-2002. TC is a great school with a tremendous tradition. Our families remain close to this day. As for Pete, he's one of the top young defensive coordinators in college football, and Karl has a great future ahead of him," added Roberts.
The Statesmen last played Nov. 8 at West Georgia, claiming the outright Gulf South Conference championship for a second consecutive season with a 68-10 victory. The Statesmen have seemed to make some improvements on both sides of the ball over thge past few weeks, outscoring the opposition 116-24.
"I believe we have made some great strides over the last two weeks, but no coach is ever satisfied. Saturday will be an exciting game and we're excited to welcome the Pioneers to Parker Field-McCool Stadium," concluded Roberts.
Saturday’s game with Tusculum will be broadcast live on the Statesmen Sports Network and the internet beginning at 11 a.m. with the SouthGroup Insurance Locker Room Report. Matt Jones, Richard Webster and J.T. Webb have the call.