PORTALES, N.M. – Eastern New Mexico will host #4 Tarleton State on Saturday night inside Greyhound Stadium in a battle of the Lone Star Conference’s top offensive units.
The Hounds will be riding back-to-back second-half comeback wins over Texas A&M-Kingsville and Midwestern State and have won five straight home games dating back to last season. Presented by C&S, Saturday night’s game will be the conclusion of the annual U.S. Bank Family Day Weekend and will also serve as the annual Hall of Honors game.
LET’S KEEP IT INTERESTING
Eastern New Mexico completed a second-half comeback for the second week in a row last Saturday night, escaping Wichita Falls, Texas with a 27-24 win over Midwestern State. The Hounds saw a 17-3 halftime lead disappear and scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to make it two wins in a row.
The win over traditional-power Midwestern State pushed the Hounds back into the receiving votes category of the Division II AFCA National Polls and establishes the Greyhounds alongside Angelo State with a record of 2-1 in conference play. Eastern New Mexico will welcome conference front-runner and #4 nationally-ranked Tarleton State to Greyhound Stadium on Saturday night.
The Greyhounds have won five straight home games dating back to last season and have averaged 41.5 points and 493.5 yards rushing in the friendly confines of Greyhound Stadium this season. Eastern New Mexico currently ranks first in all of Division II football in three separate statistical categories: rushing offense (419.6 ypg), first downs (133) and time of possession (36:48).
ON THE AIR
All games will be broadcast on 105.9 KSEL-FM and KSELCountry.com with Donald “Doc” Elder calling the action. All games will also be webcast online through the newly launched Lone Star Conference Network.
DOUBLE IT UP TWICE
Senior Paul Terry was named the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week after totaling 225 yards and a touchdown on the ground while matching the school record with 40 carries. Terry’s 225 yards is the highest rushing total in a single game since Kamal Cass rumbled for 276 yards back on Nov. 11th, 2017 in a game also against Midwestern State.
Junior Justin Manyweather returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown to put the first points on the board in the contest and was named the LSC Special Teams Player of the Week. That return is just the fifth to be returned for a touchdown in the LSC this season. Eastern New Mexico is now the only LSC school to have two players named players of the week twice so far this season as senior Wyatt Strand and junior Quincy Arceneaux were named Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week back in week two.
A FIRST FOR MANY THINGS
Saturday night’s win proved to be a first of many things for head coach Kelley Lee and company. First and foremost, Saturday night’s win was the first win during the Lee era in which the Hounds came back to win after trailing entering the fourth quarter.
The win was also the first win for Lee against Midwestern State and marked the first time the Mustangs have suffered back-to-back losses since the 2016 season.
SCOUTING THE TEXANS
#4 Tarleton State enters week six with an undefeated record of 5-0 and has outscored LSC opponents 137-48 in 2019. The Texans also boast a 37-26 win over FCS opponent Stephen F. Austin in week one.
Tarleton State ranks at the top of the Lone Star Conference in both scoring offense (46.0 ppg) and total offense (551.4 ypg) and ranks second in scoring defense (15.4 ppg) and first in total defense (256.4 ppg). The Texans have surrendered a league-low eight touchdowns in five games this season, five of which have come on the ground.
The Texans will feature playmakers at multiple skills positions as Daniel Mccants averages 147.3 rushing yards per game and Zimari Manning averages 120.4 receiving yards a contest. Mccants ranks behind Eastern’s Terry for the conference lead in rushing while Manning has paced the LSC so far in receiving yardage.
Quarterback Ben Holmes is averaging 257.4 yards per game through the air and leads the LSC with 13 passing scores on the year. Senior B.J. Jefferson will be coming off of his second LSC Defensive Player of the Week selection in week five and ranks sixth in the LSC with 45 total tackles. Jefferson also leads the LSC with 11.0 tackles for a loss this season.
The Texans are the defending Lone Star Conference Champions and advanced to the third round of last year’s NCAA Division II Playoffs before being knocked off by Minnesota State Mankato.
THE TURNOVER MASTERS
Eastern New Mexico enters week six with 14 total turnovers this season, the highest total by any team in the Lone Star Conference and the 11th most in the nation. The Hounds also rank 14th in the nation with a turnover margin of 1.40, best in the Lone Star Conference.
The Greyhounds have recovered eight fumbles this year, best in the LSC and the third most in all of Division II football. Turnovers have been a key part of the Greyhounds back-to-back second half comebacks against Texas A&M-Kingsville and Midwestern State. Eastern forced four turnovers in the second half alone against Texas A&M-Kingsville and added a key strip-sack by senior De’John Burns in the fourth quarter of last week’s win against Midwestern State.
FOURTH QUARTER DOMINANCE
The Greyhound defense has continued to rise to the occasion despite some early-game struggles throughout the season. The Hounds have surrendered just 37 points in five games during the fourth quarter of action, including a fourth quarter shutout last week against Midwestern State.
The Mustangs got the ball three times in the fourth quarter and failed to pick up a single first down against a Greyhound defense that has seemingly gotten stronger as the game progresses all season long.
LET’S GO DRIVING
Eastern New Mexico vaulted into the nation’s top spot as far as time of possession goes this week with an average ball control time of 36:48.
Despite the substantial advantage week in and week out, much of the Greyhounds early season success can be attributed to the mix of long-sustained drives, and the quick-explosive drives that coach Lee and the Greyhound have been able to manufacture. The Hounds have scored 11 times this season in five plays or less and have taken 11 or more plays to score four different times.
STORMING OUT OF THE GATES
Eastern New Mexico has started out 4-1 just three times since 2007 and will be looking to move to 5-1 for just the second time during that span.
Coach Lee’s 2017 Greyhounds began the season 8-1 before falling to Midwestern State in the final week of the season.
IT’S TIME TO TURN THE TIDE
The Greyhounds are currently riding a seven-game losing streak to opponents ranked inside the top 25 of the national polls. The Hounds faced four opponents ranked in the top 25 last season and one so far this year in week three against #12 Texas A&M-Commerce.
This week’s game will be the first time Eastern New Mexico has faced Tarleton State inside Greyhound Stadium under the direction of Coach Lee. The Hounds hold a 9-4 record at home during the Lee era and a 7-1 record record during the month of October.
