WAYNE STATE FOOTBALL WEEKLY RELEASE #15

WINSTON-SALEM STATE STORYLINES

    The 33rd-ranked Wayne State University football team (11-3) continued an unprecedented road streak with its third consecutive road playoff win last Saturday, 31-25, at defending national champion Minnesota Duluth.

    This week the Warriors travel to Winston-Salem, N.C., to face the unbeaten Rams of Winston-Salem State.  This Saturday's contest will start at 2 p.m. and is available online at ESPN3.COM.  This will be the first meeting between the schools.

    WSU has won five straight road games and has been victorious in eight of its last nine contests away from Detroit with the only setback coming on a last second field goal at Ashland on Oct. 15.  Wayne State is 20-5 in its last 25 contests and has an 11-2 mark in its last 13 road games. After recording their best start (6-0) since 1974, the Warriors are 5-3 in their last eight games.

    WSSU began and ended the regular season with wins over NCAA qualifier Elizabeth City State, the second coming in the CIAA Championship game.  After receiving a first round bye as Super Region 1 top seed, the Rams edged California (Pa.), 35-28,  then disposed of New Haven, 27-7, last Saturday in the regional championship contest.

MINNESOTA DULUTH RECAP

    Wayne State's Cinderella story continued last Saturday as the Warriors claimed a 31-25 triumph at Minnesota Duluth.  WSU, seeded sixth in Super Region 3, has recorded three consecutive road wins (48-38 at #14-St. Cloud State, 38-26 at #4 Nebraska Kearney, and 31-25 at #9 Minnesota Duluth) to reach the national semifinals.

    In a defensive first half that saw teams combine for 190 yards of total offense (UMD - 126; WSU - 64), it was the Warrior special teams that set up the lone touchdown.  After the Bulldogs tallied the only points of the opening stanza on a 39-yard field goal by David Nadeau, Wayne State's Matt Maus blocked a UMD punt that was recovered at the UMD 11.  On WSU's third play, Mickey Mohner found Troy Burrell just inside the pylon for an 11-yard score.

    The Warriors marched down the field with the second half kickoff, with Chet Privett scoring on a fourth-and-goal on the 14th play of the drive.  Bulldog D.J. Winfield returned the ensuing kickoff 87 yards and a two-point conversion pass was successful, cutting the Wayne State lead to 14-11.

    Following a 21-yard kickoff return by Josh Renel, the Warriors went 60 yards in six plays with Burrell making a great adjustment to haul in a 38-yard scoring toss.  Burrell finished the contest with 11 receptions for 163 yards and two scores.

    WSU's squib kickoff bounced off a UMD player and was recovered at the Bulldog 38 by Austin Nelson.  On the seventh play of the ensuing drive, Stefan Terleckyj connected on a 38-yard field goal attempt putting the Warriors in front 24-11.

    It only took the Bulldogs 2:02 to score as Brian Lucas scored on a 22-yard scamper around right end on the third play of the fourth quarter.  Wayne State answered back with a nine-play, 71-yard drive culminating in a seven-yard touchdown run by Toney Davis.  UMD responded with a nine-play, 56-yard drive in 3:09 to pull within six at 31-25.  Chase Vogler found Aaron Roth for a 11-yard scoring pass on a third-and-eight.

    WSU was unable to garner a first down and was forced to punt.  On the fifth play of the Bulldog drive, Vogler was picked off by Aaron Cornett.  The Bulldogs then used all three timeouts on WSU's next possession and forced another punt.  Minnesota Duluth went 50 yards in seven plays, but Vogler's 39-yard “Hail Mary” pass on the game's final play was batted away by Antwon Robinson.

ON THE HEADSET

    Head coach Paul Winters, the reigning AFCA Region Coach of the Year, is in his eighth season at the helm of the Wayne State football program and guided the Warriors to their first NCAA Division II playoff appearance and victories in school history. Winters (47-42) passed Joseph G. Gembis (1932-45) for first on the WSU career wins all-time list with the Oct. 22 victory over Hillsdale.

    Connell Maynor has a 21-2 record in his second year with the Rams.   He previously spent 10 seasons as a member of the Fayetteville State coaching staff, where he helped to lead FSU to four CIAA title game appearances and three CIAA Championships (2002-03-09).

WINSTON-SALEM STATE'S HISTORY

     The Rams participated in the NCAA Division II playoffs in 1978, 1987, 1990 and 1991.  WSSU's only win prior to this year was a 17-0 triumph over Cal Poly on Nov. 25, 1978, in Winston-Salem.

SCOUTING WSSU

    Nicholas Cooper has rushed for 1,712 yards and 21 touchdowns while averaging 7.0 yards per carry, to lead a rushing attack that averages over 220 yards per contest.

    Quarterback Kameron Smith has completed nearly 60 percent (195-of-326) of his passes for 32 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

    Tehvyn Brantley has a team-best 42 catches for 411 yards and seven touchdowns, while Jahuann Butler leads the squad with 420 receiving yards.

    WSSU has used three place-kickers that are a combined 3-of-10 on field goals and 63-of-71 on PATs.

    Alton Keaton leads the Rams with 97 tackles (65-32) and is tied-for-first on the team in tackles for loss (13.0) with Akeem Ward, who has a team-high 6.5 sacks.  Carlos Fields is second in tackles (45-29-74) but first in pass break-ups with 11.
      
JONES BREAKS TWO SCHOOL RECORDS

    Jeremy Jones' three interceptions and 144 return yards at Nebraska Kearney nearly equaled two NCAA Division II playoff records.  Vince Buck of Central State had four picks vs. Towson on Nov. 28, 1986, while William Felton of Albany State (GA) garnered 154 interception return yards on Nov. 20, 2004, vs. Arkansas Tech.

    The 144 interception return yards was a school record and increased his career total to an all-time best of 406 yards.

UPCOMING SEASON MILESTONES

Davis needs one rushing yard to pass Joe Gough (1992) at 1,340 yards for fifth place.  Renel needs 78 yards to equal Gough.

Davis is fourth in rushing touchdowns (20), and needs two to tie Joique Bell (2006) for third place.  Renel has tied his 2010 mark of 14 rushing touchdowns, which ranks sixth all-time.

Mohner became the single-season passing yardage leader in the Minnesota Duluth contest surpassing  Mark Friday's 1993 total of 2,478 yards.

Mohner set the single-season record for passing touchdowns with his second quarter strike to Burrell vs. Nebraska Kearney.

Burrell set both the receiving yards and reception marks in the Bulldog game, where he had 11 receptions for 163 yards and two scores.

Jones and Cornett could be the first defensive backs since Bobby Boyer in 2004 to lead the team in tackles.  Jones (85 tackles) and Cornett (80 tackles) lead linebackers Ed Viverette (69) and Raleigh Ross (63).

WSU needs 43 rushing yards to break the school record of 2,910 set in 1975.

The Warriors have already broken the school marks for rushing touchdowns (39) set by the 2007 squad (32); total offense (5,526) set by the 2000 squad (4,551); all-purpose yards (7,041) set by the 2000 team (5,822); points (508) set last year (347); touchdowns (68), accomplished three times before at 45.

The 21 interceptions is fifth most in school history.  The 1983 team set the standard with 35 picks.

UPCOMING CAREER MILESTONES

Davis and Renel are fourth and fifth in rushing touchdowns with 29 and 28, respectively.  Gough (1991-94) is third with 33.

Mohner has already set school records for career completions (397), passing yards (5,722) and passing touchdowns (47).

Burrell passed Ray Ponder (1989-92) for first (177) on the career receptions list.  Burrell has 182 catches for 3,044 yards (yards total is second all-time to Pierre Brown's 3,138.

Renel (180 points), Davis (180) and Terleckyj (177) rank tied-for-seventh, and ninth, respectively in all-time scoring at WSU.  Steve Lee (1988-91) is sixth with 182 points, while David Chudzinski (2205-08) is fifth with 206 points.

Terleckyj made four extra points at Minnesota Duluth to eclipse Chudzinski's school record of 107.

Jones moved into first place on the interception return yards chart after accumulating 144 return yards at Nebraska Kearney.  He broke Chuck Aldrich's 29-year-old record of 373 yards.  Jones has 406 yards on 17 career interceptions, which ranks fourth all-time.  Jones also moved into second place in career passes defended with 39.  Tony Hawk (1992-92, 96-97) has the all-time mark at 54.