1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2010 GULF SOUTH CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS OPENING GAME HISTORY the Blazer-Golden Ram Comparison ALL-TIME HIGHS & Lows VS
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ALBANY STATE - GAME 1 Saturday, September 5 • 7:00 p.m. vs. Albany, Ga. • Albany State University Coliseum VSU Media Relations • (229) 333-5903 • www.vstateblazers.com Football Contact: Matt Malone ([email protected]) No. 16 VALDOSTA STATE No. 16 BLAZERS OPEN 2015 AGAINST OLD RIVAL The No. 16 ranked Valdosta State Blazers kicks off its 2014 season against one of its oldest rivals, as the Blazers (0-0, 0-0 GSC) travel to Albany State to square off against the Golden Rams at Albany State University Coliseum. The game features Sept. 5 at Albany State 7:00 p.m. the 17th meeting between the two schools in a series that dates back to VSU’s first season when the Blazers claimed Sept. 12 ^vs. Winston-Salem State 6:00 p.m. a 36-13 victory on October 23, 1982. The game marks the second straight season in which the Blazers and the Golden Sept. 26 CUMBERLAND 4:00 p.m. Rams have squared off against each other to start their respective campaigns. Oct. 3 *NORTH ALABAMA 2:00 p.m. Valdosta State returns 14 starters from their 2014 team that tallied a 10-3 record and advanced to the third round of postseason play. The Blazer offense will be led by three-time All-Gulf South Conference running back Cedric Oct. 10 *at West Georgia 2:00 p.m. O’Neal, who has rushed for 3,046 yards, the third-highest total in school history, over the course of the last three Oct. 17 *MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE 2:00 p.m. years. He is joined in the backfield by fellow senior Austin Scott, who currently ranks seventh in school history with Oct. 22 *at Shorter 7:30 p.m. 2,646 rushing yards. While the Blazers receiving corps features a slew of familiar faces, the quarterback position Oct. 31 *WEST ALABAMA 2:00 p.m. was left up for grabs following the exit of Jake Medlock. Throughout fall camp, Florida International senior transfer Nov. 7 *at Delta State 5:00 p.m. EJ Hilliard has emerged as the frontrunner, while the young Roland Rivers is expected to fill the backup role as Nov. 14 *FLORIDA TECH 3:00 p.m. a red-shirt freshman. Meanwhile, excitement abounds in regards to the Black Swarm upon the return of Sharmaine Washington, Larry Murphy, and Kenny Moore. In addition, Kenny Murphy returns as a Preseason All-American selec- all times Eastern; *GSC tion after a sparkling junior season in 2014 that included 92 tackles (2nd in the GSC), 11.5 of which were for loss and three of which were for sacks. ALBANY STATE After serving as an assistant coach with the Albany State football program for 14 years, Dan Land was named (0-0, 0-0 SIAC) the interim Head Coach following the retirement of longtime Head Coach James “Mike” White. Running back Jarvis 9/5 VALDOSTA STATE 7:00 p.m. Small, a junior from Brunswick, Ga., serves as one of the top returners for the Golden Rams. His sophomore season 9/12 at Tuskegee* 3:00 p.m. effort in 2014, which included 1,196 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns, resulted in SIAC Offensive Player of the Year 9/19 STILLMAN* 7:00 p.m. honors last season. 9/26 at Delta State 2:00 p.m. GAME CENTER 10/3 at Miles* 4:00 p.m. 10/17 MOREHOUSE* 2:00 p.m. VALDOSTA STATE BLAZERS ALBANY STATE GOLDEN RAMS 10/24 at Clark Atlanta* 2:00 p.m. Record: 0-0, 0-0 GSC Record: 0-0, 0-0 SIAC 10/31 BENEDICT* 2:00 p.m. Ranking: 15th Ranking: Receiving Votes 11/7 vs. Fort Valley State* 2:00 p.m. Last Game: Season Opener Last Game: Season Opener 11/14 SIAC Championship Game TBA Coach: David Dean (Georgia State, 1986) Interim Coach: Dan Land (Albany State 1987) Record: 70-24 (7th season) Record: 0-0 (1st season) all times Eastern; *SIAC at VSU: 70-24 (7th season) at ASU: 0-0 (1st season) vs. SIAC: 7-0 vs. SIAC: Not Available ABOUT THE GAME vs. ASU: 3-0 vs. VSU: 0-0 TV • None QUICK NOTES • Valdosta State is in its 34th year of intercollegiate football and owns an overall record of 258 wins, 116 losses RADIO • VSU RADIO NETWORK and four ties. Play-by-Play Dick Rockey • David Dean is the second-winningest coach in Valdosta State history, having compiled 70 wins, against just 24 Analyst Spencer Van Horn losses, during his eight-year coaching career. He owns a .744 career winning percentage. Sideline Tom Odom • The Blazers have scored in 282 straight games, tops among all DII schools. Network Stations WDDQ Talk 92.1 FM (Valdosta) • The Blazers have won 70.3 percent of their games played in the month of September, compiling a record of WJEM 96.1 FM / 1150 AM (Valdosta) 83-34-1 during the ninth month over the years. WSFB 97.7 FM / 1490 AM (Quitman) • This year marks the 11th time that Valdosta State has played Albany State in its season opener. The Blazers are WJHC 107.5 FM (Jasper, Fla.) 9-1 in the previous nine season openers against the Golden Rams, including victories in the last three contests. WKZZ 92.5 FM (Tifton) • Overall, VSU has gone 22-11 in its 33 previous season openers, including a 6-2 mark under Head Coach David Dean. INTERNET RADIO • Valdosta State and Albany State meet for the 17th time in history, with the Blazers holding a 15-1 advantage Live Audio talk921.com in the previous meetings. Live Stats sidearmstats.com/valdosta/football/ • Cedric O’Neal ranks among the top three in Valdosta State history in both rushing yardage and rushing touch- Live Video useducationtv.com/default.aspx?sid=286 downs. He is third in the VSU record books in rushing yards with 3,046 and third in rushing touchdowns with 32. 813 yards and 4 touchdowns will establish new school records. SERIES HISTORY AGAINST ALBANY STATE Valdosta State and Albany State meet for the 17th time in program history, and open their seasons against each other for the second straight year ... VSU is 15-1 all-time against the Golden Rams and has won the last six games between the two squads ... VSU claimed a 38-10 victory in Albany during the last meeting on September 6, 2014... Albany State’s only victory in the series came in the first game of the 2004 season, when ASU claimed a 24-22 vic- tory in Albany ... The Blazers avenged that loss with a 38-24 victory in the NCAA Playoffs later that season. 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 AND 2010 GULF SOUTH CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS OPENING GAME HISTORY THE BLAZER-GOLDEN RAM COMPARISON ALL-TIME HIGHS & LOWS VS. ASU VSU ASU Most Points Scored Fewest Points Scored VSU Roster Breakdown 91 players 75 players 2000 42 1994 14 Year Record H/A/N Opponent Score Seniors 21 12 2001 41 1999 18 9/6/14 22-11-0 H Albany State W, 38-10 Juniors 20 19 2007 41 1998 20 9/7/13 21-11-0 N Fort Valley State W, 36-21 Sophomores 23 20 1996 38 2006 20 9/1/12 20-11-0 A Saginaw Valley St. L, 28-24 Freshmen 27 24 2004 38 2003 21 9/3/11 20-10-0 A Wingate W, 34-28 (2ot) Starting Offensive Line 2014 38 9/4/10 19-10-0 H Wingate W, 25-22 Height, Weight 6-4, 301 6-4, 328 Fewest Points Allowed 8/29/09 18-10-0 H Newberry L, 31-24 Starting Defensive Line Most Points Allowed 2002 0 8/23/08 18-9-0 A Fort Valley State W, 56-3 Height, Weight 6-2, 267 6-3, 261 1996 28 2003 3 9/1/07 17-9-0 H Albany State W, 41-3 Run-to-Pass Ratio - - 2011 27 2007 3 9/2/06 16-9-0 A Albany State W, 20-16 Run-to-Pass Percentage - - 2004 24 Three times 6 8/27/05 15-9-0 N Fort Valley State W, 32-10 Turnovers Gained-Lost - - 2004 24 9/4/04 14-9-0 A Albany State L, 24-22 3rd Down Conversions - - 2006 16 8/30/03 14-8-0 H Albany State W, 21-3 3rd Down Percentage - - Largest Margin of Defeat 8/31/02 13-8-0 A Albany State W, 26-0 4th Down Conversions - - Largest Margin of Victory 2004 2 8/25/01 12-8-0 H Albany State W, 41-6 4th Down Percentage - - 2007 38 8/26/00 11-8-0 A Albany State W, 42-6 Sacks By-Against - - 2001 35 8/28/99 10-8-0 H Albany State W, 18-6 2014 28 8/29/98 9-8-0 A Albany State W, 20-10 EXPERIENCE OF THE TENTATIVE STARTERS 2002 26 8/30/97 8-8-0 A Georgia Southern L, 45-26 Sr. Jr. Soph. RFr. Fr. 1982 23 8/31/96 8-7-0 A Gardner-Webb W, 42-16 VSU 12 5 4 0 1 2003 18 Fewest Rushing Yards 9/2/95 7-7-0 H Gardner-Webb W, 34-21 ASU 10 5 5 0 1 1998 -7 9/3/94 6-7-0 H Knoxville W, 36-0 Most Rushing Yards 1994 56 9/2/93 5-7-0 H Mount Seranio W, 65-0 THE BLAZERS AT HOME 2007 208 1982 82 9/12/92 4-7-0 A Georgia Southern L, 24-13 Valdosta State has played 184 games away from home 2014 188 2003 86 9/14/91 4-6-0 A Central Florida L, 12-0 during its 33-plus year history and has tallied a 116-65-3 1996 163 2005 86 9/1/90 4-5-0 A Georgia Southern L, 17-10 record (.630) in those games.