Cowboys Set To Battle HPU :: HSU Looks To Remain Undefeated in ASC

Oct. 7, 2003

ABILENE, Texas - Untitled Document

About The Cowboys

Hardin-Simmons will look for its fourth-straight win as it hosts arch-rival Howard Payne at Shelton Stadium...Hardin-Simmons sits tied atop the ASC standings with a 3-0 mark, along with Mary Hardin-Baylor and East Texas Baptist...HSU has won 26 straight regular-season games at Shelton Stadium, dating back to 1997...HSU has won four of the last five against Howard Payne.

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

About Howard Payne

Howard Payne came into the season as one of the favorites to win the American Southwest Conference, but lost its opener 42-0 at Wis.-La Crosse and then dropped a tough-game 24-21 at East Texas Baptist. With another loss, the Yellowjackets will likely be out of the conference race, so every game is a must-win for them...HPU is led by defending ASC Player of the Year Adam King at quarterback...Last season's 51-48 win in Brownwood ended the Cowboys' 34-game ASC winning-streak. �

Last Time Out

HSU shut out Mississippi College, 21-0, in Clinton...The shutout was the first by Hardin-Simmons since 1998...Lance Moore had a big day in the win with 103 yards rushing, 28 receiving, 15 yards on a kickoff return and two rushing touchdowns...Alex Hansen had two more interceptions...Joe Lemberg returned a punt 60 yards for a score...Howard Payne routed Sul Ross State 58-21 behind six touchdowns from Adam King...HPU went up 24-0 in the first half and then SRSU cut it to 24-21, before HPU scored 34 straight points.

�

Last Year

Dustin Proctor set a Hardin-Simmons single-game record for total offense with 584 yards, but the Cowboys were unable to overcome a 17-point halftime deficit and fell 51-48 in Brownwood. Matt Moskosky and Joe Lemberg had huge days for the Cowboys. Lemberg caught 12 balls for 171 yards and three scores and Moskosky had 10 catches for 138 yards and two scores.

Up Next

The Cowboys hit the road for an always interesting trip to Alpine to take on Sul Ross State. The trip will mark the last time HSU leaves Abilene in the regular season. Howard Payne plays host to Mary Hardin-Baylor.

ON The Air

Hardin-Simmons' games can be heard on KAGT 90.5 in the Big Country, with John Wilson and Al Pickett normally on the call. Wilson is in his first season as the Cowboys' play-by-play announcer, after two seasons in the color chair. Al Pickett, a longtime Abilene journalist, is the new color commentator. This week longtime HSU play-by-play man Jimmy Pogue will make his return to the booth, filling in for John Wilson who is serving in a friend's wedding this week. The games can be heard on the Internet by going to www.hsuathletics.com and clicking on the radio broadcast link on the football web page.

In the Polls

Hardin-Simmons continues to creep up in the three national polls. In Don Hansen's Weekly Gazette, the Cowboys have moved up to 12th this week. In D3Football.com the Cowboys moved up two spots to No. 21. The AFCA Coaches Poll has the Cowboys at No. 20 this week. Howard Payne is unranked, after starting the year as high as No. 8.

Noteables From The Mississippi College Game

The Cowboys' shutout was the first by HSU since 1998, when it beat Mississippi College, 44-0...The back-to-back total of giving up three points is the lowest two-game total since back-to-back shutouts in 1947...Joe Lemberg had a 60 yard punt return for a touchdown, making it three straight games he has scored a touchdown and two straight games the Cowboys have returned a punt for a score...Alex Hansen had his fifth two interception game and now has 14 career interceptions, just nine shy of the Cowboy record of 23 by Will Wagner. Hansen has five interceptions in the last five games...Jared May had a career-best six receptions...Matt Moskosky made his first appearance of the season and played a limited number of plays, before rolling his tender ankle again and coming out of the game in the third quarter...The Cowboys did not allow a sack for the second straight game...Lance Moore had 103 yards, becoming the Cowboys' first running back since 2001 to run for over 100 yards in a game...HSU rushed for a season-high 289 yards...The Cowboy defense did not allow the Choctaws into the red zone and only once allowed MC past the HSU 42-yard line.

Offensive Line

HSU's offensive line continues to gel as a unit, as they had their second straight game without allowing a sack against Mississippi College. It was also the best running day the Cowboys have had since 1999 as they racked up 289 yards on the ground. The most amazing thing about the line is it has been a juggling act the last couple of weeks. Jarad Hale has played at center in place of injured starter Matt Smith. Adam Hernandez, who has graded out well each game, missed most of the second half with an injury. Garet Black and Tye Conry have done a good job on the outside at tackle and Steven Huth and Blake Parson have added good play at guard. The Cowboys averaged 5.9 yards per play and in the first drive of the game went on a 19-play, 88-yard drive that took 8:58 off the clock.

D - Fence

The Cowboy defense has turned it on the last three games allowing opponents just five points and 277 yards per game...The biggest reason for the success has been the Cowboys' ability to get off the field, limiting opponents to 14-for-50 on third down conversions...The Cowboys have also forced 10 turnovers, including five Alex Hansen interceptions...Opponents have scored just one field goal in six trips to the red zone since conference play started...The Cowboys' three starting linebackers lead the team in tackles in the last three games, which is how the defense is designed...The Cowboys have used multiple players up front and have even thrown in some 5-2 looks to slow down the running game of its opponents. The Cowboys' have the top scoring defense in the conference in ASC play. They also have the top pass defense and are the third-best defense by yards allowed.

Scoring In Other Ways

The Cowboys have scored 128 points this season and have allowed 46. That 46 points is just two more than the Cowboys have scored by ways other than the offense. HSU has two punt returns for a touchdowns (12), a kickoff return for a score (6), a fumble return for a score (6), 12 PATs, two field goals (6) and a safety (2) for 44 total points.

Scoring Trends

The Cowboys have not allowed a first quarter point this season and have forced its opponents to punt on their first possession of the game in all four games...The Cowboys have allowed a combined 17 points in the first, third and fourth quarters, but have given up 29 in the second quarter...HSu scored 37 points in the first and second quarters this season.

Just For Kicks

After being sporadic at best last year, junior punter Mason Grimes has turned into a possible All-ASC punter. He currently ranks fourth in the conference in punting with a 39.5 yard average, but he has been spectacular helping the Cowboys win the field position battle. Out of 19 punts, 13 have been inside the 20 and he has not had a punt blocked. Only six of his punts have been returned and they have only been returned 26 yards for a 4.3 yard average. Sixteen of the yards came on one return so on the other 18 kicks have been returned just 10 yards. �Grimes has hit both of his field goal attempts and is 12-of-16 on extra points. In addition, Grimes has handled most of the kickoff duties.

Scoring Streak

The Cowboys have scored at least one offensive touchdown in 103 straight games, only once in that span have they �been held under 10 points. During the streak, the Cowboys �have averaged 38.1 points per game. The Cowboys did break a 68-game streak of having a touchdown pass against Mississippi College. The last time the Cowboys did not have a TD pass was at Sul Ross State in 1997.

IN The ASC Stats

Lance Moore is ranked fourth in the ASC in rushing and could get to second with a big game...Jordan neal ranks third in passing, passing efficiency and total offense...Joe Lemberg leads the league in receptions, scoring and receiving yards per game...Alex Hansen leads in interceptions...Jared May is third in punt returns and Joe Lemberg ranks fourth...Mason Grimes is fourth in punting, but the Cowboys lead the league in net punting...HSU ranks second in the league in scoring offense and defense, rank third in total offense, first in pass defense, first in kickoff returns, first downs, punting and total offense. The Cowboys rank third in rushing and are third in total defense.

In The NCAA Stats

Several Cowboys appear in this weeks, national rankings including: defensive back Alex Hansen who is second in interceptions, Jared May, who is 13th in punt returns and Adam Parker who is 21st in fumbles forced. Joe Lemberg ranks 30th in receiving yards, 38th in scoring and 23rd in punt returns. Mason Grimes ranks 24th in punting.