GAME NOTES

Henderson State begins its 111th season of football as the Reddies travel to Durant, Okla. to take on Southeastern Oklahoma on Thursday with kickoff set for 6:10 p.m.

The Reddies lead the all-time series with a 19-6 advantage including a 60-17 win last year at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium. Henderson State has won the last five games over the Storm.
 
Henderson State owned the series from 1968 to 1979 winning nine straight before Southeastern ended the streak with a 32-14 win in 1980.
 
Southeastern Oklahoma posted its first winning season since 2009, as the Storm finished 7-5 in 2014 earning the team's first postseason berth in a decade with a trip to the Texarkana Live United Bowl.
 
The Storm received one vote in the AFCA Preseason Coaches Poll and were picked to finish fourth in the GAC Preseason poll.
 
SOSU returns 15 players starters from a season ago. The Storm averaged 30.4 points per game while piling up 405.2 yards of offense per outing, while the defense forced 25 turnovers.

Quarterback Ryan Polite returns for his senior season after completing 214-of-369 passes for 2,618 yards and 19 touchdowns. Polite is also a threat to run the football having totaled 299 yards rushing, scoring five times.
 
Last year against the Reddies, Polite completed 24-of-41 passes for 155 yards.

Running back Devlon Wortham also returns adding more offensive punch for SOSU. The senior was sixth in the GAC in rushing yards per game in 2014, totaling 833 yards on 144 attempts scoring 10 touchdowns.
 
Kaymon Farmer and Franky Okafor combined for nearly 1000 receiving yards in 2014 and will be Polite's primary targets.
 
Okafor caught 33 passes for 509 yards, while Farmer had 48 receptions for 434 yards.  
 
The defense is led by senior linebacker Thomas Curry. Curry totaled 70 tackles and recorded 6.5 tackles for lost yardage.

The Reddies will have a new man under center this season, as Dallas Hardison is prepared to make his first collegiate start at the quarterback position.

The junior from Bentonville, Ark. completed 28-of-40 passes for 328 yards and five touchdowns last season. In two years, Hardison has completed 73 percent of his passes (48-of-66) for 614 yards and seven touchdowns.

"Dallas has a lot of the same attributes that Kevin (Rodgers) displayed," said head coach Scott Maxfield who is in his 11th season at Henderson. "He is a very smart player, a good leader and those are the qualities you look for in a quarterback. He is not as big as Kevin, but he is very accurate and knows our offense."

HSU returns a stable of running backs from a season ago, as Jaquan Cole heads the way with Rodney Bryson and Ryan McDonald also seeing time. Freshman Calen Peters also looks to be involved in the mix in the backfield.

Bryson led the team in rushing with 666 yards on 111 carries. Cole finished the 2014 campaign with 419 yards on 94 attempts.

McDonald makes the transition to fullback after compiling over 1100 yards and 11 touchdowns during his three-year career.

At wide receiver, the Reddies look for continued success, returning several key pieces from last season's bunch.

Senior playmaker Joseph Snapp headlines the group, after totaling 643 yards on 51 receptions in 2014 and receiving First-Team All-GAC honors.

Two seasoned senior receivers looking to make an even bigger impact in the 2015 campaign are Corey Chappell and Mark Czaus.

Both players were fourth and fifth, respectively, in team receiving yards last season, as Chappell hauled in 39 catches for 414 yards and two touchdowns, while Czaus caught 40 passes for 325 yards and reached the end-zone three times.

Other receivers that will see time this season include Jalen Jones, Jacoby Lewis, James Jackson, and Javante Mack.

Mack will also contribute on kickoff return duties.

The offensive line returns three starters off of last season's unit, including Lawrence Willis (LG), Cory Stitle (C), and Justin Carpenter (RT).

Darren Franklin and John McGee will see time at left tackle, while Montana Fuller is a solid fit at the right guard position.

On the defensive side of the ball, the front seven looks promising and hopes to finish among the top of the Great American Conference ranks after finishing second  in total defense a season ago.

"We only have three seniors on defense, but a good nucleus of returnees," Maxfield said. "We have seven starters returning along with great depth and we feel real good about our defensive unit."

Transfers Jordan Dominguez and Grady Ollison look to provide immediate help along the front line at defensive end, while Trevon Del Rio, Brandon Quinterro, and Kentrell Williams will also be in the mix among the deep front unit.

At nose tackle, Hendry Davis has solidified his spot as the anchor in the middle, with Ollison also providing time in certain schemes.

At linebacker, the Reddies may be as talented as ever with veterans Lawson Schulz and Josh Davis returning as the vocal leaders of the unit in the middle.

Davis was voted to the Don Hansen All-American Team, leading HSU with 90 tackles (8 TFL), 5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles last season.

Schulz was second on the team in tackles with 67 (7.5 TFL) while also having a sack and two fumble recoveries.

Travis Key and Cam Sonnier will also be in the rotation at the inside positions.

On the outside, Donovan McLeod and Tim Llewellyn return at will linebacker, while Allen Tatum returns at nickel.

Junior transfer Terrance Bailey and freshman Dondre Wright will see time as well on the outside.

In the secondary, Henderson State returns veteran safeties Kenrick Burns, Gary Vines, and Christian Love.

Burns and Love will both fight for time at free safety, while Vines and freshman Sheldon Watson will compete at the rover position.

On the corners, returning sophomore Jonathan Edouard and junior transfers Michael Everett and Tiyun Avery will all see time.

Texas A&M transfer Tavares Garner will also be in the mix, along with Tiawa Braxton and Quamaine LeBlue.

On special teams, Houston Ray will once again handle the placekicking and kickoff duties for the Reddies.

The sophomore was voted First-Team All-GAC after making 17-of-24 field goals last season including going 5-for-5 on kicks of 40 yards or more.
Kickoff returners will include Mack, Chappell, and Lewis.

Junior transfer Evan Lassiter will handle the punting duties, while Snapp and Czaus are slated to return punts.

All Reddies football games will be carried on the Henderson State Sports Network with 100.9 FM KDEL in Arkadelphia being the flagship station.

In addition, several affiliates will carry Thursday's game including 100.7 FM and 1310 AM in Malvern, 103.3 FM and 690 AM in Benton, Ark., and 1090 AM in Little Rock. The Henderson State Sports Network will be also available on-line at hsusports.com.

The broadcast team of Phil Elson, RJ Hawk and Hunter Lively will call all the action of Reddies football with the Domino's Pregame Show set for 5:10 p.m.

Live stats and live video will also be available on-line at www.hsusports.com.

Fans can also watch the game live at Slim and Shorty's, the official home for "The Reddies Road Game Watch Parties".