GAME NOTES

Henderson State will travel to El Dorado, Ark. to take part in the Eighth Annual Murphy USA Football Classic on Saturday against Southern Arkansas with kickoff slated for 2 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.
 
The Reddies will be making their third appearance in the event having won the prior two games. Southern Arkansas will be playing for the sixth time winning for the first time last year with a 32-28 victory over Ouachita Baptist.       
 
Henderson, 6-1 on the season and ranked No. 15 in the latest AFCA Coaches Poll, will have to contend with not only one of the top offenses in the Great American Conference, but also a stout Mulerider defense.
 
Southern Arkansas, 5-2, is second in the GAC in total offense averaging 448.6 yards per game while the defensive ranks second allowing 319.1 yards per contest. The Muleriders lead the GAC in pass defense surrendering just 137.7 yards per game including a league best 11 interceptions.
 
Barrett Renner is one of the top quarterbacks in the GAC ranking second averaging 270.7 yards passing per game. The sophomore has completed 161-of-253 passes and has totaled 12 touchdowns. Last year against the Reddies Renner completed 28-of-42 for 256 yards and two scores.          
 
Michael Nunnery leads the SAU ground game having rushed for 579 yards on 113 attempts. Nunnery carried the ball 16 times for 44 yards a year ago against the Reddies.
 
SAU collectively has one of the best receiving corps in the GAC. Jonathan Weisheit leads the team with 37 receptions for 406 yards while Karonce Higgins has 394 yards on 27 catches. Tanner Hudson is also a threat having 29 catches for 360 yards.      
           
The defense is led by junior rover Elgin Moore who has 50 tackles including four tackles for lost yardage. Q'Niko Thomas has 39 tackles and a pair of interceptions at his free safety position, while linebacker Corey Jenkins has 38 total stops and ranks second in the GAC in tackles for loss with 8.0.                 

Henderson State got back to winning form last week with a 45-17 win over Arkansas-Monticello to improve to 6-1 on the season. The Reddies compiled 513 yards of offense on 55 plays averaging 9.3 yards per play.
 
Andrew Black completed 6-of-12 passes for 70 yards while rushing for 90 yards on five carries including a 62-yards touchdown run.
Black has completed 79-of-126 passes for 940 yards and three scores this season. The sophomore from Tyler, Texas is third in rushing for the Reddies having carried the ball 52 times for 316 yards.
 
Evan Lassiter entered the game in the second half at quarterback for Henderson and completed 5-of-8 passes for 121 yards. The senior from Coral Springs, Fla. has completed 57-of-86 passes for 691 yards this season and has recorded five touchdown tosses.
 
The Reddies totaled 295 yards rushing a week ago against UAM with Jeremy Wilson leading the way with 98 yards on 10 carries with a pair of touchdowns including a season-long of 78 yards. Wilson leads Henderson's ground game averaging 70.6 yards per game including eight touchdowns.
 
Jaquan Cole also had a solid game with 76 yards on six carries and two touchdowns. Cole has totaled 346 yards on 62 attempts this season and has scored four touchdowns.
 
Courtney Whitehead continues to lead the Reddie receivers with 33 catches for 493 yards. Austin Bennett has 18 receptions for 216 yards, while Jacoby Lewis has 23 catches for 174 yards.     

Henderson's defense recorded six tackles for loss and 11 pass breakups against UAM a week ago.
 
Cameron Sonnier leads the Reddies defensively with 65 tackles including a league-best 8.5 tackles for lost yardage. Sonnier has compiled 27 tackles the past two games. Sheldon Watson leads the league in interceptions with four while having 33 tackles, three pass breakups and a fumble recovery.

Southern Arkansas and Henderson State meet for the 78th time in a series which dates back to 1919. The Reddies have a 44-33-1 lead in the series including winning the last nine straight. Henderson State won last year 29-28 in Arkadelphia.
 
Coach Scott Maxfield is 9-1 all-time against SAU with the lone loss being a 35-23 setback in 2005. The Reddies recorded a 55-41 win over SAU in the Murphy USA Classic in 2014.
 
Those unable to attend Saturday's contest can follow the action courtesy of the Henderson State Sports Network with 106.9 FM KYXK in Arkadelphia being the flagship station.

In addition, affiliates 99.7 FM in Hot Springs, 93.3 FM and 690 AM in Benton, Ark., and 920 AM The Sports Animal in Little Rock will also carry the game. The Henderson State Sports Network will be also available on-line at hsusports.com.

The broadcast team of Phil Elson, RJ Hawk and Kevin Rodgers will call all the action of Reddies football with the Domino's Pregame Show set for 1 p.m.

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

GAME DAY LINKS:
Live Stats – Click Here
Live Video – Click Here
Live Audio – Click Here
 
NOTES:
• Henderson first played in the Murphy USA Classic in 2013 when the Reddies faced Arkansas Tech. Henderson came away with a 45-14 victory over the Wonder Boys. Kevin Rodgers completed 19-of-31 passes, for 358 yards and three touchdown strikes in the victory. Wide receiver Darius Davis had 156 yards on four receptions, including touchdown catches of 45 and 83 yards. The Reddie defense limited the ATU offense to 306 yards of total offense. The Wonder Boys were held to 26 yards rushing on 29 attempts. Chris King led the Reddies with 11 tackles, including a pass breakup.       

• The 2014 Murphy USA Classic was a game that featured the two top offenses in the GAC and it lived up to the hype as Henderson beat Southern Arkansas 55-41 to win. Kevin Rodgers completed 25-of-46 passes for 509 yards and 5 touchdown tosses. Darius Davis had 5 receptions for 173 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Defensively Josh Davis returned to his hometown and had a career-high 14 tackles to lead the Reddies. The El Dorado product had two tackles for lost yardage, a sack and three quarterback hurries.

• Houston Ray became Henderson all-time leading field-goal kicker with his 42nd field goal of his career last week against Arkansas-Monticello. Ray ranks second in extra-points made with 122. Charles Gonsalves holds the record with 132 (141 att.) from 2011 to 2014.            

• With last week's win over UAM, the Reddies recorded their sixth win of the season securing Henderson's seventh straight winning season under Coach Scott Maxfield. Maxfield is the only coach in Henderson State history to accomplish the feat.