Coming off a close setback at Butler, the Morehead State football team turns its attention to a matchup at home Saturday against San Diego at 12:05 p.m. ET.
Fans can watch live on ESPN+, listen live on WIVY-96.3 FM and WMST-106.9 FM and 1150 AM and keep up with live stats here on MSUEagles.com.
San Diego enters the game at 2-2 overall and 1-0 in the PFL. The Eagles will look to halt the Toreros' 22-game conference winning streak. Morehead State is 1-3 overall and 0-1 in the league.
QUOTING COACH TENYER
On preparing for San Diego
"First off, we had to get over a tough loss last week. We put that to bed on Sunday. I tell our players all the time you get one opportunity and you don't get any do-overs, so we have to move forward and get ready for a very good San Diego team who was picked to be first in the conference again. We want to embrace the challenge. They have to fly halfway across the United States to come to our place. We have to prepare to win a contest."
On how team unity can help overcome tough losses
"We started talking about team unity all the way back in January. When you go through a loss like at Butler, it's a little easier to lean on one another and realize that the guys in here right now are the ones who are going to get it done. That's the type of environment we want here. I am really proud of this team and how they've come together. We have to find a way to come out and get better everyday. When you are focused on that and you care for one another, great things are going to happen."
GAME NOTES
THE SERIES WITH SAN DIEGO
MSU is still searching for its first-ever win over San Diego, trailing 11-0 in the series which began with the 2005 PFL Championship game in California. The Eagles are 0-4 all-time against the Toreros at Jayne Stadium.
SUCCESS IN HOME PFL OPENERS
Morehead State owns a 9-8 all-time record in its first PFL home games since joining in 2001. The Eagles own a streak of three consecutive wins in PFL home openers, defeating Dayton 34-28 last year. San Diego has only served as the PFL home opener once, a 48-44 Torero win in a shootout in 2011.
RUNNING WILD
Morehead State's 422 rushing yards on Sep. 8 against Mount St. Joseph were the most team rushing yards since setting the school record with 478 against Austin Peay in 2000.
EXPERIENCE UP FRONT
Morehead State's starting offensive line of Josh Hall, Cameron Bailey, Josh Poe, Ben Price and Josh Hall have combined for experience in 95 career games.
USING THOSE LEGS
With the experienced offensive line and a stable of running backs comes a better rushing attack. In fact, the Eagles rank 23rd nationally in rushing the ball, averaging 220.8 yards per game.
TURNING ANOTHER PAGE INTO THE TOP 10
Senior quarterback Lawson Page is the 11th signal caller in program history to eclipse 3,000 career passing yards. He enters the weekend with 3,357 yards and 26 passing scores. Page needs just 197 more passing yards to eclipse Mark Gottfried for 10th in career yardage in program history.
DUAL THREAT
Lawson Page leads the team with 83.8 yards rushing per outing. Page already has two 100-yard games to his credit in 2018, rushing for a team-best 146 against 23rd-ranked Austin Peay.
RARE COMPANY
Lawson Page's 26-yard passing and 109-yard rushing effort at Butler marked his second career 200-100 game, the other being against Stetson in 2017. The last MSU QB to accomplish at least 200 yards passing and 100 yards rushing in the same game was Brian Yost against San Diego in the 2005 PFL Championship game.
TAKING IT TO THE HOUSE
Redshirt sophomore Aaron Turk's 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Austin Peay was the second longest kick return for a score in program history and the first kick taken "to the house" since Brandon Bornhauser scooped up on onside kick and scored against Pikeville in 2014. Turk leads the PFL with 26.4 yards per return and ranks 20th nationally, and the Eagles lead the PFL in kickoff returns.
FOSTERING SUCCESS IN THE KICKING GAME
Sophomore punter/kicker Andrew Foster crushed a 71-yard punt, his only punt of the game, against Mount St. Joseph. According to research it's the longest Morehead State punt since Greg Burke nailed a 73-yarder in 1987. Foster's boomer is also the third longest punt in program history, behind Burke's and Don Rardin's school-record 78-yard blast in 1975. Handling punting, kickoff and field goal duties, Foster leads the PFL and ranks 11th nationally in punting average at 44.0.
HE'S A STARR
Sophomore safety Starr Hutcherson collected his first career interception at Butler. Hutcherson, who ranked third on the team in tackles as a true freshman in 2017, again ranks third this season with 20 stops. He is the first sophomore in the Rob Tenyer (2012-) era to be named a season team captain.
PUTTING UP POINTS
Morehead State ranks in the top 30 in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in scoring offense. The Eagles average 33.0 points per outing.
