SETTING THE SCENE
The Valdosta State Blazers return home at 2-0 following a 21-16 victory at Albany State last Saturday to host No. 4-ranked Keiser University (1-1) out of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) at 7 p.m. Sept. 16 at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.
 
CALLING THE GAME
TALK 92.1 FM will broadcast the Blazer games all season long with Mike McDowd and Mike Mason having the call.  The game also will be streamed live on FloSports with Dave Garner and Taylor Biddle having the call.  Fans can access links to the radio broadcast and video broadcast at vstateblazers.com on the football schedule page.
 
BLAZERS RECEIVING VOTES IN AFCA TOP 25
Following the victory at Albany State on Saturday, the Blazers are receiving votes in the newest AFCA NCAA Division II Top 25.  VSU garnered five votes in the poll and are one of two Gulf South Conference teams receiving votes as West Georgia is the other with 27 votes.  West Florida is fourth in the poll this week (631 points), while Delta State is eighth with 522 points.  For Super Region Two, West Florida leads the way, followed by Delta State, Benedict is 16th, Virginia Union is 17th and Lenoir-Rhyne is 20th.  West Georgia, Tuskegee, Mars Hill, Wingate, Bowie State, Valdosta State, Newberry and Virginia State all are receiving votes. Overall in the poll, Ferris State is at the top spot with 27 first-place votes and 745 points, while Colorado School of Mines is second with 719 points and two first-place nods.  Pittsburg State is third, followed by UWF and Ouachita Baptist rounds out the top five.
 
HOW TO PURCHASE TICKETS
Season tickets and single-game tickets currently are available for purchase online at vstateblazers.com or by calling the Athletic Department Ticket Office at 229-333-SEAT (7328).  The Athletic Department Ticket Office is Open Monday-Friday and tickets can be purchased until 2:45 p.m., the day prior to each home game (i.e. Friday at 2:45 p.m. for Saturday home game).  The Athletic Department Ticket Office is located in The P.E. Complex on Sustella Avenue until 3 p.m. the day before a game.  
 
WATCH ON FLOSPORTS
The Gulf South Conference enters its second year of a four-year agreement with FloSports to broadcast all GSC football games this fall.  ALL VSU football home regular season and road conference livestream broadcasts will be available exclusively through FloSports.  Check back with vstateblazers.com on how to sign up and watch on FloSports.
 
RECAPPING ALBANY STATE
The Blazers won their 21st game against Albany State on Saturday and improved to 21-2 all-time against the Golden Rams with a 21-16 victory.  VSU rushed for a season-high 285 yards in the game and had three rushing scores, two by sophomore Isaiah Flowers and one from junior Eric Watts.  Watts finished with 11 carries for 123 yards and a score, while Flowers had 95 yards on 17 carries and two scores.  Defensively, the Blazers held ASU to just 268 yards of offense and just 71 yards on the ground.  The Blazers, who trailed at halftime, scored two touchdowns in the third quarter for a 21-10 lead, but ASU scored midway through the fourth.  VSU came up with a big stop on a two-point conversion and then, with one last chance, two huge sacks from junior Tyler Morehead in the closing seconds ended the contest as ASU had moved to the VSU 21 with six seconds to play prior to the final sack.
 
AGAINST THE PEACH STATE
VSU improved to 90-25-1 all-time against teams from Georgia and 51-11-1 against non-conference schools in the state, following the two wins to begin the season (63-10 vs. Point) and last weekend at Albany State.  VSU has two more games against Georgia institutions this season versus Shorter (Oct. 21) and West Georgia (Nov. 11).
 
ON THE GROUND
The Blazers posted a season-high 42 carries for 285 yards and three more rushing touchdowns Saturday, giving them six rushing scores for the season on 72 carries and 473 total yards.  Conversely, VSU has not allowed a rushing score this season and has only allowed 149 yards on the ground.  VSU is 11th nationally and tops in the GSC in rushing offense at 236.5 yards per game, while it is 25th nationally and second in the league in rushing defense allowing just 74.5 yards per game.  Individually, Flowers is sixth nationally in rushing touchdowns (4) to lead the GSC, while he is 29th nationally in rush yards per carry (6.36) for second in the GSC and he is fourth in the GSC in rushing yards with 159.  Watts is third in the league in rushing yards with 160, while quarterback Sammy Edwards is sixth in the league with 126.
 
FLOWERS FINDS PAY DIRT
Sophomore Isaiah Flowers is fourth nationally in scoring per game at 15.0 points per contest to lead the GSC, while he has scored 30 points on five total touchdowns for second nationally and tops in the league.  His 30 points this season ranks him fourth nationally and tops in the GSC.
 
BOTSFORD'S BOOT
Redshirt freshman Noah Botsford had a strong game Saturday at Albany State in the punting and kicking game.  Botsford registered five punts for 207 yards and a 41.8 average with a long of 48 and one punt inside the 20, while he had four kickoffs for 250 yards and a 62.5 average with three touchbacks.  As a team, VSU leads the GSC in net punting at a 39.00 average for 30th nationally.
 
STRONG ON THIRD
The Blazer "D" has been outstanding on third down this season as it is 11th nationally and tops in the GSC in third down defense at a .185 clip. The opposition is just 5 of 27 on the pivotal down, while VSU is 26th nationally and second in the GSC in first down defense, allowing just 27 fresh downs thus far.
 
ON THIS DATE
The Blazers are 2-2 all-time on Sept. 16 and last played on this date in 2017 with a 30-24 loss at home to North Alabama.  VSU is 1-1 at home on this date and 1-1 on the road.  The first time VSU played on Sept. 16 was in 1989 with a 35-14 victory over UT-Martin in Valdosta.
 
GETTING TO THE QB
The Blazers have record eight sacks so far this season in two games for sixth nationally and second in the GSC. Last season, the Blazers had ten sacks total in 11 games.  This season, the eight sacks are good for 47 yards as both Jamorey Jones and Tyler Morehead each have two of the eight.
 
THE OPENING DRIVE(S)
Saturday, the Blazers marched right down the field on their opening drive and scored a touchdown, going eight plays for 74 yards and used 4:21 of the clock.  A week ago, the Blazers also marched down the field against Point in the opener, but an interception at the goal line ended the first drive of the season.
 
CONTROLLING THE CLOCK
VSU is 29th nationally and tops in the GSC in possession time at a 32:49 clip.  VSU has led for 98 minutes thus far this season, while it has been tied for 14:30 minutes and trailed for just 7:30 minutes of the 120 "game minutes" thus far.
 
THIS WEEK IN THE GSC 
In looking at the GSC this week, Chowan travels to Shorter in Chowan's second league game, while West Florida travels to FCS foe Florida A&M and Delta State welcomes FCS foe Mississippi Valley State.  VSU hosts Keiser for the second year in a row, while West Alabama visits North Greenville in a conference matchup and West Georgia travels to Mississippi College.  After this weekend, VSU and West Florida will be the only two institutions to not have begun conference play.
 
RECAPPING LAST SEASON WITH KEISER
The Blazers and the Seahawks battled in the season-opener last year in Valdosta as VSU came away with a 36-21 victory.  Keiser, who went on to play in the NAIA National Championship Game a season ago, held a 7-6 lead at halftime.  VSU then outscored KU 30-14 in the second half for the victory in head coach Tremaine Jackson's first game at the helm of the Blazers.  VSU outgained KU 463-389 for the game and went 8 of 16 on third down, while KU was 6 of 14 on third down.  Blazer graduate student B.K. Smith had four receptions for 92 yards in the game to lead the team in receiving yards, while current KU running back Jaden Meizinger had one rush for 17 yards and one catch for 11 yards.  Defensively, junior Akil Lampley had ten total tackles in the game as VSU registered six tackles for loss and one sack in the game.  Wendol Philord had six tackles for the Seahawks to lead the team. 
 
ABOUT KEISER
The Seahawks got their first win of the season on Saturday in a top ten matchup of NAIA powers at Lindsey Wilson, 30-26.  KU held a 27-6 lead through three quarters only to see Lindsey Wilson roar back in the fourth, outscoring KU 20-3 for the period.  All four scores for KU came on the ground with two from quarterback Bryce Veasley and two from Meizinger who earned Sun Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors.  Louis Lubin III and Justin Carcel each had six tackles, while the team registered four sacks and eight tackles for loss and held LW to 40 yards on the ground.  KU opened the season with a 17-14 home loss to Mississippi College in a game that saw a tie game heading to the fourth at 14-14, but MC kicked a field goal with 8:08 to play for the final margin.  This season Veasley is 34 of 53 passing for 328 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while Meizinger has 32 carries for 118 yards and two scores on the ground.  Veasley has 27 carries for 85 yards and two scores.  Maurico Porcha leads the team with four catches for 86 yards and a 21.5 average per catch.  Wendol Philord has a punt return for a touchdown on one return for 58 yards, while he has five kick returns for 68 yards this season.  Defensively, Jaelin Willis leads the team with 16 total tackles, while Tre'von Cooper has eight total tackles, but leads the team with three tackles for loss for ten yards and one sack for eight yards.  Head coach Doug Socha is 44-14 in his sixth season at the helm of the Seahawks.  KU was picked to win the Sun Conference for the second-straight season in 2023.  Saturday's game marks the second game against D2 opponents for the Seahawks this season (MC), while KU played VSU, MC and Football Championship Subdivision (D1) Lindenwood University last season.  
 
WATTS NAMED STEEL'S JEWELRY BLAZER ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Following his 123 yards on the ground, one touchdown and 11 carries, junior running back Eric Watts was named Steel's Jewelry Blazer Athlete of the Week for his efforts in the win at Albany State on Saturday.  Watts is the second Blazer football player to earn the honor this year as quarterback Sammy Edwards earned the award last week in the win over Point University.
 
EDWARDS NAMED GSC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Following his standout debut start under center versus Point University on Sept. 2, junior quarterback Sammy Edwards was named Gulf South Conference Player of the Week.  Edwards finished the game accounting for five touchdowns, throwing for four and running for one.  He led the team on the ground with eight carries for 73 yards and a score, while he was 21 of 31 passing for 347 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions.  Before the game, Edwards was 7 of 11 passing for 121 yards for his career at VSU and had ten carries for 47 yards in 24 games to that point.  
 
OVER SIXTY 
The 63 points scored by the Blazers on Sept. 2 marked the first time VSU has scored 60 points or more since the Blazers' 66-35 victory versus West Georgia on Nov. 27, 2021 in the NCAA postseason.  The 63 points also was the 14th time VSU has scored in the 60s in program history and 15th over 60 points total with the school-record being a 70-6 victory over Edward Waters on Nov. 7, 2009.  VSU also scored 70 points in a 70-12 victory at Delta State on Oct. 6, 2001.   It was the ninth time VSU has scored 60 or more points at home.
 
SPREADING THE WEALTH 
All three Blazer quarterbacks saw action on Sept. 2 and each of them threw a touchdown pass.  Edwards finished 21 of 32 passing for 347 yards and four touchdowns, while redshirt freshman Seth Smith was 3 for 3 for 27 yards and a touchdown and sophomore Darius Ocean was 1 for 2 for 85 yards and a touchdown.  Moreover, the three quarterbacks completed 25 of 36 passes overall and hit 11 different receivers.
 
THE TREMAINE JACKSON SHOW
Returning for another season is the Tremaine Jackson Show.  The show takes place following each game Blazer football game this season and will be available for viewing online in the afternoon on Sunday following the game.  Listen to Dave Garner (home games) and Mike McDowd (road games) as they interview Jackson along with select players following each game this season.  Visit vstateblazers.com for more information on how to watch for free.
 
OVER 600
VSU amassed 647 yards of offense in the season-opener on Saturday.  It marked the second time in the Jackson era VSU has eclipsed 600 yards.  The Blazers tallied 700 yards on Sept. 17, 2022, at Miles College.    VSU threw for 459 yards in the game, marking the most of any Jackson-led team in his career.  The 647 yards is eighth-most all-time in school history.  
 
MCCALL BENNETT
With the final extra-point in the win against Point (9/2), VSU sophomore McCall Bennett kicked the EP for the 63-10 margin as she became the first female to play and score a point in a football game in program history.  Bennett hails from Milton, Ga., and Cambridge High School.  
 
SMITH AND THIELE EARN PRESEASON ALL-GSC HONORS
Blazer graduate students B.K. Smith and Estin Thiele were named to the Preseason All-GSC Teams, announced in August.  Smith was named to the team as a wide receiver, while Thiele earned the honor as a punter.  Smith played in all 11 games and started ten in his first season as a Blazer at wide receiver.  He led the team with 726 yards receiving on 42 receptions.  Smith registered six touchdown receptions and averaged 17.3 yards per reception.  He averaged 66.0 yards per game and had a long reception of 72 yards at North Greenville (10/29/22).  Smith had a season-high 148 yards receiving on five catches versus Mississippi College (10/15/22) and had eight receptions and three touchdowns against Virginia Union (9/10/22).  He recorded four punt returns for 28 yards and a long of 12.  Thiele had 30 punts for a 39.57 average with a long punt of 64 yards.  He had two touchbacks, three fair catches, nine punts inside the 20 and ten punts over 50 yards.  He also had 38 kickoffs for a 64.0 average and 24 touchbacks.  Thiele went 17 of 22 in field goals last season for 20th nationally in field goal percentage (.773).  His 17 made field goals were good for second in the GSC and he was third nationally in field goals per game at a 1.55 clip to lead the GSC.  He finished 44 of 45 in extra-points for the season, finishing 19th nationally in scoring at 8.6 points per game for fourth in the GSC and 95 total points for fifth in the league. 
 
THIELE NAMED TO FRED MITCHELL WATCH LIST
Graduate student kicker/punter Estin Thiele was named to the Fred Mitchell Watch List to begin the season.  Thiele was named finalist for the prestigious Fred Mitchell Award in 2022, while he earned second team all-GSC honors in 2021.  Thiele is 31 of 40 in field goals for a 77.5 clip, while he is 117 of 119 in extra-points for his career at VSU.  He has scored 210 points for ninth all-time in school history in scoring.  He has made 38 punts for 1,529 yards and a 40.2 average, while he has 130 kickoffs for a 62.2 average and 71 touchbacks.  He is ninth all-time in scoring at VSU with his 218 points and is 10 points from tying Dominique Ross (1992-94) for eighth all-time with 228 points.  
 
A HISTORY OF SUCCESS
The Blazers have had an outstanding 40 years of football since the program began in 1982.  The Blazers have the second-highest winning percentage all-time in NCAA Division II with a 323-135-4 record (.704) behind Grand Valley State (429-147-3) with a .744 clip.  VSU went 88-27 from 2010-2019 for a .765 average which is good for eighth in NCAA Division II for the decade and tenth in overall wins.  The Blazers then went 104-20 (.839) from 2000-2009 for the fourth-highest winning percentage and overall wins for that decade. Since 2000, the Blazers are 211-55 overall.
 
NO SHUTOUTS
The Blazers lead all of NCAA Division II with 366 consecutive games without being shutout dating back to a 12-0 loss to Central Florida on Sept. 14, 1991.  VSU only has been shut out five times in program history.  Grand Valley is just behind the Blazers at over 353 games without a shutout.
 
VALDOSTA STATE COACHING TREE RUNS DEEP
Since football began in 1982 at Valdosta State, there has been an outstanding lineage of coaches who have come through Titletown.  Beginning in 1992, Hal Mumme took over the Blazer program and was off and running in 1994 with the program's first playoff berths in both 1994 and 1996.  Under Mumme, who is considered the founder of the air raid offense, has a fantastic coaching tree.  Both he and Mike Leach conceived the Air Raid Offense at Iowa Wesleyan College and perfected it in Titletown.  Among the coaches under Mumme who came to Titletown are; current Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach, current Houston head coach Dana Holgorsen, Guy Morriss (Kentucky, Baylor, Texas A&M-Commerce), current Samford head coach Chris Hatcher (also Blazer head coach), along with current Samford offensive line coach Shawn Bostick.  Former Blazer head coach Gary Goff played wide receiver for Mumme at VSU, and now is the head coach at McNeese State, while Leach was his offensive coordinator and Holgorsen was the quarterback coach of Hatcher.  Hatcher then took over as head coach at VSU in 2000.  On is inaugural coaching staff were Bostick, current University of Georgia head coach Kirby Smart, along with current Georgia analyst Will Muschamp, who also served as head coach at Florida and South Carolina.  In addition, former Blazer head coach and two-time Blazer national champion David Dean served on Hatcher's staff.  Dean now is the head coach at West Georgia and is the only Blazer head football coach to win two national titles in 2007 and 2012.  On January 10, 2020, Leach became the third former Blazer assistant football coach to be named the current head coach at a Southeastern Conference school.  (Leach, Mississippi State), Smart (Georgia) and Muschamp (South Carolina).  Former Blazer head coach Kerwin Bell, who won the national title in 2018, now is the head coach at Western Carolina.  Along with the coaches listed above, some other notable coaches who have come through Valdosta include; Seth Wallace (Iowa), Doug Belk (Houston), Joe Cauthen (Buffalo), Danny Verpaele (Kennesaw State), Kerry Webb (Western Carolina) and Jeremy Darveau (Western Carolina), to name a few.
 
HEAD COACH TREMAINE JACKSON
Valdosta State Director of Athletics announced at a press conference on Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022, Tremaine Jackson as the 11th head coach in Blazer football history. Jackson, in his second season leading the Blazers, is known for raising the bar both on and off the field and has quickly made an impact on the total program in Titletown. The 2022 squad ranked in the top 15 nationally in eight different statistical categories including sacks allowed (2nd – 0.27), total offense (5th – 475.6), red zone offense (6th – 0.918), tackles for loss allowed (9th – 3.91), turnovers lost (11th – 12), scoring offense (12th – 36.6), passes had intercepted (13th – 6) and passing yards per completion (15th – 14.71) and was the only program in Division II to rank in the top 25 in both total rushing (16th – 213.5) and total passing (21st – 262.2).  In the classroom, the team earned a combined 2.84 grade point average, the highest in program history, which included 54 student-athletes with a 3.0-or-better GPA, 19 over a 3.5 GPA and four with a perfect 4.0 GPA.  The Blazers were also active in the community throughout the 2022-23 season, accumulating over 1,100 hours of service in Valdosta, assisting with Earth Day Road Cleanup, Habitat for Humanity, Blazer Kids' Day, Jacobs Ladder Therapeutic Riding Center and the #ValdostaMiracles Softball Game. 
 
WE HAVE POWER
In the 2023 season-opener against Point University, VSU played the entire football game at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium without power in the stadium due to the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia.  There was no scoreboard, game clock, public address or lights.  The teams had generators in the locker rooms and generators and solar batteries were used for statistics and streaming of the game.
 
BLAZERS FIFTH IN GSC PRESEASON POLL
Delta State was picked as league favorite garnering 61 points and six of nine first-place nods, while West Florida, who also shared the league title with the Statesmen in 2022, was picked second with 56 points and two first-place votes.  West Georgia picked up the remaining first-place nod with 52 points for third.  West Alabama was picked fourth with 44 points, followed by the Blazers (33 points), just ahead of Mississippi College (32 points).  North Greenville was picked seventh (24 points), followed by Shorter (13 points) and league newcomer Chowan was ninth with ten points.  Chowan joins the league this season as an affiliate member of the GSC.  Chowan is located in Murfreesboro, N.C., and the Blazers visit the Hawks on Sept. 30, at 1 p.m.
 
A VICTORY OVER KEISER UNIVERSITY WOULD . . .