SETTING THE SCENE
The Valdosta State Blazers head on the road for the first time in 2023 season at rival Albany State on Saturday at 6 p.m. at the ASU Coliseum (10,000) in Albany, Ga.  The Blazers enter 1-0 on the year, following a 63-10 victory over Point University on Saturday, while ASU is 0-1 after a 30-7 loss at Wingate on Friday.  
 
CALLING THE GAME
TALK 92.1 FM will broadcast the Blazer games all season long with Mike McDowd and Mike Mason having the call.  Fans also can access the broadcast at www.talk921.com. Video streaming of the game will be free and links for it and live stats can be found at vstateblazers.com on the football schedule page.
 
AGAINST THE PEACH STATE
VSU is 89-25-1 all-time against teams from Georgia and 50-11-1 against non-conference schools in the state, following the 63-10 win over Point University on Saturday.  Albany is one of two non-conference teams (Point University) and four teams overall (Shorter, West Georgia) overall VSU plays this season from Georgia.
 
EDWARDS NAMED GSC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Following his standout debut start under center, 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 Saturday, Edwards was 7 of 11 passing for 121 yards for his career at VSU and had ten carries for 47 yards in 24 games.  
 
EDWARDS AND MOLEKA NAMED STEEL'S JEWELRY BLAZER ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
In addition to his GSC Player of the Week, Sammy Edwards earned Steel's Jewelry Blazer Athlete of the Week for the first week of the season.  He shares the honor with women's soccer senior Ana Moleka.
 
OVER SIXTY 
The 63 points scored by the Blazers on Saturday 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 Saturday 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 Saturday 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.
 
ON THIS DATE
The Blazers are 1-2 all-time on Sept. 9 and have not played on this date since a 31-3 victory over Fort Valley State in 2006 in Valdosta.  VSU lost at Central Florida 35-10 in 1989 and lost at North Dakota State, 19-14, in 1995.    
 
ABOUT ALBANY STATE
The Golden Rams are under the direction of new head coach Quinn Gray, Sr., and are 0-1 on the year following a 30-7 loss at No. 18 Wingate last Friday.  ASU had 252 yards of total offense in the game and used a two quarterback system.  Frederick Gaines caught the only touchdown pass for the Golden Rams in the game, finishing with three catches for 26 yards.  The Golden Rams were picked second in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) poll.  A total of six players were named to the SIAC All-Preseason tam.  Josh Simon and Jaree Turner were named first team, while Kamran Ward, Dionte Bonneau, Jalen Pugh and Rashad Jordan were named to the second team.  Last season, ASU went 7-3 and 5-2 in league play.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES WITH ALBANY STATE
The Blazers lead the all-time series with Albany State 20-2 and 9-2 in Albany.  VSU has won the last three in the series and nine of ten.  VSU won 38-3 on Sept. 7, 2019, in the last meeting in Albany, while VSU won 21-3 in the most recent meeting on Sept. 18, 2021, in Valdosta.  VSU has outscored ASU 622-251 for an average 28.3 points per game to 11.4.  
 
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.
 
FLOWERS TAKES OVER
Following standout careers in the backfield from former Blazers Seth McGill and Jamar Thompkins, sophomore Isaiah Flowers took over Saturday as the starting running back Flowers finished the game with eight carries for 64 yards and two rushing touchdowns, while he also had three catches for 31 yards and a receiving score in his first career start.  
 
STOUT DEFENSIVELY
VSU allowed just 186 yards of total offense (78 rush / 108 pass), marking the second-fewest yards allowed under Jackson at VSU.  VSU allowed just 184 yards at Miles College last season (9/17/22).  Sophomore Terrell Dudley finished with five tackles, four solo stops, one sack for seven yards.  VSU sacked the Skyhawk quarterbacks four times for 21 yards and registered seven tackles for loss for 28 yards.
 
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 eigth-most all-time in school history.  
 
MCCALL BENNETT
With the final extra-point in the win Saturday, 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.  
 
SEEING THE FIELD
A total of 74 players played in the season-opener against Point University last week as the Blazers were able to see in action a lot of players as the team brought in over 80 new players for this season from the beginning of January, 2023 to now.
 
THE SHOW MUST GO ON
Due to the devastation of Hurricane Idalia, last Saturday's football game was played without power in the stadium as there were generators in the locker rooms and for radio/live stream, while the score and time were kept on the field.  
 
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 322-135-4 record (.704) behind Grand Valley State (428-147-3) 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 209-55 overall.
 
NO SHUTOUTS
The Blazers lead all of NCAA Division II with 365 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. 
 
THIS WEEK IN THE GSC
VSU (1-0) travels to Albany State (0-1) this week, while there are a number of other good matchups in the league.  West Alabama (0-1) travels to Limestone (0-1), while Delta State (1-0) visits conference-newcomer Chowan (0-1) in the first GSC game of the season. West Florida (1-0) travels to McKendree (0-1), while Erskine (0-1) visits Shorter. North Greenville (0-1) heads to in-state foe Newberry (1-0) and the GSC has two road tests at Lone Star Conference schools as Mississippi College (1-0) visits Midwestern State (0-1) and West Georgia (1-0) heads to Texas A&M-Kingsville (1-0).  
 
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 ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY WOULD . . .