Football | 8/30/2012 12:25:00 AM
LET'S GET IT STARTED
Emporia State kicks off its 115th season of intercollegiate football at home against Ft. Hays State. The Hornets are 20-5 in season openers over the last 25 years after having a ten game season opening winning streak snapped last year by the Tigers. In the 114 years of Emporia State football, the Hornets are 63-46-5 in season openers. Emporia State is 14-7 in MIAA openers since joining the league in 1991.
LOOKING BACK
The Hornets accumulated 4,802 total yards for an average of 436.5 yards per game and averaged 30.5 points per game last season. The 436.5 yards and 30.5 points are the most yards and points averaged per game since averaging 482.4 yards and 38.9 points per game in Brian Shay's senior season of 1998. Tyler Eckenrode finished the year ranked second in single season passing at ESU and is third in career passing yards with 4,289 in 29 games.
THE?COACHES
Garin Higgins has compiled a career record of 70-45 as he begins his 11th season as a head coach. He has led the Hornets to within just one game of a post season berth each of the last two seasons. He is 19-36 in his sixth season at his alma mater. He had a 51-9 career record as the head coach at Northwestern Oklahoma, including two trips to the national championship game. Higgins was a quarterback for Emporia State from 1987-90 and was on the 1989 national runners-up team. He is 2-3 against FHSU.
Chris Brown went 4-7 his first year as head coach at Ft. Hays State after spending nine seasons as an assistant at Washburn. He is 1-0 against Emporia State.
SCOUTING?THE TIGERS
Fort Hays State has a total of 15 starters returning in 2012, with seven on offense and defense, and one kicker. However, the Tigers lost five of their nine All-MIAA performers from 2011, including first-team selections Alex Whitehill and Ethan Kosjer. Headlining the returners on offense are All-MIAA selections Hawk Rouse and Andre Smith while Kyle Perry and Kedron “Keke” Paul return on defense.
THE SERIES
This will be the 86th meeting between the two schools with ESU holding a 49-34-2 edge. It is the 55th consecutive year the two schools have met on the football field, making it ESU’s longest continuous rivalry and the third most played series for ESU behind MIAA foes Washburn and Pittsburg State. The home team has won eight of the last ten meetings in the series including the last six games.
LAST TIME AGAINST FHSU
Emporia State football team out-gained Fort Hays State 516-412, but turned the ball over four times in a 27-17 loss in Hays. The Hornets racked up 246 yards on the ground and threw for 270 yards on the evening. The score was tied at 17 early in the fourth quarter when three consecutive Emporia State turnovers led to ten points for Ft. Hays State. Tyler Eckenrode was 23 of 38 for a then career high 270 yards with one touchdown and one interception and led the Hornets with 71 yards on 11 carries, all of which were career highs.
UP NEXT
Emporia State travels to Neb.-Kearney on Saturday, Sept. 8 to take on the Lopers. It will be the first meeting between the two since a 28-21 Hornet victory in 1990. Kick-off is set for 2 p.m. at Cope Stadium.
