PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University football team will travel to Canyon, Texas Saturday (Nov. 21) to close out the abbreviated 2020 season against West Texas A&M University. Kickoff is set for Noon (CST) at Buffalo Stadium.
Pittsburg State, the winningest all-time NCAA Division II program, is competing in its 113th season of intercollegiate football at the institution. The Gorillas have accumulated 720 victories, posting a 720-356-48 overall mark.
Pitt State is 1-2 on the season. The Gorillas dropped a 26-7 decision to NCAA FCS member Stephen F. Austin State University last Saturday (Nov. 14) at Nacogdoches, Texas. Pitt State claimed a 20-7 road win over MIAA rival Missouri Western State University on Nov. 7 and the Gorillas fell, 31-26, at home to conference foe University of Nebraska-Kearney in their season opener on Oct. 31.
West Texas A&M is 3-2 on the year. The Buffs are seeking their first action in three weeks after their most recent game against Missouri Western was canceled last week due to the ongoing pandemic. WTAMU's last game took place on Oct. 31 with the Buffs picking up a 56-0 victory over North American University.
The Coaches
Brian Wright is in his first season as head football coach at Pitt State. He was hired as the program's 15th all-time head coach on December 7, 2019.
Wright, who is 1-2 leading the Gorillas and 5-2 overall as a head coach, came to Pitt State after serving the past four seasons as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at the University of Toledo.
In his four seasons with the Rockets, Wright helped guide offenses that have been among the best in the Mid-American Conference while boasting four NFL draft picks.
Prior to coming to Toledo, Wright coached at Florida Atlantic for four seasons as the Owls' offensive coordinator. He stepped in as interim head coach for the final four games of the 2013 season, leading the Owls to four consecutive victories and bowl eligibility (6-6) for the first time since 2008.
Prior to his stint at Florida Atlantic, Wright spent two seasons at Montana State as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach.
Before heading west to Montana State, Wright served nine years at perennial FCS power Youngstown State.
Wright joined the Penguins' staff in 2001 as quarterbacks coach, also working as offensive coordinator from 2005-09. He began his collegiate coaching career at Walsh (Ohio) University as a graduate assistant in 1995-96.
After a year as a graduate assistant at YSU in which the Penguins won the NCAA Division I-AA national title, Wright returned to Walsh in 1998 and served until 2000.
Saturday's action will mark Wright's first match-up against West Texas A&M.
Hunter Hughes is in his fourth season leading the WTAMU program and his fourth year as a collegiate head coach. He has a 20-18 (.526) career record. He previously served as defensive coordinator at Colorado State University-Pueblo for nine seasons and helped the ThunderWolves capture the 2014 NCAA Division II National Championship. This will be his first meeting vs. Pitt State.
Gorillas on the Road
Pitt State has posted a 102-33-1 (.754) record in its last 136 road games (including post-season play) dating back to the start of the 1994 season. The Gorillas are 38-10 (.792) in their last 48 road games dating back to Oct. 23, 2010.
The Pitt State - West Texas Series
This will be the fourth all-time meeting between the Gorillas and Buffs in a series that dates all the way back to the 1938 season. The series is tied 1-1-1.
Pitt State defeated WTAMU, 41-3, in the last meeting between the schools in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs on Nov. 19, 2005 at Canyon, Texas.
All-Time Winningest Programs
Pittsburg State is the all-time winningest NCAA Division II football program. The Gorillas, who are competing in their 113th season of intercollegiate competition, have compiled a 720-356-48 overall record, winning 66.2 percent of their 1,124 all-time games.
Pittsburg State is one of just seven NCAA Division II institutions to have recorded 600 all-time victories and the Gorillas became just the 33rd program – the first Division II institution – across all levels of college football to reach the 700-win plateau. The Gorillas entered the 2020 ranked 32nd among all college football programs in all-time victories.
Tuskegee is second on the Division II all-time list with 696 victories, followed by Hillsdale (645), Carson-Newman (642) and Central Oklahoma (638).
WTAMU has a 524-518-21 (.503 ) record in 109 seasons of intercollegiate play.
Last Week's Action
Stephen F. Austin scored the game's final 16 points to break open a three-point game and claim a 26-7 victory over Pittsburg State Saturday (Nov. 14) at Homer Bryce Stadium.
SFA (6-3)built a 10-0 first quarter lead on Pitt State (1-2). The Lumberjacks drove the ball 60 yards in 15 plays to open the game before settling for a 32-yard field goal from kicker Chris Campos. Quarterback Trae Self added a two-yard touchdown run with six seconds remaining in the initial period, after the Lumberjacks twice converted on fourth down plays to extend the drive.
Pitt State struck back with an eight-play, 91-yard drive of its own. Quarterback Mak Sexton connected with wide receiver Christian Carter for a 43 yard touchdown to trim the margin to 10-7 with 11:31 remaining in the second quarter.
The Lumberjacks closed out the first half scoring with a 41-yard field goal from Campos. The Gorillas had a chance to trim the margin with 1:15 to play in the half, but Jaden Snyder's 45-yard field goal attempt hit the crossbar.
SFA gained separation early in the third period after a Pitt State fumble on the first play of the third quarter gave the Lumberjacks the ball at the Gorillas 35 yard line. Three plays later Self tossed a 23-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Xavier Gipson to extend their margin to 20-7.
The Lumberjacks closed out the scoring with 10-play, 76-yard drive that was culminated by Self firing a 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Remi Simmons with 13:50 remaining in the game.
Sexton finished the game completing 21 of 34 passes for 199 yards. Wide receiver Jalen Martin caught seven passes for a game-high 118 yards. Running back Tyler Adkins carried the ball 11 times for 74 yards. The Gorillas finished the game with 346 yards of total offense.
SFA forced three turnovers in the contest and held Pitt State on downs four times in the contest, including three times inside the Lumberjacks 30 yard line.
Linebacker Morgan Selemaea made a team leading eight tackles to lead the Pitt State defense.
Inside The Pitt State Offense / Defense
Sophomore quarterback Mak Sexton had a strong season debut vs. UNK, passing for a career high 398 yards and three touchdowns. Sexton's passing total was the fifth-highest in school history.
The Leander, Texas native has completed 64 of 112 passes (.571) for 738 yards (246.0 ypg) and six touchdowns with two interceptions on the season. He logged 193 consecutive pass attempts without throwing an interception between Oct. 26, 2019 and Nov. 14, 2020.
For his career, Sexton has completed 187 of 337 (.555) career passes for 2,432 yards and 19 touchdowns with nine interceptions.
Redshirt freshmen wide receivers Christian Carter and Dylan White both enjoyed 100-yard receiving games in their first career games for the Gorillas against UNK. Carter, a Lee's Summit, Mo., native, had eight catches for a game high 153 yards and a touchdown. White, a local product from Pittsburg High School, added four grabs for 105 yards including a 73-yard touchdown catch.
Senior running back Tyler Adkins has carried the ball a team-leading 49 times for 195 yards (4.0 ypc, 65.0 ypg) and one touchdown on the season. The Broken Arrow, Okla., native has 358 career carries for 1,797 yards (5.0 ypc) and 16 touchdowns.
Senior linebacker Kaden Roy was credited with eight tackles (three solo), including 1.5 tackles-for-loss, vs. UNK. The Webb City, Mo., native has posted 122 career tackles (61 solo). He has enjoyed five career games with double digit tackles.
After starting 10 games at quarterback in 2019, junior Brandon Mlekus made his first career start at free safety for the Gorillas against UNK. The Frontenac native shared the team tackles lead (with redshirt freshman linebacker Luke Jennings) with 10 stops in the game. Mlekus saw action in 10 games in a reserve role at safety in 2018, making 11 tackles (four solo), one pass break-up and one fumble recovery that year.
Senior linebacker Morgan Selemaea posted eight tackles (five solo) and two pass break-ups last week vs. SFA. The Harrisonville, Mo., native has made 29 career starts with 150 career tackles (96 solo), 24.0 tackles-for-loss, 13.0 quarterback sacks, six interceptions, 14 pass break-ups, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Scouting the Buffs
Junior quarterback Nick Gerber leads the Buffs offense. Gerber (6-1, 184) has completed 72 of 117 passes (.615) for 879 yards (175.8 ypg) and seven touchdowns with three interceptions. He also has carried the ball 31 times for 74 net yards (2.4 ypc).
Sophomore running back Kahlil Harris (6-2, 185) and redshirt junior running back Brandon Blair (5-8, 185) have led WT's gound attack. Harris (6-2, 185) has rushed the ball 39 times for 271 yards (6.9 ypc) and one touchdown, while Blair (5-10, 180) has carried the ball 29 times for 221 yards (7.6 ypc) and three scores.
Senior wide receiver Chase Sojka (6-1, 180) has caught nine passes for 233 yards (25.9 ypc) and three touchdowns, while junior wide receiver Devin Neal has 12 grabs for 207 yards (17.3 ypc) and one score.
As a team, the Buffs are scoring 32.8 points per game and compiling 415.6 yards of total offense (219.6 ypg rushing).
Defensively, junior linebacker Christopher Thomas (6-3, 210) leads the Buffs with 41 tackles (12 solo), 2.5 tackles-for-loss and 0.5 quarterback sacks.
Sophomore nose guard Cleon Jackson (6-2, 250) also has made 12 tackles (six solo) with 2.5 tackles-for-loss and 2.5 quarterback sacks.
Junior safety Satchel Escalante (6-1, 176) has 27 tackles (13 solo), one interception and two pass break-ups.
As a team, WT is allowing 17.8 points per game and 340.6 yards of total offense (174.2 ypg passing).
On special teams, senior Mauricio Gonzalez (5-8, 164) has converted four of five field goals (.733), including making his last three attempts on the year.
Sophomore Aaron Coash (5-7, 187) has punted 17 times for a 36.2 yard average.
Neal is averaging 32.3 yards on kickoff returns.
