EAGLES FOOTBALL SEASON ENDS IN 24-17 LOSS TO DELTA STATE
November 25, 2006
DURHAM, NC Delta State University senior quarterback Scott Eyster completed 23-of-34 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Statesmen to a 24-17 win over North Carolina Central University in the second round of the NCAA Division II Southeast Region playoffs at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium in Durham, N.C. on Saturday.
The Eagles defense was unable to get off the field for most of the game as DSU (11-2) converted nine of its 16 third downs into first downs. The NCCU defense was on the field for 10:39 seconds in the first quarter, which undoubtedly led to fatigue issues for the Eagles, as Eyster and his offense scored 21 points in the second quarter. In total, DSU rolled up 391 yards of total offense, but just 102 in the second half.
NCCU (11-1) scored first, following a 43-yard interception return by Eagles junior defensive back Tyrone Williams to the DSU 9-yard line. NCCU freshman quarterback Stadford Brown found sophomore wide receiver Wayne Blackwell in the corner of the end zone from nine yards out to give head coach Rod Broadway's squad a 6-0 lead with 11:50 remaining in the first quarter. Senior place-kicker Brandon Gilbert's extra point made the score 7-0.
After forcing a punt by DSU, the Eagles again drove the ball down the field to the Delta State 25-yard line, where they encountered a fourth down and two. NCCU opted to go for the first down instead of a 42-yard field goal from Gilbert. On a play that dramatically changed the tide and scope of the game, Statesmen senior defensive back Robert Watts blitzed from his cornerback position and sacked Brown, causing NCCU to turn the ball over on downs.
The Statesmen would score 21 straight points with five and 67 yard touchdown passes from Eyster included in the run. Following the turnover on downs, DSU wide receiver Jeremy Ricks capped off a 10-play, 67-yard drive with a seven yard touchdown reception from Eyster. The extra point by DSU senior place-kicker Sid Halliday tied the game 7-7 with 14:55 left in the second quarter.
NCCU's offense, unable to move the ball for much of the second frame, was forced to punt on its next possession. On DSU's third play with the ball, Eyster found senior wide receiver Rob Davis over the middle of the field and he took the pigskin 67 yards to pay dirt. Halliday gave DSU a 14-7 lead 11:20 before intermission.
Finally, NCCU was able to pin DSU deep in their own territory, forcing a first and 10 for the Statesmen on their own 4-yard line. DSU drove down the field in 11 plays as DSU junior running back Steven Davis ran the ball from 11 yards out for a Statesmen touchdown. Head coach Rick Rhoades' offense marched 96 yards for the score and took a 21-7 lead with 3:05 left until halftime.
NCCU was able to stop the 21-0 run by DSU as they quickly moved into scoring territory and Gilbert connected on a 40-yard field goal to end the second quarter. DSU led 21-10 at halftime, marking the first time this season NCCU trailed at the break. The 14-point deficit NCCU faced in the second quarter was the biggest deficit of the season for the Eagles and the biggest since a 22-8 loss on Oct. 1, 2005, against Saint Augustine's College.
The Eagles received the ball to start the second half and went three-and-out on their first two possessions. The NCCU defense was able to hold both times, yielding only a 26-yard Halliday field goal to the Statesmen in the second half, including a key fourth and one stop in the shadow of their own end zone.
Brown, who completed 22-of-40 passes for 255 yards and two touchdowns, connected from 12 yards with senior wide receiver Daunte Fields for a touchdown. Gilbert's 80th straight extra point made the score 24-17 with 10:15 remaining in the contest.
Brown, the CIAA Rookie of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year, threw two touchdown passes which gave him 26 for the season and new single-season standard for NCCU. The previous record was held by Earl "Air" Harvey who threw 24 touchdown passes in 1986.
Defensive Coordinator Cliff Yoshida's unit forced a DSU three-and-out giving the Eagles the ball back to the Statesmen at their own 48-yard line. Brown and his offense were able to get to the 8-yard line of Delta State following a spectacular fourth and five, 12-yard catch by senior tight end Kenneth Broadway.
However, on the next play Brown was flushed out of the pocket by several Statesmen defenders and threw an errant pass that was intercepted by All-GSC (Gulf South Conference) cornerback Monterio James in the end zone. The play effectively ended any aspirations of an NCCU comeback and preserved a 24-17 win for DSU.
NCCU senior wide receiver Charles Futrell, playing in his final game as an Eagle, caught a career-high nine passes for 131 yards, while senior running back Greg Pruitt, Jr. carried the ball 10 times for 38 yards. The NCCU offense was only able to amass 36 yards rushing, its lowest output since a 30-yard performance against SAC on Oct. 1, 2005.
Pruitt finished his career with 3,008 rushing yards, the most by ever by an NCCU running back and the first Eagles player to rush for more than 3,000 yards in a career.
DSU gained 391 yards of total offense, the most allowed by an NCCU defense since Oct. 25, 2003, when the Eagles gave up 494 yards in a 47-0 loss at Winston-Salem State University.
The loss was only the second for NCCU under Broadway against teams not from the state of North Carolina. Broadway is 12-2 since 2003 when he faces teams who are not from the Tar Heel State. It also marked the second consecutive, second round playoff home loss to a member of the GSC for the Eagles.
The 2006 season constituted the most wins in school history (11), the first time NCCU has won 10 or more games in consecutive seasons (2005: 10-2 and 2006: 11-1) and the first time the Eagles have won eight or more games in three straight years (2004: 8-2, 2005: 10-2 and 2006: 11-1).
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POST-GAME QUOTES: Delta State Head Coach Rick Rhoades: "That was a
classic playoff football game between two good football programs.
So many times you get into situations like this where the game
comes down to a few big plays. That interception was a big play for
us."
Delta State defensive back Monterio James on the game-saving interception: "Near the end zone, coaches give us the go ahead to undercut the route. He (NCCU quarterback Stadford Brown) was under some pressure and threw it right to me."
Delta State quarterback Scott Eyster: "We started off rough. We got caught up in the emotion and were not executing the way we were supposed to. We got on a roll and gained some momentum in the second quarter. I was proud of myself for converting on some critical third downs when we needed them."
North Carolina Central Head Coach Rod Broadway on his team's six
dropped passes: "That's unacceptable. You need to make plays in
order to win a national championship. We did not make the big plays
today, and they did. But I am not going to apologize for being
11-1. I am proud of our coaches and I am especially proud of our
student-athletes. A few years ago if you mentioned playing for a
national championship you would have been laughed at. This program
has come a long way."
North Carolina Central senior defensive back Andre George on Delta
State quarterback Scott Eyster: "He is the best passing quarterback
we have seen. You could tell he studied tape of us, because he knew
the weakness of our defense."
