Game Notes (PDF)

GAME INFORMATION

Date: Saturday, September 1, 2012

Kickoff: 7:00 p.m.

Location: San Angelo, Texas

Stadium: San Angelo Stadium

Promotion: Buy two tickets for the price of one with a coupon from Standard-Times

Series: ASU leads, 5-0

Video: AngeloSports.com Showcase
    Subscription Rates: Daily - $5.95 // Monthly - $9.95 // Yearly - $79.95

Radio: KIXY 94.7 FM
Jeremy Bryant (Play-by-Play)
Randy Ward (Color)

Live Stats: AngeloSports.com

Tickets: (325)942-BLUE or email tickets@angelo.edu

The Game
The season opener for the Angelo State Rams and Western State Mountaineers is scheduled for kickoff at 7 p.m. at San Angelo Stadium. The game was originally scheduled for 2 p.m. but was changed due to heat concerns. The Rams won 35-12 last season in Gunnison, Colo., for Will Wagner's first career victory as a head coach. It will be the sixth time the two teams have faced each other.

Western State
The Mountaineers play in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and are coached by Jas Bains who is in his second year. WSCU went 1-10 a season ago with its lone victory over New Mexico Highlands.

LSC Football Festival
The Angelo State Rams will play in the Lone Star Football Festival presented by Firestone at Cowboy Stadium on Sat., Sept.15. The Rams will face Gulf South Conference's Valdosta State at 12 p.m. for the first time in program history. The LSC Football Festival will host six games over three days and has all nine LSC schools involved at Cowboy Stadium starting on Thurs., Sept. 13.

Home Field Advantage
The Rams will play six games at San Angelo Stadium, including three of their first four. ASU went 1-4 a season ago in its home games, but three loses were by less than five points.

Building a Foundation
The 2012 Rams roster will take on a younger look with 73 players being underclassmen. A total of 56 have yet to receive any experience at the collegiate level. The infusion of youth should provide the foundation needed to build success at Angelo State.

Team Captains
Isi Cocker, Blake Hamblin, Alvin Johnson and Rush Seaver were named captains by their teammates.

Defensive Improvement
Under defensive coordinator Mike Walton, the Ram defense held opponents to less rushing, passing and overall yards than in 2010.  The defense limited opponents to 108.9 rushing yards per game and to 256.6 passing yards per game. Both totals are 10 yard improvements from 2010. The defense improved by 22.3 yard per game in overall yards per game.

Ground Attack
The Ram offense used its ground attack to its advantage during the season, averaging 155 yards per game. It is a 42.5 yard increase from 2010 and the ground game scored three more touchdowns. A stable of running backs including returner Blake Smith and transfer backs Jermie Calhoun and Donovan Roberts should continue the rise of the Rams running game.

Five States Represent the Rams
Five states throughout the United States makeup the Rams football roster. Arizona, Illinois and New Mexico each have one player with California being second most with five. Texas dominates the roster as 93 of the team's 101 players call the Lone Star State home.

Chip on the Shoulder
After starting the first six games of the season, Blake Hamblin injured his shoulder and was unable to finish the 2011 season. He was on pace to throw for 2645.5 yards as a sophomore and completed 59.6 percent of his passes prior to his injury. The junior only threw three interceptions through his six starts. A healthy 2012 for Hamblin should keep the Rams in contention all season.

Veteran D-Line
Austin Benson, Shiloh Hickman and Kyle Patterson combined to make 92 combined tackles and 7.5 sacks over 11 games. All three should provide the Rams with a veteran defensive line that can stop the run and provide pressure on opposing quarterbacks.  

Head Coach
Angelo State: Will Wagner (Hardin-Simmons, '96) will begin his second season as head coach of the Rams. The Odessa native helped Northwest Missouri State win three national championships as an assistant head coach and defensive backs coach.

Downfield Threats
The Rams will have a talented receiving core for the 2012 season. C.J. Akins, the leader in receiving yards and Joey Knight, the leader in touchdown receptions both return to provide big-time targets. Tight end Antwon Williams also is back after grabbing three touchdowns last season. Two other names that Ram fans will be familiar with are Dakarai Peciknois and Excelle Osbourne. Both players are coming off redshirt seasons and coupled with the returners should give ASU one of the most talented receiving groups in the LSC.

Staff Additions
Head coach Will Wagner added three new coaches to his staff. Drew Dallas and Gary Salgado both were promoted from graduate assistant positions. Dallas will be the recruiting coordinator and wide receivers coach, while Salgado will take over the special teams unit and coach the defensive line. The other new member is offensive line coach Jay Eilers. Eilers played collegiately at Northwest Missouri State and has 13 years of experience in both the high school and college ranks.

The Hidden Yards
The Rams picked up hidden yards and points from special teams last season. Kicker Jarred Martin is one of the main reason for a positive outlook from the special teams unit. Martin is the returning high scorer after connecting on 11 field goals and 37 PAT's. Martin connected on a career long of 42 yards against Texas A&M-Kingsville.

Stick With Me
Alvin Johnson has earned the nickname “Stick” for being one of the Rams best defensive backs. The senior led the team with 69 tackles during 2011. The Houston native picked off his first pass of his career last season against Texas A&M-Kingsville.  

The Program
Angelo State won the NAIA National Championship in 1978 and has won three Lone Star Conference  Championships (1978, 1984, 1987). The Rams have seen five NCAA D-II playoff appearances and produced 57 All-Americans. Angelo State has sent 11 student-athletes on to successful NFL careers, including Pierce Holt, who earned two Super Bowl rings with the San Francisco 49ers in 1988 and 1989. He was a two-time Pro Bowl selection and was inducted into the NCAA Division II Football Hall of Fame in 2000. Legendary Baylor head coach Grant Teaff coached at ASU, and has been inducted into the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame with Holt and former Rams' tackle Rodney Cason.

Follow From Home
If you cannot attend the Angelo State football game, ASU has you covered. Jeremy Bryant will call the game with help from analyst Randy Ward on 94.7 KIXY-FM, which will also be streamed on AngeloSports.com. Live updates will be provided on Angelo State's Facebook page along with its Twitter account, @AngeloSports.

Blake Hamblin

Nekechie Miller