Full Game Note Release

GAME INFORMATION
   

Date:	Saturday, September 8, 2012
Kickoff:	2:00 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:	Angelo State leads 1-0
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 Rams and Eagles of Chadron State will kickoff on Saturday at 2 p.m. at San Angelo Stadium. It will be the second meeting between the two programs. Last year ASU scored 28 unanswered points in the fourth quarter for a 49-42 come from behind victory.

Chadron State
The Eagles are 0-1 on the season after a 33-6 loss to No. 4 Division I (FCS) Montana State. Chadron State is led by its first year head coach Jay Long. He has a 15-16 career record and it will be the first time he will coach against the Rams.  

Last Week
The Rams scored 28 unanswered points after being down by a touchdown and rolled to a 42 to 14 victory over Western State. The offense racked up 437 yards of offense while the defense held the Mountaineers to 175 total yards and only 29 yards rushing.

Defensive Stand
The Rams defense held Western State to 175 total yards in its season opening 42-14 win. The 175 yards is the fewest yards allowed by an Angelo State defense since Sept. 19, 2009 when Central Oklahoma only mustered 172 total yards.

Rare Feats
Fans got to see something that the Rams haven't done in quite a while. The first quarter blocked punt by Jared Ross and the scoop and score by Courtney Moore were both something the Rams haven't accomplished in a while. The last time the Rams blocked a punt was against Texas A&M-Commerce in 2008. Ram fans haven't seen a blocked punt returned for a touchdown since prior to 1999.

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.

Stopping the Run
In 12 games under defensive coordinator Mike Walton, the Ram defense has held opponents under 100-yards rushing six times. The 29 rushing yards that Western State tallied is the fourth lowest.  

A Welcome Return
Blake Hamblin and Dakarai Pecikonis had celebrated returns after being injured during 2011. Hamblin threw for 320 yards and four touchdowns while Pecikonis hauled in his first touchdown since the Southeastern Oklahoma game in 2010.

Young Guns
A year after not playing a single true freshman, the Rams had five true freshman in the first game of the season. Clayton Callicutt, Riley Davis, Jared Kutz, Brandon Lee and Joseph Pickett all saw action. Pickett averaged 50.5 yards per punt while Kutz recorded a 58.0 yard per kick average on kickoffs. Davis was the Rams fourth leading tackler and Callicutt made four tackles. Lee had one tackle for loss during the game.

Around the LSC
Joseph Pickett currently leads the Lone Star Conference in punting with an average of 50.5 yards per game. Joey Knight is third in the conference in receiving yards with 111 per game and Dakarai Pecikonie sits fourth with six receptions per game. Blake Hamblin ranks second in passing yards per game, total offense and passing efficiency.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Donovan Roberts


Rush Seaver