RACER FOOTBALL A special publication of The Murray State News
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Football
The News
September 21, 2017
Graphic courtesy of Rosalyn Churchman
The News
Football
September 21, 2017
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Battle of the Border begins Gage Johnson
Contributing writer gjohnson17@murraystate.edu
Arguably the greatest rivalry in the OVC, the “Battle of the Border” will be renewed this weekend when Murray State takes on Austin Peay. The “Heritage BankBattle of the Border” is a point-based competition between Austin Peay and Murray State based off of sporting events and community service events. There is a total of 67 points allocated, and the team with the most at the end of the season is awarded the traveling trophy. Last season the Racers won the inaugural “Battle of the Border,” beating
the Governors 46.5 to 17.5. Going into Saturday’s game, the Racers will be looking to bounce back from a 28-21 loss at the hands of Missouri State University. Head football coach Mitch Stewart looks to improve in the Battle of the Borders game. “We have to get better, we have to improve,” said Coach Stewart. “We’ve got guys that are doing things the right way, and just continue to hold each other accountable. I think our kids are up to that challenge.” Stewart and his staff alluded to a scene in “Indiana Jones” to describe his team’s mindset going into their next game and throughout the
entire season. “There’s a scene in Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade where Indiana Jones is trying to pick the holy grail, and there’s a really pretty gold one that everyone wants,” Stewart said. “Then there’s the ugly one he chooses which ends up being the holy grail. The point is, you have to be willing to hold on to the ugly times, to work hard and improve so you can get to the good times. You must hold on so when you get to hold up that pretty cup, you feel like you’ve earned it.” Coach Stewart and the team are looking forward to this game as a good challenging game.
“The rivalry has gotten stronger as of late, obviously with the Battle of the Border and them being only an hour and 24 minutes away,” Stewart said. “They’ve also done an incredible job from a standpoint of recruiting and getting better. This is a much scarier Austin Peay team than past teams.” Senior wide receiver Jordon Gandy is excited for the rivalry game and the opportunity to play with a bigger crowd and in the presence of family. “To me, it means we get the chance to get another win and have fun,” Gandy said. “I love that it’ll also be during family weekend with there being a
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Last year’s football contest led to a Murray State victory of 45 to 17 over the Govs. bigger crowd. With it being a conference game it makes it that much more important. ” Murray State will look to snag a conference win
and get an early lead in hopes of winning their second Battle of the Border trophy when the Racers and Austin Peay take the field.
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The News
Football
September 21, 2017
Football brings the Racer family DJ Pigg Contributing writer dpigg@murraystate.edu
Every year, Murray State hosts family weekend where students’ families are invited to campus for festivities and athletic events. The events start Friday evening and continue all through the weekend with the families getting a taste of what campus life is all about at Murray State. Students can take their families to sporting events like the volleyball game Saturday at 1 p.m. in Racer Arena, go to the family picnic Saturday at noon in the quad, the film in the Curris Center theatre Saturday night at 7:30 p.m., and many other activities that shows them how their kids are living. Dylan Boone, senior defensive back from Murray, Kentucky, said family weekend doesn’t change much for the football team, although there is added incentive on the game. “We go through practice like nor-
Chalice Keith/The News
Murray State President Bob Davies leads students out onto the field at Roy Stewart Stadium. mal, but everyone always seems to be a little more motivated knowing our families are coming to town and we all want to play well for them.”
Lucky enough for the families that will be attending the football game, they’ll get to see a rivalry game between Murray State and Austin
Peay. Both teams will be coming into the game with the same 1-2 record. With the Governors coming to Murray, Boone says it only adds motivation for the Racers to grab a win. “We know it’s going to be a big crowd because our families will be there and everybody else’s families will be there,” Boone said. “They [Austin Peay] just won and they are coming in with a little momentum so it’s going to be a great atmosphere.” Boone, a new uncle, will have a new set of eyes in the stands for his last family weekend as a Racer. “I’m from Murray, so every weekend is kind of like family weekend for me, but something special for me is that my brother and his wife just had a baby and it’ll be his first time getting to see me play,” Boone said. With the football team coming off a narrow defeat against Missouri State last Saturday, the Racers are hungry to get back on the winning side with a victory over the Governors for this year’s family weekend.
The News
September 21, 2017
Football
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Newble earns new role Blake Sandlin
Assistant Sports Editor bsandlin1@murraystate.edu The “Battle of the Border”
against Austin Peay will kick-off this weekend, but another battle – the battle for the quarterback position – just got a lot more interesting. As the Racers prepare for their first conference matchup of the season against the Governors, they’ll be transitioning from an offense ran by junior quarterback Shuler Bentley to one ran by freshman quarterback Corey Newble. Head Coach Mitch Stewart announced Monday that Newble would be taking the snaps for the Racers against Austin Peay after his performance against Missouri State University last weekend. Newble, in limited minutes last weekend, managed to throw for two touchdowns off of 57 passing yards and actually led the team in rushing yards with 56. Bentley recorded 133 yards in the air, completing 24-of-36 of his passes. Although the Racers went on to lose the game 28-21, Stewart said Newble’s effort last Saturday was enough to earn him the starting job going into the Racers’ fourth week of play. “He had the hot hand and made a bunch of plays Saturday, so we figured that he kind of earned that right,” Stewart said. “So we’ll see what he does this week at practice, and if he continues to do those things while taking care of the football then he’ll remain the starter on Saturday.” Stewart added that Newble’s ability to scramble in the pocket make him a two-way threat for opponents. “When you have an immobile quarterback, that’s the trouble that you have on offense, you’re playing with 10 guys,” Stewart said. “Now we have the ability to play with 11. He can just create some things with his legs. If some throws aren’t there, he has the ability to not just sit and duck, he has the ability to make some plays in space.” Stewart will be hoping Newble has a similar performance when they host the Governors, who claimed a decisive 69-13 win last weekend against Morehead State. Both the Govs and Racers sit below .500 at 1-2. In last season’s meeting against the team, the Racers more than doubled the score, sealing a 45-17 victory against a Governor’s team that finished their 2016 campaign winless at 0-11. But as Austin Peay has already shown in their early bouts, they can compete with the most formidable of opponents. The Govs played neck-and-neck with
Bryan Edwards/The News
Freshman quarterback Corey Newble scrambles during the Racers’ 28-21 loss to Missouri State. Newble was named the starter for next week’s game vs. Austin Peay. the University of Cincinnati in their season-opener, although the Bearcats pulled away in the end to claim a 26-14 victory. Follow that two games later with a forceful 56-point win against Morehead State, and Stewart said this team is not one to be taken lightly. “They are rolling right now from momentum, so it’s very imperative that we understand this is not the same Austin Peay team that people are used to coming in here with bad personnel,” Stewart said. “They’ve done incredible things from a personnel standpoint, and I think Coach [Will] Healy had done an incredible job at getting those guys to work hard and buy into what they’re doing.” Newble won’t be the only major change in the lineup when the two matchup during Murray State’s family weekend. Junior Rico McGraw was previously a defensive back for the Racers, but going into Murray State’s matchup against Missouri State, Stewart
asked him to try his hand at running back. McGraw will come into Saturday’s game behind freshman running back DJ Penick, and with that responsibility, McGraw said he’s hoping he can use his experience to make his mark. “I’m a junior, and I want to make plays,” McGraw said. “I want the ball in my hands, I want to make plays, I want to make my statement in this league. That’s my attitude going forward.” The game will be the first of the “Battle of the Border” contest between Austin Peay and Murray State, which highlights the rivalry between the schools with a pointbased system. The contest, in it’s second year, awards points to each school based on the amount of wins they amass against one another. The Racers won the contest handily last year, beating the Govs 46.5-17.5 and earning the Heritage Bank traveling trophy. The game kicks-off at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23 at Roy Stewart Stadium.
The News
Football
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September 21, 2017
Coaching through a wedding D.J. Pigg Contributing writer dpigg@murraystate.edu
Last Tuesday, offensive line coach Brian Hamilton found himself standing at the midfield line exchanging vows between Bishop Woods and his soonto-be wife, Caitlin Myers. Coach Hamilton is in his first year as a coach for Murray State. Previously, he was the offensive quality control coach for University of California. For the past three years, Hamilton has been what he refers to as a “licensed wedding official”. “I had a friend that didn’t want to get married in a church, and then found out how much it was to get an officiant to come marry you,” Hamilton said. “He said ‘Hey man, I’ll pay for it if you will go get licensed online’. So I went out and got licensed through the ‘Universal Life Church Ministries’.” Although he’s been a wedding officiant for three years, Woods’ wedding was just the second wedding he’s done. The wedding may not have even happened that day if not for Coach
Photo courtesy of Murray State football
Offensive line coach Brian Hamilton officiates the wedding of Bishop and Caitlin Woods. Hamilton being in the right place at the right time. “I was getting ready for practice and Bishop came out of the training room, and I could tell he was a little upset,” Hamilton said. “I asked what was up and he said, ‘[Athletic trainer Fulton Hart] was going to marry us today, but now he can’t’. I knew he had been engaged, so I told him I could do it. I told him I was licensed and that if he wanted to do
it today then they could do it.” Coach Hamilton then suggested they do it the following day so they could better prepare for the special day, but Bishop insisted it be after practice that day. “I told him we should do it the next day, then we can tell the other sports teams and get some music together and stuff,” Hamilton said. “He told me he and his fiance both wanted to
do it that day.” The Racers went through practice as usual, and even though he was unsure if the plan was set in stone, Woods found Hamilton after practice to let him know they were ready to go. “I only had about a half hour before practice to get things together, so I went back inside and went through my notes and pulled some parts because anytime you do something like that for somebody you want to do a good job,” Hamilton said. Many people referred to Hamilton as an ordained minister, but he says that’s not actually the case. “Everyone used the word ‘ordained’ right off the bat, but I’m actually just a wedding officiant. But I can marry people all over the country.” Whether ordained or not, it seemed meant to be for Hamilton to be here at Murray State for Woods’ last year as a Racer. When he stepped to midfield last Tuesday afternoon he helped the couple take their first steps to starting the next stages of their lives together, and helped them add another pair of shoes to the Shoe Tree.
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The News
Football
September 21, 2017
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From futbol to football Bryan Edwards
Sports Editor
bedwards16@murraystate.edu
Most student-athletes at Division I programs have spent their time perfecting their craft in a specific sport to earn their scholarship. Murray State junior kicker Gabriel Vicente’s story is quite a bit different than most. Vicente played a different type of football – European football. Born in Miami, Florida, Vicente said he was raised in a melting pot of ethnicities, which for him, meant he had a lot of competition on the soccer pitch. “Growing up with soccer, I grew up with kids who were not born anywhere near where I was born,” Vicente said. “I grew up with some competitive kids.” Vicente attended Gulliver Prep School and was recruited to play Division III soccer. He attended Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Georgia. Vicente said his recruiting process was similar to many other athletes. “I would just travel every summer and attend college camps,” Vicente said. “People
would vouch for you, for your skill and your position.” In two seasons, Vicente played in only eight games as a defenseman. He notched one shot on goal in his Oglethorpe career. Vicente said he didn’t think soccer was working out very well for him, so he explored his options as a kicker in football, even though he had never played a snap in his life. He also had a friend in current Florida Gator kicker Eddie Pinero who had success. “I used to play soccer with him when we were younger and grew up with him and his family,” Vicente said. “I saw his great success with football so a lot of that is due to him.” Just like Pinero, Vicente made the switch from soccer to football. Vicente said special teams coach Jake Johnson approached him with an opportunity to become a Racer. “I had some accolades and coach Johnson reached out to me,” Vicente said. “He told me they needed a kicker and that I’d fit right in, so I took it.” Vicente arrived and played right away for
STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION
SENATE The legislative branch of SGA which is composed of a group of senators representing different academic and residential colleges on campus. There are also two Freshman Senator positions within this branch.
the Racers, hitting all seven of his extra point attempts and his lone field goal attempt in his debut game against Kentucky Wesleyan College. The performance in his first career game earned him OVC Co-Specialist of the Week honors, an accolade that Vicente said was monumental for his confidence. “That was big,” Vicente said. “Can’t do any wrong winning OVC Specialist of the Week.” Head Coach Mitch Stewart said his staff did a good job finding Vicente, and he really likes what he brings to the special teams unit. “He has a lot of ability, he’s got a big leg,” Stewart said. “Even moreso I like his attitude. He’s not one of those kickers that’s a headcase.” Vicente has remained perfect on the season in all aspects. He’s 9-of9 on extra points and 4-of-4 on field goals with his longest being 43 yards. The Racers and Vicente will be on the field again at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23 against Austin Peay at Roy Stewart Stadium.
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Chalice Keith/The News
Junior kicker Gabriel Vicente kicks a field goal during a game.
The News
Football
Page 8
September 21, 2017
Rico’s time to run
Bryan Edwards
Sports Editor
bedwards16@murraystate.edu
A lot has changed since Murray State junior Rico McGraw decided to transfer from the University of Georgia. McGraw was a four-star defensive back coming out of high school when he chose to take his talent to Athens, Georgia. “I was very thankful I was able to go through that process,” McGraw said. “A lot of people put their trust in me.” McGraw watched his playing time at Georgia fall off during his second season and decided he needed a change. Then, he made the switch from the red and black to the blue and gold. Now two weeks into his first season at Murray State, McGraw has moved into the role of backup running back. Stewart said it took a short talk with McGraw to get him to make the switch from defense to offense. “This guy was a highly recruited athlete out of high school for defense. Went to the SEC, was a defense player and it took a two-minute conversation,” Stewart said.
McGraw isn’t unfamiliar with the position, as he played it in high school, but he said it has brought a new challenge for him. “Having a ball in my hand is something I’m used to,” McGraw said. “Here at Murray State, I noticed the offense needed a spark and I took that as a challenge. I wanted to be that spark.” It didn’t take long for McGraw to get action as a running back. Just six days after he was asked to switch positions, McGraw was thrown into action. Stewart said he didn’t want his offensive staff to ease McGraw into the system. “I told the offensive staff, I said, ‘Listen, if we make this move, don’t baby Rico,’” Stewart said. “I thought they (the offensive staff) did a great job and Rico did a great job.” McGraw averaged over three yards per carry in the loss to the Bears, and had the opportunity to catch some passes. Head Coach Mitch Stewart said he was proud of Rico for stepping up to the task. “I thought he picked up on it very well,” Stewart said. “The way that he played, he made people miss, he fell forward. So obviously there’s something
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Junior running back Rico McGraw carries the ball during warmups. there at that running back spot that us as an offensive staff were very encouraged.” McGraw adds depth to the running back position, as well as to an offense still looking to define who they are. With the addition of McGraw and the announcement of freshman Corey Newble becoming the starting quarter-
back, Stewart said he sees a lot of the 2010 Murray State Racers in this year’s team. “We didn’t know where we were from a running game standpoint, then Mike Harris showed up on the scene and we were able to run the football,” Stewart said. “Very similar to what happened Saturday.”
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