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Football
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September 6, 2018
A Greater Purpose! What are you living for? We’re all living for something, whether it’s family, school, friends, money, pleasure or something else entirely. Deep down, we all want our life to matter. We want meaning and purpose. The Bible teaches that true meaning can only be found with Jesus Christ at the center of our lives (Colossians 1:16). The God of the universe has good plans for your life (Jeremiah 29:11). They are plans for you to make a unique difference in this world (Ephesians 2:10). As the famed athlete Tim Tebow once said, “Regardless of whatever I do, I know what my purpose is: to make a difference in people's lives.” The Murray State Christian Faculty Racers are here to help you experience God’s plan for your life and it starts with a relationship with Jesus Christ. To find out more about God’s relevance in your life we encourage you to check out our website: murraystate.edu/CFN and/or email us at MSUCFN@gmail.com
CHRISTIAN FACULTY RACERS
We are a group of professors, lecturers, and administrators united by our common experience that Jesus Christ provides intellectually and spiritually satisfying answers to life’s most important questions. We are available to students, faculty, and staff who might like to discuss such questions with us. For more information about the Christian Faculty Network, please visit our website: Murraystate.edu/CFN Nancy Armstrong Nursing Narine Badasyan Economics & Finance Becky Ballard Hutson School of Agriculture Debbie Bell English & Philosophy Teresa Betts Management, Marketing & Business Admin. James Duane Bolin History Julie Boyd Occupational Safety & Health Tony Brannon Hutson School of Agriculture Todd Broker Economics & Finance James Clinger Political Science & Sociology
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Football
September 6, 2018
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Stewart, Racers ‘focusing on positives’ Keith Jaco Staff Writer rjaco@murraystate.edu
Last season, Central Arkansas got off to a hot start against the Racers, putting up 31 first-half points while Murray State managed to score just one field goal. This year, the Racers will look to contain the Bear’s offense and jumpstart their own in hopes of avenging their 2017 loss. After a tough opening week loss, Head Coach Mitch Stewart expects a fight to the finish this week. “The biggest thing I’m looking for going into this week is effort,” Stewart said. “I’ve told all the coaches ‘Don’t coach caution in your players’. If they do
something 100 miles an hour and they swing and whiff, that’s okay. I don’t want them worried about all the negatives, but instead focus on all the positives.” Murray State is coming off a loss to Southern Illinois UniversityCarbondale in its season opener on Aug. 30. Turnovers were the main concern for the Racers, as three of the six total led to touchdowns for the Salukis. Minimizing turnovers and tightening alignments are just a couple things the Racers will look to do under the lights Saturday night. The Racer defense showed signs of toughness against SIU-C with a multitude of booming hits and tackles for losses. Murray State
will look to keep an upbeat tempo going into Saturday’s matchup with Central Arkansas. The Bears are coming off a week one 38-27 loss to the University of Tulsa and will be returning home to search for their first win of the young season. Sophomore linebacker Anthony Koclanakis said he understands the importance of continuing to apply defensive pressure heading into Saturday’s contest. “We put a big emphasis on turnovers,” Koclanakis said. “We practice every day, where we have to get three turnovers every practice or we’re running. Coach is really preaching getting the ball back to the offense, and it’s one of our big
keys to winning.” As the defense tries to turn up the pressure and increase the offense’s time of possession, senior quarterback Drew Anderson is confident his team can limit turnovers this week. “Obviously you have to give SIU credit,” Anderson said. “They went for the ball when they had a chance, but I do think that the couple of batted balls and tucking the ball away are things we can correct easily. We had six turnovers, so if you take that away I think we’re right in that game.” Murray State will travel to Conway, Arkansas to face off against the Bears of Central Arkansas on Saturday, Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. at Estes Stadium.
Blake Sandlin/The News
Head Coach Mitch Stewart instructs his players during fall camp in August.
Football
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September 6, 2018
QB explains why he came to Murray State Gage Johnson Senior writer gjohnson17@murraystate.edu
After an intense preseason battle for the starting quarterback position, it was the newly transferred senior Drew Anderson who came out on top. Straight out of Miramonte High School in Orinda, California, Anderson began his collegiate career at San Diego State University. He moved on to play at Diablo Valley College for two years of Junior College football, before ultimately coming to Murray State for his last year of eligibility. “Coach Stewart had a ctual ly m es s a g ed me on Twitter a little before I had decided I even wanted to go anywhere,” Anderson said. “I messaged him back and I was talking
to some other schools. Then I came down here for a visit, met with the coaches and thought it would be a good fit.” According to Anderson, the relationship he quickly formed with the coaches and his familiarity with the offensive game plan were the deciding factors in choosing to become a Racer. “Just coming to talk to the coaches and talking football,” Anderson said. “After finding out what they were doing on offense, I felt like it would be a good fit.” Being able to watch Anderson online and receive feedback from his coaching connections helped persuade Stewart to take interest in the transfer quarterback. “We found him through some Cali connections that my offen-
sive line coach had,” Head Coach Mitch Stewart said. “When he put all his stuff in and got his release, they called us and said ‘Hey, we’ve got someone who’s looking to transfer; are you interested?” First impressions are crucial to any collegiate coach, and Anderson made a good one. “To be that size and move his feet pretty well for that size, and then not only can he make the big throws he can make some touch throws and get it out of his hands quick, those were the two things that stood out to me,” Stewart said. With one game under Anderson’s belt as the starting quarterback, Stewart said he wants to see progress from Anderson as the leader of the offense.
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Senior quarterback Drew Anderson throws a pass during Murray State’s season opener.
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Football
September 6, 2018
Page 5b
Outlining the offense
Gage Johnson
Senior Writer
gjohnson17@murraystate.edu
The Racers are coming off a 2017 season where they ranked last in the OVC in total offense. With the current season in full swing, Murray State Offensive Coordinator Nick Coleman talked to The News about how the offense plans to right the ship this season. Play style
Coleman understands the struggles the Racers had on offense last year, and has big plans to put the pressure on opponents on the offensive side of the ball. “We’re going to be one of those offenses that doesn’t blink,” Coleman said. “We want to play as fast as possible. Like in basketball, we’re trying to distribute to different guys in space and spread it around. If we have a stat sheet with 15 guys with 15 touches we’re happy.” The passing game
Murray State, despite its struggling offense, had a definitive bright spot: its passing game was second in the conference last year, averaging 198.8 YPG. A com-
petitive quarterback battle defined the offseason with the addition of senior transfer Drew Anderson. Although Anderson ultimately won the battle, Coleman is confident in his pass-catching and throwing options. “Obviously Jordon Gandy is gone, but the receivers have stepped up and the quarterback battle has been great,” Coleman said.
Replacing Gandy
Jordan Gandy was a crucial part of the Racers offense before graduating and pursuing a professional career this offseason. Gandy lead the team in receiving yards with 954 – 700 more than the second-leading receiver on the team. Despite the loss, Coleman thinks they will be just fine. “We’re doing by committee,” Coleman said. “We’re trying to do it with more depth. Having guys fresh and tag in and play. If we can roll three-deep and make plays then we’ll be fine.” The running game The Racers run game last season is a pivotal reason why they struggled at times. The team was last in the OVC in
rushing yards, tallying just 720 total rushing yards on the year. Wide receiver turned running back sophomore Rodney Castille will be receiving some touches at the position, but it will be sophomore running back DJ Penick at the helm of the backfield again. Head Coach Mitch Stewart thinks last year’s experience and the newfound depth at the running back position will help Penick be fully prepared for the season. “It was a great learning experience from him,” Stewart said. “I think last year with all the ups and downs will help him this year. The depth we have at that position will also help take some off the beating off of him.” With a game under their belt, Coleman thinks his players are primed to take the OVC by storm. While he expects big things from his offense, at the end of the day, the Racers’ offense just wants to come away with the win. “The biggest thing we want to lead the conference in is wins,” Coleman said. “That’s the only thing we’re going to care about. Passing yards, rushing yards, and touchdowns are fun, but at the end if we lead the conference in wins we’re happy.”
Blake Sandlin/The News
Newly-appointed offensive coordinator Nick Coleman gives a play call during Murray State’s fall camp.
Blake Sandlin/The News
Racer defensive coordinator Jake Johnson is in his first year with Murray State, replacing former coordinator Chris Boone.
Johnson details Racer defense Gage Johnson Senior writer gjohnson17@murraystate.edu
The Racers ended their 2017 football season by ranking eighth out of nine teams in the OVC in total defense. With the season underway, The News met with Defensive Coordinator Jake Johnson on to discuss what he has in store for this year’s Racer defense. Defensive play style Murray State did fairly well when it came to stopping passes last season, ranking fourth in the OVC in pass defense. The secondary was a definite bright spot, as the team forced 17 interceptions last season. However, the Racers struggled in defending the running game, ranking eighth in the OVC and allowing an average of 208.8 yards per game. The newly formed defensive line looks to fix that problem and help take some pressure off the secondary, as senior defensive lineman Kenny Wooten will arguably be the best pass rusher in the conference this season. Johnson expects to change that this season by applying pressure
and instilling a solid and rough style of defense into the team’s game plan this year. “The biggest thing Racer fans can expect this year is we’re going to play tough, hard-nosed football,” Johnson said. “We’re going to stop the run and get after the quarterback as much as possible.”
Replacing Wade
Former Racer and now Kansas City Chiefs cornerback D’Montre Wade was a crucial part of the team’s secondary last year, leading the team with six interceptions while ranking top-ten in tackles. Returning senior cornerback Marquez Sanford, was second to Wade in interceptions last season. Despite losing Wade, Johnson believes returning defenders such as Sanford and others will be able to fill Wade’s void. “We had some guys that played last year a bunch, like Nigel Walton,” Johnson said. “We’ve got a couple kids that have come in and got in the mix last year. If they keep adding to the team effort, I think we’ll be able to replace him.”
Defensive Standouts Throughout training camp this summer, Johnson has been impressed with his defensive line play and expects much of the same from his upperclassmen, which have proven to be vital players for the Racers. “I think at each level we’ve had some kids that have really stepped up,” Johnson said. “On the defensive line, we’ve had Tyler Stepney step up. Obviously Kenny Wooten is right there, Corey Tillman has had a great offseason and Rashad Johnson has anchored the defensive line for years.” Johnson also noticed promise from several linebackers, including a few newcomers at the position. Among those, senior Nolan Nichols, who was an effective power running back for the Racers last season, will switch to the other side of the ball for Murray State this year. “Quincy Williams has played pretty good going into his senior year,” Johnson said. “Transfer linebacker Mike Anthony and another guy out of Washington State have done well. Then TJ Warren has also come in and played well.”
Football
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September 6, 2018
Running backs return with renewed focus Keith Jaco Staff writer rjaco@murraystate.edu
A year ago, sophomore running back D.J. Penick was placed in the toughest spot of his young Racer career. In his very first collegiate game, Penick was asked to become the lead running back for Murray State. “Last year, D.J. was forced into a situation as a freshman that not many are people are forced into where he had to be the guy,” Stewart said. “It was a great learning experience for him. He did a nice job of developing from it, and obviously we’ve got to get better in the run game. I think his development after last year going through
all of the ups and downs is going to help him this year.” Following a lackluster season where Murray State finished last in rushing yards (65.5 per game), Penick and the Racer offense will have much to improve upon as he embarks upon his second year as the lead running back. Penick showed bright spots in the first game of his sophomore year, rushing for 42 yards and adding a touchdown to complement his statline and set the tone for what he hopes is an improved year. While the ground game certainly wasn’t a bright spot last year, Penick said he has undergone physical improvements which could serve him
well this season. “I came back a little bit bigger, a little bit stronger, a little bit faster and the whole team is looking a lot better,” Penick said. “All the coaches have been getting their specific position groups right, and I feel like we’re looking good going into the first game of the season.” Running back Coach Carson Hunter is entering his third year with the Racer football program. Hunter spent the previous two seasons working with the Racer wide receivers and linebackers and he said he’s excited about the guys he has in the backfield this season. “The biggest difference this year are the players that are back
there,” Hunter said. “We have really talented players. I can bring tremendous enthusiasm and try to provide really clear instructions and expectations and hold them to a higher standard, but at the end of the day, these guys are supremely talented athletes and tremendous competitors.” One of those players, sophomore Rodney Castille, has offered a versatile presence this year. Formerly a wide receiver, Castille got reps at running back in the Racers’ first game, where he recorded 72 yards rushing. The Racers will hit the road for the first time this season Saturday, Sept. 8, as they take on the Bears of Central Arkansas at 6 p.m.
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Sophomore running back Rodney Castille runs on one of his ten carries last week.
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Football
September 6, 2018
Page 7b
Farm to full ride: Nesler earns spot Gage Johnson Senior writer gjohnson17@murraystate.edu
“When we started off the video, I recognized the place right away. I thought, ‘Oh no, coach [Mitch Stewart] found some embarrassing video of me from elementary school.’” That’s what was running through redshirt freshman offensive lineman Levi Nesler’s mind when Stewart addressed the Racer football team in their film room.
“Let me show you all a little something you don’t know about Levi,” Stewart told the team. Stewart proceeded to shut the lights off in the room and play a video for the team, one that would change Nesler’s life forever. In the video, children and teachers from Farmington Elementary School, where Nesler attended, chanted his name. As the video closed in toward the end of the hallway, his parents were standing
at the end with his mom holding a sign which read, “From Wildcat, to Eagle, to Racers, to full ride.” “It meant a lot to see all the kids cheer my name, and see my mom and my dad standing at the end holding the sign,” Nesler said. “As soon as I saw the sign said full ride, it felt like a burden was lifted off my shoulders. All that hard work has paid off.” Before joining the Racers as a walk-on, Nesler played football
at Graves County High School. In 2016, he was named to the 2016 AP All-State second team, and was a 2016 CourierJournal All-State honorable mention. Following his redshirt season, Nesler prepared for a productive offseason. However, with his family needing help, Nesler spent all summer working on a farm with no pay. Furthermore, because of his work schedule, Nesler would have to come in on his own time for a work-
Freshman center Levi Nesler received his first chance to prove himself in the Racers’ season-opener against Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.
out rather than with the whole team. Stewart credits Nesler’s work ethic on and off the field for getting him where he is now. “You talk about a guy with gravel in his guts,” Stewart said. “That guy, he’s just got it. He’s a tough kid, and that was an easy scholarship to give. He’s a guy that made the most out of that opportunity.” Nesler’s effort not only took him from walk-on to scholar-
ship player, he won the battle for the starting center job on the offensive line and started in the Racers’ first game against Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. “It afforded Levi the opportunity to take that starting job at center,” Stewart said. “We talk about it all the time, being ready when your opportunity presents itself, and he was. So, he’s going to be the starter going into game one.”
Blake Sandlin/The News
Football
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Next Chance U: Murray State
Gage Johnson
Senior writer
gjohnson17@murraystate.edu
The Netflix original series Last Chance U has become a popular outlet for troubled college players looking for their next big shot, and transfer junior defensive back Dior Johnson has done just that. Last Chance U aired the first episode of its hit series in 2016. The show follows college football programs nationwide who have obtained players with past problems, such as injuries and other issues on and off the field. The show started out at East Mississippi Community College, and later moved on to Independence Community College in Kansas, where Johnson first appeared on the show to make his television debut. Johnson had just left
Minnesota University when his talents led to him being recruited by Independence Community College, and being put under the spotlight on national television. “When I was leaving Minnesota, I was recruited by a guy named Jason Martin, a defensive coordinator at Independence,” Johnson said. “He said it was a great chance to get back to the FBS and mentioned that Last Chance U may be doing a series there.” Johnson said there were a few schools as possible hosts for the new season, but ultimately Last Chance U chose Independence Community College because of the story possibilities at Independence. It was a humbling experience for the new Racer and being on the show prepared him for the next step in his football career. “I don’t know how to
Junior defensive back Dior Johnson looks to intercept a pass during a Racer practice.
explain it,” Johnson said. “When I first got there, I didn’t think it was going to be a big thing. After I ended up watching I saw how big it got across social media and it was just a great experience.” Shortly after the show aired, Johnson accomplished the goal of Last Chance U in moving on to Division 1 football and decided to attend Murray State to play football in the winter of 2017. It was a life-changing experience for Johnson, and he is prepared to take the next step at Murray State. “It definitely humbled me,” Johnson said. “Being in the middle of nowhere in Independence, Kansas, it was just going to school. It made me get back to what I needed to be on. I had a great time. I made great friends and I got back to a school that gave me an opportunity to do what I wanted to do.”
Blake Sandlin/The News
September 6, 2018