Kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. at Kermit Tipton Stadium; Fans are encouraged to wear Blue

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Oct. 19, 2016) – The ETSU football team steps out of Southern Conference play on Thursday night as the Bucs host West Virginia Wesleyan at Kermit Tipton Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m., and fans are encouraged to wear Blue for the “Blue Out” game. 

THINGS TO KNOW FOR THURSDAY'S GAME

No. 1 – Game time is set for 7:30 on Thursday, with the traditional Buc Walk set for 5:45 a.m. During the year, the Buc Walk will take place one hour and 45 minutes prior to game time. In addition, the Food City Zone – a family tailgating area with kids’ activities – will open at 4:30 p.m., three hours prior to game time. 

No. 2 – Parking areas around Kermit Tipton will open at 3:30 p.m. for tailgating, and gates to the stadium will open at approximately 5:30 p.m. During the year, gates to the stadium will open two hours prior to kick. Please make sure to have your designated parking pass visibly displayed to access lots. Paid parking is also available in Lots C and I, as well as in the Terrace lots in front of Science Hill High School. 

No. 3 – Thursday’s game is a “Blue Out”… Fans are encouraged to wear Blue and pack Kermit Tipton Stadium … To purchase tickets, call (423) 439-3878 or click here to purchase them online … Students can get their FREE ticket by visiting the second floor of the Culp Center, by reserving their ticket online here or showing up at the south gate entrance at Kermit Tipton Stadium. 

BUC HITS

ETSU (2-4) is looking to snap a four-game losing skid after falling to Furman, 52-7, last Saturday at Kermit Tipton Stadium.

Sophomore linebacker Dylan Weigel (Pickerington, Ohio) has recorded double-digit tackles in three straight games and has accomplished the feat 13 times in 17 career games played … Weigel – who led the entire FCS in solo tackles per game a year ago – ranks 22^nd in the FCS with 9.8 tackles per game this season. 

Sophomore running back Matt Thompson (Morristown, Tenn.) recorded 8.5 yards per carry last weekend against the Paladins … Thompson scored his first collegiate rushing touchdown to cap off a 12-play, 76-yard scoring drive … The 76-yard drive tied the Bucs’ longest drive this season (16-play, 76-yard drive vs. Western Carolina). 

Freshman defensive back Jeremy Lewis (Lawrenceville, Ga.) has totaled 16 tackles and one interception in his last two games. 

Sophomore kicker JJ Jerman (Seymour, Tenn.) has made his first 31 PATs to start his collegiate career. 

As a team, ETSU is a perfect 12-of-12 in red zone scoring this season (nine touchdowns/three field goals). 

The Bucs are tied for first in FCS in red zone scoring (1.000), rank third in turnovers lost (4), seventh in fewest passes intercepted (2), 10^th in fewest fumbles lost (2), 19^th in fourth down conversion percentage (66.7), 21^st in blocked kicks (2), and 30^th in third down conversion percentage (42.4). 

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN

West Virginia Wesleyan (2-5) is coming off a 21-20 comeback win over Urbana last weekend … The Bobcats scored 14 unanswered points – including the game-winning touchdown with 16 seconds remaining. 

Three of West Virginia Wesleyan’s five losses have been by four points or less (L, 31-28 to Glenville State, 20-17 vs. Concord and 28-24 at West Liberty). 

West Virginia Wesleyan’s two wins have come on the road (21-20 at Urbana on Saturday and 35-14 at West Virginia State on Sept. 17). 

The Bobcats are averaging 365.4 yards of total offense (200.9 passing and 164.6 rushing) and 22 points per game … Defensively, West Virginia Wesleyan is allowing 391.4 yards per game (263.7 passing/127.7 rushing) and 24.4 points per game. 

The Bobcats lead the Mountain East Conference in sacks against (7), fourth down conversions (50.0) and punt return average (22.1), rank second in red zone defense (61.8), third in rushing offense (164.6), fourth in red zone offense (75.0), time of possession (30:34) and sacks by (17) and rank fifth in scoring defense (24.4). 

WWVC is led by senior all-conference tailback Michael Anderson … Anderson has 1,073 rushing yards (197 carries) and eight rushing touchdowns this season … Anderson is averaging 153.3 rushing yards per game and 5.4 yards per carry … He also leads the team with 21 receptions … Overall, Anderson has accounted for 1,213 of the Bobcats’ 2,558 yards on offense and has nine of the team’s 18 touchdowns. 

Red-shirt junior quarterback Ryan Deal is 109-for-211 (51.7%) with 1,410 yards passing and nine touchdowns … Deal also has thrown eight interceptions. 

Four Bobcat receivers have recorded 15-plus receptions with senior Ian Waddell leading the team with 303 receiving yards (19 receptions) … Marcus Smith also has 19 receptions and Zach Schademan has 16 … Six different receivers have caught touchdown passes – Waddell, Schademan and Derek Drapen all have two touchdown receptions 

Offensively, the Bobcats have turned the ball over 17 times (nine INTs and eight fumbles), while their defense have forced 14 turnovers (nine INTs/five fumbles) … Senior defensive back Jabari Weems has recorded five of the nine interceptions, while junior defensive back Chad Pinson has two picks … Pinson leads the team with 44 tackles … Senior defensive lineman Kevin Pharaon has accounted for 8.5 of WVWC’s 17 sacks. 

SERIES HISTORY

This marks the first-ever meeting between ETSU and West Virginia Wesleyan. 

HONORING THE 1996 BUCS

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the 1996 season where ETSU went 10-3, won a playoff game and finished the year ranked No. 8 in the country ... On Thursday night, the 1996 team will be honored during the game for their historic season. 

The 1996 squad became the second team in program history to win 10 games … The team won four straight road games, which marked their longest streak since 1969, while the Bucs had won a school-record nine consecutive home games before falling to the Randy Moss-led Marshall team … The loss to the Thundering Herd also snapped ETSU’s seven-game win streak, which is the longest in school history … The Bucs’ 17-14 win at Georgia Southern on Nov. 2 snapped the Eagles’ 13-game win streak in Homecoming games, while ETSU also became just the 10th team to defeat Georgia Southern inside Paulson Stadium … The week prior, ETSU took down No. 8 Furman, 21-19, in Johnson City, marking the first time the Bucs beat the Paladins in a decade and the third win over a ranked foe that season … Earlier that month, the Blue and Gold ended a 14-game losing skid to Appalachian State as ETSU beat the fourth-ranked Mountaineers, 31-10, in Johnson City … It also marked the largest victory in the history of the series … The Bucs began the 1996 season with a 24-20 win over No. 14 Liberty inside Memorial Center, while two weeks later, ETSU defeated Glenville State, 49-17. 

As a team, the 1996 squad holds single-season records in passing yards (2,830), pass completions (237), pass attempts (417), total offense (5,041), and first downs (281) … Overall, the offense averaged 387.8 yards per game (217.7 passing/170.1 rushing). 

Individually, Brandon Walker led the Bucs in rushing with 1,303 yards, while Greg Ryan passed for 2,595 yards and 22 touchdowns … Ryan’s 22 touchdowns and 237 completions still stand as ETSU single-season records … Ryan’s top receiving target was Greg Johnson as he hauled in 66 catches for 954 yards and eight touchdowns … Defensively, Derek Fudge led the Bucs in tackles (128), while Tyson Taylor had a team-best six interceptions … Fudge also totaled 21 tackles for a loss and James Russell recorded 10 sacks that season … Fudge’s tackle for loss number is still tied for the single-season program record (with James Russell, 1994), while Russell’s sacks mark is also the single-season record … Russell also posted 10 sacks in 1994 … Russell had seven sacks in the Glenville State win, which is an ETSU single-game record. 

Russell went on to earn All-American honors that season, while Brandon Walker was named SoCon Freshman of the Year and Mike Cavan was tabbed SoCon Coach of the Year … Adam Walton earned National Player of the Week honors in the win at Georgia Southern. 

COVERAGE

Fans can listen to the radio call on WXSM-AM 640 The Extreme Sports Monster or on 104.9 NASH Icon as “Voice of the Bucs” Jay Sandos will carry the play-by-play and former Buccaneer quarterback Matt Wilhjelm as the color analyst. Don Helman will be the sideline reporter.  

The Buccaneer Sports Network will launch its pregame broadcast one hour and 30 minutes prior to kickoff with the 30-minute long Eastman Credit Union Tailgate Show, followed by the Carl Torbush Pregame Show powered by Ford which will lead up to 30 minutes prior to kickoff. The First Tennessee Bank Countdown to Kickoff will then lead into the final moments before kickoff. An audio stream will be available via ETSUBucs.com or by clicking here.   

Thursday’s game will also be video streamed live on the SoCon Digital Network. Click here for live video.  

In addition to following the Bucs on your mobile device and/or tablet with live audio and video, fans can get up to the minute stats by following the action via StatBroadcast. Fans can access live stats on their computers or mobile devices via BucsStats.com or by clicking here.  

SOCIAL MEDIA

For complete information on ETSU Football, follow the program via social media on Twitter (@ETSUFootball), Instagram (@ETSUFootball), Snapchat (@ETSUFootball) and on Facebook (ETSU Buccaneer Football).   

ETSU fans wanting to receive Buccaneer news, score updates, in-game promotions and much more sent to their mobile device can do so by signing up for “Buc Updates.” Click here to sign up today! 

UP NEXT

The Bucs will enjoy an extended break as ETSU heads to No. 5 Citadel on Saturday, Oct. 29 … Kickoff is set for 2 p.m., at Johnson Hagood Stadium in Charleston, S.C. 

For more information on Buccaneer football, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the football page.