Murray State University Athletics
Saturday, October 17
Nashville, Tenn.
6 p.m.
Murray State
9
at
6
Tennessee State
Defense, Special Teams Lead Racers to Victory Over Tennessee State
10/18/2009 1:45:00 AM | Football
Box Score
The Murray State defense came within 28 seconds of posting it's first shutout in five years and Kienan Cullen kicked three field goals as the Racers put an end to a four-game losing streak with a hard-fought 9-6 victory over Ohio Valley Conference leading Tennessee State Saturday evening at LP Field.
The total defensive effort was anchored by All-America defensive end Austen Lane who recorded 3.5 tackles-for-loss and one sack. He raised his career total to 45.5 tackles-for-loss, establishing a new school record that was previously held by Anthony Hutch (44.0).
“Austen was outstanding. He is non-stop and it is contagious,” said head coach Matt Griffin. “He is one of the most high energy guys that I have ever coached. Our defense plays like that and they feed off him. If you watch the other defensive lineman, they are making tackles. Jamal Crook showed himself and made tackles all over the field and had a nice sack. It's something that we have to have at all times. We are lucky to have him (Austen).”
The Racers (2-4, 1-2 OVC) got on the board on the opening possession as they took 10 plays to march 63 yards. Charlie Jordan got the drive going with a 20 yard run around left end before Nico Yantko found Rashad Daniels for an 18-yard gain over the middle. Marcus Harris returned to the lineup with a nine-yard grab over the middle before Jordan picked up another first down with a six-yard gain.
The drive stalled on the Tiger 19-yard line and Kienan Cullen capped the drive by connecting on a 36-yard field goal.
The Racer defense setup the second scoring drive as Harry McCall broke through the line and forced a fumble that was recovered by Tamar Butler at the TSU 19-yard line. Yantko connected with DeAngelo Nelson on an 11-yard pass on the first play. After the Racers gained just one yard on the next three plays, Cullen connected on a 24-yard field goal to give MSU a 6-0 advantage with 4:48 remaining in the first half.
The second half was completely dominated by the Racer defense as they came up with key stops when they needed to keep the Tigers off the scoreboard.
TSU (2-3, 2-1 OVC) took the second-half kick and marched their way to the Racer 18-yard line where they faced a 4th-and-6. Backup quarterback Jeremy Perry rolled left and threw the ball to the endzone where it was picked off by Darrell Davis, ending the 6:53 drive.
MSU took the ball at the 20 and put together a drive of their own that ate up 7:17 of the third quarter. The drive was aided when TSU was called for too many men on the field on a 4th-and-1 play inside Racer territory. The Racers would convert two third downs on the drive before being stalled in Tiger territory. Cullen again helped the Racers by pinning TSU inside their 20-yard line with a punt.
TSU managed one first sown on each of it's first two drives of the fourth quarter and Lane ended the second drive with his team-leading sixth sack of the season.
After a three-and-out from the Racer offense, TSU was set up at their own 39-yard line. After picking up a first down on the first play, the Racers stopped the next two rushing plays for one yard each and then forced an incompletion on third down.
The MSU offense continued to struggle and found itself facing a 4th-and-16 from it's own 14-yard line. Cullen got off a punt under a heavy rush and was roughed on the play to give the ball back to the Racers on the personal foul. The Racers were able to flip the field as Cullen booted a 51-yard punt and linebacker Josh McWherter raced down the field the tackle the returner immediately.
On the ensuing possession, cornerback Nathan Brinkley stepped in front of Calvin McNairl pass on the first play for the interception and returned it 16 yards to the Tiger 24-yard line. The Racers managed just two yards on three plays before Cullen stepped on the field and calmly connected on a 40-yard field goal to push the advantage to 9-0 with 2:29 left in the contest.
The Tigers managed their only scoring drive of the game as they 62 yards in nine plays and capped it off with a McNairl 10-yard touchdown pass to Joseph Hills. The extra point missed wide right.
Jordan led the Racer ground attack as he rushed for 97 yards on 29 carries. Yantko finished the game going 13-for-25 for 110 yards. Daniels led the receivers with five catches for 40 yards.
The Racers return to the field Oct. 24 as they travel to take on UT Martin. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
The Murray State defense came within 28 seconds of posting it's first shutout in five years and Kienan Cullen kicked three field goals as the Racers put an end to a four-game losing streak with a hard-fought 9-6 victory over Ohio Valley Conference leading Tennessee State Saturday evening at LP Field.
The total defensive effort was anchored by All-America defensive end Austen Lane who recorded 3.5 tackles-for-loss and one sack. He raised his career total to 45.5 tackles-for-loss, establishing a new school record that was previously held by Anthony Hutch (44.0).
“Austen was outstanding. He is non-stop and it is contagious,” said head coach Matt Griffin. “He is one of the most high energy guys that I have ever coached. Our defense plays like that and they feed off him. If you watch the other defensive lineman, they are making tackles. Jamal Crook showed himself and made tackles all over the field and had a nice sack. It's something that we have to have at all times. We are lucky to have him (Austen).”
The Racers (2-4, 1-2 OVC) got on the board on the opening possession as they took 10 plays to march 63 yards. Charlie Jordan got the drive going with a 20 yard run around left end before Nico Yantko found Rashad Daniels for an 18-yard gain over the middle. Marcus Harris returned to the lineup with a nine-yard grab over the middle before Jordan picked up another first down with a six-yard gain.
The drive stalled on the Tiger 19-yard line and Kienan Cullen capped the drive by connecting on a 36-yard field goal.
The Racer defense setup the second scoring drive as Harry McCall broke through the line and forced a fumble that was recovered by Tamar Butler at the TSU 19-yard line. Yantko connected with DeAngelo Nelson on an 11-yard pass on the first play. After the Racers gained just one yard on the next three plays, Cullen connected on a 24-yard field goal to give MSU a 6-0 advantage with 4:48 remaining in the first half.
The second half was completely dominated by the Racer defense as they came up with key stops when they needed to keep the Tigers off the scoreboard.
TSU (2-3, 2-1 OVC) took the second-half kick and marched their way to the Racer 18-yard line where they faced a 4th-and-6. Backup quarterback Jeremy Perry rolled left and threw the ball to the endzone where it was picked off by Darrell Davis, ending the 6:53 drive.
MSU took the ball at the 20 and put together a drive of their own that ate up 7:17 of the third quarter. The drive was aided when TSU was called for too many men on the field on a 4th-and-1 play inside Racer territory. The Racers would convert two third downs on the drive before being stalled in Tiger territory. Cullen again helped the Racers by pinning TSU inside their 20-yard line with a punt.
TSU managed one first sown on each of it's first two drives of the fourth quarter and Lane ended the second drive with his team-leading sixth sack of the season.
After a three-and-out from the Racer offense, TSU was set up at their own 39-yard line. After picking up a first down on the first play, the Racers stopped the next two rushing plays for one yard each and then forced an incompletion on third down.
The MSU offense continued to struggle and found itself facing a 4th-and-16 from it's own 14-yard line. Cullen got off a punt under a heavy rush and was roughed on the play to give the ball back to the Racers on the personal foul. The Racers were able to flip the field as Cullen booted a 51-yard punt and linebacker Josh McWherter raced down the field the tackle the returner immediately.
On the ensuing possession, cornerback Nathan Brinkley stepped in front of Calvin McNairl pass on the first play for the interception and returned it 16 yards to the Tiger 24-yard line. The Racers managed just two yards on three plays before Cullen stepped on the field and calmly connected on a 40-yard field goal to push the advantage to 9-0 with 2:29 left in the contest.
The Tigers managed their only scoring drive of the game as they 62 yards in nine plays and capped it off with a McNairl 10-yard touchdown pass to Joseph Hills. The extra point missed wide right.
Jordan led the Racer ground attack as he rushed for 97 yards on 29 carries. Yantko finished the game going 13-for-25 for 110 yards. Daniels led the receivers with five catches for 40 yards.
The Racers return to the field Oct. 24 as they travel to take on UT Martin. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
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