GAME DAY: Red Storm Football in Canada

Dixie State face first battle with Simon Fraser

QB Cody Stevenson leads Dixie State to Canada

THIS WEEK: After an open date on the schedule, the Dixie State Red Storm football team will venture north of the 49th parallel to face the Clan of Simon Fraser University on Saturday, October 2, 2010 at 4:00 p.m. Mountain time. The meeting on the gridiron is the first between the two institutions, in either Division-II or the junior college days. The winner will earn their first victory in GNAC play in 2010; the loser will dwell in the conference cellar.

SERIES: In the near 100-year history of Dixie State College and the 45-year annals of Simon Fraser University, this football game will mark the first ever meeting between the two establishments. Dixie State is in their fifth season of D-II competition while the Clan enter year one with provisional status in the NCAA.

LAST WEEK: DSC had a bye week to recharge their batteries and focus all of their attention to the Clan. The last time Dixie State had an open date was in October 2007 – the (then) Rebels defeated Humboldt State at home 17-10. In Division-II play, the Red Storm are 2-6 in weeks after a bye including the end of previous seasons. Simon Fraser is coming off a running war against Central Washington. The Wildcats posted 381 rushing yards with two men topping the century mark (Bryson Kelly 246, Ishmael Stinson 154) in a 44-30 win. Gabriel Ephard totaled 222 yards on the ground with a pair of touchdowns in the loss garnering him a share of the GNAC Offensive Player of the Week award with Kelly.

RED STORM NOTES: With 151 teams competing in NCAA Division-II football, Dixie State sits at #132 in total offense (#66 passing, #143 rushing) and #129 in total defense (#111 pass, #120 pass). Individually, DSC has some noteworthy performers. Keauntea Bankhead (Seattle, WA/Ballard) is tied for 10th in the nation in tackles and tied for 47th with teammate Nick Rocco (Sammamish, WA/Skyline) in tackles for loss. Mike Langston (Riverside, CA/Ramona) is the 15th-ranked punter and Nash Fowler (Orem, UT/Timpanogas HS) is #41 in receptions.

SCOUTING THE CLANSMEN: SFU has allowed nearly 1,200 total yards over their last two games against Western Oregon and Central Washington. Leading the offense is junior running back Gabriel Ephard. The local product from North Vancouver ranks third in the GNAC averaging 80 rush yards per game. That average was bolstered by an impressive 222 yard performance against a daunting CWU defense last week in Burnaby. At quarterback, Ryan Schwartz will make his second start of the year after backing up Quinton Agosta for the first three games. The sophomore signal caller connected on 18-of-34 attempts for 165, one TD and three interceptions. Simon Fraser ranks last in the GNAC in passing offense at 139.3 yards per contest. On the defensive side of the ball, injuries have played a major role. Concussions and injuries have depleted a Clan defense that has been hit for an average of 519 yards a game, over 100 yards more than the Red Storm's 411.2 mark. Safety Marc DesLauriers paces SFU with 28 tackles.

THE TURF IS GONE: Renovation of the playing surface at Hansen Stadium began Monday, September 13. Top-of-the-line Field Turf is replacing the old surface called Sprint Turf. Dixie State's current “D” logo will cover midfield and the end zones will have block “DIXIE STATE” and “RED STORM”. The installation of the new field turf will be completed prior to team's next home football game against Western Oregon on October 9.

LISTEN TO THE GAME: Classical 91.3FM - online at DixieAthletics.com - John Potter, the voice of the Red Storm, will have all of the coverage from Fox Field beginning at 3:45pm with the Intermountain Sports Medicine Pre-Game Show.

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