Game Notes: DIXIE STATE - PDF | FORT LEWIS
Live TV: KCEC-TV (TDS Channel 22)
Live Video: DIXIE STATE YOUTUBE CHANNEL
Live Audio: ESPN RADIO 97.7 FM
Live Stats: vs. Fort Lewis
Twitter: @DixieAthletics | @DixieState_FB | #DixieBlazers | #WeAreONE | #OnTheRISE

OPENING KICK: Dixie State (1-3) will put a bow on NCAA Division I FCS 2021 spring debut season with a match-up against former RMAC foe Fort Lewis (0-0). Kick-off inside Greater Zion Stadium is set for 7 p.m. (MT). 

DIXIE STATE ON THE AIR: All Dixie State Division I home and away games this season will be broadcast live on ESPN Radio 97.7 FM, with Devin Dixon calling the play-by-play action and Andy Thompson providing color commentary. A live stream of the radio broadcast will be available at sportsradio977.com.
    Along with the radio coverage, both DSU home games this spring will be simulcast on KCEC-TV (TDS Cable Channel 22), with tape-delay rebroadcasts aired throughout the following week, and streamed live on Dixie State's YouTube channel (youtube.com/DixieStateAthletics).

DIXIE STATE VS. FORT LEWIS: Saturday's game vs. Fort Lewis will be the sixth meeting between the Trailblazers and Skyhawks on the football field.
    DSU is 4-1 all-time vs. Fort Lewis and has won four-straight in the series overall, including a 23-14 road victory over the Skyhawks in the last meeting during the 2019 season (9/14/19) in Durango, Colo.
    The two sides first met in the Dixie Rotary Bowl in St. George on Dec. 2, 2006, when Fort Lewis rallied from a 14-3 halftime deficit for a 24-14 win.

LAST TIME OUT: Dixie State wrapped up the road portion of its 2021 spring season with a hard-fought 37-27 loss at then-No. 9/No. 9 Kennesaw State last Saturday afternoon at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Kennesaw, Ga.
    The Blazers announced their presence with authority in their opening drive of the game, marching 71 yards in 12 plays, culminating with a 10-yard Quali Conley touchdown run.
    The nationally-ranked Owls would take advantage of a costly DSU special teams miscue as part of scoring 27-unanswered points over the next two-plus quarters. However Dixie State would rally to cut the deficit to 10 points on a couple of occasions, but could now draw any closer as KSU escaped with the home win.

BLAZING TRAILS ON THE ROAD: Dixie State made three of the longest road trips in the program's NCAA era this spring season, spanning over 7,500 miles overall, including the program's longest-ever road trip last weekend to Kennesaw, Ga.
    Last Saturday's game at KSU marked the first time in the program's four-year era that the Trailblazers played a game EAST of the Mississippi River. In fact, the near 3,844-mile round trip eclipsed the previous record long round trip of (approx.) 2,514 miles DSU made annually (2010-15) to Burnaby, British Columbia, to play at former GNAC foe Simon Fraser.
    Dixie State opened the year with a 2,220-mile road trip to Stephenville, Texas to play at Tarleton State (2/27), and made the 1,458-mile round trip to El Paso, Texas, to play a "road game" at New Mexico State (3/7). 

HI, MY NAME IS ....: After 14 years as a competing member of the NCAA at the Division II level, Dixie State will officially kick off its D-I FCS era on Saturday at Tarleton.
    During their 14-year Division II era, the Trailblazers played to a 52-100 (.342) overall record, which included a combined 41-61 conference record in the GNAC (16-46; .258) and RMAC (25-15; .625) conferences.
    Dixie State posted winning records in three of its final D-II seasons, including a program best 8-3 mark (8-2 RMAC) last season Head Coach Paul Peterson's first season at the helm.

WE ARE INDEPENDENT...FOR NOW: Dixie State Athletics officially began its transition to NCAA Division I status this past July 1, with all sports except football joining the Western Athletic Conference. The transition also meant that the Trailblazer football program was going to begin its transition as one of three FCS independent programs in the country, joining Tarleton State and Presbyterian University.
    However the WAC announced last month an expansion plan that would include the addition of five new member schools, all of which sponsor football. Among the new members are current Big Sky Conference member and soon-to-be a new in-state rival Southern Utah, and Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin from the Southland Conference.
    The four Southland schools will join the WAC this upcoming July 1, while SUU will move over in July of 2022, thus rounding out a seven-team WAC FCS football league that begins play that fall.
    Fellow WAC member New Mexico State, which DSU played last Sunday afternoon in El Paso, will remain an independent D-I FBS program and will not be included in the new WAC football league.

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME (SPRING) FOOTBALL?: Though the 2020 D-I FBS football season has come and gone, the National Football Foundation announced last month that more than 300 schools and 35 conferences in the FBS, FCS, D-II, D-III and NAIA levels are playing college football this spring.
    According to the NFF, Dixie State is one of more than 100 FCS programs which are putting on the helmets and pads for the 2021 spring season.

DIXIE STATE AGAINST RANKED OPPONENTS: The win at then No. 22 Tarleton (2/27) was just the third Dixie State victory over a ranked team in the program's NCAA era, and was the first in NCAA D-I FCS play.
    Meanwhile, Saturday's game at No. 9/No. 9 Kennesaw State was the 21st-time in DSU's NCAA era that the Blazers had faced a ranked opponent (3-18 overall).  
    Prior to that victory at TSU, the last DSU win vs. a ranked opponent came on Nov. 3, 2018, in a 52-45 thriller at home against then-No. 6 Colorado School of Mines. DSU claimed its first win over a ranked opponent in a 38-31 victory at then-No. 23 Colorado Mesa in Grand Junction in 2016.

HITTING THE TRAIL
* - Junior QB Kody Wilstead threw for 230 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday's loss at Kennesaw State ... Wilstead has completed at least one TD pass in three of four spring games, including two TDs throws at NMSU (3/7).
* - Wilstead also racked up 56 net rush yards and scored his third rushing TD of the year (fourth of his DSU career) with 4:04 to play in the fourth quarter.  
*- Wilstead threw for 350 yards and a TD in the Tarleton road win (2/27), then bettered that a week later at NMSU (3/7), when he completed 26-of-38 of his passes for 373 yards and two touchdowns.
*- Wilstead's 373 yards passing tied for the eighth-most in a game in the program's NCAA era (Judd Thompson vs. Adams State (2009).
* - Wilstead also padded his school record with his sixth-career 300-yard passing game at NMSU.
* - Against NMSU (3/7), Wilstead completed a 65-yard TD pass to senior WR Jalen Powell in the third quarter, and found freshman RB Quali Conley for a 75-yard TD catch-and-run late in the fourth quarter.
* - Wilstead's 75-yard TD pass tied for the 6th longest in the program's NCAA era and was DSU's 15th TD pass all-time in the four-year era that had covered 65 or more yards, which included the Powell TD one quarter earlier.
* - Wilstead's two touchdown passes at KSU last Saturday moved him into a tied for second place on DSU's career passing TD list (23) with another Cody - former DSU QB Cody Stevenson, who had 23 TD passes in two seasons in 2010-11.
* - Wilstead also extended his streak without an interception to 25 quarters, dating back to the 2019 season, and he has not been picked off in his last 207 pass attempts overall ... his last INT came just before halftime in a road win at Western Colorado (10/19/19).
* - Freshman reserve QB Kobe Tracy saw his first action as a Trailblazer in the second half vs. Tarleton (3/13) ... the freshman completed six of his 17 passes for 123 yards and his first two collegiate touchdowns.
* - Tracy found fellow freshman David Fisher for both TD strikes, including a 49-yarder with 4:18 to play ... the duo then hooked up for a 14-yard pitch-and-catch at the final gun.
* - Freshman RB Quali Conley scored a game opening drive touchdown for the third time this season - all on the road - when he scampered 10 yards to cap DSU's 12-play, 71-yard drive at KSU last Saturday ... Conley also found paydirt on DSU's first drive at both Tarleton (2/27) and NMSU (3/7).
* - Conley rushed for 81 yards on 18 carries and had 97 all-purpose yards (4 rec., 16 yds) at Kennesaw State.
* - Conley just missed his first net 100-yard rushing game of his young career in the home loss to Tarleton (3/13) ... the freshman back finished with a career-best 98 net yards (100 gained) on 22 carries vs. the Texans.
* - Conley racked up a career-best 179 all-purpose yards and scored two touchdowns at NMSU (3/7) ... the freshman got Dixie State on the board on the team's opening drive with a 43-yard scamper, which was part of an 84-yard rushing effort on 11 carries ... he also caught four passes for a career-high 98 yards.
* - Conley is averaging 81.75 yards rushing and 140.0 all-purpose yards through his first four collegiate games with four total touchdowns overall.
* - Senior WR Deven Osborne posted his first collegiate 100-yard receiving game last Saturday at Kennesaw State ... Osborne caught a career-best nine passes for a career-high 121 yards, including a 27-yd TD toss from Wilstead in the third quarter.  
* - Osborne eclipsed his previous career high of 67 receiving yards set at Tarleton (2/27) ... Osborne, who had only six total receptions a season ago, also led the team with five catches and 53 yards at home vs. Tarleton (3/13).
* - Powell recorded his second career 100-yard receiving game at NMSU (3/7) as he hauled in six passes for 104 yards to go with his TD ... Powell posted a career-high 127 receiving yards in 2019 vs. Colorado Mesa (11/2/19).
* - Senior TE Chase Hess picked up right where he left off a season ago as he hauled in five catches for 96 yards at Tarleton (2/27), highlighted by a 43-yard catch and run ... Hess also moved into solo ninth place on DSU's career TD receptions list after he caught a 5-yard strike from Wilstead in the fourth quarter at KSU last Saturday.
* - DSU's offense scored 27 points at KSU despite being held to a season-low 351 total yards ... That total eclipsed the previous season low of 364 total yards in the home loss to Tarleton (3/13), which snapped a five-game streak that saw the Trailblazers game at least 440 yards of offense.
* - Dixie State racked up a season-high 483 total yards at NMSU (3/7).
* - DSU eclipsed the 400-yard plateau offensively nine times in 2019, highlighted by a 677-yard day (#2 all-time at DSU) vs. Black Hills State (10/5/19).
* - Dixie State has scored in 8-of-11 red zone trips this season with seven touchdowns.  
* - Dixie State saw its scoring streak stopped at 15 quarters after the Blazers were held scoreless in the first half vs. Tarleton (3/13).
* - Prior to that, the last time DSU was held scoreless in a quarter was in the first quarter at Colorado School of Mines (11/9/19) during the 2019 season.
* - Meanwhile, the last time the Trailblazers were held scoreless in a half was early in the 2019 season at Fort Lewis (9/14/19), in a game Dixie State scored 23 unanswered points after halftime en route to a 23-14 road win.
* - Dixie State did not turn the ball over in its loss to Tarleton (3/13) ... the last time the Blazers achieved that feat was in a 52-22 home win vs. Black Hills State (10/5/19) during the 2019 season.
* - DSU gave up a defensive fumble return for a TD early in the second quarter at KSU last Saturday ... that TD broke a string of 30-straight games that DSU had not had surrendered a defensive fumble return for a TD (vs. Chadron State; 10/7/17).
* - Through four games this spring, Dixie State has been flagged just 17 times for 173 penalty yards, while the Blazer opponents have racked up 274 yards on 30 accepted penalties.  
* - Despite not playing last Saturday at KSU, junior LB Malaki Malaki is still the team's leading tackler through three games with 35 (11.67 tpg), which includes 16 solo stops and 2.5 TFLs.
* - Malaki tied a program NCAA-era record with 19 total tackles, including nine solo stops at NMSU (3/7), which helped earn him Stat Perform Week 4 FCS Player of the Week honorable mention recognition ... Malaki, who also had 2.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble vs. the Aggies, tied the record first set by former DSU linebacker Robert Metz, who also recorded 19 tackles in a 2015 game at Central Washington (11/14/15).  
* - Senior DL Isaac Fotu tied a season-high with 10 total tackles at KSU last Saturday, which included a season-high six solo stops ... Fotu also complemented Malaki's big day at NMSU (3/7) as he was credited with 10 total tackles (2 solo) and DSU's lone sack of the game.
* - Freshman DB Malina Ti'a matched Fotu with 10 total tackles at NMSU (3/7)and he was also credited with 0.5 TFL ... Ti'a also made eight tackles (3 solo) at KSU last Saturday.
* - Junior safety Darrius Nash collected two strip sacks at Tarleton (2/27), including a big one on the Texans' first possession of the game that help set up Dixie State's first touchdown.
* - Nash (7.25 tpg) made five tackles at KSU last Saturday.
* - Sophomore LB Mark Lopez led the DSU defense with nine tackles (3 solo) vs. Tarleton (3/13), while freshman safety Tyrell Grayson collected eight total tackles vs. the Texans' in his first collegiate start.
* - Junior LB Trace Tupe made his first DSU start at KSU and racked up nine tackles (3 solo).  
* - Junior CB Kaejin Smith-Bejgrowicz and junior DB Devin Chandler accounted for both Trailblazer interceptions at Tarleton (2/27), while Smith-Bejgrowicz also forced a fumble to halt the Texans' first sustained drive of the second half.
* - Chandler also made eight total stops at NMSU (3/7) with 1.0 TFL and two PBUs.
* - Junior P Johnny Borashan punted eight times for 248 total yards (31.0 ypp) with one kick inside 20 yards vs. Tarleton (3/13) ... Borashan also recorded the lone punt of the game at KSU last Saturday (30 yards).  
* - Senior PK James Baird hit his second 40-plus field goal of the year in the third quarter vs. Tarleton (3/13) ... Baird went 2-for-3 in the field goal department at Tarleton (2/27), including a career long 48-yd field goal early in the fourth quarter.
* - Not only was that kick a career best for Baird, it was also the second-longest field goal make in DSU's NCAA era (Jameson Schulz 50-yd FG at Colorado Mesa, 2011).
* - Dixie State special team surrendered a 93-yard Tarleton kick-off return for a touchdown in the third quarter of its season opener (2/27)... that KOR broke a string of 55-straight games since the last time a DSU opponent housed a kick off (11/8/14 vs. Colorado Mesa).

DIXIE STATE LANDS SEVEN ON PHIL STEELE PRESEASON ALL-INDY TEAM: Though its seems forever ago, July 24, 2020 to be exact, but Dixie State landed seven player on the annual Phil Steele 2020 Preseason FCS Independent Team.
    Four of the Blazers' seven selections were on the offensive side of the ball, including redshirt junior quarterback Kody Wilstead, senior tight end Chase Hess, senior wide receiver Jalen Powell and junior offensive lineman Nathen Aceves.  
    Dixie State redshirt junior defensive lineman Dylan Hendrickson was the Trailblazers' lone representative on the Steele defensive team, while senior placekicker James Baird and redshirt senior quarterback/punter Keaton Mott (who opted out of the 2021 spring season) were special teams selections.

#AB3FOREVER: Just prior to the start of its first NCAA Division I fall camp, Dixie State Football announced that senior running back D'Arman Notoa was awarded the No. 3 jersey for the 2020 season.
    The awarding of the No. 3 jersey is the first of what will become an annual tradition honoring the memory of former Dixie State football player Abraham Reinhardt, who passed away unexpectedly on March 22, 2019. DSU Head Football Coach Paul Peterson noted that the No. 3 jersey would be awarded to a student-athlete who best exemplified Reinhardt's leadership, both on and off the field.
    "When we lost a great young man in Abraham [in 2019], we wanted to honor him and his legacy the best we possibly could," Coach Peterson said. "Abe was a perfect representative of our team culture which focuses on toughness, hard work, trust and accountability.
    "When we thought of a player to carry on his legacy and have the honor of wearing the number three, D'Arman was clearly the best candidate. We know D'Arman will continue to exemplify our team culture, carry on Abe's legacy and help propel us into becoming an elite D-1 football program."
    Notoa played in all 11 games in his first season at Dixie State in 2019, during which he rushed for 308 yards on 75 carries and three touchdowns. He also caught 16 passes out of the backfield for 124 yards with one more touchdown.

NEXT UP FOR THE TRAILBLAZERS: Dixie State will kick off the 2021 Fall regular season with two-straight home games at Greater Zion Stadium, beginning with a date vs. Sacramento State on Saturday, Sept. 4.