Tweet
(Courtesy of Midwestern State Athletics)
The third installment of the Season Previews moves to Wichita Falls, home of the stampeding Midwestern State Mustangs.
The Midwestern State Mustangs:
2014 Season Record: Overall (6-4) LSC Record (5-2): Lost to West Texas (21 point loss); Tarleton (3 point loss); and Angelo twice (14 and 5 point losses).
Head Coach: Bill Maskill (14th Season as Mustangs Head Coach) Record: 101-41 (.711%)
Who returns to the Mustangs lineup?
The Mustangs Offense have 8 offensive starters returning from the2014 season.
Offensive impact players:
RB, Dante Taylor
WR, Straton Jones
The Mustangs Defense have 4 defensive starters returning to play in 2015.
Defensive impact players:
S, Marqui Christian
LB, Daniel Laaudermilk
DE, Alec Di Valerio
Mustangs Offense: Spread Offense
Mustangs Defense:4-2-5 Defense
2015 Midwestern State Schedule:
Sept. 5 v. Truman State
Sept. 12 @ Colorado Mesa
Sept. 19 v. EasternNew Mexico - LSC Festival
Sept. 26 v. Tarleton State
Oct. 3 @ Angelo State
Oct 10 v. West Texas A&M
Oct. 17 v. Humboldt State
Oct. 24 @ Texas A&M Commerce
Oct. 31 v. Texas A&M Kingsville
Nov. 7 - LSC Playoff
Nov. 14 - LSC Playoff
Nov. 21 - NCAA Playoffs Begin
The Mustangs will commence the season with a formidable foe in Truman State that comes from the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC). The Truman Bulldogs has been one of the better team in the GLVC. I'll discuss them more in the game preview. Their season opener will definitely be a great game to open the season. Their second game is against a formidable RMAC team in Colorado Mesa. After the two openers, the Mustangs move into their tough LSC schedule and will have 1 OOC game with California school, Humboldt State. Can Midwestern State survive the new LSC Championship? They struggled last year in the Championship and lost their last 2 games. They were in every game except against West Texas.
Coach Maskill Comments about their 2015 Schedule:
Challenging! The first 3 games of our schedule will be critical. The only comparison that we have with Truman State is Indianapolis, who we played several years ago in the NCAA playoffs. We certainly know that we are in for a football game with Truman State and that they are well-coached.
Coach's Corner with Head Coach Bill Maskill
We have had great practices this spring and fall. We are a young team and right now everything is hard to predict on exactly where we are at. The tough part right now is getting 22 practices before our first game. That does not give us a lot of time to get everything completely ironed-out. This team has great ethic, I like the attitude, the togetherness and good leadership. We are a way different team than last season. We currently do not have any significant injuries, just the nagging pains, as we gear up to start the season. We have to perform in the first 3 games before we head into our tough LSC schedule, as well as, staying healthy and fresh every week. We must be better than last year moving forward.
Thank you Coach Maskill for your time and comments!
Thoughts on the Upcoming Season:
Last year was one of the more atypical Midwestern State Football seasons. I think that most people would agree with this comment. The last time that I saw a 6-4 record season was probably in or around 2008, a good while back.
The Mustangs lost a lot coming into this season, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Coach Maskill is absolutely right, they are a young team. Through the fall, the team has been having a 3-way QB battle between Junior Quade Coward (6-4, 215); Sophomore Hagen Hutchinson (6-2, 195); and, Layton Rabb (6-5, 210) (brother of WTAMU QB Preston Rabb). At the time of talking with Coach Maskill, they had not named a starter or they are keeping it secret (would not be surprised). In the past, they have used multiple QBs at a time. I would not be surprised to some QB rotation on the offensive side of the ball for the Mustangs.
The running game will be a real highlight of the offensive scheme, as they return their 2nd leading rusher, Dante Taylor (709 yards, 6 TDs). He had a great 2014 season and will be leading the way as this offensive line bulldozes their way to the end zone.
The Mustangs have some big holes to fill on defense; but, are still lead by their defensive leader and lead tackler Safety Marqui Christian (81 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 1 sack and 2 INTs). Right behind him is LB Dan Laudermilk (68 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks), who made a big splash last season on the Mustang defense. The 2 were a wrecking ball for the Mustangs and did not know the meaning of the word break, as they kept challenging the LSC offenses. Look for these 2 players to be the impact players that help lead and build this young defense to a formidable force in LSC this season.
Taking a look at this 2015 season for the Mustangs, there are some things that have to get going fast. First, the defense has to start clicking with all the young players coming in. They only have 4 returning starters. I don't care who you are, that is hard to fix or replace, no matter what team you are. I would strongly state that the defense and QB position may determine this entire team's 2015 season. If they struggle with the new defense replacements, look for this to be another long year for the Mustangs. The good thing that the Defense has going for it is that Christian and Laudermilk are the leading tacklers from last season for the Mustangs. These guys will be ready...can the others catch up?
The last but not least is the Quarterback position. The Mustangs will need to get a viable replacement for Jake Glover. Coward and Hutchinson both received some playing time last season; however, Rabb is pushing them to make a move at the QB position. I suspect that it will probably come down to selecting Coward or Hutchinson to be named the starter. Whoever is named, they will have to get in rhythm fairly quickly with who they have as opponents on their schedule or this team will be in deep trouble. The good thing is that WR Straton Jones (492 yards, 6 TDs) is back in the lineup and Dante Taylor will be grinding it out on the ground. All fans keep their eyes on the Mustang defense......this will determine a lot with this 2015 team.
Joe's Preseason LSC Rankings:
- Angelo State
- .....................
- .....................
- .....................
- Midwestern State
- Eastern New Mexico
- .....................
Truman State (0-0) v. Midwestern State (0-0), Saturday, 7p.m. Kickoff
Wichita Falls, TX Memorial Stadium
Weather: High: 96 degrees Low: 72 degrees, partly cloudy
The Truman State Bulldogs will be heading into Wichita Falls to have a meeting with the Midwestern State Mustangs this week. The meeting just happens to be on the football field. Having seen Truman State play over the last several years, they have tended to field several competitive football teams. However, they have always seemed to be just a decent team. When I say decent, I mean they are a team that you have to worry about; but, have not had any real stellar seasons, as of late. I keep watching to see when this team is going to break it wide-open. However, I have yet to see it. They always put on a great battle with Indianapolis and St. Joe's up in the GLVC. I cannot expect this game to be any less than that.
Truman will be replacing their former leading rusher Garrett White heading into the 2015 season. I suspect that they will have an inexperienced newcomer coming into pick up the load at the running back position. I suspect that will see a lot more of Richard Neboh at the running back position, as he had some experience coming in from the 2014 season. Last season, QB Devonte Black started 8 of 9 games in the season and had several great games. The season was concluded with the starting of QB Zach Tobin. Truman will definitely have some good experience coming back at the Quarterback position.
On defense, the Bulldogs return one of their leading tacklers in DB Austin Zoda (75 tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 Int). Overall, the defense will have some shoes to fill as they reload like Midwestern State.
Well, what does this game come down to in terms of everything. It comes down to the Mustang defense, like I said earlier. Can they take a stand and make several stops and cause some turnovers? Or does this come down to the new Quarterback that the Mustangs will be integrating as the starter? I will say, it is a little bit of both. However, I fully expect the offense to move the ball. They will not have an issue here. Just can they have long methodical drives to sustain the offense for long time period consumptions... I say, Yes. Truman State is a good team. However, there is one team that I would just not mess with for an out-of-conference game. That team is Midwestern State. They tend to sneak up out of nowhere on out-of-conference foes and take one from them. They just seem especially good playing other non-conference teams...I suspect that will continue this week. Mustangs roll to a season-opening win over the Bulldogs!
Prediction: Midwestern State 34 Truman State 17