Former Linebacker ASHARI GOINS Scores Defensive TD for Cowboys... LAKE CHARLES – A week off didnt seem to affect the McNeese Cowboys and its return to the gridiron as the fourth-ranked Pokes thrashed Arkansas Tech 61-7 behind a strong balanced offensive attack and a dominating defense. The win moved the Cowboys to 2-1 on the season as they now prepare to open Southland Conference play against Nicholls next Saturday in Cowboy Stadium. McNeese held the Wonder Boys to 93 total offensive yards for the game and didnt allow the visitors to get inside Cowboys territory until a Derrick Milton fumble at his teams own 36-yard line on the first play of the third quarter. In fact, Arkansas Tech never made it to its own 30-yard line in eight first half possessions. For the game, McNeeses defense forced ATU into nine three-and-outs, 11 punts, a fumble and an interception. And for the first time in school history, the Cowboys scored a defensive touchdown for the third consecutive game when freshman linebacker grabbed a fumble out of the air and strolled in from 17-yards out to put McNeese up 21-0 with 14:06 to play in the second quarter. Goins wasnt the only true freshman to put his stamp on the game. Ryan Ross led the Cowboys with 66 yards on 17 carries and scored three touchdowns on the game. Ross was slated to redshirt for the season but had it pulled earlier in the week after learning Nate Holmes will miss a significant amount of time after getting injured against Prairie View two weeks ago. The Cowboys entered the game ranked No. 1 in the Southland Conference and seventh in the FCS in rushing yards per game with a 278.5 average. They didnt reach that mark on Saturday night but still rolled up 228 yards and scored five rushing touchdowns. Kelvin Bennette added 65 yards on 10 carries. He had 68 yards rushing in the first half while his only carry in the second half brought the total down three yards. Quarterback Daniel Sams added 54 yards on eight carries for a 6.8 per carry average. He also completed 8 of 11 passes for 82 yards and threw his first touchdown as a McNeese Cowboy when he hit David Bush from 11 yards out for the first score of the game to make it 7-0 with 5:09 left in the first quarter. McNeese played all five quarterbacks that were dressed out in the brand new home blue uniforms. Tyler Bolfing completed 4 of 5 passes for 85 yards and a score; Will Briscoe hit 4 of 8 targets for 83 yards; Grant Ashcraft misfired on his only attempt; and Joe Lissard handed the ball off to wind down the last couple of minutes of the game. The Cowboys rolled up 478 total offensive yards and averaged 6.5 yards per play. The quarterbacks combined to go 16 of 25 for 250 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. The team also made good on 8 of 13 of its third downs for 62 percent, an area it struggled with in the first two games after having converted on just 31 percent. Derrick Milton, who rushed the ball seven times for 40 yards and his first quarter score with 1:08 to play was his fifth rushing touchdown of the season and put the Cowboys up 14-0. After Goins fumble recovery that resulted in a stunning hit by Aaron Sam, Dylan Long scored from one yard out to make it 28-0 with 11:37 to play in the first half. Ross followed with his first td of the game from four yards out to increase the lead to 35-0 at the 6:01 mark of the second quarter then Alex Kjellsten hit his first of two field goals with a 30 yarder with 36 seconds to play as the Cowboys went into the half with a 38-0 lead. ATU got on the board early in the second half after Miltons fumble resulted in a 20 yard pass from Curt Ceralde to Devin Patterson with 13:15 to play in the third. Kjellsten then hit a 25 yard field goal and Kahlil Thomas took a quick pass from Bolfing and scampered 21 yards for the score to make it 48-7 at the end of the third quarter. Ross capped the scoring with touchdown runs of six and 28 yards in the fourth quarter. Notables: • Head coach Matt Viator won his 64th career game tying him with Jack Doland at No. 2 on the McNeese all-time career wins list. • Its the sixth time a Matt Viator team has scored 60 or more in a game. • Daniel Sams first quarter touchdown pass to David Bush was his first as a McNeese Cowboy. • McNeese set a school record by scoring a defensive touchdown in its third consecutive game. • Two true freshman accounted for four touchdowns – LB ASHARI GOINS had one and RB Ryan Ross had three. • With 5 rushing TDs, the Cowboys have now scored 12 rushing touchdowns on the season. • The defense held ATU to 23 rushing yards and a 0.7 yards per carry average. • McNeese rolled out its new home uniforms... the classic blue look with a gold stripe on the shoulder sleeve and number in the McNeese font on the sleeve as well.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Sep 2014 16:21:14 +0000
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