NCAA Division II and CBS College Sports Network announced in May that Delta State would be among 12 programs featured this coming season on the “NCAA Division II Game of the Week.” The Statesmen are scheduled to appear on the nationally televised CBS College Sports Network on Thursday, Sept. 9 versus Arkansas Tech University at 7 p.m. CST live from Travis Parker FieldHorace McCool Stadium in Cleveland. Delta State Director of Athletics Jeremy McClain said in the press release that the chance to play on television is great for school exposure. “This is a tremendous opportunity to expose the nation to Delta State University and Statesmen football. CBS College Sports Network and the NCAA have made a commitment to push Division II football to the nation and we’re pleased they have chosen to use us as a venue to do that. I believe our head coach Ron Roberts and Arkansas Tech head coach Steve Mullins will have a show in store for those tuning in on Sept. 9.” Delta State has enjoyed a heavy presence on television since the Gulf South Conference introduced GSC-TV Live during the 2006 season. Over the past four seasons, the Statesmen have appeared before a regional or national television audience 12 times, including the NCAA Division II National Semifinals at Grand Valley State, which was broadcast by ESPN2. The package is the fifth since Division II and CBS College Sports Network established their partnership to provide Division II schools live national television exposure for their football and basketball programs. Over the year’s Delta State has produced some of the state’s best football players. No matter how consistent a football program is, it cannot reach the level of success that Delta State has without extremely talented players along the way. No Delta State defender has had the impact on the gridiron as former Harlon Hill Trophy finalist and three-time All-American linebacker Michael Eubanks (2004-2007). The two-time Gulf South Conference Defensive Player of the Year finished his career as NCAA Division II’s all-time sack leader with 42.0. The Cleveland native eclipsed the previous mark with a 5.0 sack effort versus Shaw University in the first round of the 2007 NCAA DII Playoffs. In addition to Eubanks, Both Anthony Maddox and Lardester Hicks-Green have earned GSC Defenisve-Player of the Year honors. In 2003, Maddox, a 6-foot-3, 305-pound defensive tackle, was named the GSC’s Defensive Player of the Year becoming the first in school history. In 2008, Hicks-Green, a 6-foot-1, 235 pound outside linebacker turned in one of the best seasons in school history for a backer with 100 tackles, 15.5 tackles-for-loss, 4.5 sacks, and one 44 - Mississippi Sports Magazine
Photo courtesy Delta State University
interception to earn the award. Scott Eyster, a 6-foot-3 quarterback from Hammond, La., finished his career in 2006 as one of the greatest quarterbacks in GSC and NCAA Division II history. The recordsetting quarterback finished his career as the all-time leading passer in Delta State and Gulf South Conference history, while establishing a new record for career total offense. He ranks second all-time in NCAA history in career passing yards and career total offense. In 2006, Eyster passed for 3,926 yards and 36 TDs while leading DSU to the NCAA semifinals. In 2005, the rocket-armed signal-caller passed for 3,107 yards and 29 TDs. He finished his career with 13,889 yards passing and 14,432 yards of total offense, both GSC records. In four years he also threw a whopping 116 touchdowns, while rushing for 12 more. Garrett DeWitt set two new Delta State University team records in 2008, touchdown passes in a game and passing yardage in a game. Dewitt tossed six touchdowns and passed for 514 yards versus Harding University at First Security Stadium on Sept. 20, 2008 in Searcy, Ark. DeWitt also eclipsed Eyster for singleseason completion percentage, connecting on 62.0 percent of his attempts in 2008 for the Statesmen. In 12 games, DeWitt completed 276-of-445 attempts for 3,277 yards with 28 touchdown and 16 interceptions. One of the Statesmen’s most popular players was Monterio James. In his first game as a Statesmen, the Starkville native picked off two Pittsburg State passes. He would go on to erase every school season interception record with eight and career interception records (13) in just three seasons. Unfortunately, his life was cut short before his senior season. To this day, coach Ron Roberts and the Statesmen honor James each season with his number on
the helmet. No single player has had the impact wide receiver/running back Trevar Deed had in his first season with the Statesmen in 2008. The Phoenix, Ariz. native burst onto the scene after redshirting in 2007. In 12 games for the Statesmen in 2008, the speedster accounted for 1,775 all-purpose yards and 15 touchdowns en route to First Team AllAmerican and All-Gulf South Conference honors. Deed established a new school record for receptions in a game (16) and touchdown passes caught (4) versus North Alabama (11.29.08) in the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs. Deed finished the year with 78 receptions for 879 yards and seven touchdowns, while rushing 116 times for 608 yards and eight touchdowns. In 1996 Delta State standout running back Treg Thomas became the state’s first Conerly Trophy Winner. That season Thomas torched GSC opponents for 1,604 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns. In 2000, Statesmen quarterback Josh Bright won the award after leading the Statesmen to the NCAA Division II National Championship. Bright rushed for 1,495 yards and passed for 1,292 yards. He also rushed for a school record 21 touchdowns. Eyster became the first four-time finalist in Conerly Trophy history in 2006. Eyster was a finalist in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006. No other player in Mississippi history has even been named a finalist three times. With 26 All-Americans in school history and 11 since 1998, Delta State is proving that great things come in small packages. With a football program that can boast the state’s only national championship in recent memory, Delta State has solidified its self as the premier program in the state of Mississippi. - MSM