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Show SU to play for AWC title and has four IDs. Junior signal-caller Mike Fisher, an all-AWC first-teamer last year, has completed 50.9% of his passes for 2,316 yards and 17 SU's football team should have plenty touchdowns, although he has been intercepted 21 times. Fisher's favorite of incentive going into this week's target has been Hitoshi Ono , who has season finale at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. First of all is the revenge factor, pulled in 35 passes for 519 yards and since the Mustangs have handled the five IDs, despite missing two games. Jon Peck is second in yards with 466 Thunderbirds the last two games; second, one of those wins was last year, and leads the team in yards per catch. when Cal Poly took a 38-6 decision in Defensively, FS David Brown leads the team with 67 tackles (36 solo) and Cedar City which kept SU from claiming the American West has intercepted three passes. OLB Conference title outright; third, and Jonathan Trotter also has three INTs most importantly, the 'Birds can still and is second in overall tackles with 59, claim a share of this year's AWC title if including three sacks. DE Brian Pearsall leads with team in sacks with 10.5, they top the Mustangs, as Cal Poly is the only member of the AWC without a while CB Facio Benevides leads the loss while SU enters the game with a 1- team in interceptions with four. 1 conference mark. Last Meeting: Cal Poly 38, SUU 6 (1993 in Cedar City)-Cal Poly spoiled SU enters the contest with a 4-6 overall mark after last week's 48-16 loss SU's homecoming by handing the at Portland State, while Cal Poly is 6-4 Thunderbirds their worst home defeat (2-0 AWC) following a come-fromsince the 1987 season. SU drew first behind 27-23 win over Sacramento blood with a 29-yard Cory Beynon field State Saturday. goal, but Cal Poly took over the game The Series: Sat urday's game marks the late in the first period, scoring on a 24yard Mike Fisher to Jon Peck TD pass, ninth meeting between the two teams. Each team has won . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . then adding scores four games in the on back-to-back blocked punts, as series, but SLO has won the last two. SU junioJ quarterb!ick Rick Robins then-freshman The T-Birds haven't became the first SU passer to pass fot Facio Benevides won in San Luis overS,000 yards .last week and could scooped up both, move atop Southern Utah's career running seven yards Obispo since the initial meeting of the lists in three d.ilferent categories for the first TD and series, when SUU Saturday: total plays, total yards and nine yards for the touchdown passes. Robins needs 19 second. SU added prevailed 43-33 in '86. Each team is 3-1 plays, 135 total yards and four TD another field goal at home in the passes to move past Chad Richard's late in the second (1984,,87} career totals of 1,004 plays, period, but the series. 5,123 yards and 31 TD passes. With Mustangs held SU About the Mustangs: Cal Poly last week's touchdown pass Robins in check the rest of the way, while is in its first year of tied Scott Bums (1977•80} at second competition at the on the career scorink passes list with tacking on a pair of NCAA Division I1,9. He already holds school rt'Cords fourth-quarter IDs AA level after in tlueecateer categories, including to seal the game. Thunderbirds In competing last year completions, attempts and total in the AWC as a palJSingyardt,,.and is listed in SU' s The Rankings: As a Division II school. \0..1';..i.;~ in lix talett ~tegorie!.· team, SU is second The Mustangs' time "'""-"-·::.. - ~..._......................._................:..=.:..-...'=.......... in the nation in in the AWC will kickoff return apparently be sh ort, as they've accepted yardage averaging 26.6 yards per return an invitation from the Big Sky to join and are fifth in net punting at 38.5 ypp. that conference in all sports except Returners Anthon y Brown and Shawn football beginning in the 1996 season. Jones are sixth and eighth, respectively, After bringing up the rear in the AWC in the nation in kickoff return yards. Brown averages 30.6 yards per return last year (l-3 AWC, 6-4 overall), the Mustangs have made a big turnaround and Jones averages 28 .9. Punter Ron Lindberg is fifth in the nation in yards in 1994, as they lead the conference standings going into the final week of per punt, averaging 41.7. 'Bird Notes: Shawn Jones leads SUU in play. Poly has won five of its last six games, the only loss coming at total rushing yards with 529, but Curtis Northern Arizona, 21-44. The Lindsey is gaining ground as well, with Mustangs average 388 yards per game in 462 yards. PK Benji Nelson leads the team in scoring, with 4 7 points, while total offense, 268.2 of those yards Jones has 42 and Lindsey has 30. Melvin coming through the air and 119.8 coming on the ground. Defensively, CP Lowe leads the team in receiving yards allows an average of 407. l yards, but is with 488 and in catches per game (2.5). tough against the run, limiting Defensively, the 'Birds arc led by SS opponents to just 92.4 ypg rushing and Duston Connaughton, who has 101 3 14.7 passing. The Mustan gs average total tackles, 48 solo, both team highs, 26.9 points while allowing 31.3 ppg. and also has a team -high three interceptions. Although he has missed Individually, freshman tailback Antonio Warren leads the Mustang two gam es with injury, RE James Bleak gro und attack with 495 ne yards and is the team sacks leader with four, while DE Jeff Galyean and RE Garrett five touchdowns over 10 games, but backup Dan Nguyen averages 43 ypg Atkin have three. By THE SUU SPORTS INFORMATION OFFICE ROblllS • wateh Yantis named AWC's Player of the Week Thunderbird free safety Donnie Yantis was named the American West Conference's Defensive Player of the Week for his play against Portla nd State University Saturday in Portland, Ore. Yan tis, a 6-0, 205-pound senior fro m Phoenix, Ariz., led the Thunderbird defense with 13 tackles- eight solo-and a pair of fumble recoveries, returning one 23 yards. Yantis is second on the team in total tackles with 75, including 34 solo tackles. The Thunderbird defensive back Thunderbird free safety Donnie has recovered three fumbles this season and has broken up four passes. Yantis earns AWC POW awards. I |
