Southern Nazarene Game Notes
GAC Football Notebook

BETHANY, Okla. — The first full year of Great American Conference play for Southern Nazarene University begins Saturday as SNU takes on Henderson State in the 2013 season opener. The Crimson Storm are coming off a 2-9 season in which it spent the year as an independent because the GAC was in its second year of a two-year schedule rotation that began in the 2011 season.
 
The Crimson Storm were picked to finish 11th in the conference for the 2013 season while Henderson State was picked to repeat as GAC Champions. The Reddies return 11 All-GAC selections from 2012, including eight on offense.  That offense led Division II in scoring last season by averaging 50.4 points per game and it became the first school in four years to average at least 50 points per game. Quarterback Kevin Rodgers returns for his junior season. He earned GAC Offensive Player of the Year and became a Harlon Hill finalist after he threw for 4,002 yards and 41 touchdowns. His top target, Robert Jordan, leads a talented receiving corp. Jordan racked up 1,074 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. He added two touchdowns off of punt returns. Two-time First-Team All-GAC linebacker Keaton Stigger returns to head up the Reddie defense.
 
The Crimson Storm return 12 starters including six on the defensive side. Michael Hicks, an All-GAC honorable mention from a year ago, returns after suffering a season-ending injury late last year. Hicks was ranked at the top of the conference in tackles before. He finished the season with 90 total tackles and had 11.5 tackles for a loss of 46 yards. The sophomore also had five sacks on the year for a loss of 30 yards.
 
Christo Lisika also returns as he finished with 62 tackles, 18.5 of which were for a loss of 98 yards. Blake Cavill, Defonzo Mack and Jake Garrett all return for their senior seasons on the defensive side.
 
Dylan Terry returns for his senior season as the quarterback threw for the fifth most yards in a single-season with 1,860. He also threw for 16 touchdowns. Jarod Martin, the school's all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards steps back on the field for his final season. Jakeil Everhart, who was third on the team in receiving last season, also returns for his senior season.
 
THE LAST TIME
For the second straight year, Southern Nazarene opens on the road at Henderson State. The Crimson Storm are hoping it is not a repeat performance as the Reddies won their first of 10 straight with a 63-21 thumping of SNU in the first meeting in the series between the two programs.
 
Henderson State led 56-0 through three quarters before the Storm got on the board in the fourth on a 35-yard interception return by Stan West. SNU then got a 37-yard strike from Terry to Ryan Mischler before Sedrick Johnson scored the final touchdown on a 14-yard pass from Terry.
 
The Reddies totaled 564 yards of total offensive with 384 passing and 180 rushing yards. SNU totaled 265 yards with 177 through the air and 88 on the ground. Kevin Rodgers threw for 360 yards and four touchdowns, going 22-for-30. Ryan McDonand rushed for nearly 100 yards with 98 on seven carries. Terry threw for 177 yards and two touchdowns while Derick Perking rushed for 61 yards.
 
The Crimson Storm started the game with a big stop on Henderson State's first drive, but couldn't capitalize on the ensuing possession. The Reddies then scored on next six drives. SNU didn't get inside the red zone the entire first half and it wasn't until the 8-minute mark that the Storm scored an offensive touchdown. The loss to Henderson was the first of six straight losses for SNU.
 
RECORD CHASING
Michael Hicks has a chance this season to walk away with a handful of school records. The junior is just 50 tackles away from tying Chris Bogle's (2000-03) all-time record of 274. Hicks set the school's single-season record of 134 tackles two years ago and had 90 last season. He currently stands eighth all-time in school history and needs just five more to tie D'Antae Mitchell (2000-04) for seventh. His 118 unassisted tackles are seventh all-time  and his 106 assisted tackles are sixth all-time. Matt Pruitt (2010-12) holds the the unassisted tackles record at 154 while Jarrod Dewald (2002-05) holds the assisted tackles record.
 
Hicks also needs just five more tackles for a loss to tie Dewald's record of 45.5 tackles for a loss. He is currently third all-time with 40.5 tackles for a loss. TJ Pearsall (2005-08) is second at 43 tackles for a loss. In the same breath, Hicks needs 68 more yards from tackles for a loss to tie Dewald's record of 230. Hicks currently has 162 yards from tackles for a loss and is sixth on the list. Clayton Franks is just ahead of Hicks with 165.
 
He also has 11.5 career sacks, ranking him ninth in school history. He needs 7.5 more sacks to catch Pearsall's record of 19. Trey Falkner and Jonathan Jenkins-Dill are tied for eighth with 12 sacks.
 
Hicks also set the school's all-time record in blocked kicks last season with his fifth.
 
Jarod Martin is just two touchdowns away from tying Derick Perkins (2009-12) for second all-time in school history in touchdowns scored. Martin has 31 career toucdowns. Jason Kilmer (2000-03) holds the school record at 52.
 
Ian Sanders is just one extra point away from tying the school record. The senior currently has made 83 PAT kicks and is one behind Ryan Brock (2007-09).
 
EARLY RECOGNITION
Michael Hicks is no longer a hidden name for SNU. He has more tackles than anyone in school history in the first two years of play. That reputation has earned him a spot on the 25th Annual USA College Football Division II Preseason All-American list. He was also named a Player to Watch by the Oklahoma Sports Blog.
 
Stan West was also recognized as a nominee for the National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
 
AMONG THE GAC
Hicks finished last season second in the GAC in tackles per game at 10.0. Christo Lisika led the conference in tackles for a loss at 18.0 and finished fourth in sacks with seven. Hicks was ninth in tackles for a loss at 11.5