KINGSVILLE, Texas (Football) – Daren Wilkinson said the game plan was to run the ball. The home crowd saw the running attack in full effect early and often as senior
Shawn Vasquez rushed for 81 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter as the Javelinas jumped out to a 14-0 lead early. Texas A&M University-Kingsville (1-1) defense continued to play well, collecting 11.0 tackles for a loss and 12 pass breakups, and the offense tallied 443 total yards on offense as the Javelinas defeated Missouri University of Science and Technology (0-2), 38-20, on Saturday evening at Javelina Stadium.
With the win, head coach Wilkinson has picked up his first victory at the helm of the football program.
"We didn't always score when we had the ball, but we were able to dictate the momentum offensively," said Wilkinson. "We challenged our guys this week to give effort and practice hard and good things will happen when you do those things. We have to continue to improve and limit penalties, but overall, it was a great win."
Anthony Autry, who finished with 125 yards and two touchdowns, echoed his coach's statements.
"It was a great team effort and our offensive line worked extremely hard to give the wide receivers, tight ends and running backs opportunities to find gaps. We were able to score early and hold onto the lead. It was a great experience with this being my first home game."
Vasquez finished with 116 yards and two scores in a career-best performance and
Nick Pelrean had two kickoff returns for 68 yards, including a 43-yard return.
Joe Crowe added a 31-yard kickoff return and a blocked punt and
Tristan Hernandez averaged 39.3 yards per punt, including one inside the 20.
"Coach
Ronnie Palmer put together a great gameplan for our special teams unit and they were able to give us great field position," said Wilkinson.
After a three-and-out for the Miners in the opening drive, Vasquez made quick work after
Myles Carr handed off the ball, finding the end zone with a 66-yard rush to give the Hogs a 7-0 lead with 13:53 remaining in the first. With 6:42 left, Vasquez capped off a 10-play, 56-yard drive with a six-yard touchdown rush for his second of the game and third overall of the 2015 season. The drive featured
Stevie Joe Dorman find freshman
Roe Posada for a 21-yard connection to enter the S&T red zone.
The Miners kicked a 21-yard field goal through the uprights to score their first points of the game with 5:16 left in the first half, cutting their deficit to 14-3. With a minute left, the Javelinas added another score, this time in the air as Carr found Autry for a 20-yard pass to make it a 21-3 game.
In the first 30 minutes,
Miles Kirksey led all Javelina players with six first-half tackles, including one for a loss.
Forrest Jones had two pass breakups and a three-yard tackle for a loss. All in all, the Hogs featured six tackles for a loss and seven breakups in the first half.
Carr found
Jordan Thomas for his second passing TD of the game with 10:53 remaining in the third, making it a 28-3 ballgame. MS&T scored back-to-back touchdowns to make it a 28-17 contest before Joe Dorman connected with Autry on a 50-yard laser for his first throwing touchdown in a Javelina uniform as the Hogs took a 35-17 lead. The 50-yard catch was Autry's career-long in his brief stint in Kingsville and his 125 yards and two touchdowns were the most since Nov. 16, 2013 when
Robert Armstrong had 166 versus Valdosta State University.
Crowe continues to dazzle on special teams, blocking a punt with 13:46 remaining in the game, giving the Blue and Gold great field position with the time dwindling down in the game. Dorman found
Ty Chisum for 27 yards to put TAMUK on the opposing two, but the Hogs settled for a 19-yard field-goal by
Max Lehnig.
S&T added a field goal in the closing seconds but the Javelina offense was too much to overcome as the Javelinas earned a 38-20 victory in the first-ever meeting against the Miners.
The Javelinas continue their homestand next weekend when the Hogs begin Lone Star Conference play and host the defending conference champions, No. 18/17 A&M-Commerce (1-1) on IBC Bank Hispanic Heritage Weekend, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m.
For full coverage of Texas A&M-Kingsville football, please follow @JavelinaFB on Twitter and Instagram, like the official Facebook page of Javelina athletics (/JavelinaSports), and subscribe to the JavelinaAthletics YouTube channel.
