From ECU Sports Info.
Teri Lajeunese, Sports Information Director
ADA – The East Central University football team got its second-best margin of victory with a 69-0 shutout win over Southern Nazarene at Norris Field at Koi Ishto Stadium. The game was the annual Chickasaw Appreciation Day, with a groundbreaking ceremony taking place before kickoff for the new Chickasaw Plaza that will be built after the season.
The Tigers (2-1, 2-1 GAC) had a balanced offense and defense over the course of the game. Senior Jamal Hall led the ECU rushing attack with 113 yards and a TD, while freshman Tre’von Jackson added 85 yards.
Senior David Moore scored two more touchdowns, making it six on the season and caught three passes for 63 yards. Senior Rocky Moore went 19-of-22 for 253 yards at quarterback, while redshirt freshman Jackson Lamb added a 3-of-3 mark for 30 yards.
Senior Jameel Whitney led the defense with eight (1-7) total tackles, 0.5 TFL and a forced fumble. Junior Lexus Jacksonadded five (1-4) tackles, 2.0 TFL and an interception for 36 yards.
The Tigers opened the scoring on their first drive of the game and scored just 1:21 into the game. Rocky Moore connected with David Moore for a 22-yard pass that capped off a two-play, 57-yard drive.
Freshman De’Shawn Jones earned the next touchdown three minutes later (10:35) after redshirt freshman Jhames Westintercepted a pass to give ECU the ball back on the ECU 38. Jones rushed in from four yards out to put the Tigers up 14-0.
ECU added a third TD before the end of the first quarter, with a 40-yard pass between Rocky Moore and David Moore with 4:26 left.
The Tigers scored three more times in the second quarter to push the lead out to 41-0. Sophomore Dezmon Jacksoncaught a 39-yard pass, Hall rushed for a three-yard TD and junior Brad Davis snagged a 29-yard pass.
In the second half, the scoring slowed down a little, with two touchdowns scored in the third and fourth quarters each. Senior Juwan Dotson started the half with an eight-yard reception, with 4:57 left in the third, while junior Jason Gainesadded a seven-yard reception with 2:43 left for a 55-0 advantage.
Redshirt Camron Large added a fumble-recovery touchdown in the end zone for a 62-0 lead in the fourth quarter. The final touchdown was scored with 4:25 left to play as junior Seth Handley rushed in from eight yards out for the 69-0 final.
ECU finished the game with 605 yards of total offense, while holding the Crimson Storm (0-3, 0-3 GAC) to just 72 total yards. For the first time in 2015, the Tigers recorded more yards (321) on the rush than in the air (283).
ECU also took advantage of two interceptions and three forced and recovered fumbles by SNU to just one interception by the Tigers.
ECU will now get ready for a road game at Oklahoma Baptist, Saturday, Sept. 26 at 1 p.m. in Shawnee, Okla. The game is the first against the Bison as members of the GAC.
Notes: The shut out win was the first for ECU since Nov. 1, 2014 when the Tigers defeated Arkansas Tech 15-0 on the road…the last home shut out win was Sept. 25, 2010 with a 23-0 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State.