* Records: UWF is 4-3 and 2-2 in GSC play following last week's shootout loss at Delta State. Shorter is 0-7 on the year, 0-5 in GSC play and has lost its last 13 games dating back to consecutive wins midway through last season.

* Rankings: Neither team is ranked.

* UWF Coach Pete Shinnick: Shinnick was hired as the first coach in program history on Feb. 6, 2014. He has a 107-49 career record in 14-plus years, which includes a 50-24 mark at UNC Pembroke from 2007-13 and 53-22 at Azusa Pacific from 1999-05.

* Shorter Coach Aaron Kelton: Kelton is the second head coach in the Hawks' 11-year history, taking over from Phil Jones, who started the program in 2005. Kelton came to Shorter after serving as the head coach at Division III Williams College (Mass.) from 2010-2015, where he posted a 23-25 record

Offense As Good As Advertised

When he was at UNC Pembroke, Pete Shinnick's offenses were always high-powered. That fast-paced, high-octane style has continued at West Florida, and in a big way thanks to veteran signal caller Kaleb Nobles.

UWF scored 45 points in its opening two games before 28 last week at Chowan, and averaged 481 yards of total offense - a figure that ranks 20th in the NCAA and second in the GSC. Additionally, the 384 passing yards per game is fourth and the scoring offense is 33rd.

NOBLES AMONG NATIONAL PASSING LEADERS

    Without question, QB Kaleb Nobles has been the perfect signal caller for the UWF football team. A graduate transfer from Valdosta State, the Florida native who went to high school in Fitzgerald, Ga., gives the offense a leader and proven winner in the Gulf South Conference.

    He currently ranks fourth nationally in passing yards (2,491) and passing ypg (355.9), 4th in passing TDs (24), along with being 12th in completions per game (24) and 35th in passing efficiency (148.4). But possibly the most important stats is where he ranks in points responsible for - 5th with 156 on the year and 6th in points responsible per game at 22.3.

    He has completed at least 20 passes in every game this season, with a season-high of 28 at Chowan five weeks ago. His 503-yard passing performance against Missouri S&T was a career-high and is the eight-highest single-game effort in GSC history. It is currently the fourth-highest in Division II this season.

MORROW BUSTING OUT AS GSC's TOP RECEIVER

    Junior WR Ishmel Morrow wasn't what he describes as a highly-recruited athlete as a sophomore at Mississippi Gulf Coast CC. And the UWF coaches weren't recruiting the Miss. JUCOs as hard as some areas closer to the UWF campus.

    In seven games, the Ocean Springs, Miss. (located just east of Biloxi across the Biloxi Bay) native has proven to be one of the top targets for UWF QBs Kaleb Nobles and Grey Jackson, hauling in 53 catches for 858 yards - both No. 1 at UWF and in the GSC. He also averages a league-high 122.6 yards per game (8th in NCAA) and 7.6 receptions per game (7th in NCAA).

    He has five 100-yard games and a TD in six of seven this season. He has caught at least seven passes in five of the last six games.

HASIC GOES FROM CROATIAN REFUGEE TO TOP GSC TALENT

    Through seven weeks of play, senior WR Anas Hasic has proven to be one of the top big play targets for UWF. Overall, the Phoenix native is fifth in the Gulf South Conference in receiving yards per game, averaging 90.6 ypg and first with eight TDs. He also has 127.4 all-purpose ypg, ranking him fourth in the conference and 66th in the country.

    The native of Croatia - dubbed the 'Croatian Sensation' by some local fans - has one of the more remarkable stories in college football. He and his mother fled Croatia during the civil war (officially the Croatian War of Independence) for Germany when he was five. Three years later they were forced to move again, landing in Phoenix when the U.S. granted them asylum. Hasic didn't speak English and had to spend an hour after school each day, learning the language. While he speaks it fluently now, he still speaks and texts his mother in Croatian.

FORD FINDING HIS STRIDE

    Redshirt freshman Jemari Ford has started to emerge as one of the featured backs in the UWF backfield since returning from injury just over two weeks ago. He was in a strong preseason battle for the starting RB job before an injury sidelined him until the week of the Florida Tech game. In that victory over the Panthers, the Alachua, Fla. product rushed seven times for three yards and caught two balls for 13 yards, including a TD, before busting out for 70 yards on 18 carries two weeks ago at Mississippi College. He also had a 24-yard reception against the Choctaws.

    On the year, he has 32 carries for 98 yards with a TD, and five receptions for 63 yards and a TD.

ARCHIE LEADS THE GSC IN TACKLES
   Freshman Trent Archie is coming off a career-high 18 tackles last week at Delta State. He now has 66 stops on the year to go along with three interceptions, both of which lead the Gulf South Conference. He is averaging 9.4 stops per game.

BLUE WAHOOS STADIUM PLAYING SURFACE GETS MAKEOVER

With the baseball season complete for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, the UWF athletic department was able to move forward with its plans to sod the infield portion. The sod was purchased from Bent Oak Farm in Foley, Ala. and installed early last week. Bent Oak Farm also installed natural grass fields for Super Bowl XLIX in Glendale, Ariz. and the US Women's Soccer friendly against the Netherlands two weeks ago at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

The bleacher system along the south sideline was installed this week and features 250 seats in five sections, allowing for a stadium seating capacity of 6,288. The bleachers were installed by Seating Solutions. Additionally, the protective netting around the home plate and dugout areas was removed to allow for better sightlines.