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UWF GAME NOTES (pdf)

• The sixth-ranked and third-seeded UWF football team will travel west to face eighth-ranked and second seeded Delta State in the second round of the NCAA Playoffs on Saturday. Kickoff is at 1:30 p.m. at McCool Stadium in Cleveland, Miss.

FOUR DOWNS WITH UWF

1. UWF has one of the top offenses in the country, averaging 43.9 points per game (2nd) on 463.7 yards of total offense (11th) with 244.6 rushing (7th) & 219.1 passing (55th).

2. UWF has had at least one passing TD in 56-consecutive games & 71 out of 74 all-time. The Argos have had at least two passing scores in 22 of their last 25 games, and at least 2 rushing TDs in 10 of 11 games this season.

3. David Durden is one of the top playmakers in the country, ranking 34th in all-purpose yards/game (125.2), 14th with 95.7 receiving yards/game, 55th with 4.8 receptions/game & he leads the country with 20.3 punt return yards/game.

4. UWF is playing a GSC opponent for the fourth time in 12 playoff games. The Argos defeated UWG and UWA in 2017, and VSU in 2019.
 

UWF POSTSEASON 101

• UWF is continuing its fourth appearance in the NCAA Division 2 Playoffs, with previous showings in 2017, 2019 & last season.

• UWF is 10-2 in postseason play and an amazing 8-0 in road contests.

• The Argonauts went 4-1 in 2017 and lost to Texas A&M Commerce in the national championship game. UWF became the fasted startup to reach the postseason in NCAA history.

• Two years later, they turned in arguably the greatest postseason run of all time on their way to the national title. UWF defeated four undefeated teams and three number 1 seeds - both for the first time in NCAA D2 history. UWF's title in its fourth season of play matched Georgia Southern in 1985 as the fastest to win a title since starting a program - 4 years.

• In 2021, UWF fell to Newberry, 33-30 in overtime at Blue Wahoos Stadium in downtown Pensacola. The Argos led 27-14 early in the fourth quarter.

114 CONFERENCE TITLES IS REALLY NIFTY

• With the 32-31 overtime win over Valdosta State, UWF won a share of the 2022 Gulf South Conference Championship, marking the program's second-consecutive title in just the sixth year of competition. That gave UWF its 113th conference title in school history across all 15 sports.

• A week later, the women's volleyball team steamrolled through the GSC tournament for the 114th league championship.

• The Argonauts have 109 GSC Championships and 5 New South Intercollegiate Swim Conference crowns.

• UWF has won at least one conference title in all 15 of its varsity sports - the only GSC school to accomplish that, showing the University supports all of its programs with solid resources and support, no matter what is perceived by those outside the University.

• We think that is really nifty, way more than 50!

UWF CONTINUES TO LEAD D2 IN POSTSEASON WIN PCT.

• Following the 2019 run to the national championship, UWF took over the top spot in the NCAA Division 2 Record Book as the winningest postseason team in the division's history with a minimum of 10 games. The Argos are now 10-2 with a .833 winning pct.

NCAA DIVISION 2 CHAMPIONSHIP
HIGHEST WINNING PCT.
SCHOOL    RECORD    PCT.
WEST FLORIDA    10-2    .833
Northwest Mo. State    53-19    .736
North Dakota State    30-12    .714
Grand Valley State    36-16    .692
Texas A&M Commerce    9-4    .692
Valdosta State    29-14    .674
North Alabama    35-18    .660
Ferris State    22-11    .667
Delta State    16-8    .667
*Minimum 10 Games Played

GSC IN THE POSTSEASON

• In the last five postseasons, seven different GSC teams have made the NCAA Playoffs.

• A GSC school has won a D2 best 12 national championships, with UWF claiming the most recent one in 2019. The GSC has put a team in the national title game each of the last five years, with three different schools in the first three years - North Alabama in 2016, UWF in 2017 & 2019 and Valdosta State in 2018 - marking the first time in D2 history that three different teams from the same conference made the title game in consecutive seasons.

• A GSC school has won the NCAA Division II Super Region 2, formerly the Southeast Region, crown 17 times in the last 19 seasons.

• Since Division II went to regionalization in 1990, a GSC school has advanced to the national semifinals 24 times in 31 seasons.

SERIES HISTORY

• UWF and Delta State have each won three games in the series. UWF is 2-1 in Cleveland and won the last two meetings in 2018 & 2021.

• Last season the Statesmen grabbed a 30-10 halftime lead in Cleveland before the Argos outscored them 29-3 for a 39-33 victory, completing the largest comeback in program history.

DISSECTING THE FIRST MEETING

• UWF fell to DSU 45-42 in double overtime in Pensacola back in week four.

• The game was tied five times and only a 2-score difference for the first 7:07 of the fourth quarter.

    UWF    Delta
Rushing    386    117
Passing    276    306
Total Yards    662    423
Turnovers    4    0
Pts off TO    0    10

ROAD WIN STREAK AT 15, 2ND LONGEST IN D2

• UWF went 5-0 away from Pensacola this season to extend its road win streak to 15 games. That ranks second in Division 2 behind Ferris State's 26.

• The Argos have won their five road games of 2022 by an average of 22.6 points, which includes a 1-point win over Valdosta State.

• They have captured their last eight on the road by an average of 28.8 points.

• UWF is 32-9 (.780) all-time on the road and 30-5 (.857) since 2017.

• After a 2-4 road mark in the 2016 inaugural season, UWF has had a winning record away from home each year - 8-1, 4-2, 7-2, 6-0 and 5-0.

2022 TEAM IS UWF'S MOST BALANCED TEAM EVER

• Pete Shinnick's teams have usually been a pass-first look, with the run game serving as a complimentary component. Things have shifted this season with the steady emergence of the Argo rushing attack.

• UWF is averaging an NCAA-best 7.62 yards per play, due in large part to 6.88 yards per rush (2nd in NCAA) and  244.6 yards per game - both of those running stats are school records.

• Here is a look at the yearly breakdown of UWF's offensive production:

    Rushing    Passing    Rush/Pass
Year    YPG    YPG    Pct. Ratio
2016    99.2    308.4    24 / 76
2017    115.9    228.1    34 / 66
2018    132.3    228.8    36 / 64
2019    131.1    281.2    32 / 68
2021    162.4    313.3    34 / 66
2022    244.6    219.4    52 / 48

PEEWEE'S BIG ADVENTURE

• Junior QB Peewee Jarrett has steadily improved at UWF, gaining experience and mastering the playbook on a weekly basis. He has thrown for 2,222 yards on 135-of-259 passes with 28 touchdowns and a 153.7 passing efficiencey rating.

• The Des Moines, Iowa native who was a NJCAA All-America at Iowa Central, has five games of 200 passing yards or more and has eight multi-TD passing games.

• Those numbers have increased on a regular basis, but in the last month he has really stepped up his rushing attack which has made hiim much more difficult to defend.

    First 7    Last 4
    Games    Games
Rushing YPG/TD    49.9/2    73.8/6
Passing YPG/TD    208.7/18    190.3/10
Total Offense    258.6    264.1
TD Responsible For    20    16

MASON GRABBING SOME RUSHING RECORDS, TIED FOR TOTAL TD MARK

• Junior RB Shomari Mason busted out for a career-high 214 yards on 29 carries against Delta State earlier this season, establishing UWF single-game records for both categories (tied Chris Schwarz's 29 carries at IUP in 2017). He was equally impressive, powering through NGU a week later for 153 yards on 11 carries -- 13.9 yards per rush, and continued through the year on his way to First Team All-GSC honors for the second time in his career.

• As a result, Mason's 3-year career totals are now 2,364 yards on 295 rushes.

UWF CAREER RUSHING LEADERS
RUSHING YARDS
1. Shomari Mason (2019, 21-pr.)    2,364
2. Chris Schwarz (2016-18)    1,992
3. Anthony Johnson, Jr. (2017-19, 21)    1,668

YARDS PER CARRY
1. Shomari Mason (2019, 21-pr.)    8.0
2. Chris Schwarz (2016-18)    4.8
3. Anthony Johnson, Jr. (2017-19, 21)    4.5
 

RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS
1. Shomari Mason (2019, 21-pr.)    22
2. Anthony Johnson, Jr. (2017-19, 21)    20
3. Chris Schwarz (2016-18)    11

TOTAL TOUCHDOWNS
Listed as Rushing-Receiving-Total
1. Shomari Mason (2019, 21-pr.)     22-2-24
2. Ka'Ron Ashley (2017-19, 21)     0-23-23
3. David Durden (2021-pr.)    1-20-22*
4. Anthony Johnson, Jr. (2017-19, 21)    20-0-20
5. Quentin Randolph (2016-19)    0-16-16
6. Rodney Coates (2016-19)    0-14-14
    Kevin Grant (2016-19)    0-14-14
    Tate Lehtio (2016-19)    0-14-14
* Durden also has one punt return for a touchdown.

IS SHOMARI MASON THE MOST EFFICIENT RUNNER IN THE NCAA? WE THINK SO

• A year ago, Shomari Mason led D2 with 8.5 yards per rush, finishing with 1,015 yards on 120 carries. This year has seen him continue to bulldoze his way into opposing secondaries, totalling 933 yards on 121 carries for 7.7 yards per rush (2nd nationally).

• Those numbers, along with his 416 yards on 54 rushes (7.7 ypr) in 2019 have placed his career yards per rush at 8.0, a figure that is second among all active rushers in all NCAA Divisions.

NCAA ACTIVE CAREER 
RUSHING LEADERS (All Divisions)
YARDS PER CARRY
1. Ronnie Brown, Shepherd    8.2
2. Shomari Mason, UWF    8.1
3. Jaden Shirden, Monmouth    7.9
4. Toriano Clinton, UIndy    7.7
    Jamar Thompkins, Valdosta State    7.7
6. Jon Lewis, Birmingham-So.    7.5

DURDEN CONTINUES TO SET RECORDS

• When senior WR David Durden caught eight passes for 142 yards at West Georgia this season, he moved to the top of the UWF record book with his sixth 100-yard receiving game. He added to that list a week later at Shorter, tying his career high of nine receptions on his way to 111 yards.

• He passed Ishmel Morrow (2016, 18), Antoine Griffin (2016-17), Tate Lehtio (2016-19) and Quentin Randolph (2016-19) who all had five 100-yard receiving games in their careers.

• In 2021, he set the UWF record for consecutive games with a TD reception, crossing the goal line in the first five games of the season, passing Randolph, Hasic and Morrow - who each had a catch in three straight at one time in their careers.

• He currently ranks fourth at UWF in single-season receiving yards as he could become just the fourth 1,000-yard receiving in program history.

SINGLE-SEASON RECEIVING YARDS
1. Quentin Randolph (2019)    1,169
2. Tate Lehtio (2019)    1,120
3. Ishmel Morrow (2016)    1,045
4. David Durden (2022)    919

DURDEN HAS WHEELS
• Senior WR David Durden is one of the fastest players on the team... and probably in the GSC. He leads the team with 919 receiving yards on 46 catches for 19.98 per catch. Further exploration shows he has 311 yards after the catch, for an average of 8.3 YAC.

DURDEN, LEGGETT THE TOP RECEIVING DUO IN THE GSC

• WRs David Durden and Caden Leggett have proven to be Peewee Jarrett's top targets this season - and that's a good thing because the duo has combined for 1,436 yards on 78 catches. They each average over 16 yards per reception and have 19 of the team's 30 receiving TDs through the air.

• They are the top two in the GSC - Durden with 10 TD & Leggett with 9 TD.

ARGO DEFENSE HAS FORCED A TURNOVER IN 64 OF 74 GAMES

• The UWF defense has always been a ball-hawking, aggressive unit that has forced at least one turnover in 64 of their 74 all-time games. UWF is 48-16 (.733) when getting a turnover and 6-4 (.600) when unable to force a sudden change.

• The Argos have forced 144 turnovers  in 74 games for an average of 1.99 per game.

• The UWF defense forced a school-record six turnovers twice in 2019 - at West Georgia and at Ferris State. Those big plays were part of the UWF record 15-consecutive games with a turnover.

• The turnover prize for UWF is a navy blue Turnover Shield and was created by Defensive Coordinator Darian Dulin prior to the 2018 campaign. The 3-inch round wooden disk has a large UWF logo on a navy blue background. The shield, which is a replica of what Jason and the Argonauts may have used in mythological times, is then signed in silver marker by the player(s) who had a hand in creating the turnover.

UWF, STEVE DAWSON AMONG PUNTING ELITE

• UWF is fourth in the country in net punting, putting up 40.7 yards per punt. The Argos are allowing 5.17 yards per return.

• A large part of that goes to punter Steve Dawson, who averages 41.9 yards per punt on 26 kicks this season. That would rank 17th in the country, except he doesn't have enough attempts to meet the NCAA minimum of 3.6 punts per team game to qualify for the rankings. He has four of his 14 punts of at least 40 yards, including three of his last eight

• Additionally, 15 of his 26 have been inside the 20 and 13 have been fair caught, including nine of his last 10 over the last four weeks, including all four last week against Limestone.

CERRA BECOMING AN ELITE FIELD GOAL SPECIALIST

• Redshirt junior Girffin Cerra (pron. Sara) was named a Second Team All-GSC kicker this week. He earned the third of his GSC Special Teams Player of the Week after he made five field goals and three PATs last week in the win over West Alabama. The FG total set a UWF single-game record and tied the GSC mark, which has been set twce already this season.

• Cerra had made his last 10 kicks prior to a miss at Valdosta State. He is 13-for-16 on the season. He is third in the GSC in scoring with 101 points and 9.2 points per game.

GSC READY SINCE 2016

• Even before they played a game in 2016, coaches, administrators and fans across the Gulf South Conference footprint had a feeling UWF could be a major player in the league and region really quick. In their five-plus seasons of football, the Argonauts have won 30 GSC contests, ranking them second in the league.

UWF'S PRESEASON COACHES POLL VS. ACTUAL FINISH
YEAR    PREDICTION    ACTUAL
2016    8TH    T-6TH
2017    7TH    T-2ND
2018    2ND    5TH
2019    4TH    2ND
2021    1ST    T-1ST
2022    2ND    T-1ST

RECORD IN GSC REGULAR-SEASON
TEAM    '16    '17    '18    '19    '21    '22    TOT.
VSU    6-2    5-3    8-0    8-0    6-1    2-5    35-11
UWF    3-5    5-3    4-4    7-1    6-1    6-1    31-15
UWG    4-4    5-3    7-1    4-4    5-2    5-2    30-16
UWA    6-2    7-1    5-3    3-5    4-3    3-4    28-18
DSU    3-5    5-3    2-6    5-3    3-4    6-1    24-22
MC    1-7    1-7    1-6    4-4    2-5    3-4    12-34
NGU    ---    ---    3-4    2-6    2-5    2-5    9-20
SHO    0-8    0-8    0-8    0-8    0-7    1-6    1-45

SHINNICK REACHES 150 CAREER VICTORIES, 50 UWF VICTORIES

• Pete Shinnick was hired as the first head coach in program history on Feb. 2, 2014 and has done a marvelous job since day one building the program from the ground up.

• 2022 has been a memorable one for UWF head coach Pete Shinnick. He is in his sixth season at UWF (eighth year overall) and 20th as a college head coach, and enters the Delta State game at 157-66 (.700) overall and 54-20 (.724) at UWF. He currently ranks eighth among active D2 head coaches in career victories.

• Shinnick was named the 2019 D2Football.com Division 2 National Coach of the Year and the 2017 AFCA & D2Football.com D2 National Coach of the Year. He was also the AFCA Region 2 Coach of the Year in 2017.

• He is 14-9 all-time in the postseason - 10-4 in the Division II Playoffs and 4-5 in the NAIA Playoffs while at Azusa Pacific from 1999-2005.

UWF VS. RANKED TEAMS

• UWF is 16-9 all-time vs. ranked teams.

• UWF has played 25 of 68 games against ranked foes - that's 36.7 percent of its history.

• UWF saw it's record 6-game winning streak against ranked opponents come to an end in a 30-26 loss to #12/15 West Georgia last season.

UWF ALL-TIME vs. RANKED TEAMS

2016    

16    Florida Tech    W, 42-39

3    at North Alabama    L, 3-51

2017

21/20    Delta State    L, 25-28

25/23    at West Alabama    L, 18-35

24/18    at West Georgia    W, 34-29

16/18    at Wingate _NCAA    W, 31-0

24/25    at West Georgia _NCAA    W, 17-14

17/17    at West Ala. _NCAA    W, 28-21

3/1    at Indiana (Pa.) _NCAA    W, 27-17

8/8    vs. A&M-Commerce _NCAA    L, 27-37

2018    

22/rv    Carson-Newman    W, 19-9

10/7    at Midwestern State    L, 17-38

4/4    West Georgia    L, 7-27

7/7    Valdosta State    L, 21-48

2019    

1/1    at Valdosta State    L, 21-26

16/17    at WIngate _NCAA    W, 38-17

1/1    at Valdosta State _NCAA    W, 38-35

6/6    at Lenoir-Rhyne _NCAA    W, 43-38

2/2    at Ferris State _NCAA    W, 28-14

4/3    vs. Minnesota State _NCAA    W, 48-40

2021

21/13    at Texas A&M Commerce    W, 35-17

12/15    West Georgia    L, 26-30

23/21    at West Alabama    W, 47-7

2/2    Valdosta State    W, 61-42

2022

15/16    at West Georgia    W, 42-28

Overall: 16-9    Postseason: 9-1

Home: 3-4    Road: 12-4     Neutral: 1-1

* Rankings are AFCA/D2FB

UWF CONTINUES TO DRAW BIG CROWDS AT HOME

• UWF has some of the most loyal and passionate fans in the country. The Argos have ranked in the top 25 of home attendance in Division 2 every season since starting the program in 2016.

UWF HOME ATTENDANCE
    Home    Total        NCAA    GSC
Year    Games    Attend.    Avg.    Rk.    Rk.
Blue Wahoos Stadium (6,388 capacity)
2016    5    31,640    6,328    18    2
2017    5    25,994    5,199    25    4
2018    5    29,074    5,815    12    1
2019    5    26,505    5,301    20    1
2021    5    28,835    5,767    11    1
Pen Air Field (4,000 capacity)
2022    6    26,576    4,429    25    1

• UWF's 110.3 pct. capacity this season ranks eighth in the country.

UWF IN OVERTIME

• UWF is 2-2 all-time in overtime. The first three games have been at home with two at Blue Wahoos Stadium and the Delta State contest at Pen Air Field on campus.

• Three of UWF's last 12 games have ended up in overtime.

UWF ALL-TIME IN OVERTIME

9/28/19    Mississippi College    W, 27-21

11/20/21    Newberry _NCAA    L, 30-33

9/24/22    Delta State    L, 42-45 2OT

11/5/22    at Valdosta State    W, 32-31

* All games are one overtime unless noted.

UWF WITH SUCCESS VS.UNDEFEATED TEAMS

• The game against Delta State this season was the 22nd UWF opponent to enter the game without a loss at the time of the meeting. The Argonauts are 16-6 in those contests and 6-0 against teams that entered 9-0 or better.

#PACKPENAIR

• The 2022 season is a special one as it marks the first full season playing on campus at Pen Air Field. The team's primary practice facility had previously hosted last year's game against Southwest Baptist, the annual Blue-Green Spring Game and preseason scrimmages.

• Opened in February 2016, Pen Air Field is the on-campus home of the UWF Football program. The artificial turf surface is also used by the UWF Strength & Conditioning department for training of all 15 intercollegiate teams.

• In September 2016, the University announced a $1 million gift from longtime supporter Pen Air Federal Credit Union for naming rights to the field.

• The Darrell Gooden Center was constructed at the South end of the field and opened in April 2018. The $7 million, 32,700-square-foot facility, houses the football locker room and equipment room, an 8,000-square foot strength & conditioning center, the UWF Usha Kundu, MD College of Health and the Florida State University College of Medicine's Pensacola Regional Campus.

UWF PICKED SECOND IN GSC PRESEASON POLL, EIGHT ARGOS NAMED PRESEASON ALL-GSC

• UWF was picked second in a vote of Gulf South Conference coaches in the 2022 GSC Preseason Football Poll that was announced in August.

• UWF earned a pair of first-place votes and ended with 43 polling points, just behind Valdosta State who had the other six first-place votes and came in with 48 poll points. The team's shared the regular-season title a year ago following UWF's 61-42 home win over VSU.

• West Georgia was third with 38 points, followed by West Alabama, Delta State, Mississippi College, North Greenville and Shorter.

• The Argos had six student-athletes from the offensive side of the ball and two on defense among the 30-player preseason group.

• On offense, running back Shomari Mason, wide receivers David Durden and Larry Rembert, and offensive linemen Dalton Simpler, Juac Angoi and Jacob Bruce were voted by the coaches, while the defense saw linebacker Kee Whetzel and defensive back Shannon Showers selected.

• Bruce, Durden, Mason and Simpler were all-GSC picks following the 2021 campaign.