Week 1: Northeastern State (0-0) vs. #RV Emporia State (0-0) at 7 p.m.
Tahlequah, Okla. | Gable Field at Doc Wadley Stadium
All-Time Series
Northeastern State and Emporia State have faced 13 times prior to Thursday's meeting at Doc Wadley Stadium. The Hornets have a slight 4-2 series edge in Tahlequah and have won the last six meetings between the two programs. NSU's last win against ESU was in 1990, and this the earliest both programs have faced each other in the 64 year history of the series. This is the seventh straight year that Northeastern State will face Emporia State, all of which has come in MIAA play.
Coaching Matchup
Rob Robinson (6-38) is in his fifth season as head coach at Northeastern State. In three seasons at NSU, Robinson has 33 student-athletes who have been named All-MIAA, and 61 who where named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll. Robinson was named the 19th head football coach in school history on Dec. 19, 2013 after spending the previous 12 years under Craig Schurig as a member of the Washburn Ichabod coaching staff, serving as the offensive coordinator for his last four seasons at WU.
Garin Higgins (70-57) is in his 12th season as head coach and ranks third in wins at ESU. In 16 seasons, Higgins has compiled a career record of 121-66 and led the Hornets to the Kanza Bowl in 2012, the NCAA playoffs in 2013, the national quarterfinals in 2015, and the NCAA second round in 2016. Higgins had a 51-9 career record as the head coach at Northwestern Oklahoma, including two trips to the national championship game. He also was offensive coordinator at Northeastern State during the 2006 season before accepting the head coaching job at his alma mater.
On This Date
This Thursday will be the third time NSU football has kicked-off on August 30. Northeastern State last played on this date to start the 2012 season and it was the first game as a member of the MIAA. The RiverHawks faced Pittsburg State (41-20 loss) in that meeting. The 1997 season was the only other time NSU played on August 30 which was played at Central Arkansas (20-14 loss).
Under The Lights
Sun tan lotion will not be a necessity for the RiverHawks in the first month of the season. Northeastern State has its first four kickoffs at 7 p.m., weeks eight and ten will end under the lights with late kickoffs scheduled.
Same Face New #
A handful of NSU players have made number switches during the off-season:
Isaiah Upshaw was #14 now #1
Cade Yeager was #8 now #7
D'Kameron White was #28 now #14
Tre'von Overstreet was #38 now #27
Madison Wrather was #70 now #72
New-D
Over the off-season, the RiverHawks bought in a
Eric Gibson as its new defensive coordinator. Gibson comes to Northeastern State from Southwestern Oklahoma where he held the same position in the last four seasons. The Gibson led defense in Weatherford, was in the top-5 in the Great American Conference each year. While at Southwestern Oklahoma, Gibson has coached two All-Americans, five All-Region players, and two Cliff Harris Award finalists.
The Sheriff
Cade Yeager will start his first full season as the starting quarterback for the RiverHawks. The sophomore from Broken Arrow started the final seven games in 2017 after getting his redshirt removed. Yeager threw for 1,716 yard in the air and had 18 touchdown passes. With 245.1 passing yards per game, Yeager landed at second in the RiverHawks' NCAA record book.
New Backfield
The RiverHawks do not have a returning running back heading into the 2018 season. Averaging 59.4-yards per game on the ground last season, Northeastern State is projected to turn the ball over to
Tre'von Overstreet in the opening week of the season. Overstreet saw limited action as a true-freshman at NSU and was a Tulsa World All-State selection Drumright HS.
I'm Back
Ashton Antwine returns to the NSU secondary as a redshirt senior after missing the 2017 season due to injury. The Edmond native was the one of seven players to start in all 11 contests two seasons ago. In 2016, Antwine was eighth in tackles with ten deflected passes and two interceptions.
Hold The Line
The RiverHawks' offensive line returns four of its five letter winners from last season. Various injuries hammered the NSU line in 2017 with
Caleb Hash as the lone player to see action in all 11 contests. Redshirt Freshman
Madison Wrather is the lone new face to the starting group.
Local Talent
Northeastern State has a total of 46 student-athletes at the start of the season from Oklahoma. Inola High School has the largest contingent on the roster with four, Broken Arrow High School is second with three on the NSU roster.
