TAHLEQUAH -- Northeastern State opens the season by traveling to University Center, Mich. to take on Saginaw Valley State.

NORTHEASTERN STATE at
SAGINAW VALLEY STATE
Thursday, Aug. 28 -- 5 p.m.
Harvey Randall Wickes Memorial Stadium
First meeting in all-time series

TOP STORYLINES

1 | The second season of the Darrin Chiaverini era kicks off with the football program's longest road trip since 1958, as the RiverHawks travel to face Saginaw Valley State. It marks the first-ever meeting between the two programs in football. The Thursday evening matchup is also NSU's first across program history against an opponent from the Great Lakes State. Meanwhile, SVSU holds a 16-5 record in non-conference games across the Ryan Brady era, with their most recent meeting against a foe from the Sooner State occurring in 1983 against Central Oklahoma (then known as Central State).

2 | Tight end Cam Woods returns after being named the 95th All-American in program history and the first since 2018 following the 2024 season. Woods highlighted an offense that scored 41 touchdowns (most since 2011), logging seven touchdown receptions and adding 573 receiving yards for the year. 

3 | Ramon McKinney Jr. returns to lead the ground game after having one of the most explosive true freshman campaigns across recent program history. After receiving just 23 carries over the first six games of the season, McKinney would explode for 393 rushing yards and five scores on the ground in the last five weeks. Over the entire season, McKinney logged 495 rushing yards alongside an additional 379 receiving yards on 27 receptions, with 11 total touchdowns. 

4 | NSU's defensive returners are highlighted by defensive tackle Chris Lee and linebacker Jordan Banks, a duo who saw their 2024 seasons get cut short due to injury. Lee is a former All-MIAA selection with 19.5 tackles for loss during his career in Tahlequah, while Banks was among the team's tackle leaders with 27 prior to injury after four games of action. 

5 | Northeastern State's second season as an independent NCAA Division II football program will see the RiverHawks encounter seven opponents for the first time ever in its history. Additionally, they will battle Missouri S&T for the first time since 1958 in the home opener next week, while they encounter Central Oklahoma for the 28th straight season and look to repeat off of last season's victories against Lincoln (Mo.) and Lincoln (Ca.) in rematches.

NSU QUICK HITS

>> Darrin Chiaverini leads the offense for his second season in Tahlequah after guiding that side to the ball to noticeable growth in 2024. Offensively, the team gained 558 additional yards on the ground (as well as an improvement of 0.7 yards per attempt), adding 40.8 more rushing yards per game. The passing attack also excelled, averaging 97.36 more yards per game, increasing yards per attempt by 2.35, and amassing 1,071 additional passing yards and 13 more touchdowns.

>> The RiverHawks will aim to build off their remarkable improvements on third and fourth down, as well as the red zone. Third down conversion rates rose from 29.71% in 2023 to 38.96% in 2024, while fourth down conversion rates rose from 30% to an impressive 52% in 2024. Meanwhile, NSU ranked in the top 30 nationally in red zone percentage, scoring on 85.7% of trips inside their opposition's 20-yard line.

>> Returner Dereun Dortch and newcomer Donnie Smith are both expected to be factors at the quarterback position. Dortch returns after throwing for 1,760 yards in 2024, the most for a NSU quarterback since 2016. Much like Dortch a season ago, Smith joins the RiverHawks after tremendous success at the junior college level. The native of Rialto, Ca. threw for over 5,300 yards alongside 65 touchdowns in two seasons at Snow College (Utah).

>>The receiving corps will bring back Deuce Roberson after he led the team in receptions (50) and yards (635) a season ago. He will be joined by a fellow veteran presence in seniors La'Vontae Shenault and Jay Caldwell, while youth joins the unit in the form of true freshmen Cam Jackson and Dekhari Dean.

>> Deven Jones and Cayson Badley return as projected starters along the offensive line. Jones will play an integral role at left tackle after making the transition from the tight end position, while Badley bumps inside to right guard after spending his NSU career prior to this season at tackle. They'll be joined by experienced JUCO prospects in C'Mariyun Hayes (left guard) and Jayden Flores (right tackle), in addition to freshman center Justus Gilliam.

>> Junior Tanuvasa leads the defense in his second season as defensive coordinator at Northeastern State. In 2024, the RiverHawks displayed significant progress defensively, allowing 6.36 fewer points per game and 70 fewer points overall. Meanwhile, the pass defense allowed 741 fewer yards and 24 fewer first downs, while the rushing defense increased tackles for loss and forced opponents to lose an additional 85 yards on the ground.

>> Manaia Brown joins the staff as defensive line coach and brings over a decade of coordinator experience to Tahlequah. Brown most recently coached at Garden City CC (Kan.), where his 2024 defensive line all signed with NCAA Division I programs. Brown inherits a defensive line that has mustered just 20 sacks in the last two seasons, in addition to a run-stopping unit that has not ranked better than 125th in the nation in yards allowed in each of the last ten seasons.

>> The RiverHawks will see a change in defensive personnel after losing four of their top seven tacklers from last season, in addition to multi-year starters Jarveon Williams, Blake Corn and LaKedrick Holmes. Familiar faces returning include Chris Lee, Jordan Banks, Hagen Foreman (54 tackles, third on team), Marquez Chatman (five tackles for loss), Ayden Guess (five TFL), Ousmane Doumbia (34 tackles, three interceptions), Jamar McKee (three sacks), and Junior Heimuli (25 tackles, four TFL).

>> Troy Nguyen returns after logging the highest-scoring season for an NSU kicker since 2011. The Bixby product landed 57 points after connecting on seven field goal tries, with a long of 49 in his true freshman season. Meanwhile, he was true on 36 of 38 extra point attempts.

>> After losing a multi-year starter in kicker/punter Tyler Crawford, Garden City CC transfer Mo Foketi is expected to handle punts in 2025. Foketi was an All-Conference selection as a Broncbuster, averaging 39.2 yards per kick and landing 20 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line.

ON THE AIR

>> Catch live radio coverage of every Northeastern State football game this season on the radio home for NSU football, Lakes Country 102.1 FM. Hear the "Voice of the RiverHawks" Orry Phillips on the call every week. DJ Shawn Solo will serve as the home color analyst for the 2025 season, while Captain William Morgan will handle all away games. Gameday coverage begins one hour prior to kickoff every week.

WATCH PARTY

>> Northeastern State University Football invites you to join us for an official RiverHawks Football Watch Party on Thursday, August 28th at the Squeeze Inn in Tahlequah (109 Spring Street, Tahlequah, OK 74464). Come cheer on the RiverHawks as they open the season against Saginaw Valley State. The event will feature a welcoming game-day atmosphere for alumni, fans, and community members to enjoy the action together. Special food and beverage pricing will be available exclusively for active NSU Football QB Club members. Entry is limited to individuals 21 and up. We look forward to seeing you as we come together to support RiverHawks Football!

ABOUT THE CARDINALS

>> Saginaw Valley State is led by former Ferris State assistant Ryan Brady. Brady has led the Cardinals since 2019 after succeeding Jim Collins. The Cardinals earned seven wins in Brady's most recent campaign at the helm, with all four of the team's losses occurring by one score and a combined point total of 17.

>> The Cardinals bring back one of NCAA Division II's brighest young quarterbacks in Mason McKenzie, last season's GLIAC Freshman of the Year. McKenzie excelled both through the air and on the ground a year ago, producing 2,716 yards of total offense with 20 touchdowns. 

>> SVSU returns 98.9% of their rushing production from a season ago, where the unit finished fourth in the GLIAC and in the top 50 nationally in yardage (1,818), while they ranked third in the conference in yards per carry (4.6).

>> Expect Terrence Brown Jr. to be a factor in both the passing and running game, as the redshirt junior followed up a GLIAC Freshman of the Year-worthy performance in 2023 with his second straight Second Team All-GLIAC nod in 2024, accumulating 1,049 all-purpose yards and 11 touchdowns.

>> Top receiver Joseph Walker is gone, but McKenzie's supporting cast includes two-time All-GLIAC Honorable Mention Eric Craft. Craft enters with 48 catches, 660 yards, and four touchdowns spanning his two All-Conference campaigns.

>> The Cardinals ranked 24th in the nation in scoring defense (17.2 PPG) last season, but will have to replace their top six tacklers. 2024 All-GLIAC Honorable Mention Adom LeDuc is the only returning player with over 20 tackles last season.

>> Second Team All-GLIAC selection Jaquan Howard returns after leading the Cardinals in kick returns. Howard returned 13 kicks in 2024 for a combined 441 yards, including a 98-yard score against Roosevelt in October.