Moore, Moore, Moore! War Hawks Re-Dedicate Stadium with 76-13 Win
By: McMurry Athletics
Updated: September 23, 2012
ABILENE, Texas - McMurry
University took the wraps off of its renovated Wilford Moore Stadium in
style on Saturday evening, soundly defeating upstart Wayland Baptist
University, 76-13. The win was the War Hawks (1-2) first of the season
and of its NCAA Division
II era in football, while dropping the Pioneers to 1-2 overall.
With the Stadium's namesake - as well as numerous players from Wilford Moore-coached teams - on hand, McM put on a record-setting show. The War Hawks set team single game records for points scored (previous mark was 68 in 1999) and total touchdowns, with 11 (previously nine versus Texas College and Texas Lutheran, both in 2010). McMurry tied the mark for passes attempted at 64 (done twice prior).
Some of the gaudy numbers included 792 yards of total offense on 95 plays from scrimmage. Senior quarterback Jake Mullin - the first of four McM signal-callers to see action in the game - completed 32-of-41 passes for 403 yards and four touchdowns.
Those four TD passes tied Mullin for first on McMurry's all-time list for most touchdown aerials in a career, at 93, with former McMurry All-American Braxton Shaver.
In all Mullin and his three successors in the game - Brady Lambert (6-for-9, 107 yards/TD), Tyler Rentfro (8-of-13, 79 yards/TD) and Johnny Demar (1-for-1, 8 yards) - combined 597 yards in the air.
15 different receivers caught passes for McMurry in the game. Greg Livingston, Clinton McCoy, Grayer, Eric Shaffer, David McHugh and Ryan Nelson all caught TD passes in the contest.
But one of the more pleasant surprises was the fact that - despite the success passing - the War Hawks ground attack was equally impressive. Freshman Paxton Grayer led the assault by carrying 12 times for 119 yards and a touchdown. Grayer averaged 9.9 yards per carry in notching the first 100-yard game of his young career.
Chris Simpson, Mullin and Greg Freeman all joined Grayer with touchdowns via the run.
The War Hawks scored on four of their first six possessions in the game en route to the big victory and never looked back. McM led 21-0 after the first quarter and matched that output in the second quarter on its way to a 42-7 lead at the half.
Even with many of McMurry head coach Hal Mumme's reserves playing a lot of downs in the second half, things didn't change. McMurry's lead had exploded to 62-13 after three stanzas, before 14 fourth quarter points closed out the scoring parade.
Senior punt return specialist D.J. Baiza added to his own McM school career records for punt returns in a career by running back his fourth for a TD in the first quarter against the Pioneers. Baiza's jaunt was a 75 yarder that gave his team the 21-0 advantage.
Baiza also added an interception from his cornerback position. Fellow defensive back Ryan Williams also picked off a pass for the third time in as many games.
Desmond Guy, Malique Cage and Scott Roberson had six tackles, apiece, to lead the War Hawks. The defense also turned in six sacks of the Pioneers' QB's.
With the Stadium's namesake - as well as numerous players from Wilford Moore-coached teams - on hand, McM put on a record-setting show. The War Hawks set team single game records for points scored (previous mark was 68 in 1999) and total touchdowns, with 11 (previously nine versus Texas College and Texas Lutheran, both in 2010). McMurry tied the mark for passes attempted at 64 (done twice prior).
Some of the gaudy numbers included 792 yards of total offense on 95 plays from scrimmage. Senior quarterback Jake Mullin - the first of four McM signal-callers to see action in the game - completed 32-of-41 passes for 403 yards and four touchdowns.
Those four TD passes tied Mullin for first on McMurry's all-time list for most touchdown aerials in a career, at 93, with former McMurry All-American Braxton Shaver.
In all Mullin and his three successors in the game - Brady Lambert (6-for-9, 107 yards/TD), Tyler Rentfro (8-of-13, 79 yards/TD) and Johnny Demar (1-for-1, 8 yards) - combined 597 yards in the air.
15 different receivers caught passes for McMurry in the game. Greg Livingston, Clinton McCoy, Grayer, Eric Shaffer, David McHugh and Ryan Nelson all caught TD passes in the contest.
But one of the more pleasant surprises was the fact that - despite the success passing - the War Hawks ground attack was equally impressive. Freshman Paxton Grayer led the assault by carrying 12 times for 119 yards and a touchdown. Grayer averaged 9.9 yards per carry in notching the first 100-yard game of his young career.
Chris Simpson, Mullin and Greg Freeman all joined Grayer with touchdowns via the run.
The War Hawks scored on four of their first six possessions in the game en route to the big victory and never looked back. McM led 21-0 after the first quarter and matched that output in the second quarter on its way to a 42-7 lead at the half.
Even with many of McMurry head coach Hal Mumme's reserves playing a lot of downs in the second half, things didn't change. McMurry's lead had exploded to 62-13 after three stanzas, before 14 fourth quarter points closed out the scoring parade.
Senior punt return specialist D.J. Baiza added to his own McM school career records for punt returns in a career by running back his fourth for a TD in the first quarter against the Pioneers. Baiza's jaunt was a 75 yarder that gave his team the 21-0 advantage.
Baiza also added an interception from his cornerback position. Fellow defensive back Ryan Williams also picked off a pass for the third time in as many games.
Desmond Guy, Malique Cage and Scott Roberson had six tackles, apiece, to lead the War Hawks. The defense also turned in six sacks of the Pioneers' QB's.
