Story by Keith Jaco
Staff writer
rjaco@murraystate.edu
Racer Resilience
If there is still time on the clock, by no means is the game over. The Racers responded to SEMO’s 31 first-half points by pouring on 34 unanswered to take the lead with 1:42 remaining in the contest. SEMO responded by scoring its first points of the second half, a touchdown pass that would take the lead with just 20 seconds remaining. As fans began to head for the exits, the Racers had one last chance to make a big play and save their comeback. Malik Honeycutt returned the ensuing SEMO kickoff 79 yards for a Racer touchdown, reclaiming the lead for Murray State with just :03 seconds remaining.
Defense is deadly
Despite not seeing the field an ideal amount on Saturday, the Murray State defense played an exceptional game. The Racer offense gave away 21 points in the first half, allowing the Redhawks to pounce on Murray State early, but the defense delivered multiple three-and-outs and a takeaway to jump start a Racer comeback. Senior defensive end Kenney Wooten had five total tackles with two sacks. Junior linebacker Kendrick Catis led the way on defense with 10 total tackles and six solo. Senior linebacker Quincy Williams had a solid afternoon with five solo tackles,
Anderson’s Pocket Poise
Even through adversity, senior quarterback Drew Anderson is still a stud. Anderson threw three interceptions in the first half, but responded with three touchdowns and multiple successful carries to propel the Racer comeback in the second half. Anderson threw for 412 yards on 37-63 passing with four total touchdowns. Another bright point stemming from the Racer offense was sophomore running back D.J. Penick’s performance. The Racer running game has been nonexistent in the past few weeks and Penick broke out in the second half for an important day of production. Penick tallied 89 yards on 16 attempts, breaking off a 27-yard run for his longest of the day.