The UT Martin Skyhawks welcome the 5-5 Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles to Hardy Graham stadium on Nov. 16, at 1 p.m.
The Skyhawks will look to extend their six-game win streak as they push for the Big-South OVC title.
Tennessee Tech comes into the game on a three-game win streak of their own as the Golden Eagles have had to rely on backup QB Dylan Laible, who took the place of starter Jordyn Potts. Laible, a senior transfer from Missouri, has started four games, winning three out of the four. In his time starting, Laible has thrown four touchdowns and two interceptions to go along with 697 yards through the air.
Laible’s favorite targets have included junior wide receivers D.J. Linkins and Tremel Jones. Linkins, who measures in at 6’4, leads the team in receiving by far with 566 yards and three touchdowns on 44 catches this season. Tremel Jones follows behind Linkins with 259 yards and a touchdown on 23 catches this season.
Another notable pass catcher is senior WR Ashton Maples who has collected three touchdowns of his own to go with 111 yards on the season.
Senior RB Jalen Mitchell leads the Golden Eagles rushing attack with 591 yards and four touchdowns.
Following behind Mitchell are RBs Aidan Littles and Torin Baker, each with over 250 yards of their own. Littles, a freshman from Tennessee, has accumulated 371 yards and three touchdowns for the Golden Eagles, while Baker has racked up 236 yards and two touchdowns of his own.
The Golden Eagles also like to get their receivers involved in the run game. Both Jordan Yates and Tremel Jones have found the endzone in the run game three times each.
Defensively, Tennessee Tech is led by senior DB Tim Coutras, who leads the team in interceptions with three while being third in total tackles with 47. Coutras heads a very strong defensive backfield for the Golden Eagles, with multiple players having multiple interceptions.
Sophomore LB Cayman Spaulding leads the team in total tackles with 59 while also reigning in an interception of his own that he took 29 yards to the house. Joining Spaulding in the fifty-tackle club is fellow LB Aaron Swafford. The junior out of Decatur, TN has tallied 51 tackles of his own while also forcing two fumbles. Both LBs also have a couple of sacks to their name, contributing to Tennessee Tech’s fearsome pass rush.
The Golden Eagles are also second only to the Skyhawks when it comes to intercepting the ball and fourth when it comes to recovering fumbles.
Historically, the Skyhawks and Golden Eagles match-up has been a back-and-forth affair. TTU currently holds a slight advantage over the Skyhawks with a 22-21-2 record against the Skyhawks.
However, in recent years the Golden Eagles have not been so fortunate. The Skyhawks currently hold an 11-game win streak over Tennessee Tech.
Last year saw a shootout between the two teams with the Skyhawks edging out the win 44-41.
