What to Know About the UT Martin Skyhawks Ahead of WVU Matchup

The West Virginia Mountaineers (1-0) welcome FCS opponent the UT Martin Skyhawks (1-1) to Mountaineer Field Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. EST and the action will stream on ESPN+.

Skyhawks head coach Jasom Simpson is in his 20th season at the helm in Martin (TN). He’s guided the program to five conference championships (3X OVC, 2X OVC-Big South), and he is a four-time Eddie Robinson FCS Coach of the Year Award Finalist (2006, 2012, 2016, 2021).

UT Martin entered the season as the OVC’s preseason favorite after falling short last season, ending a four-year run of conference championships.

The Skyhawks sit at 1-1 on the season and notched their first win of the season last week with a 42-7 trouncing over Chicago State.

Following the contest, junior running back Tommy Ansley (Offensive) and redshirt junior linebacker Reginald Allen Jr. (Defensive) garnered OVC Player of the Week

Tommy Ansley is leading the Skyhawks’ rushing attack with 179 yards, averaging 6.9 yards per carry, and five touchdowns. The junior recorded his second 100-yard performance with 106 yards and three touchdowns in the win over Chicago State to earn the weekly honor.

Splitting the carries is Chris Franklin. The redshirt junior has 26 carries with 108 yards and two touchdowns this season. He second on the team with four receptions for 33 yards

Paving the way for the duo is an offensive line that returned three starters (Dolapo Egunjobi, Andrew Smithberger, Eric Lane) while adding New Mexico transfer Travis Gray and JUCO transfer Santiago Macias.

UT Martin has played two quarterbacks so far this season with graduate senior Julian Calvez getting the starting nod in both contests and redshirt freshman Tate Surber has appeared in one game, entering the game in the second quarter against Chicago State and threw for 222 yards on 16-23 passing and one carry for three yards. Calvez is 14-27 for 186 yards and two interceptions on the season.

Graduate senior Makhia Sherrard leads the team with six receptions for 95 yards. Redshirt sophomore Antony Carter and redshirt sophomore tight end Connie Hewitt II are tied for third with three receptions apiece. Carter has 62 receiving yards, while Hewitt has 55.

Defensively, the Skyhawks give a multiple look, but promote a 3-3-5 scheme.

Sophomore Trey Cotton has tallied a team-high 14 tackles, including a tackle for loss, a forced fumble and a 55-yard interception return for a touchdown in the season opener against Central Arkansas.

Reginald Allen Jr. had eight tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss last week to up his season total to 13, which is second on the team.

Redshirt junior Jamarcus Smith has recorded a team-high two tackles for loss, and defensive lineman Duston Chavis leads the team with on sack on the year.

Corners Jamal Mayers and LaMarion Pierce are tied for a team-best three pass deflections. Pierce, a redshirt senior out of Lewisburg, Tenn has appeared in 38 games and made 19 starts during his career. Mayers has made 22 appearances, including two starts – both coming this season.

Add us as a preferred source on Google