PHOTO COURTESY UTRGV ATHLETICS
UTRGV’s wideouts emerge in inaugural season
Through their first three games in the history of the program, the Vaqueros have certainly lit up the scoreboard in their winning efforts, looking great on offense.
In addition to attacking on the ground, going to the air for UTRGV has yielded great results, as shown by the scores of the games that the Vaqueros have played: 80-0 on Sept. 13 and 66-0 on Aug. 30.
It is worth noting that both of these high scores have come against opponents not in the Football Champion Subdivision, playing against the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Langston University and Division II Sul Ross State.
Vaqueros head coach Travis Bush said he and his staff have a game plan for how the team attacks on offense, and that he adjusts who plays based on the in-game situation.
“[There’s] a lot of good guys to choose from, but we really want to roll those guys in to keep them fresh for the fourth quarter if it’s a four-quarter battle, and then fresh and healthy for down the road in conference,” Bush said.
He has involved several receivers in the offense, as six Vaqueros wideouts have over 50 receiving yards. Despite this, one has clearly emerged as the primary deep threat for UTRGV.
Sophomore wide receiver Xayvion Noland transferred from Texas State University and leads the team in receiving yards (367) and receiving touchdowns (4), including the first touchdown in program history.
Noland averages 122.33 receiving yards per game.
“I’m really just focused on practicing [and] getting better with the guys,” he said. “Building chemistry, and focusing on our new opponent each week.”
Noland said he prepares for games with his roommate and fellow redshirt freshman wideout Tony Diaz, who is behind him in receiving touchdowns with three. Noland receives treatment and eats before listening to Hillsong Worship music ahead of games, crediting his faith in God for his success on the field.
Noland said it is not a competition between him and Diaz but, instead, both push each other to succeed, envisioning each other’s gameday success.
“It’s just a trust factor that we both know that we want the ball,” he said. “We both know that whenever we have the ball in our hands, we’re going to make a play and that the team can rely on both of us.”
Bush said he is looking to involve the other receivers, such as redshirt freshman Kyran Lee, redshirt freshman Cameron Glenn and redshirt junior Tavian Cord in the Vaqueros’ offense.
Starting quarterback Eddie Lee Marburger has done his part in being a part of the Vaqueros’ passing attack, averaging 300.67 yards a game and completing 76.6% of his passes.
Marburger, a redshirt senior, said the goal and mentality of the team is to finish 1-0 at the end of every week, regardless of who catches the touchdowns or what the stat sheet reads at the end of a game.
“We’re not worried about who’s catching touchdowns, who’s running touchdowns,” he said. “It’s just a matter of fact, if we can go 1-0 every week, that’s all that matters to this team.”
Marburger told The Rider he is “blessed” to have “some of the best receivers in the country,” particularly calling Noland “pretty talented.”
“I’ve been having so much fun with those guys,” he said. “The speed that those guys have is incredible. So I mean, I just gotta throw it up, and they’re gonna come get it every time. It don’t even matter where I throw it.”
