INDIANAPOLIS --- Tusculum College running back Brian Marshall is fourth in the nation in all-purpose yardage according to this week's NCAA Division II football statistics.

Marshall, a native of Chattanooga, Tenn., is averaging 190.5 all-purpose yards per game, which is also tops in the South Atlantic Conference. He accounted for 205 all-purpose yards in Saturday's home game against UNC Pembroke. For Marshall, it was his third game this season where he has broken the 200-yard plateau. Two weeks ago, Marshall made school history as he became the first Tusculum player to record 1,000 yards in both rushing and receiving in a career. The Preseason All-SAC Second Team selection has recorded 1,076 rushing yards (10th in TC history) and 1,095 receiving yards (15th in TC history). In all, Marshall has accounted for 2,810 career all-purpose yards, which are seventh in the TC record book.

Marshall is also 20th in the country in kickoff return average (27.87 ypr) and 32nd in punt returns (10.83 ypr). His kickoff return average is currently fourth in TC single-season history, while is punt return average is seventh in the nation.

Junior quarterback Bo Cordell is listed in five statistical categories, including third in completions per game (32.67 cpg) and fourth in total passing yards (2,075 yds). The Cincinnati, Ohio native is also fifth in total offensive yards per game (354.33 ypg), sixth in passing yards per game (345.83 ypg) and 43rd in points responsible for per game (14.00 ppg).

Cordell is coming off a record-breaking day last weekend as he became the South Atlantic Conference's all-time leader in passing yards. Cordell has passed for 11,176 yards, which is 14th in NCAA Division II history and breaks the previous SAC mark of held by Todd Cunningham of Presbyterian (10,937 yards from 1998-2001). He is the holder of nearly every Tusculum passing record and is closing in on the total offensive yardage mark of 11,315, established by Corey Russell from 2005-08. Cordell (11,129) needs 187 more yards to break Russell's school record and 450 yards to break the Cunningham's SAC record of 11,578.

Xzanvion Smith, a junior wide receiver from Anderson, S.C., is averaging 122.67 receiving yards per game, which is fourth-best in the land. Smith is also 10th in all-purpose yards (174.33 ypg), 14th in receptions per game (7.33 rpg) and 19th in kickoff return average (28.18 ypr). He has recorded 1,216 career receiving yards to date, which is 14th in school history. His 19 yards per catch average is the second-highest by a Pioneer, which he is also listed ninth in career kickoff return average (20.39 ypr), ninth in kickoff returns (28) and 10th in kickoff return yards (571).

Defensively, Tusculum boasts two of the top tacklers in the country in junior linebacker Brian Alexander (Union Point, Ga.) and senior defensive back Luke Harris (Floyd, Va.).

Alexander became the 14th player in school history to record 200 tackles in his career as he posted 10 stops against UNC Pembroke. Alexander is tied for 37th in the nation in tackles per game, averaging 9.83 hits per contest. Alexander's 204 career tackles are 13th in school history, while his 28 career tackles for loss are ninth-most by a Pioneer.

Harris has tallied 58 tackles so far this season, including a career-high 14 two weeks ago against Brevard. His 9.67 tackles per game average are 43rd in the nation. Harris is also closing in on the 200-tackle plateau, as he needs 13 more stops to become the 15th Pioneer to join that exclusive group.

Sophomore defensive back Evan Dansby (Augusta, Ga.) is13th in the nation in fumbles forced per game (0.40 avg), while junior cornerback Kaytron Becton (Miami, Fla.) is 19th with his 1.50 passes defended average. Becton has accounted for 18 passes defended in his career (7th in TC history), including four last week against UNC Pembroke, which are tied for the second most in school history. Sophomore linebacker Darien Crank (Fort Campbell, Ky.) has recovered two fumbles this season, which are tied for 37th in DII.

Junior Andy Rosetti (Kenneth City, Fla.) is 21st in the country in punting average at 41.46 yards per kick, which is second in the league. Rosetti is second all-time at Tusculum in career punting yards (4646) and third in punt attempts (121). His 38.4 yards per punt average is the sixth-highest in Tusculum history.

As a team, the Pioneers are nationally ranked in four categories in this week's report. Tusculum is seventh in passing offense (349.0 ypg), sixth in kick returns (27.41 ypr), 28th in net punting (36.82 ypp) and 39th in total offense (435.5 ypg).

Tusculum (2-4) returns to South Atlantic Conference action this Saturday when the Pioneers travel to Hickory, N.C. to face Lenoir-Rhyne for a 2 p.m. kickoff from Moretz Stadium.

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