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The Fort Hays State football team opens the 2011 season on Thursday night as they host rival Emporia State at Lewis Field Stadium at 7 pm. The Tigers play their first game under new head coach Chris Brown. FHSU looks to continue the home team advantage in the series with ESU, as the home team has won the last five meetings between the teams.

The Tigers are looking to avenge a 19-6 loss to the Hornets last year in Emporia. That loss was the start of an eight-game losing streak that carried through the completion of the season. The Tigers look to snap that skid on Thursday night. Fort Hays State won the last meeting between the teams in Hays by a score of 40-20 in 2009.

The Tigers will have different looks on each side of the ball as they will be using a pro-style offense and 4-2-5 defense as their primary sets. There will be several new faces on the field this season as well. However, only four of the projected starters for the Tigers, offense and defense combined, are newcomers.

Only five of the projected 11 starters on offense have made starts in the past for the Tigers. Gone due to graduation are several pieces of a very potent offensive attack from last year, including All-American wide receiver O.J. Murdock, FHSU all-time passing leader Mike Garrison, wide receiver Cordarol Scales, running back James Walker, and tight end Beau Gadwood. All five were All-MIAA selections last year. Wide receiver Anthony Smith is the only projected starter for the Tigers with All-MIAA honors, which he garnered in 2009 as a junior before he was granted a medical hardship last year due to an injury through two games. The other four with previous starts are all on the offensive line.

Defensively, the Tigers ran a 4-3 style defense last year which produced two All-MIAA selections. Jacob Crossman was one of those selections who also earned All-American honors, but had his eligibility expire in 2010. Alex Whitehill is the only defensive returner with All-MIAA honors after ranking second in the conference in tackles last year with 118. His efforts last year have gained him Preseason All-American honors this year.

There are also just five projected starters on the defensive side of the ball with starting experience. The majority is in the secondary with cornerback Tim Parker, safety Korey Allison, and defensive back Austin Hubert. Parker led the team in interceptions last year with three. Whitehill will be patrolling the middle of the field again and Ernesto Martinez is the only projected starter on the defensive line with past starts under his belt.

The Tigers are looking to extend their win streak in season openers to five games after winning the last four. Three of the four wins in the streak were against Western State (Colo.) and the other against New Mexico Highlands, both members of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. This will be the first time the Tigers open a season with a conference game since 1933 when they played Wichita State as members of the Central Intercollegiate Conference.