GLVC Football Weekly Release - Sept. 24, 2013
Prepping for Conference Play
In the last full week of non-conference action, GLVC football will field seven of its eight teams Saturday as McKendree enjoys an off-week following a 1-0 start to league play with a 29-24 victory at William Jewell last week. Four of those seven teams will be staying at home, including Quincy, Saint Joseph’s, Truman State and William Jewell. No. 22 Indianapolis, Kentucky Wesleyan, and Missouri S&T will all hit the road in what will be most of their final tune-ups prior to GLVC play.
McKendree Opens GLVC Play With Win at William Jewell
In the lone conference matchup last week, McKendree defeated William Jewell 29-24 in Liberty, Mo., giving the Bearcats a week on top of the conference standings before a full-slate of GLVC action picks up next week. McKendree gave up a 20-point first-half lead, but rallied for its first GLVC win behind the efficient efforts of sophomore quarterback Isaac Fisher. McKendree will now enjoy an open date Saturday before hosting the University of Findlay in Lebanon on Oct. 5.
UIndy Drops to No. 22 in AFCA Top 25 Poll
Indianapolis, the defending GLVC Champion, dropped 10 spots to 22nd in the latest American Football Coaches Association Division II Top 25 Poll, following its 31-14 defeat to Division I Drake last week. The Greyhounds, who last week were a school-record 12th in the polls, are now 2-1 on the season and travels to Hillsdale College this Saturday.
Pumas Pouncing on GLVC Records Book
In its 45-17 road victory at Alderson-Broaddus last Saturday, Saint Joseph’s racked up a conference-record 497 rushing yards, which shattered the previous best of 395, set by Central State against Kentucky Wesleyan on Nov. 10, 2012. The Pumas’ rushing total is currently the fourth-best single-game mark in NCAA Division II this season. In addition, their 75 rushes -- also a conference record -- are the most set in a game by a Division II program this year. In terms of total offense, Saint Joseph’s gained 638 yards in the win, which ranks third all-time in conference history. The Pumas racked up a GLVC-best 705 yards in a win at William Jewell last year. SJC is currently averaging 558.7 total yards per game, which ranks sixth nationally.
Running Away
Two GLVC running backs turned on the burners this past week and raced for the second- and third-longest rush from scrimmage in conference history. Missouri S&T’s Zenel Hudson raced 84 yards for a score against UW-La Crosse, while Truman State’s Garrett White went for 80 yards and a touchdown in the first quarter against William Penn. Both rushes fell just shy of the GLVC record of 86 yards, which was set by Central State’s Rodney Smith against Kentucky Wesleyan on Nov. 10, 2012. Hudson’s and White’s breakaways are also the fifth- and sixth-longest runs in Division II this year.
Freshmen Finding the Football
Credit the GLVC newcomers this year as three rookie defenders are leading the conference in a few major statistical categories. UIndy freshman Derrick Bryant and Truman State newcomer Austin Zoda currently lead the GLVC with 11.7 and 11.3 tackles per game, respectively, while McKendree freshman Luck Baar paces the league with 2.5 sacks. In addition, Baar owns a GLVC-best two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries, while Bryant is tied for second in the conference with 4.5 tackles for loss.
KWC’s Ward Playing with a Purpose
Kentucky Wesleyan junior Jeff Ward currently boasts an impressive advantage among all conference standouts in all-purpose yards. Ward is averaging a GLVC-high 272.7 all-purpose yards per game, while Indianapolis’ Klay Fiechter is nearly 100 yards behind in second place with an average of 174.7 yards each time out. Ward’s current average is second overall in NCAA Division II, just 10 yards shy of national leader Rondell White of West Chester. Last week at Lindenwood, Ward was responsible for 273 yards, just a week after he went for 326 yards against Lindsey Wilson. Missouri S&T’s Zenel Hudson also put forth an impressive effort last Saturday, turning in 252 all-purpose yards against UW-La Crosse.
Another GLVC Records Gets the Boot
One week after Truman State’s Derek Koon set the GLVC record for longest field goal with a 45-yarder against Grand Valley State, Missouri S&T kicker Adam Peden has given him the boot. Peden connected on a 47-yarder in the second quarter against UW-La Crosse last week to set the new conference standard.
Taking Another One Back
For the third straight week and the fourth instance overall, a GLVC kick returner has taken a kickoff back for a score. Kentucky Wesleyan’s Jeff Ward posted an 86-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the first quarter of last week’s 49-29 loss at Lindenwood. McKendree’s Cameron James took a kick back 97 yards on Sept. 14, while teammate Ryan Keen and Truman State’s Tremaine Millender both netted GLVC-record 100-yard returns in the season opener on Sept. 7. The GLVC’s four runbacks are tied for the Division II lead with the GLIAC, while both Midwest conferences have combined for eight of the 20 kickoff returns for touchdowns in the country this year.
Returning to Basics
The GLVC currently boasts five teams in the nation’s top 25 in punt returns. McKendree paces the country with a 40.67 punt return average, followed by No. 6 Saint Joseph’s (23.33), No. 7 William Jewell (21.2), No. 14 Kentucky Wesleyan (18.75), and No. 24 Truman State (15.67). In kickoff returns, Truman (33.38) ranks third overall, McKendree (26.33) is 13th, and Saint Joseph’s (25.90) is 16th. Individually, Truman’s Tremaine Millender is second in the country with a 48.4 kickoff return average, while William Jewell’s Thomas Cook is second in punt returns at 21.2.
Truman Doesn’t Want to Punt, But...
...the Bulldogs are pretty good when they are forced. Truman State has been quite impressive with the punting game this season, ranking fifth nationally with 42.67 yards per boot, while punter Jacob Lamp, the reigning GLVC Special Teams Player of the Week, is sixth overall at 45.5. yards per punt. The Bulldogs also own the GLVC’s top-three punting marks of the season as they netted a conference-high 46.6 yards (5-233) at Grand Valley State on Sept. 14, 45.2 yards (4-181) last week against William Penn, and 44.7 yards (6-268) in the opener versus Southwest Baptist.
GLVC to Celebrate 35th Anniversary in 2013-14
While GLVC football is competing in just its second year of conference sponsorship, the GLVC will be celebrating its 35th Anniversary as a league over the course of the 2013-14 academic year. The GLVC was founded on July 7, 1978 by six charter members, which include three football-playing members Indianapolis, Kentucky Wesleyan and Saint Joseph’s.