CU FOOTBALL PREVIEW: at WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN

1:00 pm SATURDAY, CEBE ROSS FIELD, BUCKHANNON, WV

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^{(photos by Lisa Blankenship)}


In the history of West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football, Concord and West Virginia Wesleyan have always been close.

The Mountain Lions have played 81 seasons, the Bobcats 73.

Concord's all-time winning percentage is .493, Wesleyan's .454.

CU has won or shared 11 conference championships to six for WVWC.

The Bobcats hold a narrow 16-15-1 lead in the all-time series between the two schools.
The last five meetings were decided by nine points or less.

Both programs made sweeping changes after the 2008 season – Concord hired Mike Kellar as head coach, shortly before WVWC named Dennis Creehan as their sideline boss.

Another close outcome is expected when Concord visits Wesleyan Saturday afternoon in each team's 2010 WVIAC opener at Cebe Ross Field in Buckhannon, WV. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 pm.

The Mountain Lions and Bobcats are both 2-0.

Concord drubbed Southern Virginia 72-21 in its season opener August 26, following it with a nail-biting 20-17 triumph at Lenoir-Rhyne on September 4.

West Virginia Wesleyan has played two close home games. The Bobcats rallied to clip St. Paul's (VA) 35-28 on August 28, then hung on to edge Urbana (OH) 17-14 on September 4.

Both squads are coming off bye weeks.

 
 
However, how both teams got to 2-0 reveals a basic difference between the two head coaches.

Under Kellar (right), Concord has developed a reputation for a prolific offense. Going into Saturday's game,

CU sits atop the WVIAC in Scoring Offense (46.0 ppg), Rushing Offense (284.5 ypg), Pass Offense (334.5 ypg), Total Offense (619.0 ypg), 1st Downs (32.5/gm), 3rd Down Conversions (.500), Pass Efficiency (161.7) and Pass Efficiency Defense (70.3).

Meanwhile, Creehan's reputation as a defensive guru is borne out by the Bobcats' showing so far this season. West Virginia Wesleyan leads the league in Rushing Defense (39.0 ypg/1.2 ypc), Sacks (6.5/gm) and Red Zone Defense (.400), is second in Opponents' 3rd Down Conversions (.194), third in Total Defense (266.0 ypg) and fourth in Scoring Defense (21.0 ppg)

Last season's meeting was the first between Kellar and Creehan as head coaches, and it set a new standard for excitement in the series.

In the annual 'Rotary Bowl' at Hunnicutt Stadium in Princeton, WV, Concord stormed out to a 16-3 lead early in the 2nd quarter. But two CU fumbles led to ten points for WVWC, and the Mountain Lions' lead was just 16-13 at halftime.

Wesleyan scored on the first possession of the 3rd quarter to go ahead 20-16, and Concord got more bad news just minutes later when starting QB Zack Grossi left the game with a left knee injury. He would miss the remainder of the season.

Steven Hearons replaced Grossi, and electrified the crowd of 4000 with an 86-yard touchdown pass to Thomas Mayo (left) that put Concord ahead 23-20 late in the quarter.

After that, the Mountain Lions' running game took over. Senior Dennis Cole rushed for two touchdowns in the 4th quarter, including the game-clincher with just :11 left, capping off CU's 35-26 victory.
Cole led Concord with 136 yards and three TDs on 15 carries, while then-sophomore Brian Kennedy rushed for 103 yards on 18 attempts.

The Mountain Lions outgained the Bobcats 504-296.

CONCORD FOOTBALL TEAM PAGE:  www.cumountainlions.com/index.aspx
WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN FOOTBALL TEAM PAGE:  www.wvwc.edu/athletics/sports/football/index.asp
WVIAC FOOTBALL PAGE:  www.wviac.org/index.aspx

West Virginia Wesleyan will provide Live Stats during Saturday's game at:  bobcats.wvwc.edu/livestats/xlive.htm

The game will be broadcast on ESPN Radio 102.3 FM The Ticket (Hinton/Princeton/Beckley), beginning with 'The Mountain Lion Preview' at 12:30 pm.
The audio webcast will be available at www.theticket102.com/.

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