CU Looks for Rebound Win vs. Wesleyan

Complete Game Notes – Live In-Game Stats – Live Video – Live Audio – Concord Stats – Wesleyan Stats


LIVE COVERAGE
The Concord University Sports Information Department will provide live in-game stats and live video of the game. Concord radio station WVCU will broadcast the game as well. Links to all live coverage options can be found at the top of the page.

MOUNTAIN LION NOTES
• Concord enters Saturday's contest with a 4-2 overall record and in a three-way tie for third place in the MEC with a 3-1 mark in league games. The Bobcats come to Callaghan Stadium at 2-4 overall and 2-3 in the MEC.

• A CU victory over West Virginia Wesleyan would be Concord's third consecutive win in the series; Concord defeated Wesleyan 23-16 in 2012 and clinched its last WVIAC championship with a 48-40 triumph in 2011.

• In addition to being its third win in as many games over the Bobcats, a victory over West Virginia Wesleyan would help the Mountain Lions rebound from their 22-10 week-six loss at Urbana. The loss was CU's first MEC defeat and just the second loss by the program over its last nine games dating back to 2012.

• The Concord defense extended its streak of consecutive games with an interception to 14 thanks to senior safety Davon Marion's third-quarter interception against Urbana last week. For the season, five different Mountain Lions have accumulated INTs with Marion leading the way at three followed by two apiece from junior cornerback Mike Carey, senior safety Josh Clark and senior cornerback Riyahd Richardson. Senior linebacker Jake Lilly rounds out the quintet with one interception.

• Lilly's nine tackles against Urbana brings his season total to a team-high 62, the second-most in the MEC and 24th-best in all of NCAA Division II.

Lilly now needs 65 tackles over Concord's final five games (13 tackles per game) to end his CU career ranked first in Mountain Lion history for tackles in a career.

• After six weeks, the Concord defense finds itself ranked second in the nation in points allowed per game (11.8), third in third-down conversion defense (21.8 percent), third in first downs allowed (81), fifth in total defense (271.8) and eighth passing yards allowed per game (150.5).

• Individually, sophomore punter Andrew Huska ranks 18th in the country in punting with an average of 42.7 yards per punt. Huska, who also has a conference-high 12 touchbacks on kickoffs, has landed 10 punts inside the 20-yard line while also sending eight punts at least 50 yards.

• Sophomore defensive lineman Tre Preston is coming off of a career-best performance of 10 tackles, three tackles for loss and one sack against Urbana. Preston has 19 tackles on the year.

• Junior running back Ben Nester ran for a career-high 55 yards on eight carries (6.9 ypc).

• Sophomore running back Calvinaugh Jones just missed eclipsing the 100-yard rushing plateau with 94 yards against the Blue Knights. However, Jones found the end zone for a third straight game.

• On the season, Jones has now rushed for 534 yards and four touchdowns on 129 rushes (4.1 ypc). Jones has accounted for six of Concord's 15 plays that have went for at least 20 yards this year.

• Jones needs to average 93.2 yards per game for the rest of the season to become the 10th running back in Concord history to run for 1,000 yards in a season.

• If history is any indication, Jones should have a big game against the Bobcats. As a freshman in 2012, he ran for 138 yards and one touchdown in CU's week 11 victory.

• Sophomore kicker Andy Ellington has converted five of his last seven field goal attempts (71.4 percent) and 11 consecutive extra point attempts.

• For the year, Ellington is 8-for-13 in field goal attempts; he has missed just two attempts from less than 40 yards. He is second in the conference in points scored by a kicker (51).

• The Mountain Lions have proven adept at holding leads this season. Concord is 3-0 when leading at halftime and 3-0 when leading after three quarters of play.

• Sophomore wide receiver Tiko Henderson ranks eighth in the conference in receiving yards at 381.

• Despite the fact that opposing offenses avoid throwing his way, Richardson still ranks fifth in the league with eight passes defended.

SCOUTING WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN
• Saturday's game will feature the reunion of a trio of former West Virginia University Mountaineers players on the sidelines in Justice, Concord special teams coordinator / wide receivers coach John Pennington and first-year head coach George Shehl. All three players played together at WVU during the 2003 and 2004 seasons.

• The Mountain Lions' game against the Bobcats will cap off "Pink Week" at Concord University. Throughout the week, all CU teams have worn pink in support of breast cancer awareness.

• Shehl is in his first season at West Virginia Wesleyan. Prior to taking over the Bobcats' program, Shehl was the defensive coordinator at Charleston for the 2011 and 2012 seasons.

• West Virginia Wesleyan snapped a three-game losing streak with a 45-30 victory over West Virginia State last week. The Bobcats' other win came against UVa.-Wise (37-7) on Sept. 14. WVWC has lost to Elon (49-7), Notre Dame College (34-25), Shepherd (45-10) and Glenville State (35-32).

• The Bobcats are ranked second in the MEC in passing yards with 1,800 (300 ypg).

• Individually, WVWC quarterback Jeremy Mussleman checks in at third in the league in passing yards (1,545).

• Defensively, the Bobcats are led by Nick Sharga, who has 50 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and one forced fumble this season.

UP NEXT
• Concord hits the road to play at Charleston on Oct. 26 at 1:00 p.m.