Concord Looks For MEC Crown vs. Shepherd

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


LIVE COVERAGE
The Concord University Sports Information Department will provide live in-game statistics and video of Saturday's game while the Concord University student radio station, WVCU, will provide audio of the game with announcers Tyler Jackson and Austin Bess on the call. Links to all coverage options can be found at the top of the page.

MAROON MONSOON
The Concord University SAAC is asking that all Concord University fans wear maroon to Saturday's game.

MOUNTAIN LION NOTES
• Concord, which won the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship in 2011, earned the right to play for a share of the first Mountain East Conference title by winning its last four games, including 30-14 victory over Notre Dame College in week 10, to push its record to 8-2 overall and 7-1 in league play.

• Shepherd enters Saturday's game ranked seventh in the nation by the American Football Coaches Association at 9-0 overall and 8-0 in the MEC, already assuring itself of at least a share of the 2013 league title.

• The contest will pit two of the top teams in all of Super Region I. In the latest regional rankings released by the NCAA this week, Shepherd was slotted first in SR1 with Concord positioned ninth. The top six teams in the region at the end of week 11 earn a berth into the NCAA Division II playoffs.

• Saturday's game is shaping up to be a classic late-season defensive slugfest. The Rams are ranked first in the nation in scoring defense, first in total defense and first in first downs allowed. Meanwhile, the Mountain Lions are ranked second in scoring defense, third in total defense and second in first down defense.

• With that said, both schools feature offense's that have proven more than capable of holding their own in games in addition to their dominant defenses.

• Concord has scored over 30 points in a game five times this season and is averaging 33.0 points per game over its last four contests.

• Statistically speaking, Shepherd has the top offense in the MEC thanks to a 39.1 points per game average.

• Shepherd leads the all-time series against Concord 28-15-1 with each school splitting the last two games.

• Concord bested the Rams 28-14 the last time CU and SU met in Athens, W. Va. in 2011 behind 306 passing yards and two touchdowns from former Concord quarterback, and current assistant coach, Zack Grossi.

• In addition to being a title game for the Mountain Lions, Saturday's contest will also be the last home game for a senior class that has left a lasting impact on the Concord program. The Maroon and Gray are 30-13 over the last four years; the eighth best four-year stretch in program history.

• A trademark of the last four years at CU has been great defense so it should come as no surprise that two of the 2013 seniors, linebacker Jake Lilly and safety Davon Marion will leave Concord remembered as two of the best defensive players to ever suit up for the Mountain Lions.

• Lilly is the second-leading tackler in school history with 365 stops in 42 games, just 21 tackles away from Darryl Wilson's record of 386 career tackles.

• Lilly led the WVIAC in tackles in the league's final two years of existence and is in position to lead the MEC with a strong performance against Shepherd; he's currently second in the conference with 106 tackles, second only to Notre Dame College's Hayden Davis' 109 tackles.

• Marion has been a constant big-play threat for Concord. In 31 games as a Mountain Lion, Marion has 10 interceptions, two fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles, one blocked kick and one defensive touchdown. He leaves CU ranked fifth in interceptions, sixth in passes defended and ninth in tackles.

• Marion's five interceptions this season are a career-high and the third most in the MEC.

• Safety Josh Clark has also produced strong senior campaign having started each game and tallying 41 tackles, four interceptions and one touchdown.

• Sophomore running back Calvinaugh Jones has had a stellar sophomore year. Jones, who ranks third in the league in rushing, has run for 958 yards and eight touchdowns. He needs just 42 yards to register the 10th 1,000-yard season by a CU running back.

• Jones has been responsible for eight of Concord's 29 plays that have went for at least 20 yards in 2013.

• Fellow running back Ben Nester is coming off of a three-touchdown game against Notre Dame. On the year, Nester has rushed for six scores and a career-high 380 yards while averaging a team-best 5.1 yards per carry.

• Other offensive players having career years are a pair of wide receivers in junior Darrick Williams and sophomore Tiko Henderson.

• Both players have already totaled personal-bests in catches, yards and touchdowns. Williams has hauled in 31 receptions for 384 yards and two TDs while Henderson has caught 29 passes for 509 yards and two scores.

• Concord's kicking duo Andy Ellington and Andrew Huska has provided CU an edge over its opponents all year. Huska leads the MEC in touchbacks (29) and punting average (41.5) while Ellington has connected on six field goal attempts of at least 40 yards including last week's school-record 52-yarder against Notre Dame College.

• A final player to watch vs. Shepherd is sophomore defensive lineman Ervin Moore, who has team-highs of 16 TFLs and six sacks in 2013.