Concord Stats -
West Virginia State Stats -
Live Audio -
Live Stats -
Complete Game Notes
ATHENS, W.Va. - The Concord University football team concludes Mountain East Conference play at West Virginia State 1:00 p.m. Saturday.
LIVE COVERAGE
Radio: Jason "Moose" Reed and
Steve Cox will have live radio coverage of Saturday's contest on 97.3 "Willie" FM as well as streaming online at
www.mywillie.com
Stats: The West Virginia State Sports Information Department will provide live in-game statistics of the game.
Live coverage options can be access at the top of the page or by clicking above.
MOUNTAIN LION NOTES
After the contest in Institute, West Virginia, CU will have one more game remaining, a non-conference game against UNC-Pembroke.
The Mountain Lions are 2-7 overall and in league play while West Virginia State is 1-8 overall and 1-7 in the MEC.
In Week 9 of the season, Concord dropped a 19-8 decision to Glenville State in the home finale at Callaghan Stadium.
CU was exceptional on defense Saturday as it stymied GSC to less than 100 yards of offense in the first half.
Sophomore linebacker
Zach Malone led the defensive effort for the Mountain Lions as he racked up 15 tackles and forced his second fumble of the season.
It was the fourth game of the year in which the Charleston, West Virginia native has had at least 15 tackles.
Furthermore, Saturday will be a homecoming of sorts for Malone as he started his collegiate career at West Virginia State two seasons ago.
Malone became the first CU player to force two fumbles this season joining junior defensive back
Jeremiah Johnson.
2016 is the first season since 2014 that Concord has had two players have multiple forced fumbles. In 2014,
Keith Ferguson and
Ervin Moore accomplished the feat.
Senior defensive lineman
Darryl Johnson racked up nine tackles and a tackle for loss against Glenville State.
Johnson is ranked eighth in the conference in tackles with 74 on the season, but is first in the MEC among defensive linemen in tackles.
Junior defensive back
Chaudlier Shepherd notched two pass break-ups (PBUs) in Saturday's contest.
It was the first time the Upper Marlboro, Maryland native had multiple PBUs in a game since last season at Glenville State.
Shepherd is one pass break-up away from ranking among the top 10 in CU history in PBUs.
In his time in the Maroon and Gray, Shepherd has 16 passes defended.
Against Glenville State, junior defensive back
Kevin Stephenson intercepted his first career pass, a fourth-quarter pick that set up the CU offense deep inside of Glenville State territory.
Also recording a career milestone for the Mountain Lions versus GSC was freshman running back
JaVaughan Burrus who scored his first career touchdown, a one-yard run.
Burrus became the sixth different CU player to score a touchdown in 2016.
The 12 carries that Burrus received was his most since he rushed the ball 15 times against Charleston.
After Burrus's touchdown run, senior wide receiver
Jermeil Douse completed a two-point converstion try on a pass to junior tight end
Jordan Bryant.
It was the first scoring play for Bryant since a touchdown reception in 2014 at Fairmont State.
Redshirt freshman quarterback
Garrett Cropp made his first career start versus Glenville State.
Cropp completed 10 passes for 95 yards as he started for senior quarterback
Brian Novak.
The depth chart shows either Cropp or Novak starting at WVSU this week.
Concord concluded the regular season last year with a 52-7 home win over West Virginia State.
In fact in the last two meetings versus the Yellow Jackets, the Maroon and Gray has outscored WVSU 107-14.
Novak completed 15-of-22 passes for 295 yards.
Eight of those completions went to Douse for 171 yards while Douse also hauled in a touchdown reception.
D. Johnson and senior defensive lineman
Kevin Pierre combined for 10 tackles, three tackles for loss (TFLs) and two sacks last year against West Virginia State.
J. Johnson put together a complete game versus WVSU as he had four tackles, a forced fumble, a pass break-up and intercepted a pass in the end zone.
Two seasons ago at WVSU, Novak had a career day as he tossed a personal-best five touchdowns.
Defensively in 2014, senior defensive lineman
Brandon Hazzard racked up a career-best 11 tackles and one tackle for loss while Shepherd had seven stops and a forced fumble.
The Mountain Lions have not lost to West Virginia State since 2008 and only the 2012 contest which finished 23-16 has been decided by a possession or less.
Concord owns the all-time series record with a 30-15 mark against the Yellow Jackets.
SCOUTING WEST VIRGINIA STATE
West Virginia State does not have a win since Week 2 when it beat Urbana on the road, 37-24.
Linebacker Dennis Gardeck leads the conference in total tackles this season with 95.
Quarterback Matt Kinnick has thrown for 1,323 yards and eight touchdowns, but missed time earlier this season.
Backup signal caller Austin Hensley threw 1,207 yards and nine touchdowns in Kinnick's absence.
Regardless of who has been at quarterback for the Yellow Jackets, the primary receiving target has been Quinton Gray.
Gray is sixth in the league in receiving yards with 696.
West Virginia State ranks second in pass offense in the league, averaging 283 yards through the air, but is last in the conference in rush offense with 95 yards per game.
The Yellow Jackets are allowing 457 yards per game with 273 coming through the air and 184 on the ground.
A CONCORD WIN WOULD...
A Concord win would make it eight straight over West Virginia State.
A Concord win would give the Mountain Lions its second road win of the season.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
3- Â Number of successful two-point conversions for CU, most in the conference.
13- Â Number of tackles needed by Malone to reach 100 for the season.
28.4- Â Average margin of victory for CU in seven-game winning streak over West Virginia State.
