Concord Looks to Get Back on Track Versus Urbana

Concord Stats - Urbana Stats - Live Audio - WVVA Live Stream - Live Video - Live Stats - Complete Game Notes

ATHENS, W.Va. - After having a 28-0 setback in its first road game of the season at Fairmont State, the Concord University football team returns home Saturday for a 12:00 p.m. kickoff against Urbana at Callaghan Stadium.

LIVE COVERAGE
Radio: Jason "Moose" Reed and Steve Cox will have live play-by-play coverage of Saturday's game locally at 97.3 FM and also online.
Stats: The Concord University Sports Information Department will provide live in-game statistics of the game. 
TV: WVVA-TV out of Bluefield, West Virginia will broadcast the game locally and online.
Video: The Concord University Sports Information Department will provide live streaming video of Saturday's game

To view the live coverage options, follow the links above or at the top of the page.

MOUNTAIN LION NOTES
The Mountain Lions could not solve the FSU defense as they were limited to 232 yards offensively.

Additionally, Concord was shutout for the first time since 2008.

CU did, however, have some notable performances on defense as senior defensive lineman Darryl Johnson recorded 11 tackles, one tackle for loss and also recovered a fumble for the Maroon and Gray.

Johnson has started the season with double-digit tackle games after notching 10 stops in a season-opening win against West Liberty.

After Johnson's performance against Fairmont State, a Concord defensive linemen has now netted 10 or more tackles in four consecutive games going back to last season.

Then-senior defensive lineman Ervin Moore had 10 and 13 tackles to end his college career against Glenville State and West Virginia State while Johnson has picked up right where Moore left off.

Senior defensive lineman Kevin Pierre had a career day at FSU as he tied his career high in tackles with eight and also in sacks with two.

Sophomore linebacker Zach Malone and sophomore defensive lineman Colton Neal both also had career outings versus the Fighting Falcons.

Malone racked up eight tackles on the afternoon and now has 10 stops on the season, a year after having 18 tackles for the whole season.

Meanwhile, Neal came away with four tackles, matching career-best,  and also getting two sacks.

As a team, the Mountain Lions have eight sacks through two games, the best mark in the Mountain East Conference.

Neal, sophomore defensive lineman Justin Noble and Pierre have combined for six sacks in 2016.

In the early going this season, junior punter Garrett Lee has been exceptional at limiting a return by West Liberty and Fairmont State.

Lee is tied for second in the conference in total punting, averaging 46.1 yards per boot.

What the Pearisburg, Virginia native may be better at is allowing his coverage to get down the field and limit the opposition to 1.6 yards per return for the third best net punting average in the league at 40.1 yards.

CU also did a stellar job of cleaning up the penalties at Fairmont State.

A week after committing 14 penalties for 133 yards in the home opener against West Liberty, the Mountain Lions had just three penalties for 25 yards on the road in week two.

Entering the Urbana contest, senior quarterback Brian Novak continues to chase the 8,000-yard mark passing.

Last week, the College Park, Maryland native became CU's all-time leader in passing yards in addition to already owning the all-time mark in passing touchdowns at Concord.

Novak threw for 168 yards at Fairmont State.

The CU signal caller now stands 94 yards shy of 8,000 for his career.

Last time Novak and the offense stepped on the Callaghan Stadium turf against Urbana in 2014, it was a banner day for Concord's offene as Novak rolled up 300 yards passing and four touchdowns as Concord eased to a 50-20 win.

In his last two starts against the Blue Knights, Novak has tossed for 524 yards and five touchdowns.

Senior wide receiver Jermeil Douse has excelled in his time at Concord against Urbana.

He has combined to catch 11 passes for 277 yards and two touchdowns versus UU.

Furthermore, two of his four career 100-yard receiving games have come against the Blue Knights.

Two years ago at home, he hauled in five receptions for 155 yards and a score before catching six passes for 122 yards, including a 70-yard touchdown last season on the road.

Last season at Urbana, Concord grinded out a 23-7 win.

The CU defense stood tall as it held the Blue Knights to 202 yards of total offense including limiting them to 49 yards on the ground in the road victory.

Junior defensive back Chaudlier Shepherd was Concord's second leading tackler with six while also recording one of his two tackles for loss for the season at Urbana.
Shepherd also picked off a pass two seasons ago against the Blue Knights in Athens.

The kicking game has also played a role in Concord defeating Urbana the last two season as now-graduated senior Andy Ellington combined to go 6-for-6 in his last two games against UU.

SCOUTING URBANA
Urbana comes to Concord with an 0-2 record after being defeated by Glenville State in week one and at home by West Virginia State.

The contest with WVSU turned into a marathon as the game was delayed over four hours by lightning in central Ohio.

Senior quarterback Cale Burdyshaw missed the first game of the season, but threw for 185 yards and two touchdowns against West Virginia State.

The Urbana offense has been efficient in putting points on the board this season, scoring on five of six trips into the redzone.

The Blue Knights also possess a dynamic kicking duo in placekicker Ross Snodgrass and punter Brandon Purk.

Snodgrass is one of three kickers in the league that is 2-for-2 or better on field goals, including a 43-yard successful try.

Meanwhile, Purk has averaged 43.4 yards per punt.

A CONCORD WIN WOULD...
A Concord win would improve CU's winning streak over UU to three games.

A Concord win would give Concord its 18th home win in its last 20 games at Callaghan Stadium.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
2-  Number of 100-yard receiving games for Douse versus Urbana.

28.2- Shepherd is averaging 28.2 yards per kickoff return, third best in the MEC.

46- Concord held UU scoreless  for the first 46 minutes of last year's game.