Concord Stats -
West Liberty Stats -
Live Stats -
Live Video -
Complete Game Notes
ATHENS, W.Va. - For the first time in three weeks, the Concord University football team hits the road for a contest against West Liberty 1:00 p.m. Saturday at West Family Stadium.
LIVE COVERAGE
Stats: The West Liberty Sports Information Department will provide live in-game statistics of Saturday's contest.
Video: Courtesy of West Liberty Television, the game will be live streamed with live play-by-play audio from WLU's Todd Ullom.
To access the live coverage options, follow the links at the top of the page or click
here.
RECORDS
The Mountain Lions are 2-6 overall with a 1-6 mark in Mountain East Conference play.
WLU fell in overtime to West Virginia State, 39-33, to drop to 2-6, both overall and against MEC foes.
SWISS ARMY KNIVES
Freshman wide receiver
Tywan Pearce and senior running back
Jamal Petty were all over the field Saturday in Concord's 31-22 win over UNC-Pembroke at home.
Petty rushed for 120 yards on 12 carries while also hauling in two catches for 47 yards.
The Bellflower, California native scored two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. Furthermore, Petty blocked his second punt of the season versus UNC-Pembroke.
The only other offensive player in the MEC with a blocked kick this season is Charleston's D'Andre Brooks.
Meanwhile, Pearce notched 149 all-purpose yards against UNCP.
Pearce pulled in a career-best six catches for 43 yards, rushed once for two yards and returned four kickoffs for 106 yards, including tying his career long with a 50-yard run back.
Pearce's 149 all-purpose yards are the most for a Concord player since former wide receivers
Jermeil Douse and
Davon McGill each went over 200 yards last year at West Virginia State.
NOSE FOR THE BALL
After only forcing two turnovers in the previous three games, the CU defense came up with three turnovers against UNC-Pembroke to regain the league lead in turnover margin at +6.
Redshirt freshman defensive back
Jonathan Roebuck scored the fourth Concord defensive touchdown of the season with a 62-yard return on an interception.
It was Roebuck's second defensive score of the season.
Senior defensive back
Jeremiah Johnson has accounted for the other two.
Roebuck's interception return for a score was the second longest in the MEC this season behind West Liberty's Terrance Baldwin 63-yard interception return for a touchdown against Urbana.
Sophomore defensive back Myles Poindextor came up with his first career interception in the second half to thwart a UNCP red zone scoring chance.
Johnson scooped up his second fumble of the season after sophomore linebacker
Ty Walker forced his first career fumble.
Johnson is tied for MEC lead in takeaways this season with four. Five other players, Shepherd's Tre Anderson, Glenville State's Tristin Freeman, Fairmont State's Jerry Iweh and Wesleyan's Trey Lee and Aman Speed all have four takeaways.
GROUND GAME
For the third straight week, Concord rushed for 100 yards as a team.
Petty became the first 100-yard runner for the Mountain Lions since senior running back
Nick Loftin in last year's season opener versus West Liberty.
Petty also broke off a career-long 77 yard run versus UNCP. It was the first run of 70 or more yards for CU since Calvinaugh Jones sprinted 74 yards for a touchdown in 2014 against West Virginia Wesleyan.
MOVING ON UP
One of the big difference in Concord's nine-point win over UNC-Pembroke was senior kicker
Zack Keaton converting three field goals on the afternoon including nailing a career-long 38-yard attempt.
Keaton moved out of a tie for fifth in all-time field goals made.
The Pembroke, Virginia native has converted 12 field goals in the last two seasons.
Keaton also moved past Zach Boyd in both extra points made and attempted in a career at CU.
Keaton is sixth in both categories as he is 31-for-35 in point after tries at Concord.
Keaton became the first Concord kicker with 10 or more points in a game since Andy Ellington against Urbana in 2014.
By recovering his third career fumble, Johnson moved into a three-way tie for eighth at Concord.
Additionally, the Baltimore, Maryland native moved past Delvin Bailey for pass break-ups at CU after knocking away two passes against UNCP. Johnson is tied for third with 36 career PBUs.
INSTANT IMPACT
After missing the last two games with injury, sophomore defensive lineman
Keionte Gainey and junior lineman
Malik Trollinger returned to the lineup.
The duo combined for 14 tackles with Trollinger recording two sacks on the game.
It was the third and fourth sacks of the season for the Shelbyville, Tennessee native.
As a whole, the defensive line was stellar as junior defensive lineman
Colton Neal recorded his 10.5 career sack to move past Silas Agyemang for fifth all-time at CU.
Senior defensive lineman
Kelsey Poe also registered his first career tackle for loss in the contest.
FLASHBACK
Concord defeated West Liberty 32-25 in last year's season opener at Callaghan Stadium.
Senior wide receiver
Paul Jones and sophomore wide receiver
Brandon Plyler each caught a touchdown in the game with Plyler's reception breaking the all-time touchdown passes record for
Brian Novak at CU.
Junior defensive lineman
Justin Noble notched his first career sack in the game.
In his first game in the Maroon and Gray, then a junior, Loftin rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown. Loftin also caught two passes for 22 yards and added a score receiving.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
5- Carries needed by Petty to go over 100 yards versus UNCP, fewest since Calvinaugh Jones needed five to rush for 100 yards against UVa.-Wise in 2015.
8- Combined number of points the last two CU-WLU meetings have been decided by.
24- Combined first quarter points between CU and West Liberty last season.
WEST LIBERTY AT A GLANCE
The Hilltoppers let a 33-19 fourth-quarter lead slip away in the overtime loss at West Virginia State.
Veteran running back Jeremiah Ortiz is second in the conference in rushing yards at 767 and is averaging 95.9 per game.
Brenton Colabella and Lukas O'Connor have split time this season replacing former quarterback Dakota Conwell.
The duo has combined for 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
West Liberty has the MEC's fifth-best pass defense, allowing just 185 yards per game.
The secondary is anchored by Baldwin and reigning MEC Defensive Freshman of the Year Logan Deri.
