Concord Prepares for Road Test Against Glenville State

Concord Stats - Glenville State Stats - Live Stats - Live Video - Complete Game Notes

ATHENS, W.Va. - The Concord University football team sets its sights on a Mountain East Conference road contest against Glenville State 1:00 p.m. Saturday at Morris Stadium.

LIVE COVERAGE
The Glenville State Sports Information Department will have live statistics and live video of Saturday's game. 

Live Stats
Live Video

SERIES HISTORY: Glenville State leads 43-33-1

LAST FIVE MEETINGS VERSUS GLENVILLE STATE
September 10, 2022: Concord 21 - Glenville State 7 (Athens, W.Va.)
September 9, 2021: Glenville State 17 - Concord 10 (Glenville, W.Va.)
September 21, 2019: Glenville State 27 - Concord 20 (OT) (Glenville, W.Va.)
October 6, 2018: Glenville State 41 - Concord 35 (Athens, W.Va.)
October 7, 2017: Glenville State 48 - Concord 28 (Glenville, W.Va.)

CONCORD AT A GLANCE
Overall Record: 0-7
MEC Record: 0-6
Home Record: 0-4
Away Record: 0-3

TOP TACKLERS
Graduate defensive lineman Vonte Pannell became the fourth different CU player to lead the Maroon and Gray in outright tackles this season as he piled up a career-best nine against Frostburg State Saturday—Pannell previously tied for the team lead at Fairmont State with five. The Lynchburg, Virginia native became the first CU defensive lineman to lead the Mountain Lions in tackles in a single game since Justin Noble at the end of the 2018 season against Urbana. Though Concord has had a variety of single-game tackle leaders this season, junior linebacker Jamari Smith (59/second), freshman linebacker Brodee Rice (48/ninth) and freshman defensive back Kendall Bournes (tenth/44) are all in the top 10 in the MEC in tackles. CU has never had two or more players finish in the top 10 in the MEC in tackles.

TAKE IT AWAY
For the first time this season, the Mountain Lion defense came up with two takeaways versus Frostburg State with both coming in the first half—the second interception of the season from junior defensive back Mekhi Williams and a fumble recovery by junior defensive back Trevis Dampier on an FSU punt return right before halftime. For the Concord special teams, it was the first takeaway of the season, and the first since last season's win over Charleston. Furthermore, it was just the second fumble recovery of the season for CU. The sure-handed Bobcats had only lost three fumbles through the first five games of the season.

PUNCH THE BALL OUT
Junior defensive lineman Delando Morris was responsible for forcing Saturday's fumble that led to the Mountain Lions getting the ball inside the red zone. For Morris, it was his third career forced fumble—the other two also came on special teams, last season against Charleston and against UNC Pembroke. With the forced fumble, Morris is now tied for ninth in program history in forced fumbles The most recent player with three or more forced fumbles in a career at Concord was Ryan Gatrell (2015-18). In last season's 21-7 win over Glenville State, current Concord defensive lineman Nathan Lease forced CU's only fumble of the game.

NEW LEADER
Heading into the Frostburg State game, senior quarterback Jack Mangel needed just two completions to become Concord's all-time program leader in pass completions. After converting 17 completions against Frostburg State, the Athens, Georgia native now has 707 for his career, and is one of four active Division II signal callers with 700 or more completions. Additionally, Mangel is now the owner of every major career passing record at Concord with the exception of passing yards. Mangel sits at 8,520 yards, 1,300 yards behind Brian Novak (2013-16). Mangel would have to average 325 yards per game over the remaining four games of the season to break Novak's record. In 29 career starts, Mangel has thrown for 325 or more yards 14 times, but just once this season.

GROUND AND POUND
In a driving rain storm last season during Concord's 21-7 victory over Glenville State, both teams leaned heavily on the running game. The Mountain Lions rushed for 195 yards and averaged more than five yards a carry while GSU churned out 170 yards on the ground and clipped off 4.6 yards per carry. Senior running back Thurlow Wilkins had his first career 100-yard rushing game with 102. Junior running back Kevon Young-Warren had a then-career-high 71 yards on just 10 carries. To have similar success on the ground this year against the Pioneers, the Mountain Lions will have to solve a Glenville State rushing defense that gives up the third-fewest rushing yards per game in the MEC at 135.7.

LET IT FLY
While the running game could factor in Saturday's outcome, the game will also feature two quarterbacks that are averaging more than 225 yards per game through the air. Mangel needs 303 yards to reach 2,000 passing yards for the third consecutive season—a feat that has been accomplished by Novak (2014-16) in program history. Mangel's 1,697 yards are second in the MEC. Meanwhile, Glenville State's Anthony Garrett has rebounded from a tough start to the season to throw for 516 yards and five touchdowns over the last two weeks. In last season's game, Mangel was reduced to 181 yards through the air due to the weather conditions. Garrett wasn't even GSU's starter under center when the teams played last season on September 10 as he took over the starting quarterback job in early October.

MEN IN THE MIDDLE
Saturday's contest showcases three of the best tacklers at the linebacker spot in the MEC in Rice and Smith from Concord and Glenville State's Seth Arnold. A two-time All-MEC selection, including a first team accolade in 2021, Arnold has finished top 10 in the MEC the last two seasons in tackles. Arnold is fifth in the MEC in tackles this season. Meanwhile, Smith is averaging 10.5 tackles per game over his last four contests, and has at least one tackle for loss in four of the last five games. Rice has amassed at least six tackles in all but one game this season. Against Frostburg State, the Princeton, West Virginia native had eight tackles and a tackle for loss.

REVERSE THE TREND
Though the Mountain Lions knocked off Glenville State at home last season, CU is seeking its first win in the central part of West Virginia since 1999. Three of the last four visits for Concord to GSU's Morris Stadium have gone down to the final few plays. In Mangel's second career road start in 2021, he threw for 402 yards, but a potential game-tying drive stalled out inside the GSU 40-yard line with less than a minute left in a 17-10 defeat. In 2019, a late Concord defensive touchdown tied the game at 20-20 before the Pioneers won in overtime, 27-20. And in 2015, Glenville State scored with 16 seconds remaining to collect a 30-25 win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
7- Receptions needed by sixth-year wide receiver Kris Copeland to reach 175 for his career.

15- Combined completions that Concord has held the last two opponents, Fairmont State and Frostburg State, to.

33- Minutes that Concord held the ball in last year's win versus Glenville State.

GLENVILLE STATE AT A GLANCE
Overall Record: 3-3
MEC Record: 2-3
Home Record: 2-1
Neutral Record: 1-2

SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
Glenville State scored 21 unanswered points in the second half against Wheeling to erase a 13-6 deficit and get back to .500 on the year, 3-3, with a 27-13 win. Former Concord defensive back and wide receiver Zion Barnette has caught 20 passes for 280 yards and a team-best four touchdowns. Glenville State head coach Mike Kellar spent two seasons at CU as the head coach during the 2009-10 seasons. Now in his fifth season at GSU, Kellar is 20-22. Glenville State has attempted the most fourth downs in the MEC with 19, but has only converted 36.8 percent (7-of-19).