Concord Heads to Fairmont State for Midweek Clash

Concord Stats - Fairmont State Stats - Live Audio - Live Stats - Live Video - Complete Game Notes

ATHENS, W.Va. - The Concord University football team plays its second weeknight game of the season when it travels to Duvall-Rosier Field on Fairmont State's campus 7:00 p.m. Thursday in Mountain East Conference action.

LIVE COVERAGE
The Fairmont State Sports Information Department will have live in-game statistics and live video for the game. Addtionally, FSU play-by-play voice Travis Jones and game analyst Duane Cochran will have live radio coverage on Sky 106.5. 

Live Audio
Live Stats
Live Video

SERIES HISTORY: Fairmont State leads 42-33-1

LAST FIVE MEETINGS
October 1, 2022: Fairmont State 10 - Concord 9 (Athens, W.Va.)
October 2, 2021: Fairmont State 31 - Concord 27 (Fairmont, W.Va.)
October 19, 2019: Fairmont State 56 - Concord 27 (Athens, W.Va.)
November 3, 2018: Fairmont State 56 - Concord 17 (Fairmont, W.Va.)
November 4, 2017: Fairmont State 35 - Concord 0 (Athens, W.Va.)

CONCORD AT A GLANCE
Overall Record: 0-5
MEC Record: 0-4
Home Record: 0-3
Away Record: 0-2

THREE'S COMPANY
In CU's 23-21 loss to West Liberty, the Mountain Lions had three players finish with double-digit tackles, led by a career-best 18 tackles from junior linebacker Jamari Smith. Junior defensive back Trevis Dampier (13 tackles) and freshman linebacker Brodee Rice (11 tackles) both added single-game bests in tackles. Smith's 18 tackles were the second most for a CU player in a single game in program history behind the 19 stops that Dominic Wilson had at Charleston in 2017. Additionally, Smith jumped to second in the MEC in tackles this season with 48. The 42 tackles that Dampier, Rice and Smith combined for were the most for a trio of MEC teammates this season. It marked the second time in the last six games, dating back to last season, that Concord has had three players with 10 or more tackles in the same game.

NUMBER CALLED
Through the first four games of the season, junior running back Kevon Young-Warren had carried the ball just 14 times. Young-Warren missed the Wheeling game the previous week, but burst on the scene in a big way against West Liberty. The Martinsburg, West Virginia native carried the ball 11 times for 75 yards while scoring his first touchdown since Week 10 of the 2021 season. The 75 rushing yards were a single-game career best for Young-Warren. And his four receptions for 37 yards against West Liberty were also career highs. Last season versus Fairmont State, Young-Warren rushed 14 times for 40 yards and added a catch for 23 yards.

HERE COMES THE BOOM
Graduate punter Josh Hutley continued his impressive season Saturday versus WLU as he got off six punts for an average of 50.7 yards. The Geelong, Australia native hammered a punt 83 yards in the second quarter before getting off a 62-yard punt later in the game. Hutley's 83 yards punt was the second longest of the season in a Division II game. Hutley is the only punter with a 40 yard or better average on punts in the MEC as his mark of 44.7 yards is fifth in Division II. Of the 29 punts for Hutley this season, nine have been inside the 20-yard line and five have been of at least 50 yards.

SACK MASTERS
The Mountain Lions had their first multi-sack game of the season as junior defensive lineman Lance Blankenship and graduate defensive lineman Vonte Pannell each had a sack against the Hilltoppers. Blankenship recorded his second sack of the season, but his first since the opener versus Emory & Henry. Blankenship's sack comes on the heels of him recovering a fumble at Wheeling. Along with Pannell getting his first career sack against West Liberty, the Lynchburg, Virginia native registered six tackles, and over his last two games has 14 tackles—the best two-game stretch in his career after moving to the defensive line last season. Fairmont State is tied for the second-fewest sacks allowed in the MEC with six.

DOWN THE STRETCH
Saturday's game versus West Liberty was decided on the final play as the Hilltoppers threw a 10-yard touchdown to get the 23-21 win. Each of the last two CU games against Fairmont State have been similar. Trailing 10-3 versus FSU last season with less than a minute remaining, Mangel tossed a 32-yard touchdown. However, on the ensuing two-point conversion attempt, Fairmont State linebacker Brocton Blair stuff the conversion. At Fairmont State in 2021, the game featured one tie and three lead changes in the second half as the Fighting Falcons hung on for a 31-27 win. Concord was driving inside the FSU 40-yard line before an interception with 47 seconds remaining.

FLYING AROUND
Over the last two games, the Concord secondary has racked up 20 pass break-ups. After tallying 14 PBUs at Wheeling, CU notched another six versus West Liberty. Junior defensive back Kevin Howard had his first two PBUs of the season. The Mountain Lions also got a third-quarter interception from junior defensive back Mekhi Williams. Last year, Concord's secondary held Fairmont State quarterback Michael Floria to 102 yards and just seven completions in Athens. Last season, the Maroon and Gray totaled 39 PBUs. Through five games this season, the Mountain Lions have notched 22 PBUs.

FAVORABLE MATCHUP
Despite being 4-1, the Fighting Falcons have a pass defense that ranks last in the MEC, allowing 286 yards per game. Though Mangel was held to a season-low 148 yards against West Liberty, Mangel and the CU passing attack is averaging 265.2 yards per game. WLU does possess the MEC's best passing defense as it entered Saturday only allowing 162 yards per game. Two seasons ago at Fairmont State, Mangel tossed for 429 yards and three touchdowns. Fairmont State has allowed 250 or more passing yards in four of its five games this season, but is coming off a season-low 170 passing yards allowed to Post in a non-conference contest Saturday.

MILESTONE MOMENT
Mangel went over 8,000 career passing yards on Saturday versus West Liberty as he now sits at 8,104. Additionally, Mangel is just 27 completions shy of passing Brian Novak for the most completed passes in a career at Concord. Mangel enters Thursday with 665 for his career. Despite the low passing total against West Liberty, the Athens, Georgia native is still averaging 300.1 yards per game in 27 career starts. Only 23 quarterbacks over the course of Division II history have finished a career with at least 300 passing yards per game. Meanwhile, the next reception for sixth-year wide receiver Kris Copeland will be his 160^th career catch.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
5- Thursday's game features five of the top 12 tacklers in the MEC: Smith (second), Blair (fifth), Jovon Jackson (sixth), Rice (eighth) and freshman defensive back Kendall Bournes (12^th).

69- Mangel's third-quarter touchdown to senior wide receiver Alvin Howard versus WLU was CU's longest play this season.

89- Yards that a Mangel touchdown to All-American wide receiver Tywan Pearce covered at Fairmont State two years ago, the longest passing play in program history. 

FAIRMONT STATE AT A GLANCE
Overall Record: 4-1
MEC Record: 3-1
Home Record: 2-1
Away Record: 2-0

SCOUTING THE FIGHTING FALCONS
Fairmont State has already surpassed last year's win total after it went 3-8. The lone loss for the Fighting Falcons was a 43-37 overtime defeat against Wheeling in which they led 23-3. FSU has the MEC's second-best rushing attack averaging 209 yards per game. Three different running backs: LeJay Hatcher (278), Leonard Farrow (274) and Dereik Crosby (248) have all run for more than 200 yards. Floria has thrown six touchdowns to just two interceptions, but backup Will Adkins filled in against Post. Blair is coming off a 116-tackle season in 2022.