Complete Game Notes | Important Gameday Information
Game 7: Missouri S&T (2-3, 2-1 GLVC) at Lincoln (1-5, 0-3 GLVC)
Date/Time: Saturday, Oct. 17 - 2:00 p.m. CT/3:00 p.m. ET
Location: Jefferson City, Mo.
Stadium (Capacity): Dwight T. Reed Stadium (5,500)
Tickets: Adults - $15 | Non-LU Students/LU Faculty & Staff - $10 | Children 6 & Over - $10 | Children Under 6/LU Students (With ID) - Free
Streaming - http://portal.stretchinternet.com/lincoln2
Radio - KJLU 88.9 FM - Jefferson City, Mo. | Praise 99.5 FM - St. Louis, Mo. | KTTR 99.7 FM - Rolla, Mo.
Audiocast - http://radio.securenetsystems.net/v5/KJLU
Live Stats - http://portal.stretchinternet.com/lincoln2
Special Event - Homecoming
Series - Missouri S&T leads, 19-11
THE KICKOFF
The Lincoln football team returns to Dwight T. Reed Stadium on Saturday (Oct. 17) as the Blue Tigers host Missouri S&T at 2:00 p.m. CDT. The contest is Lincoln's annual Homecoming game, and among the other festivities the eight members of the 2015 LU Athletic Hall of Fame class will be introduced before the game.
The Blue Tigers are coming off a 42-14 road loss to Saint Joseph's last Saturday (Oct. 10). Missouri S&T, meanwhile, is coming off an exhibition win over the College of Faith, but dropped its last GLVC game, 40-16, on the road to William Jewell back on Oct. 3.
Before the game, LU fans are invited to join the Blue Tiger Athletics Club for a free tailgate party, sponsored by Wal-Mart. The party will be held at the baseball parking lot, located right next to Dwight T. Reed Stadium, and is scheduled to start at noon.
QUICK HITS
- This will be the 31st meeting all-time between Lincoln and Missouri S&T in a series that dates back to 1958. The Miners have a 19-11 edge in the series. The teams have split their past two meetings, with Missouri S&T winning, 14-9, in Rolla, Mo. last year and LU claiming a 21-20 win the last time the teams met in Jefferson City back in 2010.
- Saturday's game is Lincoln's annual Homecoming game, and the Blue Tigers will try to earn their third win in this contest in the past four years. In 2012, LU defeated Nebraska-Kearney, 34-27, and beat Texas College, 62-6, in the 2014 Homecoming game.
- Missouri S&T is the third of four former league rivals on Lincoln's 2015 schedule. The Blue Tigers and the Miners were both members of the MIAA from 1970-89. Lincoln previously hosted Truman State on Sept. 26, and will close the season at Southwest Baptist on Nov. 14, with both teams also being former MIAA rivals of LU. Last week, LU played at Saint Joseph's, with both teams being former members of the Great Lakes Football Conference.
- Prior to Saturday's game, Lincoln's 2015 Athletic Hall of Fame inductees will be introduced to the crowd. This year's class includes former football players Harry Stokes, Henry Hailstock and Homer Cavitte as well as track & field athlete Emmanuel L. Belland; golfer Aaron Murphy; basketball players James Jervey Brown & Marshall Evans; and cheerleader Dr. Irene Bell Outlaw.
- The Blue Tigers enter Saturday with an all-time record of 250-429-24.
- Head coach Mike Jones is in his fifth season at Lincoln. He is 8-42 overall and at LU. Jones is the 21st head coach in the history of Blue Tiger football.
- Lincoln is in its second season as a member of the GLVC. LU was in the MIAA for 23 years, including three-straight from 2011-13, for football before making the switch last year. The GLVC is the fifth different conference in which the Blue Tigers have been a member, joining the Midwest Athletic Association, the Great Lakes Football Conference, the Central States Football League and the MIAA.
- This is the 85th season of Lincoln football. The Blue Tigers first fielded a team in 1920 and played every year until 1943, when Lincoln took a year off due to World War II. LU then played each season from 1944-1989. The football program was disbanded at that point, but was brought back in 2000.
BLUE TIGERS TO WATCH
OFFENSE - Owen Jordan is completing over 60-percent of his passes (127-210) and has thrown for 1,356 yards and eight touchdowns. Jordan, who also has two rushing touchdowns, is currently fourth in the GLVC with 226.0 passing yards per game.
Darius Hicks has turned in two 100-yard receiving efforts and leads the Blue Tigers with 450 yards on 34 receptions. Hicks has three touchdown catches while Delvon Rouser has a team-high four to go with 33 catches for 346 yards. Bryson Winfrey, who has also thrown a touchdown pass, has caught 33 passes for 256 yards.
Miles Drummond leads the LU rushing attack with 317 yards and three touchdowns and his 4.1 yards per carry average is also tops on the team. Alonzo Travis, Jr. has the Blue Tigers' other rushing score and has gained 155 yards on the ground. Keith Lakey is averaging 3.4 yards per rush.
DEFENSE - Robert Daniels, who was named a pre-season All-American by USA College Football, has three interceptions, including one that sealed LU's victory at Langston. Kareem Joyner, another pre-season All-American, made two picks in Lincoln's loss to McMurry and leads the Blue Tigers with 72 tackles. Joyner also has a team-best 6.5 tackles for loss whileJervonta Jones is next with 4.5.
Paul Dodson, LU's other preseason All-American, has broken up three passes and is second on the team with 45 tackles.Brandon Ward earned his first career start against Saint Joseph's and made two interceptions, one of which he took straight back for a touchdown, and recovered a fumble. Jeremy Rives and Treston Pulley each have made 44 tackles, with Pulley also forcing two fumbles.
SPECIAL TEAMS - Vanzell Richardson earned GLVC Special Teams Player of the Week honors after compiling 116 yards on kick returns against Quincy, including 82 on a touchdown run. Jean Claude Brooks is averaging 58.5 yards on kickoffs whileEddie Rodriguez is averaging 33.3 yards on punts. 13 of Rodriguez' punts have pinned LU opponents inside their 20 while nine have forced opponents to signal for a fair catch.
MISSOURI S&T AT A GLANCE
The Miners boast a balanced offensive attack, averaging 158.8 rushing yards and 214.6 passing yards per game. Missouri S&T utilizes a committee approact to its running attack, as five different players have attempted at least 25 carries. Dalton Major is the team leader with 215 yards on 54 attempts with two scores.
Quarterback Lamar Wilkes is next on the rushing chart with 142 yards and three touchdowns. Wilkes has also thrown for 982 yards with five scores. Backup Tyler Swart, meanwhile, has completed seven of his 16 passes for 91 yards and a score. Spencer Elrod and Ray Mullen each have two scoring receptions, with Elrod catching 23 passes for 368 yards on the year. Braxton Graham, the only other Miner with over 20 receptions (21), and Alonzo Vang have Missouri S&T's other touchdown grabs.
Missouri S&T's defensive attack has produced 44 tackles for loss, led by Austin Truvillion (6.5), Landon Compton (6.0) and Rob Cidlik (6.0). Truvillion and Compton each have 43 tackles while Nate Brown is next with 33 and 5.0 for loss. Josip Juric has 4.0 tackles for loss and a team-best three sacks while four different Miners have made at least one interception.
Nolan Mannino has been a weapon in the punting game, pinning opponents inside their own 20 on 10 occasions with five going over 50 yards and four forcing a fair catch. Mannino is also 5-for-9 on field goals with a long of 28 and is averaging 53.5 yards on kickoffs.
THE COACHES
Mike Jones is in his fifth season with the Blue Tigers. Jones has led LU through transitions into the MIAA in 2011 and the GLVC in 2014. A 1991 graduate of Missouri, Jones spent 12 seasons as a professional football player and is well known in Missouri for making "The Tackle" that stopped the Tennessee Titan's Kevin Dyson on the one-yard line to preserve the St. Louis Rams' victory in Super Bowl XXXIV. Before coming to Lincoln, Jones was was also the head coach at Hazelwood East High in St. Louis, leading the team to a state title in 2008.
Tyler Fenwick has compiled a record of 12-15 in three seasons as the coach of the Miners. During his first year, Fenwick led Missouri S&T to five wins over its final six contests to tie for second in the GLVC. Fenwick spent six seasons as the offensive coordinator at Missouri Western before being named Missouri S&T's head coach.
THE FOURTH IS WITH THEM: Lincoln is one of just two NCAA Division II programs that has yet to allow an opponent to convert on fourth down. The Blue Tigers join Valdosta State as the only two teams in the country yet to give up a first down on a fourth-down attempt, as LU opponents are 0-for-8 on the season.
FOUR-DOWN TERRITORY: The LU defense has been the best in the GLVC on fourth-down, as the Blue Tigers are the only team in the league that has faced at least one fourth-quarter conversion attempt and has yet to allow a first down. The Blue Tigers, who have also blocked two field goals this season, have shut down opponents in eight fourth-down tries.
WHAT A START: Brandon Ward made the most of his first career start as a Blue Tiger, as the junior was responsible for three turnovers against Saint Joseph's on Oct. 3. Ward intercepted two passes, one of which he returned 29 yards for a score. Ward also recovered a fumble and made four solo tackle, including one for a loss.
LU IN THE NCAA: In addition to leading NCAA Division II in fourth down defense, Lincoln is also 28th in the nation with three blocked kicks. The Blue Tigers additionally are 35th in completion percentage (.600), 39th in interceptions forced (eight), 45th in turnovers gained (13) and 54th in passing offense (250.3).
IN OTHER NCAA ACTION: Several Blue Tigers are ranked high in this week's NCAA DII statistics release, including Kareem Joyner, who is 14th in total tackles (12.0) and 42nd in solo tackles (5.7). Owen Jordan ranks 27th in completions (21.2) and 38th in completion percentage (.605) while Treston Pulley is 32nd in fumbles forced (0.33).
NOW THAT'S SPECIAL: Vanzell Richardson was named the GLVC Special Teams Player of the Week after his 82-yard kick return for a score at Quincy on Sept. 19. Richardson became the second LU player to earn a GLVC weekly award, as in 2014Morris Henderson was an Offensive Player of the Week honoree. Richardson is also Lincoln's first Special Teams Athlete of the Week since Julio Segura won the MIAA's weekly honor in 2013.
PUTTING THE JOY IN DEFENSE: Kareem Joyner has been a force on the defensive side of the ball, leading LU and ranking second in the GLVC and 14th in Division II with 72 tackles. Joyner, who is also fifth in the league in interceptions with two, has also blocked two kicks, forced two fumbles and leads LU in tackles for loss (6.5).
TRIPLE THREAT: The Blue Tigers have three threats at the wide receiver position, as Lincoln is the only team in the GLVC with three players with at least 30 receptions. Darius Hicks leads the team with 34 receptions for 450 yards while Delvon Rouser, who has four touchdown grabs, and Bryson Winfrey have each caught 33 passes.
ON THE AIR: Lincoln fans in the Jefferson City area can once again catch Blue Tiger football games on 88.9 FM KJLU this season. Broadcasting veteran Ronnie Roberts handles the play-by-play while Steven Benton provides the color commentary. For the first time, fans in St. Louis can also listen to the game, as Praise 99.5 FM will carry LU's radio broadcasts.
HOME COOKING: For the first time since 2009, the Blue Tigers get to enjoy the friendly confines of Dwight T. Reed Stadium six times this season. Lincoln hosts four GLVC and two non-conference foes at home with only five games on the road.
...LITERALLY!: Before every home game this year, the Blue Tiger Athletics Club will host a free tailgate party for all Lincoln fans. This week's tailgate is sponsored by Wal-Mart and will be held at the baseball parking lot, located next to Dwight T. Reed Stadium, starting at noon.
ALL-AMERICANS: Three of Lincoln's senior defenders, Robert Daniels, Kareem Joyner and Paul Dodson, were USA College Football preseason All-American selections. Daniels, who had six picks last year, and Joyner, who made a team-high 90 tackles, were second-team honorees while Dodson, who made 84 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss, was an honorable mention.
MILESTONE REACHED: Lincoln's victory on Sept. 5 at Langston was a milestone win for LU football. The Blue Tigers' 35-32 victory marked the 250th all-time win in Lincoln program history.
UP NEXT: Lincoln remains at home to host defending GLVC champion Indianapolis on Saturday (Oct. 24) at 2:00 p.m. CDT.
Dan Carr, Assistant AD for Media Relations
COURTESY LINCOLN UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
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