McPherson-Southwestern Game Notes (PDF)
McPHERSON, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) --- The McPherson College football team opens the home portion of the 2016 schedule under the lights Saturday evening as Southwestern College visits McPherson Stadium in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) opener for both schools. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.
As the first home game of the season, the game has been designated as the Blake Reed Memorial Football Game. The game honors and celebrates the life of McPherson native Blake Reed, who provided leadership and inspiration as a student assistant for the Bulldog football program despite being diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at the age of two. All admission proceeds from Saturday's game benefit the Blake Reed Mac2Mac Football Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to one MC football player who exemplifies the Reed's positive spirit and attitude. This year's recipient is senior defensive back Kavoderic McIntyre, a senior accounting major from Dallas, Texas.
The game is also this week's KCAC Radio Network Game of the Week. In addition to each school's respective radio broadcasts, Rocking M Media, LLC will provide play-by-play radio coverage of the game under the KCAC Radio Network banner. The game will be rebroadcast over numerous cable systems throughout Kansas next week.
Both teams enter Saturday's game looking for their first victory of the season as McPherson opened with road losses at Nebraska Wesleyan (34-29) and Dordt (27-13), while Southwestern dropped a 57-0 decision at NCAA Division I FCS member Missouri State on September 1.
The Series
Southwestern holds a 43-17 lead in the all-time series between the two schools after last year's 33-7 win in Winfield. The most recent McPherson win came in 2014 when the Bulldogs eked out a 10-7 victory.
About the Bulldogs ...
The Bulldogs will be led on offense by sophomore quarterback Ed Crouch. Crouch, a team captain, has completed 56.4 percent of his passes (35-of-62) for 430 yards and two touchdowns in McPherson's first two games. He has also thrown an interception.
With 107 rushing yards, Crouch is also the second-leading ground-gainer on the team, which averages 155.5 yards per game. Tyrone Campbell leads the Bulldogs with 134 yards and one touchdown on 33 carries. Zach Melius has added 73 yards on just 13 attempts for a team-best 5.6-yard-per-carry average.
Crouch has been able to spread the receptions out a little in the first two games as Eman McNeal, Jackson Goodmiller and Brandt Wolters have each hauled in a team-high eight passes. McNeil has the most yardage of the group with 151 yards, followed by Goodmiller with 86 and Wolters with 62. Goodmiller and Campbell each have a receiving touchdown.
The return game has been muted somewhat to this point. Goodmiller has returned three kicks this season for a 21-yard average and took one punt back 10 yards against Dordt.
Caleb Contreras has converted all three of his field goal attempts, including a season-long 34-yarder in the opener against Nebraska Wesleyan.
The Bulldogs will need to solidify their run defense in order to make strides in the KCAC. McPherson has given up an average of 308.5 yards on the ground it its first two games, including 404 last week against Dordt. Both Nebraska Wesleyan and Dordt had a back surpass 100 yards with NWU's Joel Wiedel piling up 183 yards and two scores in week one.
Some of that can be attributed to youth along the defensive front as the most recent two-deep lists three freshman starters backed up by three more freshmen. The Bulldogs have not been able to register a sack through two games.
Travis Steenson has a team-high 26 tackles, including 17 solo stops. Ashton Serpas has added 22 stops (18 solo), 2.0 tackles for loss and a pair of blocked kicks, while Michael Rabara has 17 tackles, one pass break-up and a fumble recovery.
Scouting Southwestern ...Â
It's doubtful that much can be made of the Moundbuilders loss to Missouri State. The Division I FCS Bears limited Southwestern to just 116 yards of total offense, including 31 rushing yards on 36 attempts. Hunter Sconce looks to be the feature back after accumulating 30 yards on 11 carries. Jacobi White added 11 yards and Ethan Yauncey 10 yards on four carries each.
Southwestern played three quarterbacks in the showcase game. Christian Gordon was the most effective, completing five of eight passes for 39 yards. He also had nine carries for nine yards. Braden Langston was 3-of-12 for 33 yards and an interception and Ka'Darius Baker was 5-of-10 for 13 yards and a pick.
Donny Ebanks, Jacob Sigmon and Tanner Spencer each caught three passes, with Ebanks going for a team-high 33 yards. Joey Scelza was the team's top tackler with 12 stops. Dallas Allen, Kyle Robinson and Ka'Darius McQueen each added nine tackles.
Looking Ahead
Following Saturday's game, the Bulldogs make the short trip down Interstate 135 to North Newton to face Bethel on Saturday, September 24. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. Bethel (0-1) is in Lindsborg Saturday evening to face Bethany (0-2)
