ROLLA, MO. – The Lincoln University football team will look to snap a skid against Missouri S&T, as well as record their first win of the 2009 campaign when the teams matchup in a Great Lakes Football Conference game this Saturday.
The Miners (2-6, 0-1 GLFC) opened the season on a six-game losing streak, but have since won two in a row, including victories over Northwest Oklahoma State (31-28) and St. Francis (39-37) the past two weeks, both on their home field. The Miners own an 18-9 all-time series lead between the two teams, including a 68-0 win at Dwight T. Reed Stadium last season.
Senior quarterback Jason Schlueter has led Missouri S&T’s high-powered offensive attack through the air, having already thrown for 2,011 yards and 11 touchdowns, while completing 66 percent of his passes. Schlueter is also the reigning GLFC Offensive Player of the Week, having earned the honor the past two weeks. Of the 364 total yards the Miners average per game, 266 of those yards come through the air. Bryan Crider and Marterricus Thomas each have over 400 receiving yards, with Crider bringing down 40 passes for 424 yards and two touchdowns, while Thomas has added 35 receptions for 439 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Kevin Dillon has only 13 receptions, but is the go-to receiver when the team gets close to putting it in the end zone, having recorded five touchdown receptions.
While the Miners don’t run all that much, they still have two running backs that have tallied over 200 yards this season. Curterris Golden has carried the ball 49 times for 291 yards and a touchdown, while Bobby Pettis has carried the ball 26 times for 205 yards and two touchdowns.
Time of possession and turnovers may make the biggest difference for both teams, as the Miners come into the game plus-three on turnover differential, while the Blue Tigers are minus-nine. Lincoln holds the edge in time of possession and going against a passing attack should help Lincoln chew up the clock even more, as the Blue Tigers enter having averaged holding the ball for a little over 33 minutes, while the Miners average around 29 minutes (29:39).
Lincoln (0-8, 0-2 GLFC) will counter with several top cornerbacks against the Miners passing attack, including freshman O’Hara Fluellen, who with his three more interceptions against Central State two weeks ago, now has six on the season to lead the team and ranks seventh in the nation in interceptions, only three behind the national leader in Shaw’s Quintez Smith. Junior Ammar Dyson and sophomore Justin Hayes have also come through in the secondary, with each tallying two interceptions, as the Blue Tigers as a team have picked off 12 passes.
The Lincoln offense will look to get back on track, after posting just 171 yards of total offense against Central State, with 108 of those yards coming through the air. That marked just the second time this season that the Blue Tigers have passed for more yards than rushing in a game.
Freshman Andre Young remains the workhorse, having carried the ball 120 times for 361 yards to lead the team. Junior AJ Simeon has contributed 178 yards on 51 carries, while junior quarterback Josh Goffigan has chewed up plenty of yards on the ground himself, rushing for 105 yards on 86 attempts and two touchdowns. Goffigan continues to lead the team in receiving, catching 10 passes for 170 yards and a touchdown, while slot back Chris Willis isn’t far behind, ranking second on the team in both receptions with six and yards with 136.
St. Joseph’s (IN) has already clinched the GLFC title this season, as they are currently 3-0 in conference play, with Central State and Kentucky Wesleyan both 1-1 in the conference, while Lincoln and Missouri S&T are both looking for their first conference victories.
Lincoln will play at Missouri S&T this Saturday with kickoff set for 1 p.m. CT at Allgood-Bailey Stadium in Rolla. Fans that can’t make it to the game can follow the action live on KJLU 88.9 FM with the pregame show beginning at 12:45 p.m. Sports Information Director Brian Kortz will provide the play-by-play.