JEFFERSON CITY, MO. – The Lincoln University football team will look to benefit from being back at home to try and record their first win of the season when they welcome in Kentucky Wesleyan to Dwight T. Reed Stadium this Saturday in Great Lakes Football Conference action.
KWC (1-8, 1-1 GLFC) has lost four in a row, including last week’s 24-7 defeat at Lake Erie. The Panthers lone win of the season came at home in double-overtime over Central State, 31-30. The series is tied at two between the two schools, with KWC winning the last two in the series, including a 36-14 win last year.
Both teams are very even across the board, as KWC has posted 1,909 total yards of offense this season, with 1,010 coming on the ground. Lincoln (0-9, 0-3 GLFC) has tallied 1,486 total yards of offense, with 1,008 coming on the ground. Running back Thomas Gordon and quarterback Vincent Lalonde power the Panthers’ ground attack, with Gordon smashing out 500 yards on 132 carries for five touchdowns, while Lalonde has added 360 yards on 100 carries and two touchdowns.
Lalonde, when he isn’t rushing, has thrown for 690 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions. He has a solid completion percentage of over 65 percent (65.6), completing 101-of-154 attempts. One main receiver grabs most of Lalonde’s passing attempts in DaMarcus Ganaway. Ganaway has snagged 42 receptions for 352 yards and three touchdowns in just six games. Gordon also contributes out of the backfield, recording 25 receptions for 81 yards, while Derek Brown is second on the team in receiving yards with 137 and one touchdown.
On defense, David James leads the team in pretty much every category, having played in all nine games this season, James has tallied 65.5 total tackles, 40 solo and 51 assisted, along with 11 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, one interception, five pass breakups and three blocked kicks.
The next closest on the team in any of those categories is Ben Wilson, who is second on the team in total tackles with 41.5, with 22 solo stops, seven tackles for loss, two sacks, one pass breakup, two quarterback hurries and two fumble recoveries.
Despite their 1-8 record, the Panthers have received several GLFC Player of the Week honors this year. Gordon received the Offensive POW honor back during week one, while the team swept POW honors in weeks four, five and six.
The Blue Tigers will counter with an offense that tied for the highest output this season with the 14 points last week in a 35-14 defeat at Missouri S&T. Freshman defensive back, return specialist O’Hara Fluellen continued to add to his honors, as he remains tied for eighth in the NCAA in terms of interceptions a game at .67. After his huge return week last week going over 100 yards on two big returns, Fluellen has now racked up 526 return yards on 21 tries, with a long of 64 so far this season. His 25 yards per return average ranks him 42nd in the NCAA.
The Blue Tiger offense once again pounded it out on the ground last week, running the ball 52 times for 126 yards, while just passing the ball six times. Turnovers continue to plague Lincoln, as the team turned it over four times again last week, while forcing two of their own. Turnovers could play a big role this week, as they do every week, with the Blue Tigers having turned the ball over a total of 30 times, while the Panthers have turned it over 19 times.
Freshman running back Andre Young still leads the team in terms of carries and total yardage, as he is now at 134 attempts for 401 yards and one touchdown. Junior AJ Simeon is second on the team in terms of total yards with 197 on 59 attempts, while junior quarterback Josh Goffigan leads the team in rushing touchdowns with three on 104 carries for 137 total yards.
The game against KWC will almost mark senior day for three Blue Tiger seniors in Mike Phillips, Course Hardy and Alex Thomas.
Phillips and Hardy have started every game this season for the Blue Tiger defense, as Hardy was named GLFC Defensive Player of the Week back during week seven. Thomas has played in every game along the offensive line this season for Lincoln.
Lincoln will battle Kentucky Wesleyan this Saturday, November 7, with kickoff set for 2 p.m. CT at Dwight T. Reed Stadium. Fans that can’t make it to the game can follow all of the action live on KJLU 88.9 FM with the pregame show beginning at 1:45 p.m. Sports Information Director Brian Kortz will provide the play-by-play, while Herb Patterson will add the color commentary.