The following is a press release from Concord Athletics:
A year after winning its first West Virginia State Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference title since 1990 and qualifying for the NCAA
Division II playoffs for the first time in program history, the Concord
University football team has been picked to finish second in the WIVIAC
in 2012, as announced in the preseason coaches' poll released Saturday
by the league office.
The Mountain Lions received three first-place votes and a total of 71
points. Shepherd was picked to win the conference after earning six
first-place votes and 79 points. West Virginia Wesleyan (55) Charleston
(50), Fairmont State (46), Glenville State (45), West Liberty (31),
Seton Hill (16) and West Virginia State (15) round out the poll.
This marks the highest that Concord has been predicted to finish in the
conference since being tabbed to win the WVIAC in 1991. The Mountain
Lions have come a long way since finishing 0-11 in 2008.
How big of a turnaround has Concord made since its winless season? Out
of the 69 schools to finish with a losing record that season, Concord
has had the sixth-best turnaround with 21 wins over the last three
seasons. Only Colorado State-Pueblo (27), Kutztown (24), Bemidji State
(23), West Alabama (23) and Humboldt State (22) have more wins since
their respective losing seasons in 2008.
Reigning WVIAC Coach of the Year, Garin Justice will welcome back 15
starters from last year's history-making team that finished the year
with a 7-4 overall record and a 7-1 mark in the WVIAC.
Leading the offense will be senior quarterback Zack Grossi, who threw
for 2,541 yards and 17 touchdowns on his way to earning second team
All-WVIAC honors a season ago. Grossi, who enters the year with 6,541
career passing yards, has thrown for the third-most yards of any WVIAC
quarterback in the last three seasons and already ranks 15th in WVIAC
history in passing yards.
Grossi will have several familiar targets to throw to this year as
sophomore Ryan Stewart, senior Randall Hawkins and sophomore Darrick
Williams return for another campaign after combining for 103 receptions,
1,544 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2011.
Perhaps most importantly, four of the five offensive linemen (C.J.
Tuillo, Cody Smith, Mitch Hairston and Darius Carper) that started CU's
playoff game vs. Kutztown return to provide protection for Grossi and
open up holes for a running game that will feature a new primary running
back for the first time in four seasons after the graduation of Brian
Kennedy.
The Concord defense, which ranked fourth in the WVIAC in total defense
last season, will be anchored by four All-WVIAC athletes from a season
ago in senior defensive lineman Josh Miller, junior cornerback Riyahd
Richardson, junior linebacker Jake Lilly and junior defensive lineman
Silas Agyeman. Last season Richardson had four interceptions and 12 pass
break-ups while Lilly led the conference in tackles with 115 (60
solo/55 assisted). Miller and Agyeman both recorded six sacks a year ago
with Miller also forcing a fumble.
Earlier in the summer, Richardson, Lilly and Smith were named to the
Beyond Sports College Network's 2012 Preseason All-American Team.
Senior punter Brad Cox, who averaged 38.0 yards per punt while landing 13 kicks inside the 20-yard line, also returns.
In addition to non-conference games vs. Lenoir-Rhyne (Sept. 1) and
Winston-Salem State (Sept. 8) to begin the season, Concord will also
host WVIAC rivals Charleston (Sept. 15), Glenville State (Oct. 6),
Fairmont State (Oct. 27) and West Liberty (Oct. 3) at Callaghan Stadium.
The Mountain Lions will hit the road to take on West Virginia State
(Sept. 22), Shepherd (Sept. 29), Seton Hill (Oct. 13), Liberty (Oct. 20)
and West Virginia Wesleyan (Nov. 10).
Kickoff for Concord's season-opener vs. Lenoir-Rhyne is slated for 7:00 p.m.
Note: Concord is one of just three teams in the WVIAC to have won at
least 21 games over the past three seasons. The Mountain Lions are 21–12
since 2009, second only to Shepherd (27–8) and tied with West Virginia
Wesleyan (21-11) for most overall wins by a WVIAC school in that time.
Wednesday, May 22 2013 10:13 AM EDT2013-05-22 14:13:20 GMT
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