Kearney, Neb. - For the first time in school history, the Nebraska-Kearney football team will play the Truman State Bulldogs.

The contest is slated to start at 2:37 p.m. this Saturday at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field. The unusual kick time is because this is the "MIAA Game of the Week" and will be shown on live t.v. in parts of Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

Neil Harwell and former NFL player Rich Baldinger will have the call.  While not aired in Nebraska, the broadcast will be available at www.americaonesports.com (for a price).

As usual, Dave Jenner and DJ Johnson will have the call on KRNY 102.3 FM. Fans can keep track of the game with live stats.

Truman State, from Kirksville, Mo., will leave the MIAA for the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) after this academic year. The Bulldogs (3-2, 2-2) were a charter member of the MIAA, which began in 1912.

Offensively, Truman returns five starters from a unit that averaged 23.0 points and 347 yards per game last season.

Junior Conrad Schottel (6-3, 220 lbs.) was the backup QB last season and is currently completing 57% of his passes and averaging 223 yards per game.
Throwing 10 TD's and five INT's, Schottel isn't a threat to run as he has 15 carries for minus 28 yards. Opponents have recorded 15 sacks against three different TSU QB's.

In a loss to Hays last Saturday, Schottel was 34 of 59 for 384 yards, two TD's and no INT's. He found 6-3 junior WR Dallas Grier 10 times for 127 yards and a score.

Grier leads the team in catches with 31 for 457 yards (14.7 avg.) and three TD's. He is a two-time honorable mention All-MIAA selection.

In the back field, sophomores Will Mosquera (5-9, 203 lbs.) and Garrett White (6-0, 198 lbs.) combine to average about 110 yards per game. The pair have also recorded nine rushing scores. 

Up front, senior center Blake Hollands (6-1, 295 lbs.) was named h.m. All-MIAA last fall

The Bulldogs return 10 starters from last year's defense and currently feature seven senior starters, including four in the secondary.

This experienced group of corners and safeties has already picked off eight passes with 2011 All-American Michael Elliott (5-11, 205 lbs.) having four. As a team, Truman has nine INT's to tie for first in the MIAA.

Elliott is also second on the team in tackles (29) behind senior safety Richie Schumacher (39), a 2011 second-team All-MIAA honoree.

Another Bulldog defender who earned all-league accolades last year is senior end Patrick Blackwell (6-0, 242 lbs.). He leads the team in TFL (eight), sacks (five) and has 27 stops overall.  

Finally,  both junior kicker Derek Koon and senior punter Eric Phillips earned All-American and All-MIAA honors last year.

UNK (0-5, 0-5) will start another new QB this week in true freshman Sean Flanagan (Golden, Colo.). The younger brother of Loper all-around threat Tommy Flanagan, Sean is the third former Bear Creek H.S. quarterback to take snaps at UNK, following Jake Spitzlberger and Zach Thenell.

Last Saturday at Lindenwood, Flanagan led Kearney on three scoring drives in the fourth quarter. There's a chance he may be able to throw, or hand off, the ball to his brother as Tommy looks to come back after missing the trip to St. Charles.

The Loper passing game already got a boost as senior Adam Lehner (Hastings) returned last week after missing two games due to injury. He has caught 13 passes for 203 yards (15.6 avg.) and three TD's in three games.

Sophomore back Ricky Trinidad (Trinity, Fla.) is another UNK offensive player looking to come off the injured list. He appeared in the first two games, carrying the ball 18 times for 65 yards. The second year player ran for 616 yards and five TD's as a true freshman in 2011.

On defense, senior free safety Sam Kuck (Central City) ranks second in the MIAA in tackles with 50. Also forcing two fumbles, Kuck has already had three games with double digit tackle totals.

Junior end Matt Bowman (Kearney Catholic), in his second year at Kearney, currently leads all Loper linemen and ends in stops with 24. That includes two tackles for a loss of eight yards.

UNK goes to Jefferson City, Mo., next Saturday to face the Lincoln U. Blue Tigers.