Box Score Kearney, Neb. – The Nebraska Kearney football program will say goodbye to 10 seniors this Saturday when the Lopers host Emporia State in the 2014 finale at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field.

On a day with snow in the forecast, UNK and ESU meet at 1:00 p.m. Check the schedule page for media and ticket links.

The Lopers (2-8, 2-8) graduation losses mainly come up front as the 10 seniors include offensive linemen Brett Douglas, Cole Manhart, Pete Trausch and Cody Wheeler as well as defensive tackle Jack Wardyn and defensive end Matt Bowman.

The other seniors are corner Traysean Alexander, outside backer Riley Bonifas, punter Davis Brendel and defensive back Tyler Tingelhoff.

Emporia (4-6, 4-6) comes to town with an ailment Kearney can relate to. Quarterback Brent Wilson, who tossed 33 TD's in 2013 to earn All-Region honors and lead his team to the playoffs, suffered a season-ending injury back in September.

Redshirt freshman Ty Reasnor and true freshman Braxton Marshall have filled the void since, combining for seven TD's and seven INT's. The Hornets are still pass-happy as they have the second most attempts (376) in the MIAA. They are also sixth in the league in both scoring (26.9) and total offense (365.3 ypg).
 
Thirteen different Hornets have caught at least one pass, led by 5-9 junior Kavaski Ervin (55 recep., 548 yds., five TD's) and 5-10 senior Austin Willis (51 recep., 731 yds., six TD's). They are among the busiest receivers in the MIAA.
 
A ground game that averages 136.0 yards per week is led by 5-11 sophomore Antonio Brown (141 carries, 651 yds., six TD's) and 5-10 true freshman Kai Callins (336 yards, two TD's).

Up front, three seniors start, led by tackles Aaron Blount (6-5, 305 lbs.) and Clayton Brown (6-7, 310 lbs.).
 
Five seniors start on the other side of the ball that is ninth in scoring (31.9) and 12th in total (448.4 ypg) defense in the MIAA.

Also ranking 12th in the conference in pass defense (272.0 ypg), the Hornets have forced 23 turnovers (13 INT's & 10 forced fumbles) while registering 15 sacks.
 
Former NDSU Bison Deshawn Dinwiddie leads in tackles (74) and is first in the MIAA in forced fumbles (five). The senior linebacker also has 6.5 TFL and one INT.  His brother, corner Deveon, has a team-best four INT's along with 44 tackles.
 
Finally, 6-3 senior backer Lyndell Johnson had 60 tackles (7.5 TFL), three fumble recoveries for 27 yards and one INT for 48 yards. He has scored TD's via a blocked field goal, fumble return and INT return.

On special teams, redshirt freshman Auston Morton is one of the better kickers in the MIAA, making 10 of 13 field goals. Having two makes over 40 yards, he is 31 of 33 on PAT's.
 
True freshman punter Justin Marcha is averaging 37.1 yards with 14 of his attempts landing inside the 20-yard line. He has had one punt blocked, as has Reasnor (37.9 avg.). Emporia has blocked two punts but also allowed a 97-yard kick return for a score and allowed two punts to come back for TD's.
 
Johnson is ESU's top return man, averaging 21.3 on the kick team and a solid 19.1 on the punt team. His long punt return of 69 yards went for a score vs. UCO.
 
Last week at Missouri Western State, Loper sophomore ILB Tyke Kozeal (Sargent) registered 11 tackles, pushing his season total to a school record 126. Last fall, Kozeal broke a 23-year old school record for tackles in a season (110, Dan Fox) by making 118. Note tackles became a stat at UNK in 1990.
 
The second leading tackler in the MIAA, Kozeal's career total of 244 already ranks him fifth on the UNK career list. Nine spots down is senior end Matt Bowman (Kearney Catholic) with 205.
 
He is just one of three d-linemen or d-ends since 1990 to record 150 more career tackles. He and Kozeal have combined for an even 200 stops this fall, 31 coming from behind the line of scrimmage.
 
Offensively, with temps expected to be in the 30's Saturday, UNK will try and run behind Douglas, Manhart and Trausch. Due to injury, Wheeler has been sidelined all year but is a volunteer coach.
 
The Lopers have churned out 1,818 yards in 408 attempts (4.5 yards per carry) in 2014 with junior QB Bronson Marsh (11) and junior back Romero Cotton (one) reaching the end zone.
 
Marsh also has nine TD tosses, one going to Cotton and three going to junior receiver Cougar Williams (Hanford, Calif.).
 
UNK's starting punter for a second straight season, Brendel is averaging 37.9 yards per attempt, helping the team rank second in the league in net punting (35.8). He has had five boots over 50 yards with 12 of his punts landing inside the 20-yard line