Corbey R. Dorsey

Game 9 Preview: Homecoming Game Number Four

10/26/2018 1:11:00 AM

Kearney, Neb. – Another Homecoming awaits the Nebraska-Kearney football team when it heads to Central Missouri this Saturday to take on the Mules.

The game kicks off at 1:30 p.m. from Walton Stadium. Check the Loper schedule page for media links.

UNK (4-4), in a three-way tie for sixth place in the MIAA standings, has already been involved in three Homecoming games. The Lopers dropped its own Homecoming to Emporia State, 20-17, spoiled Northeastern State's, 49-7, and then fell at Northwest Missouri State, 27-13, on the Bearcats big day. Furthermore, UNK was involved with "Family Night" at Pittsburg State and will be the "Senior Day" opponent at Washburn on November 10.

**GAME NOTES/DEPTH CHARTS**
Nebraska-Kearney	Central Missouri

Central Missouri has won five in a row over UNK to lead the all-time series, 7-2. The Mules have won the past five years by an average score of 44-12. Last year's margin was 38 points, 45-7, as UCM out gained UNK by a 529-199.

This time around, UCM (3-5) has the latest Homecoming date among all MIAA schools this season. The Mules, ranked 32690

18th in the preseason AFCA Top 25 poll, have lost three in a row but feature the league's top ranked offense.

Lincoln native and 2017 All-American quarterback Brook Bolles suffered a season-ending injury in the opening night loss at Fort Hays State. Minus Bolles, the Mules are still averaging an MIAA best 36 points and 503 yards per game.

Redshirt freshman Jeremy Hunt (6-4, 225 lbs.) has taken over for Bolles and currently leads the league in total offense per game at 281. He has thrown 15 touchdown passes to six interceptions while completing 52% of his passes. His targets include Millard West graduate Shae Wyatt (35 recep., 670 yds., three TD's) and Lincoln High graduate Zion Perry (19 recep., 239 yds., two TD's).

In the backfield is 2017 MIAA Freshman of the Year Devante Turner (5-9, 185 lbs.). Rushing for 17 TD's last fall, Turner is now coming in at an MIAA-best 130 all-purpose yards per week. He has reached the end zone six times so far this fall.

A young line features three redshirt sophomore starters but the Mules list a pair of redshirt senior starting tackles. Finally, senior tight end Seth Herbert (6-4, 245 lbs.) has three receiving TD's to date and was tabbed first-team All-MIAA last season.

The defense, with seven underclassmen starting, has been hit by the injury bug of late. Giving up 438 rushing yards and five rushing TD's last week in a 48-28 loss to Pittsburg State, UCM ranks in the middle of the conference in most defensive categories.

Sophomore ILB John Embrey (6-1, 225 lbs.) leads the team in both tackles (54) and tackles for loss (7.0) while senior free safety Dylan Albertson (6-2, 225 lbs.) has made 27 stops. Finally, on special teams, senior Alex Langer is 9 of 12 on field goals and 25 of 32 on PAT's.

Looking to reach three road wins for the first time in the MIAA era (2012-present), UNK remains one of the best rushing teams in NCAA Division II. Averaging 53 carries every Saturday, the Lopers are 11th nationally in both rushing yards per game (273.1) and rushing TD's (23).

Individually, junior back Darrius Webb (Allentown, Pa.) needs 258 more yards to record the 15th 1,000 rushing yard season in school history. Only fellow back Ricky Trinidad (2012/1,037) achieved that milestone in the MIAA era.

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Overall, 10 Loper have had at least one carry this fall with six reaching the end zone and seven averaging over 5.0 yards per carry. Junior QB Alex McGinnis (Crete) has a team-best 115 carries with Webb having team-highs in yards (742) and scores (nine).

Defensively, junior ILB Sal Silvio (Kansas City) reached the 200 career tackle mark last Saturday after registering a career-best 17 stops in a 29-26 double OT loss to Fort Hays State. Now with 210 tackles, Silvio needs just 16 more to record the 10th 100 tackle season in Loper lore. Not surprisingly, Silvio leads the MIAA in tackles per game (11.9) and assisted tackles (46).

The Loper special teams are also making hay, especially after returning a kickoff for six points last Saturday. That ended a 129-game, 11-year drought as Webb raced 98 yards down the field to tie the game at seven.

True freshman Brian Covarrubias (Grand Island) booted four field goals in the game and now ranks second in the league with 10 makes. It marked the first time in 11 years a Loper kicker had four threes in a game. Next, junior Kendall Raschein (Red Bluff, Calif.) has his season average at 42.9. That is third highest in the MIAA and would rank him third on UNK's all-time single season list.

UNK's final home game will be on Saturday, November 3, when Missouri Western State visits for a second straight season. The Griffons (5-3) host No. 27 Pittsburg State (6-2) this weekend.

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