Football 10/3/2019 7:12:00 AM Brian Kortz

Football Carries 2-0 GNAC Record Into Home Matchup With Simon Fraser This Saturday

MONMOUTH, Ore. – Off to their first 2-0 start in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play since 2011, the Western Oregon University football team will look to keep the momentum going this coming Saturday when they host Simon Fraser in conference play at 1:05 p.m. at McArthur Field. The game will also be the Coach to Cure MD and Red Out contest.

The first 250 WOU students with ID into the game will receive a free Red Out t-shirt. The game will also be a Coach to Cure MD contest. This is the 12th year that the Coach to Cure MD, presented by Werner Ladder, for the American Football Coaches Association has been put on. Not only will the WOU football coaches participate for the week by wearing patches during the game, but the Wolves will be hosting the Bates family.

Last time out WOU (2-2, 2-0 GNAC) picked up their first win in Ellensburg since 1998 after claiming the 36-26 victory over Central Washington. Ty Currie collected his second GNAC Player of the Week after accounting for all five touchdowns. Curtis Anderson tallied a pair of interceptions that both led to WOU touchdown drives and helped him take home GNAC Player of the Week honors as well.

Currie completed 12-22 for 171 yards and a pair of touchdowns while also rushing for 62 yards on 16 carries and a trio of touchdowns. Omari Land had another big game on the ground chewing up 171 yards on 21 carries. Nico Jackson added 16 rushes for 93 yards. Thomas Wright and Marquis Sampson each caught touchdown passes.
On defense, Nate Proctor, Jr., put together a big game with nine tackles, two solo, while Tyler Wharf had six stops, two solo and a half-tackle for loss. Jaylin Parnell added two tackles for loss.

WOU on the season is averaging 31.25 points, picking up 88 first downs and 1,647 total yards of offense with 930 on the ground and 717 through the air. Eighteen total touchdowns have been scored with 12 on the ground. After dominating time of possession last week, the Wolves average over 32 minutes a game with the ball on offense. Opponents are averaging 35.25 points, 84 first downs and 1,526 yards of total offense, picking up 944 through the air and 582 on the ground. Nineteen touchdowns have been scored with 12 coming on the ground.

On the season, Currie has completed 49-94 for 717 yards and six touchdowns. He has also rushed for 255 yards on 54 carries and four scores. Land leads the ground attack picking up 395 yards on 66 carries and six touchdowns. Jackson has 284 yards on 54 carries and a score. Wright leads the receivers with 190 yards on eight catches and a pair of touchdowns. Tyler Reid has six catches for 162 yards and Sampson adds a team-high nine catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns. Murphy and Damon Hickok have each added a touchdown score.

On defense, Proctor, Jr., leads the way with 29 tackles, along with 12 solo, 3.5 tackles for loss and a half-sack. Wharf has 28 tackles with 15 solo along with 1.5 tackles for loss. Jaylin Parnell has 24 tackles with 11 solo and 2.5 tackles for loss. Joey Sinclair has 21 tackles, with 11 solo, two tackles for loss and two passes broken up. Anderson gives the Wolves five players with at least 20 tackles as he is right at 20 with 13 solo, two interceptions and a pass broken up. Tyrell Cummings leads the team in tackles for loss with four and sacks with two.

In special teams, Andrew Gross has 11 punts for an average of 41.18 with a long of 56, two inside the 20 and two that have traveled over 50 yards. He's added an average of 61.9 yards on 22 kickoffs with three going for touchbacks. Anderson has returned 16 kickoffs for 297 yards, with a long of 63 yards.

WOU leads the GNAC and ranks high nationally in several categories including first in the GNAC and 61^st nationally in third down conversions (.400), first in the GNAC and 57^th nationally in fourth down conversion percentage (.563), first in the GNAC and 35^th nationally in first downs on offense (88), first in the GNAC and 17^th nationally in net punting (39.27), first in the GNAC and 42^nd nationally in passes had intercepted (3), first in the GNAC in passing yards allowed (236), 37^th nationally in passing yards per completion (14.63), first in the GNAC and eighth nationally in punt return defense (0.50), first in the GNAC in rushing defense (145.5), first in the GNAC and 22^nd nationally in rushing offense per game (232.5), first in the GNAC and 49^th nationally in scoring offense per game (31.3), first in the GNAC in tackles for loss allowed (6.25), first in the GNAC in team passing efficiency (128.15), first in the GNAC in team passing efficiency on defense (131.40), first in the GNAC and 34^th nationally in time of possession (32:02), first in the GNAC in total defense (381.5), 53^rd nationally in total offense (411.8), first in the GNAC and 61^st nationally in winning percentage (.500).

Individually, Currie leads the GNAC in passing efficiency, also 55^th nationally (130.9), passing touchdowns with six which puts him 54^th nationally, points responsible for (64), good for 32^nd nationally, points responsible for per game (16), also 32^nd nationally. He ranks 26^th nationally in passing yards per completion (14.63), 39^th nationally in rushing touchdowns (6), 40^th in total offense per game (243). Land is eighth nationally in rushing touchdowns (6), 19^th nationally in rushing yards (395), 22^nd nationally in rushing yards per game (98.8), 24^th nationally in scoring (9.0), 22^nd nationally in total points scored (36) and 14^th nationally in total touchdowns (6). Anderson leads the GNAC and is 23^rd nationally in combined kick return yards (297), interceptions per game (.50), which ranks 26^th nationally. Derek Parnell is fourth nationally and leads the GNAC in passes defended per game (2.7). Wright is 17^th nationally and leads the GNAC in yards per reception (23.75).

WOU has dominated the series with Simon Fraser winning the last 19 games since 2001. Since 2000, the Wolves have gone 19-1 with the only loss coming in 2000 at Simon Fraser (17-21). Last year, WOU swept the series by a combined score of 93-13 taking the first meeting in Monmouth (54-13) and then the later meeting in Burnaby (39-0). In the most recent meeting in Canada, Currie threw for a pair of touchdowns, while Land and Bo Highburger tallied a pair of rushing touchdowns. Tyler Sweet and Sampson each caught a touchdown pass. Proctor, Jr., was all over the field with seven tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble.

The Clan are 0-4 and 0-1 in GNAC play to start the season as they dropped their conference opener last week at home to Azusa Pacific (12-38). In two road games at Portland State and Angelo State Simon Fraser was outscored 138-14. The Clan is averaging 8.25 points and allowing 50.50. They have 1,101 total yards and five passing touchdowns, while opponents have 2,099 yards and 22 touchdowns, 14 coming on the ground.

Brandon Niksich leads the passing game completing 60-114 for 821 yards and four touchdowns. Solomon Hines has rushed for 162 yards on 48 carries and Rysen John has caught 13 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns. Ethan Beselt adds 17 receptions for 208 yards.

On defense, Griffin Barrett has 48 tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass broken up. Brendan Lowry has 40 tackles and two forced fumbles and two recoveries. Anthony Crescenzo and Isaac Evans each have two sacks apiece.

Video and stats will be available for the game with live video found here and live stats found here. KWVT will also televise the game locally.

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