Football Heads to Azusa Pacific to Open GNAC Play This Saturday Night

AZUSA, Calif. – The first of two straight Great Northwest Athletic Conference games arrives for the Western Oregon University football team this Saturday night when they travel to face Azusa Pacific with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m.

The Wolves (0-2) are coming off of an exciting back-and-forth battle with the then ranked No. 12 Lions as Texas A&M-Commerce escaped Monmouth with the 34-27 victory. Senior quarterback Ty Currie and junior kicker/punter Andrew Gross were both named GNAC Players of the Week for their performances from the game.

WOU is averaging 23.50 points per game and allowing 39.50. The Wolves have picked up 35 first down to 43 for the opposition, while picking up 700 yards (428 passing) to 823 for opponents with a pretty split number of 456 passing and 367 rushing.

Currie has started both games at quarterback completing 31-58 for 428 yards and two touchdowns. Thomas Wright has hauled in seven passes for 140 yards and a touchdown. Tyler Reid has three catches for 112 yards, while Marquis Sampson has six for 73 yards. Damon Hickok has the other receiving touchdown this year. On the ground, Omari Land leads the team in carries with 27 for 102 yards and three scores. Currie adds 26 attempts for 87 yards and a touchdown, while Nico Jackson has 23 rushes for 85 yards and a score.

Defensively Tyler Wharf leads the team with 16 tackles and 10 solo stops, along with a tackle for loss. Nate Proctor, Jr., has 14 tackles with six solo and two tackles for loss. Curtis Anderson has 13 tackles and eight solo stops and has a half-tackle for loss. Jaylin Parnell has picked up 12 tackles with six solo, Blayne Burnett had 11 tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack and Joey Sinclair rounds out the six with double-digits tackles at 10. Derek Parnell has six pass breakups and an interception.

In special teams, Gross has punted seven times averaging 40.43 per kick with a long of 56 yards, four fair catches, two landing inside the 20 and two going over 50 yards. In kickoffs he has averaged 62.8 yards on nine attempts with a pair of touchbacks. In the return game, Anderson has returned eight kickoffs for 141 yards, averaging 17.63 and has a long of 28 yards. Reid has returned one punt for four yards.

In terms of nationally the Wolves are 87^th nationally and lead the GNAC in third down conversion percentage (.370), 21^st nationally and first in the GNAC in fourth down conversion percentage (.714), first in the GNAC in first downs allowed on defense (43), 49^th nationally in net punting (37), 32^nd nationally and first in the GNAC in passes that have been intercepted (1), first in the GNAC in passing yards allowed (228), 49^th nationally and first in the GNAC in punt return yards allowed (4.0), first in the GNAC in rushing defense (183.5), first in the GNAC in scoring defense (39.5), first in the GNAC in time of possession (31:01), first in the GNAC in total defense (411.5), first in the GNAC in turnovers lost (3).

Individually, Anderson is 32^nd nationally and leads the GNAC in combined kick return yards (141). Currie is second in the GNAC in completion percentage (.534), 61^st nationally and second in the GNAC in completions per game (15.50), 78^th nationally and second in the GNAC in passing efficiency (123.4), 51^st nationally and second in the GNAC in passing yards (428), 52^nd nationally and second in the GNAC in passing yards per game (214), 49^th nationally and second in the GNAC in passing yards per completion (13.81), first in the GNAC in both points responsible for (18) and points responsible for per game (9.0) and 34^th nationally and first in the GNAC in total offense per game (257.5). Ryan Minniti is tied for 12^th nationally and tied for second in the GNAC in fumbles recovered (1). Derek Parnell is tied for 47^th nationally and second in the GNAC in interceptions per game (0.5) and leads the nation in passes defended per game (3.5). Land is tied with Currie in the same categories of points responsible for (18) and points responsible for per game (9.0) leaving him tied for first in the GNAC in both categories. Land is also 11^th nationally and first in the GNAC in rushing touchdowns (3), second in the GNAC in both rushing yards (102) and rushing yards per game (51), 38^th nationally and first in the GNAC in scoring (9.0), 35^th nationally and first in the GNAC in total points scored (18), 26^th nationally and first in the GNAC in total touchdowns (3). Burnett and Tyrell Cummings are tied for first in the GNAC in sacks per game (0.50). Wharf is 90^th nationally and seventh in the GNAC in solo tackles per game (5.0), while Anderson is ninth in the GNAC (4.0). Wharf also tanks ninth in the GNAC in total tackles per game (8.0).

Azusa Pacific enters the game at 0-2 after playing a pair of road games falling to West Texas A&M (16-35) and Missouri S&T (17-51). The Cougars were the preseason pick to win the four-team GNAC conference this season.
Azusa Pacific averages 16.50 points per game and allows 43 points, picking up 689 yards (596 through the air) and allowing 1,062 yards (496 on the ground and 566 through the air). The Cougars have scored three touchdowns and allowed 12.

Tyrone Williams, Jr., has completed 38-62 for 516 yards with two touchdowns. Anthony Catalano has also played in both games and has completed 9-13 for 80 yards. Jasiah Richard-Lewis has caught eight passes for 175 yards, while Brandon Jackson has 13 catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns. Catalano leads the rushing attack carrying seven times for 45 yards, while Bryce Grandison adds 18 carries for 35 yards.

On defense, Lucas Olgiati has 17 tackles, with seven solo, along with two tackles for loss. Ben Sukut has the only sack while Josh Olave has the only interception this year. Jake Gerardi has punted 11 times averaging 44.91 yards with six inside the 20 and three traveling over 50 yards. Ramzee Jaridly is 4-4 in field goals.

In the series meeting since 2000, Azusa Pacific holds a 10-5 advantage, including a 5-2 record at home. WOU won the first four meetings in the series before Azusa Pacific then won the next four and following a 17-14 win in Monmouth back in 2015, the Cougars have won the last six meetings including a 28-17 win in Monmouth and a 7-6 win in California last year. In the most recent meeting in Oct. 27 last year, Azusa Pacific erased a 6-0 WOU lead with a touchdown with just 17 seconds remaining to take the 7-6 victory. The teams combined for just over 500 yards and the game featured 15 punts and three turnovers in the defensive battle.

Live video and stats will be available for the game with video found here and stats found here

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Players Mentioned

#3 Curtis Anderson: DB; 6' 2"; Junior; 1V

#94 Blayne Burnett: DL; 6' 3"; Junior; 2V

#14 Ty Currie: QB; 6' 2"; Senior; 2V

#96 Andrew Gross: K/P; 6' 1"; Junior

#7 Nico Jackson: RB; 6' 2"; Senior; TR

#23 Omari Dixon-Land: RB; 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore; RS

#29 Ryan Minniti: DB; 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore; RS

#25 Derek Parnell: DB; 5' 11"; Senior; 2V

#9 Jaylin Parnell: LB; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#32 Nate Proctor: LB; 6' 2"; Senior; 2V

Players Mentioned

#3 Curtis Anderson
: 6' 2"; Junior; 1V
: DB

#94 Blayne Burnett
: 6' 3"; Junior; 2V
: DL

#14 Ty Currie
: 6' 2"; Senior; 2V
: QB

#96 Andrew Gross
: 6' 1"; Junior
: K/P

#7 Nico Jackson
: 6' 2"; Senior; TR
: RB

#23 Omari Dixon-Land
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore; RS
: RB

#29 Ryan Minniti
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore; RS
: DB

#25 Derek Parnell
: 5' 11"; Senior; 2V
: DB

#9 Jaylin Parnell
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: LB

#32 Nate Proctor
: 6' 2"; Senior; 2V
: LB