PITTSBURG — The Pittsburg State University football team will make its 2020 season debut Saturday (Oct. 31) when the Gorillas host MIAA rival University of Nebraska-Kearney. Kickoff is set for 12:05 p.m. (CDT) at Brandenburg Field/Carnie Smith Stadium.
The Gorillas and Lopers are two of approximately 10 NCAA Division II football schools playing a limited schedule this fall due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Pittsburg State, the winningest all-time NCAA Division II program, is embarking upon its 113th season of intercollegiate football at the institution. The Gorillas have accumulated 719 victories, posting a 719-354-48 overall mark.
Pitt State returns eight players who started six or more games (four offense, four defense) in 2018, including six returning All-MIAA performers.
The Gorillas posted a 6-5 record in 2019.
Nebraska-Kearney finished the 2019 season with a 7-5 overall overall record, including a 50-33 victory over Winona State in the Mineral Water Bowl.
Sellout Crowd / Live TV Broadcast
All available tickets for the match-up between the Gorillas and Lopers have been sold. No additional tickets will sold throughout the week and no tickets will be sold on game day. Due to seating restrictions brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, Carnie Smith Stadium will operate at approximately 25 percent capacity.
For fans in the Four States Region, the game will be broadcast live on KSN TV with a 12:05 p.m. (CDT) kickoff. An extensive pregame show will begin at 11:30 a.m. and the broadcast team will feature PSU alum Brian Johnston handling play-by-play duties and former Gorilla Hall of Famer and longtime NFL member Kendall Gammon serving as color analyst.
Also, for the 2020 season, Pitt State's home games against UNK and Western Colorado (Nov. 21) are available, free of charge, via web stream on themiaanetwork.com.
The Coaches
Saturday's game marks the debut of the Coach Brian Wright era to Pitt State football. He was hired as the program's 15th all-time head coach on December 7, 2019.
Wright came to Pitt State after serving the past four seasons as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at the University of Toledo.
In his four seasons with the Rockets, Wright helped guide offenses that have been among the best in the Mid-American Conference while boasting four NFL draft picks.
Prior to coming to Toledo, Wright coached at Florida Atlantic for four seasons as the Owls' offensive coordinator. He stepped in as interim head coach for the final four games of the 2013 season, leading the Owls to four consecutive victories and bowl eligibility (6-6) for the first time since 2008.
Prior to his stint at Florida Atlantic, Wright spent two seasons at Montana State as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach.
Before heading west to Montana State, Wright served nine years at perennial FCS power Youngstown State.
Wright joined the Penguins' staff in 2001 as quarterbacks coach, also working as offensive coordinator from 2005-09. He began his collegiate coaching career at Walsh (Ohio) University as a graduate assistant in 1995-96.
After a year as a graduate assistant at YSU in which the Penguins won the NCAA Division I-AA national title, Wright returned to Walsh in 1998 and served until 2000.
Saturday's action will mark Wright's first match-up against Nebraska-Kearney.
Josh Lynn is in his fourth season as head coach at UNK and his eighth year as a collegiate head coach. Lynn has a 15-19 (.441) record in his short tenure leading the Lopers and a 42-44 (.488) overall mark. Lynn (E. New Mexico, 2000) posted a 27-25 record in five seasons leading his alma mater, Eastern New Mexico (2012-16). This will be his fourth meeting vs. Pitt State. He is 0-3 against the Gorillas.
Pitt State Coaching Debuts
Dating back to the 1949 season, the past eight Pitt State head coaches have posted a 7-1 record in their debut games leading the Gorillas.
Coach Date Opponent Result
Carnie Smith Sept. 16, 1949 vs. Missouri S&T W, 27-7
Tom Lester Sept. 16, 1967 vs. Central Oklahoma W, 14-13
Ron Randleman Sept. 11, 1976 vs. Northwest Missouri L, 0-24
Bruce Polen Sept. 11, 1982 vs. Lincoln W, 43-0
Mike Mayerske Sept. 8, 1984 vs. Arkansas Tech W, 20-0
Dennis Franchione Sept. 14, 1985 @ Arkansas Tech W, 24-13
Chuck Broyles Sept. 1, 1990 vs. Truman W, 64-30
Tim Beck Aug. 28, 2010 @ Central Oklahoma W, 31-20
Brian Wright Oct. 31, 2020 vs. Nebraska-Kearney
Gorillas at Home
Pitt State holds a 356-134-12 (.721) record in 502 games inside Carnie Smith Stadium (including postseason). The Gorillas have won 156 of their last 185 regular season home games, posting a 156-28-1 record (.846) over the last 35 seasons.
UNK has posted an 8-9 (.471) road record during the past three seasons under head coach Josh Lynn.
The Pitt State - Nebraska-Kearney Series
This will be the 23rd meeting between the Gorillas and the Lopers in a series that dates back to the 1974 season, but it will be just the eighth meeting between the two squads since 1988.
Pitt State holds a 15-7 edge in the series, including 12 consecutive victories dating back to the 1984 season.
The Gorillas and Lopers met for 15 consecutive years between 1974-88.
Last year, Pitt State reeled off 27 unanswered points to claim a 37-14 road win over Nebraska-Kearney on Sept. 28 at Cope Stadium. The No. 18 ranked Gorillas trailed 7-0 early in the game before surging ahead of the Lopers.
Quarterback Brandon Mlekus rushed for a game-high 77 yards and he completed three of five passes for 98 yards, including a 68-yard TD pass to wide receiver Lorenzo West. Quarterbacks Mak Sexton and Matt Harman also tossed TD passes.
The Pitt State defense registered four quarterback sacks in the contest and limited UNK to 212 yards of total offense in the contest. UNK managed just 137 rushing yards on 39 carries, after averaging an MIAA-leading 300.7 rushing yards coming into the game. Linebacker Kaden Roy posted a career-best 11 stops for Pitt State, while safety Morgan Selemaea returned a fourth quarter interception 38 yards for a touchdown.
Gorillas in Season Openers
Pitt State has compiled a 69-38-5 (.638) record in season openers over the program's 112-year history.
Since the 1978 campaign, Pitt State has built a 35-6-1 (.845) record in season openers with a 20-3 (.870) record the past 23 seasons. The Gorillas are 14-2 (.875) in their last 16 home season openers dating back to the 1990 season.
All-Time Winningest Programs
Pittsburg State is the all-time winningest NCAA Division II football program. The Gorillas, who are entering their 112th season of intercollegiate competition, have compiled a 719-354-48 overall record, winning 66.3 percent of their 1,121 all-time games.
Pittsburg State is one of just seven NCAA Division II institutions to have recorded 600 all-time victories and the Gorillas became just the 33rd program – the first Division II institution – across all levels of college football to reach the 700-win plateau. The Gorillas enter the 2020 ranked 32nd among all college football programs in all-time victories.
Tuskegee is second on the Division II all-time list with 696 victories, followed by Hillsdale (645), Carson-Newman (642) and Central Oklahoma (638).
UNK has a 542-351-27 (.604) record in 98 seasons of intercollegiate play.
Scouting the Gorillas
The Pitt State offense features a healthy mix of veteran players and newcomers as the Gorillas prepare to open the 2020 campaign against the Lopers.
A trio of quarterbacks – sophomore Mak Sexton, junior Matt Harman and freshman Chad Dodson Jr. – have enjoyed a competitive preseason camp with all three appearing fully capable of leading the Gorillas under center.
Sexton (6-1, 209) started the 2019 season finale vs. MSSU, but he saw significant action in all 11 games a year ago. The Leander, Texas, native completed 123 of 225 passes (.547) for 1,694 yards (154.0 ypg) and 13 touchdowns.
Harman (6-3, 220) played in 10 games last year, completing 25 of 42 passes (.595) for 395 yards and three TDs.
Dodson (5-11, 185) was selected the Northeast Florida Quarterback of the Year as a senior at Bartram Trail High School, passing for 2,390 yards and 23 touchdowns.
Up front, the Gorillas return an All-MIAA performer in senior guard Zech Thomas (6-4, 310). Pitt State also welcomes back sophomore guard Cooper Schettler (6-4, 273) who started six games before a season-ending injury derailed his 2019 season.
Redshirt sophomore Trase Jeffries (6-4, 295), junior Minsok Lee (6-4, 302), freshman transfer Kieven Myers (6-5, 300) and redshirt freshman Riley Teutsch (6-5, 300) all look to be impact performers at tackle, while junior Antoine Robinson (6-4, 260) and sophomore Michael Toney (6-3, 282) will battle for action at guard. Sophomore Leighton Cushinberry (6-2, 278) and freshman Evan Taylor (6-1, 260) will vie for action at center.
In the backfield, the Gorillas return a pair of All-MIAA performers in seniors Tyler Adkins and Tucker Horak. Adkins (5-10, 208) carried the ball 127 times for 640 yards (5.0 ypc) and eight TDs, while Horak (5-10, 179) rushed the ball 62 times for 410 yards (6.6 ypc) and seven scores.
Redshirt freshman Drew Winn (6-0, 179) and freshman Caleb Lewis (5-11, 180) also figure to be impact performers for the Gorillas.
Junior Bryce Murphy leads a talented wide receiving corps. Murphy (6-2, 195) caught 38 passes for 492 yards (12.9 ypc) and four touchdowns in 2019.
Redshirt freshmen Christian Carter (6-0, 170) and Dylan White (6-1, 180), senior transfer Jalen Martin (6-3, 215) and freshman transfer Jake Benninghoff (6-2, 210) also are expected to see significant action at wide receiver for the Gorillas.
At tight end, senior Kyler Ray (6-3, 227) and sophomores Kaizer Newell (6-2, 245) and Lawrence Harris Jr. (6-3, 243) figure to battle for playing time.
The Pitt State defense returns three All-MIAA performers to its unit: senior linebacker Kaden Roy, senior safety Morgan Selemaea and junior defensive lineman Zeke Wall.
Roy (6-5, 232) made a team-leading 86 tackles (42 solo) in 2019, including 7.0 tackles-for-loss, 1.0 quarterback sacks and one interception.
Selemaea (5-11, 204), a three-time All-MIAA performer and an All-America selection in 2018, posted 58 tackles (30 solo), 5.0 TFLs, four interceptions and four pass break-ups, while Wall (6-1, 269) made 35 stops (18 solo) with 4.5 TFLs and 1.5 quarterback sacks.
Junior Keiondre Hall (6-4, 213) and redshirt freshman Dalton Davis (6-4, 242) figure to start with Wall on the Pitt State defensive line.
Hall registered 4.5 TFLs and 3.5 quarterback sacks in nine games played in 2019.
Sophomores Nathan Woods (6-4, 228) and Anthony Albertini (6-3, 227) and redshirt freshman Malik Wooley (6-4, 270) also figure to see significant action for the Gorillas.
Sophomores P.J. Sarwinski (6-1, 213) and Max Wilson (6-1, 202) and redshirt freshman Jack Barkley (6-1, 225) all figure in the mix at linebacker for the Gorillas, while redshirt freshmen Luke Jennings (6-4, 215), Mahcel Johnson (6-4, 195) and Alex Gaskill (6-3, 205) also should see significant action.
In the secondary, junior Brandon Mlekus moves back to safety in 2020, after starting 10 games at quarterback for the Gorillas a year ago. Mlekus (5-11, 194) made 11 tackles and one pass break-up in a reserve role at safety in 2018.
Senior Creighton Sanders and sophomore Jeffrey Fordjour also be impact performers at safety. Sanders (6-1, 198) returns after exercising a medical redshirt in 2019. He has made 137 tackles in 34 career games for the Gorillas. Fordjour (6-1, 199) saw action in nine games last year.
Senior Will Bazzle IV (6-2, 195) and junior Jermaine Brealy Jr. (5-11, 190) will look to secure starting roles at cornerback. Brealy posted a team-leading 10 pass break-ups in 2019, while Bazzle has 55 career tackles, three interceptions and eight pass break-ups to his credit.
Sophomore Gasevan McGrue (5-9, 164) and redshirt freshman Antoine Nunn Jr. (5-9, 165) also are expected to be impact performers at cornerback.
Redshirt freshman Gentry Cole (5-9, 170) will look to handle both the place kicking and punting chores for the Gorillas, while freshman Dominik Stadlman (6-1, 175) also is a candidate to see action at punter.
Scouting the Lopers
Redshirt sophomore quarterback T.J. Davis (6-3, 180) will look to lead the Lopers into the 2020 campaign. Davis (6-3, 180), the 2019 MIAA Freshman of the Year, rushed for 1,034 yards (5.2 ypc, 86.2 ypg) and 16 touchdowns and completed 49 of 88 passes (.557) for 861 yards (71.8 ypg) and nine scores.
As a team, UNK rushed the ball for an MIAA leading 342.9 yards per game – the third-highest total in Division II – a year ago.
Senior running back Dayton Sealey will look to compliment Davis in the Lopers backfield. Sealey (6-1, 210) rushed the ball 86 times for 705 yards (8.2 ypc) and three touchdowns in 2019. He also caught 10 passes for 142 yards and a score.
Sophomores Xavier Delk (6-1, 170) and Michael Koch (6-4, 210) will look to be impact performers at wide receiver for the Lopers.
UNK's projected starting offensive line unit averages 6-feet, 3-inches and 307 lbs.
Defensively, the Lopers allowed 27.9 points and 380.8 total yards per game (255.3 passing) in 2019.
Sophomore defensive end Tell Spies will look to help lead UNK. Spies (6-3, 290) registered 26 tackles (17 solo) with 5.5 tackles-for-loss and 2.5 quarterback sacks last year. Senior defensive end Blake Schroeder (6-3, 260) also made 17 tackles (11 solo) last year with 4.0 TFLs and 2.0 quarterback sacks.
Senior safety Blake Bubak (5-9, 190) posted 57 tackles (25 solo), three interceptions and two pass break-ups.
Placekicker Junior Gonzalez converted six of 11 field goals and 45 of 52 PAT tries during the 2019 campaign. Sophomore Hunter Kraus will handle UNK's punting chores.
