Dragons host McKendree in season opener

Josh Lewis and the Dragons host McKendree in Week One.
Josh Lewis and the Dragons host McKendree in Week One.
Posted: Sep 01, 2023

 

Tiffin University will host McKendree University in Week One of the 2023 football season at 12 pm at Frost Kalnow Stadium.

The Dragons have not faced McKendree since 2013 when TU lost on the road 32-28 in its season opener. Tiffin allowed 12 points in the fourth quarter, squandering a 28-20 lead in what had been a back-and-forth contest. Joey Frendo passed for 362 yards with Tony Shead hauling in 10 catches for 165 yards as TU racked up 400 of their 451 total yards through the air. 

Tiffin is 1-1 against the Bearcats in its career, having won its first game against McKendree in 2012 by a 23-13 margin. Overall TU has outscored McKendree 51-45. This marks Tiffin's first game with the Bearcats in 10 seasons. 

MCKENDREE NOTES

The McKendree University football team ended the 2022 season with an overall record of 5-6. The Bearcats started the season off well with a 4-1 record, including two victories over G-MAC opponents (Lake Erie and Walsh), but proceeded to go 1-5 in the remaining six games of the season. McKendree ended the year fourth in the GLVC with a conference record of 2-4.

MCKENDREE OFFENSE

• The Bearcats' offense ranked first in the GLVC in yards per game with 455.8 and second overall in points per game, with 33.1. Most of those yards came through the air as they led the conference with an average of 321.9 passing yards per game.
• Turner Pullen lined up under center for McKendree last season, throwing for 3,541 yards and a total of 30 touchdowns. He added 226 yards on the ground as well as six rushing touchdowns.
• Narkel Leflore led the Bearcats in rushing yards with 696 yards and made 47 catches for 418 yards for a total of over 1,000 yards of total offense. Leflore reached the endzone six times on the ground and four through the air.
• McKendree's leading receiver, Yogi Flagler Jr., returns after tallying 1,144 yards receiving and 10 touchdown grabs. Flagler Jr. was also the team's main punt returner.


MCKENDREE DEFENSE

• McKendree's defense ranked as the worst in the conference in yards given up per game with 521.4 and second to last in points allowed per game at 37.2.
• Leading tackler Andrew Sherry returns at defensive back after totaling 69 tackles for the Bearcats in 2022. Sherry recorded three caused turnovers with two interceptions and a forced fumble as well.
• Brandon Wilson Jr. is another veteran returner in the secondary who ended with the second-most tackles at 54 while contributing two interceptions and four pass breakups. Ethan Young led the team last season with three interceptions.


TIFFIN NOTES

Tiffin placed second in the 2023 G-MAC Preseason Poll, receiving three first-place votes and a total of 71 points. The Dragons ended last season with an overall record of 6-5 and 6-2 in conference play. Tiffin faced GLVC-affiliate, Truman, in the Crossroads Bowl for the final game of the season and fell just short in a heart-breaking 28-27 defeat with less than a minute remaining.

TIFFIN OFFENSE

• Last season, Tiffin was an offensive powerhouse as it led the Great Midwest in both offensive scoring (35.6 points per game) and total offense (400.9 yards per game).
• Quarterback Christian Carter led the Dragons with 1,821 passing yards and eight passing touchdowns. Carter also contributed to the ground-game with 338 rushing yards and tied for the team-high in rushing touchdowns with nine.
• Also tied for the team-high in rushing touchdowns were running backs Darius Pinnix and Devin Nelson. Pinnix ended with a team-leading 809 rushing yards followed by Nelson with 559.
• Anthony Lowe led the Dragons in catches with 69 and receiving yards with 810 last season while adding three receiving touchdowns as well. He was followed by Jalen Thomas with 30 grabs for 382 yards and three touchdowns and Josh Lewis with 26 catches for 395 yards and a team-high four touchdowns.


TIFFIN DEFENSE

• The Dragons ranked second defensively, allowing just 16.7 points per game, and led the conference with 37 total sacks.
• Leading the way defensively for Tiffin last year was Sir Zion Dance with a total of 87 tackles, nine tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He was followed by returning defensive back Patrick Tueimeh, who ended with 76 tackles, an interception and two pass breakups.
• Former defensive end Montez Kelley led the team with 6.5 sacks and ended with the second-most tackles for loss with eight.
• Last season's interception leader, Chucky Lewis, returns to bolster the secondary after tallying 39 tackles, five interceptions, five pass breakups and a forced fumble in 2022.