KCAC
[Football] Football Gameday Preview: Falcons Celebrate Senior Day in season finale vs. …
The Lowdown: Avila University at Friends UniversityLocation: Adair-Austin Stadium, Wichita, Kan.Kickoff: Nov. 13, 1:00 pmLive Broadcast: https://kcacnetwork.com/friends/Flying with the Falcons: The Friends University Falcons are 1-8 on the season and have split their last two games. The Falcons bested Bethany College 35-13 in their last home outing before hanging tough but falling 38-17 at No. 13-ranked Southwestern College last Saturday (Nov. 6). In the victory over Bethany, Laken Clowdus (FR/Barlesville, Okla.) rushed for a career-high 196 yards and found the end zone four times to earn the KCAC Offensive Player of the Week nod.Clowdus's strong season has him ranked in the top four of the KCAC in both rushing yards (663) and rushing yards per game (73.7). His seven touchdowns on the season is tied for seventh in the league.Quarterback Joshua Morris (SO/Mt. Pleasant, Texas) has passed for 573 yards and is second on the team with 428 yards on the ground, while Cade Nagy (SO/Broken Arrow, Okla.) has posted team-highs in receptions (26), receiving yards (399) and receiving touchdowns (three).Defensively, Jagger Blubaugh (SO/Wichita, Kan.) leads the Falcons and is second in the KCAC in both tackles (101) and tackles per game (11.2). Blubaugh's totals are good enough to be tied for sixth in the NAIA in tackles and tied for seventh in tackles per game. Nolan Ewing (FR/Spring Hill, Kan.) has 69 stops and Tucker Trevett (FR/Wichita, Kan.) has recorded a team-best four sacks.Scouting the Eagles: The Avila University Eagles are 6-3 overall, with all three setbacks coming to the three nationally-ranked squads within in the KCAC.Avila's offensive attack has been fueled by Malik Nesbitt this season, as he is second in the KCAC with 929 rushing yards and is tops in the league and fifth in the NAIA with 15 touchdowns on the ground.Two quarterbacks for the Eagles have attempted at least 124 passes this season, with Kyle DeOrio throwing for a team-high 1225 yards and nine touchdowns. Peyton Burke has completed 71.4 percent of his passes for 1065 yards and seven scores. Andrew Williams leads the Eagles receiving corps across the board in receptions (39), receiving yards (776) and touchdowns (six).The Series: The Eagles have won all three meetings over the Falcons since joining the KCAC. In their first trip to Wichita, Avila squeaked by last year's meeting 37-35 as the Falcons rallied back from a 20-point deficit but came up short late in a potential game-tying two-point conversion.Quoting Interim Head Coach Matt Byers: "The kids are really excited for this weekend's matchup vs Avila. We are also thrilled to be honoring six seniors on Senior Day with five being players and one athletic trainer. These seniors have worked hard every single day and we want to send them off right for their last home game! We get one more opportunity this year to take the field as a team, these kids are ready to play hard and with the Falcon Pride and passion. This is a special group of kids who never quit when faced with adversity and have stuck together. It'll be a great day for football getting to play at home in some fall weather in front of our fans!"Ticket Information: Tickets for the Falcons' matchup vs. Avila University are available at the following link: https://www.friendsathletics.com/ticketingMammoth Sports Construction: We are proud to have Mammoth Sports Construction back as an official sponsor of Friends University Football this season! For more info on their services, click HERE to visit their official website.Sponsor Alerts: Friends University Athletics is excited to have Home2 Suites by Hilton back as an official athletic sponsor this season! For more on what they can offer, click HERE to visit their official webpage.Friends University Athletics also welcomes Phoenix Home Care and Hospice as a sponsor this season! For more info on what they can provide, click HERE.Falcons by the Numbers:When scoring:0-6 points: 0-17-13 points: 0-214-20 points: 0-421-27 points: 0-128 points+: 1-0When allowing:0-6 points: 0-07-13 points: 1-014-20 points: 0-021-27 points: 0-128 points+: 0-7When leading at halftime: 1-0When trailing at halftime: 0-8When tied at halftime: 0-0When committing fewer turnovers: 1-0When committing more turnovers: 0-6When turnovers are tied: 0-2When leading in total offense: 0-2When trailing in total offense: 1-6When winning time of possession: 0-3When losing time of possession: 1-5The Coaches:Matt Byers is in his fourth season overall at Friends University and has been named the interim head coach for the remainder of the 2021 season. He also serves as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Under Byers last season, the Falcons finished third in the KCAC in rushing defense per game (154.1).A Wichita native, Byers graduated from Wichita East High School in 2009 and was a three-sport athlete (Football, Basketball, and Track).In 2009, Byers was named the Barry Sanders High School Male Athlete of the year.He then competed at the University of Iowa on a Track Scholarship and was a three-time Big Ten Champion, two-time All-American and the school record holder in the Javelin.Byers moved back to Wichita in 2013 after graduating from The University of Iowa and began coaching at East High in the 2014 season as the wide receivers coach.Marc Benavidez is in his fourth season as head coach of the Avila University Eagles. This is his 10th year overall on the coaching staff and he was also a four-year letterwinner for Avila. In his three seasons at the helm which coincides with the Eagles' first three seasons in the KCAC, Benavidez has guided the Eagles to an overall record of 28-10.