KCAC

[Football] Football Gameday Preview: Falcons Return Home to Host Bethel Tomorrow

The Lowdown: Bethel College at Friends UniversityLocation: Adair-Austin Stadium, Wichita, Kan.Kickoff: Oct. 19, 1:30 pmLive Broadcast: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/friends/Flying with the Falcons: The Friends University Falcons are currently 1-5 on the season and 1-5 in the KCAC following a 22-0 loss at the now No. 25-ranked Sterling College Warriors last Saturday (Oct. 12). In the loss, the Falcons managed to hold the Warriors to their lowest point total and total yardage thus far in the season.Dan Dawdy (JR/Haysville, Kan.) has thrown for 441 yards, along with four touchdowns and four interceptions this season for the Falcons. Joshua Morris (FR/Mt. Pleasant, Texas) has started the past two games and passed for 110 yards.The Falcons have received solid production from their rushing attack, as Marshall McShan (JR/Millville, NJ) has rushed for a team-best 296 yards, while Quincy Brown (SR/Redding, Calif. ) averages 4.5 yards per rush and 245 yards.Michael Evans (JR/Inglewood, Calif.) leads the Falcons' air attack with team-highs of 12 receptions and 179 yards.Jeremiah Pharms (SR/Stockton, Calif. ) is fueling the Falcons' defensive efforts this season, as he is tops in the NAIA in both sacks (12) and tackles for loss (18.5). The Falcons also rank second in the KCAC and 11th in the nation in rushing defense per game (84 yards per game).  Pharm's production has helped the Falcons rank eighth in the nation in total sacks (21).Scouting the Threshers: After beginning the season with four straight wins and earning a spot in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll, the Bethel College Threshers have dropped their last two games, most recently a 29-21 setback to the Tabor College Bluejays.Quarterback Zach Esau is the engine of the Threshers' offensive attack, ranking second in the NAIA in total scoring. Esau has five touchdown passes along with a team-best 12 rushing touchdowns. Chantz Scurry leads Bethel in rushing yards (560), while Brayden Francis has team-highs in receptions (four) and receiving yards (165).Defensively, Joshua Seabolt leads the Threshers in tackles (53), with Carvin Duverge posting team-highs in sacks (five) and tackles for loss (12.5). Duverge's tackles for loss total ranks seventh in the NAIA.  Quoting Head Coach Dion Meneley:"We are looking forward to playing Bethel at home this weekend and are excited to get things moving in the right direction.  Our kids are hungry for success and have been working to correct the mistakes that are costing us wins."The Series: The Falcons won 38-20 over Bethel on Senior Day last season to snap a brief two-game winning streak for the Threshers. Prior to that, the Falcons had won 11 straight in the series.  Sack Master: Jeremiah Pharms stands atop the NAIA this season with 12 sacks on the season, highlighted by a career-high five sack performance vs. Tabor College on Sept. 21. Pharms' 12 sacks are just two shy of equaling the school single-season record, set twice by Dexter Davis (2012, 2011).  With four games remaining, the KCAC mark of 22 set by Shaq Bradford of Kansas Wesleyan University last season is also in reach for Pharms.Kansas Turf: For the 2019 season, Adair-Austin Stadium received a massive turf upgrade, courtesy of Kansas Turf, a proud sponsor of the Friends University Football Falcons. To read everything the upgrade entails, click HERE. Also, click HERE for more info on Kansas Turf.Falcons by the Numbers:When scoring:0-6 points: 0-27-13 points: 0-114-20 points: 0-221-27 points: 1-028 points+: 0-0When allowing:0-6 points: 1-07-13 points: 0-014-20 points: 0-121-27 points: 0-328 points+: 0-1When leading at halftime: 1-1When trailing at halftime: 0-3When tied at halftime: 0-1When winning the turnover battle: 1-2When losing the turnover battle: 0-3The Coaches:Dion Meneley is in his third season as head coach of the Friends University football program after a brief stint as the Falcon's defensive coordinator when he was originally hired by the university in 2017.After starting last season 0-6, Meneley helped the Falcons finish strong with three wins in their last five outings.In his first season at the helm, Meneley oversaw a Falcons' defensive unit that featured the KCAC Defensive Player of the Year, Tim Hamilton in his debut season.Overall, the Falcons led the KCAC in sacks (26.5), yards allowed per game (300.9) campaign, (112.5) and opponent first downs (181) in the 2017 campaign.  The Falcons were also a close second in the league in points allowed per game (22.8 ppg).Meneley helped establish a prowess in the classroom, as 11 Falcons earned KCAC Scholar Athlete honors, eight were on the National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society list and five received NAIA Scholar Athlete recognition. The Falcons' Hampshire Honor Society honorees ranked second among NAIA schools, behind only Peru State's nine recipients.Prior to coming to Friends, Meneley was in his fifth season at Hutchinson Community College as the assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. In his first four seasons at Hutchinson, Meneley's defenses produced six NJCAA All-Americans and 31 all-Jayhawk Conference performers. In 2012, the Blue Dragons led the Jayhawk conference in pass defense scoring, they were second in total defense and second in rush defense.In 2014, Meneley's defense was one of the best in the Jayhawk Conference. The 2014 Blue Dragons captured the program's first conference title and had its highest final national ranking of No. 4 after a record 11-1 season.A native of Topeka, Meneley came to Hutchinson with experience at the NAIA and NCAA Division ll levels. Before Hutchinson, Meneley was an assistant coach at Fort Hays State University where he was the defensive coordinator for the Tigers in 2011. He also coached the defensive line. Before that, he spent four seasons as the defensive coordinator at Southwestern College in Winfield.Meneley was a two-time All-MIAA selection at outside linebacker and one-time All-MIAA selection at defensive end for Pittsburg State. During his playing career, he was a part of three MIAA championships and the 1995 team that finished as the NCAA Division ll runner-up. He was a team captain for the Gorillas in 1999.Meneley received his bachelor's degree in general studies from Pittsburg State University and his master's degree in leadership from Southwestern College.Meneley and his wife Misti have been married for five years and currently reside in Maize, Kan.Terry Harrison is in his second season as head coach of the Bethel College Threshers. Prior to arriving at Bethel, Harrison was the head coach at Wichita Heights High School for five seasons. He guided Wichita Heights to five Kansas 5A regional championships, one district title and a Greater-Area Wichita league championship.    Up Next: The Falcons will be at Southwestern College next Saturday afternoon (Oct. 26) for a 1:30 pm kickoff in Winfield, Kan.