SBU BEARCATS (0-1) vs #8 NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS (0-1)
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 • 6:00 PM • BOLIVAR, MO
ROBERT W. PLASTER STADIUM
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SBU NOTES

BOLIVAR, Mo. -- The SBU Bearcats return home for a “Battle of the Bearcats” when they host nationally-ranked Northwest Missouri State. Both teams are coming off tough road losses to ranked opponents last week, with SBU falling to Central Missouri 39-28, and Northwest Missouri dropping a 19-14 decision to Abilene Christian.    

Last season's Independent Collegiate Athletic Association (ICAA) Offensive Player of the Year Steve Gachette led SBU with 339 yards passing on 23 of 48 attempts and two TD passes against the UCM Mules. In 2008, Gachette became the only player in SBU history to throw for more than 3000 yards. He completed 59.8% of his passes for 3371 yards (306.45 per game) and 27 touchdown passes. WR Johnnie King, who led the nation in receptions per game (89 grabs in 10 games) in 2008, did catch a TD pass against UCM but was held relatively in check with three catches for 58 yards. Some new faces shined for SBU last game, including TE Jameson Manuma (four catches for 88 yards) and freshman RB Justin Duhaney (11 carries for 82 yards and TD).

The Bearcats also return their 2008 co-leaders in tackles with 101 each, LB Jarred Schumpert and DB Tyrin Holt. Schumpert was second (10 stops) to fellow senior linebacker Shawn Kilduff (11) for the game high in tackles at UCM. Senior DE Will Ramirez had eight tackles including two for losses.

THE COACHES AND THE ALL-TIME SERIES
Bearcat head coach Keith Allen is in his third season at the helm of the Bearcats. He's already engineered a significant turnaround, moving the 'Cats from 0-11 his first year as interim coach, to 5-6 in 2008, when SBU was three plays away from a potential 8-3 mark.
 
Northwest Missouri is coached by Mel Tjeerdsma, a three-time national coach of the year (1998, 1999, 2008) who's moving up the Division II all-time wins list at 216-80-4 overall, with 157 of those victories coming at NWMSU.

NWMSU leads the all-time series 18-3 and has won the last 14 meetings. SBU's last win came in 1994, a 21-14 victory in Bolivar.

SCOUTING THE GREEN BEARCATS
Northwest has been the national runner-up each of the last four years. The green Bearcats were the consensus pick by the MIAA coaches and media to repeat as conference champions. Several big names are back for this year's Northwest squad. Senior RB LaRon Council scored 36 touchdowns in 2008, just three shy of the NCAA single-season record, while also rushing for 1,739 yards. Two defensive players received national awards for their play. DE Sean Paddock earned three different All-America honors while FS Myles Burnside was the National Defensive Player of the Year with 71 tackles and six interceptions.