Bolivar, Mo. - Bearcat Football crosses into strange territory as there is a new leader at the helm for the first time in over 10 years. The winningest coach in program history, Robert Clardy, stepped down from the head coaching role, opening the position up to a new up and comer across the Midwest. After consecutive highly successful seasons, Head Coach Paul Hansen steps up from NAIA to Division II, to lead the Bearcats.
 
"I'm very excited to return to Southwest Missouri where I have a lot of my playing/coaching career. Being able to coach and recruit in an area that I know several high school coaches was very important to me" – Coach Hansen said.
 
The season will get started off with a bang, quite literally as it is firework night at Plaster Stadium on September 6^th. They will host former MIAA opponent Missouri Southern beginning at 6:00pm. Despite only being only an hour and a half away, this is the first meeting between these two teams since 2013 where the Bearcats came away with a 38-33 victory. SBU was picked to finish 8^th in the GLVC whereas Missouri Southern was picked to finish 10^th in the MIAA preseason poll.
 
One thing you can expect to see from the Bearcats under coach Hansen is a high-powered offense. In 2024, his offense averaged 50 points per game and 511 yards per game, #3 in the Nation. A few years earlier, his squad broke a National passing record when his quarterback threw for 659 yards in a single game. "We expect to be a high-powered offense that gets the ball to our skill guys fast. We will be multi-dimensional offense."
 
The quarterback leading the offense is yet to be determined, but there are some solid returners between running backs Jobe Smith and Jeremiah Horn, as well wide receivers Kamau Ransom and Avery Lambert. Transferring in is former Mid-America Nazarene star running back Shawn Cherry who rushed 2,180 yards in three seasons.
 
Defensively Southwest Baptist is expecting to be on the strong end with two of their top tacklers returning. One of those defenders contributing towards the success is All-Conference defensive back junior Ricky Woodhouse. He is returning after leading the team in total tackles (68), tackles for loss (8.5), and fumble recoveries (3). Not far behind him holding down the back is sophomore Charos Sutton who contributed with 45 tackles, three tackles for loss, one interception, and one fumble recovery in 2024.
 
"Overall, I have been very encouraged with the team that's coming in this fall. I expect us to compete at a high level and make a run at the GLVC" – Hansen said.