PREVIEW: Top offences collide in Clan Homecoming

Top Offences Collide At Homecoming Game Saturday

 

BURNABY, BC – Simon Fraser University is hosting its Homecoming football game this Saturday at Swangard Stadium and it will feature two of the top offensive teams in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.

 

Simon Fraser (0-1) enters Week 3 of the football season leading the GNAC with 333 passing yards per game. The Clan outplayed Western Oregon last week in virtually every offensive category except where it matters most – on the scoreboard. SFU finished with 442 yards of offence compared to 294 yards by the Wolves.  Simon Fraser had 23 first downs compared to 16 for WOU and held possession of the ball for almost 40 minutes.

 

But Simon Fraser gave up 19 fourth quarter points, losing its season-opener to Western Oregon University 31-14. “I loved the fight we had and we competed hard and now we have to build off those things this week. We need to be a physically and mentally tough football team against Azusa Pacific,” said Bates, in his first-year coaching the Clan.

WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=2&v=6DIzbMohE94

 

“Our defence was stellar last week. They really shutdown the Wolves offence and bought our offence time to get rolling,” said Bates.

 

Simon Fraser hosts Azusa Pacific, the GNAC’s reigning champion and who was ranked No. 17 nationally until it lost to Humboldt State 62-41 last week. The Cougars gave up 533 yards of offence, including 313 yards along the ground. At one point the Cougars were trailing 49-6 in the third quarter. The loss ended the Cougars 10-game win streak.

 

Azusa Pacific is one of the most explosive teams in the GNAC.  In last week’s loss the Cougars had 400 yards of offence, with 319 yards coming off of the arm of quarterback Chad Jeffries, who completed 22 of 35 and three touchdowns. Azusa Pacific still ranks among the GNAC’s most potent teams, ranking second in the league in scoring offense (34 points per game) and third in passing offense (294 yards per game).

 

Saturday’s game is Homecoming and there will be family activities, mini-games and food trucks in the concourse. In addition, the 1965 SFU charter team will be honoured. Kick-off is 6:00 PM.

 

Admission is free for SFU students and there is a free Pepsi Student Shuttle that takes fans from the Burnaby campus to the Swangard Stadium.

General admission tickets to Clan football games are $10 for adults, $5 for visiting students with valid student ID, and $2 for youth, seniors, and SFU staff.

 

 

PLAYERS TO WATCH – SFU

 

THE QB: Senior quarterback Ryan Stanford had a standout performance against WOU, completing 33 of 54 passes for 333 yards and a touchdown. In the process, Stanford found 10 different receivers, topped by Justin Buren’s 87 yards on seven catches. Stanford enters the week leading the GNAC in total offense (349 yards per game) and passing yards (333 per game).

 

RECIEVERS:  Stanford connected with 10 different receivers last Saturday, with Justin Buren and running back Ante Milanovic-Litre catching seven passes each.  Buren had 154 all-purpose yards, with 87 threw the air and 67 on kick-off returns.

 

WORKHORSE: RB Josh Hayden did all of the Clan’s scoring, carrying 20 times for 80 yards and a touchdown and also catching six passes for 82 yards and a touchdown. Hayden’s 162 all-purpose yards ranks him fourth in the GNAC and his 80 rushing yards ranks fifth.

 

LEADING TACKLERS: LB Jordan Herdman picked up right where he left off. The 2014 GNAC Defensive Player of the Year picked up 10 tackles (8 solo) in the loss at Western Oregon. Last year he was second in the NCAA. LB Emmanuel Agbozo and LB Justin Herdman had eight tackles each

 

PLAYERS TO WATCH – APU

 

THE QB: Chad Jeffries ranks 26th in Division II in passing yards (588), 29th in total offense (314.0) and 30th in passing yards per game (294).

 

RECIEVERS:  QB Jeffries completed passes to seven different receivers in Week 1, and in Week 2 he connected with eight separate targets. The Cougars had two receivers with 100-plus yard games. Ethan Zeidler caught seven passes for 117 yards and a touchdown. Blake Robertson caught three passes for 100 yards.

 

RETURN MAN:  DJ Morgan had four kick returns for a total of 141 yards, averaging 35.25 yards per return. He enters the week ranked 19th in Division II in returns with an average of 29 yards per return.

 

LEADING TACKLER:  Linebacker Sam Flemming enters the week leading the GNAC both in total tackles (21) and tackles per game (10.5).