Hickory, N.C. – The Lenoir-Rhyne University Football Team will kick off the 2016 season against Virginia State University on Saturday at 2:00 p.m., at Moretz Stadium under the leadership of first-year mentor Mike Kellar.
The Trojans' contest is the first of four consecutive home games for the Bears. The last time Lenoir-Rhyne opened the year with four straight contests at Moretz Stadium was 1999, when the Bears started out with a 4-0 mark.
Lenoir-Rhyne looks to rebound from last season's 5-5 campaign which included a 3-4 record in South Atlantic Conference play. Although the Bears captured their sixth straight non-losing campaign, Lenoir-Rhyne failed to win the SAC Championship for the first time since the 2010 season.
Lenoir-Rhyne led the nation in 2015 in rushing offense at 384.7 yards per game but the Bears have moved away from the triple option to a more multiple set. At quarterback, Lenoir-Rhyne will either go with redshirt freshman Jarrod Kellar (Shinnston, W.Va.) or junior Kaleb Scott (Mount Albert, Ontario, CANADA).
Junior running back Calvin Edwards (Salisbury, N.C) returns after rushing for 333 yards and two touchdowns to go along with a 7.2-yard carry average. At wide receiver, senior Victor Brannan (Powder Springs, Ga.) is back and looks to return to his 2014 form when he garnered all-conference second-team accolades.
The offensive line is anchored by junior center Jaleel Roberts (Charlotte, N.C.) and senior tackle Jacob Slagle (Sharpsburg, Ga.). Roberts was a first-team preseason all-conference selection while Slagle is beginning his third year as a starter. Slagle was the 2015 SAC Football Scholar-Athlete Of The Year.
On defense, senior lineman Chris Green (Albany, Ga.), senior linebacker Jordan Forney (Belmont, N.C.), senior safety Marcus Kincaid (Morganton, N.C.) and sophomore safety Kyle Dugger (Fayetteville, Ga.) were all-preseason honorees.
Forney led the team in tackles (80) last season while Dugger was the 2015 South Atlantic Conference Defensive Freshman Of The Year. Dugger totaled 43 tackles to go along with four interceptions and two fumble recoveries and scored three touchdowns.
On special teams, senior Michael DeStephens (Gainesville, Fla.) is one of the best punters not only in the league but in the region and the nation as well. His 43.3-yard average was the best in the conference in 2015.
Lenoir-Rhyne and Virginia State have met once before with the Bears prevailing by a 33-6 score on September 13, 2014, in Ettrick, Va. That year, LR went 11-1 on the season while Virginia State won 10 straight games after the setback. Both teams fell in the Second Round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs.
Once again, Lenoir-Rhyne's football games will be broadcasted on WAIZ 630 AM. In addition, the contest will be simulcast on 105.9 FM.
Virginia State at Lenoir-Rhyne
Sept. 3, 2016 - 2:00 p.m.
Moretz Stadium – Hickory, N.C.
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