It will be a historic season opener for the Lenoir-Rhyne Football Team as Virginia St. comes to town on Saturday for a 6 p.m. kickoff as the newly upgraded Moretz Stadium will be on full display. A project that began in December wrapped up in nine short months and includes many new features. The new Moretz Stadium has a brand new press box and home bleachers including seat backs for the Bears Club section. Additionally, two new videoboards have been installed with a pair of corner suites and new lights. A new team tunnel will give Lenoir-Rhyne a new entrance to the field as well as a new concourse and stadium entrance for the fans will be unveiled.Â
To read on the new guidelines on all you need to know about Moretz Stadium and gameday the LR way, check out
this article.Â
As for the game, LR enters the season ranked nationally for the third straight season and look to continue a four-game winning streak in home openers. Standing in the way is a Virginia St. squad that LR will meet for the second straight season opener. In 2021, LR went to Petersburg, VA and handed the Trojans a 48-7 defeat to open the season. LR held VSU to just 148 total yards in that contest which included a 47-yard touchdown run as the only score of the game for the Trojans.Â
For the first time since 2018, Lenoir-Rhyne won't have
Grayson Willingham under center as the QB graduated last year. Willingham started each opener since 2018 (minus the shortened COVID season)Â and came on in backup duties in the 2017 season opener meaning it will be five years since he didn't compete in the first game of the year. However, the Bears will turn to a trio of options which are led by
Austin Cagle.
Sean White is the only other QB on the roster with starting experience as he stepped in for Willingham in the spring season of 2021 at Newberry while Willingham was unavailable and led LR to an overtime victory by throwing the game-winning touchdown pass.Â
However. LR will have plenty of options at the skill position led by reigning SAC Player of the Year in RB
Dwayne McGee. McGee broke the single-season rushing record at LR with 1,669 yards in his first full season and knocked off Leonard Davis' mark which stood since 1994. McGee's 21 total touchdowns tied an LR season record as did his five touchdown game at Carson-Newman.
Jadus Davis is a more-than-capable backup option who exploded for three touchdowns on the ground in a win at Barton.
Deondre Lester leads a skilled and deep WR position as the junior finished second in the league with 56 catches in 2021.Â
All but one starter returns on the offensive line from 2021, led by All-Region selection
Blake Jefferson and All-Conference honoree
Bryce Heidinger.Â
Defensively, the Bears have two starters on the defensive line to replace including SAC Defensive Player of the Year in
Amari Houston. LR also lost safety
Eric Jackson and LB
Preston Joseph but have a lot of new faces ready to make an impact and returners look to emerge.
Andre Jefferson was named an All-Conference player last year, his first full season at LR, and finished with 9.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks while playing both DT and DE positions. LB
Jon Ross Maye was also an All-Conference selection and has been a starter since first stepping foot on campus. Young CB
C'Darius Kelley started all 11 games last year for the Bears in his first full season after converting from QB and returns as the top CB on the squad.Â
Lenoir-Rhyne will be looking for its 52nd win in its last 70 home games on Saturday as the program has built a resurgence starting in 2010. Since then, the Bears have gone 51-18 Between the Bricks. The Bears also look to add another home-opening win to the ledger as LR owns a 54-45-4 mark in the first home game of the year dating back to 1924. Â
