ST. JOSEPH – A rivalry that has taken place at least once every season since 1981 gets a new wrinkle in 2018. For the first time since 1990, Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri will meet in the season opener when the Griffons travel to No. 5 Northwest Thursday night.
Only twice in the history of the series have the teams met in the first game of the season. It happened in back-to-back years during Missouri Western’s first two seasons as a member of the MIAA: 1989 and 1990. It will be the first time in three years the teams didn’t meet in the regular season finale. Northwest won 24-10 in St. Joseph in week nine of the 2015 season, the last time the rivals didn’t end the season against one another.
The timing of the rivalry game this season is far from the only story line. A shuffle of the MIAA schedule in 2018 left Missouri Western opening up its 49th season against three-straight opponents ranked inside the top-20 of the American Football Coaches Association Preseason Poll. Northwest, and the Griffons’ week two opponent Fort Hays State, enter the season tied for No. 5. Central Missouri, the Griffons’ week three opponent, debuted at No. 18 this season. Missouri Western’s first three opponents also finished as the top three football programs in the MIAA one season ago. Fort Hays State claimed the crown with Northwest finishing second, one game ahead of Central Missouri.
Missouri Western’s Matt Williamson and Northwest’s Rich Wright both begin their second year as head coaches this season. Williamson went 4-7 in his first season leading his alma mater. The two-time All-MIAA defensive lineman will have two new play callers on his staff in 2018. Dave Brown was hired as offensive coordinator in the offseason after Chet Pobolish was named head coach at Southwestern Oklahoma State. Brown was most recently quarterbacks coach at Colorado State-Pueblo, but is familiar with the MIAA having graduated from Central Missouri and getting his start in coaching at UCM as a student and graduate assistant. Last year’s offensive line coach and fellow MWSU alum, Patrick St. Louis will be the co-offensive coordinator in an offense that will feature the pistol in 2018. Brown had two stints at Nevada, including time when Colin Kaepernick illustrated the potential of the rare style. Justin Richter was elevated to defensive coordinator after one season as defensive backs coach. New to the staff in 2018 as linebackers coach, Gary Salgado will be the co-defensive coordinator after working under former Northwest Missouri assistant Will Wagner at Angelo State the past five seasons. Also new to the coaching staff in 2018 is running backs coach and special teams coordinator Andre Crenshaw. The former Oregon running back has had coaching stops at Dakota Wesleyan, Morehead State and Tennessee Tech.
The Griffon coaching staff will take nine returning offensive starters and six with starting experience on defense into Maryville. After having 11 players earn 12 All-MIAA honors in 2017, Williamson will see five of those Griffons on the field at Bearcat Stadium along with the return of 2016 second team All-MIAA linebacker James Huskey.
Some new names Griffon fans can expect to be hearing about in 2018 include James Bailey Jr. (running back), Marquis Caldwell (defensive lineman), Vayante Copeland (defensive back), Joe Horn Jr. (wide receiver), Damon Roberts (defensive end) and Donavan Lukens (defensive end). All those but Lukens transferred to MWSU for 2018. Bailey totaled more than 2,400 total yards as a dual-threat QB at William Chrisman before redshirting at Western Illinois last season. Copeland started seven games over two seasons as a corner at Michigan State. Horn. Jr. is the son of New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame receiver Joe Horn and the nephew of Griffon defensive line coach Scorpio Horn. Lukens showed promising signs during the spring game after redshirting last season and will figure into the mix on the defensive line along with Caldwell, Roberts, Kyle Dumler and another Arnold Crayton.
Northwest went 9-3 last season in Wright’s first season as head coach. The longtime Northwest assistant coach has 11 total returning starters, but will be searching for a new starting quarterback in 2018. Jadyn Kowalski is the returning leading passer for the team, completing one pass for 38 yards last season. Shawn Bane Jr. was one of the top receivers in the MIAA last season and returns after catching 51 passes for 675 yards and six TDs in 2017. Austin Eskew had 10 tackles for loss and six sacks last year and returns in 2018.
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION TAILGATE AT NORTHWEST
Bring your grills, Griffon flags and other tailgating essentials and join members of the MWSU Alumni Association in Maryville Thursday before the game. Griffon tailgating begins at 3 p.m. in Lot number 26 across from the Administration Building. THIS IS A NEW LOCATION!!
— MWSU Athletics —