By MATT PIKE
The Northwest Missouri State Bearcat football team is hitting the road for the second time this season, the first time since beginning MIAA play, traveling to Edmond, Oklahoma.
The Bearcats face Central Oklahoma on Saturday, currently holding a three-game road losing streak against the Bronchos in Edmond. Northwest last won on the road against Central Oklahoma in 2016, a 56-10 victory, when the Bearcats were led by current Bronchos head coach Adam Dorrel.
Head Coach John McMenamin says the Bronchos are what you expect, a good football team that's coached well.
"They play hard; they've turned their roster over a little bit, just kind of as every school does when you lose a few guys to the portal or injury," McMenamin tells reporters. "You look for a lot of weaknesses you don't see them, they're playing good football, they just haven't taken care of the ball a couple of their losses and I think if they do those are two different games, but unfortunately a good football team we're going to play down there and we're going to have to bring an A game down there."
It's not McMenamin's first time coaching against Dorrel, beating Central Oklahoma last season in Maryville, but it's still a special opportunity for the two to face each other. During McMenamin's time at Northwest playing, Dorrel was a graduate assistant in 1999 when the Bearcats won the second of their back-to-back national titles.
McMenamin says Dorrel it's hard to say enough good things about Dorrel as a coach, with what he did for Northwest, but adds as a person, he's always been great to him.
"Even as an opponent, reaching out, it was always very knowledgable, we'd send our staff to come meet with him and we'd sit down and meet with him and just took a lot of his ideas and things he's done, so very appreciative of that," McMenamin explains. "So, I just think he's one of the good ones, he's a true townie here in Maryville, he's a Spoofhound, he's a Bearcat, now on Saturday we're still friends but we're not cheering for him as much we want to beat him, but after that you're pulling for him because he's done so well and meant so much, so big part of my growth for sure."
Northwest will have to worry about a quarterback they did not see last season in Jett Huff, Huff missing the game due to injury, but he is healthy this season coming into the game passing for 772 yards and rushing for 39, showing ability to use both his arm and his legs.
Defensive end Jacob Stockard says the keys in a matchup going against a play like that is playing smart with their pass rushes.
"We just have to rush smart, we can't get too worried about winning a one on one and then open up a seam for him to run up the middle or throw an easy ball, we just have to be smart and rush as a unit," Stockard says. "And then just as a defense we know that they're a good team and he's a good quarterback, but if we just stick to doing our job I think we'll find success."
Northwest and Central Oklahoma kickoff at 7pm on Saturday in Edmond, Oklahoma. Following that matchup, the Bearcats will have another bye week before returning home to Maryville for a week hosting Central Missouri on October 10th.
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