Aug 30, 2025

🏈 KWU faces Ottawa to open 2025 campaign

Posted Aug 30, 2025 1:36 PM

GAME INFORMATION

  1. Kickoff: 6 p.m.
  2. Day: Saturday
  3. Location: Dr. Franklin Gene Bissell Field at JRI Hospitality Stadium and Graves Family Sports Complex on the campus of Kansas Wesleyan University
  4. Records: Kansas Wesleyan 0-0; Ottawa 0-0

LIVE COVERAGE

  1. The video stream of the game will be available online through the Coyote Sports Network on the Urban Edge Network (https://urbanedgenetwork.net/watch/2573). Saturday's game will be featured as part of the NAIA Football on UEN KIckoff Weekend, with the game featured nationally on the UEN Channel. The game will also be available on the KCAC Network at www.kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan.
  2. Live Stats will be available at https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
  3. Radio coverage will be on KINA starting at 5 p.m. with Tyler Henry and Brooks Garretson. The online radio stream is available at https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2.

THE SERIES

The Coyotes have dominated the last decade winning nine of the 10 games. KWU won 23-20 last year at JRI Hospitality Stadium and Graves Family Sports Complex. Ottawa prevailed 27-24 in overtime in 2023 in Ottawa ending Wesleyan's eight-game winning streak. Ottawa leads the all-time series 44-37-4. The teams first met in 1908 and 1909, did not meet again until 1928 when they played regularly until 1970 during Ottawa's first stint in the KCAC. The teams then did not meet again until 1982 and have met annually since.

KANSAS WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE

  1. New is the operative word. Matt Middleton was named head coach in December and is making his debut after two seasons at Division II juggernaut Harding. His staff is largely new with two holdovers - Chris Snyder and David Leonard - and a roster that features a plethora of new faces.
  2. Four returners from last season are in the starting offense led by NAIA First Team All-American running back Luke Armstrong who rushed for 1,453 yards and 16 touchdowns last year. Tackles Antonio Caballero and Juan Luna return as does right guard Easton Lewis, a Third Team All-American last year. Wide receiver Rhadarious Lomax-Spivey sat out last season but was a starter in 2023 and is back this fall as are placekickers Cole Seagraves and Talon Cope and punter Griffin Wiltse.
  3. Middleton has not committed to a specific offensive style saying his team will do whatever is necessary to score points. The Coyotes will run the ball, he said, but will not hesitate to throw if the opportunity is there. Middleton coached quarterbacks and fullbacks at Harding.
  4. Henry Austad will start at quarterback. He was the starter at Southeastern (Florida) the last two seasons and led the Fire to a 7-2 record in 2024. Newcomers Will Wilcox and Jevin Dorsey will be wide outs, along with Lomax-Spivey and Eric Hunter who was on the 2023 roster.
  5. Josh King-Bradely, who earned Third-Team All-America accolades in 2024, is the lone starter back on defense but will line up inside this season. He had 13 sacks, 56 tackles (33 solo) and forced three fumbles last season. The rest of the starting lineup is new and includes key transfers Diego Davis, an end, linebacker Gavin Skerik and safety Robert Rezex.

OTTAWA AT A GLANCE

  1. The Braves were 1-10 last season but seven of the losses were by 13 points or less. Their lone victory was over Saint Mary 33-30 on Homecoming in Ottawa.
  2. The offense is led by running back Jordan Clay who led the team in rushing with 606 yards and six touchdowns. Keegan Ray takes over at quarterback. He's a graduate student transfer from Division II Tiffin. De'Anthony Curtis and Key Long were the top receivers a year ago and are back.
  3. Safety Christian Obregon, tackle Teagan Flynn and nose guard Payton Green are the top returning defensive players. Obregon had 47 tackles and five pass breakups; Flynn 40 tackles that included 5.5 sacks and Green 40 stops.
  4. Ottawa was picked to finish fifth in the Ted Kessinger Division in the KCAC's coaches' preseason poll.
  5. Coach Nick Davis is in his fourth season as head coach. He led OU to the 2023 Gene Bissell Division title a berth in the NAIA Championship.

HEAD COACH MATT MIDDLETON

"We want our kids to fly to the ball. We want them to play fast, which means they're not thinking a whole bunch. What we've done is we've gone out and gotten a bunch of Division II transfers. We needed immediate help; we needed guys that had played a lot of football. Now we have guys who have been in backup roles and played a lot of football. Guys who have been in successful programs that have helped set the table for us right now.

"(Austad) is one of the most cerebral quarterbacks I've ever coached. Phenomenal arm strength. If you want the true definition of ice water and veins that's who he is. There are times I would like to see him get a little bit more fired up but that's what makes him so great. He's over something quick. He makes big plays; he's played a lot of football.

"I'd like to say we're balanced and what that means is I might throw it 60 times; I might run it 60 times. Who knows? We're going to do what the defense gives us and that's what it is. We're going to take some shots (downfield) and do some things like that that we did not take where I was at the last few years."

"I know that the (Ottawa) head coach has taken over the play calling as defensive coordinator. It tells me we're going to get everything in the kitchen thrown at us. They're going to pressure; they're going to blitz; they're going to try to create havoc on defense for us. (Offensively) they're going to run the football. They're probably going to be more RPO (Run-Pass Option) based and I would think that with (Ray) they'll throw the ball more."

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR BOOMER CUNNINGHAM

"If people are going to stack the box, we've got to be able to throw it out to the perimeter or be able to run to the perimeter. We have to find the opportunities and the spaces there and make sure that we get our guys in the right spots.

"Luke (Armstrong) is extremely athletic; he does some dynamic things with the football in his hand. I think sometimes his body moves a little bit faster than his brain as some kids do but he does really good things. We're expecting a lot from him. I know there's going to be a lot of people looking at him opponent-wise, they're probably going to try to focus a lot on him especially after what he did last year.

NEXT WEEK

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