Football 9/3/2019 7:06:00 PM MWSU Athletic Media Relations

Griffon Football Kicks Off 2019 Against Rival

Northwest visits Craig Field at Spratt Memorial Stadium

ST. JOSEPH – Griffon Football kicks off the 2019 season with a home game against rival and No. 6-ranked Northwest, Thursday night at 7 p.m.

FOR THOSE IN ATTENDANCE

Tickets are on sale now at gogriffons.com. Online purchases are recommended as a large crowd is anticipated.
The Spratt Stadium ticket window will open at 4:30 p.m.
Stadium gates will open to the public at 5:30 p.m.
Griffon fans, be sure to be in the stadium prior to the Griffon Walk at 6:50 p.m. Joining the 2019 team will be 1970s Griffon Football alumni in celebration of the 50^th season for the program.
The first 500 fans through the gates will receive a throwback Griffon Football t-shirt courtesy of McDonald's.

CAN'T MAKE IT TO THE GAME?

Stream live video on the MIAA Network
Listen live on the Griffon Sports Network
Follow live stats on gogriffons.com

HONOR THE PAST. DOMINATE THE NOW. 50 SEASONS OF GRIFFON FOOTBALL

Each of the five home games will serve as a throwback to a different decade of Griffon Football, beginning with the 1970s this Thursday.
Various historical elements, including the five All-Decade teams can be found on gogriffons.com throughout the 2019 season.
Each edition of Griffon Game Day magazine this season also pays homage to the game's corresponding decade with in-depth information on the All-Decade team and Griffon Football history.
2019 could potentially bring the program its 300^th victory as the Griffons enter season 50 with 291 wins.

MEANINGFUL UNIFORMS

A first in the program's history, MWSU will wear all gold uniforms Thursday night in honor of the Golden Season of Griffon Football.
Gold had long been a prominent part of the program's uniforms with gold helmets worn by the first 20 Griffon teams and predominantly gold pants worn through the first two decades of the program's history.
This year's team will also wear throwback helmet decals as a nod to the past. This week's "MW" decal was worn on gold helmets from 1974-82 and again, briefly, on a black helmet in the early '90s. Other than the black helmet with the iconic gold Griffon logo, which was the primary helmet between 1998 and 2017, the "MW" was the most worn helmet decal in the program's history.
While the decals are a throwback, the helmets they're rest on are state-of-the-art. Funded exclusively by a private donation, all Griffon Football players are now equipped with helmets that meet the top-performance standards from recent studies by the NFL. The Griffons became the largest NCAA DII client of VICIS ZERO1 helmets, the highest rated in the most recent performance testing. The team was also able to purchase additional top-rated Riddell and Schutt helmet models in the off-season.
On the back of this year's helmets are 50 Seasons of Griffon Football and 150 Years of College Football logo decals.

HOME SWEET OPENER

Missouri Western hasn't lost a home opener since 2011 and has won 26 of its last 29.
It's just the second time the Griffons have hosted Northwest for the season's first game. The last came in MWSU's first season as an MIAA member, 1989.
This marks the second straight year the rivals face off in the first game of the season and the fourth time overall. Northwest won last year, 28-6 in Maryville. The Griffons won in Maryville, 27-25, to open the 1990 season after a 45-29 Bearcat victory the previous season in St. Joseph.

GRIFFON PREVIEW

The Griffons are coming off a 7-5 season that ended with a Live United Bowl championship. Missouri Western was picked seventh in the MIAA Preseason Coaches and Media Polls after a sixth place finish last season. Thirteen starters return, including seven on offense and six on defense. Eight of the returning starters earned All-MIAA honors last season.
No returning group brings more experience than the Griffon offensive line. Collectively, the five scheduled starters have started 105 games at MWSU. Left tackle Shawn Rouse and center Hayden Eatinger have both started 34 consecutive games. Eatinger earned first team All-MIAA honors last year after earning second team honors at guard as a sophomore. He was recently named second team Preseason All-American by D2Football.com. Four of the five were 12-game starters and All-MIAA award winners last season.
Missouri Western will debut a new starting quarterback. The pre-game depth chart listed either senior Wyatt Steigerwald or redshirt-freshman Anthony Vespo as the first to take a snap in 2019. Steigerwald completed 15 passes for 216 yards and three touchdowns as Dom Marino's backup last year after transferring from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M.
The Griffon backfield will feature plenty of experience, but not a ton in black & gold. Junior Shamar Griffith is the team's leading returning rusher, earning honorable mention All-MIAA status with 665 yards, four touchdowns and a 6.5-yard per rush average as a sophomore. He'll likely split time with graduate transfers Markel Smith (Illinois State) and Deron Thompson (Kansas). Smith rushed for 1,143 yards in two seasons at Illinois State after a 913-yard performance as a freshman at Central Missouri.
MWSU will likely line up on defense with just two senior starters on Thursday, Marquis Caldwell (DL) and Anthony Williams (LB). Williams led the team with 84 tackles in 2018. The senior duo will team up with a talented young group. The Griffons' 2-deep defense for Northwest features six freshman, five sophomores and nine juniors.
Matt Williamson enters his third season leading his alma mater in 2019. The former Griffon All-American defensive lineman oversaw a three-game improvement from year one to year two and brought the program its first postseason berth and win since 2012.

THE OPPONENT

Northwest enters ranked No. 6 in the AFCA preseason poll. The Bearcats were picked first in the MIAA Preseason Media Poll and second in the coaches poll after going 10-3 and sharing the conference title with Fort Hays State last year.
Northwest's Rich Wright is also entering his third year leading the Bearcats. The longtime Northwest assistant posted a 19-6 record through his fist seasons.

UPCOMING

The schedule doesn't let up an inch next week as Missouri Western travels to No. 11 Fort Hays State for a Thursday night showdown.
Fort Hays State split first place spots with Northwest in the MIAA Preseason Polls after sharing the conference title with the Bearcats last season for the Tigers' second straight conference crown.
Missouri Western did hand Fort Hays State one of just two regular season losses in week two last season, 23-13, over the then No. 5-ranked Tigers.
The Griffons return home Sept. 21 to host Central Missouri. It will be Military Appreciation Night along with St. Joseph School District Night. Fans will be treated to a post-game fireworks show over Spratt Stadium.

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Players Mentioned

#4 Dom Marino: QB; 6' 2"; Senior

#3 Shamar Griffith: RB; 5' 7"; Junior

#4 Deron Thompson: RB; 5' 9"; Graduate Student

#6 Markel Smith: RB; 5' 11"; Graduate Student

#11 Anthony Vespo: QB; 6' 3"; Redshirt Freshman

#12 Wyatt Steigerwald: QB; 6' 0"; Senior

#23 Anthony Williams: LB; 6' 2"; Senior

#50 Shawn Rouse: OL; 6' 3"; Senior

#72 Hayden Eatinger: OL; 6' 3"; Senior

#43 Marquis Caldwell: DL; 6' 2"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#4 Dom Marino
: 6' 2"; Senior
: QB

#3 Shamar Griffith
: 5' 7"; Junior
: RB

#4 Deron Thompson
: 5' 9"; Graduate Student
: RB

#6 Markel Smith
: 5' 11"; Graduate Student
: RB

#11 Anthony Vespo
: 6' 3"; Redshirt Freshman
: QB

#12 Wyatt Steigerwald
: 6' 0"; Senior
: QB

#23 Anthony Williams
: 6' 2"; Senior
: LB

#50 Shawn Rouse
: 6' 3"; Senior
: OL

#72 Hayden Eatinger
: 6' 3"; Senior
: OL

#43 Marquis Caldwell
: 6' 2"; Senior
: DL