ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Let the Tyler Fenwick Era of Griffon Football begin.
As the proverbial storm known as the Division II college football season begins to swarm around St. Joseph, a new yet familiar sensation takes hold of Missouri Western mere days before its opener at Spratt Stadium. Headed into Thursday's 7 p.m. matchup with MIAA foe Central Missouri, all eyes will be on Fenwick and his new staff full of familiar faces to lead the Griffons back to prominence.
It was Fenwick himself who helped guide MWSU to its former glory days from 2007-12, coordinating an offense that lit up defenses everywhere en route to the team's best season ever at 12-2 and a spot in the NCAA DII Quarterfinals. Even when tasked with kicking off Griffon Athletics' competitive home schedule for the school year and giving this city so much to look forward to, Fenwick's focus on the 2023 season plays out more like a storybook.
"We don't ever talk to our kids about anything else but what's in front of us," Fenwick said. "It's kind of like a chapter book. We're going to get through the first chapter, and then we're going to start reading the second chapter, and then the third chapter and take it day by day.
Key coaching figures like Offensive Coordinator Todd Throckmorton and Defensive Coordinator Erik Johnson represent both sides of Griffon Football's past and present. Now in his fourth stint with the team after first coaching at Missouri Western in the 1990s, Throckmorton represents a piece of the program's heyday and what made the Griffs so good during Fenwick's initial run. Johnson represents the rejuvenation of the coaching staff, first joining Fenwick at Southeastern Oklahoma State and going on to enjoy two postseason appearances from 2019-21.
Mixed in the middle of these different Griffon generations are a Pandora's box of players to follow, including nine returning All-MIAA studs and a variety of newcomers with something to prove. Accompanied by seven coaches either joining or rejoining the staff along with four returners, Fenwick never falls short when it comes to remembering the rich history he helped create at MWSU and what it will take to exceed expectations.
"Every time I go out to practice, it gives me chills," Fenwick said. "You look up, and it's just like, man, there's so many memories. There are so many things and so many people that have helped me get back to where I am now. There's a lot of tradition and history and people pulling for you that you want to make proud. We go to work every day to make Griff nation and the people that support us proud of what we're doing and try to put on a good show for them."
TICKETS + WHERE TO WATCH/LISTEN
Griffon Football is once again gracing the airwaves of KFEQ Radio, as fans can tune in with "The Voice of the Griffons" Tommy Rezac and Director of Athletic Communications/sideline reporter Derek Zimmerman-Guyer. The game can be heard on KFEQ - AM 680 and the KFEQ Live Stream.
The game is also available to watch for a subscription fee on the MIAA Network. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., with pregame starting at 6. Game admission and parking tickets are available in the "Tickets" tab.
PLAYING ON PAPER
The Griffons were picked ninth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' and Media Polls. Meanwhile, UCM was picked seventh in both polls. With the Griffons returning 15 starters and nine All-MIAA players, the Mules return 10 starters from a year ago, eight of whom earned All-MIAA awards.
ABOUT LAST SEASON
MWSU
After jumping out to a hot 2-0 start, Missouri Western ran into a four-game losing streak. The Griffons ended the season winning two out of their last three, going 5-6 overall and within the MIAA. The team finished as the second overall rushing offense in the MIAA and eighth in DII with 232.7 yards per game. The MWSU passing defense ran a tight ship, taking the air out of the sails of most passing games and only allowing 182.8 yards per game, the best mark in the MIAA.
The Griffons also had the third-best defensive unit in the MIAA, yielding just 329.7 yards per contest. The Griffon offense racked up the second-most yards per game in 2022, averaging 412.3 each outing.
UCM
Central Missouri started last season 0-4, playing MIAA Champions Pittsburg State in the season opener and then nationally-ranked teams like No. 22 Washburn, No. 2 Northwest Missouri State and No. 19 Nebraska Kearney. The only time UCM strung together a pair of wins came from Oct.29-Nov.5 when the Mules beat Lincoln and MWSU.
Offensively, the Mules were the seventh-best team in the conference, averaging 364.5 yards per game. Thanks to an All-MIAA quarterback in Cedric Case, the Mules did throw for 246.5 yards per game, the third most in the MIAA.
PROLIFIC POSITION PREVIEWS
Coaches
Head Coach Tyler Fenwick will coach his first-ever game as the head honcho for MWSU this Thursday after last coaching at Spratt Stadium as a Griff 3,939 days ago. During his offensive coordinator career from 2007-12 at Western, Fenwick's teams went 53-18. As a head coach with Missouri S&T (2013-18) and Southeastern Oklahoma (2019-21), Fenwick is 53-48 overall.
The 30th head coach in UCM history, second-year man Josh Lamberson went 4-7 in 2022, beating the Griffons 40-37 in double overtime in Warrensburg. His Mules went 0-6 on the road last season, losing by more than one possession five times.
Quarterbacks
The Griffons have two more than capable signal-callers that can guide the offense this season: junior Reagan Jones and senior Armani Edden. Jones is the team's returning starter, leading MWSU with 700 rushing yards (fifth in the MIAA) and was second with seven rushing touchdowns. Edden transferred over from the University of Hawaii, making a name for himself at the College of the Canyons throughout the 2019 season by passing for 27 touchdowns and 3,044 yards with a 63.7 completion percentage. Edden can also provide an explosive effect with his legs, rushing for 270 yards and six touchdowns in 2019.
Junior Cedric Case is back as the Mules' starter this season, slinging the rock for 21 touchdowns, seven interceptions and 2,620 yards in 2022. Cedric started every game for UCM last season, putting up career-highs in every category, including a 16-for-16, six-touchdown day vs. Lincoln on Oct. 29. He earned All-MIAA Honorable Mention honors for his efforts.
QB STATS VS. OPPONENT
- MWSU - Reagan Jones: 1-1 record | 36-for-56, 64.3%, 533 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2 sacks, long of 46. Rushing: 20 attempts, 83 yards, 1 TD, long of 14
- MWSU - Armani Edden: N/A
- UCM - Cedric Case: 1-0 record | 22-for-32, 68.8%, 254 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT, 1 sack. Rushing: 9 attempts, 10 yards, 1 TD, long of 12
Wide Receivers
Both teams benefit from some of the best wide receivers in the game. For MWSU, junior Traveon James leads the show, hauling in a career-high 700 yards last season to rank sixth in the MIAA. Earning a nod to the All-MIAA Second Team, James sits at 1,339 career yards, just 326 shy of tying Brandon Burnside (1997-99) for 10th all-time in program history.
Senior Arkell Smith, an All-MIAA Second Team receiver, led UCM with 720 yards, the fourth most in the conference. His UCM-high of eight touchdowns also tied him for fifth in the MIAA. His 56 receptions from a year ago were also the third most in the league.
RIVALRY RECORD RABBIT HOLE
By the Numbers
Heading into the 39th all-time meeting between the Griffons and the Mules, the series dating back to 1975, MWSU trails 18-19-1. Fenwick went 5-1 vs. UCM from 2007-12.
Last Time Out
On a crisp 49-degree afternoon on Nov. 11, 2022, in Warrensburg, Missouri, MWSU traded blows in an action-packed first half that saw the Griffs erase a 17-7 deficit and go into halftime with a 21-20 lead. Central Missouri took the lead back earlier in the fourth quarter thanks to Case connecting with Arkell Smith from 14 yards out, going up 27-24. The score remained stagnant until kicker Cody Watson hit a career-high 46-yard field goal to tie the game with 32 seconds to go.
However, a Case TD pass of 20 yards to Bo Reeves sealed the game 40-37 in double overtime.
RAVENELL ON THE RISE
With just one more half of a sack, senior defensive lineman CJ Ravenell can tie Daniel Atkinson (2005-09) at 10th all-time with 11 so far in his career. A two-time All-MIAA player, Ravenell led the team with 2.5 sacks last season, making the all-conference second team. In 2021, when he made the All-MIAA Third Team, Ravenell recorded a career-high seven sacks.
ON THIS DATE IN GRIFFON FOOTBALL HISTORY: AUG. 31
Box Score
Opening up the 2006 season on the road in Edmond, Oklahoma, the Griffons went to war with Central Oklahoma. After falling behind 16-7 through two and a half quarters, MWSU went to work, eventually taking a 20-16 lead off of a Michael Burton 35-yard TD pass to Jarrett Brooks. Tied up at 23-23 to end regulation, both teams exchanged fields until UCO took a 29-26 lead to open the second overtime period. Burton and Brooks sent the UCO faithful home unhappy, breaking the Bronchos' hearts with a five-yard scoring connection to win 32-29.
