Following a Kansas Conference-wide bye week the Coyotes play league foe Avila on Saturday. Kickoff is 1 p.m. at Zarda Multisport Complex in Kansas City, Missouri.
LIVE COVERAGE
The video stream of the game will be available online through the Coyote Sports Network at www.kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan.
Live Stats will be available at https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
Radio coverage can be heard locally on KINA 910 AM/107.5 FM, and online at Eagle Communication's Post Sites (salinapost.com in Salina). The online stream is also available at https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2.
Tyler Henry will have the call with pregame starting at Noon
RECORDS
Kansas Wesleyan 4-2
Avila 1-5
THE SERIES
Saturday's game will be the sixth between the two schools. KWU has a 3-2 lead in the series but Avila has won two of the last three including an 18-14 victory last season at JRI Stadium. The Eagles won 30-20 in Kansas City in 2021 and KWU 46-38 in 2020 at Graves Family Sports Complex.
KANSAS WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE
The Coyotes won three games in a row before taking last Saturday off that was part of the KCAC-wide bye week. They defeated McPherson 10-7 September 30 in McPherson before the break. The defense was superb once again limiting the Bulldogs to 297 yards and 35 points below their season average.
After going 4-2 against teams in the Dr. Ted Kessinger Division the Coyotes' the last five games will be against their opponents in the Gene Bissell Division. The division winners receive berths in the NAIA playoffs.
KWU's opponents are averaging 15.5 points and 288.7 yards per game – 135 rushing and 153.7 passing. The Coyotes are averaging 18.3 points and 253 yards – 127.8 rushing and 125.2 passing.
Freshman quarterback Byron McNair made his college debut in the third quarter against McPherson and led the Coyotes on a game-winning 75-yard, nine-play drive in the fourth quarter. He was 7 of 11 passing for 115 yards and had 15 yards rushing on seven carries. Richard Lara started the game and was 7 of 16 for 54 yards.
Coach Matt Myers said a decision on Saturday's starting quarterback would be made later in the week.
AVILA AT A GLANCE
The Eagles have lost five in a row since defeating Bethany in the season opener. They lost to Evangel 44-6 in their game before the break and fell to McPherson 42-21 the previous week.
Opponents have averaged 42.3 points and 476.3 yards this season. Avila is averaging 26.7 points and 353.5 yards (224.7 passing) per game.
Quarterback Eli Williams has had a terrific sophomore season thus far. A transfer from TCU before last season the 6-foot-4 Williams has thrown for 1,334 yards with 10 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also has a team-best 313 yards rushing and seven more touchdowns.
Williams threw for 140 yards, two touchdowns and had 43 yards rushing in Avila's victory over KWU last season.
Kareem Chambers (22 receptions, 225 yards) and Robert Brooks (20-227) are the top wide receivers in 2023. Three others have at least 13 catches.
KWU COACH MATT MYERS
"(Williams) is the most talented player we'll probably play against. He put up 40-plus (points) on Southwestern, he'll be a challenge to say the least. He's tall, he's fast, and he can see everything. Our job will be to contain him as much as humanly possible and force him to do some things that he's not used to doing, hopefully. We need to keep him in the pocket and make him uncomfortable. Their skill positions are really good, their tailbacks are good, their wide receivers are really good. They're a little young up front. The game is the reverse of the first half of the season when we played a lot of run-heavy teams; (Avila) throws it 80 percent of the time."
"We are going to evaluate it and put the best guy out there (at quarterback) that we think can sustain drives, make really good decisions and score points."
"Whoever dreamt up the (new KCAC) schedule was a genius. (The bye) was really nice, everyone got to relax for a week. It was a welcome respite."
NEXT WEEK
The Coyotes play Saint Mary in their homecoming game at 5 p.m. Saturday at JRI Stadium.