GLENVILLE, W.Va. - Glenville State Football begins the 2024 season on Saturday (Aug. 31) with South Atlantic Conference (SAC) member Emory & Henry on the road. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m. inside Fred Selfe Stadium on Nicewonder Field.

THE MIKE KELLAR SHOW
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GAME INFORMATION
Saturday, August 31 | 1 p.m. | Fred Selfe Stadium (Emory, Va.)
Glenville State at Emory & Henry
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THE OPPONENT
EMORY & HENRY
2023 Season
The Wasps finished the 2023 season (5-6, 4-5 SAC), landing 4th in the SAC Mountain Division and 7th overall in the league. E&H started the year 2-0 with victories over Concord and Bluefield State but would lose their next three games before alternating wins and losses for the remainder of the year. Emory & Henry was picked 10th in the SAC Preseason Coaches Poll.

2023 By The Numbers

• 28.5 Points Per Game (3rd SAC)
• 275.3 Yards Per Game (11th SAC)
• 167.9 Passing YPG (9th SAC)
• 107.4 Rushing YPG (11th SAC)
• 37% 3rd Down Conversion (8th SAC)
• 25.5 PPG Allowed (9th SAC)
• 360.9 YPG Allowed (9th SAC)
• 21 Interceptions (1st SAC)

Head Coach
Quintin Hunter is in his first season leading the Wasps as the Interim Head Coach and his third season back with the program. Hunter took over for Curt Newsome, who stepped down due to health reasons on July 30th. Newson held the keys to the program for 10 seasons, racking up 53 wins and coaching 94 all-conference Wasps. Hunter was the program's Offensive Coordinator and Wide Receivers Coach under Newsome.

Hunter started his coaching career at E&H, coaching the QB's and RB's for five years. He then spent three years on the coaching staff at UVA Wise. Hunter played collegiately at James Madison, where he was a three-year letterman for the Dukes after spending his freshman season at the University of Virginia. 

Wasps' Offense
Charles Mutter III will start at QB for the Wasps as the 6-2, 210-pound gunslinger started in eight games in 2023. He threw for 1,185 yards and 14 touchdowns on 90-177 passing. Mutter will be joined by Division I transfer Jordan Jackson in the backfield. Jackson led the St. Francis (Pa.) Red Flash with 107 carries for 536 yards and four touchdowns in 2023. All-SAC Mountain Division performer Cam Peoples (44 catches for 438 yards and three TD's in 2023) is slated to be Mutter's number one option at WR while Jakari Mozelle and Hunter Bolden will open up out wide and complete the starters at wide receiver.

Nate Tinnell is the new starter at tight end after spending most of the 2023 season as a special  teams participant. All-SAC Mountain Division performer Noah Sage (right guard) and Preseason All-SAC Mountain Division selection Deshaun Sharp (left guard) head the offensive line for E&H.

Wasps' Defense
The defense is headlined up front by Preseason All-SAC Mountain Division picks Ean Rhea (defensive end) and defensive tackle Andre. Crawley Jr. Senior Kaleb Lundy is back after earning All-Conference, All-Super Region Two and Don Hansen Honorable Mention All-America honors in 2023. Josh McCray is expected to fly around with Lundy at linebacker for the Wasps.

5th-year defensive back Addison Knicely is the star of the secondary for Emory & Henry, coming off a 2023 campaign that saw him put together 92 tackles, 5.5 TFL, five interceptions and two blocked kicks. The All-SAC Mountain Division team honoree last year is on the league's All-Conference Preseason team as well. Juniors Shawn Collins and Chendrick Cann are penciled in at the corner positions with Jarrell Harrison and Jacob Robinson playing over the top at free and strong safety.

Wasps' Special Teams
Kicker Trace Butcher was on the All-SAC Mountain Division team in 2023 after hitting 12 field goals in 18 attempts with a long 50. He also went 35-36 on extra points. South African punter Wally Venter will handle the punting duties for E&H. Cam Peoples was an All-Conference returner last year as well and is expected to return kicks and punts in the season opener.

THE PIONEERS
GLENVILLE STATE
2023 Season
The Pioneers closed out the 2023 season (6-4, 5-4 MEC), finishing 6th in the Mountain East Conference. GSU opened the year 2-0 with victories over Northwood (Mich.) and MEC preseason favorite, Notre Dame College (Ohio). The Pioneers went on a three-game losing streak following their win over the Falcons at home, however they went (4-1) in their final five games of the season to reach six victories. Glenville State was recently selected to finish 5th in the MEC Preseason Coaches Poll.

2023 By The Numbers

• 27.1 Points Per Game (8th MEC)
• 355.7 Yards Per Game (7th MEC)
• 210.8 Passing YPG (6th MEC)
• 144.9 Rushing YPG (8th MEC)
• 34% 3rd Down Conversion (8th MEC)
• 24.3 PPG Allowed (5th MEC)
• 340.7 YPG Allowed (4th MEC)
• 17 Interceptions (2nd MEC)

Head Coach
Mike Kellar is at the helm for his 6th season with the Pioneers. Under Kellar, GSU has three winning seasons, two seven-win seasons, 12 All-MEC First Team selections and one MEC Defensive Player of the Year winner. Kellar has also led the Pioneers to consecutive winning seasons in 2022 and 2023. In his long coaching career, he has been a part of seven conference championship teams and appeared in the playoffs three times. 

Pioneers' Offense
Anthony Garrett will be behind center once again for the Pioneers after starting all 10 games last year and six games as a true freshman in 2022. The junior from Detroit, Mich. threw for 1,969 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2023, including a 351-yard performance at West Liberty. Junior Tariq Miller is the leading receiver back from last year, where he caught 25 passes for 376 yards and two touchdowns. Dylan Day has earned his way into the mix as the senior from Parkersburg South has 12 receptions for 218 yards and two touchdowns during his career. 

Aside from Miller and Day, the WR room has been reformed with transfers and talented freshman. Former Fairmont State / Ventura CC receiver Naseem Pacheco will start in the slot to round out the starting receiving core for the Pioneers. The redshirt junior played in just six games last year at Ventura but had 30 receptions for 409 yards and three touchdowns for the FSU in 2022. Arnav Thornhill joins the rotation after two seasons at Presbyterian. The 5-9, redshirt sophomore was a First Team All-State selection in high school. Freshman Kordell Lewis has been impressive thus far in fall camp and has earned his spot in the rotation. At 6-3, the Lakeland, Fla. product gives the Pioneers a big target downfield after posting 26 receptions, 445 yards and six touchdowns in 2023 at Lake Gibson HS.

At the tight end position, Lucas Rippetoe moves from linebacker where he played five games at last year for the Pioneers. The 6-0, 230-pound sophomore played TE/H-Back at Hurricane HS, earning Second Team All-State Utility. 6-5, 250-pound VMI transfer Ben George gives Garrett a big option in the middle of the field and in the redone. Northern Illinois transfer Sean Elmore completes the TE room for the Pioneers.

In the backfield, Zavione Wood returns and takes the role as RB1 for the Pioneers. Wood, redshirt junior who joined the Pioneers last year from Western Kentucky via the transfer portal, carried the ball 59 times for 258 yards and one TD on the ground. Through the air, he caught eight passes for 86 yards and a touchdown. West Virginia transfer Markquan Rucker joins the rotation after appearing in seven games for the Mountaineers. At 6-0, 212 pounds, Rucker is the all-time leading rusher in Tyler Consolidated HS history and was the 2019 Mid-Ohio Valley RB of the Year. Redshirt freshman Jeremiah King is slated to get carries as well for the Pioneers after earning All-State three times and being the school and county's all-time leading rusher at Robert C. Byrd HS in Clarksburg.

The offensive line returns four Pioneers who have started or played valuable snaps up front. Redshirt junior Jaheziah Wade gets the nod at left tackle, while 2023 All-MEC Honorable Mention selection Justin Collier returns at left guard. Payton Hawkins shifts from left tackle to center and Michael Hogan will make his first collegiate start at right guard after redshirting last year. 2022 All-MEC Honorable Mention honoree Roy Coppedge finishes out the offensive line at right tackle.

Pioneers' Defense
Experience has been a heavy talking point when speaking with HC Mike Kellar for the recent Pioneer Coaches Show Specials, as the defense returns nearly all of its production from last year. Seniors Jayleem Santos and Isaiah Macklin (All-MEC Second Team selection in 2023) look to hold down the interior of the line once again this season as senior Joshua Carr and Jamair Diaz guard the edges. Backups Marion Lawson and Tank Gant are back, providing production and experience to d-line. Redshirt sophomore Deondre Crudup has played his way into the rotation of the defensive line and 6-3, 265-pound freshman Eugene Allen will see snaps off the edge.

At linebacker, the Pioneers lost two-time All-MEC Second Team and 2023 All-MEC First Team honoree Seth Arnold but return key pieces in senior Steve Bradshaw, senior Hayden Moore and redshirt sophomore Brogan Brown. True freshman Casey Minor, the 2023 Chuck Howley Award winner (best LB in W.Va.), is in the mix for linebackers coach Anthony Kellar. Junior Sean Scott gives the Pioneers flexibility, being able to roll down as the Sam backer but also fly around and make plays in coverage. Braden Boggs, a freshman from Haymarket, Va., who earned All-State honors twice, backs up Scott.

Another experienced room is the defensive backs, led by DB coach and newly elevated Defensive Coordinator JJ Mayer. Three seniors make up the secondary in 2023 All-MEC Second Teamer Mark Shepherd Jr. (cornerback), three-time All-Conference member Shaun Sterling Jr. (strong safety) and De Vante Roberson. Former All-MEC First Team selection Brandon Penn is back at free safety as well. Andre Jefferson and rising freshman Shahide Battle will back up Shepherd and Roberson at corner while long and athletic freshmen Jaiden McLendon Parker and Elia Jeffry Ofosu are reinforcements at safety. GSU returns 14 total players from the defense who started or produced from last year's team.

Pioneers' Special Teams
Brody Layman is the kicker for the Pioneers afters starting all 10 games last year as a true freshman. He went 7-9 on field goals with a long of 32 and was 30-34 on PAT's. Zander Watson is tabbed the starting punter after holding that role all of last year.  In 2023, he averaged 38 yards per punt with 16 inside the 20-yard line. Aaron Tate handles the long snapping duties again while Tariq Miller and Jeremiah King will return kicks and punts for the Pioneers.

MEDIA
Fans can follow Glenville State Football on Twitter (X) @GlenvilleStFB and Instagram @GlenvilleStFB for news and score updates plus many more all season long. 

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