Game Preview - Shepherd

The #12 Golden Rams (6-0, 3-0) travel to Shepherdstown, WV to take on the Shepherd Rams (4-2, 2-1) on Saturday. Kickoff in Ram Stadium is set for noon.

Series History:
The Golden Rams defeated the ungolden Rams in their only ever meeting: the 2013 NCAA Division II Regional Championship in West Virginia. This will be the their first meeting as members of the PSAC since Shepherd just joined the conference this academic year.

Last Meeting:

12/08/2013 West Chester 28 - Shepherd 7

The Golden Rams took a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter, but the scoring ground to a halt for both teams for the next 30 minutes. Then with Shepherd driving with under seven minutes remaining, cornerback Al-Hajj Shabazz intercepted a pass and returned it 76 yards for a touchdown. On Shepherd's next play from scrimmage, safety Brandon Pepper had a 35-yard pick six. And on Shepherd's very next snap, Pepper nabbed another interception, but no touchdown this time. So the game quickly went from looking like Shepherd was on the verge of tying the contest to West Chester advancing to the national semi-finals in just three snaps.

Scouting the Opponent:

Shepherd is led by long-time assistant and second year head coach Ernie McCook and has a record of 11-5 in that span.

Quarterback Tyson Bagent (164 of 232, 1,912 yards, 13 TD's, 6 int's) was first team All-MEC last year as a true freshman. He has received PSAC East Offensive Player of the Week twice so far this season and leads the conference by far in passing yards per game. Bagent didn't play in Shepherd's game against Lock Haven, and freshman signal caller Christian Etchison (11 of 18, 138 yards) filled in nicely.

While the quarterbacks are young, the receiving corp is not. Wide receiver Dylan Brewer (47 catches, 535 yards, 2 TD's), wide receiver Devin Phelps (28 catches, 460 yards, 4 TD's), running back Deonte Glover (15 catches, 153 yards, 2 TD's), and tight end DJ Cornish (11 catches, 156 yards, 2 TD's) are all in their final year of eligibility. The Rams relied heavily on the passing game until Bagent didn't play against Lock Haven when they turned to Glover (81 carries, 451 yards, 6 TD's) and the running game. After gaining just 137 rushing yards in the first four games combined, Glover ran for 172 yards at Lock Haven and 142 yards against Shippensburg. Right guard Keandre Batson was All-MEC Second Team last season.

Middle linebacker Chrys Lane (46 tackles, 3.5 TFL), defensive tackle Ricky Robinson (13 tackles, 2.5 TFL) and defensive back Ponce Deleon (20 tackles, 1.5 TFL) were All-MEC last year. Defensive end Juwan Addison (14 tackles, 6.5 TFL) leads the team in sacks, while defensive back Antonio Fox (20 tackles, 2 int) leads the squad in picks.

Kicker Hayden August-Scriven is perfect on six field goal attempts with a long of 38 yards, but five of 27 PAT's have failed. Of his 38 kickoffs, 12 have gone for touchbacks, but four have gone out-of-bounds. Punter Noah Pohl has dropped 10 of his 17 punts inside the 20-yard line. Zane Lewis returned a punt for a 67-yard touchdown at Lock Haven while Ronnie Brown is their primary kickoff return threat.

Analysis:

Sure the Golden Rams are undefeated, but they have yet to face a team with a winning record. But the fun part of the season is over. West Chester's next three opponents - Shepherd (4-2), East Stroudsburg (5-1), and Kutztown (6-0) - are currently a combined 15-3, so it's time for the Golden Rams to strap in.

Shepherd has the best offense in the PSAC East, one of the best quarterbacks in the conference, and recently discovered their running game. So it's a matchup of one of the PSAC's best offenses against one of its best defenses. While Bagent gets rid of the ball quickly (Shepherd has only allowed four sacks this season), he does have a penchant for throwing interceptions. One of West Chester's best defensive plays may be their own running game to keep the Shepherd offense off the field.

Notes:
General admission tickets are $15 and are available online or at the gate.

Game Coverage:

Live Stats   Audio   Video  

West Chester Athletic Site - No. 12 West Chester Travels to Shepherd For Saturday's NCAA DII Showcase

West Chester Athletic Site - Depth Chart - West Chester vs. Shepherd

PSAC Site - PSAC Football Notes - Week 7

Shepherd Athletic Site - Shepherd Parking Map

Shepherd Athletic Site - 2019 Ram Press Box Report - Week 7

NCAA.COM - Week 7 schedule, top games, and how to watch

KYW Newsradio - West Chester travels for key game at Shepherd Saturday

Shepherdstown Chronicle - Shepherd vs. West Chester: Exactly what the Rams sought in the PSAC

Martinsburg Journal - Shepherd hosts PSAC East Division favorite

localdvm.com - McCook’s Minute: Rams will rely on Tyson Bagent’s play this weekend against West Chester

D2football - PSAC East Columnist - PSAC East - Week Seven Preview

D2football - The Countdown - Games of the Week - Week Seven