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Wayne Bradford at Lake Erie
Matt Durisko

Football Bob Shreve, Sports Information Director

Fighting Scots to Make 2019 Debut at 12th-Ranked Grand Valley State

Wayne Bradford begins his third season as head coach at Edinboro.
EDINBORO Fighting Scots (6-5, 3-4 PSAC West in '18)
at #12 GRAND VALLEY STATE Lakers (10-2, 7-1 GLIAC in '18)  

Date: Saturday, September 7, 2019
Site: Allendale, Mich.
Stadium: Lubbers Stadium (10,440)
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Live Stats:  Click Here
Live Video: ESPN3  
Radio: WFSE 88.9 Click Here 

Edinboro Game Notes 
Grand Valley State Game Notes

SCOUTING THE TEAMS
 
Edinboro                 
Schedule     
Roster    
Statistics
 
Grand Valley State            
Schedule 
Roster 
Statistics

THE PSAC
Scores
Standings
Statistics
 
ON RADIO AND TV
The Edinboro-Grand Valley State game can be heard live on WFSE FM 88.9, with Chase Rowland handling the play-by-play and Jacob Jasper providing the color commentary. The WFSE stream can be heard at www.edinboronow.com. In addition, Grand Valley State will be carrying the game on ESPN3.

THE ALL-TIME SERIES
First Meeting

THE COACHES
Wayne Bradford (Salisbury St. '90) was named Edinboro's 15th head coach on March 29, 2017 and led Edinboro to a 7-4 record in his first season. That was followed by a 6-5 finish a year ago, giving Bradford a 13-9 record after two seasons. The 13 wins is tied for the most by an Edinboro head coach in his first two seasons. After serving as interim head coach in 2017, that tag was removed less than a week after the conclusion of the season. With his tenth win as head coach coming against East Stroudsburg last year, Bradford is the fastest coach to reach 10 wins at Edinboro. Bradford has worked under four different head coaches and was an assistant at Edinboro for 18 years before taking over as the interim head coach. He has spent a majority of his time as the Fighting Scots' defensive coordinator, although in 2019 he will move over to the offensive side to oversee the offense. Bradford has master-minded some brilliant defensive performances over the years in a day and age when offense has taken over. For instance, in 2011 the Fighting Scots ranked eighth in Division II in scoring defense (17.0 ppg.), 11th in pass efficiency defense, and 18th in total defense (292.6 ypg.). Edinboro gave up fewer than 20 points in seven of its 11 games. Two years ago, his Edinboro defense finished first in the PSAC and fourth in Division II?in tackles for losses, and second in the PSAC and sixth in the country in sacks. Edinboro finished the 2016 campaign with a 9-2 record, marking the fifth time an Edinboro team with Bradford on the staff tied the school record for victories (9). Three of Edinboro's teams during his tenure have reached the NCAA playoffs, including the 2009 team, which finished at 9-4 and reached the Super Region One?semifinals. All told, he has been a part of 118 wins. 
 
Matt  Mitchell (Cornell, Iowa '97) is in his 10th year as the head coach at Grand Valley State. He has compiled an 87-25 record with five NCAA Division II Playoff appearances, two NCAA Division II National Semifinal appearances, two GLIAC Championships and three GLIAC North Division titles. In addition, Mitchell is 8-5 in NCAA Playoff action. In 15 years as a part of the Laker football program (nine as head coach and six as an assistant), he has coached in two NCAA Division II Championships games, five NCAA semifinal contests and nine NCAA quarterfinal games. GVSU is the only GLIAC team to win at least 12 games in three of the last six years. GVSU returned to the NCAA playoffs in 2018 and finished the season with a 10-2 record. A six-year veteran of the GVSU coaching staff prior to becoming head coach, Mitchell was the defensive coordinator and linebacker/safety coach for the Lakers.
   
THE GAME STORIES
  • Edinboro opens the 2019 campaign facing one of the top Division II teams in the country while playing at Grand Valley State.  The Fighting Scots begin their third season under head coach Wayne Bradford. The Fighting Scots come off a 6-5 finish in 2018 after going 7-4 in Bradford's first season as head coach in 2017.
  • Grand Valley State is once again ranked among the nation's top teams. The Lakers are ranked 12th in AFCA Division II?Preseason Poll and 10th in the D2Football.com rankings. In addition,  Lindy's College Football Yearbook tabbed GVSU at ninth, while Street & Smith's College Football Yearbook ranked the Lakers tenth. Grand Valley State has now been ranked in the top 10 of a national preseason publication 16 times since 2002 (18 polls), including 14 top five rankings  and 12 top three rankings. GVSU is the winningest team in Division II football history with a record of 401-143-2 (.735).
  • This marks the first meeting between Edinboro and Grand Valley State, with the Fighting Scots hosting GVSU next year before playing in Allendale again in 2021.
  • Edinboro was picked to finish fifth in the PSAC West Coaches' Preseason Poll after finishing fourth in the division a year ago with a 3-4 ledger.
  • While being highly-ranked nationally, Grand Valley State was picked to finish third in the GLIAC preseason poll, a testament to the strength of the top of the GLIAC. Ferris State was picked first and Ashland second. The Lakers were 10-2 a year ago, qualifying for the NCAA Division II playoffs three of the last four years and five times in head coach Matt Mitchell's ten-year tenure.  They have won four national championships since 2002.   
  • Edinboro will rely on a defense that showcases a talented secondary, despite losing All-Amercan Zuril Hendrick at cornerback. The Fighting Scots, under defensive coordinator Colin Neely, led the PSAC and ranked fifth in Division II in interceptions with 19, along with ranking first in the conference and fourth nationally in turnovers gained. Edinboro led Division II in tackles for losses and ranked third in the PSAC and 21st nationally in sacks.
  • The Fighting Scots return 27 lettermen, including 14 starters -- five on offense, seven on defense, and two special teams specialists.          
  • Edinboro must replace three players who left an indelible mark on the record books. Running back Walter Fletcher, the 2018 PSAC West Offensive Player of the Year, had back-to-back 1,500-yard plus seasons rushing and moved up to third in career rushing in his first three seasons with 3,913 yards and 41 TDs. He decided to transfer to Division I Ball State for his final season. Wide receiver James Clark set the school record for career receptions with 209, while cornerback Zuril Hendrick broke the career record for interceptions with 21. 
  • Seven players earned All-PSAC West accolades in 2018, with two returning. Strong safety Brandon Anderson was named to the All-PSAC West first team for the second straight year after leading team in tackles for the second straight season with 101. Ta'Nauz Gregory was first team All-PSAC West selection at wide receiver and is now a two-time All-PSAC West performer, along with being named the 2016 PSAC West Freshman of the Year. He caught 50 passes for 796 yards and a league-high 10 TDs.
  • Grand Valley State plays in the friendly confines of Arend D. Lubbers Stadium, one of the top Division II facilities in the nation.  GVSU led the nation in attendance for the seventh consecutive year in 2018, averaging 11,104. In 2017 the Lakers set a single-season, school-record average of 13,342 for five home dates.   Grand Valley State has an all-time record of 192-39-1 (.829) since the stadium was completed in 1979 and GVSU is 107-9 at home since 2001.  
NEXT FOR THE FIGHTING SCOTS 
Saturday, September 14 vs. Bloomsburg -- 12:00 noon
 
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Players Mentioned

James Clark

#1 James Clark

WR
6' 1"
Senior
Walter Fletcher

#5 Walter Fletcher

RB
5' 10"
Redshirt Junior
Zuril Hendrick

#21 Zuril Hendrick

CB
6' 1"
Senior
Brandon Anderson

#9 Brandon Anderson

SS
6' 1"
Redshirt Senior
Ta

#2 Ta'Nauz Gregory

WR
5' 8"
Senior

Players Mentioned

James Clark

#1 James Clark

6' 1"
Senior
WR
Walter Fletcher

#5 Walter Fletcher

5' 10"
Redshirt Junior
RB
Zuril Hendrick

#21 Zuril Hendrick

6' 1"
Senior
CB
Brandon Anderson

#9 Brandon Anderson

6' 1"
Redshirt Senior
SS
Ta

#2 Ta'Nauz Gregory

5' 8"
Senior
WR