Football Heads to William Penn

DUBUQUE, Iowa – Looking to get back into the win column, the Clarke University Pride football team heads to Oskaloosa to take on the Statesmen of William Penn University on Saturday with kickoff set for 1 p.m. at Statesmen Community Stadium. 

Clarke (3-6 overall, 0-3 Heart North) is in the midst of a four game losing streak, with its latest loss coming at the hands of Graceland, 30-7, last weekend. Quarterback Kenyon Williams finished the day 26 of 39 passing for 206 yards. On the ground, Craig Elmore was the top rusher with 15 yards, followed by Darius Hernandez with 13. Linebacker Bryan Valdes led the Pride defense with 13 total tackles, while Courtney Mables and Griffin Mulcahy tied for the lead in tackles for loss with 1.5. Logan Otting and Mark Edwards IV each notched interceptions, while safety Kenneth Spaight had a fumble recovery. Victor Moreno converted on his lone extra point attempt. 

The Series

CU trails the all-time series 0-2, with both contests having been played at Dalzell Field. The last matchup came on Nov. 6, 2021, a 28-17 decision for the Statesmen. Two touchdown passes from Williams and a field goal from Anthony Gomez got the Pride out to a 17-7 halftime lead, but William Penn would go on to score 21-straight to close out the game. 

William Penn at a Glance

The Statesmen (2-6, 0-3) have lost three-straight, with its most recent coming from Culver-Stockton, 49-21. Quarterback Sterling Ramsey II leads the offense with 897 yards and four touchdown passes on 72 of 172 passing (41.9%). Running back Destynd Loring leads the backfield with 269 yards and two touchdowns, while Keegan Simmons has 217 yards and four scores. Wide receiver Trey Mosley has a team-high 30 receptions for 306 yards and a score. 

Defensively, linebacker Harlan Plumber leads the team with 91 total tackles, a mark that stands as the 10^th-most in the country. Defensive linemen Kyriee Lewis has a team-leading 6.5 sacks, followed by Jaden Curtis with 5.5. Four defenders are tied for the lead with one interception, each. As a team, the William Penn offense scores 14.1 points per game, good for 10^th in the Heart of America, while the defense allows the second-most points per game in the conference at 30.6. 

Storylines to Follow

Back In It

Quarterback Brandon Mueller will make his return to the lineup after missing last week's contest due to injury. The El Paso, Texas native has thrown for 1,504 yards and 13 touchdowns in eight appearances this season. 

Unfamiliar Territory

Saturday's game will be the first for Clarke in Oskaloosa throughout the short history of the program. Winning on the road isn't a daunting task to this team, however, as two of its three victories have come in enemy territory. 

Follow the Pride

For the latest information on Pride football, visit ClarkePride.com. You can also find the team on social media, including Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube