Football | 10/10/2019 10:00:00 AM

    WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – The West Liberty University football team would like nothing better than to celebrate Homecoming with a win here Saturday as the Black and Gold welcome Concord to West Family Stadium.
    Kickoff for WLU's first Saturday afternoon home game of the season is set for 1 p.m.
    Both teams are on the rebound this weekend as Coach Roger Waialae's Hilltoppers (2-3, 2-3) dropped a 39-29 decision at West Virginia State a week ago while Coach Paul Price's Mountain Lions (0-5, 0-4) came out on the short end of a 38-14 tally in a non-conference test at Hillsdale (Mich.).
    Waialae said a combination of missed opportunities and mental miscues proved lethal to the WLU cause in Institute on Saturday but the veteran head man said the Black and Gold had no one to blame but themselves as the Yellow Jackets remained unbeaten in conference play.
    "Football still comes down to blocking and tackling," Waialae said, "and we didn't get it done. State was the more physical team and won the battle at the line of scrimmage. We have been a pretty good tackling team all year but we missed too many tackles on defense and too many opportunities on offense. You can't do that against a good football team and expect to come away with a positive result."
    Concord comes into Saturday's game still seeking its first win of the season but the Mountain Lions' record may be a bit deceiving. Price's squad took Glenville State to overtime before falling and led West Virginia State in the fourth quarter before the Yellow Jackets rallied late.
    Wide receivers Brandon Plyler and Tywan Pearce each rank among the Top 20 receivers in the nation in catches per game. Both wideouts went over the 100-yard mark at Hillsdale last week with Plyler hauling in 10 passes for 150 yards. Senior Kyle Akin and freshman Matt Shearer have combined for nearly 1,200 passing yards with Akin also a dangerous run threat. Concord's defense is led by LB Dwain Porterfield, who ranks among the Top 10 nationally with an average of 6.4 solo tackles per game.
    "We don't look at records," Waialae said, "we look for playmaking ability and we know Concord has playmakers on both sides of the ball. We came back from a big deficit at their place last year but wound up losing because we got passive defensively in the second half and gave up a couple of big plays."
    There were some bright spots for the Hilltoppers at West Virginia State. Senior QB Zach Phillips went over the 5,000-yard career passing mark while throwing three TD passes and running for another score. Wide receivers Isaiah Robinson and Christian Rita combined for 130 receiving yards on six catches. Senior DBs Logan Deri and Josh Ojo each had double-figure tackles while freshman DB Davonte Williams thwarted two Yellow Jacket drives with interceptions.
    "Last week, we had no energy getting off the bus, which was a big surprise coming off the way we had played against Glenville the week before," Waialae said. "We have to play with passion, take advantage of the matchups, focus and execute. I think we're looking forward to getting back on the field here Saturday."
    Homecoming festivities kick off at 9 a.m. on Saturday with the inaugural "Rise and Shine with Glaze and Grinds" event, sponsored by the WLU Foundation. It starts with a fruit, coffee and donuts breakfast inside the Alumni Tent with guided tours of the university campus to follow. Tailgating with all the usual food trucks, live music and family-friendly activities also begins at 9 a.m. in the lots adjacent to West Family Stadium.
    The annual Homecoming Parade is set for 10:30 a.m. with students and alumni tailgating before and during the game. The alumni's 2019 Wall of Honor inductees – Rich Lucas and Fred Kinder – will be honored and the 2019 Homecoming King and Queen will be announced at halftime.
    Students wrap up their Homecoming day with the annual Homecoming Dance in the ASRC from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. The new Mac's Club II, located directly across from campus, will host an Alumni After Game Party in the afternoon with a Homecoming Post Party set for 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Generations Restaurant and Pub.