WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. – After more than a year on the sidelines, the West Liberty University football team will open an abbreviated spring schedule on the road Saturday when they take on defending MEC champion Notre Dame.
    Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Mueller Field in South Euclid, Ohio.
    After the NCAA cancelled all fall sports championships due to the pandemic, the Mountain East Conference worked out a plan to allow its football-playing schools to play a shortened schedule in the spring. The league was split into two 6-team divisions, North and South, with the teams playing 5-game round robin division schedules. After that, the division champions will square off in an MEC Championship Game.
    "Our guys needed this," WLU head coach Roger Waialae said. "It's the closest thing to normal we've seen in over a year and that's probably the biggest benefit to our kids and coaches. They're excited to finally get to do what they love to do. Is it going to be a normal game with all the protocols? No. But if you're not excited to be playing the games, you shouldn't be in this profession."
    There are plenty of new faces of both sides of the ball for each team. The Hilltoppers haven't played a game since a 34-26 loss to Charleston on Nov. 16, 2019 while the Falcons have been idle since a 65-59 loss at Slippery Rock in an NCAA Division II national semifinal on Dec. 7, 2019.
    While not a new face, Mickey Mental is filling a new role on the Notre Dame sidelines. The former Falcon assistant head coach took the reins from head coach Mike Jacobs when Jacobs left South Euclid to accept the head coaching job at NCAA Division II Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.).
    Notre Dame must also replace All-American running back Jaleel McLaughlin, who transferred to FCS Youngstown State after rushing for nearly 5,000 yards in two stellar seasons with the Falcons.
    "There's always uncertainty in the first game of any season, especially when you have a coaching change," Waialae said. "Even though Mickey was their offensive coordinator, you wonder if they're going to change their 'ground and pound' approach that they've had such success with after losing McLaughlin and you don't know what else they might be doing differently. We know they still have plenty of good kids coming back so it's going to be a challenge."
    Waialae has several standout veterans of his own returning and he likes what he's seen from his troops during the preseason. Jack Allison, the strong-armed former West Virginia University quarterback who came to WLU a year ago as a graduate transfer, has fit right in.
    "Jack can make all the throws," Waialae said, "but even with him here, our goal is still to be 50-50 run-pass. With (TB) Quincy Wimbish back, we think we'll be able to run the ball as effectively as throwing it. Our two starting wideouts, Will Billeter and Nate Phillips, are a little banged up right now but several receivers have stepped up and I like the depth we've been able to develop there."
    Defensively, West Liberty lost nearly its entire 2019 secondary to graduation but will rely on a veteran front seven, including All-MEC senior linebacker Clay McDonald, to take some of the heat off a talented but developing group of defensive backs.
    "(Junior defensive end) David Gilcreast might be the most improved player on the team," Waialae said. "He got bigger, faster and stronger over the past 18 months and has been competing at a very high level. Everything starts up front and we really like our defensive line. A consistent pass rush would really help take the pressure off our young guys in the back."
    Following Saturday's trip, the Black and Gold will travel to Fairmont State for their second game of the season. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on March 20 under the lights at Duvall-Rosier Stadium.