Muskies return home to face undefeated Heidelberg

NEW CONCORD, Ohio – After three straight weeks on the road, the Muskinugm (1-3, 0-3) football team returns to the friendly confines of McConagha Stadium to face a not so friendly opponent.

The Heidelberg Student Princes (3-0, 2-0) come to town and will look to stay undefeated. They and Mount Union are the only teams left in the Ohio Athletic Conference who haven’t lost a league game yet. Heidelberg’s high powered offense has scored 40 or more points in each of their first three games of the season.

However, it’s their defense that Muskies head coach Al Logan gives most of the credit to.

“Out of all the teams we’ve played so far they’re the most talented. They have a ton of kids back on defense. They have an all-American nose guard and three or four other kids that are all-conference players. They play a lot of kids. In the course of the game they’ll play 20 defensive kids,” said Logan.

After winning their season opener, the Muskies have dropped three straight road games. Last Saturday it was rival Marietta that got the best of Muskingum. In that game the Muskies racked up 25 point in the first half and then were shut out in quarters three and four.

Heidelberg is lead offensively by their senior quarterback Tyler Stoyle. He is leading the OAC in passing, averaging 330 yards through the air per game.

“He’s (Stoyle) a play maker. He does a great job. They’re not real complex. He’s got some kids that can run past you and do a great job catching the ball,” said Logan.

This is the 95th time that Heidelberg and Muskingum have met on the football field. The series goes back to 1914, and the Muskies hold the all time advantage 55-33-6.

Saturday’s game will kickoff in New Concord at 1 p.m.