Stephon Brown returns for his third year at quarterback for the Bronchos. [UCO Photo Services]

Football 8/28/2023 6:00:00 AM Chris Brannick

UCO Hosts Kearney In 2023 Season Opener

Central Oklahoma Starts New Year Thursday Night At Chad Richison Stadium

EDMOND – Central Oklahoma kicks off a new season Thursday night when the Bronchos host Nebraska Kearney at Chad Richison Stadium.

Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. UCO is hosting First Responders Night sponsored by Oklahoma ER & Hospital and TTCU Federal Credit Union. Tailgating will begin at 5 p.m. with a touch-a-truck featuring emergency response vehicles in addition to food, fun activities, and giveaways.

The Bronchos and the Lopers of Kearney, Nebraska ended up tied for fifth in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll announced at Media Day last month. UCO was picked fifth to UNK's sixth in the MIAA Preseason Media Poll. Kearney finished the 2022 season tied for third at 8-3 while Central Oklahoma was 6-5 and in sixth place.

The new season will be the second for head coach Adam Dorrel, the three-time national coach of the year, who got the program back above the .500 mark for the first time since 2018 with six wins in year one, now looks to build off that start Thursday night.

"We've got a lot of newcomers this year, over half the roster, but we've got some really talented kids," Dorrel said. "We hope to see better numbers on offense and we hope our defense keeps improving. We were good in several areas last year and we're trying to build off that."

While UCO brings in dozens of newcomers, there are almost 50 returning from last year's squad. That includes All-MIAA selections on both sides of the ball and an All-American kicker.

Stephon Brown has yet to garner All-MIAA accolades, but the sixth-year senior entering his third fall with the Bronchos is poised for his best year yet. Brown threw for 538 yards and one TD in 2021 and added 386 rushing yards with 11 touchdowns. Last season, he posted 1,786 passing yards and 12 touchdowns and added 458 rushing yards and six scores.

The 6-foot-5 quarterback stands at 2,324 passing yards and 834 rushing yards in two seasons with the Bronchos. He's thrown 13 touchdowns and rushed for 17.

UCO's offense, which scored 22.4 points per game last season and put up 340.5 yards of total offense per game, looks to improve with a veteran offensive line and new playmakers at the skill positions.

Layne Grantham enters his fourth season starting on the offensive line. Cooper McCoy and Noah Dobson enter their third year as starters up front. And Montriel Lee is also a returning starter up front.

The Bronchos averaged 147.8 rushing yards per game and scored 16 touchdowns on the ground. Payton Scott, another sixth-year senior and one of two Bronchos to play all six years at Central, is back to wrap up his career. Scott has 497 career rushing yards and four touchdowns to along with 114 career receiving yards.

Jaylen Cottrell and Andrew Carney are also returning in the backfield. Cottrell was second to Brown in rushing yards a year ago with 360 yards. He had three touchdowns and the longest rush from scrimmage in the MIAA with his 83-yard score that helped the Bronchos upset No. 2 Northwest Missouri in Week 4. Carney finished his true freshman season with 44 carries and 186 yards from the fullback position. He also scored three touchdowns.

Jacob Delso and Oscar Hammond lead the returning group of receivers and tight ends. Delso led the team with 29 receptions and 445 yards and four touchdowns. Hammond, who earned All-MIAA honors, had 25 receptions for 327 yards and one score – an 80-yard touchdown in a win over Fort Hays State. Cottrell was second in receptions too with 27, and had 154 yards and one touchdown out of the backfield.

Dominique Dunn is also back at tight end and Terrill Davis and Madison Ridgeway are back at receiver.

Dorrel added newcomers at running back, receiver, and tight end to bolster the 2023 offense.

Defensively, Central Oklahoma ranked fifth in the MIAA in scoring defense, total defense, and rushing defense, while the Bronchos were fourth in passing defense. UCO added talent at every position this offseason and, like the offense, will look at some veterans to lead the way.

Kobey Stephens earned All-MIAA honors last year and Noah West did the year before. So did Dylan Buchheit. They both put up better numbers in 2022 and now look to do it again in this fall.

Connor Johnson and West both return at linebacker along with Zhyon Bell and another sixth-year Broncho in Marlo Hughes Jr. Hunter Largent and Zane Adams are both back on the front lines. Johnathan Mosley, Emmonte Davis, Rae'Quan Wicks, and Kyshon Murray Jr. are among several returners on the back end looking to build the defense from upper middle to top of the league.

Nicky Quevedo returns to the Bronchos as an All-American kicker. The junior has been a big part of putting points on the board for the Bronchos for the last two seasons and looks to continue to climb of the scoring list this season. The junior kicker is 15 of 18 on field goal attempts in his career with a long of 45 yards (done twice against Kearney when he made four in one game last season). David Vargas is also back to handle punting duties, trying to build off a successful first season a year ago.

Central Oklahoma opens the 2023 season with the first of five home games this fall. The Bronchos will play at Central Missouri in Week 2, making the trip to Warrensburg, Missouri Saturday, Sept. 9. UCO hosts Missouri Western in Week 3 before a trip to Emporia State in Week 4. The Bronchos host Missouri Southern in Week 5 before a trip to Northwest Missouri in Week 6. Lincoln visits UCO in Week 7 in what will be a non-conference matchup against the departing Blue Tigers.

The Bronchos finish the season with three of four games on the road. After trips to Tahlequah and Hays, Kansas in Week's 8 & 9, UCO hosts Washburn in Week 10 to close out the home slate before a trip to Pittsburg State concludes the 2023 regular season Nov. 11.

Kearney went 8-3 last year including a 20-18 win over Central Oklahoma in Week 10 in Nebraska. The Lopers made a coaching change in the offseason, bringing Ryan Held to town. He inherits a team with three returning All-Americans including T.J. Davis.

The sixth-year dual-threat quarterback won MIAA Freshman of the Year honors in 2019, and then became a two-time MIAA Player of the Year and two-time Harlon Hill Trophy finalist, racking up big awards at every turn in his career. He enters his final season with 3,664 rushing yards and 58 rushing touchdowns, to go with 4,791 passing yards and 47 passing touchdowns.

Kearney averaged 32.8 points per game last season, putting up 401.7 yards per game. The Lopers split 264.2 rushing yards and 137.5 passing yards.

UNK beat UCO 20-18 last year with a 28-yard field goal as time expired the difference in the game. That marked two wins in a row in the all-time series between the two schools. UCO owns a 7-5 record in the series that started in the NAIA Playoffs in 1979. The series is tied 4-4 since the games became MIAA competitions, with the winner alternating each year from 2015-21. Thursday will mark the first time the teams face off in Week 1. Kearney spoiled Central's home opener in Week 2 of the 2018 season.

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Players Mentioned

#57 Zane Adams: DL; 6' 1"; Junior

#46 Zhyon Bell: LB; 6' 1"; Senior

#2 Stephon Brown: QB; 6' 5"; Senior

#10 Dylan Buchheit: DB; 6' 1"; Senior

#18 Andrew Carney: RB; 6' 1"; Sophomore

#20 Jaylen Cottrell: RB; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#14 Emmonte Davis: DB; 6' 1"; Junior

#8 Terrill Davis: WR; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#1 Jacob Delso: WR; 6' 0"; Junior

#78 Noah Dobson: OL; 6' 3"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#57 Zane Adams
: 6' 1"; Junior
: DL

#46 Zhyon Bell
: 6' 1"; Senior
: LB

#2 Stephon Brown
: 6' 5"; Senior
: QB

#10 Dylan Buchheit
: 6' 1"; Senior
: DB

#18 Andrew Carney
: 6' 1"; Sophomore
: RB

#20 Jaylen Cottrell
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: RB

#14 Emmonte Davis
: 6' 1"; Junior
: DB

#8 Terrill Davis
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: WR

#1 Jacob Delso
: 6' 0"; Junior
: WR

#78 Noah Dobson
: 6' 3"; Junior
: OL