LIBERTY REPORT: Scouting Glenville State

By Chris Lang
Sports writer
Published: September 4, 2008

GLENVILLE STATE HAS never come close to beating Liberty. In fact, the Division II Pioneers have scored just 21 points in three meetings—seven points in each loss. Though Liberty is thoroughly dinged up on both sides of the ball (captains Rashad Jennings and Nick Hursky will miss the game following surgical procedures this week), Pioneers coach Alan Fiddler is still wary of the Flames.

“I expect a great crowd and a very good football team lined up across from us,” Fiddler said. “They’re highly ranked and they deserve that.”

TAILBACK JERRY SEYMOUR paces the Pioneer attack. He broke Glenville State’s single season rushing mark with 1,714 yards and 15 touchdowns last season in his first year as a Pioneer.

Despite his size (he’s only 5-foot-7), he’s one of Division II’s top running backs. He had 138 yards of total offense in the Pioneers’ 30-0 season-opening victory at Lock Haven last week. Several NFL teams have shown interest in the senior. A Cleveland Browns scout was in Glenville Thursday, Fiddler said.

“He’s very quick. He can start and stop on a dime,” Fiddler said. “He’s a strong kid. He can take a beating. He’s just a physical kid.”

He spent 2003 and 2004 at Central Michigan, breaking the 1,000-yard mark both seasons. So why the long break between his sophomore and junior years?

Legal troubles, to say the least.

Seymour and teammate James King were charged with second-degree murder for their alleged roles in a June 2004 bar brawl in Mount Pleasant, Mich. They eventually pleaded no contest to one misdemeanor count each of attempted assault with a deadly weapon.

Here are the pertinent facts:

The full story on the incident can be found here on CourtTV’s Web site.

Seymour was later sentenced to six months in jail and five years probation.

This story by the Central Michigan Daily’s Jason Barczy details Seymour’s departure from CMU.

Here’s the Associated Press recap of the sentencing.

SEYMOUR ISN‘T THE Pioneers’ only offensive standout. Quarterback James McCants completed 12 of 27 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns last Thursday night at Lock Haven. Freshman receiver Antwan Stewart had a breakout game, catching three passes for 151 yards, including a 91-yard touchdown pass late in the first half that broke the game open. Glenville scored all its points before halftime.

GLENVILLE STATE HAS some famous coaching alumni, including Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez, who cut his teeth in the WVIAC before making stops as an assistant coach at Tulane and Clemson and taking the head coaching job at West Virginia. Rodriguez, obviously, isn’t a very popular figure in West Virginia these days, considering the fashion in which he bolted Morgantown for Ann Arbor.

William Campbell head coach Brad Bradley played for Rodriguez at Glenville.

AS IMPRESSIVE AS Glenville State was offensively last week, the Pioneers’ defense stole the show. Glenville limited Lock Haven to 86 yards of total offense even though LHU held the time of possession advantage. The player to watch is defensive end Andre Wright, another player who is drawing NFL interest.

“We jumped on them early,” Fiddler said. “Then a really cold, hard rain started after halftime and we kind of went flat after that. We played a bunch of kids and didn’t play real well in the second half. But in the first half, we were pretty decent for a first game.”

SATURDAY NIGHT‘S GAME is a money game for the Pioneers, who use trips to play Division I schools to help fund scholarships. Even by Division II standards, Glenville is limited financially. The Pioneers offer 15-17 football scholarships, well below the 36 allowed.

“We need that money, just for our budgets,” Fiddler said. “Plus, all of our kids grow up wanting to play Division I football, and this is their opportunity to show they can compete at that level. So they’re excited about it.”

ABOUT GLENVILLE STATE
LOCATION: Glenville, W. Va.
ENROLLMENT: 1,500
FOUNDED: 1872
COLORS: Blue and white
CONFERENCE: WVIAC
STADIUM: Morris Stadium (5,500)
SURFACE: FieldTurf
HEAD COACH: Alan Fiddler (26-19, fifth year)
OFFENSE: Spread
DEFENSE: 4-3
STARTERS RETURNING/LOST: 13/9
SERIES WITH LIBERTY: Liberty leads 3-0 and won last meeting 31-7 in 2006.