UCM ranks high in MIAA polls
By DAVID MERRILL Sports Editor
Central Missouri head coach Jim Svoboda, former Northwest Missouri State University offensive coordinator, addresses the media at MIAA media day on Tuesday at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The University of Central Missouri took Northwest Missouri State University to the brink last season as the Bearcats survived by just four points.
The Mules are poised to have plenty of kick again this season. UCM is picked second behind Northwest in both the preseason coaches and media polls.
Head coach Jim Svoboda, former Northwest offensive coordinator under now athletic director Mel Tjeerdsma, said the Mules (8-3 in 2015) aren’t done showing people what they’re made of.
“We still have a lot to prove,” he said. “We’ve demonstrated we’re a good program week in and week out. We have our sights set to be one of the top programs in the country and we don’t apologize for that.”
Mid-America Athletic Association fans won’t have to wait long to see how the Mules will stack up this season. Their first five opponents are Pittsburg State, Fort Hays State, Missouri Western, and Emporia State before traveling to Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City to take on the Bearcats.
UCM’s first five opponents on their schedule had a combined record of 47-19 last season. The Bearcats, Hornets, and Tigers each finished ahead of the Mules in the MIAA standings last season.
“I don’t have to remind the players of the schedule,” Svoboda said. “It still comes down to how you play and what your mentality is. You can talk all you want about who’s coming up, but it’s all about execution and execution comes down to how you prepare. It’s a daily process.”
Arrowhead battle
Central Missouri’s fifth game of the season will be played against Northwest at Arrowhead Stadium and both coaches and players are looking forward to it.
“I’d like to thank Mel Tjeerdsma for getting that done,” Svoboda said. “I didn’t know if it was going to for awhile and it’s hard for me to keep my mouth shut for as long as I had to. With as many local kids as we have, this is a dream-come-true sort of thing. We have a lot of alums in the Kansas City area on both teams. At the same time, it’s still a 100-yard field and you have to do what you have to do to be successful. But that’s what you play for — is getting the chance to play in those big games.”
UCM quarterback Garrett Fugate is from Overland Park, Kansas, which is located just a half-hour from Arrowhead and Miller is from Parkville — a 25-minute drive from Arrowhead, so both have grown up going to the stadium as fans. The Mules also have 18 players on their roster from Kansas City, Missouri while the Bearcats have five from Kansas City, Missouri.
“Going to Chiefs games when you’re young and doing the tomahawk chop and all that stuff, just seeing the atmosphere that stadium has all the time,” Mules linebacker Austin Miller said. “We’ve seen Northwest and Pitt State play there in the past. As a player on another team, that’s a game you want to watch. We’re really excited to play a good team. We’re looking forward to it.”
Defensive changes
The Mules’ defense will be under new leadership as Wes Bell comes in as the defensive coordinator from Missouri Western. Last season, the Griffons were second in the conference in overall defense under Bell.
Miller, the team’s leading tackler from last season, is one of the team’s top returning players.
He is excited to be playing under Bell.
“We’re going from a 4-3 to a 3-4, so there is going to be some changes,” he said. “We’re simplifying things and letting our athletes make plays all over the field.”
Offensive firepower
Fugate is another player the Mules are glad to have back from last season. Fugate eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark last season. His 18 touchdowns last season were third-most in the league behind Emporia State’s Trent Wilson (40) and Northwest’s Brady Bolles (30). Both of those guys have moved on, which means Fugate is set up to be the conference’s top passer, at least on paper.
Wide receiver Jaylen Zachery is back for his junior season after he helped Ian Toalson carry the load last year.
Zachery should be Fugate’s No. 1 target when he drops back.
Fugate said developing chemistry in August camp is important to the team’s success.
“That starts with offseason workouts,” he said. “We try and throw every day over the summer especially. That just rolls right over into camp. With the pads on, you get to see who you can rely on.”
