CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. – A matchup that ended the 2019 season start the 2020 season in 2021 for the Campbellsville University football team as they face Thomas More University this Saturday in Crestview Hills, Ky. for a 1:30 p.m. ET kickoff time.
 
Thomas More does not permit visiting fans to attend their outdoor sporting events but the Saints will be airing the game online via Team 1 Sports at https://team1sports.com/thomasmore/.
 
The CU Sports Network online will have audio coverage of the game as Jordan Alves and Zach Clements will be filling in for Jim Freeman and Matt Payton due to the direct conflict with the home basketball games on Saturday. Fans can listen to the hometown call online at www.campbellsvilletigers.com/watch.
 
TIGER NOTES

• Last season, Campbellsville went 1-9 with their lone win of the season coming in their third game against Union College, who ended up finishing 0-10 in 2019.
• The Tigers and the rest of the Mid-South Conference Bluegrass Division will be playing their schedule in 2021 due to COVID-19 as conferences were given the option to play either in the fall of 2020 or spring of 2021 with the NAIA moving the National Championship to the spring.
• As a result of the schedule moving, CU will play only seven games this season, all against their Bluegrass Division opponents as they will have three home games and four road games.

 
COACHING SHAKEUP

• As a result of their struggles in 2019, the coaching staff was addressed with the most notable change being the return of offensive coordinator Chris Pardue to CU's staff as Pardue worked at Campbellsville from 2008-11.
• Along with Pardue, the Tigers' coaching staff welcomed in five new coaches with head coach Perry Thomas, quarterbacks coach Hunter Brown, and assistant Matt Atwood the only holdovers from 2019.
• Forrest Garner (Offensive Line/Tight Ends), Robbie Gribbins (Inside Linebackers), Brighton Hill (Defensive Line), and Tyus Alcorn (Wide Receivers), and Derek Burnett (Defensive Backs) all hope their style of football will lead to success for CU in 2020-21.
• Brown and Alcorn have chemistry from their time playing for CU as Brown was the quarterback for the Tigers in Alcorn's senior season of 2016 when Alcorn earned NAIA All-America Second Team.

 
A WHOLE NEW OFFENSE

• With the coaching shift, the Campbellsville offense receives a major facelift in personnel with the loss of their leading passer, rusher, and receiver from 2019.
• There has been a shakeup at the quarterback position for the Tigers as Austin Zavala was projected to start last week, Josh Meglis was QB1 on the depth chart to start the week but true freshman Chase Elmore will look to be getting the start under center on Saturday.
• The skill positions only have one returning starter in Ziyon Kenner as three freshmen are listed atop their position on the opening depth chart in Patrick Oden (X-WR), Paul McCown (H-WR), and Josh Hinton (RB).
• Following a tough 2019 for the offensive line, the five of Carlos Reyes, Jared Rogers, Lane Bottoms, Charlie Spencer, and Ethan Gossage projected to start for CU combined for 29 games played and only 20 starts out of 50 from last season.

 
DEFENSIVE STABILITY

• With big shakeups up and down the program, the defense returns a lot of key contributors from last season's team including seniors Micah Corley, Anthony Sams Jr., Andrew Bennett, Malcolm Walker, and Kobe Reese.
• With the returning talent on defense, CU will also look to infuse some talent from newcomers in graduate transfer Jon Carrothers as well as freshmen Bryce Mumphrey and Chance Lucas.
• After a 2019 where they averaged over 35 points against, the Tiger defense will look to use their stability and experience to set a tone on that side of the ball in 2021.

 
SCOUTING THOMAS MORE

• The Saints were able to get their game in last weekend as they travel to Cumberland University to pick up a 19-14 win over the Phoenix last Friday.
• With a new signal caller in Jay Volpenhein at quarterback, TMU was able to have a solid run/pass balance finishing 220 passing yards and 171 net yards rushing as Volpenhein as the team's leading rusher as well with 91 yards with a touchdown on the ground.
• The team's leading rusher from last season, Monalo Caldwell, is back for Thomas More as he also scored a TD on the ground to net 43 yards rushing in the game.
• Defensively, linebackers Del Thomas and Peyton Van Horn lead the charge for the Saints as they both finished with eight tackles against Cumberland with Van Horn, their 2019 leading tackler, adding a sack.

 
LOOKING AHEAD

• Campbellsville will stay away from home for one more game at Pikeville before returning home for the rescheduled matchup with Bethel that was scheduled for the opening weekend.