Concordia (MI) 22 Olivet Nazarene 14

Concordia University of Ann Arbor scored 22 unanswered points in the 4th quarter to defeat Olivet Nazarene University 22-14 in an NAIA contest that was punctuated by injury. Having received the opening kickoff, CUAA opened by throwing on two consecutive downs earning a 1st down on their own 40-yard line. After a run was stuffed with a one-yard gain, CUAA QB Roger Engle scrambled and tried a lateral that was at the feet of the RB. Olivet Nazarene recovered and had the ball on the CUAA 35-yard line. It took ONU just 3 plays to score on a one-yard run by Jared Honey. Kick was good. 7-0.

The troubles for the visiting team were not over. CUAA returner, Omar Sinclair, fumbled the ensuing kickoff in the endzone. It was recovered by ONU for a second TD. After 2 ½ minutes, the Cardinals found themselves in a 2-TD hole. Momentum was strongly in ONU’s favor and the crowd was behind them. CUAA went three and out on their next possession and then traded punts with ONU throughout the 1st quarter. Both defenses were stifling the other’s offense, though ONU was moving the ball more behind the running of Jayvion Daniels. An important factor to the final outcome occurred on the Tiger’s 3rd possession. QB Jordan Lawton was forced out of bounds on a scramble for a 1-yard loss. He went out of bounds on the CUAA sideline and went down. He injured his ankle and would not return to the game. Lawton is a 4-yr starter for the Tigers. Freshman David Hutton came into the game and after a short run and a dropped pass, ONU punted. The rest of the game they would rely on sophomore QB Joel Brawley.

The play that did the most to change the momentum ONU had built after their two quick scores resulted in a serious injury. ONU RB Jayvion Daniels went off right tackle. CUAA Monster, Josh Daniel, came up quickly to meet him. Another CUAA player tripped the ONU RB who fell forward creating an awkward and very hard collision with Daniels. The senior defensive leader did not move following the play. He was on his back with no movement in his legs or feet. The trainers ran on to the field and soon the emergency personnel drove the ambulance out to the field. They secured his head and neck, put him on a flat board and placed him in the emergency vehicle. Both teams were kneeling and praying. Josh Daniel’s twin brother got in the ambulance, as did the President of ONU, as Daniel was taken to the hospital. First reports were of a broken neck. At first, he had little feeling in his fingertips. The second scan showed a broken vertebra in his neck with some spinal cord damage. Feeling had returned to his toes. The prognosis is that with rehab he will walk again. Josh Daniel’s is a beast on defense. He is a leader who takes the younger players under his wing and helps them become better football players. As you can imagine, this took the wind out of the stadium as everyone was reminded about things far more important than football. The two teams huddled in prayer and then for inspiration on their respective sidelines and came out to continue play, but it was a different game from here on out. The half ended with ONU leading CUAA 14-0.

The game was dominated by defense until the fourth quarter. ONU received the kickoff to start the half but couldn’t get anything going. CUAA’s offense began to operate with better efficiency and they put together longer drives without scoring in the third quarter. ONU could generate only two first downs all quarter. Dropped passes plagued the CUAA offense but still they controlled the clock. The quarter ended with the Cardinals on the opponent’s 10-yard line. The score came on the second play of the 4th quarter with a pass reception from Peter Morrison to Donovan Johnson—14-7 ONU still in the lead.

After an interception on ONU’s ensuing possession, the Cardinals took over at the ONU 23. CUAA passed down to the ONU 6. An illegal block in the back nullified the play. Three plays later CUAA was called for offensive pass interference and had to punt from the ONU 45 and pinned ONU at their 1 yard line. ONU methodically worked their way out from their own endzone to their 47 yard line. On the next play, OLB Amaan Payne forced a fumble that was scooped up by ILB Reggie Thompson who ran for the TD. In a gutsy call from Coach Schumacher, CUAA completed a pass for a 2-point conversion and CUAA had the lead for the first time, 15-14.

After trading punts, Olivet Nazarene had the ball in their own territory. After two incomplete passes and a huge sack, ONU faced a 4th and 18 at their own 25 with under 3 minutes remaining. The Tigers called a timeout. They came back out in an offensive set but the ensuing pass fell to the turf. On the first play from scrimmage, CUAA QB Parker Graham kept the ball on an option and ran up the middle 25 yards for the TD—22-14. ONU began on its own 29. On third down, DE Alex Hinojosa sacked Brawley who fumbled the ball. It was recovered by CUAA who then ran out the clock in victory formation. Hinojosa has been playing “lights-out” from his DE position. The junior had 6 tackles (15 after 2 games), 2 sacks (3 on the year), 3 TFLs (5.5 on the year), and 1 forced fumble (1 on the year) on the afternoon.

CUAA is 2-0 on the year while ONU falls to 0-2.

As soon as the game was over, the Cardinal players’ thoughts and prayers returned to their teammate who is in the fight of his life. Josh Daniel is a great athlete, a student, the life of the party, a friend, brother, and son. He still has a bright future. May God bless him and bring about a thorough recovery so that he may continue his life and fulfill the purpose for which he was created.

Of local interest: Freshman LB John Mark Shutt, a Boone County Rebels 2019 graduate, saw time at Tight End, a position he hasn’t played since 8th grade. With an injury last week to the first team TE, Shutt was moved to the offensive position where he shares time with a senior teammate. The move is not thought to be permanent, but it is a way for the freshman to get on the field, along with his special teams’ assignments. Shutt was not targeted for a pass.