HobbsDailyReport.com
MARS HILL — Lenoir-Rhyne University faces Mars Hill for the 44th time on Saturday at 1 p.m. in a South Atlantic Conference (SAC) football opener at Meares Stadium.
Mars Hill (1-1) leads the overall series 23-19-1 and has won the last two meetings.
KELLAR
The Lions have been an up-and-down team in their first two games with a 40-14 win over Shorter and then falling 56-0 against North Carolina A&T.
LRU head coach Mike Kellar isn’t putting much stock in the Lions’ loss last week.
“Mars Hill is a very good football team,” said Kellar. “Their second game was against a FCS opponent, and I don’t know how fair that is to judge them. North Carolina A&T is excellent.
“I don’t think any team in our league would have fared much better. We have our work cut out for us to go up there and come away with a victory.”
North Carolina A&T forced Mars Hill into five turnovers.
The Lions have favored the run so far but their passing game has been more effective. They’ve rushed for 143 yards on 70 carries with two touchdowns while completing 42 of 65 passes for 542 yards and three TDs.
“They have their top two receivers back and backfield,” said Kellar. “They want to come out and establish the run to set up their passing game. They have a big and physical offensive line. Defensively, they are big and physical there as well.”
The Lions are led by sophomore fullback Malik Prescott (32-138, two TDs) and senior quarterback David Salmon.
Last season, Prescott rushed for a career-high 244 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries.
Mars Hill beat LRU 49-0 in Hickory last season, outgaining the Bears 478-243. That included a 373-149 edge in rushing.
This season, Salmon is 39 of 57 with two interceptions and three TDs for 488 yards, and Keshaun Taylor is the leading receiver with 213 yards and a TD on 14 catches.