POST-GAME VIDEO WITH COACH MIKE BABCOCK

(LEBANON, Ill., Sept. 21)—The McKendree University football team dropped a 63-21 decision to the University of Indianapolis in the Great Lakes Valley Conference opener for both squads Saturday at Leemon Field.
 
Freshman quarterback Turner Pullen (Shelbyville, IL/Shelbyville) figured in all three touchdowns on the day for the Bearcats, throwing a pair of scores while adding a one-yard quarterback sneak midway through the fourth quarter. McKendree slips to 0-3 on the year and will step out of conference next Saturday (Sept. 28) to host Chowan University at 1 p.m.
 
"UIndy played like a team deserving of a top-15 national ranking today," said McKendree head football coach Mike Babcock. "They have tremendous players and a great coaching staff, and we knew we were going to have to play our best football this afternoon. But I thought there were some positives for our team out there today. We were able to move the ball, and we have a gritty type of offense. It was nice that late in the game we were able to get some scores."
 
Indianapolis (3-0, 1-0 GLVC), the No. 14-ranked team in the latest American Football Coaches Assocation Division II coaches' poll, jumped out to a 42-0 lead before McKendree cracked the scoreboard in the final minute of the first half. After scrambling for two yards on the first play of a five-play, 75-yard drive, Pullen completed four consecutive passes to finish off the drive. After connecting with senior wide receiver Matt Cole (Chicago, IL/Curie) on a 40-yard pass down to the Greyhounds' 15-yard line, Pullen found Cole again over the middle for a 15-yard TD pass. Freshman kicker Ryan Kastl (Washington, IL/Washington) drilled the extra point to cut the deficit to 42-7 with exactly 60 seconds remaining in the second quarter.
 
McKendree turned its longest play from scrimmage into its second touchdown of the afternoon midway through the third period. This time, Pullen threw a strike down the left sideline to sophomore wide receiver Steven Towns, Jr. (Normal, IL/Normal Community), who raced into the end zone for a 62-yard touchdown with 5:50 to play in the quarter. This time, junior kicker Josh Lazaro (Bradley, IL/Bradley-Bourbonnais) split the uprights for the extra point.
 
Pullen figured prominently again on the Bearcats' final scoring drive of the afternoon early in the fourth quarter. He was 2-for-3 for 34 yards on the drive, with his second completion going to Cole down to the Indianapolis one-yard line. Pullen then took the handoff on the next play and plunged in from a yard out. Kastl added the point after to close out the scoring for McKendree with 8:08 remaining.
 
On the day, Pullen was 13-of-24 for 199 yards. His favorite target was Cole, who caught a game-high six passes for 97 yards. Junior running back Jerrico Johnson (Bourbonnais, IL/Bishop McNamara) was the Bearcats' leading rusher on the day with 50 yards on just five attempts.
 
Junior linebacker Iben King (Chicago, IL/Brother Rice) registered a career-high 10 tackles to pace the defense for McKendree. Senior linebackers Kennith Wilson (Chicago, IL/Simeon) and Ricco Gipson, Jr. (Godfrey, IL/Alton), each added six stops, while sophomore defensive back Devon Myles (Chicago, IL/Westinghouse College Prep) had the lone interception of the contest for the Bearcats.