Northern Michigan University freshman quarterback Aidan Hoard, left, hands off to fellow freshman running back Noah Hofmann during a Wildcats’ game played in the Superior Dome during the fall 2023 season. (Photo courtesy NMU)

MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University football team attempts to get back to the .500 mark tonight when the Wildcats travel to Owensboro, Kentucky, to face Kentucky Wesleyan for the first time at 7 p.m.

NMU is looking for its first win under second-year coach Shane Richardson after Northern went 0-11 last year and opened this fall with a 35-7 home defeat to nationally ranked No. 17 Minnesota-Duluth last Thursday.

The game will be broadcast on radio station WUPT 100.3 FM The Point, while live statistics, live video, live audio and a game preview are available on the NMU athletics website at nmuwildcats.com and looking for links under the football team schedule.

In addition, fans can follows these Wildcats @NMU_Football and @NMU_Wildcats on X (formerly Twitter) for updates leading up to and during the game.

“A great emphasis this week has been to be much more intense and get off the ball faster and quicker,” Richardson said in an NMU Sports Information news release previewing the game. “A lot of the young guys had to experience that first game to get the jitters out, get the fast action out and understand what they need to do to do it better.”

In last Thursday’s game, NMU got on the scoreboard with just under five minutes left when receiver Michael Love caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Aidan Hoard.

On defense, Mitch Larkin picked up where he left off as the GLIAC’s leading tackler, pacing the Wildcats with 11 tackles as Tim Shannon had nine and Jhermari Mabry had 1 1/2 tackles for loss, including a Duluth opening-drive sack that helps stall that drive.

Larkin had 118 tackles in 2023, an increase of almost 100 over his freshman year total of 22. The 118 tackles was third in NCAA Division II.

Meanwhile, linebacker Jax Hertel looks for a jump, too, from his 65 tackles and two interceptions last season as a true freshman. Both Larkin and Hertel earned GLIAC Honorable Mention awards last year.

In the secondary, Northern will look to Shannon, Ricky Lancaster and Jeremiah Gossett to play big roles after seeing significant time last season.

Thought Northern was outgained more than 5 to 1 in yardage, 562-112, the Wildcats trailed just 13-0 at halftime.

NMU’s offense was led by freshman Jahi Wood picking up 22 yards rushing, while Negaunee High School graduate Nico Lukkarinen had 20 yards on the ground as both had 10 attempts. Lukkarinen also caught Hoard’s longest pass for a 17-yard reception. Hoard finished 6 of 16 for 56 yards, an interception and a TD.

Hoard was forced into action as a true freshman last season after an injury to starter Mariano Valenti. He completed 101 of 196 passes, 52%, for 1,059 yards and five TDs in eight games.

Love and Sam Peiffer combined to make 680 yards in catches for five TDs last year, while freshmen Kaleb Isom and Jahi Wood could also make impacts.

Richardson could be encouraged by Northern being flagged just once and punter Owen Halverson averaging 42.6 yards over seven punts that included a 60-yarder and another that he placed inside the UMD 5-yard line.

Tonight’s opponent, Kentucky Wesleyan, went 4-7 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference last season and is playing its season opener. The GMAC includes former GLIAC members Northwood, Hillsdale and Ashland.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.