About gv football

Aug 30, 2021 This football season, as fans are watching Grand Valley State University play at Lubbers Stadium, they may catch number seven making some game-winning plays as the last line of defense. Antonio Strong, a junior this year, is taking on two new positions on the GVSU football team: safety and team leader. It’s been two years since there’s been a full Lubbers Stadium and a true game of football played on the field, which makes veteran players even more important when welcoming new faces on the team for their proper introduction to GVSU football. Strong didn’t earn his position as a team leader for being a veteran player though. His high character, personality and confidence are what head coach Matt Mitchell believes to be Strong’s winning leadership traits. Strong started his sports career in third grade playing tackle football, following in his two older brothers’ footsteps. He wanted to play running back in fourth grade but was too big at such a young age for that position, so he decided to take that year off and hasn’t missed a season since. Once fifth grade started, he’s been playing positions all over the field but has landed himself a spot as safety for the 2021 season. “This is what I’ve been waiting for the most—in school and all that—I do everything for football,” Strong said. “But I know it’s going to come to an end soon, so I try to get a life outside of football, but I love football; there’s nothing else better than this.” Strong keeps up with his doub...

ALLENDALE, Mich. — For the fourth time in the last year, Grand Valley and Ferris State football will face off against one another. This Saturday, their game will be in the DII super regional with a trip to the final four on the line. The Lakers already have one win against FSU this season. It was a 22-21 victory, where they scored 11 points in the 4th quarter to earn the win. "When you're down by 11 points late in the fourth quarter there, just says a lot about the heart and a lot about what this team has been through as a collective unit. Just coming together in that moment, that's what has brought us together this whole year, and we've had a few of those moments already," said senior linebacker Abe Swanson. GVSU had a first round bye in the playoffs and then hosted Northwest Missouri State last weekend. They also trailed going into the 4th quarter and scored one final touchdown to win the game. "I think I just took away that we need to trust each other. Offense trusts the defense, trust the guy next to you. Everyone needs to be locked in on their job and you can trust that everyone else is doing their job, then we'll be just fine as a team," said Kentwood native Gabe Brown. "You're not going to win the national championship unless you beat teams like Ferris State. Or if you beat teams like Northwest. I think that with that mindset and just going out there and doing our job is what it's going to take," said Cade Peterson, a junior quarterback.

Sep 6, 2022 Grand Valley State University men’s football defeated the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers in a close 25-22 nail-biter as the Lakers improved to 1-0 to start the season. With the win, GVSU improved to 20-1 in home openers since 2001. “Obviously it’s good to get a win, we’ll grow and we’ll get better for this,” head coach Matt Mitchell said. “(They’re a) heck of a football team, I have to give Colorado School of Mines a ton of credit. You can see why they’re a semifinalist, their team had a lot of heart.” In a first quarter defensive slugfest that prevented any success on either side of the offense, the Orediggers gave the Lakers a rude awakening as junior quarterback Cade Peterson was sacked twice on the opening drive. However, GVSU’s defense forced a three-and-out on the next possession as both defenses held each other scoreless leading into the second. Sophomore defensive back Ian Kennelly gave the Lakers’ momentum as he forced and recovered a fumble that opened up a promising offensive drive for the Lakers (19-yard run by sophomore wide receiver Darrell Johnson, 37-yard reception by sophomore receiver Jahdae Walker), only to soon fall short of a score in an incomplete pass on fourth down. “Our execution on offense just wasn’t where it needed to be in the first quarter,” Peterson said. “That’s what having a couple of big plays will do for you, so with guys like Jahdae, those are difference makers and it just takes one play.” After the Lakers’ defense force...