# 2016 Missouri Western Griffons football team

The 2016 Missouri Western Griffons football team represented Missouri Western State University in the 2016 NCAA Division II football season. The Griffons played their home games on Craig Field in Spratt Stadium in St. Joseph, Missouri, as they have done since 1970. 2016 was the 47th season in school history. The Griffons were led by twentieth-year head coach, Jerry Partridge. Missouri Western has been a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association since 1989.

## Preseason

The Griffons entered the 2016 season after finishing 2015 with a 6–5 record overall and in conference play, under Partridge. On August 2, 2016 at the MIAA Football Media Day, the Griffons were chosen to finish in 7th place in both the Coaches Poll and Media Poll.

## Personnel
### Coaching staff

Along with Partridge, there were 8 assistants.
| Name | Position | Seasons at MWSU | Alma Mater |
| Jerry Partridge | Head coach | 20 | Missouri Western (1985) |
| Andy Ball | Assistant head coach – offensive line | 2 | Central Missouri (2001) |
| Joel Beard | Passing game coordinator | 4 | Wisconsin–Stout (2000) |
| Scott Groner | Assistant head coach – specialists/equipment manager | 2 | Missouri Western (2014) |
| Todd Thrckmorton | Offensive line | 8 | Missouri Western (1987) |
| Regi Trotter | Assistant head coach – secondary | 12 | Missouri Western (2000) |
| Collin McQuillian | Graduate assistant – defensive backs | 2 | Missouri Western (2012) |
| Corey Shandrick | Graduate assistant – running backs | 2 | Illinois State (2014) |
| Nick Williams | Graduate assistant – linebackers | 2 | Missouri Western (2015) |
| Reference: ||||

### Roster
## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | Result | Attendance |
| September 1 | 7:00 pm | Nebraska–Kearney | Spratt StadiumSt. Joseph, MO | W 44–21 | 6,017 |
| September 10 | 6:00 pm | at Missouri Southern | Fred G. Hughes StadiumJoplin, MO | W 51–14 | 4,274 |
| September 17 | 6:00 pm | No. 14 Central Missouri | Spratt StadiumSt. Joseph, MO | L 34–38 | 6,533 |
| September 24 | 6:00 pm | at Central Oklahoma | Wantland StadiumEdmond, OK | L 21–31 | 3,120 |
| October 1 | 1:00 pm | Northeastern State | Spratt StadiumSt. Joseph, MO | W 45–14 | 3,682 |
| October 8 | 1:30 pm | at Lindenwood | Harlen C. Hunter StadiumSt. Charles, MO | W 37–29 | 2,132 |
| October 15 | 2:00 pm | Pittsburg State | Spratt StadiumJoplin, MO | L 47–55 | 5,515 |
| October 22 | 2:00 pm | at Fort Hays State | Lewis Field StadiumHays, KS | L 27–35 | 3,250 |
| October 29 | 1:00 pm | at Washburn | Yager StadiumTopeka, KS | L 13–16 | 6,023 |
| November 5 | 1:00 pm | No. 9 Emporia State | Spratt StadiumSt. Joseph, MO | L 14–27 | 4,017 |
| November 12 | 1:30 pm | at No. 1 Northwest Missouri State | Bearcat StadiumMaryville, MO (Rivalry) | L 3–44 | 7,542 |
| HomecomingRankings from Coaches' Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time ||||||
Source:

### Game summaries
#### Nebraska–Kearney

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Missouri Western | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
| • Nebraska–Kearney | 2 | 21 | 7 | 14 | 44 |

#### Missouri Southern

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Missouri Western | 7 | 21 | 6 | 17 | 51 |
| Missouri Southern | 0 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 14 |

#### Central Missouri

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • #14 Central Missouri | 14 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 38 |
| Missouri Western | 10 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 34 |

#### Central Oklahoma

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Missouri Western | 0 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| • Central Oklahoma | 7 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 31 |

#### Northeastern State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Northeastern State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 |
| • Missouri Western | 14 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 45 |

#### Lindenwood

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Missouri Western | 7 | 20 | 0 | 10 | 37 |
| Lindenwood | 7 | 16 | 0 | 6 | 29 |

#### Pittsburg State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Pittsburg State | 14 | 20 | 14 | 7 | 55 |
| Missouri Western | 12 | 7 | 7 | 21 | 47 |

#### Fort Hays State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Missouri Western | 12 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 27 |
| • Fort Hays State | 7 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 35 |

#### Washburn

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Missouri Western | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| • Washburn | 3 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 16 |

#### Emporia State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • #9 Emporia State | 3 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 27 |
| Missouri Western | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |

#### Northwest Missouri State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Missouri Western | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| • #1 Northwest Missouri State | 10 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 44 |