LIBERTY, Mo. - The William Jewell football team kicks off their 128th season on Saturday afternoon as they travel to Fort Lewis College. Game time 3 p.m. CST/2 p.m. MST. 

CARDINAL NOTES 

• Jason Ambroson was named the 33rd head coach in program history on December 23. He took over for Neil Linhart who served as the interim head coach during the 2023 season. 
• Cameron Vanzant will lead an extremely young quarterback core into week one. The rookie from Farmington, Arkansas is praised by Ambroson for his strong understanding of the passing game and timeliness when leading the offense. He is followed on the depth chart by redshirt freshman Tucker Griffin and true freshman Jake Shaffer. Junior transfer Logan Williams is expected to also see action in game situations.  
• William Jewell returns 51 letter winners from a year ago including three All-Great Lakes Valley Conference performers. On the offensive side, Keaundre McCullough is back to lead the running back room after earning All-GLVC Second Team honors last season. In 2023, he picked up 731 net rushing yards on 142 carries with five scores. Defensively, Sean Mitchell earned All-GLVC First Team honors last season after leading the league with 8.3 tackles per game while grabbing three interceptions. Linebacker Adam Callahan was also All-GLVC Honorable Mention in 2023 after totaling 65 tackles and forcing two fumbles. 
• Jewell has named its four captains for the 2024 season. On the defensive side of the ball, it's the returning All-GLVC performers and vocal leaders Adam Callahan and Sean Mitchell. Meanwhile for the offense, center Nash Gagliano and running back Keaundre McCullough will lead the way.
• Coming back to The Hill after more than two decades at the high school level in the Kansas City metro, Jason Ambroson knows better than most the talent in the area and set forth a recruiting philosophy that started at home first. Of the 104 players on the roster this season, 51 hail from hometowns less than 55 miles from the Jewell campus, including 36 newcomers. 
• Along with head coach Jason Ambroson and assistant coach Darren Shaffer, the Cardinals welcomed nine players from Smtihville High School among the 2024 recruiting class. Ayden Ambroson and Jake Shaffer join their fathers on the sideline once again alongside high school teammates Max McKenzie, Ben Murawski, Caleb Donnell, Kaulen Mueller, Jeff Johnson, Jack Trotter, and Marcus Garza as Warriors turned Cardinals. 
• Jason Ambroson will have the opportunity to coach his son Ayden for another four years while Darren Shaffer, Mark Faubion, '98, and Corey Bethany, '00 make four total coaches with their sons on the roster. Rookies Ayden Ambroson, Jake Shaffer and Bo Faubion, along with transfer wide receiver Jalen Bethany will wear the red and black with their dad, as the latter two become the second in their family to suit up for the Cardinals. 
• In addition to coaching several former players from Smithville High School, Jason Ambroson will also welcome back two former players as a member of his staff. Mark Faubion, '98 and Corey Bethany, '00 were both members of the William Jewell football program during Ambroson's first stint with the Cardinals, from 1997-2000, as Special Teams Coordinator.  
• The Cardinals will benefit from nine newcomers via the transfer in 2024. Offensively, wide receiver Jalen Bethany comes to the Cardinals to play his final season under his father Corey after catching 447 yards at Lindenwood University. Logan Williams, a quarterback from Iowa Central and kicker Marcus Garza (Central Methodist) will also battle for time on the offensive side. The other six transfers can be found on the defensive side of the ball, led by lineman Derrick Von Hubbard (West Georgia) and defensive end Collin Williams (Southeast Missouri State. Linebackers Avion Bass (Fontebonne) and Justin Osburn (Iowa Central CC) along with defensive backs Tristan Larosiliere and Alex Clarke (Snow CC) will also make their Jewell debuts.
• Of the 53 newcomers this season (freshmen & transfers), 28 won or played in at least one state championship game during their high school careers. 
• The Cardinals will be a young team this season with 53 newcomers, most of which are freshmen. Approximately 17-20 rookies are expected to appear on the 70-man travel roster on a regular basis.
   

ABOUT FORT LEWIS 

• Fort Lewis finished the 2023 season at 0-11, including 0-9 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The Cardinals defeated the Skyhawks 42-6 in the opener last season. 
• Johnny Cox enters his third season at the helm of the Fort Lewis program, looking to rebuild the program. A former All-American for FLC, he returned to his alma mater in January 2022. 
• The Skyhawks welcome back two of their top receivers in Zachary Gaumont and Christopher Thomas, Jr., but will be without quarterback Braden Wingle who threw for nearly 2,300 yards on a 60% clip. Gaumont accounted for 436 yards on 11 catches with three scores. 
• Defensively, Jacob Penney leads the returners after posting 80 tackles last season, with five for loss.