Having gotten off to the program's first 3-0 start since 2015, Faulkner seemed to draw an ill-timed bye week following a home win over Florida Memorial. However, Head Coach Rob Gray found the early-season off week to be serendipitous for his squad as it battled injuries as well as self-inflicted wounds that nearly proved costly in the season's early going. 

"I think it happened at a good time. You never really want the momentum to stop the way we had it, but I thought it was good for us," Gray said. "We had some guys hurt. It was certainly good to get them back. We also had to correct some things from those previous weeks and we really didn't have the time to take out and do that while getting ready for another team." 

"The emphasis this week has been execution, not shooting ourselves in the foot and minimizing those penalties that we keep having. I think we're averaging like nine a game right now, which is way too much. We've got to get rid of those stupid penalties and execute on offense," Jordan Cagle, offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator, said.

One of the key areas of concern for the Eagles heading into the break was the offensive line where a rash of early injuries forced Faulkner to utilize numerous combinations to work its way to a 3-0 mark. Since last taking the field for competition, the Eagles have gotten some of their help back along the offensive front. 

"We had a lot of guys that we're still trying to get healed up. We're still going up to this game, not shorthanded, but down a few guys," Cagle said. "We're ready to plug and play. We've got guys in those spots that we're very confident in. We think we should have a good game."

As the Eagles open Appalachian Division play, that offensive line will be tasked with responding to a diverse Bluefield defense that flashes numerous looks in an effort to confuse opponents. 

"They base out of a 3-4 front, but they are really looking for different ways to disrupt you offensively. They do it through four-man pressures, five-man pressures, six-man blitz, seven-man blitz. They'll stack the box. They'll have a bunch of DBs on the field. This week, preparation wise, you're having to prepare for everything. It's a lot," Cagle said. 

"We're prepared for several things really. They've shown a lot of different things in the secondary and they do some stuff up front that can present some problems," Payton Wasden, Faulkner's co-offensive coordinator, said. "They're going to base out of a 3-2 with some overhangs and they're going to bring some pressures from different spots with four-man and five-man. They'll probably bring some seven-man pressures when we get down in the red zone. We're really prepared for any number of things. We've worked a lot of different looks here this week in practice." 
 
SCOUTING REPORT
Co-Offensive Coordinator Jordan Cagle describes a Bluefield defense that stops at nothing to catch its opponents off guard. 
 
"It's hard to decide if they have an identity or not. Some teams, when they do that, they really are just looking for something that's going to be disruptive. One week, that's getting in Bear and giving teams a five-man front. Sometimes, it's giving them a three-high shell," Cagle said. "Whatever they find that's going to give us a tough time is what I expect them to go to. Once the game gets going, I expect them to settle in a little bit to whatever they think is going to work. We'll have a better idea once we start going." 
 
As much as the Rams hide their intentions on defense, their offensive identity is no secret to anyone. They have a pair of all-conference wide receivers and they're not afraid to use them. 
 
"I expect them to throw the ball to their big playmakers" Faulkner Head Coach Rob Gray said. "Their record says one thing but they can score some points in a heartbeat. They've certainly got some really good skill guys that can give us problems"
 
Bluefield wide receivers Antonio Strickland and Jacquan Ebron have combined for 1,053 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns through the season's first four games. That level of production gives the Rams a potent threat.
 
"Offensively, they've got really good receivers. They have the ability to score a lot of points. That's something that the staff as a whole recognizes," Cagle said. "This week is a week where we're going to have to lean on the offense. We haven't had a game like that yet where we have to lean on the offense. I think this week could be that week." 
 
BY THE NUMBERS
 
5 – Total number of lifetime meetings between the two schools prior to Saturday's contest This meeting marks the third consecutive season the schools have matched up.
 
8 – Number of interceptions by the Faulkner secondary this season.
 
12 – Total number of career interceptions for Malik Meadows, who broke the program record for the mark with his pick to close out the Florida Memorial game. 
 
29.5 – Points per game averaged by Bluefield in 2021.
 
413.3 – Faulkner's average yards gained per game in 2021.
 
565 – Miles between the two schools, making for a bus ride of more than eight hours. 
 
2014 – Last time Faulkner opened the season 4-0. The Eagles got to 5-0 that season before suffering a loss. 
 
OPPORTUNITIES EARNED
 
The Eagles head into the contest knowing they are without bruising tailback Hunter Gibson. As Charles Blackmon elevates to the lead role, there exists space for carries alongside him. Blackmon's is a known commodity for the Eagles, averaging 4.8 yards per carry this season while tallying 231 yards rushing on 48 attempts. For his career, Blackmon sits 52 yards shy of the 1,500 mark and is 15 rushes away from 300 attempts. 
 
With Gibson out, the Eagles are turning to a pair of veterans. Devon Murry will see snaps in the Faulkner backfield as well as former linebacker Vashon Jackson. 
 
"Devon Murry will take over as that second back. He's a guy that we trust, a guy that has been here for several years. He's a good guy for the program. He has been waiting for an opportunity like this. I really think this will be the time when he gets some extra reps," Payton Wasden said. "Vashon Jackson has actually switched over from defense. He'll be that third guy that I expect to get some reps. He has looked really good in practice and picked up the offense over the last couple of weeks. We feel pretty confident if we're in a situation where he needs to go into the game." 
 
Faulkner (3-0) and Bluefield (1-3) kick off at 5 p.m. CST.