Time for conference showdowns
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SCAC Showdown: Centre at No. 19 Trinity (Texas)
San Antonio, Texas, 1:30 CDT
With Trinity (5-1, 2-0 SCAC) having defeated DePauw in Week 4, the SCAC race hinges on this weekend's game in San Antonio against Centre (6-1, 3-0). Should Trinity win, it's all but over as the Tigers would own the head-to-head tiebreaker against both Centre and DePauw (4-2, 2-1). A Colonel victory would leave three teams with one conference loss, with Centre still to play DePauw later in the year.
Centre comes into the game off two dominating performances against Maryville (Tenn.) and Millsaps. The Colonels' first-string defensive unit has not allowed any points in the last two games, during which the Centre offense has piled up 84 points. The offensive outburst has been propelled by quarterback Brian Behrendt and running back Lorenzo Engleman, both of whom have been named SCAC Offensive Player-of-the-week this season.
 Courtesy Ryan Bowe, Centre College Brian Behrendt looks to pass Trinity for the SCAC championship. |
Engleman, a 5-8, 170-pound senior, is effective both rushing the ball and as a receiver. Lorenzo is the second leading rusher in the conference, averaging 5.5 yards on 111 carries (615 yards), as well as the leading receiver in the SCAC, where he had 52 receptions for 523 yards. He's the principal punt returner for the Colonels, with 21 returns for 161 yards. In all, he's accounted for 10 touchdowns this season. Centre coach Andy Frye observed "Lorenzo and Brian have both been a pleasant surprise, though Lorenzo has always had the ability to make something happen when he touches the ball."
Mohr concurs: "Both players are outstanding, talented athletes who can hurt you in many ways. We are going to have to try to keep their offense from getting into too many second-and-short situations and swarm to the football."
Defensively, Centre is led by a young but maturing front and strong safety John Ortega. Named SCAC defensive player of the week in Week 5, the 5-11, 195-pound senior has 76 tackles (56 solo) on the season including 11 (10 solo) last week against Maryville. Five of those have been for loss, including a sack in Week 2. Ortega has one interception to his credit, and if that's not enough, he is also the Colonels' leading kick returner (seven returns for 142 yards). Ortega is ably assisted by junior linebacker Brian Downs (64 tackles, 40 solo, two sacks); first-year DL Brian Dougherty leads the line charge with four of the team's 10 sacks, and 8½ of the team's 46 tackles for loss. The Colonels lead the conference in total defense, allowing 292.3 ypg to Trinity's 317.7.
The Tigers have struggled offensively at times this season due to an inordinate number of injuries, especially in the running game, but things seem to be coming together for this week's match up. "Struggle" is a relative term, as Trinity leads the conference in scoring offense (33.7 ppg to Centre's 31.3), passing offense (301.8 ypg), and total offense (432.2 ypg). Only the running game is subpar, at 130.3 ypg (against Centre's 162.1).
Trinity's outstanding All-America offensive lineman, James Flowers, was injured for the season earlier this year, and starting running back Matt Federle was hurt early in the loss to Pomona-Pitzer and has not since returned. Even so, Mohr thinks progress is being made: "We have had a couple of pretty good efforts against RHIT and Wash U., especially considering WU hadn't allowed a 100-yard rusher since Boyce last year and (Ray) Valencia went over 100 against them."
Valencia, a sophomore, was not even on the Tigers' two-deep as the season began. Mohr says Valencia "really gave us that needed boost with his effort especially after contact. [He is] a tough player who keeps his feet moving and is an excellent blocker." Valencia has come off the bench to lead all Tiger rushers with 267 yards and two touchdowns in basically two games.
The passing game is in the capable hands of two-time SCAC Offensive Player of the Week Dan DesPlaines; the 6-2, 208-pound senior leads the conference in passing yardage (282.5 ypg) and efficiency (159.6), having completed 123 of 189 (65.1%) for 1695 yards, 14 touchdowns, and only five interceptions. While not the running threat his predecessors were, DesPlaines has added five rushing touchdowns in goal-line situations. Dan's favorite receivers are Robert Kelner (31 catches, 422 yds, 2 TDs) and Derek Boles (24 catches, 312 yards, 4 TDs). Eight receivers have scored a touchdown for Trinity this season.
Trinity's "Black Flag" defense, tops in the conference in terms of points allowed (15.7) is led by junior linebacker Wacey Clarke, who despite 61 tackles (31 solo) has received little recognition. He was involved in 18 tackles (six solo) two weeks ago against Washington U. and has 1½ sacks on the season. D3football.com preseason All-America senior DL Jarrod Smith, who "started playing like he's capable of" [Mohr] against Wash U, has eight of the Tigers' 33 tackles for loss including six of the team's 11 sacks, 10 quarterback hurries, and an interception which he returned 50 yards for a score. "He is very good," said Frye, "we will know where he is on the field. Hopefully we will be able to contain him but not stop him."
It's been 10 years (1992) since Trinity did not at least share in the SCAC championship. It's been nearly as long — since 1995 — that Trinity lost a SCAC contest at home, when Centre that pulled the 17-7 upset. Frye says that to win this week, the Colonels "have to be fundamentally sound against good teams like Trinity. It is no mystery to winning — each player has to play sound fundamentally at his position. Trinity has a great speed and they play well in all three phases of the game."
Mohr suggests that the Tigers "... have to be physical and match their intensity and effort each and every time we're on the field. They are the best team we have faced thus far and in games such as these, the old cliche' of turnovers and special teams will certainly be big."
Despite playing 11 games between them, the two teams have no common opponents so far.
If not for the loss against W&L in Week 4, this could be a match up of two Top 25 teams, and you can bet the Colonels will be out to prove that loss was a fluke. "We are young but we have a very passionate senior class," said Frye. "They have done an outstanding job in their leadership on and off the field." That leadership will be put to the test if Centre is to dethrone Trinity as SCAC champions.
ASC Showdown: East Texas Baptist at No. 17 Hardin-Simmons
Abilene, Texas, 2 p.m. CDT
About 250 miles north, the first of two match ups of ASC undefeateds takes place in Abilene, where the home standing Hardin-Simmons Cowboys take on the East Texas Baptist Tigers. HSU, winners of the ASC championship four of the last five seasons, is known to most Division III football observers as a hard-nosed team which excels on both sides of the ball. ETBU, in just its fourth season of Division III football, is one of the exciting newcomers in the region that have changed the ASC landscape the last few years.
After a disappointing opening road loss to UW-Stout, the Cowboys (5-1, 5-0 ASC) have put together a strong five-game winning streak, during which they have outscored the opposition by 179-53. The only close game during that time was a 37-35 win versus Howard Payne. Sophomore quarterback Jordan Neal (5-10, 185) paces the Hardin-Simmons attack, completing 115 of 170 passes (67.6%) for 1407 yards, 11 touchdowns and four interceptions.
"Jordan has a good mind for the game," states HSU head coach Jimmie Keeling. "He studies the game [and] is constantly looking at film. He makes good choices and decisions." His favorite target is 5-11, 175-pound senior receiver Joe Lemberg, who has hauled in 35 passes for 526 yards and 5 scores. Those stats lead the conference. Keeling says Lemberg "has great speed and is able to get on top. He runs great routes, and it is very seldom that we throw it his way that he does not come up with it." Lemberg is also HSU's leading punt returner, with 14 returns this season (177 yards).
The running game started somewhat slowly for the Cowboys, but has improved since 5-9, 201-pound senior running back Lance Moore was switched from two-way play to concentrate on running back earlier in the season. Moore has nearly 400 yards, including 100-plus yard efforts the last two weeks. Donta' Hayward, a 5-8, 218-pound junior running back, has been recovering from an injury suffered last year. He's added 222 yards, with a season-high 84 yards two weeks ago against Mississippi College. Moore, "an outstanding player" and a "tough runner" per Keeling, has half of the Cowboy's 12 rushing touchdowns; Neal has added three, and Hayward two.
The Cowboys' team approach to defense is shown in the stats, where four players are separated by a handful of tackles. Brent Gailey, a 6-0, 205-pound junior linebacker, was named ASC Defensive Player of the Week two weeks ago, and has 32 solo tackles (of 44 total), including 5½ for loss and a sack. He's forced two fumbles, recovering one, and intercepted a pass. Adam Parker (5-10, 210-pound junior) has nearly identical stats, with 46 tackles (34 solo), five tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and a blocked kick. Sophomore linebacker Jason Rupert (48 tackles, three for loss, two sacks) and senior strong safety Anthony Renfro (41 tackles, 28 solo) round out the quartet.
If anyone gets past that crew, there's always junior corner Alex Hansen, whose five interceptions tie him for the conference lead. "Alex is one of the guys we count on to play well every game," said Keeling. "He is an athletic guy that always plays hard and has a knack for breaking on the ball." With players like these, it's obvious why the Cowboys are outscoring their opposition by a 3-to-1 margin in conference play. It's a hungry, opportunistic bunch eager to reclaim the title taken from them by Mary Hardin-Baylor last season.
 RoShawn Johnson is just part of ETBU's dangerous 1-2 punch on offense. |
Junior quarterback Brandon Nelson (6-2, 210) is the second option; he's completed 57 of 108 passes for 1045 yards, 11 touchdowns, and five interceptions. The dangerous senior receiver, Jabori Jackson, is his primary target, with 22 catches for 401 yards and fouve TDs. Jackson has added a touchdown on kick returns, as has senior return specialist Tyrone Robinson; both have been named ASC Special Teams Player of the Week as a result. Hansen, the ASC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 3, will probably spend some time covering the 5-9", 175-pound Jackson, and Keeling says, "[Alex] will not step down from a challenge, and Jackson is certainly a challenge."
Jackson also has returned eight kicks (one for touchdown) and six punts. Junior Earl Morris (6-3, 190) has 15 receptions for 320 yards and four scores, and Johnson has 10 catches for 110 yards and one touchdown.
Where the Tigers shine, however, is on defense, where they are lead the conference by allowing just 234.5 yards per game. The unit limits opponents to 30% third down and 11% fourth down conversion rates. After just six games, ETBU already has 81 tackles for loss and 27 sacks. Leading in both categories is junior Littleton Dean (5-11, 200). The defensive tackle has 38 tackles (18 solo) including 13 for loss and seven sacks. Junior linebacker Greg Washington (5-8, 195), ETBU's all-time leader in career tackles, leads ETBU in 2003 tackles with 53 (19 solo), 10 for loss, and 3 sacks. First year end Chad Glover (5-11, 210), the ASC Defensive Player of the week in Week 4, has added 27 tackles (10 solo), 13 for loss, four sacks, an interception, and a tackle for safety.
Cumulatively, the team has taken back 339 yards on tackles for loss, contributing to the conference's leading rushing defense. ETBU allows less than 2 yards per carry, just 54 yards per game rushing. The Tigers rely on team speed rather than brawn to get the defensive job done.
Both teams are healthy, both teams are hungry, and both have work to do before an ASC championship can be claimed. As Jimmie Keeling says, "they [ETBU] have great athletes. They score in the kicking game and are versatile. They have a great running back with great speed so I am not sure you stop them. ... We will have a good game plan and will try to execute it."
Execution will be the key to winning this game and taking a step towards a showdown with Mary Hardin-Baylor for the conference championship.
Huntingdon learning the ropes
Duane Trogdon, head coach for a brand new program at tiny Huntingdon (577 full-time undergraduates), found himself in a challenging position: Build a football program from scratch, at a school with no football tradition whatsoever.
With a roster full of first-year student-athletes (all but six), the program got off to a rough start. It was three games into the season before the team scored its first touchdown in a 66-13 loss to Wabash. But last week, the young Hawks (0-4) put a scare into USA South member Averett, taking a lead into the fourth quarter before falling 32-28 in the Hawks' first ever home game. The Hawks drove to the Averett 12 as time was running out, but were unable to punch it in for their first-ever victory.
"We are still only four weeks out of high school for most of these athletes," said Trogdon, "so each week shows more and more progress."
This past week, Huntingdon held a 21-0 halftime lead before, as Trogdon said, "Averett made some adjustments of offense that brought them back into the game. We moved the ball well, but just ran out of time. The kids never gave up."
"The two biggest challenges establishing the program were recruiting the athletes to a dream and scheduling contests with other colleges. We are not in a football conference and it was difficult and is still difficult to do."
Huntingdon is a member of the Great South Athletic Conference, which does not sponsor football. The school might have to hope to get into the SCAC, perhaps as a travel partner for Oglethorpe, if that school's talks about adding football go forward. There are not many D-III football programs in the Montgomery, Ala., area, but Trogdon was able to schedule a game with the potential to become a rivalry. This week the Hawks play at Sewanee, a five-hour drive, but as close as any other D-III program. The last D-III program started in Alabama, Stillman, moved to D-II this season after not playing a D-III school either of the last two seasons.
Said Trogdon, "Sewanee is a good team with several great athletes. We will not be able to make mistakes if we are going to be successful." That the Hawks can even think success at this early stage is a tribute to their progress, and we wish them well for the rest of the season, which closes with the Hawks' only other home game, against Wittenberg, on Nov. 8. If you're looking for a game on the 15th, give Trogdon a call. The Hawks would no doubt look forward to the challenge.
Around the ASC
Offensive POW: Brian Malbrough, WR, Soph., McMurry: 202 all-purpose yards, including a 73-yard touchdown reception and an 8-yard touchdown run, to lead McMurry to its third conference win against Mississippi College. Defensive POW: Keith Zunker, DE, Soph., Mary Hardin-Baylor: tied a school record with three sacks and turned momentum in MHB's favor by intercepting a pass deep in Crusader territory. His 60 yard return set up a touchdown in MHB's win over Howard Payne. Special Teams Co-POWs: Matt Reed, KR/DB, Jr. Austin College: Returned five punts for career-best 149 yards including a 77-yard touchdown return; Tyrone Robinson, KR, Sr., East Texas Baptist: Scored career-first touchdown on an 86-yard return. Around the SCAC
Offensive POW: Daniel Swanstrom, QB, Sr., Rhodes: His 22-for-31 for 154 yards and 4 touchdowns led Rhodes to a 34-14 victory against Sewanee. Swanstrom added 49 yards and a score on 12 carries. Defensive Co-POWs: Dylan Tarr, DE, Sr., Rose-Hulman: 10 tackles, 6½ for loss including 4½ sacks; Jake Vieck, DT, Jr., Rose Hulman: 13 tackles, 5½ for loss including 4½ sacks and a forced fumble. The duo helped RHIT break a 15-game road losing streak at Millsaps. Comments? Complaints? Praise? Have an interesting story idea for an upcoming column? Think your team isn’t getting enough coverage? If so, contact me at ron.boerger@d3football.com.