Too close for comfort
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As several of our teams found out this week, however, relying too much on these time-honored canards can sometimes cost you. Some teams lost while others held on by the tips of their fingers. Week 2 brought us some exciting games:
at No. 8 Mary Hardin-Baylor 25, Willamette 22 (2 OT): The Crusaders began the post-Cody Fredenburg era started with a win, but were fortunate to gain the victory against a Willamette (1-1) team that did most everything right – except for blocking out on kick attempts. Strong special teams play by the Crusaders (1-0) was the difference between an exciting win an what could have been a very disappointing opener. The Mary Hardin-Baylor kick defense teams blocked two extra points, returning one for a two-point conversion, and blocked the Bearcats’ field goal attempt in the 2nd overtime to seal the win. Without the two points from P. J. Williams’ return, UMHB never gets into overtime. Shawnn Williams accounted for all three blocks for the Crusaders.
New quarterback Andy Padron performed adequately, completing 12 of 19 for 130 yards, one touchdown, and one interception while doing a good job of running the UMHB option. Justin Bryson led the way on the ground for the Crusaders, gaining 145 yards on 25 carries. Willamette’s 289 ground yards were the most ever given up in the history of the UMHB program; the Bearcats were led by Calvin Keyser-Allen’s 99 yards.
No. 13 Trinity (Texas) 41, at Texas Lutheran 32: As usual, the Tigers (2-0) jumped out to a big lead against the Bulldogs. What was not so usual was that Texas Lutheran almost made a game of it.
Led by the precision deep passing of Dan DesPlaines (15-for-21 for 359 yards and three touchdowns), the visitors built a seemingly insurmountable 41-18 lead with just over eight minutes left in the ball game. This time, however, Texas Lutheran’s young team did not give up. Quarterback Sean Salinas, who replaced an ineffective Jonathan Booker in the second, guided the Bulldogs to two scores in the final seven minutes. In between the two Bulldog drives, Trinity did its part to help by keeping the ball on the ground five straight times before being punting on fourth and one.
Salinas was an impressive 28-of-45 for 352 yards and three touchdowns in three quarters of relief. Jerrold Jones led all rushers with 87 yards on 15 carries; Derek Boles and Kenny Brailsford both got open deep twice, averaging nearly 65 yards per reception and accounting for three scores. Texas Lutheran was held to 26 yards rushing on 22 carries.
Millsaps 9, Mississippi College 0: In the fifth edition of this renewed rivalry, it was all Majors as Millsaps (1-0) blanked the Mississippi College (0-1) Choctaws in the 2004 edition of the “Backyard Brawl.” With the win, Millsaps also claimed the series edge, 3-2.
Stiff Millsaps defense kept the Choctaws out of the red zone all evening. Turnovers by Millsaps in the Choctaw red zone kept the final margin deceptively close. Majors running backs Tyson Roy (115 yards on 15 carries) and Eryc Lorino (99 yards, 20 carries, and the sole touchdown of the night) did most of the damage as Millsaps outgained Mississippi College by a 341-211 margin. Even better for Millsaps fans: Lorino and Roy aren’t even juniors yet. With the win, Millsaps matched last year’s victory total — one.
UW-Stout 23, at DePauw 0: We observed last week that the outcome of this game would have something to say about the SCAC. Well, it did, and the word is not good, as the Blue Devils (1-0) dominated the game, and especially the second half in their season opener. The win was also the first for new Stout head coach Todd Strop.
The home-standing Tigers (1-1), in head coach Bill Lynch’s first game at Blackstock Stadium, kept it close in the first half. A late goal line stand stopped the Blue Devils on the DePauw 4-yard line, and they settled for a 2-yard Evan Larsen field goal with 1:37 left. The Tigers immediately put their two minute offense to good use, with DePauw quarterback Ross Weithoff finding speedster Jamarcus Shephard for his longest gain of the evening, 48 yards. The drive reached the 16 before stalling; the resulting 32-yard field goal attempt went wide left. Unfortunately, that would be the only time DePauw would get inside Stout’s 20 all night.
From that point, it was all Stout, as the visitors scored on their first two in the third quarter to extend the margin to 17-0. Subsequent Tiger drives were blunted by a fumble and an interception, the latter leading to the Blue Devils’ last score of the night. The highlight of the second half for the home squad was a block of the ensuing extra point.
Year of the SCAC quarterback?
Your columnist made the claim in the season preview that this could be the year of the quarterback in the SCAC. So far, with the exception of Trinity’s Dan DesPlaines, this has not yet been the case. DesPlaines’ 234.74 quarterback rating is nearly equal to that of his closest two competitors (Rose-Hulman’s Aaron Gerhardstein and Rhodes’ Daniel Swanstrom) combined. While performances may improve as the season progresses (and conference play begins), you’d have to say that, excluding DesPlaines, SCAC quarterbacks this year have been underachieving. Brian Behrendt stepped it up this week; whether the rest can do so is yet to be seen.
Eyes on the skies
This time, we’re not talking about quarterbacks. The seemingly ever-drifting westward path forecast for Hurricane Ivan may take the storm over one or more of the schools covered in this column. Sul Ross State is scheduled to play at Mississippi College, and Hardin-Simmons will be at Louisiana College, while Millsaps will be at Emory and Henry and Huntingdon has the week off.
While the storm should be through the area by the time games are played, lingering effects could impact travel and infrastructure, and of course the storm itself may damage facilities and cause injuries. Rainfall from what’s left of Ivan could impact games all up and down the eastern part of the USA. We at D3football.com hope that everyone stays safe during this potentially disastrous weather event.
Notes from around the South
According to published reports, this year’s Backyard Brawl may be the last held in the spacious confines of Mississippi Memorial Veteran Stadium. An article written by Thomas Warner of the Mississippi Press quotes both athletic directors as being interested in moving the season opener to a traditional home-and-home series.
The article goes on to state that both schools rely on “leadership scholarships to beckon (their) recruits.” Ahem. Division III, Mr. Warner, allows no special considerations for athletes.
Some of last week’s other games
at No. 14 Hardin-Simmons 79, Sul Ross 17: In the season opener for both squads, the nationally ranked Cowboys dominated every phase of the game, winning by 62. About the only thing that went wrong for the home team was a missed extra point after the first touchdown. In just over a half of play, HSU’s Lance Moore had 129 yards and two scores. Moore single-handedly outgained the Lobos, who were held to just 119 total yards. The only think the Lobos can be thankful for is that this was actually a non-conference game. Unfortunately, they get to do it all over again — again in Abilene — on Oct. 9.
McMurry 52, at Colorado College 7: Forced to visit beautiful Colorado Springs for the second consecutive year, the Indians made sure it would not come down to a field goal in 2004, demolishing Colorado College by a count of 52-7. McMurry piled up 564 yards of offense while holding the Tigers to 123 yards, and forced Colorado College into an 0-of-13 performance on third downs. Running back Cory Hill had a career-high three touchdowns, while quarterback Jordan Newman completed 12-of-15 passes for 149 yards and two scores.
Rhodes 17, at Maryville (Tenn.) 14: For the second consecutive week, the Fighting Scots (0-2) kept it close, but Rhodes (1-1) scored late to earn the victory. In a penalty-filled game, neither team could get much going, as the Lynx eked out a 269-209 yard offensive advantage. One of those penalties late in the fourth wiped out what would have been a crushing interception in the end zone. Given a second chance, Rhodes quarterback Daniel Swanstrom (18-of-31, 187 yards, 1 touchdown) made the most of it. John Greer’s 9-yard touchdown reception provided the final winning margin.
Sewanee 28, at Huntingdon 17: Behind a huge performance from running back Phillip Suggs, the Tigers (1-1) rallied for a victory in Montgomery, Ala. Suggs rushed for 197 yards on 31 carries, including touchdown scampers of 75 and six yards. Sewanee quarterback Wesley Satterfield was 14-of-18 for 134 yards, and scored on a 17 yard run. Huntingdon’s Mark Colson was 15-of-25 for 139 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions; Zach Golson was 5-of-10 for 66 yards and one scoring toss. Sewanee trailed 17-7 at the half before A. J. Johnson scored on a 63-yard interception return, one of two interceptions Johnson had on the day.
For the week, the SCAC was 4-2; the ASC was 2-2 (excluding HSU-Sul Ross); independents were 0-2. Season to date: SCAC 6-4, ASC 4-4 (completed non-conference play), independents 0-4.
Players of the week
American Southwest Conference
Offense: Lance Moore, senior running back, Hardin-Simmons: recorded his fifth straight 100-yard game, rushing for 129 yards on 21 carries against Sul Ross. Our Honorable Mention: Sean Salinas, sophomore quarterback, Texas Lutheran: 28-of-46 for 352 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions in three quarters of relief against then-No. 11 ranked Trinity.
Defense: Coby Witt, junior linebacker, McMurry: nine tackles (four solo), three for loss and one sack to lead the Indian defensive effort against Colorado College. McMurry did not yield one first down on 13 third-down situations.
Special Teams: Zach Newcomb, sophomore kicker, Mary Hardin-Baylor: booted a school record three field goals including a game-winning 36-yarder against Willamette. Newcomb’s other field goals were 32 and 29 yards, and he also converted two extra points.
Our Honorable Mention: Shawnn Williams, junior defensive end, Mary Hardin-Baylor: blocked three kick attempts (no doubt also a school record, possibly an ASC record), one of which was returned for two points to help UMHB make it into OT, the last of which preserved the win in the second overtime.
Moore and Newcomb both had good efforts, but, come on — 129 yards in a 79-17 blowout was judged the standout offensive performance for the conference? And if three blocked kicks in a single game doesn’t merit the special teams nod, I don’t know what does. How many times has anyone in any division blocked three kicks in a game?
Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference:
Co-Offense: Dan DesPlaines, senior quarterback, Trinity, and Phillip Suggs, Sewanee: DesPlaines completed 15-of-21 passes for 359 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions to lead Trinity over Texas Lutheran. His 262.2 QBR was the fourth-best single game performance in Trinity history. Suggs had 190 yards on 32 carries, including a career-long 75-yarder for six and a six-yard effort which yielded his second touchdown of the day. It was the best performance by a Sewanee running back since 1998.
Defense: A. J. Jackson, sophomore defensive back, Sewanee: his two interceptions — one for 63 yards and a score — and fumble recovery were keys in the Tigers’ comeback win against Huntingdon.
Tidbit: This was the second week in a row that player(s) for the team opposing Huntingdon won conference player-of-the week honors.
Games of the week
No. 21 East Texas Baptist (0-1) at Howard Payne (1-0), 2 p.m.: It’ll be a hot one in Brownwood on Saturday, and the temperature should be in the 90’s, too. Both schools have had an extra week to prepare for this game. In the topsy-turvy ASC, one loss often eliminates a school from contention, but as we saw last year, that’s not always the case. And in 2004, with schools such as McMurry and Texas Lutheran on the rise, who knows what will happen? In any case, neither the Tigers or the Yellow Jackets want to lose this game. ETBU was impressive in week one, taking a lead into the third quarter before falling at nationally-ranked Division II stalwart Southern Arkansas; Howard Payne’s win against NAIA foe Southern Nazarene was less impressive. The HPU offensive line will have to do its best to protect quarterback Adam King against intense ETBU pressure, while the Yellow Jacket defensive line and linebacker corps will have to challenge the Tigers’ Phil Van Cleave while not allowing Roshawn Johnson to run wild. It’s a daunting challenge – one which HPU will have to deal with better than it did in 2003.
Redlands (0-1) at No. 13 Trinity (2-0), 7:30 p.m.: this game between two conference champions has lost a bit of its luster with Redlands’ unexpected loss to Whitworth. Like Trinity, Redlands — the 2003 SCIAC champion — returns nearly all its offense (ten of 11 starters). That was evident in the 49 points Redlands put on the board Saturday night. Also like Trinity, Redlands lost most of its defense, returning but a single starter from 2003. That, too, was evident in the 52 points Whitworth put on the board. The game will give Trinity the chance to determine whether last week’s performance by Texas Lutheran’s Sean Salinas was an aberration, or an indication that there are still opportunities for improvement in the defensive backfield. With a visit to Greencastle and Jamarcus Shephard waiting next week, and Azusa Pacific just around the corner, there’s no time to waste.
Centre (1-1, 0-0 SCAC) at Rhodes (1-1, 0-1), 1:30 p.m.: Rhodes faces a “must-win” situation in Week 3. The unexpected loss to DePauw in Week 1 means that a loss here will probably put them out of the conference race with four games remaining. Centre looked good last week against Kenyon, but who doesn’t?
Next week
We’ll review the first week of conference play in the ASC, any lessons learned from my trip to San Antonio to see Redlands play Trinity, and see what else comes up. As always, your comments and suggestions are invited; send your thoughts and story ideas to me at ron.boerger@d3football.com.