By Pat Coleman
D3sports.com

This just in: UW-Whitewater is deep.

It's one thing to lose an All-Decade running back and reload. Or an All-American offensive lineman. Or change the head coach and offensive coordinator. Or lose a wide receiver to the NFL. The Warhawks have done all of these in the past few years.

It's when Whitewater starts doing this reloading during the season that one has to take special notice. That's what the Warhawks did Saturday, and not solely at the spot everyone was able to see.

By now, those of you who care certainly know that Antwan Anderson got the start at running back for UW-Whitewater (11-1) and he carried the Warhawks on his back to the tune of 269 yards on 34 carries. He wasn't tackled even once behind the line of scrimmage. And he relentlessly ran the clock out on Willamette on the final drive of the game, getting the ball seven times before the Warhawks took a knee on the 2-yard line and let the clock run out.

What is probably less well-known is that the offensive line wasn't even at full strength. Starting center Garth Coats was at the emergency room instead of the stadium, according to Warhawks coach Lance Leipold, "so a backup (Mark Gawronski) comes in and really plays well. I think our coaches do an outstanding job of finding what our kids are going to be good at in our scheme and finding different looks that can do it."

Whether Coats is back in the lineup, or freshman Levell Coppage returns to his starting running back role, it's clear the Warhawks have the personnel to get the job done in the postseason.

The question is whether that theory will be tested at the quarterback position as well.

Junior Jeff Donovan aggravated his shoulder, which got separated earlier in the season, when he was knocked down on his final snap of the first half. The pass, which was completed to Jordan Wells, set up a field goal attempt to end the half from the 17-yard-line.

Whether Donovan was even going to be able to come out for the second half was in question.

"We were ready to go with Bruce Langer the second half," Leipold said, "and Jeff said 'I can go' so when you need to win a ballgame you stay with your starters as long as you can."

"I thought I was pretty much done," Donovan said. "But then I got into the locker room and the range of motion was still somewhat there, though the pain was pretty bad."

But Whitewater's second half was much different than its first. The Warhawks came out with two-tight end sets, added a wingback on Donovan's blind side, and ran, ran, ran. Donovan completed just two passes in the second half, while Anderson put on a show.

"I think just (my) being in the huddle is a difference for our team," Donovan said, "even if throwing wasn't as successful as it was. I think just being in the huddle, toughing it out, is all I had to do."

Offensive coordinator Jim Zebrowski agrees with Donovan's assessment. "The big thing is Jeff's leadership. Sometimes that starting quarterback, the kids really follow him. He does a good job with cadence and just presence. That's the kind of part we're kind of leaning on."

Langer started against UW-Stout after Donovan separated his shoulder in October and hit on a couple of big pass plays to lead scoring drives but finished just 8-for-22 passing. Stout dominated time of possession and ran 83 plays to Whitewater's 46.

"We have a very good backup," Zebrowski said. "Bruce played the Stout game and did a good job the first half, so he's got some experience. But that's one of those things you really have to think about."

Without Donovan at full strength in the second half, Whitewater had three drives end in punts, one with a touchdown, one with a missed field goal and one that ended the game with a kneel-down on the Willamette 2-yard line. Is that enough offense for Whitewater in the regional finals?

That's the question Whitewater hopes is answered on Saturday. "He says his shoulder's well enough to play but then you're kind of concerned about what you can do with him," Zebrowski said. "He could throw, we were just hoping not to."

Even if Donovan can't make all the throws on Saturday, he has at least one player behind him who can get it all done. Saturday was far from Anderson's first backfield action. He's had carries in 11 of the 12 Warhawk games, with 15 in the regular-season finale against UW-Platteville, for 72 yards and two touchdowns. After Coppage's midgame injury, Anderson ran the ball 20 times against St. John's and then last week's 34.

"I was very excited," Anderson said about getting the starting nod. "Nobody expected Levell to go down at all but when the time came for me to step up, I stepped up and helped produce and helped move the team forward.

Donovan wasn't surprised at Anderson's production.

"Antwan has been a capable back all year, it's just pretty much whoever that guy is that week gets most of the carries, so he's been capable but never got that opportunity. Ever since he's gotten the opportunity he's exploded. He's a tough, physical runner with speed just like Levell. He's a load to bring down."

And with only 116 carries through 12 games, Anderson is fresh. "A lot of other people are starting to wear down," Leipold said. "Having him at this stage is awful nice to have."

And even if he can't go, the Warhawks have even more backs on the bench, as Donovan is well aware: "Even the guy who didn't get a carry today, Jake Andersen, I think his average on the season is like 8 or 9 yards a carry. We really have a lot of capable guys. It's really just who gets the opportunity."

Coppage and Anderson have combined for 2,210 rushing yards so far this season. But for the past game and a half, it's been Anderson's show.

"They put the ball in my hands and I tried to do the best that I can.

"I held onto it. I wouldn't let it go."