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Michigan Tech prepares for Northwood’s option attack

David Archambeau/Daily Mining Gazette Michigan Tech’s Jake Brown looks to pass against Northern Michigan, Saturday, at Sherman Field.

Michigan Tech (3-2, 2-1 GLIAC) at Northwood (2-3, 0-3 GLIAC)

When: Saturday, 1 p.m.

Where: Hantz Stadium.

Radio: 93.5 FM.

Online stream: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/northwood/ 

Series: Northwood leads 22-21.

Four storylines

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1. Defending Northwood

The Northwood Timberwolves feature one of the more unique offenses in the GLIAC with its option attack. In one of Northwood’s signature formations, freshman quarterback Grant Dunatchik will take a shotgun snap with a running back a yard behind him, while two other backs line up just outside each tackle. One of the edge backs swings around in motion and becomes the pitch man, and Dunatchik will follow the lead blocking of the back that originally lined up behind him for one of Northwood’s many option plays.

“With option football, you have to be consistent and solid with your reads and assignments,” Tech head coach Steve Olson said. “You have to know who has the dive, who has the quarterback and who has the pitch. But it’s not like you designate one person to do that. You have to recognize blocking schemes to know who it is and who has those responsibilities and assignments.”

The Timberwolves lead the GLIAC in rush attempts (247) and rely on a strength in numbers approach with its backfield. Eight players on Northwood’s roster have at least 13 carries this season. Junior Dominick Giovinazzo (38 for 183 yards), senior Andre Carter (21 for 147) and Vashon Nutt (23 for 130) are the leading rushers. Dunatchik leads the team with 42 carries (104 yards), while sophomore quarterback Joe Garbarino has carried 38 times for 96 yards. 

As a group, Northwood hasn’t been overly effective on the ground, averaging just 3.6 yards per attempt — ninth out of ten teams in the GLIAC. 

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2. Attacking Northwood

Northwood’s defense is a tale of two extremes. The Timberwolves feature the stingiest run defense in the league (104.6 yards rushing per game) but allow the most passing yards per game (282). On the season, Northwood has allowed 32.6 points per game, the third-worst total in the GLIAC. 

The Tech offensive line, which has allowed just four sacks this season (12th-best in the country), will go up against a Northwood team that has tallied 14 sacks so far. The Huskies have been without starting sophomore center Cal McCarty, but freshman Jeff Ford has been solid in filling the center void.

“Our lines has done a great job all season,” Tech senior quarterback Jake Brown said. “It was a little different at first (without Cal), but we did the same thing at Hillsdale with Jeff at center the whole game. We get a lot of reps during the week and get used to it. I think those guys up front did a great job adjusting to the change.”

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3. Vertical playmaking

Tech’s physical downhill run game (178.8 yards) has forced opposing defenses to put eight men in the box with regularity. In Tech’s 28-21 win over the Northern Michigan Wildcats, Brown made them pay with a 75-yard touchdown to sophomore receiver Jacob Wenzlick, and a 33-yard completion to junior Kevin Kirkland to set up Tech’s game-winning 6-yard touchdown pass to Ben Hartley. Both Wenzlick’s and Kirkland’s catches came on fly routes where they beat their defender for the ball. Tech’s success in the vertical passing game will be vital in keeping defenses honest the rest of the year. 

“It’s huge to put it on film that if you want to play press-up on us, we have guys who can go win and go make plays,” Brown said. “Especially for our conference as well. If someone wants to press us, we know we already beat that so we can already do that again.”

The big plays in the passing game could be there again this week. In Northwood’s 31-28 loss to the Tiffin Dragons, the Timberwolves allowed scores on passing plays of 71, 76 and 35 yards. And in Northwood’s 42-14 loss to the Ashland Eagles, Northwood surrendered two 66-yard touchdown catches. 

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4. Turnover issue

Florida Tech, Simon Fraser, Lincoln (MO) and the Huskies have each forced just one turnover, tied for dead last in the country out of 168 schools. Tech has yet to get an interception.

It’s somewhat surprising since this is a Tech defense that returned eight starters from a unit that forced 16 turnovers in 10 games last season. 

“Our kids were raking at the ball last week, and I thought we did a good job there,” Olson said. “(NMU’s) quarterback didn’t really put the ball up in too many positions where it could get picked off, but we’re going to keep trying. We still concentrate and focus on it. 

“But at the same time, sometimes it’s just a matter of continuing to work at it and continuing to strive to get after it and hope that some of those things will turn around and come for us.”

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