Michigan Tech’s Garrett Young looks to throw against Davenport, Saturday, at Sherman Field. (David Archambeau/Daily Mining Gazette)

Michigan Tech Huskies (4-5, 3-4 GLIAC) at Tiffin Dragons (5-4, 4-3 GLIAC)

When: Saturday, 1 p.m.

Where: Frost-Kalnow Stadium

Radio: 93.5 FM

Online stream: http://www.tudragonradio.com/

Weather: 50 degrees.

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TIFFIN, Ohio — The development of Michigan Tech freshman quarterback Garrett Young will continue on Saturday at Tiffin. 

Young will remain the team’s first-team quarterback after his starting debut in Tech’s 17-10 win over the Davenport Panthers last Saturday at Sherman Field. Young completed 11 of 21 passes for 92 yards, one touchdown and an interception. 

“We felt like he’s been practicing well, so we wanted to give him a shot heading into Davenport,” Tech coach Steve Olson said of Young replacing senior Jake Brown. “Now we want to see how he can do moving forward in the next couple weeks.”

Young hails from Tampa, Florida where he was the Florida Division 2A Player of the Year Runner-Up while playing for Cambridge Christian High School. He recorded 5,451 yards passing and 61 passing TDs and was also a mobile threat, tallying 1,471 yards rushing and 32 TDs on the ground. 

“Early on in the game, we had some nice drives and he had some plays with his feet to keep drives alive with his throws,” Olson said. “There’s maybe a few more things we can do to get him out on the perimeter from the standpoint of some naked bootlegs and sprint-outs. Obviously, you saw us run some option game on Saturday.

“He made a nice completion in press coverage to Kevin Kirkland, so there were some real positives that come out of it. The next part of it is understanding pressure and being able to handle that a little bit better because he got a little bit of that in the second half.”

On the other sideline, the Dragons have found success in a redshirt freshman QB of their own in Nick Watson, who is second in the GLIAC in yards passing per game (225.2) and fourth in passing TDs (12). 

“They’re a very athletic football team,” Olson said. “He’s very athletic as well, can throw the football, run the QB draw, so they run the same types of things they did in the previous year with Antonio Pipkin. 

“Part of (Watson’s) success has to do with their offensive scheme. They throw a lot of screens, and they also have the ability to go downfield. Where he’s been good is downfield accuracy.”

Williams’ status

Tech senior starting running back John Williams did not return for the second half against the Wayne State Warriors on Oct. 21. Williams ran for 76 yards on 11 carries before an injury forced him to miss the remainder of Tech’s 20-14 loss. He did not play against Davenport, and his status is up in the air for Saturday.

Williams leads Tech with 804 yards and 11 TDs on 143 carries (5.6).

“He’s been kind of day-to-day since he got hurt,” Olson said. “We’re hoping he can get out on the field and practice this week so we can find out a little more about him. But he’s sore.”

Special teams

Tech has returned a kickoff for a TD in each of the past two weeks. Against Wayne State, sophomore Jacob Wenzlick went 93 yards for the score, and with Tech trailing Davenport 10-7, junior Eric Kostreva answered Davenport’s TD with another 93-yard TD return.

“I think coach Bryan Thomas, Phil Milbrath, Josh Wood and Michael Donnelly do a good job of getting the kids fired up and helping them understand the importance of special teams,” Olson said. “Coach Thomas does a good job, schematically, of putting some things together, and our kids believe in what they’re doing and go out and execute. They’ve stayed on blocks on kickoff return and that’s been the real key for us.

“Two weeks ago there was a huge block by Alex Sherbinow to spring Wenzlick, and this week, Graham Hubbell ran ahead of the pack to cut off a guy who was in pursuit of Kostreva so he could have a clear path to the end zone.

“It’s effort and desire that’s a big part of it.”