Huskies football looks to build off good start to season
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HOUGHTON -- With wins over the Bemidji State Beavers and the Midwestern State Mustangs, the No. 20 Michigan Tech Huskies football team is 2-0 to start the season. Have they played their best football, no, according to coach Dan Mettlach, but he feels that where the Huskies are struggling are all areas that are correctable with time and repetition.
"I was happy with everything," said Mettlach, after his team defeated the Mustangs 48-27. "Obviously, that team was as dangerous as anybody we’re going to see in terms of what they have offensively and the weapons they had. To be able to get the turnovers early, to get settled in was awesome. The way the guys played and showed up ready to go, I was very happy with that part.
"Talking after the game, if there was anything we’re nitpicking on, I just thought there were a couple chances we left out there early, offensively, obviously getting the turnover in the red zone and not getting anything out of it. Obviously, we have to be able to capitalize in those situations. But, overall, I thought the guys played really well. A couple hiccups in the second half when there was a back and forth, but other than that, win by 21 against a team that’s that talented, we’ll take that every time."
Offensively, beyond the missed early field goal attempt, the Huskies did a lot of good things. One stat that jumps out was senior running back Jake Rueff's 18 carries for 118 yards and two touchdowns. He broke one rush for 35 yards, but what mattered more for Mettlach was the way Rueff fought for extra yardage on nearly every play.
"It’s a full-team deal," Mettlach said. "I mean, obviously, when there’s creases for him to get to and guys are blocked up, he runs hard. He’s a physical kid, definitely not scared of contact. So, the fact that not only is he getting the chunk plays, but falling forward on most every other run where we’re at least positive yards to keep us on track with the sticks is a big deal.
"That’s who he is. He’s not a guy that’s going to go 80 and run away from people, but the consistency of how he runs, and delivering those body blows over and over again, at some point it’s going to crack. He’s patient enough to stay with that. So, I thought he played really well on Saturday."
A big part of why Mettlach refers to Rueff's success as a "full-team deal" is the efforts of senior offensive lineman Brandon DeVries and the rest of the line.
"We talked about for a couple years now (about) getting that front five to the point where when we get to the end of a game, third, fourth quarter, where those guys can get the line of scrimmage moving in a positive direction for us, and I thought we did that on Saturday," said Mettlach. "That was one thing that we talked about after week one, being able to put somebody away when you’re up by a couple scores, and being able to run the football to do so. I thought we did that on Saturday. Those guys up front have played a lot of football together now."
The line protecting the backfield also helped sophomore quarterback Elliott Larner settle in Saturday. Then, finding his twin brother, Abram, a freshman wide receiver, also helped. The pair combined for seven catches for 104 yards and a touchdown on a 53-yard pass in the second quarter.
"There’s just a couple of looks that we were getting from them that dictated that the ball goes to Abe, just with the structure of what our formations were," Mettlach said. "So, obviously, made a ton of plays, which was great to see, but he’s dangerous when he gets the ball in his hands, even if it’s a short ball."
Of course, part of that is the threat of the two junior wide receivers Nic Nora and Bryce Kurncz, which helps create time and space for Abram Larner.
"I thought, as a whole, getting everybody involved, 'Kurnczy' had three big catches, Nic Nora a couple times on broken plays, finding green grass to get to, and the 'Q' (quarterback) being on the same page with him," said Mettlach. "So, as a unit, I think the quarterback and the wide receivers have been pretty good in terms of what each one of them is seeing and where the ball needs to go, and the guys have been taking advantage of those opportunities.
"From Nic’s standpoint, obviously, you want the football every single time it’s in the air, but when you can be a decoy that, for example, on that long touchdown before the half, three guys were ID’d for one, which singled up Abe on the post route. Every one of them has a job to do, whether they got the ball in their hands or not. Right now, (they are) taking pride in doing those jobs, whether it frees up somebody else, or gets them open too. So, it’s great to see."
Scouting the Hornets
The Emporia State Hornets are 2-0 on the season after defeating No. 10 Pittsburgh State last Saturday, 21-10.
Redshirt senior quarterback Ben Harris runs the offense. He is 52-of-83 for 539 yards and three touchdowns. However, he has also thrown three interceptions. On the ground, he has run the ball 12 times for 62 yards and a touchdown.
The featured back is redshirt junior Camden Crooks, who has run 32 times for 162 yards and two touchdowns, both coming against Pittsburgh State.
A pair of redshirt juniors have emerged as the top targets for Harris. Trenden Collins has 14 catches for 132 yards and two touchdowns. Malik O'Atis has 13 catches for 111 yards.
Game time
The Huskies and Hornets will battle Saturday at 2 p.m. in Emporia, Kansas.