Can't
get to the game? Don't worry, we've got ya covered.
Tigers hit road
9/28/2007
By NICK McQUEEN
Hays Daily News
Approximately 447 miles from Hays, Saturday's road trip to Kirksville, Mo., will be the longest of the 2007 season for the Fort Hays State University football team.
That's not the biggest factor, though, as the Tigers look for a road win in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association in a 6:30 p.m. game at Truman State University. It's not how far the Tigers travel, it's what they do when they get there.
"We have to travel well. That goes with winning on the road. You have to be talented No. 1 and No. 2, you have to travel well," said Tiger third-year coach Kevin Verdugo. "The players have to understand what your purpose is on the road. You're going for business purpose."
The Tigers are 3-0 at home, but lost their only road game so far this year, 28-10 at Washburn University in their MIAA opener. They take on a Truman State team that started its MIAA season with the two current MIAA leaders, Northwest Missouri State University and University of Central Missouri, both unbeaten in conference play.
"'They're a good football team. They've played two very good teams in the MIAA right off the bat," Verdugo said of Truman (2-2 overall, 0-2 MIAA). "There's not necessarily an easy weekend in the conference, but Northwest and Central are two pretty good football teams. They did well in their nonconference play also."
The Tigers' MIAA-leading defense (13.2 points per game) will see something similar to last week's 26-12 win over Emporia State University. Truman State senior quarterback Matt Tichich poses a similar dual threat. He has completed 79-of-140 passes for 872 yards and has yet to throw an interception this season. He also has 147 rushing yards in four games with seven touchdown passes and four rushing, while Truman averages 26.2 points per game.
"He's similar to the kid last week. He's athletic and able to run the ball well,"¬ Verdugo said. "He also throws the ball and maybe a little more confident in the pocket. Any time you get a quarterback that's athletic and can provide a run threat, that's a dual threat to your defense."
Tichich is second in the conference in total offense. Last week against Emporia State, Tiger senior quarterback Shane Jackson had a breakout game for the season, rushing for 125 yards and passing for 94 for a Tiger offense that ranks fifth in the MIAA at 31.2 points per game.
Last week, Fort Hays (3-1, 1-1) got better on third down, converting on 6-of-17 attempts and is second in fourth down conversions at 53.3 percent.
Defensively, Truman State runs a 34 defense, a bit different from the standard 4-3 the TIgers have seen in their first two MIAA games. The TIger rushing attack, anchored by senior Jordan Hickel's 82.5 yards per game, is third in the MIAA with 189.5 yards per contest.
"They run a 34 defense, so there are different things that you have to attack and different ways to go about it,"¬ Verdugo said.
The Tigers will have a weapon back at their disposal this week in junior kickoff returner Bryan Haynes, who sat out last week with an injury. Haynes, the MIAA's leading kickoff returner (37.5 yards per return), practiced this week and is available.
The 6:30 p.m. start is the final evening game the Tigers will play this season.
"Your routine is out of whack a little bit. We try to keep the routine as simple as we possibly can,"¬ Verdugo said.
Sports reporter Nick McQueen can be reached at (785) 628-1081, Ext. 128 or by e-mail at nmcqueen@dailnews.net.
| Scoreboard | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Sport | Date | Opponent | Score |
| BB | 5/11 | Central Missouri | L 4-2 |
| BB | 5/10 | Missouri Western | W 4-3 |
| BB | 5/09 | Emporia State | L 6-5 |
| BB | 5/04 | Pittsburg State | W 17-5 |
| BB | 5/04 | Pittsburg State | L 4-3 |
| BB | 5/03 | Pittsburg State | L 15-7 |
| BB | 5/03 | Pittsburg State | L 5-4 |
| SB | 5/02 | Central Missouri | L 3-1 |
| SB | 5/02 | Missouri Western | W 3-2 |
| SB | 5/01 | Pittsburg State | W 6-0 |
