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Tiger defense faces tough task
10/12/2007
By NICK McQUEEN
Hays Daily News
Saturday's road contest against Missouri Southern State University might give the Tigers a chance to find out just how tough their run defense is this season.
That doesn't mean the Fort Hays State University football team will focus on the run any more than it has already, even though it's going up against one of the top running backs in the Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association. Kickoff is 2 p.m. in Joplin, Mo.
Fort Hays (3-3 overall, 1-3 MIAA) will face a tough challenge in the form of Lion senior Alley Broussard, the former Louisiana State University standout.
"I think your players look at it from the standpoint of 'let's see how good he really is,' "¬ Tiger coach Kevin Verdugo said of Broussard. "He's done a nice job of playing this year."
After sitting out two seasons with a knee injury, Broussard averages 106.6 yards per game on the ground for Missouri Southern (4-2, 2-2) with eight touchdowns, splitting time with redshirt freshman Renard Johnson. The Lions' running game is third in the conference, while the Tiger defense has continued to improve and leads the MIAA in rushing defense, allowing 74.2 yards a game.
"I don't think we'll put any more guys in the box than we do already. I think we put a great emphasis on stopping the run as it is, no matter who we're playing," Verdugo said. "I think we're going to have to do a good job of tackling because (Broussard's) a pretty big cat. We're going to have to make sure to wrap up well and run our feet."
Though Broussard is a threat for the Lions' offense, he's not the only one.
Junior quarterback Adam Hinspeter leads the MIAA in passing touchdowns with 13 and is one of five quarterbacks to throw for more than 1,000 yards this season. Missouri Southern's offense is third in scoring at 34.3 points a game.
Fort Hays counters with an offense that hasn't gotten much output since a 26-12 win over Emporia State University in Week 4. The Tigers are tied for eighth in the conference in scoring and are last in the league in passing offense.
Senior tailback Jordan Hickel continues to climb the career rushing chart at Fort Hays. He is four yards behind Rich Dreiling for third on the all-time list. He sits at 2,952 and leads the Tigers with 75.8 yards per game on the ground this year with six touchdowns.
"I think we're playing a team we have a chance to match up with physically," Verdugo said. "We have a chance to be successful. We should have a degree of confidence against them."
Last year, the Missouri Southern game was the only win for the Tigers, as Fort Hays claimed a 10-0 shutout of the Lions at Lewis Field Stadium. Coming off a 37-9 homecoming loss to Missouri Western State University last week, the Tigers are "expecting" to climb back above .500 and earn their first road win in the last 10 tries.
"I don't want our kids to hang their heads,"¬ Verdugo said about the loss last week. "This part of the year we're 3-3. Last year, we were 0-6. Take your pick."
Sports reporter Nick McQueen can be reached at (785) 628-1081, Ext. 128 or by e-mail at nmcqueen@dailynews.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 |
