Harding on a roll after 0- 3
Harding University will play a postseason football game this weekend in Indianapolis, but for the Bisons, their playoff season started in late September.
After an 0- 3 start, Harding won its final eight games and earned the No. 7 and final seed into the NCAA Division II Region 3 bracket.
“Our motto after starting 0- 3 was ‘ let’s win eight in a row,’ ” Harding senior
right tackle Gavin De Los Santos said. “To be honest, we weren’t thinking playoffs. We were just trying to win games.”
Harding ( 8- 3) plays the University of Indianapolis Greyhounds on Saturday. Kickoff at Key Stadium is scheduled for noon Central.
“Our guys weren’t thinking playoffs until Week 9 when we entered the regional rankings,” Harding Coach Paul Simmons said. “But yes, it had been a lose-and-go- home situation for us the last eight weeks.”
The Bisons’ reward is a game with the unbeaten Greyhounds ( 11- 0), the champions of the Great Lakes Valley Conference ( GLVC), the No. 2 seed in the region and a team that was won 15 consecutive games dating back to last season.
“They’re a very balanced team,” Simmons said. “Their quarterback is a very special operator. They certainly don’t do a lot. They don’t run out of a lot of formations. But they know what they’re doing and they do it really well.”
Senior quarterback Jake Purichia, 6- 0, 207 pounds, was the GLVC Player of the Week four times this season. He completed 176 of 251 passes ( 70.1 percent) for 2,580 yards and 28 touchdowns. He threw only two interceptions all season.
“I’ve been watching film on him and he just doesn’t throw incompletions,” Simmons said. “He’s very accurate and he’s a tough runner. He looks like a running back.”
The Greyhounds’ leading rusher is freshman Al McKeller ( 147 attempts, 990 yards, 11 TDs). Their leading receiver is senior Garrett Willis ( 53 receptions, 882 yards, 8 TDs).
Harding is all about the run. The Bisons lead all Division II teams in rushing, averaging 356.6 yards a game. They have scored 42 of their 46 offensive touchdowns via the rush. Harding attempted only 68 passes all season.
Harding is second among all Division II teams in time of possession, averaging more than 35 minutes a game.
“I’d love to say we’ve been successful because of the O- line,” said De Los Santos, an All- Region selection from Lake Hamilton High School. “But [ running the ball] is a culture thing for
us. We preach it every day. … The key is to play with every thing you got and love the guy next to you.”
Harding employed a running back- by- committee offense. The Bisons had three backs rush for 500 or more yards.
Freshman Cole Chancey ( 133 attempts, 828 yards, 8 TDs) led the in rushing. Quarterback Terrence Dingle had a team- leading 14 touchdowns.
This will be the second consecutive playoff appearance for the Bisons. Harding finished 13- 1 in 2016.
“Our [ postseason] experience should help us a ton,” Simmons said. “We shouldn’t have a whole lot of players who come into this game all wide- eyed. We have a few new players, but we also have a lot of guys who have played in some big games.”
“Going 13- 1 last year was awesome,” De Los Santos said. “But I think this year is even more special because of where we had to come from to get here.”