Ouachita Baptist defense showcases its elasticity

“We’re not going to give up the big play. We’re not going to worry about stats. Stats are not going to win the game for us. Try to punt and kick. Try to get a big return and try to make a big play or two.” Ouachita Baptist Coach Todd Knight on his team’s philosophy going into Saturday’s game with Southeastern Oklahoma State

GAC

OUACHITA BAPTIST 27, SE OKLAHOMA STATE 14

ARKADELPHIA — Southeastern Oklahoma State’s football team had to feel like it was running on a treadmill against Ouachita Baptist University on Saturday at Cliff Harris Stadium.

The Savage Storm never stopped moving up and down the field, but the yards didn’t translate into points, at least not enough.

OBU (5-0 Great American Conference) utilized its bend-but-don’t-break defense en route to its 21st consecutive GAC victory, 27-14 over Southeastern Oklahoma State in front of a homecoming crowd of 5,222.

Southeastern Oklahoma State (1-4) ended up with more yards (454-360), more first downs (26-22) and ran more plays (75-68) than OBU, but found itself trailing for all but 7:39 of the first quarter.

“We competed with them, we played with them,” firstyear Southeastern Oklahoma State Coach Tyler Fenwick said. “We just let it get away there a little bit in the third quarter.

That’s a really good program, an established program that has been doing this for a long time.”

Two OBU interceptions — one in the second quarter by safety Hayden Lassiter and another in the third quarter by Jonathan Harris — led to 10 OBU points. The second of Gabe Goodman’s 24-yard field goals put OBU up 20-7.

Those 13 points represented the margin of victory.

“They’re physical, and they don’t make mistakes,” Fenwick said. “They do a great job of playing with field position and all that. Those are the things good teams do.”

OBU Coach Todd Knight said he wasn’t as concerned about the yards yielded as he was with the feeling that his players may not be enjoying the victory process as much as they should.

“The expectations are so high,” Knight said of the Tigers, No. 6 in the most recent American Coaches Association top 25 poll. “I want our kids to enjoy winning. It was a good one.”

Injuries to inside linebacker Jon Johnson and cornerback Greg Junior had the Tigers leaning on a conservative defensive game plan against a Savage Storm team that came into the game averaging 271 passing yards per game.

“We made up our mind earlier in the week that we were going to play a bit softer,” Knight said. “We’re not going to give up the big play. We’re not going to worry about stats.

“Stats are not going to win the game for us. Try to punt and kick. Try to get a big return and try to make a big play or two.”

Which is exactly what the Tigers did.

Senior wide receiver Allie Freeman (11-114 receiving, 2 TDs) made two pivotal plays — a 53-yard punt return that set up OBU’s second touchdown, a 1-yard run by Brockton Brown, with 53 seconds to play in the first quarter that gave Ouachita a 14-7 lead.

Freeman, who scored OBU’s first touchdown on a 10-yard crossing pattern from Brayden Brazeal on the Tigers’ opening drive, made it 27-7 late in the third quarter.

The touchdown play, on a 51-yard hitch and go from Brazeal, came on the first play after Harris intercepted a Rollin Kinsaul pass at the OBU 28 and returned it 21 yards to the OBU 49.

“Great protection by the offensive line, great call by coach [Jay] Derby, and great ball by Brayden,” Freeman said. “Everything happened the way it was supposed to happen.”

Freeman said Harris’ interception, with OBU up 207, made it all possible.

“We felt like we could take a shot right there,” he said.

Brazeal (19-of-25 passing, 187 yards, 2 TDs) said the play worked because Freeman was involved in it.

“We were setting it up,” said Brazeal, who has completed 80 of 99 passes for 910 yards and 8 touchdowns. “We knew the corners were going to bite on it because when No. 4 gets the ball, he’s dangerous with it. He was wide open. Just don’t overthrow him at this point.”

Freeman, who has 49 catches in five games, caught the ball in stride and dove into the end zone to give the Tigers a 20-point lead with 3:29 to play in the third quarter.

Southeastern Oklahoma State outgained OBU 154-32 in the fourth quarter, most of it on a 90-yard touchdown drive that culminated in Rashod Polk’s touchdown with 1:38 left.

But the Savage Storm couldn’t make the big plays when it mattered.

“They let you complete passes, but they don’t miss tackles,” Fenwick said. “They get you in the red zone, and they don’t let you score, and they make you kick field goals.”

Lassiter said OBU’s defense has a motto.

“If we’re going to bend, we better not break,” Lassiter said. “So you know, when they get down there, we’ve just got to man up and not let them get in the end zone.

“We try to keep everything in front of us. We’ll give up some small stuff, but eventually, they’re going to try to go over the top.”

OBU often makes its opponents pay with interceptions like the one Lassiter had near the end of the first half.

The Tigers drove 46 yards to the Southeastern Oklahoma State 7 in 39 seconds, setting up the first Goodman field goal from 24 yards, which gave OBU a 17-7 halftime lead.

“I was in the right place at the right time,” Lassiter said of the interception. “That’s just playing football. It was a game-changer for sure.”

SOUTHERN ARKANSAS 42, SW OKLAHOMA STATE 20

Hayden Mallory completed 14 of 17 passes for 226 yards and 2 touchdowns as the Muleriders (4-1) trounced the Bulldogs (2-3) at Wilkins Stadium in Magnolia.

Jared Lancaster caught two touchdown passes, and three SAU running backs scored rushing touchdowns as the Muleriders racked up 455 yards of offense.

Southern Arkansas scored the game’s first 28 points. Southwestern Oklahoma cut the deficit to 28-13 with 18 seconds left in the third quarter, but the Muleriders responded with scoring drives of 75 and 28 yards, respectively.

Mallory and Lancaster hooked up for the Muleriders’ first two touchdowns. Lancaster caught a 29-yard scoring pass with 10:09 left in the first quarter to cap a five-play, 71-yard drive. Lancaster’s 26-yard TD grab came 14 seconds into the second quarter to finish off an eight-play, 61-yard drive.

SAU increased its lead to 21-0 with 13:08 left in the second quarter when Lorenzo Watkins returned an interception 32 yards for a touchdown.

OB Jones’ 3-yard touchdown run with 1:52 left before halftime ended the firsthalf scoring and came at the end of a six-play, 99-yard drive. A 76-yard pass from Mallory to Micah Small highlighted the drive.

Tyler Marr completed 17 of 37 passes for 246 yards and 3 TDs for Southwestern Oklahoma, which compiled 343 yards of offense.

HENDERSON STATE 47, NW OKLAHOMA STATE 7

Logan Moragne scored on runs of 1, 6 and 1 yards as the Reddies (4-1) mauled the Rangers (2-3) at Carpenter-Haygood Stadium in Arkadelphia.

Henderson led 17-7 at the half and broke open the game by scoring 23 third-quarter points.

The Reddies intercepted Rangers quarterback Trent Easley four times — one of which was returned 36 yards for a touchdown by free safety Patrick Jones. Northwestern Oklahoma was limited to 82 yards on the ground and 217 yards overall.

Reddies receiver L’Liott Curry grabbed 8 passes for 123 yards, including a 23yard touchdown pass with 1:08 left in the first quarter. Quarterback Richard Stammetti completed 17 of 31 passes for 198 yards.

Moragne finished with 64 yards on 18 carries. Darius Austin ran for a teamhigh 67 yards and scored on a 23-yard run in the fourth quarter. Temo Martinez kicked field goals of 27 and 26 yards. Henderson outgained Northwestern Oklahoma 393-217.

ARKANSAS-MONTICELLO 49, EAST CENTRAL (OKLA.) 46

Demilon Brown ran for three touchdowns and threw for two more as the Boll Weevils (3-2) outlasted the Tigers (1-4) at Cotton Boll Stadium in Monticello.

Terry Bozeman’s recovery of an onside kick with 26 seconds remaining secured the University of Arkansas-Monticello’s victory.

The Weevils led 21-17 at the half and never trailed in the second half. The Weevils held a 600-524 advantage in total yards, including a 342-255 advantage on the ground.

Brown was 11-of-18 passing for 258 yards, including TD passes of 88 and 42 yards to DeAndre Washington, who finished with 4 catches for 197 yards.

Brown also had touchdown runs of 18, 68 and 9 yards. His 9-yard scoring run came with 5:12 left in the game and gave UAM a 49-39 advantage.

Devontae Dean added 99 yards rushing on 17 attempts. Dean scored on touchdown runs of 1 and 2 yards, both in the first half.

East Central quarterback Kenny Hrncir completed 13 of 24 passes for 245 yards. JayQuan Lincoln led the Tigers with eight catches for 128 yards. Ontario Douglas ran 25 times for 165 yards, including TD runs of 3, 1 and 38 yards.

HARDING 31, SOUTHERN NAZARENE 3

Tristan Tucker scored two rushing touchdowns, Preston Paden ran and threw for a touchdown and the Bisons defense held Southern Nazarene to 150 total yards as Harding (4-1) won its fourth consecutive game.

Tucker carried only five times but scored on runs of 14 and 20 yards for the Bisons’ first two touchdowns. He also had a 72-yard run that set up Harding’s third touchdown.

Harding scored on four consecutive possessions in the first half and led 28-0 at the half.

Paden scored on a 5-yard run with 7:21 left before halftime to give the Bisons a 21-0 advantage. His only pass of the game came two minutes later and resulted in a 27-yard touchdown by Baylor Cohu.

OKLAHOMA BAPTIST 43, ARKANSAS TECH 31

The Wonder Boys (0-5) held a 24-7 lead before surrendering the game’s next 36 points.

Deon Simmons scored on run of 16 and 3 yards in the second quarter for Tech. Mason Cunningham threw for 265 yards and two touchdowns.

Oklahoma Baptist quarterback Preston Haire threw for 267 yards and ran for 149, accounting for four touchdowns.