By Jim Henry
jhenry@joplinglobe.com
One week ago, Truman State’s 26-20 double-overtime victory over Nebraska-Omaha was the shock heard around the MIAA.
“I don’t think anyone saw that coming,” Pittsburg State wide receiver Kendall Fisher said. “When we heard it during the game, that was kind of a shocker. Especially in this league, it means you can’t overlook anyone any week. Nebraska-Omaha was ranked pretty high at the beginning of the year.”
“I think it caught everybody’s eye,” PSU offensive coordinator Tim Beck said. “Truman State is a team that for a lot of people in the conference, it’s always been a tough place to go play there. Nebraska-Omaha is kind of feeling its way around the MIAA right now.
“(Truman) has eight returning starters on defense and a very good quarterback who can do a lot of things. It was surprising to hear it, but on the other hand, especially after watching video, you understand exactly why it did happen.”
Why did it happen?
“They physically got after Omaha, and Omaha is known as being a physical football team, kind of like the Gorillas and (Northwest Missouri) Bearcats,” Beck said.
Truman State, which scored the winning touchdown on free safety Demetrius Levant’s 57-yard interception return in the second overtime, comes to Pittsburg to play the No. 14 Gorillas at 2 p.m. today. The Gorillas have won the last 19 games over Truman State, and the Bulldogs haven’t won in Carnie Smith Stadium since 1969.
The Gorillas are looking to bounce back from last week’s 35-10 loss to Northwest Missouri.
“We’ve actually had a real good week of practice,” Fisher said. “We cut back a little bit on Tuesday (30 minutes shorter).”
“I expected when we came (to practice) pretty much to get dogged ... push us pretty hard,” defensive back Ferrari Welch said. “But they just came in and talked to us. They reassured everybody that we’ll be all right. One loss won’t keep us from going (to the playoffs). ... Keep up the tempo, get back into the swing of things so we can get more victories.”
“It’s pretty well the same things we’ve been doing,” Beck said. “Just because you lost a game doesn’t mean you have to revamp everything. We came out and tried to fix our mistakes that we made on Saturday and do the same things we’ve been doing.
“I like the way our schedule is where we bring them back in on Sunday. We talk about the game on Saturday and then it’s pretty well over with. Then we give them Monday off. We told them on Sunday you can go ahead and sulk and feel sorry for yourself, but we don’t have time on Tuesday to deal with that. So when you get to practice on Tuesday, you have to be ready to go and let’s focus on Truman.”
The Gorillas, averaging 30.0 points and 403.8 yards total offense, were held to 228 yards and 10 points by the Bearcats.
“Northwest just played extremely well and we did not play very well,” Beck said. “When you put those two together, you don’t get a very good outcome. But that’s how things go sometimes.”
Truman State, led by senior quarterback Matt Ticich, averages 23 points and 294.8 yards per game. Ticich has completed 89 of 179 passes for 1,080 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions. The Bulldogs, however, average just 63.4 yards per game on the ground.
By contrast, the Gorillas average 187.3 yards on the ground. Tailback Caleb Farabi, limited to 28 yards last week, is second in the league with 678 yards, and quarterback Mark Smith has added 320 yards on the ground and hit 69 of 109 passes for 1,092 yards, 10 TDs and three interceptions.
Sports
Truman opens Gorillas’ eyes
- Sports
-
-
Kickapoo girls race past Joplin
Annie Armstrong poured in 21 points to lead the Kickapoo girls to a 65-28 victory over Joplin on Thursday night in an Ozark Conference basketball game at Missouri Southern’s Young Gymnasium.
-
Cheever is ultimate blue-collar snowboarder
As a World Cup snowboardcross racer, Jonathan Cheever has taken his share of spills over the years.
-
District wrestling tournaments begin tonight
Neosho’s wrestling lineup will have a different look when the Class 3 district wrestling tournament begins at 6 p.m. today at Carthage.
-
Late board work carries Lions past Pittsburg State
Pittsburg State displayed its offensive rebounding muscle during Wednesday night’s game at Missouri Southern.
-
Pitching holds key for softball Lions
Pitching is the main question Missouri Southern must answer as the Lions open their softball season today in Abilene, Texas.
-
Quapaw completes 12-0 run through Lucky '7' Conference
Quapaw High School girls basketball coach Rod Graves expected the 2011-12 Wildcats to compile another successful season.
They haven’t been a disappointment. -
Hillsdale women stop OCC
Visiting Hillsdale Free Will Baptist handed Ozark Christian a 68-47 loss in women’s college basketball on Thursday night.
-
Tomlin, Steelers welcome Haley as new coordinator
Throughout the 16 minutes that followed him glowingly introducing former Kansas City Chiefs coach Todd Haley as his new offensive coordinator, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin stood proudly in the corner of the second-floor media room at the team’s facility.
-
Rangers, Cruz strike $16M, 2-year deal
Two-time defending AL champion Texas has avoided arbitration with another of its core players, agreeing Thursday to a $16 million, two-year contract with AL championship series MVP Nelson Cruz.
-
Auburn’s Ward adapts game after injury at Texas
Auburn’s Varez Ward can’t take to the air quite like he used to. The onetime Texas starter is still trying to regain strength and explosiveness more than two years after rupturing his right quadriceps tendon while dunking during pre-game warmups.
- More Sports Headlines
-
Denver's Largest-Ever Drug Bust Nets Dozens
Marines: No Punishment for Nazi-like Flag
Vets Look to Translate Military Skills Into Jobs
Expert: Removing LA School's Staff 'Appropriate'
Raw Video: School Bus Burst Into Flames
LA School Reopens Amid Sex Abuse Scandal
$25B Settlement Reached Over Foreclosure Abuses
Pentagon: Allow Women Closer to Front Lines
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
