10/31/2009 12:18:00 AM WABASH COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Wabash mixing and matching line-up Senior QB Hudson back but three other starters out
Photo provided by Wabash College
Wabash College senior quarterback Matt Hudson will be back for today’s game.
WHAT: Wabash College football
WHO: No. 18 Wabash (6-1, 4-1 NCAC) at Oberlin
(1-6, 1-3 NCAC)
WHERE: Oberlin, Ohio
WHEN: Today
TIME: 1 p.m.
RADIO: 91.3 FM (WNDY)
NOTES: Wabash trails conference rival and No. 17-ranked Wittenberg (7-0, 5-0 NCAC) by one game in the standings with two conference games to play . . . Oberlin just won its first game last weekend with a 19-13 victory over
With senior quarterback Matt Hudson cleared for today's game, Wabash College's football team will receive a huge road boost against North Coast Athletic Conference rival Oberlin.
After two weeks, they've got the conference's 2008 Offensive Player of the Year back.
But while Hudson is finally able to play after his pneumothorax injury and cracked rib, the No. 18 Little Giants will once again be without a handful of other starters.
Senior safety Addrian Frederick (groin injury), junior wide receiver Wes Chamblee (knee injury) and junior cornerback Dan Ryan Wood will miss today's 1 p.m. game at Oberlin (1-6, 1-3 NCAC).
Wabash College coach Erik Raeburn had to deal with a flu outbreak last week. This week, it's the injury bug.
"The guys know we have a bunch of guys banged up," Raeburn said. "We're sick at more positions than I'd like. We're going to have guys who haven't played much who are going to get to play. After a tough, physical game like Wittenberg, I thought our guys bounced back pretty quick. We found a way to win that game [last weekend against Wooster]. We can't have a hangover or drop off."
Wabash (6-1, 4-1 NCAC) still trails conference rival and No. 17-ranked Wittenberg (7-0, 4-0 NCAC) by a game in the standings.
The Little Giants need to beat the Yeomen and Hiram next week and hope Wooster upsets Wittenberg in a Nov. 14 game to have a shot at their fifth straight conference title and an NCAA Division III playoff berth.
Despite all their injuries, the Little Giants have to maintain their momentum - especially coming off their 37-27 win at conference rival Wooster.
They still have junior wide receiver Kody LeMod (last week's NCAC Offensive Player of the Week for his four TD's) to throw to on offense.
And they have their multitude of running backs.
Now, it's their defense that has to step up again.
Oberlin won its first game last week in a 19-13 victory over conference foe Earlham.
After giving up just over 30 points per game over their first five games, the Yeomen have allowed an average of 17 in their last two.
Oberlin has benefited from the recent success of their running game, which averages just over 107 yards per game.
Sophomore running back Sean Curtis (108 carries, 366 yards) and freshman quarterback David Kalgren (72 carries, 281 yards) lead the way.
Kalgren threw for a career-high 142 yards and rushed for a team-high 66 yards in last week's victory.
"When [Oberlin] gets the running game going, they're difficult to stop. They get in third-and-mediums and third-and-shorts and keep you off balance. When you have success on offense, it's manageable to do that," Raeburn said. "[Defensively], we need to be successful on first and second downs. We need to get them in more third-and-longs and make them one-dimensional."
With Frederick out last week, junior safety Jake Martin (29 tackles, two INTs - including one last week) took over his leadership role.
He played a key role in helping sophomore Kyle Najar adjust to his first start.
Martin increased his vocal presence.
He surveyed the offense and directed the secondary. He gave hints to Najar on quarterback Austin Holter's mechanisms and snap counts. He made life easy for him.
"I had to do everything I could to make it easiest for him. So, pretty much all he had to do was react and play football," Martin said. "I tried to guide him and tell him exactly what to do from a scheme point of view"
Najar recorded four tackles against Wooster in that first start and said Martin's advice helped. He thinks he can play even better today.
"I had a couple of minor mistakes. I know what I need to do. I'm a lot more confident now," Najar said. "I just need to make sure the defense doesn't lose a beat. During practice this week, I've been fixing problems I had against Wooster. I'm just not making same mistakes over and over again and constantly improving."
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