Wesleyan seeks momentum as end of season approaches
Head coach Brent Holsclaw
By Jake Jennings, Messenger-Inquirer
11/7/2009 12:07:40 PM
Coach Brent Holsclaw is looking for his Kentucky Wesleyan College football team to live large against Lincoln University.
KWC (1-8) faces the winless Blue Tigers at 2 p.m. today in a Great Lakes Football Conference contest in Jefferson City, Mo.
The Panthers found some life offensively last week in a loss at Lake Erie and Holsclaw expects that momentum to carry over into today's contest.
To improve the odds, KWC will go big up front and line up at certain spots with two tight ends. That's to force the Lincoln defense into shifting out of its base 3-4 defense to a four-man front.
Teams using a 3-4 have given the Panthers fits this season.
KWC gave up two early scores that were key in a 24-7 loss last week. But the Panthers put together sustained drives and won the time of possession battle (30:56-29:04) on a sloppy field.
Receiver-turned-quarterback Vincent Lalonde also had a solid game, throwing for 170 yards. He completed 24-of-30 passes and was sacked once.
"He threw some good deep balls, and he was accurate on his short passes," Holsclaw said. "He looked comfortable in the pocket, and the offensive line did a great job protecting him."
Wesleyan's Travis Walker ran eight times for 48 yards and has emerged as an effective rusher alongside Thomas Gordon.
The Panthers face a Lincoln team that has found the going tough this season under first-year coach Nathan Cochran.
While the Blue Tigers (0-9) have only been shut out once, they have scored more than seven points in only two games.
"They're a struggling team, but the other side of that is they've played a pretty tough schedule, too," Holsclaw said. "They stay in games early, then get beaten back in the second half."
The game marks the return to conference play for KWC. After today, the Panthers will finish up the year by hosting Missouri S&T next week.
Finishing the season with two wins would put the Panthers at 3-1 in the conference.
"It's been a tough season," Holsclaw said. "We've been competitive in all of our games but three.
"I am really proud of my guys. They could have folded and put up the tent, but they still believe in the program."