Fort Lewis College could have driven to Miami or New York City and back in fewer miles than they spent traveling the first three weeks of the football season.
After 4,516 miles spent on the bus driving to UC-Davis in Davis, California, Oklahoma Panhandle State in Goodwell, Oklahoma, and Black Hills State in Spearfish, South Dakota, last week for the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener, the Skyhawks (1-2, 0-1 RMAC) finally will play a home game at noon Saturday against New Mexico Highlands (1-2, 1-0 RMAC) at Ray Dennison Memorial Field.
“It it just a pleasure to be at home. Gosh, it almost feels like we had two weeks to prepare instead of one week because of non-travel,” FLC head coach John L. Smith said Thursday in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “For us, after three weeks like that on the road, it is almost like we don’t know what to do with all this extra time.”
The Skyhawks have a 1-2 record to show for their early season travels, and the conference schedule opened with a disheartening 40-14 loss at Black Hills State (2-1, 1-0 RMAC), a middling RMAC program.
The loss was a letdown after a 21-point second-half comeback in Oklahoma the week before, which prompted Smith to say he never had a worse week of preparation from coaches and players alike in 40 years of head coaching, which includes five stops at Division I schools.
This week, that story has reversed, he said.
“Thursday was as good of a day as we’ve had since I’ve been here,” the second-year head coach of the Skyhawks said. “I’m optimistic, and we feel so much more prepared. I hope it shows come Saturday, and I at least think the kids understand what the gameplan is. It is a matter of executing, but we had three good days of getting ready.”
The Skyhawks have to be ready for N.M. Highlands senior quarterback Lance Orender, who torched Western New Mexico (1-2, 0-1 RMAC) in a 59-38 win last weekend. The 6-5, 235-pounder from Clovis, California, was 56-of-78 passing for 620 yards, eight touchdowns and zero interceptions against the Mustangs. The eight touchdowns and 56 completions are new RMAC records, and his 78 attempts without an interception is the new NCAA single-game record.
Orender has completed 65.6 percent of his passes this season for 1,371 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has averaged 457 yards passing per game.
“When we look at him, defensively we say ‘OK, No. 1 priority is keeping the ball in front of us,’” Smith said. “We can’t let their receivers get behind us, and we can’t give up anything cheap.”
Smith issued a challenge to his defensive line to create more of a pass rush to help the defensive backs, who Smith still believes are much-improved from last season.
“Our front has to accept that challenge. It’s not necessarily sacking the guy every time as much as creating disruption. We have to create some havoc where (Orender) is not as comfortable throwing the ball,” he said. “We have to make him get rid of it on time and execute rather than giving them something where he can dance around and throw wherever he wants. If we do that, then we have a chance.”
The same challenge goes to the offensive line for FLC, as the Skyhawks’ running game has been anemic to open the season. FLC has averaged just 95.3 rushing yards per game, relying heavily on junior quarterback Jordan Doyle to produce with his arm and legs.
Doyle has 280 yards rushing this season, but sacks have whittled that total down to 183 yards on 53 attempts. He has all four of the Skyhawks’ rushing touchdowns this year and is the only rusher with more than 100 yards through three games. PJ Hall is second on the team with 82 yards on 31 carries, good for an average of just 2.6 yards per attempt. Freshman running back Amu Aukusitino has just 29 net rushing yards on 17 touches.
“We have to at least attempt to run the football,” Smith said. “Can we line up and run the football against anybody when we have to? That’s yet to be determined, but we have to keep pounding it and always try to keep them honest with the running game.
“I’m a big believer that, for us to win games, there comes a point where you have to run the ball to win. I’m trying to express to those guys the challenge there to create some push and alleys, and hopefully the running backs find those alleys.”
Smith said Doyle will remain the starting quarterback this week against the Cowboys. He has completed 55.3 percent of his passes for 833 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions to open the season. FLC freshman Johnny Swanson of Manitou Springs completed two passes on two attempts last week in South Dakota.
Whether the Skyhawks can step up to Smith’s challenges is yet to be seen, but the coach is confident after the enhanced time to breakdown film ahead of Saturday’s game.
“The kids have been able to come in and see more film and study the opponent more. The kids have accepted that and embraced the extra time to study,” Smith said. “I’ve got a lot more time to look at film and prepare myself to win this game.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
