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Fort Lewis has a football team to celebrate on homecoming

FLC football ready to welcome nation’s leading passer

Off to its best start in nearly a decade, the Fort Lewis College football team has reason to look forward to homecoming.

The Skyhawks have won three consecutive games by scoring 40 or more points. It is the first time in program history FLC has put up 40 or more three times in a row.

FLC is also off to its best start in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference since 2006 by opening 2-0. Overall, the Skyhawks are 3-1 with the only loss coming to nationally-ranked Division I FCS Montana State.

“I attribute what has taken place to this point to our seniors,” FLC head coach John L. Smith said Thursday in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “I’m a firm believer that you’re only as good as your seniors.”

The Skyhawks will welcome the nation’s leading passing attack to Ray Dennison Memorial Field at noon Saturday when the Western New Mexico Mustangs (2-2, 1-1 RMAC) come to town.

With the early-season success and the team having already matched season’s win total, Smith hopes to see alumni, students and fans from La Plata County turn out in great numbers for the homecoming game. But he also knows it’s hard to expect a capacity crowd in an area that has seen so many losing seasons out of the Skyhawks.

“As a coach and as part of this program, I would like to see the place packed, but I don’t know that it’s going to be that way,” Smith said. “But the more fans we can get the better, without a doubt. Hopefully people catch on to what we’re doing and come watch us.”

Even those who don’t cheer for the Skyhawks can appreciate the game that will be on display Saturday, as Mitch Glasmann will enter the game as the leading passer in NCAA Division II. He passed for 501 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-27 loss to defending national champion CSU-Pueblo last Saturday.

The game will come down to Glasmann’s ability to get the ball out quickly before the talented Skyhawks’ defensive line can reach the quarterback.

FLC’s defense has been stingy this season, allowing only seven points in each of the last two games and a season average of 19.8 points per game, which ranks third in the RMAC. Not bad for a team that gave up more big touchdown plays than any other team in the conference a year ago.

“The D-line is doing a great job and is the strength of our team,” Smith said of the unit anchored by the play of Dalten Lane and Sione Folaumoeloa. “They’ve done a good job, but at the same point a lot of our emphasis among the defensive coaches is making sure we stay up on the ball with our defensive backs and don’t give anything up.

“If they complete it underneath, let’s make the tackle and live to play another down. Last year, we’d try to go for the big play and got burned. We’ve worked on not giving up that big play, and we’ve been very successful.”

Behind Glasmann, the Mustangs have the conference’s second leading offense, averaging 39 points per game. But the Skyhawks have been right there, scoring 38 per game to rank third in the RMAC. Glasmann threw for his 100th career touchdown a week ago, good for a new RMAC record. And he needs 579 yards to become the conference’s all-time leading passer.

Smith believes his side has the advantage on defense, with the Mustangs allowing 34.5 points and 446.8 yards per game.

But FLC will have to slow Glasmann and wide receivers Xavier Ayers, who leads the RMAC with 7.2 receptions per game, and Larry Young II. Running back Marques Rodgers also averages 119.8 rushing yards, seven receptions and 64.5 receiving yards per game.

“Any time you face a guy that good who is great at getting the ball out, you have to cover the pass and make him have to work,” Smith said of Glasmann. “They’re very talented, and he’s a talented player with receivers and a good running back. They’re a talented crew.”

FLC has been led offensively by sophomore running back PJ Hall, who averages 99.2 yards per game and has run for five touchdowns.

The Skyhawks’ senior quarterback Jordan Doyle has thrown for 138.8 yards per game but has been smart with the ball and is moving the offense with his arm and legs at appropriate times.

The big key for FLC has been zero offensive turnovers the last two weeks.

“We have to do a good job offensively and hang on to the football. If we keep our turnovers at zero, we have a great, great chance against anybody,” Smith said.

Special teams haven’t been opportunities for fans to seek refreshments this season, either. The last three weeks, FLC has a fake field goal for a touchdown, a blocked field goal return for a touchdown and a punt return touchdown.

“Special teams is stepping up, and the defense is not giving up the big one,” Smith said. “We’re making teams work for everything.”

jlivingston@durangoherald.com

Oct 2, 2015
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