There is a simple fact looming over the Fort Lewis College football team this week: The Skyhawks have never beat Black Hills State.
With an 0-3 record against the Yellow Jackets (0-2), the Skyhawks will look to end the slide in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference opener noon Saturday on their home field of Ray Dennison Memorial.
But Fort Lewis is a different team in 2015, showing vast improvement in head coach John L. Smith’s third year at the helm. The Skyhawks (1-1) are coming off a 41-20 win against Oklahoma Panhandle State and had perhaps their best week of practice during Smith’s time in Durango.
“Tuesday and Wednesday were as good of days as we’ve had as far as practice goes,” Smith said in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “The guys are coming around, learning how to practice, and that’s a major step for us as a football program; learning how to go to the field and take care of business.”
The Skyhawks took care of business against the Aggies a week ago, coming up big in all three phases of the game to secure the win.
After taking away Oklahoma Panhandle State’s rushing game last week, the Skyhawks are confident they can do the same thanks to their dominant defensive line. But playing the quick-passing game of quarterback Ryan Hommel the Yellow Jackets will be a major priority.
Hommel is 29-of-68 passing for 304 yards and two interceptions this season. The Yellow Jackets are fairly balanced and have averaged 160.5 rushing yards and 155 passing yards per game.
“Their young quarterback does a good job making reads and getting the ball out quick,” Smith said of Hommel. “The quick passes are definitely the threat we have to take away.”
Phydell Paris leads the Black Hills rushing attack. He had 229 yards and two rushing touchdowns on 42 carries this year. A season ago, Paris ran for more than 80 yards against the Skyhawks in a 40-14 victory. FLC trailed 24-0 after the first quarter and turned the ball over seven times in the game with four fumbles lost and three interceptions for quarterback Jordan Doyle.
“These guys gotta be coming in here pretty optimistic after watching film and knowing they’ve beat us the last few years,” Smith said. “I look at them defensively, and they don’t do a whole bunch. They keep it simple and make you earn it on them. We’re going to have to be patient and take what they give us and don’t do something stupid like throw it into coverage and places we shouldn’t.”
Doyle has been effective in his senior season, passing for 272 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in two games this year. He found wide receiver Juquelle Thompson for a pair of touchdowns last week, including an 82-yard bomb. Thompson has 177 yards and three touchdowns this season.
Doyle also has rushed for another 105 yards, while PJ Hall carried the load last week with two touchdowns and more than 120 yards rushing. He has 193 rushing yards now on the season.
“They have a good nose guard and did a good job last week taking away the run,” Smith said of the Yellow Jackets and their 28-26 loss to South Dakota Mines. “It will come down to whether or not we can execute the way we should and then run the football when need be. The pressure is on our front, and the same on the other side of the ball. We’ll continue to rely on those guys.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
If you go
Who: Black Hills State at Fort Lewis
What: College football
When: noon Saturday
Where: Ray Dennison Memorial Field
Listen Live: KIUP 930 AM, 97.3 FM
Twitter: @jlivi2
Skyhawks chirp
Linebacker Ryan Ross is out for the season with a knee injury that will require surgery. The senior from Colorado Springs will withdraw from school and return home. “I don’t blame him one bit,” head coach John L. Smith said. Ross led the team with 98 tackles in 2014. He had two sacks, two interceptions and forced fumble. In 2014, he was named to the RMAC Preseason Team. ... Junior quarterback Allen Thigpen will be active for Saturday’s game. The quarterback, punter and receiver missed the second half of last week’s game with a leg injury but has been cleared to play. He will help run the two-quarterback system with senior Jordan Doyle.
