Defense proving to be strength for BHSU

By Jeff Budlong, Journal staff | Wednesday, September 17, 2008

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SPEARFISH — Coming into the season Black Hills State University head football coach John Scott felt his defense would have to answer some questions after losing some key contributors off of last year’s team.

Through two games Scott’s defense has had the answers.

“Defensively we played as well as we could there, and played well enough to win no doubt,” he said after his team’s 10-7 loss to Northwestern Oklahoma State University on Saturday.

That has been a theme for the Yellow Jackets after two games and a 1-1 record to begin the season.

BHSU’s defense opened up the season holding NCAA Division II Southwest Minnesota State University to just 14 points. The defense allowed 125 yards rushing, but it took the Mustangs 41 carries to get to that number. The passing game was shut down by the Yellow Jackets, limiting the Mustangs to just 6-of-22 through the air.

Against the Rangers, the offensive numbers allowed increased — thanks in large part to quarterback Billy Barefield’s running ability — but the Yellow Jacket defense forced four fumbles, recovering two and intercepted a pass in the end zone.

“We did a good job of stopping the run in the first half, but Barefield is quite a player,” BHSU linebacker Richard Fairhead said.

The Yellow Jacket defense had to play against a short field for much of the game, but it was unwilling to use that as an excuse.

“It was rough but we are a team, we are all one and we all play together,” said senior lineman Kyle King. “We just try to get all 11 guys going around the ball.”

Fairhead led the Jacket defense with nine unassisted tackles against the Rangers and 13 total, but BHSU also got sacks from Josh Fundis and King while Tony Dill and Kellan Anderson each recovered fumbles.

The defense prides itself on being able to step up when it is called upon and that is what it did Saturday. A late second-quarter scramble for 18 yards by Barefield and a fourth quarter field goal was all the offense BHSU gave up in a game where the Mustangs ran up over 300 yards on the ground.

“We know people are going to score some but we just have to rally around, stay positive, King said of the defensive philosophy.

The progress the defense has made in the first two weeks has been noticeable and a bit of a surprise even to those on that side of the football.

“I am surprised because in camp I didn’t know if we would be hurting or not or if we would be relying more on our offense or not,” Fairhead said. “Guys are stepping up and we are playing real well right now.”

Scott knows that his defense has played two physical, demanding games against quality opponents to open the season, but only time will tell what kind of price it has paid.

“We spent a lot on defense (Saturday) and we have a lot of bumps and bruises,” he said. “But that is something that we will find out in the next week or two.”

BHSU will see a familiar foe in South Dakota School of Mines & Technology this week in a non-conference tilt between the two Dakota Athletic Conference rivals as BHSU celebrates Swarm Days.

The defense has not lowered its expectations.

“We want to stop them,” King said. “Shutout.”