Bisons defeat SAU

Ex-option-al: Harding Football Blanks Southern ArkansasBison defense posts first home shutout since 1991
by Scott Goode

SEARCY – For the Harding football team, there was really no way the season could have started much better.

Harding (1-0) used a pair of 100-yard rushing games from junior Kale Gelles and sophomore Chaz Rogers and the defense posted its first home shutout in 19 years in the Bisons’ 20-0 victory over Southern Arkansas (0-1) on Saturday at First Security Stadium. Though both teams are members of the Gulf South Conference, Saturday’s game was officially a non-conference matchup.

Using its new option offense, Harding took its first drive of the season 53 yards on nine plays and used 5:15 on the clock before Gelles scored from 11 yards out to put the Bisons ahead. Adin Menkin’s extra point made it 7-0.

Late in the second quarter, Harding took advantage of poor Southern Arkansas field position to score again. The Muleriders punted from their own 11-yard line, and junior Jeremy Holt’s seven-yard return gave the Bisons the ball at the SAU 40. On the first play, senior quarterback Josh Powell connected with senior wide receiver Kurt Adams on a 40-yard touchdown strike. SAU’s Don Unamba blocked the extra point, and Harding had a 13-0 lead going into halftime.

After a scoreless third quarter, Harding used a big play from Rogers to set up its final touchdown on its first drive of the fourth quarter. Rogers broke away from two SAU tacklers on the option and sprinted 74 yards to the SAU 6. Four plays later, Rogers stretched the ball over the goal line on 4th-and-goal for Harding’s third touchdown.

Harding’s defense allowed only 164 total yards, 51 on the ground and 113 in the air. Only once did Southern Arkansas have a drive for more than 35 yards, and that drive ended in a lost fumble. In the second half, the Muleriders’ longest drive was 25 yards and resulted in a missed field goal.

The 164 yards was the fewest allowed by a Harding defense since yielding only 136 yards in a 13-0 win over West Georgia on Oct. 12, 2002, the Bisons’ last shutout prior to Saturday.

Harding’s last shutout at First Security Stadium came on Sept. 7, 1991, a 52-0 pasting of Lane College.

The Bisons had several outstanding individual defensive efforts. Junior Russ Jenkins led the team with seven tackles. Senior Jermaine Blanchard had four tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss, but possibly the best outing of the night came from senior cornerback Eddie Russ, who had four tackles, two pass breakups, an interception returned for 18 yards and a fumble recovery.

Harding totaled 292 total yards of offense, 224 of them coming on the ground. Gelles rushed 19 times for 103 yards, and Rogers carried 10 times for 102 yards. They became the first duo to rush for over 100 yards in a game since Adam Lybrand (107) and Dondtray Thomas (107) achieved the feat against Missouri Southern in 2004.

Adams’ second quarter touchdown was the 23rd receiving score of his career, leaving him only two behind Gerald Payne for Harding’s career record. He had two receptions for 53 yards.

Harding now has a 12-day break before playing West Georgia on Sept. 16 in Carrollton, Ga. The game will be televised regionally on Charter/Comcast Sports Southeast as part of the Gulf South Conference television package.