Defensive Domination: Harding Posts Second Straight Home Shutout

Harding's defense set a school record with only 17 yards allowed.

by Scott Goode

SEARCY – It was the most dominant defensive effort ever by a Harding football team.

Harding’s 27-0 shutout of Lambuth on Saturday at First Security Stadium was the team’s second straight home shutout, and some of the defensive numbers were staggering.

The Bisons limited the Eagles to only four first downs, held them to -7 rushing yards and a school record 17 total yards, and did not allow a third-down conversion. Lambuth’s longest drive of the game was nine yards. Harding’s previous best defensive effort came in 1990 when the Bisons held Lane to only 37 total yards.

Earlier in the season, Lambuth (2-3) defeated West Alabama of the Gulf South Conference on the road and won in the Georgia Dome against NCAA Division I Georgia State. The Eagles are currently an NAIA Independent but are in the process of attempting a move to NCAA Division II and possible membership in the GSC.

Harding (2-2) used a 37-yard Adin Menkin field goal and rushing touchdowns from Kale Gelles and Josh Powell to lead 17-0 at halftime.

The Bisons’ option offense then took control of the game in the second half. Harding had the ball 10 minutes, 22 seconds of the third quarter and 11 minutes, 50 seconds of the fourth quarter.

Powell scored his second touchdown on a quarterback sneak with 8:51 left in the third that culminated an 11-play, 73-yard drive that took 6:02 off the clock. Menkin tacked on a 25-yard field goal in the fourth to complete the scoring.

Harding’s offense compiled 321 total yards, rushing for 238. It was the fourth straight game the Bisons have rushed for over 200 yards. The last time Harding rushed for 200 yards or more in four straight games was in the final two games of the 1986 season and the first two games of the 1987 season.

Gelles led the Bisons with 75 rushing yards on 17 carries, but Harding had eight rushers with 10 or more rushing yards. The Bisons completed 8-of-11 passes for 83 yards.

Harding’s defense sacked Lambuth quarterbacks eight times for a loss of 51 yards which contributed heavily to the Eagles’ -7 rushing yardage total. It was the third time a Harding team limited an opponent to negative rushing yards, and the first time since yielding -27 at West Georgia in 2002.

Lambuth’s longest play of the game was a 13-yard rush by freshman running back Craig Jones. The Eagles ran only 36 plays and 12 of them went for negative yardage. Senior Jason Thomasson, senior Jermaine Blanchard, sophomore Aaron Gillaspie, and senior Marcus Jones each had 2.0 tackles for loss for the Harding defense.

Harding had not shutout consecutive opponents at home in 45 years. In 1965, the Bisons blanked three straight opponents at home, shutting out Millsaps (14-0), Ozarks (38-0) and Henderson State (7-0).

The Bisons return to First Security Stadium and to Gulf South Conference play next Saturday against West Alabama.

Box Score