By MAYAN PAZ
Tiger Media Network
Following a close win against Missouri Western on Homecoming, Fort Hays State (3-2, 2-1) will now go on the road to play Missouri Southern (2-2, 0-2). The last time the teams met, the Tigers won 53-9, and they hold a 12-4 all-time record against the Lions.
After rushing for 203 yards and making a big stop late in last week’s contest, FHSU Head Coach Chris Brown said the team has to stay confident and use their abilities on both ends of the field.
“We are a very talented team, both offensively and defensively. We have really talented players who can perform on a high level and bring us forward,” Brown said. “We just need to bring confidence into the field and show ourselves the level we know we can reach.”
The Lions are playing a freshman quarterback, Martin Tillman, who has passed for 7 touchdowns so far this season, and they rely on 144.8 rushing yards per game, resulting in 5 rushing touchdowns. They are coming off a 62-10 defeat against Central Missouri.
Despite that, Brown is not allowing complacency to interfere with the Tigers’ preparation for the game.
“They are a better team than they used to be last year, and their new quarterback is getting used to the pace of the game and getting better every week,” Brown said. “They have a lengthy defense and huge offensive linemen. We will have to stop their run game, and if we are able to do that, we will be fine defensively and can focus on connecting our offensive plays.”
FHSU wide receiver Tariq Logan, who caught a 38-yard touchdown pass in FHSU’s previous game, talked about how he and the rest of the receivers are preparing for the game against the Lions.
“All season, we have been emphasizing being aggressive and making our blocks on our routes. It’s not only about the route that we have, but we need to make our blocks on the way and make sure we clear our space to be open down the field,” Logan said. “We watch film and prepare for every opponent, but we are focused on making sure that we make our plays and everything else will take care of itself.”
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday in Joplin, Missouri.