BY ELI BLANKINSHIP
Tiger Media Network
After a disappointing result in its home opener against CSU Pueblo, Fort Hays State Football is well rested and ready to go for Week 3 after an early bye week in Week 2.
“I think it helped us,” FHSU Head Coach Chris Brown said. “It gives us an extra practice…so hopefully, it’s beneficial to us, and you can see the improvement that we make this week during the game on Saturday. We did a lot of individual technique work to make sure our guys were ready for this upcoming game.”
The visiting Gorillas have had the Tigers’ number in recent history, winning the last five meetings in dominant fashion dating back to 2021. Historically, Pittsburg State leads the all-time series 51-22-9.
“We’re all hungry, and with new faces, we’re all learning every single day what [everyone] can bring to the table,” said fifth-year right guard David Sjoberg. “Five offensive linemen have to work on one cylinder together to see a good outcome come to the table, and that’s what’s tough about the position. Everybody’s got to be on the same page to be able to find success, and I think that this bye week was great for us because then we could get closer together on the field as well [and] dial in on some things that we didn’t really touch on heavily in the first two weeks”
Despite their recent success against the Tigers, Pittsburg State is off to a rough start to their season at 0-3, the program’s worst start since 1977. Losing their star quarterback Jackson Berry in the offseason, the Gorillas have struggled to find his successor, with three different quarterbacks taking snaps in their first three games.
“I’m trying to prepare for all three quarterbacks and what they might do,” Brown said. “That does give you a little bit of trouble of what you’re actually truly going to get, and do we get three different offenses with three different quarterbacks, right? So that’s going to be something that our defense has to prepare for as well.”
For Fort Hays State, they look to kick off their conference schedule with a win. As for the Gorillas, it’s now or never to turn their season around and pick up their first MIAA win of the year.
“Last year playing them out at Pitt, that was an atmosphere. I mean, it’s an atmosphere here. I think everybody’s going to come to this game,” Sjoberg said. “You want to go win conferences. You want to go win national championships, and it’s another game for us, but it’s Pitt State, and I want this one big time.”
The Tigers are scheduled to kick off against the Gorillas at 7 p.m. today under the lights at Lewis Field Stadium. Tiger Media Network will provide coverage of the game beginning at 6:50 pm on the MIAA Network.