EMORY, Va. – A week after getting a dominant win at Washington and Lee, the Wasps football team is at home for the remainder of the regular season. Coming in to Emory for a 1:00 p.m. matchup this Saturday will be the Hornets of Shenandoah. On the heels of a two-game win streak, the Wasps are hoping to make a statement against the Hornets as they continue their push for a potential playoff spot. Meanwhile, Shenandoah is looking to breathe new life into their season after two straight losses.
The Wasps continued wreaking havoc on the ODAC with their high-powered offense. The team finished with 568 yards of total offense against the Generals last Saturday, while freshman quarterback, Kevin Saxton threw for 379 yards and two touchdowns. The aerial attack of the Wasps looks to be favorable against a Shenandoah pass defense that is near the bottom of the ODAC. Offensive Coordinator, Craig Stutzmann, touched on the Wasps offense, "When it comes down to it, our offense must take care of the football and finish our drives in the endzone." Shenandoah gives up an average of 214 pass yards per game. E&H will need another big day from senior wide receivers Josh Smith and Lucas Kirby. Smith, who leads the ODAC in catches with 59, said "Shenandoah is a good team that has a solid defense, so we will need to execute our game plan in order to have success. It should be a tough game, but we're looking forward to the challenge.
The Wasps will likely have to rely on the passing game because Shenandoah boasts the second best run defense in the conference. With Shenandoah only giving up 155 rush yards per game, the Wasps' tough running back tandem of Isaiah Rodgers and Chris Thompson may have a difficult time finding holes. Stutzmann went on to say," We anticipate them to bring pressure and play 'Cover One' in the secondary. It is imperative that our players focus in on their responsibilities and execute their technique consistently throughout the whole play." Despite having two touchdowns last week vs. the Generals, Rodgers only averaged 3.8 yards a carry and, as a whole, the team had four turnovers. The Hornets will look to keep both running backs bottled up.
How Emory & Henry handles the Hornets high-powered run offense should go a long way toward determining the Wasps' success on Saturday. Shenandoah has strong run game, which is third in the ODAC. Stopping sophomore running back Cedrick Delaney, who averages 106 yards per game, will be key if E&H wants to earn their third straight victory. The task to stop the run will be put on senior linebackers Sami Khabir, Paul Forney, and, reigning ODAC defensive player of the week, junior linebacker Rennel Marshall. Marshall tallied 10 tackles, two for loss, a forced fumble, and a 93-yard two-point conversion on a blocked extra point. This defense came off a good game against an efficient run game last week. They will likely have to do the same this week.
Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. at Fred Selfe Stadium on Saturday. You can also listen to the game on the radio or watch the live feed by following the links on GoWasps.com.
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-photo courtesy of Dave Grace