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Conference title a long shot as Shorter straps up against Union
By Jim O'Hara
BARBOURVILLE, Ky. – The odds of extending the season aren’t good.
For the Shorter University football team to have a shot at playing in the postseason, the Hawks will need some help from others, as was the case when SU claimed the Mid-South Conference West Division championship in 2008 and made their first appearance in the NAIA national playoffs.
But to even be in position if those circumstances take place, the Hawks know what their mission is – to win out.
That quest begins Saturday when Shorter hits the road for the third straight week, this time en route to Barbourville, Ky., to square off against division foe Union College.
“There’s no question we have to win out to be in the picture,” Shorter head coach Phil Jones said of his Hawks, who are now 5-3 overall following an impressive 44-21 non-conference win last week over NAIA independent Edward Waters.
With a 2-2 division mark heading into the showdown with Union, Shorter must also secure a win in the regular season finale on Nov. 12 at Barron Stadium against Bethel in order to keep its hat in the ring.
Even then, the Hawks still need help.
West leader Cumberland (4-0) has yet to lose in division play, with its final two matchups coming at Belhaven, which has not lost at home this season, and at home against the University of the Cumberlands, the hottest team in the conference that also boasts a 2-2 league record.
Bethel is right behind Cumberland with a 4-1 division record and after meeting East Division opponent Kentucky Christian this week, caps its West slate by visiting the Hawks.
“It’s still possible that there may be a four-way tie,” Jones points out. “That tells you something about how tough this conference is. But if Cumberland beats Belhaven, then it’s over.
“You just have to play it out.”
Union stands ready to remove the Hawks from the picture.
Despite entering the game on a four-game losing streak and coming off a 43-35 loss to Cumberland, the Bulldogs (2-7, 1-3) are indeed a dangerous team.
Union boasts a potent offense that averages 358 yards a game, but while the Bulldogs have been able to move the ball up and down the field, they have had trouble cashing in the points and rank last in the Mid-South in scoring at 17.9 points a game.
Running back Rob Brown is averaging 90 yards rushing a game and has scored six touchdowns. Quarterback Ryan Moses has thrown for 11 touchdown passes and averages 188 yards through the air.
Union’s opponents, however, have had little trouble exceeding the Bulldogs’ offensive output – Union’s defense is yielding 28 points a game to opponents.
Shorter regained its form offensively in the win over Edward Waters as the Hawks rolled up 343 yards on the ground and saw five different players score touchdowns.
That effort came without the services of the team’s leading rusher C.J. Scott, who was held out of the game with a shoulder injury. Shorter’s fullback depth stepped up as Kenny Foster led a balanced rushing attack with 88 yards on 11 carries and two touchdowns while T.J. Telfair added 66 yards on 10 carries and a TD.
A key factor this year against Union for the Hawks, who lead the series 3-2, is getting out to a fast start. Last year, the Bulldogs did just that against Shorter as Union exploded for 27 first-quarter points on the way to a 37-31 win.
Jones feels that the Hawks won’t let that happen after seeing how focused they were against Edward Waters.
“There was a determination from all the players to bounce back,” he said. “You could see it before the game.
“But,” Jones pointed out, “they know they have to play even better this week.”
