GV looks to stop run, defend home field against Notre Dame College

By BRADY FREDERICKSEN

Updated: September 5, 2012, 9:34 PM

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Coach Mitchell instucting players during a recent practice

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2012 Spring Football Game

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They’re still a work in progress, and even after a 48-20 victory at Western Oregon University on Saturday, the No. 7 Grand Valley State University football team is looking to build on a dominant second-half performance in anticipation of this weekend’s home opener against Notre Dame College.

And before you ask, it’s not that Notre Dame.

This Notre Dame — the Falcons, not the Fighting Irish — is a school on the verge of full membership as an NCAA Division II school. They’re coming off a game in which they put up 59 points in a 17-point victory over Mercyhurst College.

That effort included five touchdown passes from sophomore quarterback Ray Russ and 243 rushing yards from junior running back Pedro Powell — but also included a defense that, while forcing eight turnovers, allowed 42 points.

It’s a game that will pit the GVSU defense against an offense that likes to run the ball, then run some more and then run it again.

“We’ve got to go stop the run and get them off schedule, their tailback, Powell, is a big back and you’ve got to get your pad level down,” said Mitchell, whose team held Western Oregon to 3.1 yards per carry. “We’ve got to get them off balance on third down, if we get them into some third and longs that probably works to our advantage.”

The game will mark the first home affair of the season for the Lakers (1-0) and will be the first time fans and the teams alike see the new Lubbers Stadium in action.

Junior quarterback Heath Parling and the rest of the GVSU offense were efficient on Saturday, moving the ball up and down the field in the first quarter and throughout the second half. While they only turned the ball over once — on a fumble by sophomore running back Chris Robinson — ball security is still a top priority entering Saturday’s game.

“The best thing Heath Parling did was he never threw a ball close to anybody on defense,” Mitchell said. “When they played Mercyhurst they had eight turnovers, and if we even get close to that we’re going to be in trouble, too.”

Senior receiver Charles Johnson suffered a hip pointer injury against Western Oregon, but after sitting out practice on Tuesday, Mitchell expects him to suit up on Saturday. Making his season debut will be junior running back Hersey Jackson, who sat last week while rehabbing offseason shoulder surgery.

Mitchell expects Jackson to get some carries on Saturday, and said he could have played last week had the younger running backs faltered. Despite the 42 points allowed by Notre Dame College last week, Johnson and the GVSU offense aren’t looking at their opponents any different.

“There’s always going to be holes there, but we don’t look at it that way,” said Johnson, who had five catches for 28 yards last week. “We strive to put up at least 50 points every game, that’s what we say, we can score 50 if we can just do the little things right and compete.”

Defensively, the half back dive play to Powell, one that Thompson brought up multiple times on Tuesday, is Notre Dame College’s gameplan. Like the choice option that burned GVSU in last season’s game against the University of Findlay, stopping Powell is going to come down to the defense locating Powell and not biting on the play-action passes that will result from the run.

With 58 of Notre Dame College’s 83 offensive plays coming on the ground last week, Thompson and the defense know what to expect come game time.

“It’s mostly just running to the ball, getting all hats to the ball,” he said. “With both situations, if it’s a one-on-one tackle, it’s harder on that one person, but if you get more (players) there it’s easier for the team.”

GVSU will take the Lubbers Stadium field at 7 p.m. on Saturday. The action can be heard on ESPN 96.1 FM and fans can follow the action live on Twitter @GVLSports.

sports@lanthorn.com

Published September 5, 2012 Sports, PageOne