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Add prognosticator to Darrell Morris' list of skills.
The University of Nebraska at Kearney football coach said he told some people last year after the Lopers' season-ending 63-10 win over Mesa State to watch for the big blue train rolling through the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference this year.
“Throughout winter and summer I still thought that,'' Morris said. “It turned out we were correct. For the most part, we got the job done.''
Sixth-ranked UNK finished 10-1 and 9-0 in the RMAC and earned a home matchup with No. 16 Saginaw Valley State (Mich.) in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. The game will start at noon Saturday.
Morris is thrilled to play at home and is hoping for the same kind of turnout (4,862) as the showdown with Colorado Mines that determined the RMAC championship.
After getting home at 3 a.m. Sunday from Saturday's trip to Mesa State, the Lopers gathered about 2 p.m. to get the news, then went on to practice. Morris wants to turn the team's focus from winning the RMAC, as exciting as that was for the program.
“We're now on to bigger and better things,'' he said, “winning our first playoff game here.''
Morris has watched tape of the 9-2 Cardinals and said it will be a battle Saturday.
The winner will play defending national champion Minnesota-Duluth (10-1) in a second-round game on Nov. 21.
“It's a fun opportunity to have,'' Morris said.
Bearcats QB Bolles is set for postseason
This year's playoffs will be a little different for Northwest Missouri State quarterback Blake Bolles.
Instead of playing backup to Joel Osborn, the junior out of Lincoln Southwest will be running the show when the No. 2-ranked Bearcats meet the winner of Saturday's game between Abilene Christian and Midwestern State on Nov. 21. The game is scheduled for noon at Bearcat Stadium in Maryville.
“Last year was a lot of fun, but I didn't exactly play the role I wanted to,'' he said. “I'm real excited about being the starter and getting us back to Florence and getting the job done.''
While he did run and pass for touchdowns in the quarterfinals against Abilene, Bolles played only two series in the title game with Minnesota-Duluth. One drive ended when his receiver fumbled, and the other finished with a punt.
“We definitely didn't play our best in the national championship game,'' Bolles said. “I've tried to remember and at the same time forget everything that happened.''
He said the 10-1 Bearcats have improved every week since opening with a loss to Abilene.
The extra week off because of the first-round bye gives them a chance to heal, he said, hit the weight room harder and get in some extra preparation for whoever they do play.
Bolles said he has matured a lot since last year and credits his teammates for his big season. He has passed for 3,204 yards and 35 touchdowns, averaging 291 yards per game.
The biggest change, he said, is in how he manages the game.
“I feel like I'm more of a leader out there than I was last year,'' he said. “Last year, I just called a play and snapped the ball, and everyone else did everything else.
“This year, it's more uptempo, I'm getting guys to the line of scrimmage and getting guys to the right spot.''
Wildcats move on after missing playoffs
Wayne State had two chances to reach the playoffs, coach Dan McLaughlin said.
“Slim and none, and none won,'' he said. “We didn't get in the playoffs, and we didn't get in the Mineral Water Bowl.''
The Wildcats finished 8-3 and 7-3 in the Northern Sun, which earned them a third-place tie. McLaughlin said the Wildcats should have finished 10-1.
“We should have beat Mankato and we didn't, and we should have beat Augustana and we didn't,'' he said of the two three-point losses.
“It's not like we were 10-1 and got passed over.''
McLaughlin will start recruiting immediately. He said he's losing 16 “really good'' seniors, including quarterback Silas Fluellen and receiver Logan Masters. Both are first-team all-conference selections.
“We've got work to do,'' he said.
Contact the writer:
444-1034, marjie.ducey@owh.com
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