Bearcats back on schedule for Week Three road trip

JON DYKSTRA/DAILY FORUM
Northwest Missouri State senior safety Edward Richey flexes after a defensive stop during the Bearcats’ Week One victory over Emporia State at Bearcat Stadium.

The Nebraska-Kearney Lopers were picked last in both the media and coaches’ polls before the season started, but quickly proved that narrative false with a 14-3 Week One victory over Missouri Western.

In Week Two, they came crashing back down to earth with a 45-13 loss to Emporia State, but against Western, the Lopers proved that they aren’t the same team that went winless in 2016. Now the Lopers turn their attention to Northwest for a Homecoming game in Kearney.

“Coaches will find all sorts of things to use as motivation,” Northwest coach Rich Wright said of the Homecoming draw. “Sure it is an incentive-builder. We like to go play on Homecoming dates, whether they are ours or somebody else’s. It is just how it falls in the schedule, but I’ll make sure that I talk to our players about it.”

The Loper triple-option offense revolves around sophomore quarterback Steve Worthing, who threw for 131 yards against Western and ran for 39 more. Last week, Worthing was even more of a threat with his legs with 86 yards rushing against the Hornets.

“It is more of a spread-style option attack,” Wright said of the Loper offense. “It is not the downhill option that we are more accustomed to seeing with Harding, Missouri Southern and some of the other teams that we have played in the last few years, but it is triple-option nonetheless. They throw the ball and they like play-action so it is a little bit of everything.”

The key for the Lopers will be to not become one-dimensional and only relying on Worthing. Against Western, Nebraska-Kearney was able to feed Thomas Russell at running back and give him 24 carries. Although he only averaged three yards-per-carry, the threat of the run was able to make Worthing more effective.

Against Emporia State, The Lopers went away from their running back early and the Hornets were able to key on Worthing. Russell finished with only 11 carries.

Wright and Northwest are finally back to their normal schedule with practices after a pair of Thursday games to start the year. That is relief to not only the first-year head coach, but also his family.

“It is just nice to get back to normal and get back to Saturday schedule, so that when I get home, and I say it is Saturday, my wife doesn’t say, ‘Rich, you are an idiot, it is Thursday,’” Wright said.

As the team approaches its second road game in as many weeks, the Bearcats are focused on improving themselves from the lack-luster first road excursion at Washburn last week when they only won, 20-14.

“You talk to your kids about what it is like to go on the road in the MIAA and until you do, you aren’t sure how it is going to be,” Wright said. “You are going to get everyone’s best shot each and every week.”

Although fans would like to see the Bearcats win by 40 every game, a close game can include plenty of positives for the team.

“I don’t take that as a bad thing,” Wright said. “You can learn a lot from a close ballgame. … Some of the best times to learn are when you fail, but when you are around Northwest Missouri State, failure is not a good thing. What you try to do is take games like (Washburn) and they and have teachable moments.”

Wright says this week in practice has been all about themselves, instead of focusing just on Nebraska-Kearney.

“We need to play a complete game as a football team and that is what we are focused on this week in practice,” Wright said. “We are working on Northwest Missouri State.”