September 16, 2006
ADRIAN, Mich. - The Bluffton University football team went to the road for its second straight game and fell, 17-6, to a hungry Adrian College squad that was shut out in the first game at its new Multi-Purpose Performance Stadium a week ago by the Defiance College Yellow Yackets, 10-0. Although the Bulldogs were without the services of Head Coach Lyall, who sat out the contest due to health reasons, Adrian took advantage of the clock to drop the Beavers to 0-2 for the 2006 season.
On a day in which the defenses were showcased, it was a lack of Bluffton offense that spelled doom for the Beavers. The Bulldogs allowed Bluffton only one first down on two first quarter possessions as the score remained deadlocked at zero following the first fifteen minutes of action.
Adrian put together a 12-play, 58-yard drive early in the second stanza as quarterback Andy Denryter completed short passes and picked up yards with his feet before T.J. Williams took a handoff and found the end zone from five yards out to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead. On the ensuing kickoff, Jeremy Anderson (South Rockwood/Airport) found a seem and went untouched for 95-yards giving the Beavers hope. A blocked extra-point left the score at 7-6 with eight minutes to play in the first half. Another clock-draining six-minute drive came up enpty for the Bulldogs, but when Bluffton had a chip shot field goal blocked as time expired, Adrian held on to a slim 7-6 halftime advantage.
Bluffton was unable to put together an extended drive in the third quarter and the lack of time on the field by the Beavers' offense began to show on the other side of the ball. The Bulldogs did an excellent job of keeping the Bluffton defense on the field as Adrian sapped the Beavers with a seemingly impossible 14-play, 15-yard drive during the third and fourth quarters which resulted in a 43-yard field goal.
As the Bulldogs continued to push Bluffton back into Beaver territory, Adrian gained great field position late in the game. A 43-yard strike from Denryter to Desmond Upshaw set up a two-yard scoring run for T.J. Williams which capped the scoring for the Bulldogs with two minutes to play as Adrian picked up its first win in the Multi-Purpose Performance Stadium by a final score of 17-6.
The Bluffton offense struggled for the second straight game as it picked up only 153 yards, including a lackluster 52 yards on the ground. Often hurried and looking for protection, Jared Owens (Van Wert/Crestview) connected on 12-of-17 passing attempts for 108 yards. Junior Anthony Bryant (Reynoldsburg/Reynoldsburg) picked up four receptions for 24 yards but the Adrian defense kept him from any long gains. Aaron Whitlock (Grove City/Central Crossing) caught three passes for 23 yards and Andrew Ramthun (Springfield/Southeastern) hauled in two passes for 24 yards, including an 18-yarder in the first half. Anderson scored the lone touchdown for the Beavers on a 95-yard kickoff return in the second quarter.
Sam McCullough (Bluffton/Bluffton) led everyone with 17 tackles, including five solos. Junior Taylor Iceman (Lucas/Lucas) finished with 13 stops while junior Edward Jackson (Dayton/Northridge) registered 12 tackles and two TFL's in only his second game at linebacker for the Beavers. Senior Erick Buddin (Ypsilanti, Mich./Ypsilanti) picked off a Bulldog pass deep in Bluffton territory and returned it 58 yards before an illegal block negated most of the gain.
Adrian used a 20-minute time of possession difference to wear the Beavers out as the Bulldogs ran 72 plays compared to only 38 for Bluffton and outgained the Beavers 333 yards to 153 yards. With the loss, the Beavers fall to 0-2 while Adrian improves to 1-1.
Bluffton will be back in action next Saturday, Sept. 23, when it hosts another MIAA opponent, Kalamazoo College, in the 2006 home opener on Bluffton University Community Day. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at Salzman Stadium.