UWF Defense Grounds Hawks

October 23, 2016

A week after recording school records for total offense and scoring, the UWF defense put on a show by limiting Shorter to just 98 total yards in a 36-0 victory on Homecoming Saturday at Blue Wahoos Stadium.

With the offense struggling to get into a rhythm in the early going, the defense was as strong as it has been all season, forcing the visitors into four 3-and-out offensive series’, two turnovers on downs and an interception in the first 30 minutes. The second half saw more of the same with six punts and another interception.

UWF (5-3, 3-2 Gulf South) sacked two Shorter quarterbacks five times and pressured them into hurried throws on numerous occasions. Shorter (0-7, 0-5) was held to 98 yards of total offense – its third lowest total this season and it fewest since the third game of the year. The Hawks were shutout for the fourth time in 2016.

UWF held a 10-0 lead at the half before turning things up on offense after the intermission. The Argos used long scoring plays to stretch the lead to 23-0 near the end of the third quarter. Kaleb Nobles found Caleb Robinson on for a 42-yard touchdown before Kevin Grant outran the Shorter defense on a 56-yard strike.

The Argonauts had one of their strongest rushing attacks of the season, finishing with 143 yards on 36 attempts. The final two scores of the game came on the ground when Chris Schwarz reached paydirt from 20 yards out and Tim Bellinger closed out the scoring with a 15-yard run in the closing minutes. Schwarz finished with 32 yards and Bellinger had 38.

Daviante Sales led five Argo backs with 44 yards on 14 carries. No other tailback carried the ball more than five times in a balanced offense.

Nobles threw for 324 yards on 30-for-50 passing with three touchdowns and 19 yards rushing. On offense, UWF totaled 470 yards on 87 plays – one snap shy of a season high.

John Williamson led the UWF defense with six tackles, two sacks, another stop behind the line of scrimmage and a quarterback hurry.

UWF will be back in action next Saturday, Oct. 29 when it plays host to West Alabama (5-3, 5-1)

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