HobbsDailyReport.com
HICKORY – Coming off a 15-point setback at Mars Hill last weekend, Lenoir-Rhyne University returns home Saturday in hopes of exercising another set of demons and getting a little redemption from last year.
WINGATE AT LENOIR-RHYNE
Saturday, 7 p.m., Moretz Stadium
LRU (1-2, 0-1 South Atlantic Conference) faces conference foe Wingate (3-0, 1-0) at 7 p.m. in Moretz Stadium, where the Bears have won twice in their last nine games.
Wingate has won two straight against LRU — including a 49-6 win last year at Wingate – and the Bears last beat Wingate in Hickory in 2013.
While it may be too early Saturday’s game a must-win, the Bears hope to avoid a 1-3 start for the second straight season.
LRU leads the series 19-12 but it’s tied at 4-all over the last eight games.
Second-year Bears head coach Mike Kellar would like to model the Bears’ program after Wingate.
“I like the way they (Wingate) do things,” Kellar said on Wednesday night during a “Bear Talk” broadcast. “The way they recruit and the size of their athletes. They run their program the right way.
“They have a balanced offense and equally as strong on defense. That’s the way we see ourselves.
“When I first got the job, I watched all the teams on tape and my vision was for us to be like Wingate but better.”
Wingate uses its ground game to set up its passing game.
Through the first three games, Wingate has run the ball 34 percent more than it has passed.
The Bulldogs are second in the SAC in rushing and 33rd nationally, averaging 204.7 yards per game, while LRU allows an average of 161.3 yards per game.
The Bulldogs have three of the top 10 rushers in the SAC and are led by Blake Hayes, who averages 91 yards per game. Hayes is third in the conference and 48th nationally.
Lawrence Phillips is fifth in the conference averaging 81.3 yards per game, for Wingate.
“They have a lot of depth in their backfield,” said Keller. “They have a smart quarterback and three very good running backs. They are very physical and we will be tested in all areas.”
Two other key areas will possibly be turnovers and the Bears’ offense.
After going minus-4 in turnovers in its season opener, LRU is plus-3 in the last two games and minus-1 for the season.
Wingate is tied for first in the conference in turnover margin and is tied for 11th nationally at plus 1.67.
“Our success really starts up front with the offensive lineman,” said Kellar. “As long as I have been a coach, I never had had a team that had that much success just throwing. We have got to be able to successfully run the ball.”
Another key for LRIU will be running back Nelson Brown, who leads the conference in yards rushing per game (107.3). He has back-to-back 100-yard games.
Brown is bidding to become the first LRU player to have three consecutive 100-yard plus games since Kristaan Ivory in 2015.