By Rob Schabert, TTU Sports Information Director
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Fans who enjoy old-fashioned,
knock-down defensive fights sure got their money’s worth
Saturday at Tennessee State’s Hale Stadium.
Those who came to see offense, however, might politely submit a
request for a refund of their ticket price.
The Tennessee Tech defense smashed Tennessee State (3-1/1-0 OVC)
all afternoon, holding the No. 20 Tiger offense out of the end zone
and coming up with huge play after huge play. After huge play.
The Golden Eagle offense, however, didn’t take advantage.
Tech (1-2/0-1 OVC) dropped a 10-7 contest in the Ohio Valley
Conference opener for both teams.
The game also gives TSU a 1-0 record in the fight for the 2014
Sgt. York Trophy and left Tech at 0-1 in the three-game series.
Each team got a first-quarter interception return for touchdown,
and TSU added a first quarter field goal to account for all of the
scoring.
The TSU defense held the Golden Eagles to 150 yards of total
offense, limiting Tech to 34 rushing yards on 25 carries and
11-for-28 passing for 116 yards. Most of that came on a 50-yard,
fourth-quarter connection from quarterback Jared Davis to Cody
Matthews, but the play didn’t result in points when Tech
missed on a 42-yard field goal try to tie the game.
The rushing total was heavily affected by six quarterbacks sacks
for -27 yards.
The Golden Eagle defense matched TSU all afternoon, holding the
Tigers to 205 total yards, with 92 rushing and 113 passing. Tech
came up with five quarterback sacks, had 15 tackles-for-loss,
tipped five passes at the line of scrimmage, tipped two punts by
the Tigers, and limited TSU to 3-for-16 on third down plays.
Still, the TSU offense held the ball for 41:09 and the Tech
offense had it just 18:51.
The defensive dominance in the first half was evident in the
stats. By the break, TSU had managed just 145 yards of offense,
while Tennessee Tech's offense was held to 42 yards, with 11
carries for 19 yards and three completions – all to Cody
Matthews – for 23 yards.
Other than a 26-yard field goal by Lane Clark with 2:23 to play in
the first half that cut Tech's lead to 7-3, all of the first half
points came from the defenses.
Senior safety Austin Tallant picked off a pass by Ronald Butler
and zipped through tacklers for a 29-yard touchdown to give the
Golden Eagles a 7-0 lead following John Arnold's PAT. It was the
first interception ruturn for a touchdown for Tech since Corey
Watson had a 28-yard TD return against UT Martin in 2011.
After the field goal made it 7-3, the TSU defense answered with an
interception return for a touchdown to make it 10-7 with 1:32 to
play in the opening period. Ronnie Vinson stood at the 50-yard line
and caught a Jared Davis attempt that sailed over both Golden Eagle
receivers in the area. With 21 players toward one side of the
field, Vinson had clear sailing down the left sideline for the
touchdown. Clark's kick finished the first half scoring. It was the
first INT return for touchdown against the Golden Eagles since
Southeast Missouri had one in the 2012 season.
Tech started its second quarter possessions at its own 20, 23,
three, and 27-yard lines, and managed just one first down.
TSU had considerably better field position in the second quarter,
starting at the Tech 48 and 45 on two of its three chances. The
Tech defense didn't yield much, though. TSU got to the Tech 23
where Clark's 40-yard field goal sailed wide right. TSU also moved
to the Tech 26, but the Golden Eagles stuffed a fourth-and-one run
for a loss of one yard and Tech took over.
In the secondf half, Tech saw more of the same. The Golden Eagles
started five of their eight possessions deep in Tech territory. The
offense held the ball for eight plays, seven plays and six plays on
three of the possessions, but went three-and-out (or less) four
times.
At the same time. TSU went three-and-out on four of their seven
possesions, and twice had it only five plays before punting.
The defense had several individuals who had standout games. Senior
safety Marty Jones led the tackle chart with six, forced a fumble
and had 0.5 tackles-for-loss. Linebackers Jay Rudwall and
Tra'Darius Goff had identical numbers, each with five tackles, two
tackles-for-loss and one sack.
Midoho Okpokowuruk was a presence in the TSU backfield with 4.5
tackles, including 3.5 tackles-for-loss and two passes broken up.
Harrison Reid added three tackles-for-loss.
Matthews finished with six catches for 80 yards. Davis was
11-for-26 for 116 yards with two interceptions. Isaiah McKinney was
Tech's leading rusher with 21 yards on just two carries.
The Golden Eagles will continue to face top-ranked opponents,
visiting Northern Iowa next Saturday for a 4 p.m. contest in the
UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
