BIG RAPIDS - Winning on the road in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference rarely is an easy task as far as football is concerned.
Ferris State University has its work cut out for it as it heads to Detroit this weekend to take on Wayne State University in a GLIAC football contest at Adams Field. While winning on the road already is a tough objective, winning at Wayne is even more challenging with the improvements made by WSU as far as its program and facility is concerned.
It's also tougher because of the guy carrying the football out of their backfield: Joique Bell, a big-time rusher. Finding a way to slow down (it's virtually impossible to stop him) one of the best running backs in the nation will be no easy task for Ferris as it seeks its first road win of the season and just its second overall (the Bulldogs opened with a 34-14 win on Aug. 29 at home against Tiffin).
Will part of any key to success for Ferris entail slowing down Bell? Wayne ranks second in the GLIAC in rushing offense at 216.7 yards per contest while Ferris is second to last in the GLIAC in rushing defense surrendering 247.1 per game. Bell is the leading rusher in the GLIAC and it's not even close. Bell is averaging 181.1 yards a game while the second-place rusher is Hillsdale's Vinnie Panizzi, who is averaging 119.9 a contest.
Will head coach Jeff Pierce's Ferris squad load up (defensively) in the box and force Wayne's quarterbacks to have to throw the ball a little more?
The Bulldogs also will have to possess the football (and try to control the clock with sustained drives) since Bell can't beat them if he is on the sidelines watching the game. Hopefully Ferris can establish its running game with D.J. Freeman, Tyler Thomas and others to use the clock to their advantage and turn the tables on what Wayne likely hopes to do.
It will be interesting to see how things play out as the Bulldogs will be in the Motor City this weekend to take on Wayne State University (5-2 overall and 4-2 in the GLIAC).
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