Martin Luther College Football

Knights look to Maintain Focus against Crown

Knights can control its destiny with wins against Crown, Trinity

Martin Luther College heads into Saturday’s final home game riding a four-game winning streak. A victory today will keep the Knights undefeated in the UMAC. Since the final two games of the season are against weaker UMAC opponents, the Knights appear ready for another shot at the conference championship. However, now is not the time to be making Dome Day plans, according to MLC head football coach Charles Hussman.

“We cannot let our guard down against Crown,” Hussman cautioned. “They are a very good football team. Two weeks ago, they gave Northwestern all it could handle, and last week they barely lost to Principia, 36-35. Anytime you can score 35 points in a game, you have a dangerous football team.”

The Knights (4-2 overall, 4-0 in UMAC) pulled out another close call last week, defeating UM-Morris 34-31 on its final possession of the game. The Knights drove 64 yards down the field on eight plays, capped off by junior quarterback Dan Lange’s two-yard touchdown run with one minute remaining in the fourth quarter.

As the Knights have experienced with its come-from-behind victories, momentum can play a huge factor in the outcome of a game.

“As it is in all sports, momentum is extremely difficult to get back once you give it up,” Hussman said. “That is why we have to be careful with Crown. If we allow them to hang around in the ballgame, all it takes is one play to change the momentum and force us to have to dig out of another hole. They would like nothing better than to beat us and be the reason why we will not be playing in the conference championship.”

Two weeks ago, Crown freshman quarterback Matt Bremer was efficient in the passing game, throwing only for 145 yards, but also threw for three touchdowns. He also ran for two touchdowns in that game, earning him UMAC offensive player of the week honors. If left alone, Bremer, who has scored six touchdowns in the last two weeks, can expose a defense through the air and on the ground. If Martin Luther’s defense can make him uncomfortable in the pocket and not allow him to break long runs, the Knights can force him into making bad decisions, as his three interception performance last week against Principia would indicate.

The Knights can reduce the magic number to one with a victory over Crown Saturday. Kickoff is at 1:00 pm.

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