The line between winner and loser

The Fort Hays State University football team might not be playing for a postseason berth, but FHSU is still playing for something important: a winning season.

The Tigers (3-5 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association, 5-5) haven’t had a winning season since 2004. However, they will have their final shot when they face Missouri Southern State University (3-5 MIAA, 3-6) at 2 p.m. on Nov. 7 in Joplin, Mo.

Head coach Kevin Verdugo said there is a stark difference between winning and losing this game.

“One says you are a winner, and the other says you weren’t to the general population,” Verdugo said.

MSSU struggled early in the season, but the Lions have rallied late in the season and won two of their last three games. They even upset No. 21 Missouri Western State University (6-2 MIAA, 8-2) 35-34 in St. Joseph, Mo.

“I know they got some guys hurt at the beginning of the year, and they’ve struggled a little bit,” Verdugo said. “They’ve hung in there, played hard and kept battling.”

The Tigers’ defense is banged up going into the game, missing eight players who have started this season. Six of those players started at the beginning of the season, so two of the starters were backups, leaving the defense very stretched.

The Tigers’ defense is ranked last in the MIAA in scoring and total defense and is either last or second to last in nearly every other defensive statistical category, except for red zone defensive scoring percentage (fourth) and sacks forced (eighth).

“It is kind of getting down to where we can’t hide it on video anymore,” Verdugo said. “It doesn’t matter if I let the cat out of the bag or not. We are pulling some guys off scout team to travel and play. We are in a situation where we are that beat up.”

With such young players seeing time on the defense, the defense is forced to run simpler schemes to accommodate the players who have not had a lot of game-time experience.

“They are skipping algebra and going straight to trig, which is not an easy thing for them to do,” Verdugo said.

However, the offense is starting to fire on all cylinders, scoring 81 points over its last two games.

Verdugo said the offense is benefiting from the fact that it isn’t banged up like it was earlier in the season.

“A couple of guys we’ve gotten back are still a little gimpy, but they are serviceable and able to play at a fairly high level of efficiency and competition,” Verdugo said. “We’ve got a pretty good deal of confidence and feel like we can play with just about anybody.”

MSSU has also dealt with injuries at key positions.

Junior backup quarterback Roland Thompson has started the past five games for the Lions. Thompson has completed 50 percent of his passes and posted a 7-to-13 touchdown to interception ratio.

“Quarterback does a good job of getting the ball out,” Verdugo said. “He threw a couple of interceptions last week when he was pressured.”

Senior wide receiver Daniel Thompson and freshman wide receiver Landon Zerkel are his two top targets, averaging 64.2 and 63.9 yards per game and scoring 10 and six touchdowns, respectively.

FHSU senior quarterback Mike Garrison said this game could really help the Tigers transition into the 2010 season.

“Getting six wins and a winning season for the first time since joining the MIAA boosts us for next year, coming in recruiting and with spring ball,” Garrison said. “It helps us have that attitude that we can do it and have an eight-win season or more next year. Do what we do.”