By ERIN BASS

emb023@latech.edu

 

Undefeated at home and only allowing 14 points from each visiting team are what the ’Dawgs (4-3, 3-1 WAC) can boast after serving the Spartans (1-7, 0-5 WAC) their seventh consecutive loss last Saturday night, 31-14.

Within the first minute of the game, San Jose was already punting it away thanks to a very impressive Tech defense.

“We haven’t had this type of defensive play in quite awhile,” head coach Jack Bicknell said.

“It really helps us out overall because we can be more balanced offensively if you don't think the other team is just going to score a million points. That has really been a big factor for us winning at home.”

Tech then proceeded to drive the ball 41 yards down the field and sophomore running back Mark Dillard sealed the deal as he plowed through the Spartan defense to get into the end zone.

San Jose answered back 11 seconds later when quarterback Adam Tafralis shot an 80-yard cannon to wide receiver Chester Coleman, tying the game 7-7.

Three minutes, seven plays and 64 yards later, Tech added seven more on the board when tight end Anthony James and quarterback Matt Kubik connected on an 18-yard touchdown pass.

Kubik threw for a career high 329 yards and was only picked off once.

“He did a great job,” Bicknell said. “He’s gotten better and better every week, and I think he’s feeling very comfortable right now. I’ve even noticed him throwing significantly better in practice.”

Those 329 yards passing also represent a big accomplishment for the team offensively.

“We are getting more comfortable in the passing game, and I think we are playing, overall, better offensively,” Bicknell said.

“[Kubik] is throwing better, our receivers are running better routes, but San Jose played a defense that forced you to throw the ball.”

“They played a single-safety-man type of defense which allowed them to have a lot of guys out there for the run.”

The Spartans would score for the last time in the last few minutes of the first quarter when full back James Callier ran the ball in, taking the score to 14-14.

The second quarter was uneventful as Tech only obtained the ball three times and lost it three different ways: a punt, missed field goal and an interception.

But the Bulldogs came back to life in the third quarter as they scored two more touchdowns to take the game 28-14.

The first scoring drive came from Dillard, when he ran the ball in from 15 yards out.

The second scoring series was a bit more complex than the first.

Ultimately, the ball ended up in the arms of wide receiver Eric Newman, but only after the ball was knocked out of fellow wide receiver Seneca Chambers’ hands did it then bounce into Newman's hands.  Newman would continue to make it all the way down the field and score the final touchdown for Tech.

Finally, early in the fourth quarter, kicker Danny Horwedel closed out the scoring by launching one through the uprights, capping off the score 31-14.

Saturday afternoon the ’Dawgs will take on the Utah State Aggies (2-5, 1-3 WAC) as they start their two conference game road trip.

“We have four more conference games left, and if we lose any of them it is going to be pretty tough,” Bicknell said.

“We’re 3-1 in the WAC right now and we’ve gotta try to make it 4-1.”

“And that’s the way it is when you're in a conference like this with good teams; we're kind of still in it and trying to see if we can get the next one.”