Eastern Faces Sad Sac State School’s Financial Battle Has Taken Its Toll On Field
To say Sacramento State doesn’t have a football program isn’t entirely fair.
The Hornet field a football team, thanks to self-inflicted student-fee increases mandated last spring by campus referendum. It’s just that those student-fee increases did not allow for publication of a football program, making Sac State a program without a program.
More damaging, however, was the absence of a recruiting budget and spring practices, which undoubtedly were factors in the Hornets’ 62-7 loss at Northern Arizona last Saturday.
“We’re a new program,” said Hornets coach John Volek, formerly of Walla Walla Community College. “I got hired July 1, so we’re learning a lot about ourselves. In the 29 days of practice before our previous game, 20 of those had to be spring ball for us, which cut short our preparation for NAU.
“Now we think we know a little more about ourselves, and hopefully we’ll improve this week.”
Admittedly, Volek and the Hornets have much to learn. Like who the featured running back might be.
“Right now, it’s being passed around by Jesse Klinge, Michael Stewart, Leonard Zarate and Kenny Vaughn,” Volek said. “Stewart will be our starter this week.” Volek said. the Hornets visit Woodward Stadium tonight at 6:35 for EWU’s home opener. Last week, the Eagles (1-0) rushed for 281 yards and came from behind for a 34-16 non-conference victory at Southwest Texas State.
It would hardly be surprising if the EWU running game posts comparable numbers tonight. Last week, Northern Arizona shredded Sac State’s 4-3 defensive front for 345 net rushing yards on 45 carries.
The Eagles, meanwhile, scored on Joe Sewell runs of 67, 68 and 7 yards.
“Our running game is pretty healthy and sound,” second-year EWU coach Mike Kramer said. “Joe Sewell’s recovery from off-season knee surgery has really given us an effective 1-2-3 punch.
“We have a slasher in David Lewis, and darter in Rex Prescott and a hammer in Sewell.”
“The hammer” pounded out 173 yards rushing against Southwest Texas. Sewell may start tonight, jumping past Lewis and Prescott as the Eagles’ No. 1 tailback.
Line excels
The offensive line overpowered Southwest Texas, even with All-Big Sky tackle Tom Ackerman (hamstring) seeing limited duty, a fact Kramer attributes to assistants Paul Wulff and Rick Redden.
“If you listened to the sound of our offensive line colliding with their defensive line, you knew who was winning the battle,” said Kramer, a former offensive lineman at Idaho. “Even when we were only running the ball for 1 or 2 yards. They’re like body punches. You don’t see them, they don’t look real fancy. But there’s some serious damage being done. That’s the kind of football that I understand.”
Notes
Ackerman and tight end Jesse Hardt (sore feet), two All-Big Sky picks, will likely be held out tonight. “It’s not a slight to Sac State at all,” Kramer said. “It’s just the fact that we’re playing a non-conference game, and we have to win the conference championship to get into the playoffs.” … Right guard Ken Henningsen, who missed last week’s game recovering from knee surgery, will undergo arthroscopic surgery on the same knee next week and is out indefinitely. … Poor tackling in the season opener was the primary concern of EWU coaches during the week. “Our defensive coaching staff is pretty creative,” Kramer said. “We’ve had numerous tackling drills in practice, some that I’ve heard of and some that I’ve never seen before.”
, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Graphic: Eagles vs. Sacramento State