The MSU-Northern Lights football team has not played a game in almost two weeks. The last time they took the field, the Lights lost on the road to Rocky Mountain College, (27-12). New Media Broadcasters asked head coach Jerome Souers about that game as well as what was worked on during this past bye week.
“We have guys that are not just playing different roles, but playing different techniques compared to what they were a year ago,” Souers said. “I think our offensive guys are a little further behind with regards to their continuity and consistency.”
“That’s what we seek,” Souers continued. “A skill mastery and consistency in the way that we execute.”
“We have shown marked improvement. It didn’t show in the metrics of a win/loss, but it did as far as a coach’s concern,” Souers said. “The numbers of mistakes we made were fewer. Fundamentally, we were better. We tackled better. We ran better.”
Last season, Northern played its most competitive game that wasn’t a win against this week’s opponent, Arizona Christian. Souers reflected on the (21-20) defeat that ended with his team giving up the go-ahead touchdown with seven seconds left. He also said what he took away from that game from an overall program standpoint.
“I think as a program, we learned where (and) where we need to be (as well as) what it takes to win on the road because we didn’t do it that day,” Souers said. “They made the last play of the game. The play that meant the most, they made it. And they deserved the victory.”
“It was a tough road trip for us (in 2023), but we learned a lot of lessons,” Souers continued. “So now that we’re home, and it’s been a while since we’ve played at home, we’re excited about playing in front of our own families in the friendly confines and getting into the rhythm that we’re used to on this field.”
This Firestorm team has played just one game this season, a road loss at NCAA Division II Fort Lewis College. Souers has studied that tape and said what his team will need to do in order to defeat Arizona Christian.
“Like us, they departed from their offensive philosophy, which was predominantly air-raid” Souers said. “They ran the ball well (in the past) but was more out of shotgun (and) single back.”
“They’ve adopted more Wing-T concepts to go along with their passing game. Old school north-south football,” Souers continued. “You’re going to see two teams that I think are going to try and establish the line of scrimmage early and who is most successful at that and who takes care of the ball will certainly have an advantage.”
Northern opens up the 2024 home schedule taking on Arizona Christian on Saturday. Kickoff from Tilleman Field is scheduled for 1pm and the game will be broadcast by Noah Friedman for KPQX-92.5FM and HiLineToday.com.
