Scouting Report:
Hiram College
Hiram Scope
Despite averaging over 365 yards per game on offense in their first two games this season, the Terriers’ biggest challenge has been finding the endzone. Hiram put up only nine points in their week one loss to Westminster College and then, after a bye week, scored only 17 against North Coast Athletic Conference rival Kenyon College. Through two games, the Terriers have only scored three touchdowns. To put that in perspective, DePauw scored three touchdowns in just the second quarter of their week one victory.
The Terriers haven’t been afraid to air things out on offense, though. Sophomore quarterback Alec Wells has averaged over 40 pass attempts in the Terriers’ first two games. He has averaged nearly 225 yards per game, but is completing only 49 percent of his passes. Wells has two touchdowns and two interceptions on the young season.
While the Terriers pass defense has been stout thus far, teams have shown the way to victory against Hiram on the ground where they’ve given up over 215 yards per game. The defensive line has been an issue for the Terriers thus far as evidenced by the poor rush defense, which has totalled only two sacks on the season.
DePauw Scope
Hiram likely isn’t as good of a team as DePauw’s opponent last week, The College of Wooster. That being said, they do pose an interesting challenge for head coach Bill Lynch’s team, as for the first time he will take his team on the road inside the NCAC. While it will be the Tigers’ first conference road game, it helps that Lynch will be bring players with him like junior quarterback Matt Hunt, junior running back Jason Kirchhoff and junior linebacker Will Longthorne.
Hunt put up video game-like numbers last week against the Fighting Scots, throwing for 264 yards, running for 61 more and scoring a combined six touchdowns. Kirchhoff put up his second straight 100-yard game, running for 111 yards on 18 carries and scoring a touchdown. Longthorne will come into Saturday’s tilt with Hiram fresh off a ten tackle performance in which he had a sack, a pass breakup and forced fumble. Those numbers were good enough to earn Longthorne NCAC defensive player of the week.
Hiram Key Players
Danny Robinson, RB, So.: Robinson is likely Hiram’s most potent offensive threat. After putting up 79 yards on the ground in the Terriers’ week one loss, Robinson came back with a 132-yard effort against Kenyon last weekend. He’s also a weapon in the passing game for Hiram. Last weekend, he caught three passes for 64 yards and a touchdown.
Nate Eaton, WR, Sr.: The 5-foot-9 receiver might not be the biggest target out there for quarterback Alec Wells, but he’s been the most reliable. He led the team with seven catches in week one and then added six more catches for 92 yards last week against Kenyon. If the Terriers are going to stay in the game, the passing game will likely be key and they’ll need a big game out of Eaton.
Ronnie Jones, DB, Sr.: Jones has been one of the Terriers’ leaders on defense. He’s second on the team in total tackles with 17, has four pass breakups and an interception. Hunt will likely be the best quarterback he’s faced so far this season, so how Jones plays in the secondary will probably determine how the game goes for the Terriers.
Matchup to watch: DePauw running backs vs. the Hiram front seven
Despite Kirchhoff and sophomore Jack Gruber both getting more carries than senior Amen Galley last weekend against Wooster, Lynch insists Galley is still the team’s feature back. The Tigers will employ a system in which the three backs alternate series moving forward and the game situation will determine who gets the bulk of the carries. Regardless of how it’s lining up in the backfield, expect them to have a big game against a poor Hiram rush defense. DePauw’s 320 rushing yards per game put up against the 218 the Terriers have given up through two games doesn’t look good.
DePauw wins if…
They get off to a good start. DePauw is clearly the better of the two teams, but it took the Tigers a while to get things going and put away the Fighting Scots last weekend. Wooster hung around until the Tigers broke it open before halftime. I’d like to see the Tigers put things away early to give some of the starters a rest.
Predictions
I feel like the Tigers could be in store for their third straight blowout win. The Tigers have beaten Hiram in their only two meetings over the past two seasons with the last coming in the form of a 45-12 shellacking. I would expect more of the same on Saturday. Hunt and the offense will come out and do their thing to give the Tigers some distance early and I’d expect the defense to completely shut down anything Hiram tries to do.
Final Score
DePauw 42, Hiram 7.
