Defense, special teams lead Mules to 14-6 win over Adams State

All the talk was about how good the Adams State College defense was going to be. After all, the Grizzlies returned eight starters from a unit that was dubbed the top defense in NCAA Division II.

But on this night, it was the Central Missouri State University defense that reigned supreme, as the Mules stopped Adams State, 14-6.

To be sure, the Adams State defense was impressive, holding the Mules to just 268 yards of total offense (160 rushing, 108 through the air). But CMSU shot itself in the foot plenty, too. Thirteen times in the game the Mules advanced inside Adams State territory. But only once did the offense put points on the board, on a 63-yard Mike Spiegel-to-Micah Hefner aerial.

And, while Adams State racked up 308 yards of total offense (only seven on the ground), the Mules’ defense stepped up when it had to in keeping the Grizzlies out of the end zone.

“We didn’t know what they were going to run,” Mules head coach Willie Fritz said. “I’ve never had so much anxiety before a game. I went out and ran about five miles this afternoon.

Adams State struck first in the game on a 31-yard Wayne Durham field goal with 6:02 remaining in the opening period.

The Mules struck back when Spiegel and Hefner connected.

After a scoreless second quarter, Adams State pulled within one, 7-6, on a 22-yard field goal from Durham with 7:57 remaining.

The Mules defense capped the scoring. With the ball on the Adams State six, Grizzlie quarterback Scott Coxon led the center snap go through his hands. The Mules’ Dustin Patton fell on the ball in the end zone for the final tally.

Special teams played a huge roll in the game, as sophomore Matt Frankel averaged 40.7 yards on nine punts, but more importantly dropped a school-record seven inside the Grizzlies’ 20-yard line. It was Frankel’s first game punting for the Mules.

“For a guy who has never punted for us in a game, Matt Frankel was outstanding,” Fritz said. “Our fliers did a great job getting down covering kicks. Spencer Foster, it was his first game snapping in a game. That was big for him. Spencer Webb barely misses a field goal.”

Also making his debut was junior tailback Will Caldwell, who finished with 150 yards on 13 carries.

“Will did a really good job,” Fritz said. “We need to get him in better shape so he can play more. We need 20 carries a game out of him, but we’re just not quite there yet.”

Defensively, the Mules got 11 tackles and two pass breakups from sophomore free safety Kendall Ricketts. Junior defensive end Andrew Jilles added seven stops.

The Mules return to action next Thursday, September 1 when they host Lincoln University at 7:00 p.m.