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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels September 24, 2004 Raiders to face big, bad Azusa By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Southern Oregon head coach Jeff Olson won't go so far as to label Saturday's game against Azusa Pacific a "must win." The Southern Oregon University defense has been the Raiders' strength this season and will have to come through in a big way Saturday in order for the 17th-ranked Raiders to challenge the seventh-ranked Azusa Pacific Cougars. The game starts at 7 p.m. Saturday night at Raider Stadium. Andrew Mariman | Ashland Daily Tidings After all, the Raiders have five games left on their schedule following the fifth annual independent bowl (to be played at Raider Stadium), including scrums against San Diego and Linfield. Still, SOU's ninth-year head coach can't help but recognize the game's significance. Seventh-ranked Azusa (3-0) and 17th-ranked Southern Oregon (2-1) are both, as usual, vying to finish as the top-ranked independent team in NAIA football - a feat that will most likely yield an automatic berth to the 16-team National Championship Series. "Right now, certainly, the winner of this game has the upper hand as far as independents go," Olson said. "But that hasn't always been the case." Olson points to the 1999 and 2000 seasons as prime examples. The Raiders waxed the Cougars both years and still missed the playoffs. SOU leads the series 4-1, but suffered its first loss to Azusa last season. That 23-14 defeat in southern California all but ended the Raiders' playoff hopes. It also perfectly illustrated just how far Azusa had come. "When we first started playing them in 1999, they just threw the ball all over the place � and now they're predominantly a running team," Olson said. "They want to control the line of scrimmage." In other words, the Cougars have become a lot like SOU, which rode powerful ground games to consecutive playoff appearances in 2001 and '02. A new look But, changes in personnel have left the Raiders vulnerable to big, strong defensive lines, and the offense has suffered as a result. Southern is averaging just 96.3 rushing yards per game this season, a far cry from the 218 it racked up on average only a year ago. Bill Jolin, SOU's top rusher, has gained 200 yards on 51 attempts. Somehow, that drop off has not cost the Raiders in another statistic Olson considers very important to his team's ultimate success: time of possession. Despite being outgained 420-289 overall on the ground, SOU is winning the time of possession battle 31:31 to 28:29. The Raiders' much improved defense probably deserves most of the credit for that. While SOU is gaining just 287 yards per game, it's holding opponents to 282, including just 142 through the air. Linebackers are flying to the ball and making plays, and defensive backs are knocking down passes. For the first time in years, defense is a strength, not a weakness, in Raiderland, a fact that makes Olson - a former defensive back - smile. "We've been playing very well (on defense)," he said. 'D' tested That Raider 'D' will receive perhaps its stiffest test of the young season Saturday, when Azusa rolls into town packing a 6-foot-2, 235-pound weapon by the name of Ben Buys. The senior All-American tailback is averaging about 110 yards per game rushing and headlines a balanced Cougar offense that's gaining 347 per contest, including 191 on the ground. Junior Sean Davis will start at quarterback for Azusa. He's completed 39 of 73 passes for 469 yards and two touchdowns. Davis' favorite target is Jon Miller, who has 12 receptions for 132 yards and one TD. While the Cougars have run rampant over opposing defenses, their three victims - San Diego, Olivet Nazarene and Humboldt State - have had no such luck. Azusa has allowed just 208 yards of total offense per game, including a minuscule 33.3 on the ground. Not coincidentally, the Cougars are dominating the time of possession battle, 34 to 26. Full steam ahead As impressive as the numbers and the game film verifying them are, neither will lead to a drastic change in SOU's game plan. The Raiders will try to establish the run, pure and simple. "This is our style," Olson said. "Last year, we jumped out to a 14-0 lead (against Azusa) and we didn't finish it. Our style is what's gotten us to this point and we're not going to change." If SOU's ground game sputters, the Raiders will call on senior quarterback Brandon Griffith to open up the passing game. Griffith has completed 53 of 89 passes for 573 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions. The game kicks off at 6 p.m. and will be aired locally on KCMX (880-AM). DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams