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http:// --> Ashland, Oregon HOME Valley & State Sports Nation & World Opinion/Editorial Classifieds Business Columnists Obituaries Weather Archive Hot Topics Forum Photo Gallery Past Readers Polls Revels Etcetera Backpage O-Zone Special Sections Real Estate Guide Menu Guide Shakespeare Subscribe Contact Us Rate Card Place an Ad Online Games Movie Preview October 21, 2006 Raiders gaining confidence heading into rematch with WOU By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Unproductive and at times self destructive, the Southern Oregon University offense had almost nothing to hang its hat on through the first three games of the season. Now, heading into its seventh game Saturday night at Western Oregon, the Raiders are clicking. And scoring. The SOU football team (2-4) has punched the ball into the end zone 13 times over the past three weeks after behind shutout through its first three contests. Saturday's game against the Wolves will provided the perfect opportunity for the Raiders to prove just how far they've come. Western (4-2) devoured SOU 38-0 back on Sept. 23, holding the Raiders to 134 yards of total offense. The game, scheduled to kickoff at 2 p.m. at Monmouth, can be viewed live via streaming video at www.wouwolves.com . "I think we're going to go into the game with the attitude that we're going to win," SOU first-year head coach Steve Helminiak said. "We think we can. We've got a great deal of respect for them, but we feel good about the progress we've made. We're going in there with a very confident football team." Why should a 2-4 team be "very confident?" Helminiak says it's about the execution. The numbers agree. SOU's offense is coming off its second straight outstanding performance. After blasting Azusa Pacific 57-7 two weeks ago, the Raiders scored four more TDs and racked up 342 yards of total offense against NCAA Division III powerhouse Linfield. Despite the early struggles, Helminiak believed it was just a matter of time. "I think if you go back and look at the games that we played, we were in position to make plays offensively," he said. "There were guys open; there were seams to run through. It's just a matter of those guys hitting them or catching the ball." SOU's offensive rise is directly proportional to that of its starting quarterback — redshirt freshman Casey Mitchell. The 6-foot, 190-pound signal caller out of Baker City High completed 17 of 28 passes for 244 yards against the Wildcats a week after going 12-for-23 for 216 yards against Azusa. Southern's running game is also picking up steam behind Shane Van Zant, who's rushed for 189 yards in the last two games. Helminiak has been blown away by Mitchell's dedication . "He's made unbelievable strides, and he's a gutsy kid," Helminiak said, pointing out how Mitchell has spent countless hours studying game film on his own time. "I think the game is slowing down for him. Early on, the game was really fast to him and he wasn't able to make those reads. Now, he has a better grasp of what's going on and he's able to convert." Sports editor Joe Zavala can be reached at 482-3456 x 224 or joe. [email protected] Leave a Comment: Advertisement: Advertisement: Paid Advertising Inkjet Printers Student Loans Water Filter Helzberg Diamonds Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Advertisement: Copyright © 2006 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers. All Rights Reserved.