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SOU looks to bounce back at HSU ARCATA, Calif. � Saturday�s contest with Division II Humboldt State has taken on an added sense of importance for the Southern Oregon University football team. Although all nine games on the 2000 schedule carry equal importance, the 11th ranked Raiders split their first two games leaving the matchup with the 2-2 Lumberjacks at Arcata, Calif., a must win. SOU comes off a bye week that followed a tough 23-11 loss to Linfield but coach Jeff Olson stressed the importance of having a week off. "The bye week was positive," said Olson in a release by the school. "We got most everyone healthy, and our players were able to prepare for the start of classes without the pressure of a game this past Saturday." The Raiders look to bounce back offensively where they converted only two of five red zone chances and committed four turnovers while mustering only 11 points. "We must cut down on turnovers (seven in two games) while taking better advantage of the turnovers we create," said Olson. "We need to be more focused when we get into the red zone and finish drives with touchdowns." Humboldt State boasts a balanced offensive attack that averages 222 yards passing and 112 yards on the ground behind an offensive line that averages 275-pounds. The quarterback position has been somewhat of a quandary with junior Jacob Kadle and Travis Mari platooning. Junior tailback Mitch Jones carries the blunt of the load, averaging 92 yards a contest while senior Ben Matthias heads a talented receiving corp. "Humboldt features a big, physical offensive line, and they appear to have settled on a quarterback," said Olson on the Lumberjacks offensive attack. "The defense is a senior-dominated group, and they like to pressure the QB." The Raiders� Dusty McGrorty is averaging 95.5 yards on the ground with two scores and has already exceeded that of record-holder Griff Yates in his freshman year (1996). Meanwhile senior receiver Toby Taylor, an Eagle Point product, is ranked third in the NAIA with a seven-catch-per-game average. Defensively, the Raiders have been tough with a No. 3 ranking in the nation for rush defense and seventh overall. SOU has struggled at the Redwood Bowl with an 0-6 record since 1950 and a 16-0 loss in its most recent visit in 1998. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at the Redwood Bowl in Arcata, Calif. Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA