Written By: Kraig Doremus and Tyler Pineda
This past Saturday, the Reinhardt Eagles captured their second victory in as many tries, defeating the Kentucky Christian Knights 52-3. This was the first home game of the 2015 season for the Eagles. With two convincing victories to begin the season, Reinhardt has outscored opponents 125-24.
When the Eagles Had the Ball
Offensively for Reinhardt, senior wide receiver Sam Jones tallied 122 all-purpose yards, while junior quarterback Ryan Thompson threw for 143 yards and rushed for 63. Running backs L.J. Stegall and Niagel Curtis also contributed in the running game, and junior wide receiver Aaron Kennedy made some amazing catches. Offensively, Reinhardt’s offense is currently ranked 2nd in the country with an average of 62.5 points per game.
The Kentucky Christian defense struggled to stop the Reinhardt Eagles offensive attack. When the final horn sounded, the Knights had allowed 52 points to the high-powered Reinhardt offense. Kentucky Christian gave up 38 of 52 points in the first half, allowing 21 points in the first quarter alone. The Knights surrendered 632 yards of offense, with 457 of those allowed on the ground.
KCU could not stop Reinhardt on third downs and in the red-zone. The Eagles faced 12 third-down conversion, converting 8 of them. Reinhardt could not be stopped when they reached the red zone as the Knights allowed them to score 5 times in 5 tries.
When the Knights Had the Ball
Offense was tough to come by for Kentucky Christian. KCU managed only 205 yards of offense on 69 plays. The Knights scored their only points on a field goal late in the game to avoid being shut out by the Eagles. Quarterback Graham Johnston threw one interception and the Knights coughed up the ball three times, with the Eagles recovering in every instance. Turnovers hurt the Knights as three of their giveaways resulted in Reinhardt scores.
This week, the Reinhardt defense allowed the fewest points in program history. Defensive Coordinator Tommy Scott stated, “We all wanted the ‘goose egg’, but I am very pleased with how our defense performed. We have to continue to get better and be ready for Georgetown.” Reinhardt’s defense allowed only 205 yards and produced one interception by freshman Quincy Standifer. The Eagles are currently ranked 8th nationally in scoring defense, allowing only 12 points per game. The defense was able to stop dual-threat quarterback Graham Johnston in the first half before he was taken out of the game. Overall, the team played solid and ‘Protected the Pines’.
Keys to the Game
The Reinhardt Eagle defense continued to build off the success they had in week 1. On the season, the Eagles defense has forced ten turnovers. Four of those occurred this Saturday, as the Eagles intercepted quarterback Graham Johnston and also forced three fumbles.
Johnston, the talented Kentucky Christian quarterback, saw limited action on the day, and was contained by the Eagles. He managed a mere 112 passing yards, completing 19 of 31 passes.
Reinhardt utilized a balanced offensive attack, which helped them to defeat Kentucky Christian by a large margin. Sam Jones led the RU rushing attack with 105 yards, while Ryan Thompson led the team in passing.
Prediction
The Sports Studies crew has a prediction record of 2-0.
Up Next
The Eagles are 2-0 before traveling to Georgetown College where the #11 Tigers are looking for their first win of the season. Georgetown College has a great tradition of football and will be looking forward to the battle this Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1:30 PM at Toyota Stadium.
