Northern returns from bye with home game against Western

In its first few weeks under Jerome Souers, the Montana State University-Northern football team has faced its fair share of adversity. The Lights are off to an 0-2 start and things do not get much easier with a game this Saturday at Tilleman Field against Montana Western, the 19th-ranked team in the nation. While the treading has been tough, Souers has liked how his team has pushed through it.

"The morale has been strong and the team chemistry is holding up," Souers said. "The challenges that lie in front of us really start inward. We have to do a better job, take care of what we do and that will enable us to be more competitive."

Western enters the contest with a 2-1 record, including a 1-1 mark in the Frontier Conference. After a 16-10 loss to Carroll College to open the season, the Bulldogs have defeated Eastern Oregon University, 48-14, and then non-conference opponent Dickinson State University, 35-14, over the past few weeks.

The Bulldogs will be led on offense by veteran quarterback Jon Jund. In his first three games this season, Jund has completed 57.95 percent of his passes for 619 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions.

"He's the real deal," Souers said about Jund. "He's got experience in the conference, he knows the league, he knows his teammates and they're very comfortable in what they do."

Jund will have several options to throw to this weekend. Dylan Shipley is off to a strong start this season with 11 catches for 185 yards and four touchdowns. Elijah Benedick can also move the chains as he has nine catches for 156 yards this fall. Even if the Lights can take away those options, Jund can throw to Blake Sentman who has 10 catches for 129 yards and a touchdown this fall.

If he cannot find anyone downfield, Jund can move the ball with his legs. He leads the Bulldogs with 183 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 51 carries this season. The Bulldogs' primary running back is Reese Neville who has 146 yards and a touchdown in three games this season.

The MSU-N offense will need to have a strong game in order to keep up with the Bulldogs. Quarterback Brenden Medina will look to get rolling after completing 52 percent of his passes for 189 yards, no touchdowns and an interception in the Lights' first two games.

Several Lights will look to break out in the passing game this weekend. Running back Canaan Smith leads the Lights with 61 receiving yards on five catches. Luke Triplett leads all wide receivers with four catches for 50 yards for the Lights. Tight end Levi Keltner has five catches for 33 yards and the lone touchdown for the Lights this season.

The Lights have not gotten the ground game going this season. Through two games, running back Mason Dionne leads the Lights with 40 yards averaging two yards a carry. As the MSU-N offense tries to gain some traction this weekend, Souers believes consistency will be key to doing so.

"For us right now, it's understanding the system and learning what's an acceptable win on a play," Souers said. "We need consistency. Consistency in run blocking, consistency in protection, consistent quarterback execution, running the right routes and the right spacing."

The Lights will go against a Western defense that is off to a strong start this fall only allowing 14.67 points a game. Defensive lineman James Aragon is off to a hot start with four sacks in only three games this fall. Kameron Rauser has also been in the backfield with six tackles for loss this season, along with his 21 total tackles to lead the team.

In the secondary, Braden Swank has been steady with eight pass breakups and one interception this fall. His teammates Cody Whalen and Reece Stanish both have a pick this fall, so the Bulldogs have plenty of playmakers in their secondary.

Last season, the Bulldogs got the better of the Lights in both meetings. In Dillon early in the season, the Lights competed but the Bulldogs ultimately won 42-28. Then in Havre late in the season, the Bulldogs dominated in a 63-7 victory over the Lights.

The Bulldogs will be a formidable opponent for the Lights, who are a rebuilding program. With a bye last week, the Lights gathered themselves after an 0-2 start to the year. While they have faced much adversity, Souers has seen improvement and hopes to see even more this Saturday against a tough Western squad.

"It's a process and we control our own destiny from the standpoint of our improvement," Souers said. "If we're putting in the time, we're doing it right, we're learning from our mistakes and we're showing positive growth, that's really the most important thing right now."

The MSU-N football team will kick off against Western at Tilleman Field this Saturday at 1 p.m.