Photo Gallery
ADA, Okla. – East Central University put together a determined effort but could not upend conference champion and 11th-ranked Harding losing 29-12 in the football season opener.
"Our guys played their tails off. Harding is a great team," ECU Coach
Kris McCullough said. "We got to do a better job running the ball so we can get pressure off our quarterback,"
The Tigers had difficulty moving the ball consistently as the Bisons doubled ECU's offensive output by a 340 to 161-yard margin. ECU had scoring opportunities twice getting inside Harding's 20-yard line only to settle for field goals of 37 and 26 by
Alexis Lopez.
"Defensively we played well overall other than getting beat three times over-the-top in a triple option," McCullough said. "We can do better at first down. We got to limit our opponent's from getting in favorable down-and-distance situations that give them a ton of more options."
ECU's lone touchdown was the result of a botched six-yard punt that gave the Tigers great field position at the Harding 35 with just over a minute remaining in the first half. Quarterback
Kenny Hrncir completed a key third-down pass to
Jake Berrey who advanced 18 yards before running out of bounds at the Bison 12. The Tigers scored three plays later when
La'Quan Wells hauled in a three-yard pass from Hrncir cutting Harding's margin to 14-9 at halftime.
ECU's last score came midway through the third quarter after an impressive 14-play, 59-yard drive. The key play was a 17-yard reception by Wells that moved the ball to the Harding 30. A third-down sack of Hrncir resulted in Lopez delivering a 37-yard field goal with 2:59 in the third to make it Harding 21, ECU 12.
ECU went three-and-out on its three fourth-quarter possessions and Harding tacked on a final touchdown for a 29-12 win.
"Our goal remains the same winning the GAC championship. Nothing has changed," McCullough said. "That's the mindset our team has. That's the mindset our coaching staff has. I think our fans will like the way we respond next week."
