By CADE KENNEDY, Sports Editor
The Northwestern football team lost against Henderson State 55-7 on Sept. 11 at Carpenter-Haywood Stadium in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.
The Rangers’ defense had several problems against the Reddies, with the biggest mistake being the number of missed tackles.
“We have got to improve on our tackling,” said Matt Walter, the head coach of the Rangers.
Missing tackles was not the only problem the Rangers had, as penalties were once again a problem. The Rangers committed seven penalties throughout the game for a total of 65 yards.
The offense would be another problem for the Rangers, as Tanner Clarkson threw 12 completions on 24 attempts for 133 yards, one interception and one touchdown. That touchdown occurred on the third possession of the game, when Clarkson threw a 38-yard pass to Gavin Garner. That tied the game at 7-7 in the first quarter.
Clarkson’s interception came on the first drive of the second half for the Rangers, and it would prove to be costly. The Reddies would score on the following drive to make the score 24-7.
The Reddies would continue to score against the Rangers, as 38 of Henderson State’s 55 points came in the second half.
The Rangers also had problems stopping the Henderson State running backs, as the Reddies ran for 318 yards on 43 attempts. This gave the Reddies an average of 7.4 yards per rush.
The Rangers had issues with stopping the Reddies’ passing attack, as Adam Morse, the quarterback for Henderson State, threw for 305 yards and two touchdowns on 19 completions out of 32 attempts.
Turnovers would be another problem for the Rangers, as three different players threw an interception. The Rangers also fumbled the ball three times, but only one was recovered by the Reddies.
There were some positives for the Rangers, as the Rangers’ offensive line only allowed three sacks against the Reddies. The Rangers gave up eight sacks in the season opener against Southern Arkansas.
“I thought the offensive line played better,” Walter said. “I also thought that were able to run the ball better.”
The Rangers were able to run the ball better, as they ran for 94 yards against the Reddies.
The Rangers will play Saturday against the Oklahoma Baptist University Bison at 6 p.m. in Shawnee.
The Rangers have maintained a 2-3 record against the Bison since 2015.
Oklahoma Baptist has a 1-1 record on the season, with a 45-20 victory over Arkansas-Monticello and a 38-31 loss to Ouachita Baptist.