Before getting into any of the skill positions we must stress the importance of all things starting up front. The West Texas A&M University offensive line held no punches from the start, and kept their foot on the gas until the end. The WTAMU football staff has a new offensive line coach, Jack Harris, which makes this performance all the more impressive. I was able to ask Zane Madison, sophomore starting center, how he felt about the offensive line’s performance.

“I thought we did really well. With the new coach, coach Harris, the first week of camp was kind of iffy because we were trying to fill out all this terminology and stuff, but I’d say ever since that second week we kind of hit a stride and we just haven’t really gotten off of it,” Madison said.

The Buffaloes didn’t have any film on the Texas College defense, so they were going into the match blind. The offensive line paved the way for a dominant rushing performance. Madison believes the offensive line will open up many other things for the offense as a whole.

“If you have a good run game it makes passing a whole lot easier. So, I think we got to have a great run game. I think we definitely have everything to have one. We have a great offensive line,” Madison said.

With film on their upcoming opponents throughout the season, the big guys upfront will look to pave the way for success in this offense.

Next, the WTAMU defense shut down Texas College in almost every way, shape and form in the victory. In the third quarter, Ayrton Payne, junior defensive back, caught an interception as the first turnover that he nearly returned for a pick six. He mentioned it was about perfecting the basics in a win where the team had little to no film on their opponent.

“I think we pretty much ran our basic stuff in practice. We just kind of went out there and ran our stuff and tried to perfect it,” Payne said.

Finally, depth players provided nice production, especially in the running back room. Hesston Marshall, freshman running back and special teams, played in his first collegiate game and was able to showcase a sample size of what he can do, as he scored his first rushing touchdown. Marshall was also able to provide on kick and punt returns, returning two punts for 62 yards with a 31.00 average and a long of 50. He also returned one kickoff for 25 yards. Coach Hughs believed Marshall did what he needed to prove himself.

“I thought that Hesston had a great fall camp and did a lot of things and proved himself, so I thought that rewarding him for doing that would be something special and he earned that,” Hughs said.

Other depth players such as Isaiah Smallwood, freshman running back, rushed for 89 yards and two scores.

Jarrod Compton, junior running back, was able to muster 94 rushing yards and a touchdown. Marcus Lindsay, junior running back, was also able to get himself a touchdown with 67 yards to go with it. The Buffoles continue their season against University of Texas at Permian Basin next. Sept. 11 at 6:00pm.

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