CEDAR CITY, Utah, Sept. 11 - Southern Utah got contributions
from the offense, the defense and special teams Saturday night as the
Thunderbirds downed San Diego, 32-3 in SUU's 2010 home-opener. SUU piled up 411 yards of offense and allowed
San Diego just 145 yards, got a blocked punt and recovered a muffed punt in the
win.
Southern Utah combined for 11 tackles for loss, including
three sacks, and knocked down seven passes in shutting USD down. Cody Heinreich
had two of the sacks, on back-to-back plays in the third quarter, but it was a
team-effort by the defense, as 27 different players recorded tackles, led by
Blake Fenn with nine. Troy Bunting finished with 11 tackles while Troy Bunting
had 10, including two TFLs, and Erron Vonner and Akeem Anifowoshe each finished
with seven. Cody Larsen, who had the other sack, finished with six tackles.
Special teams had a hand in SUU taking an early 10-0 lead. The
T-Birds punted after going three-and-out on their first drive but USD's Sam
Hoekstra muffed the catch and SUU's long-snapper, Brigham Nielsen, recovered on
the San Diego 31. The Thunderbirds then drove to the four-yard line before
stalling again, but Brock Miller put them on the board with a 22-yard field
goal.
Later in the quarter Tyson Turley blocked a Torero punt and
the Thunderbirds took over at the USD 26 yard line. On the first play Brad
Sorensen found Tyson Poots for a touchdown and a 10-0 SUU lead. The catch gave
Poots a touchdown reception in 16 straight games, going back to the 2008
season.
San Diego got on the board early in the second quarter when
Stan Shurson hit a 33-yard field goal, but Sorensen found Poots from four yards
out late in the quarter to stake the T-Birds to a 16-3 advantage at halftime.
The Thunderbird defense held San Diego to just 36 yards in
the second half while scoring 16 of its own on a 10-yard Sorensen-to-Daryl
Brown pass play, a career-long 39-yard field goal by Miller and a 17-yard
scramble by quarterback Zack Olsen.
Sorensen completed 16-of-29 passes for 262 yards and three
touchdowns, while Austin Minefee paced the 'Birds on the ground with 10 carries
for 62 yards. Deckar Alexander added 53 yards on eight carries as eight
Thunderbirds had at least one carry in the game.
Kenslow Smith led USD with 53 rushing yards but the Toreros
could manage just 34 yards through the air.
-- SUU --
