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What was expected to be one of Centre College’s strongest units showed just how strong it can be Saturday.
The Colonels’ veteran offensive line manhandled Trinity to give the Colonels a 31-14 victory at Farris Stadium in the final game between former conference rivals who knocked heads for more than 20 years.
The O-line cleared the way for Monte Scotton to rush for 147 yards in his return from injury and cleared up any questions Centre’s coach had about its play this season.
“Up until this point, we felt like our offensive line wasn’t playing the way they had the ability to play,” Centre coach Andy Frye said. “I was just thrilled for the offensive line (today). They looked like what we expected from them. It was outstanding.”
A unit that includes four seniors and a junior threw its weight around against Trinity’s good but undersized three-man front to help Centre (5-2) follow its bye week with a win.
“We wanted to be real physical with their line, and I think we were able to push them off the ball, and I think we did pretty well,” right guard Bobby Bruggeman said.
It isn’t like the Colonels hadn’t been moving the ball — their total of 377 yards Saturday was actually a little below their season average — but the work of the front five allowed them to sustain and finish drives.
“We haven’t been able to be as efficient as we were last year, but we’ve been able to move the ball, and today we were able to get behind our O-line and push it in the end zone and put some points on the board,” Scotton said.
Bruggeman said it was the line’s best work this season.
“Yeah, I think we played real well, and I think together it was just a great performance as an offense,” he said.
That was never more evident than during a fourth-quarter drive in which Centre killed 9 minutes, 24 seconds to protect a 28-14 lead. The Colonels took over at their own 20-yard line after a Trinity turnover — one of four — and ran the ball on 15 consecutive plays, reaching the Trinity 8-yard line before losing a few yards and settling for a 24-yard field goal by Jordan Gay with 2:53 remaining.
“Any time we’ve got a lead in the second half, coach is going to trust them to open holes, and it’s my job to find those holes and hit them, just pick up some yards, pick up first downs and keep the clock running,” said Scotton, who had 14 carries for 73 yards during that drive.
Scotton had missed two of Centre’s last three games after spraining both of his ankles, and he returned with his second 100-yard game of the season.
“I want to thank God for giving me the chance to get back out here. It’s not common to sprain both of your ankles, so I’m just glad to get back out here and run around a little bit,” he said.
Trinity (4-3) had been averaging 35 points per game, but the Colonels held the Tigers to two scores, both of which were answered immediately by the offense.
“To hold this team to 14 points was pretty good,” Frye said.
It was one of Centre’s largest wins in the 24 games between the teams, who were rivals in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference from 1989-2011 before Centre joined a new league.
“I like the rivalry. Trinity’s always been our nemesis,” Frye said. “When they had their heyday for about 10 years, we were good, we just weren’t better than they were, ... so it’s fun to beat them.”
Trinity holds a 15-9 lead in the series, and many of the games between the Tigers and Colonels decided conference championships, including Trinity’s 20-14 win last year in a battle of top-25 teams.
The Colonels’ veteran offensive line manhandled Trinity to give the Colonels a 31-14 victory at Farris Stadium in the final game between former conference rivals who knocked heads for more than 20 years.
The O-line cleared the way for Monte Scotton to rush for 147 yards in his return from injury and cleared up any questions Centre’s coach had about its play this season.
“Up until this point, we felt like our offensive line wasn’t playing the way they had the ability to play,” Centre coach Andy Frye said. “I was just thrilled for the offensive line (today). They looked like what we expected from them. It was outstanding.”
A unit that includes four seniors and a junior threw its weight around against Trinity’s good but undersized three-man front to help Centre (5-2) follow its bye week with a win.
“We wanted to be real physical with their line, and I think we were able to push them off the ball, and I think we did pretty well,” right guard Bobby Bruggeman said.
It isn’t like the Colonels hadn’t been moving the ball — their total of 377 yards Saturday was actually a little below their season average — but the work of the front five allowed them to sustain and finish drives.
“We haven’t been able to be as efficient as we were last year, but we’ve been able to move the ball, and today we were able to get behind our O-line and push it in the end zone and put some points on the board,” Scotton said.
Bruggeman said it was the line’s best work this season.
“Yeah, I think we played real well, and I think together it was just a great performance as an offense,” he said.
That was never more evident than during a fourth-quarter drive in which Centre killed 9 minutes, 24 seconds to protect a 28-14 lead. The Colonels took over at their own 20-yard line after a Trinity turnover — one of four — and ran the ball on 15 consecutive plays, reaching the Trinity 8-yard line before losing a few yards and settling for a 24-yard field goal by Jordan Gay with 2:53 remaining.
“Any time we’ve got a lead in the second half, coach is going to trust them to open holes, and it’s my job to find those holes and hit them, just pick up some yards, pick up first downs and keep the clock running,” said Scotton, who had 14 carries for 73 yards during that drive.
Scotton had missed two of Centre’s last three games after spraining both of his ankles, and he returned with his second 100-yard game of the season.
“I want to thank God for giving me the chance to get back out here. It’s not common to sprain both of your ankles, so I’m just glad to get back out here and run around a little bit,” he said.
Trinity (4-3) had been averaging 35 points per game, but the Colonels held the Tigers to two scores, both of which were answered immediately by the offense.
“To hold this team to 14 points was pretty good,” Frye said.
It was one of Centre’s largest wins in the 24 games between the teams, who were rivals in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference from 1989-2011 before Centre joined a new league.
“I like the rivalry. Trinity’s always been our nemesis,” Frye said. “When they had their heyday for about 10 years, we were good, we just weren’t better than they were, ... so it’s fun to beat them.”
Trinity holds a 15-9 lead in the series, and many of the games between the Tigers and Colonels decided conference championships, including Trinity’s 20-14 win last year in a battle of top-25 teams.
