'I feel really, really proud'

INDIANAPOLIS – With just under two minutes left in the first half of Saturday's game between the University of Findlay and Indianapolis, UF coach Tyler Johns had a decision to make.The Oilers, the No. 15 team in Division II, were holding a 13-10 lead.The Greyhounds' – the No. 9 team in the country – had just gotten a 33-yard field goal from Andrew Herron.On the first play of the Oilers' ensuing offensive possession, UF was called for holding.Now, facing a first-down and 20 from its own 15, UF could have taken a knee and taken its modest lead to the break.It made some sense. It was 91 degrees at kickoff. Players were physically drained and tired."You have to make a decision," Johns said. "Do we want to take this one to half, or do we want to go?"For Johns, in his first game as a college head coach, the choice was easy."We are here to play 60-minute football games," he said.Christian Davis made his coach's decision look like a stroke of genius.With Findlay in shotgun, the halfback took the ball and darted up the middle, and kept going.The 85-yard-touchdown run put the Oilers up 20-10.They never looked back, rolling to a 30-10 win."I feel really, really proud. That's the only way to say it," Johns said. "(Our players) set their sights on a goal and they chased it relentlessly."The Oilers dominated the Greyhounds in all three aspects.Davis finished with 107 yards on 12 carries, and scored another touchdown in the second half. Quarterback Chase Harrison completed 17-of-27 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown. Receiver Delon Hurt caught a 29-yard touchdown throw from backup QB Andrew Leonard, and had eight receptions for 124 yards."That's what we strive to be," Johns said. "We want balance.But as effective as the offense was, the Oilers defense was just as punishing.Johns praised the play of his defensive line."They were the key to this game," he said. "D'Andre Wright played as disruptive of a football game as I've seen a tackle play."Wright, a fifth-year senior who appeared in five games last year, had three tackles, 1½ for a loss.Findlay's defense had eight tackles for a loss. Samuel Lawanson intercepted Indianapolis quarterback Nick Patterson, and returned it 49 yards.But the run defense was the key, limiting Indianapolis to 57 yards on 23 carries."The message that those guys preach is about defending every blade of grass," Johns said.Johns said that Harrison is the team's quarterback. Still, he said the team planned on having Leonard – the backup – run some plays as well.Leonard completed 3-of-4 passes for 50 yards.Johns said the Oilers quarterback room has been very supportive."Chase and Andrew are so close, there wasn't anybody celebrating more after Andrew's touchdown than Chase," the coach said.UF kicker Zachary Barzd added a 26-yard field goal with 5:19 left in regulation.For Indianapolis (1-1), Patterson completed 20-of-33 passes for 193 yards. The Greyhounds' lone touchdown came on a Garrett Sherrell 9-yard run in the second quarter.The Oilers will be home Saturday to host Fairmont State at noon at Donnell Stadium.The Falcons come in 0-2, dropping games to the University of Dayton and Bloomsburg University."Fairmont State is a really good program, they play a physical brand of football," Johns said. "They want to get after you."Johns, a former lineman at UF, said he's looking forward to the home opener."My best memories are at Donnell," he said. "I'm excited."