Oilers hope to limit KW's offensive firepower

By Dylan Frazier / dylanfrazier4473@thecourier.com Through its first two games, the University of Findlay has not only won but left little doubt about who would come out on top. Beating Hillsdale 45-24 behind a stellar passing performance from Matt Winzeler (259 yards, 4 TDs) and then using trick plays and blocking punts to help completely dominate Walsh 35-0, the Oilers are cruising through its 6-game spring season so far. But through the first third of the season, the Oiler defense has been unstoppable. Giving up just 12.0 points and allowing 212.0 yards per game, moving the ball comes at a premium against Findlay. Working as a whole has been a huge reason for that. "Defense is about 11 guys doing their job and I think we've made really great strides from game one to game two doing that," UF coach Rob Keys said. "Our guys are fitting in their gaps correctly and are running with great effort to the ball. When everybody's working in unison, it's working." It helps, though, when you have a defense full of players who play hard and buy into what the coaches are trying to do. "We got a lot of kids who have experience and then we have some kids who don't have experience, but they understand football," defensive coordinator Tom Rebholz said. "When you get great effort, you're gonna have a lot of success." The message the coaches are preaching to their players? Be accountable. "Do your job," Findlay LB Kyle Nunn said. "We have 11 guys that play every play to the fullest and then when one of those guys gets tired, we have a great group of second-string that comes in. There's not even any difference in play, so I think the 11 guys to the ball mentality is kind of what started everything — we just gotta keep going after it." Nunn, a Findlay native, transferred from the University of Pittsburgh last year and his Findlay tenure couldn't have started better. "It feels really good to be back home — I get to see my friends and family every day and I know the area well," Nunn said. "I've got a lot of good relationships with the guys on the team and I'm really happy and blessed to be back and still be able to play football." Much like Nunn, Rebholz has found his way back to Findlay. After being on Keys' staff from 2015-18 as the linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator, Rebholz went to Fairmont State. Now that he is back, he couldn't be happier. "There's a lot of great people here at the university and in this community. When coach Keys called me to take the opportunity again, it was a tough decision not to take it," Rebholz said. "The kids are great—I really love being a part of the coaching staff. It's been a great decision." Now Findlay is directing its attention to Kentucky Wesleyan, which it plays Saturday at 7 p.m. on the road. In their first game, the KWU lost to Ohio Dominican, 13-9. Regardless of last week's result, Kentucky Wesleyan isn't an opponent UF is taking lightly. With the offensive firepower the Panthers have, UF's stout defense is going to be tested. In their 2019 matchup, Ky. Wesleyan had 405 yards of total offense. A lot of that offense has returned for this season. "You start with their quarterback, Wiley Cain, he is a good player. They have good running backs and their receivers are very athletic," Rebholz said. "We have to limit explosives because that's the style of offense they have — explosive athletes. We gotta limit their ability to make explosive plays. If we can do that, we have a chance to do well on Saturday." Because of its high-powered offense, UF knows it needs to take advantage of its possessions. And also learn from their mistakes from the last time they played. "Offensively, We need to capitalize, make plays against a really good defense, and take what they give us and do that consistently throughout the game," Keys said. "On the defensive side of the ball, we have to slow down their passing attack. We didn't do a very good job of that in 2019 and a lot of the same guys that played us in '19 are back in '21."