OU's top-rated offense faces Coyote defense

So far not one team has slowed down the Ottawa University offense.

The seventh-ranked Braves (7-0) lead the NAIA in total offense (545) and passing (428). Ottawa ranks sixth in scoring at 47 points per game.

The Kansas Wesleyan defense is among the best in the conference and in the nation. The Coyotes rank 17th in total defense at 284 yards.

It will be a clash of two proud units 2 p.m. Saturday at Ottawa’s Peoples Bank Field.

The Ottawa offense has scored 40-plus points in five of the seven games this season, while the Coyote defense has held opponents to less than 20 points in all four wins.

Kansas Wesleyan limited Ottawa to 14 points a year ago.

“They have good guys on defense,” Ottawa coach Kent Kessinger said.

Kessinger said the Coyotes try to cause matchup problems and confuse offenses.

“They have our full attention,” the coach said. “We need to run the football. They have really solid front. We need to give ourselves a scoring opportunity [early].”

Ottawa wants to jump on top with scores in the first possession of each half. Ottawa did that against Tabor and Saint Mary.

Ottawa has a juggernaut of an offense led by quarterback Ethan Haller, who averages 417 yards passing per game.

Ottawa’s receivers have big numbers. Clarence Anderson has 52 catches for 949 yards and 11 touchdowns. Corey Schultz has 48 receptions for 812 yards.

Taylor Burnett grabbed 27 passes for 525 yards and five touchdowns. Zach Schultz has 20 catches for 213 yards.

Burnett said it is a tough chore for defenses to try to clamp down on all four receivers.

“I give us a big target,” the 6-foot-5 tight end said.

Kessinger said the receivers work off each other.

“People are trying to take away certain aspects of our receiving core,” Kessinger said.

Now with Ottawa’s renewed running game, it makes it even tougher to stop.

Burnett, who feels apart of the offensive line as a key blocker, said the line keeps improving every week, especially with the return of Andy Otto a few weeks ago.

“It is fun to block for somebody like Andy,” Burnett said.

Kessinger said Otto, who fought through injuries early in the season, said the senior has his elusiveness back.

Wesleyan struggled through the month of October, losing three of its past four games and four straight conference games after starting the season 3-0. The Coyotes are a minus-17 in turnover-ratio this season.

Ottawa is not looking past the Coyotes.

“We stay focused on who our opponent is that week,” Burnett said. “We don’t look ahead in the schedule.”

Kessinger said the Coyotes are the next opponent that stands in the way of Ottawa reaching its season goals.

Greg Mast can be reached at sports@ottawaherald.com