Balance, defensive aggressiveness highlight QU football program’s first preseason scrimmage

QUINCY — Revamping a defense that statistically ranked among the worst in NCAA Division II last fall starts with a single mission.

Become more aggressive.

The Quincy University football program’s first scrimmage of the preseason revealed a defense hell bent on being a collective nuisance. The Hawks swarmed ball carriers, harassed wide receivers and delivered enough bone-shaking blows to make an impact after just six days of practice.

“The No. 1 preaching point has been to get to the dang ball and gang tackle,” QU coach Gary Bass said.

The QU coaching staff limited its first-string offense and defense to 20 plays and the second-stringers to 30 plays during Saturday’s scrimmage at QU Stadium. Those units will continue to be limited in upcoming scrimmages, especially with several fifth- and sixth-year players in the mix.

“I have to keep track of a pitch count for them,” Bass said. “I have to make sure they have tread left on the tires going into Game 1.”

The combination of experience and determination that created a stalemate impressed Bass.

“The balance is the thing I see,” Bass said. “Both sides made good plays. The makings of a good football team is exploiting mistakes by the other side, and both sides exploited mistakes today. That was good to see. When you have parity like that, when there’s give and take, that’s good for both sides of the ball.”

Bass wasn’t sure if either side would have an advantage.

“I told our coaches this is the first scrimmage in probably 11 years I went into without a good idea of which side was going to be able to get after the other one,” Bass said. “That’s a good problem.

“We ran the ball well at times. We stopped the run at times. We threw the ball well. We did a good job of defending things. All in all, for the first scrimmage after six practices, I’m pretty damn happy.”

Moreso, the experienced players the Hawks must rely on proved capable of being impact players. Junior quarterback Tionne Harries threw two touchdown passes, the first to senior wide receiver A.J. Hardin. Senior linebacker Peyten Chappel and senior defensive tackle David Tabakovic plugged gaps.

The defensive backfield had an interception in the end zone, broke up several passes and injected life into every plat.

“I think we did a great job of getting to the ball defensively,” Bass said. “We are as far along as humanly possible with six practices in. That’s a testament to our coaches. Our staff has done a great job.”