Griffith, Bulldogs run Hawks into ground to stay on course for shot at GLVC championship

October 31, 2022 | By Muddy River Sports

Truman’s Shamar Griffith (7) escapes a tackle from Quincy’s David Lewis (44) during the Bulldogs game against the Hawks, Saturday in Quincy. Mathew Kirby/Courier Post-Herald Whig

Truman State running back Shamar Griffith, a Hannibal native, breaks free from a tackle attempt by a Quincy University defender during Saturday's game at QU Stadium. | Photo courtesy Mathew Kirby

QUINCY — Welcome home, Shamar Griffith.

Well, it’s as close to home as the former Hannibal all-state running back is going to get throughout his collegiate football career.

Griffith, who transferred from Missouri Western to Truman State, enjoyed his finest performance as a Bulldog on Saturday, rushing for 177 yards and a touchdown as Truman State ran roughshod over Quincy University’s defense during a 59-32 Great Lakes Valley Conference victory at QU Stadium.

The Bulldogs (7-1, 4-0 GLVC) finished with 381 yards on the ground, the highest single-game rushing total by a team in the GLVC this season. Truman State averaged 6.8 yards per carry and had six rushing touchdowns, including four from Denim Cook, who had 154 yards on just 12 carries.

Truman State faces McKendree at Stokes Stadium in Kirksville before traveling to Indianapolis for the regular-season finale, which is shaping up to be the GLVC championship game.

This marked the third straight game the QU defense, which had shown vast improvement through the season’s first six weeks, allowed 50 or more points and 500 or more total yards.

Part of the problem is getting pinned with its back against the wall.

The Hawks (4-5, 1-3 GLVC) turned the ball over four times, giving them nine turnovers in the last two games. The Bulldogs had four scoring drives of 52 or fewer yards, all of which occurred during a stretch where Truman State scored on six consecutive possessions.

The turnovers, along with the inability to stop the run, changed everything.

Quincy scored on its first two possessions and led 10-0 before Cook scored on a 44-yard run late in the first quarter. Drew Lenzen’s second field goal put the Hawks ahead 13-7 with 11:48 remaining in the first half.

The teams exchanged touchdowns — a Zach Zerwig 38-yard scoring catch for Truman State was followed by Quincy quarterback Tionne Harris scoring on a 10-yard run — before the Bulldogs scored 38 consecutive points.

The Bulldogs scored four touchdowns in the first 11 minutes of the third quarter.

Harris completed 28 of 38 passes for 320 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions, while the Hawks managed just 76 yards on the ground. Quincy’s Jalen Lawrence caught nine passes for 149 yards and two scores.