Double trouble: Unique challenge awaits the Griz in Sacramento | UM Grizzlies
MISSOULA — There are no secrets when it comes to the dynamic offense of the Sacramento State football team.
The Hornets have one of the most lethal units in FCS football with running back Cameron Skattebo, the Big Sky Conference’s leading rusher, and a starting oline that averages 6-foot-3, 295 pounds.
They pound the ball religiously, ripping off 275.5 yards on the ground per game, third best in the FCS. Skattebo goes for 123.3 alone, while his teammates take care of the rest.
Stuff the box, take away the run, and they’ll be left with nothing, right?
wrong Sac State runs a rare two-quarterback system that sets the rest of its offense up for success.
“They have the ability to throw it and they have a pretty significant quarterback run component as well, so you have to defend the whole thing,” UM coach Bobby Hauck said.
It’s the reason its run game can eat up yardage and the reason its pass-catchers can strike in the blink of an eye. Ultimately, it’s the reason the Hornets are 6-0 and have yet to trail in a game. They keep defenses guessing as the guy under center can change as often from play-to-play.
Overcompensate for the run and they’ll throw it over the top of you. Anticipate a pass and they’ll run right through you.
“They’ve done a nice job with that,” Hauck said of the Hornets’ two-QB offense. “Probably as good as I’ve ever seen.”
Going into Saturday night’s battle, the Grizzlies’ game plan is no secret, either. They’ll look to be an obstacle in the path of Sac State’s two-man scheme, taking the Hornets out of their element for the first time in 2022.
Every comer has put up a futile effort at that thus far, so said it’s easier than done.
Jake Dunniway, the team’s passing threat, and Asher O’Hara, the team’s running quarterback, complement one another. And make sure you don’t confine them to those boxes, or you could end up paying for it.
Cameron Salerno of the Sacramento Bee, who regularly covers Sac State, had this to say about the team’s signal-callers:
“Dunniway is the passer and O’Hara is the run threat, but they both can do either thing.”
It’s this tandem that has paced the Hornets to matching their best start in program history, going 6-0 for the first time since 1991, and it’s this pairing that has been impossible to figure out.
Hauck admits he doesn’t know why the offensive game plan works so well for them. One can only infer.
“That’s probably a question for them, let me know when they tell you,” he joked when asked how they’ve both been so effective. “I’m assuming it’s because both of the kids in their quarterback room embrace it.”
Jake Dunniway—the passer
The man listed technically first on the depth chart, Dunniway has etched his name into the Sacramento State record books with his arm.
The senior is top 10 in program history in total touchdowns, yards and completions. Last weekend versus Eastern Washington, his third TD pass moved him past his current QB coach, Bobby Fresques, for 10th all-time. He is also the team’s most accurate passer of all time at 63 percent.
He’s thrown for a score in eight straight games dating back to the 2021 campaign where he earned third team All-Big Sky honors under center. He’s the one with the hot hand trusted with most of the snaps and he can explode. Last season, he had four 300-yard passing games including one in the FCS playoffs.
Asher O’Hara—the runner
Originally at FBS Middle Tennessee University, O’Hara has 37 rushing touchdowns in his collegiate career. That total accounts for all of his 2022 scores, where he’s had at least one rushing score in each contest.
As the quarterback, O’Hara is second on the team in rushing yards with 433 and averages five yards per tout. However, he tops the Hornets leaderboard with 11 rushing touchdowns. That total is double the next best guy, Skattebo, who has five.
In the team’s season opener, O’Hara surpassed the century mark with 101 yards and followed that up with 94 yards in a strong Week 2 effort.
The perfect blend
These differing skill sets allow head coach Troy Taylor to be creative with his play-calling and game management. Depending on the situation, he can insert the appropriate guy in that moment. Most often, you’ll see them switching regularly, with one guy playing first and second down and another guy taking over for third.
It’s this style that keeps defenses on their heels and oftentimes, unable to settle into a rhythm. And keep in mind, each QB can catch you off guard.
Dunniway doesn’t have a rushing score in his career, but each year he’s broken loose for runs of double-digit yards, with a long of 17 yards this season.
As for O’Hara, he’s the one who’s more of the prototypical dual threat. He’s thrown for one or more TDs in three games this season and has completed 37 of his 46 tries this season. Versus FBS Colorado State, which the Hornets won in blowout fashion, he was 10 of 10.
Both QBs are too good to sit the bench, so both QBs get tick. It’s a rare challenge to face, and one that requires double the preparation, but one that the Griz will be desperate to tackle as they try to get back into the thick of the Big Sky race.