“We snuck in this year,” said Jets coach Jake Buchholtz. “It’s been kind of an up-and-down year for us. We played well enough to reach one of our goals this year which is to host Week 11 and it’s something we were able to do this year.”
Northeastern lost three straight home game to finish the regular season. They’re hoping to get back in the win column at home on Friday.
“Our seniors were excited to be able to be back home and go out on the right note,” Buchholtz said. “That’s a goal for us this week for sure.”
The Jets will face a Lions squad that’s led by sophomore Caleb Abshire, who’s rushed for 1,550 yards and 14 touchdowns on 270 carries.
“They’ve got kind of an unconventional offense,” Buchholtz said. “Up front they do a lot of unbalanced stuff. They are a ground and pound team.”
The key, Buchholtz said, will be getting the Lions offense off the field as quickly as possible.
“They’re going to want to hold onto the ball and control the clock,” he said. “We’ve got to be sound up front defensively and maximize our chances offensively. It’s one of those games where if you can get up a couple scores, it benefits you.”
The Jets beat West Jefferson 40-13 last week, wracking up 493 yards of total offense. Jets junior quarterback Diezel Taylor threw for 216 yards and three TDs — all to senior Garrett Chadwell — and junior running back Cody Houseman rushed for 186 yards and two TDs in the win.
“When we can stay balanced, we’re really dangerous,” Buchholtz said. “When we can establish the run and get teams to feel like they have to load the box to stop it, we’ve got a lot of athletes on the edge that can make plays.”
While the regular season didn’t go as they had hoped, the Jets have a chance to make a run in Region 24.
“It’s a new season,” Buchholtz said. “I think our kids have continued to battle. When you get to this point in the season, it’s really about who’s healthy. Being healthy is a big key to making a good run in the playoffs.”
The winner will likely travel to face top-seeded Coldwater in the second round, but the Jets aren’t looking forward.
“We’re taking it one game at a time,” he said.
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