Washington's defense faces a big test this week ? literally

Washington?s defense has been the key to the team?s 2-1 start. The defensive unit has allowed just 9.7 points and a meager 25.7 rushing yards per game so far this year.

But the Demon defense will face its biggest challenge of the season ? literally ? when Marion comes to Case Field this Friday night on Homecoming.

The Indians boast a group of large, bulky linemen, and the Demons don?t match up well, Washington head coach Randy Schrader said.

?We?ve matched up well with the people we?ve played so far size-wise, because we aren?t very big,? he said. ?That makes a big difference when you?re not getting out-sized and out-quicked. We matched up with Mid-Prairie. We matched up with Pella. We matched up well with Fairfield. We don?t match up with Marion. So we?ll see.?

Marion?s offensive linemen average 258 pounds. Washington?s biggest defensive lineman, sophomore Tama Leutele, weighs 260 pounds.

The Indians? big offensive line is anchored by gargantuan right tackle Zach Borens. The 6-foot-8, 345-pound senior is drawing interest from Iowa, Iowa State and Wisconsin.

?They?ve got a 6-8, 300-something right tackle,? Schrader said. ?That?s a different level of big.?

Behind Borens and the rest of the Marion offensive line, the Indians have averaged 242 yards per game on the ground. Senior Trev Beiry leads the way with 299 yards and four touchdowns this season, and he?s gained 10.7 yards per carry. Junior Colton Mowry has added 151 yards and three touchdowns, and senior Tyler Gunderson has rushed for 110 yards and two scores.

?We?re trying to figure out how to stop their offense because they?re really big,? Schrader said. ?It?s just power football. Nothing fancy. They run the Wing-T and wishbone. They?re just pretty fundamental and pretty downhill.?

Schrader?s Demons don?t throw the football much, and sophomore quarterback Daryn Sebelius has attempted just 39 passes this season. But the Indians throw it even less, as junior Trevor Hardman has thrown just 25 passes.

?It should be a fast game then, won?t it? Everybody will be home in time to watch the 9 o?clock news,? Schrader said half jokingly.

With the Indians rarely taking to the air, Schrader plans to load the box with eight or nine defenders ? maybe more ? in an effort to stop Marion?s running game.

?We?ve got to put a lot of guys in the box to try to stop the run and make them throw the football,? Schrader said. ?If we have to put 10 in the box, we?ll put 10 guys in the box. I guarantee you we?ll have nine guys within seven yards of the line of scrimmage when the ball?s snapped. We?re going to try to get more guys down into the mix faster and see if we can plug the holes before they get going. Because if we get into a downhill game, then we?re going to be in trouble because we won?t be able to stop it. We don?t have the horses to do that.?

While the Demons aren?t a big team, they?ll try to counter Marion?s size with speed. Senior tailback Kyle Roder has rushed for 164 yards and two touchdowns this season. Junior Tanner Knupp has added 134 rushing yards and a score, and he?s the Demons? leading receiver with eight catches for 75 yards and a touchdown. Junior Alex Coker has also rushed for 89 yards this year, and gives Washington a trio of speedy running backs.

?We?ve got to match our speed and their size,? Schrader said. ?It should be interesting to see how it goes.?

Schrader will find out what his defense ? which is led by linebackers Spencer Woods and Garrett Covington and linemen Kyle Roder and Leutele ? is made of this week.

?It?s really kind of gut-check time, especially for our front seven and eight guys whether they?re going to match [Marion?s] intensity,? Schrader said.

This week?s non-district game will also help the Demons prepare to face another team with a lot of size, Keokuk. Washington hosts the Chiefs next Friday.

?It?s going to be a really good test for us to see if we can match up with Marion?s size, because they?re the biggest team we?ve seen. It should help prepare us for our district game next week against Keokuk,? Schrader said.