Adversity can strike any time, and it can come in a variety of ways. No matter if it’s in the form of lackluster play or a rash of injuries, the Grand Valley State University football team has five games to right its own ship.

Carrying a two-game losing streak into this week’s game against Northwood University (4-3, 3-3 GLIAC), it’s going to be a group effort if the Lakers (5-2. 4-2 GLIAC) hope to get back on track.

“We’ve got to work together. Coaches and players got to work together,” said head coach Matt Mitchell. “There’s some variables we can control, and there’s some variables we can’t control, but the variables that we can control we need to focus on and get those controlled, coaches and players — that’s not just for our defense, that’s for our whole football team.”

While the injuries that have piled up are one of those uncontrollable variables, the variables that GVSU can control, the execution of their defensive and offensive game plans, are something that’s struggled during the recent skid.

The Lakers played without sophomore quarterback Isiah Grimes in last week’s loss at Northern Michigan University, and with minimal practice time, redshirt sophomore Brandon Beitzel struggled in relief.

Grimes’ status for Saturday’s game is still unknown. Mitchell considered him doubtful following Saturday’s game, and if he cannot go this week, expect Beitzel or even redshirt freshman Jeff O’Brien to take over.

“We had to, in a span of basically 24 hours, get Brandon up and ready to go at that position,” Mitchell said. “I’m also aware that the type of offense, the structure, what we look at might change because of the skill set of the guy we have there.”

The change in quarterback earlier this season from injured Heath Parling to Grimes was one that included minimal change of the offense, but going from Grimes to Beitzel or O’Brien may require more of a simplification of the offense considering the lack of experience for both.

Part of the solution to the Lakers’ offensive woes could be solved in the trenches. GVSU boasts a veteran offensive line, and with the return of junior tailback Hersey Jackson to pair with freshman Kirk Spencer, the Lakers can lean on that part of its offense.

That may present a problem Saturday, though. Northwood enters the game with the No. 3 total defense in the GLIAC and the No. 2 rushing defense, giving up just 3.3 yards per carry.

“We just have to come in and work hard the entire week; we can’t take a day off,” Lelito said. “We’ve got to be very physical, do as much as we can, still watch a ton of film and get their checks and stuff down. Going forward through this week, I think we can’t afford to waste any time.”

Mitchell expects a pair of defensive contributors to return from injury against Northwood. Sophomore defensive end Matt Judon and junior linebacker Sam Power will play and be needed against a Northwood team that runs a woodbone offense similar to the one run by Army.

Led by junior fullback Cameron Jackson and quarterback Aaron Shavers, Northwood’s woodbone offense currently stands as the GLIAC’s No. 2 rushing offense, gaining 230 yards per game.

GVSU’s defensive struggles have been magnified by opponent’s ability to run straight at the Lakers, a large part of the triple option offense. Mitchell cited the return of Judon and Power as ways of solving that, but also that controlling the line of scrimmage will be key.

“We’re going to get a tough, tough test with Northwood and running the ball,” Mitchell said. “They’re probably going to run the ball right at us. We’re going to have to do a great job on the defensive side of the ball bowing our neck and getting the job done for this team — we’ve got to provide a spark on that side of the ball for this football team.”

That spark is one the Lakers need to break out of its slump.

“The leaders have to lead. The guys in the offense who have been here before, been through a lot of stuff, we have to step up and lead,” said senior offensive tackle Andrew Biedenbender. “The offensive line is kind of a veteran group and we gotta step up and do whatever we can, whosever back there at quarterback, whosever back there at running back, we’ve got to block for them, we’ve got to do all we can do and the leaders have to lead the team.”
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