With an increased sense of urgency, the Grand Valley State University football team is going back to work — and they’re not changing a thing.

Despite suffering back-to-back losses for the first time since 2004, the Lakers (1-2, 0-2 GLIAC) aren’t changing their ways and routines, but they are changing their mentality both on and off the field.

“It’s just more of us fighting harder, fighting though tough times,” said Andre Thomas, senior defensive end. “Nothing’s going to be easy for us, so the whole defense just has to step up their level because nothing’s going to be given to us.”

With both losses coming in the final seconds, the team knows the sky isn’t falling, but they know there is work to be done. That work will begin Saturday against the University of Findlay at Lubbers Stadium.

The Oilers (1-2, 1-1 GLIAC) enter the game coming off their first win of the season in a 50- 27 romp of Tiffin. Despite their subpar record, Findlay has shown some talent on both sides of the ball, exemplified by their 30-23 double-overtime
loss at GLIAC-leading Northern Michigan University.

Offensively, the Oilers will look to put the ball in running back Monterea Williams hands as much as possible. The junior’s 436 rushing yards lead the GLIAC, and he will team with junior quarterback Clay Belton and tight end Jaryd Brown to lead the Findlay offense.

On the other side of the ball, the Oilers will lean on junior linebacker Brandon Butler. His 31 total tackles rank third in the GLIAC, and the Findlay defense will look to disrupt GVSU from all angles.

While the Oilers have been focused on the Lakers all week, GVSU has had issues of their own to deal with. The 1-2 start is their worst since 2000, when they started 1-4 before winning their final six games en route to a 7-4 record.

“Everything has changed since we got the second loss, so now everything is more serious, it’s focus-focus,” said junior running back Hersey Jackson “We just need to get back to business, execute and try to pull out a win.”

The Lakers’ offense will look to continue to mature this week against an Oilers’ defense that has been up-and-down in the early going. A key to watch will be whether or not quarterback Heath Parling and running back Norman Shuford can build on their performances in last week’s loss at the University of Indianapolis.

Parling threw for 226 yards and four touchdowns, while Shuford ran for 170 yards – both career highs. Despite the positives shown by the offense, the GVSU defense will need to improve inorder for the Lakers to break out of their current funk. After being gashed through the air last week to the tune of 344 yards, the defense will need to pressure Findlay’s
Belton into mistakes through the air and contain Williams on the ground.

That pressure and run defense is going to have to come from the defensive line, and Thomas said he feels the increased urgency will bring increased leadership from the players on the field.

“I just try to lead by example,” Thomas said. “I try to lead by my actions and just listen to the coaches and doing what they tell me to do. [As a team] We just have to fight harder, that’s the thing about it, we just have to fight harder.”

The Lakers have had time to analyze and dissect what they didn’t do in Saturday’s loss, and that renewed sense of urgency
is something that they will apply this weekend against Findlay.

“The way we’ve practiced and done things hasn’t really changed, but I do think our sense of urgency has changed,” said head coach Matt Mitchell.
“If you’re a defensive back in man coverage, it can’t be a 75 percent or 50 percent thing, it has to be an every-down deal, it’s that simple.”

That every-down commitment is something the team hopes to see more of this weekend against Findlay. Defining
roles has been a process for the team, but having 15 seniors has helped to keep the Lakers afloat.

“They’ve done a good job of showing up and trying to keep guys focused and working on the right path,” Mitchell said. “It’s natural when you start losing a couple games that people start questioning things and there’s some division, but I think our seniors have fought to keep things moving in the right direction.”

GVSU hopes to continue that move on Saturday at 7 p.m. The game can be heard on 107.9 WMUS and seen on Comcast channel 900/901.

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