By Jake Steen, UWEC Sports Information
EAU CLAIRE, WI.(blugolds.com) - The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Men's Football team (0-2, 0-0 WIAC) dropped their second game of the season on Saturday night with a 41-7 loss to Concordia-Moorhead (Minn.) at Carson Park.
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The Blugolds played the Cobbers closer than the score indicated, but three turnovers and a missed field goal before halftime allowed Concordia-Moorhead to take control.
"We did some good things, we just didn't do enough of them in a row and I think that's what we have to do to get better." Said UW-Eau Claire Head Coach Todd Glaser. "You can't have turnovers and expect to win."
JT Denhartog (Fr. – Hopkins, MN) got the start at quarterback and led the Blugolds offensive attack that amassed 302 total yards. Denhartog finished 19-31 with 197 yards through the air and two interceptions.
"I thought JT played well at times. He started to look like he's feeling more comfortable," said Glaser. "I thought protection wise we got better this week, compared to last week."
Matthew Knapp (Jr. – Eau Claire, WI) caught a team-high nine passes for 102 total yards and said he felt like the final score wasn't a testament to how they played.
"I feel like we moved the ball pretty well," said Knapp. "We started off strong in the first half and all the way through the game moved the ball down the field, we just shot ourselves in the foot with penalties and not punching it in the red zone."
The Blugolds saw their first glimpse of running back Toure Wallace (Fr. – Chicago, Ill.) who ran for 61 yards on 17 carries.
Linebacker Erik Hulman (Sr. – Milwaukee, WI) recorded a game-high eight tackles, while Brandon Luedke (Jr. – Wausau, WI) was right behind him with seven. Luedke said the secondary still has some improving to do but getting their struggles out of the way early is a good sign.
"We're pretty inexperienced back there but I feel now two games in we know what we got to do to get the job done," said Luedke. "Honestly, I'm pretty optimistic after these two games."
The Blugolds will play their third straight home game to open up the 2015 season when Wheaton (Ill.) comes to town Saturday, September 19. Game time is set for 6:00 p.m. for another game under the lights at Carson Park.
"They're a very good team, ranked in the top ten, I think," said Glaser about Wheaton (Ill.). "So we're going to have to be fundamentally sound, we cannot have penalties and were going to have to take care of the football."
