Matt Middleton's debut as Kansas Wesleyan's football coach couldn't have gone much better.
Led by an iron wall defense, a stellar running attack supplemented by a solid passing attack and some big special teams' plays the Coyotes walloped Ottawa 27-10 in the Kansas Conference and season opener Saturday night on Gene Bissell Field at JRI Hospitality Stadium and Graves Family Sports Complex.
KWU amassed 362 total yards - 222 rushing - while limiting Ottawa to 166 that included just 5 yards rushing on 19 attempts. The Coyotes also connected on field goals of 33 and 45 yards and had a fourth quarter punt that rolled out of bounds at Ottawa's 6-yard line.
"The defense played absolutely lights out," said Middleton who was hired in December after two seasons as an assistant at Division II Harding. "Made a ton of plays and made the plays that we needed to make on offense. Didn't get to throw the football like we wanted to as much but were able to find a run game that kind of kept us in it.
"I thought we were sloppy at times, we got too many negative plays, but we came out with a win. I'm super, super, super proud of the kids and the staff."
Wesleyan led 14-10 at halftime then dominated the second half. Ottawa managed four first downs and 34 total yards in the final 30 minutes.
Defense was the big question following spring practice but Middleton's recruiting efforts and the promotion of David Leonard to coordinator turned the tide.
"I thought Coach Leonard and his staff had a phenomenal gameplan," Middleton said. "Our biggest deal was 'could we stop the run?' It's what we wanted to do ... that was our goal coming in. That's one thing after spring practice that we talked about was we're going to stop the run. (Ottawa) is a team that wants to run the football, counter, power all those things."
Saturday's effort was led by end Diego Davis who came to KWU with Middleton from Harding. He finished with 2.5 sacks and spent much of the night in Ottawa's backfield during his first game in purple and gold.
"Diego is a phenomenal kid, phenomenal player," Middleton said. "A lot of people don't realize he has asthma really bad so for him to be able to play the way he does through that I super proud of him."
Offensively the Coyotes got another monstrous game from NAIA All-America running back Luke Armstrong who had 136 yards rushing on 17 carries that included a 55-yard jaunt on the first play of the second half. It led to a 33-yard Talon Cope field goal that made it 17-10.
"Luke is Luke," Middleton said. "I ride him hard as can be but when the lights come on that dude can go. He ran hard tonight. I hugged his neck and told him I'm super proud of him."
Quarterback Henry Austad, a transfer from Southeastern (Florida), calmly orchestrated the attack. He was 15 of 22 passing for 140 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. Wide receiver Will Wilcox had three receptions for 73 yards.
Backed up at their own 2-yard line in the fourth quarter following an Ottawa punt, Austad hit Wilcox with a 31-yard pass on first down. The 6-foot-4 Wilcox also had a 34-yard catch in the first quarter.
"Henry's going to make a ton of plays and we really wanted to get our passing game going," Middleton said. "But kudos to them. Secondary wise they gave us a ton of looks that we hadn't seen and they're pretty good on the back end. It forced us to run the football. I would be absolutely shocked if (Wilcox) wasn't a two-time All-American by the time he got out. He's a freshman and a really good player."
KWU took a 7-0 lead on Austad's 1-yard dive with 2:47 left in the first quarter capping an 11-play, 71-yard drive. After Ottawa tied it 7-7 early in the second quarter the Coyotes answered with a 61-yard, eight-play drive culminating with D'Heaven Domena's four-yard run with 6:27 left before halftime that gave them a 14-7 lead.
Ottawa added a field goal two seconds before intermission making it 14-10 at the break.
Cope's field goal opened the second half scoring and KWU scored again on its next possession, Domena going in from the 5-yard line with 8:47 left in the third period. The drive was just four plays and 25 yards after a 15-yard OU punt.
Cole Segraves' booming 45-yard field goal with 13:44 left in the game capped the scoring.
"Having it at home and just getting it done was huge," Middleton said of his first game as head coach. "We've got a good football team, we've just got to string some things together see if we continue to get better."