Dustin Huff is gaining more confidence as Wabash College's quarterback.
With his offensive line gaining more experience and the Little Giants gaining more of a rushing attack, Huff has been able to use all of his offensive weapons in Saturday's 42-28 North Coast Athletic Conference-opening victory over Ohio Wesleyan at Byron P. Hollett Little Giant Stadium. Huff, a graduate of Martinsville High School, completed 22-of-28 passes for 416 yards and five touchdowns in the Little Giants' second consecutive victory. Huff has thrown at least four touchdown passes in each of Wabash's first three games. Jake Knott '03 has the Wabash record with three consecutive five-touchdown games.
"Each game I'm gaining more confidence," said Huff, who has thrown for 1,124 yards and 13 touchdowns in Wabash's first three games. "In the first couple of games, I felt like I might have rushed a couple of passes."
Wabash put up a season-high 579 yards of total offense Saturday. Wabash's previous high was 499 yards in its season-opening 45-38 overtime loss to Franklin. Huff used all the receiving options he has Saturday. Wide receivers Geoff Walker, Mike Russell, Ray Green and Gabe Guerrero combined for 15 catches for yards and three touchdowns. Tight end Graham Nelson had three catches for 45 yards and tied a career-high with two touchdown receptions. And coming out of the backfield, Billy King, Shane Keffer and Don Juan Brown had four receptions. In all, Huff completed passes to eight different receivers, with Walker heading the crew with seven catches for 96 yards. Mike Russell had his second consecutive 100-yard game, catching six passes for 127 yards.
"He's getting better," said Wabash coach Chris Creighton, whose team improved to 2-1. "He's been around this program for four years, but he hasn't taken a lot of snaps. And it all starts with the offensive line, but we also have good football players. We don't only have to throw the ball to Walker. We don't just have one go-to player. If we are at home, we want Dustin to throw the ball to the open guy in the red jersey, and if we're on the road, then we want him to throw the ball to the open guy in the white jersey."
All of Nelson's catches were big Saturday. His first was for a 9-yard touchdown in the third quarter, giving Wabash a 21-7 lead. With Wabash enjoying a 35-21 fourth-quarter lead and on Ohio Wesleyan's 36-yard line, Huff and Nelson hooked up for 14- and 22-yard completions to extend the Little Giant lead to 42-21.
"I always tell him that he has to lead the troops," Nelson said. "He's come a long way since his freshman year and he's become the general of all of us. And he's found me in the end zone a couple of times, so that's not a bad thing either."
It didn't take long for Huff to make his presence known. With the threat of rain, Wabash wanted to go for a big play early while the conditions were still dry. On the second play of the game, Huff connected with Green for a 78-yard touchdown reception. On the second drive, Huff completed 4-of-5 passes and helped march Wabash to Ohio Wesleyan's 26-yard line. On the next play, however, Huff was picked for the second time this season as Ryan Ellis stepped in front of Huff's pass at the 3-yard line. He didn't let the interception get to him. On the next drive, Huff went 2-for-3 and capped an eight-play, 33-yard drive with a 12-yard touchdown scamper.
Huff passed for 177 yards in the opening quarter and had 200 yards at halftime.
"He just had a magical day today," Ohio Wesleyan coach Mike Hollway said of Huff. "The offensive line gave him ample time to throw. Our game plan going in was to put as much pressure on him as possible, and we were not able to do that."
Opening up the passing game was the Little Giants ability to create a rushing attack. After being limited to 21 rushing yards against Millikin, Wabash carried the ball 30 times for 163 yards Saturday. In his first year in the backfield, King led the Little Giant rushing attack with 11 carries for 70 yards. Keffer had five carries for 36 yards, including a 7 yarder on a fourth-and-2 that gave Wabash a first down in the second quarter.
Huff also was sacked just one time Saturday.
Wilson is the sports editor for the Journal Review.