Trending
MARSHALL -- Coming off a road win over fifth-ranked Hutchinson, the Marshall football team has plenty of momentum heading into this week's matchup with No. 10 Delano.
But with the Tigers facing another highly ranked opponent and a loaded schedule ahead, head coach Terry Bahlmann knows there is no time to relax.
Marshall's victory over Hutchinson also marked the 300th career win for Bahlmann between his time coaching in Iowa and at Marshall.
"After the Willmar loss the week before, where we did not take care of the football, we knew we had not ever won in Hutchinson. To go to their place on their homecoming and win was huge," Bahlmann said.
The Tigers made some mistakes against Hutchinson, Bahlmann said, but played physical football and worked well as a team. Marshall's ability to run the football also helped control the game.
Hutchinson's running game had produced a 300-yard performance from its running back the week before, but Marshall held the Tigers to fewer than 100 rushing yards.
"Our district, our section is as hard as anyone in the state. We needed to win a big game, and we did just that," Bahlmann said. "We have a heck of a schedule coming up with 4-0 Delano and then three teams that made the state tournament, and a big win in Hutchinson sets up a lot of momentum within the program."
Despite the big win, Bahlmann said the Tigers' approach remains the same. He regularly reminds his players not to get too high after a win or too low after a loss.
That mindset will be important against Delano, which Bahlmann expects to bring plenty of blitz packages and physical play.
The Tigers will need to be prepared to handle that pressure and capitalize when opportunities for big plays arise.
Bahlmann also reflected on reaching the 300-win milestone, saying the achievement was made even more special by the people he has been able to work with throughout his career.
"I have had the opportunity to work with a lot of great coaches and kids, and I got to hear from a ton of great players and people. To have it happen at Hutchinson with a group of guys I have known since they were seven or eight years old, it was just special," Bahlmann said.
The Tigers' approach will not change following the milestone victory or the win over Hutchinson. Instead, Marshall will continue to rely on the style of football that has brought the program success.
"A game like last week and what we have coming up shows us the speed of the game very well. It shows you how fast you need to play and the plays that need to be made. We just need to iron out a few little mistakes and get better every week," Bahlmann said.
Marshall will host No. 10 Delano Friday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. at the SMSU football field.