Harper heads to unbeaten Grand Rapids

The Harper College (2-5, 0-1) football team goes on the road for the first time in Midwest Football Conference play when it faces sixth-ranked Grand Rapids (8-0, 1-0) at 1 p.m. Saturday.

“Between them and Iowa Western, they’re the top dogs,” Hawks coach Eric Waldstein said.

The strength of the Raiders is their spread, wing-T veer option offense.

“It’s very much assignment football this week,” Waldstein said of facing an option team. “They are a scoring machine.”

In order for the Hawks’ defense to be successful, Waldstein is looking for a “group effort.” Waldstein said Harper has to be mindful of bringing too many blitzes against the Raiders.

“You start bringing heat on them, they hit you with the big pass play when you least expect it,” he said.

If there is a weak spot to a team that is ranked sixth in the country it might be on the defensive side of the ball.

“They give up a lot of points and a lot of yards” Waldstein said. “We are going to run the ball and eat the clock as much as possible.”

Running back Ronald Zollicoffer is expected to help with that task after carrying the ball 32 times for 142 yards last week.

“That’s a possibility,” Waldstein said of Zollicoffer getting close to 30 carries again. “We have a feeling they are going to pack the box in. The best way to keep them from putting 8-9 guys in the box (is to) take a shot every once and a while.”

Look for freshman quarterback Cody Miller to look for his favorite target Domico Failla (South Elgin) in passing situations.

The Hawks have added another game to the schedule. On Nov. 4, the Hawks will travel to play the Wisconsin-Parkside club team.