FULTON, Mo. - Fulton coach Pat Kelley believes overly scrutinizing an opponent's win-loss column can be dangerous.
Case in point would be tonight when the Fulton Hornets (2-2) attempt to rebound from last week's 33-22 home loss to the Moberly Spartans in their North Central Missouri Conference opener. Fulton travels to face the winless Marshall Owls in a 7 p.m. kickoff tonight. The Owls tumbled to 0-4 overall and 0-2 in the NCMC after a 42-20 loss at Kirksville last week.
"We don't look at anybody's record - that will get you in trouble," Kelley said. "Marshall's always played us tough. Two years ago we went up there and felt like we had a very good football team. Their record wasn't that great and they ended up beating us in a shootout (52-42 in 2014).
"Last year (in the Hornets' 53-35 win in Fulton), we got up on them early and they made some plays and got back into the ball game. It was a dogfight until the beginning of the fourth quarter."
Kelley is expecting the Hornets to correct blocking breakdowns after they rushed for just 93 yards against Moberly.
"It's about repetition, it's about staying on blocks," Kelley said. "We have to get out and stay on people. When you go back and look at the things that we didn't do well, we just didn't stay on our blocks.
"We made contact, led off and their guys ran to the ball while we just stood there and watched them. We have to do a better job with decision-making and staying on blocks on offense."
Fulton relied heavily on senior quarterback Devin Masek last week when the running game stalled. Masek completed 24-of-42 passes for 329 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.
While Masek has passed for 959 yards and nine scores this season, Kelley wants to see increased production from the Hornets on the ground tonight.
"Obviously had a good night, production-wise. But you know, we just didn't score enough points and didn't hold them," Kelley said. "The weather forecast doesn't look good again - it looks like it could be another muddy mess, so we have to adjust for that.
"We have to stay on blocks and open up the run a little bit. Our passing game is there, but when you're throwing heavy, wet balls, you just aren't going to get the production you want."
Kelley also explained Fulton's offense has to be cleaner with ball security.
"We had two huge turnovers last week, one flipped field position and the other led to a score," Kelley said. " Those kind of things kill you in critical times, so we have to make sure we take care of the football no matter what the field conditions are."
According to Kelley, the Hornets will have to be ready for multiple alignments from an Owls defense that is allowing 46.3 points per game.
"Last year they ran in a three-man front, this year they're showing a four-man front," he said. "So we have to prepare for both."
Kelley noted Marshall will also operate out of a variety of formations on offense. The Owls have scored a sparse total of 34 points this season.
"Against Kirksville, they were in three different sets the first three downs," he said. "They started in a power-I, and then they went into a split-back look and then they went into a spread look.
"When they get into the power-I, they run right at you. If they're in the spread, more times than not, they're throwing."
The Hornets' defense will try to lock in on John Haug, the Owls' 6-foot, 180-pound junior quarterback.
"He's pretty shifty," Kelley said.
One of Marshall's options at running back is senior Chase Kateman (6-0, 175) and Haug's favorite target is sophomore wide receiver Jaylen Varner (6-1).
"He is a big, athletic receiver," Kelley said of Varner. "He didn't play against Kirksville, but you still have to prepare for him because he's such a good athlete."
Kelley feels good about Fulton's pass defense, which has recorded nine interceptions this season. He thinks the outcome of tonight's game could come down to how the Hornets handle Marshall's running attack. Fulton allowed Moberly to gain 308 yards on the ground last week.
"Our defensive tackles got washed in, our ends didn't do the best job of holding the edge and our linebackers didn't come down and fill as much as we'd like them to," Kelley said. "So we have to do a better job causing pressure and beating them on their side of the line of scrimmage.
"Last week, we took on blocks a yard past the line of scrimmage and let them block us and didn't try to get off, or couldn't get off, or whatever the case may be. We just have to do a better job of squeezing down the holes and getting to the ball carrier."
Fulton Hornets Football Podcast [Marshall preview, Sept. 16, 2016]
Updates on Twitter: @FultonSunSports
Listen live online: kfalthebig900.com