Suggestions are welcome
Zac Bruney's two play calls produce a pair of touchdowns in Saturday's win.
ALLIANCE -- Zac Bruney proved Saturday that, on the field, he's a pretty good runner and passer.
His play-calling isn't too bad, either.
Bruney, Mount Union College's senior quarterback, passed for three touchdowns and ran for two, leading the top-ranked Purple Raiders to a 38-20 victory over Carthage (Wis.) Saturday in a Division III playoff quarterfinal.
Mount Union (12-0), advancing to the national semifinals for the 10th consecutive year, will play host to Mary Hardin Baylor (12-1) next Saturday.
Bruney's two play suggestions resulted in second-half touchdowns. The first was a 21-yard bootleg that Bruney ran in from 21 yards to give the Purple Raiders a 24-17 lead. The second was a 30-yard pass to Joe Bugara, on a fourth-down play, that finished the scoring.
"This team's been in a couple of good, tough ball games the last couple of weeks," said Mount Union coach Larry Kehres. "The situation forces the team to respond. We've been playing tough when the game is on the line."
The Purple Raiders called timeout before each of Bruney's plays, which came on fourth down and short yardage.
The bootleg was a fourth-and-1 play.
"The [Carthage] defense was really jacked up to make a play," said Bruney, "and I though it we could get it blocked it would work. Jeff [Strauch] made a great fake [into the line] and once I got to the corner I knew they bit on the fake."
The pass to Bugara was a fourth-and-4 situation.
"We really didn't have a running play that fit the situation," said Kehres, "and Zac really felt comfortable with that play. I thought long and hard about it, and, really, none of the offensive coaches could come up with anything better."
Bugara dropped back and lofted a pass to the back of the end zone. Bugara ran under it and made a diving catch.
"That was a great catch by Joe," said Bruney. "Again, if we could execute our blocking I thought there would be a great chance to get somebody free."
Key turnover
The break of the game came with about six minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Carthage had just stopped the Purple Raiders and forced a punt. On first down from the Redmen 25, Ferni Garza completed a swing pass to running back Dante Washington. The back slipped a tackle, but was hit by linebacker Jeff Strauch around the 25, where he fumbled and Mount Union's Marcello DeAngelis recovered.
Four plays later, Bruney's first play call went the distance.
Carthage answered with a 14-play, 59-yard drive that consumed 7:14 and ended with a 29-yard field goal by Matt Denny. That left the Purple Raiders in front, 24-20, with 11:21 remaining in the game.
Then Mount Union put in the dagger. On second down from its 47 following the kickoff, Bruney faked a screen pass and found Drew Hanley behind free safety Donovan Moore for the touchdown and a 31-20 lead.
The Redmen failed on a fake punt from its 36, then on fourth down Bruney found Bugara with 6:32 remaining.
Coach impressed
Bruney finished 10-of-17 for 230 yards and added 28 yards on the ground.
"Bruney was as good as we expected," said Carthage coach Tim Rucks. "He's a great runner and a great athlete."
Mount Union drove 42 yards following the opening kickoff and took a 3-0 lead on George Wilders' 27-yard field goal.
A Carthage punt following its first possession pinned the Purple Raiders at their own 5. Three plays lost 1 yard and the ensuing punt was knocked down by the wind. Brandon Fox picked up the bouncing ball at the 18 and returned it to the MUC 6. Two plays later Washington dove in from the 2.
Mount Union answered with a 14-play, 80-yard drive to retake the lead, 10-7. The biggest plays were a pair of 18-yard gains, one on a run by Strauch and the other on a pass from Bruney to Jason Cavell. The latter gave the Purple Raiders a first-and-goal at the 4, from where Bruney ran it in a play later.
Again, the Redmen answered, pushing 71 yards in nine plays. Washington drove in from the 1 with 12:48 remaining in the half, to make it 14-10.
Mount Union's response was swift. A short kickoff into the wind gave the Purple Raiders the ball at midfield. On the first play Bruney found Cavell on a crossing pattern around the 25 and he ran untouched into the end zone. Wilders' conversion gave Mount Union a 17-14 lead, which it carried into halftime.
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