The fruits of Fairmont State football coach Jason Woodman's labor are finally starting to show in his third year at the Falcons' helm. At 5-3 both overall and in the Mountain East Conference heading into tonight's game with No. 6 Shepherd, FSU has reached five wins for the first time since 2011. And it has come as the Falcons have gone 5-1 in their last six games.
Fairmont State had finished the last two seasons at 3-7, but Woodman could see from his staff in July and from his players at the beginning of preseason camp that they were starting to buy into his message. Yet, after beginning the season 0-2 with losses to West Virginia State and Concord, that message wasn't always the easiest to sell.
"You start hearing chit-chat and reading headlines and stuff," he said. "To tell myself and continue to tell others, hey we're doing the right thing and something good is going to happen, that was probably the hardest part. It's kind of one of those things where you have to have faith in what you believe in and faith in those around you."
The Falcons started to turn things around with an improving offense, which has averaged more than a touchdown more per game during its last six. FSU averaged 22 points in its first two losses, but has averaged 29.7 points in the six contests following that.
FSU's first taste of victory, in the third game of the season, provided the wake-up call that motivated the Falcons to go on their run.
"It took a little bit of success," Woodman said. "Once we beat West Liberty and these guys started realizing that when you work hard and you do what you're supposed to do, good things happen, that's when things started flipping."
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As solid as the Shepherd Rams are everywhere on the field, head coach Monte Cater knew that, entering 2015, special teams had to become more consistent. Behind the leg of kicker Ryan Earls, SU has accomplished that.
Earls has made 15 of 17 field goals this season with a long of 41 yards, while hitting 36 of 40 extra points. That's a big shift from last season, when he made 37 of 39 extra points, but made just four of 11 field goals.
Cater said letting Earls focus on placekicking - Ruan Venter handles punts this season - has helped, as has a healthier body.
"To tell you the truth, he did play through some injuries last year," Cater said. "He wanted to go ahead and contribute. He's a little stronger and the [plant] leg injury he suffered through last year is markedly better. If he's healthy, he's got a strong leg, some range and has been very accurate."
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With two weeks to go in the Mountain East's regular season, the conference's top two spots are locked. Shepherd currently sits in first at 8-0 with Fairmont State and Urbana left on the schedule.
Charleston is second at 8-1, that loss coming against Shepherd, with a non-conference game versus Alderson Broaddus and the University of Virginia College at Wise left to play. The next closest teams to those two already have three conference losses each.
Yet the fight for third is a tight one, with Glenville State, Fairmont State and West Virginia State all at 5-3 in the MEC. Glenville still plays West Liberty and FSU, Fairmont State has Shepherd and WLU, and WVSU has Concord and West Liberty left to play.