After a disappointing start to their home opener, Sacramento State looked to end the first half on a high note, down four to visiting Mercyhurst.
Junior quarterback Cardell Williams, starting his first game for Sac State, stepped into the pocket and delivered a 57-yard rocket to a downfield-streaking redshirt freshman Ernest Campbell.
“It’s a blessing to have a guy that can run like that at our disposal,” head coach Brennan Marion said. “We have the fastest player in college football. We can send him downfield, and the defense has to respect that.”
Sac State went back to the locker room on a high. From that point on, the Hornets rolled by the Lakers, dominating the second half and winning 49-28.
“To be honest, I was embarrassed about the first half,” Marion said. “I’m excited about the win, but I thought we started off sluggish, and we need to find a way to come out ready to play.”
The Hornets allowed scores on the opening three drives, with their struggles to contain the run on full display. The Lakers’ Senior running back Brian Trobel and senior quarterback Adam Urena were forces early on, as their performances allowed for long, methodical drives.
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Sophomore running back Damian Henderson II was the engine for the Sac State’s offense late, racking up nearly triple-digit yards and a trio of touchdowns.
“I told Dame after last week that if he keeps running with his knees up like that, he’ll play in the NFL one day,” Marion said. “I’m excited to see him run that way the rest of the season and show us his talent.”
Henderson broke off a 31-yard run to ice the game for the Hornets in the fourth quarter, operating behind a much improved offensive line from last game.
“I’m proud of our O-Line today,” Henderson said. “I’m thankful to the coaches for giving me an opportunity to bounce back after I fumbled, giving me another chance to help the team win.”
The defense solidified to close out the game, allowing just 10 points in the second half.
Junior safety Koa Akui continued his breakout campaign, forcing his fourth turnover in three games with a late interception to set up Sac State’s final score of the game.
That final score didn’t come much later, as Williams took a read option to the house tour plays later for Sac State’s seventh touchdown.
Earlier in the week, Marion stated that he planned on using two quarterbacks, but rode the hot hand of Williams for all but one snap Saturday. With Williams at the helm, the offense rolled, and his ability as a runner allowed the Go-Go to operate at its highest potential.
“It felt great to finally play at home in front of the home crowd,” Williams said. “If we stay positive and keep working, it’ll all work out.”
Sac State’s opener drew a crowd of 12,231 fans, and the university’s efforts to create a stronger home environment were evident.
Green overhead lights after every score, new seating in the fieldhouse endzone and running video boards along the red zone were among some of the upgrades to Hornet Stadium.
“I’m really grateful to President Wood and Mark Orr for creating this atmosphere,” Marion said. “It’s one of the best in the West Coast. I’ve played at San Jose State, I’ve played at Fresno State. I feel like we have a really good atmosphere here.”
The Hornets will need to continue their second-half momentum into next week’s matchup against Central Arkansas, with an emphasis on the ground game.
“I’m a dog, and it’s going to be uncomfortable if you’re around me and not a dog,” Marion said. “I think we did a good job of being dogs in the second half, but real dogs don’t need a motivational speech to be dogs every week.”
Sac State will welcome Central Arkansas next week at 6 p.m.
