Coe offense remains hot in dominant victory over Nebraska Wesleyan

CEDAR RAPIDS – Coe’s offense is firing on all cylinders.

The high-powered attack has amassed more than 1,227 total yards, 900 passing yards and 109 points in the first two games.

“Everything is clicking,” Kohawks quarterback Brady Kelly said. “The work we’ve done, the connection with the receivers, the offensive line giving me time and the schemes we draw up every week, it’s the culmination of everything.”

Kelly hit Devon Kollasch for a 75-yard touchdown pass on the Coe’s second offensive play of the game and Nebraska Wesleyan didn’t stand a chance to prevent another offensive outburst. The Kohawks finished with 635 total yards, including 519 through the air, and soared to a 62-14 victory in their home and American Rivers Conference opener Saturday at Clark Field.

Kelly completed 14 of 16 passes for 291 yards and a trio of playmaking receivers each surpassed 100 yards, combining for five TDs.

“They are playing confident,” said Coe Coach Tyler Staker said. “I think that’s it, first and foremost. When you’re confident in your reads, it allows you to play fast.

“Brady is making great reads and getting through his progressions. Our receivers have been impressive. We have a lot of guys with a lot of catches. We’re spreading it around a lot.”

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Kollasch had a team-best 133 yards on four catches. Jeron Senters led Coe with six catches for 120 yards. Latrell Taylor recorded five receptions for 108 yards and even threw a 45-yard pass to Senters. Taylor and Kollasch each scored two TDs.

The receiving corps presents a challenge for defenses to match up with so many capable targets. The Prairie Wolves (0-3,0-1) didn’t have an answer.

Kohawk wideouts balance competition with each other with support for their teammates.

“There’s a little bit of both,” Kollasch said. “There is a little competition in the room but we’re not upset when another makes a play. We’re all happy for each other.”

Kelly, who was named A-R-C Offensive Player of the Week for the first two weeks, passed for a school record 519 yards and tied the single-game mark with six TD passes last week against University of Wisconsin-River Falls. He has great options to exploit.

“It makes my job easy,” Kelly said.

The first strike from Kelly to Kollasch set the tone for the entire game. Kelly said they identified the safety’s coverage and went for the big play.

“We wanted to see if we could take that shot,” Kelly said. “The opportunity presented itself and we took it. Devon made a hell of a catch and scored.”

The grab paled in comparison to his reception on the first offensive play of the second half. Kelly threaded the needle between two defenders. Kollasch made a one-handed catch with a defender on his other arm. Kollasch turned and out-ran defenders the rest of the way for a 49-yard score and a 41-7 lead.

“Brady put it in the perfect spot for me to get and it was easy after that,” Kollasch said. “I didn’t know really where the defenders were. I just knew where the ball was. I threw my hand up and it just stuck.”

Kelly added, “It was pretty sick to watch.”

Starters gave to reserves in the third for the second time in three games.

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Coe broke open the game with a 27-point second quarter, which include four Kelly TD passes. He hit Taylor for scoring strikes of 34 and 3 yards. They sandwiched a 2-yard TD pass to Senters, who caught a pass to his back shoulder on 4th-and-1.

Kelly increased his season totals to 1,101 yards and 14 TDs passing with 129 yards rushing. He has completed 77.5 of his passes for a 250.86 QB rating.

“He puts in great preparation,” said Staker, who praised the impact of first-year offensive coordinator and QB coach Jacob Donohoe. “Right now, he’s feeling it a little bit. He’s really comfortable and relaxed back there. He’s done a great job distributing the football.”

Isaiah Lee added a 2-yard TD run with 16 seconds left before halftime for a 34-7 advantage.

Coe’s defense played well after giving up 59 points and 733 yards of offense. The Kohawks limited NWU to 291 yards, including 21 on the ground. Noah Tolbert paced Coe with eight total tackles, five solo, two tackles for loss and a sack. He also had one of the team’s four pass breakups.

“I came out to be dominant,” Tolbert said. “Play your game. Just be you.”

Tolbert listed the number of missed tackles, mental errors and plays that lacked effort from last week. This week was closer to what the Kohawks expect. Coe tallied four turnovers, including three interceptions. Ryker Dengler had an interception and returned a fumble for a 34-yard touchdown.

“When you have an offense producing the way we’re producing, it gives us some leeway to make plays,” Tolbert said. “It does take the pressure off from being able to get takeaways.”

Coe (2-1, 1-0) will travel to Waverly to face No. 11 Wartburg. The Knights (3-0, 1-0) defeated Simpson, 27-13, Saturday.

“Our guys are excited to get back to work,” Staker said. “Theya re excited to face-off in Waverly against Wartburg. It should be a great game.”

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