'We've got to clean that stuff up': UWF football takes decisive win at McKendree University, but penalties loom

There was give, but there was also take.

In the University of West Florida football team’s Week 2 victory at McKendree University, the No. 6 Argos, once again, showed out. They won 35-3 at Leemon Field in Lebanon, Illinois.

UWF’s offense had 529 total yards, highlighted by Peewee Jarrett’s 329 passing yards and four passing touchdowns. He completed 21 of 28 passes. John Jiles had 102 of those yards, and two of those touchdowns. One of which was a 77-yard score for the longest reception of the afternoon.

The Argos spread the wealth on the ground, but Jamontez Woods was the only player to score a rushing touchdown on 20 total yards.

On defense, UWF sacked McKendree quarterback Caleb Fisher seven times. John McMullen had three of those sacks for a total loss of 23 yards. Aidan Swett also picked up a pair of sacks. Donovan Barnes recorded a late interception.

But all of the positive was marred by one thing: penalties.

With 15 penalties called against the Argos, they had 160 yards called against them.

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“We’ve got to clean that stuff up," head coach Kaleb Nobles said.

All-in-all, penalties aside, Nobles was pleased with the Week 2 performance.

“Obviously, a great win. It’s never easy to win a football game at this level. Our guys are playing at a high level. They’re playing efficient,” Nobles said. “They’re doing a great job of relentless effort, which I talk to them all the time about.”

Similar to Week 1, UWF started its offensive prowess early. After a few runs from C.J. Wilson that got the Argos to McKendree’s 7-yard line, Woods punched in a run off a pitch play to give UWF a 7-0 lead with 9:35 left in the first quarter.

Then Jarrett started to show off the arm. Jarrett found Caden Leggett, who got past his receiver and caught the ball over his shoulders for the 47-yard touchdown reception to make it 14-0 with 14:43 left in the half.

McKendree scored its only points of the game on the following drive with a 48-yard field goal, a career-long for the Bearcats’ kicker, Ryan Kastl.

Jarrett continued to dominate with a 16-yard pass to Jiles for his first touchdown of the night with 5:10 left in the second quarter.

UWF’s defense started to keep McKendree at bay with its four-man front on defense, getting pressure on Fisher, plus not allowing a ton of big gains on the ground from the Bearcats’ running backs.

“Any time you can close the run game down and make them a one-dimensional offense is great,” Nobles said. “(The defense) excited when we know we’re expecting a pass.”

Following a few drives that ended in turnovers – including an interception at the end of the first half – Jarrett and Jiles connected again for a 77-yard touchdown pass, after Jiles caught it around midfield, broke a tackle and ran into the end zone.

It seemed that the Argos scored again on their next drive on a fake punt play once Leggett got the direct snap and ran 62 yards, but the play was called back due to an offensive holding penalty down the field.

“The fake punt was big, and what we tell our guys is that we’re not afraid to call those things. We’ve got to be ready at all times,” Nobles said.

UWF still scored after starting on McKendree’s 30-yard line, when Jarrett threw a 17-yard pass to Jakobe Quillen to round out the 35-3 score.

The Argos’ defense came up big on McKendree’s next drive as the Bearcats stormed down the field. After a couple big penalties and quick passes from Fisher to receiver Yogi Flager, the Bearcats found themselves on the Argos’ 3-yard line.

A McKendree false start put it at the UWF 6, but missed the short field goal. With possession on their own 20, the Argos killed the remaining time.

UWF (2-0) now faces its biggest test of the season in Week 3 with a trip to Division I Florida A&M in Tallahassee next Saturday.

“To me, we say it’s a nameless, faceless opponent. We’ve got to go do our job and get after them. But know they’re a great opponent. … This is what a lot of people outside of our building have been talking about for a long time,” Nobles said. “For us, it’s just the most important because it’s the next one. Our guys know we have to be locked in and ready to go.”

Here are three takeaways from the game.

A defensive thrashing

Most of the time, Fisher had nowhere to go.

McKendree’s offensive line – which was missing a couple starters – got overwhelmed several times, leading to eight total sacks for the Argos. McMullen had a trio of sacks while Swett picked up a pair.

Byron Puryear and Ralph Ortiz also took down Fisher in the backfield. That doesn’t include an additional six tackles for losses from UWF to limit the Bearcats’ run game. Will Breland recorded two tackles for losses. Oritz added another tackle for a loss that wasn’t a sack.

The longest rushing gain all afternoon from the Bearcats was just 12 yards. McKendree finished the game with negative-32 rushing yards.

Fisher did connect with receiver Yogi Flager – a player that Nobles said the Argos were going to keep their eye on during the week – eight times for 87 yards. Fisher finished the game with 167 yards, going 15-for-26 with one interception.

Two passes were broken up by Ortiz and Breland.

UWF’s defense has now allowed just six points in two games – one field goal per game – and a total of 303 yards.

“They’ve been lights out. They’ve been phenomenal,” Nobles said of the defense. “They’ve done a great job of getting after the quarterback and creating some pressure back there that other teams are going to have to gameplan for.”

To note, Breland did go down late in the game with what looked like a lower body injury, and was helped off the field by athletic trainers. As he went off the field, Breland put minimal pressure on his right leg.

He’s recorded 10 tackles in two games, tied for the team-lead in tackles with McMullen.

“We’re still evaluating with him. Hopefully it’s not too serious, not too long of a thing going on,” Nobles said. “Will’s been a great player for us. We’ve just got to get him healthy.”

The passing game returns

After opting for quick and efficient passes a week ago, Jarrett’s cannon came back in Week 2.

While there were some plays where the quarterback took too long to get rid of the ball, according to Nobles, he paid compliments to the Argos’ offensive line. Jarrett was only sacked once for a minimal loss (4 yards), and hurried twice.

There were some plays where it seemed like Jarrett had all the time in the world to throw. But he wasn’t afraid to use his legs to roll out of the pocket and either scramble or get a running throw off.

“We talked about how big (McKendree’s defense) was and the size on them. Our guys knew it was going to be a challenge to keep those guys out,” Nobles said. “I thought we did a great job of hanging out there. We’ve got to get rid of the football a little bit faster on some stuff, not giving those guys a chance to make a play. But that’s part of us growing and improving as a group overall.”

With a deep receiver room, six different receivers were targeted. While Jiles had the most yards and two touchdowns, Leggett wasn’t far behind with four receptions for 93 yards and a touchdown. Quillen added three receptions for 34 yards and a score.

Zac Offord (23 yards) had two receptions.

UWF’s running backs also got involved in the pass game, with Wilson adding a trio of receptions for 22 yards.

“I thought our guys did great on the perimeter,” Nobles said. “To get almost 530 yards of offense is great.”

‘Our guys know we’ve got to be better at that’

Nobles called the penalties “a mixture” of during-play penalties and post-whistle penalties.

Some of the in-game penalties revolved around holding calls that Nobles said the coaches are “excited to see on film and see what they look like.”

As for the personal fouls after the whistle, it’s stuff the Argos “have got to clean up.” With competition getting tighter once Gulf South Conference play begins, penalties will need to be discussed internally.

“There’s just too many penalties going on. … You get to be playing a team, and we get up early, and things start getting chippy and people start talking,” Nobles said. “What stops that is us just not talking at all. Our guys know we’ve got to be better at that. …

“We’ve got to worry about us, not worrying about what other people are saying or doing – and not letting it get under our skin.”

Ben Grieco is a sports reporter for the Pensacola News Journal. He can be reached on X (@BenGriecoSports) and via email at BGrieco@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: UWF Football: Argos defeat McKendree University in Week 2 on the road