Carson Kruse of Bluffton tackles Lima Central Catholic’s Lausen Flores on Friday night in Bluffton.
Chris Howell | The Lima News
BLUFFTON — Defensive dominance is nothing new for Bluffton.
Last season, the Pirates limited opponents to 4.6 points per game, with nine shutouts, including seven in a row from Week 3 to Week 9.
Numbers like that are hard to top. Or are they?
Through six weeks this season, Bluffton (6-0, 3-0 NWC) has been even better defensively than it was a year ago.
The Pirates have limited opposing teams to exactly 4 points per game with the Northwest Conference’s top defense against the pass (60 yards per game) and the run (59 yards per game).
On Friday night, Bluffton recorded its second shutout of the season, 35-0 over Lima Central Catholic, limiting the Thunderbirds to just 41 yards in the win. The game was played in the pouring rain with high winds and even included two delays due to power outages.
It’s a result that coach Jeff Richards and his staff prepared extensively for in the preseason.
“I told the coaches that we were going to be as hard on them (the players) as possible so they were prepared for situations that were abnormally difficult,” Richards said. “Tonight (on Friday) we had gale-force winds, heavy rain for an entire game and some power outages. They responded well to those things.”
Richards said before the season started that he wanted his defense to be “pressure-based” and to make other teams uncomfortable. He credits defensive coordinator Jason Diller for always having the unit prepared with an understanding of its assignments.
Through six games, Bluffton has outscored opposing teams 297-24 and has not allowed more than seven points in a single game.
It all starts in the middle with Landen Worcester, a first team all-Ohio linebacker and last year’s Northwest Ohio Defensive Player of the Year.
The 5-11, 200-pound two-way star has Bluffton’s defense limiting opponents to just 119 yards per game in addition to his production on offense, rushing for 372 yards and five touchdowns. Worcester has recorded at least 100 tackles in each of his first three seasons and is on pace to top that mark once again.
“He helps a lot,” Richards said with a smile. “Everybody looks to him because of how good he is, but the biggest thing is that we have so many veterans in that core group. Three-fourths of our secondary is three-year starters and on the D-line, we have some guys with significant experience.”
Other key pieces include two additional former all-state players, defensive lineman Brody Sommers, defensive back Carson Kruse and veteran ball hawk Quinn Eachus.
Eachus picked off a pass in the first quarter against LCC on Friday night. It was his 11th career interception, which puts him two shy of Bluffton’s career record held by Curt Garmatter, who ended his career after the 1988 season with 13 interceptions.
“He hasn’t had a lot of people target him because of his track record,” Richards said of Eachus. “He’s such a smart player that watches a ton of film, and that takes him a long way.”
Together, those main pieces, along with a deep supporting cast, make up one of the top units in the area.
“They’re disciplined, focused, and they all play for each other. No one wants to hear about stats. They care most that we’re winning games,” Richards said. “When you play like that, and when you have that attention to detail, you’re going to have a quality defense.”
Bluffton’s attention to detail on defense has limited opponents to just 43 first downs, 716 total yards allowed and has forced 12 turnovers — all league-leading stats.
But don’t tell them about it. The only number the Pirates want to hear about it is one in the win column.
“The only number that matters is we keep adding wins,” Richards said. “I don’t care about the stats, and our guys don’t care about stats as long as we win the next game.”
Reach Chris Howell at 567-242-0468 or on Twitter/X at @Lima_Howell
