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SMITH INTERVIEW | JOHNSON INTERVIEW

ARCATA, Calif. – A week after clinching its third consecutive winning season, Humboldt State football concludes the 2016 campaign Saturday, Nov. 12 on the road against rival Central Washington in Ellensburg, Wash. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.
 
"We believe we are a much better football team than we were the last time we saw Central Washington," said Head Coach Rob Smith. "We have our work cut out for us. They are a good football team. Ellensburg is a very difficult place to play because there is a very good team on the other sideline, and they play on a grass field in mid November."
 
Running back Ja'Quan Gardner carried the load in HSU's 28-14 victory over Western State Colorado. Gardner was named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference co-Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for a single-game program record 313 yards against the Mountaineers. He also broke the conference single-game, all-purpose yards record with 375 yards Saturday.
 
Central Washington will pose a significant challenge for HSU's young defense. Receiver Jesse Zalk shared GNAC co-Offensive Player of the Week honors with 10 receptions for 307 yards and five touchdown receptions against Simon Fraser.
 
"You have to know where he lines up at, because they will have him both inside and outside," said Smith. "He runs a lot of deep routes, and he hit us on a deep route a month ago. He is tremendously talented and a very fine receiver."
 
The Green and Gold secondary has developed into one of the GNAC's best units. HSU has six interceptions in the past four games including four in the last two. Redshirt freshman Julian Owens leads the defensive backs with three interceptions, and he ranks fourth in the GNAC with nine pass break ups. Ryan McKenzie and Ju'Wan Murphy picked off a pair of Mountaineer passes last weekend.
 
Playing in Tomlinson Stadium has been an advantage for Central Washington this season. The Wildcats are 3-1 at home in 2016.
 
Kevin Haynes, the reigning GNAC Defensive Player of the Week, anchors the Wildcat defense. He had 12 tackles (six solo), 2.0 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery against the Clan. Haynes is tied for second in the conference with 92 total tackles.  
 
"They are an incredibly active defense," said Smith. "They will go from a three-man front to a four-man front, and that puts a lot of pressure on an offense. The scheme they apply we don't see week in and week out. We are going to have to make big plays to have a chance."