In their home opener, the No. 9 ranked Ferris State Bulldogs bulldozed the Lake Erie College Storm 56-3 on Saturday, Sept. 7.
After dropping the season opener, the Bulldogs (1-1) bounced back in dominating fashion with over 650 yards of offense.
Ferris wasted no time in this one as they jumped out to a quick 35-3 lead after the first quarter.
Junior quarterback Trinidad Chambliss earned the start once again and was extremely efficient, Chambliss was 72% (16-22) through the air with 246 yards and five total touchdowns, four of those coming in the first quarter. Chambliss did not play in the second half.
Chambliss had high praise for his coaching staff following the win.
“The offensive scheme was amazing, after the loss we were really focused,” Chambliss said. “The play calling was amazing today.”
Although the Bulldogs claimed a victory, the Bulldogs lost their other quarterback with 2:56 left in the first quarter. Junior quarterback Carson Gulker suffered a broken leg following a 64-yard rush. He exited the field on a stretcher and was immediately transported to the hospital for surgery. It is expected that Gulker will miss the rest of the 2024-2025 season, and there is no timetable for his return going forward.
Gulker, a three-year starter, two-time national champion and 2022 GLIAC freshman of the year has been one of Ferris’s biggest producers over the last few years. He led all of DII in rushing touchdowns with 31 in 2022.
During head coach Tony Annese’s tenure, Ferris has popularized the dual quarterback system. In this system, there is no clear-cut starter, and the two quarterbacks each play half of the snaps on offense. Gulker has been half of that system each of the last three years, but with his injury, it seems that the Bulldogs will turn to Chambliss to be the full-time quarterback and be an every-down player, something that is unfamiliar to Ferris football.
As of now, the backup quarterback job is up in the air, according to Annese.
“We have to work and find a backup,” Annese said.
Due to the large lead the Bulldogs held in the second half, they were able to play four different quarterbacks, with redshirt freshman Chase Carter getting the bulk of the snaps out of the half. Carter went 50% (2-4) for 58 yards with an interception and a fumble.
Ferris outgained Lake Erie 654 yards to the Storms 144 on offense. Junior running back Kannon Katzer was everywhere on offense as he led the Bulldogs with 118 all-purpose yards and added two touchdowns.
The defense for Ferris held the Storm to just 2.5 yards per play and only allowed Lake Erie to convert on 20% of their third down conversions (3-15).
Senior defensive tackle Victor Nelson acknowledges how great it was to get back in the win column after a tough loss in week 1.
“After the loss last week we were disappointed in ourselves and I see that as a good thing,” Nelson said. “We were hard on ourselves in practice all week to be better so we don’t have another week like last week and it showed tonight.”
This week, the Bulldogs will host Ashland (0-1) in their second home game of the year on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 6 p.m. Last season, the Bulldogs defeated Ashland by a score of 38-28, their thinnest margin of victory.