By Matt Florjancic
D3sports.com

ALLIANCE, Ohio -- The Mount Union Purple Raiders have had their fair share, or some would say an unfair amount, of talented players come through the system under coach Larry Kehres.

Many records have been broken by Mount Union players over the years and on Saturday, Division III's all-time rushing mark was the next to fall.

Already with NCAA all-division records for most points (732) and touchdowns (122), Mount Union (12-0) senior running back Nate Kmic passed Grove City standout R.J. Bowers' mark of 7,353 with 235 yards and four touchdowns in the 42-7 victory over Hobart (9-2).

"It's an awesome feeling," said Kmic. "It's a team game. We've got three more games. I'll probably look back on it in awe as a great accomplishment, but right now, it's the team looking forward.

"The O-line played very well today," Kmic added. "We also got great help downfield. It's nothing we practice. They're just pushing their guys 15 yards back. There's really no explanation how it happens, but they just do a great job."

Kmic will take his 7,449 career rushing yards into next weekend's match-up with Cortland State (11-1).

Kmic and the stable of former Mount Union running backs have many things in common. While Kmic is quick, he also runs through tacklers and is able to get out on the edge.

Once Kmic gets to the second and third levels, wide receivers and tight ends allow him to continue on his path toward the end zone.

"The first couple times when they had the ball, he would go to the outside and go around our outside linebacker without us being able to reach out and touch him," said Hobart coach Mike Cragg. "We knew he had great speed, but it's so hard to practice against that. You see it on films, but when you do it yourself, it's tough.

"Mount Union's wide receivers do a better job of blocking downfield than anybody I've ever seen," added Cragg. "Most wide receivers are prima donnas. They're just out there to catch a ball. Kmic's runs are eight and ten yards because they have a great line [and] he's a great running back. The reason they go from ten yards to 50 yards is because the wide receivers do such a great job."

Coach Cragg and Hobart learned that lesson about Mount Union the hard way. After giving up a touchdown on a sustained drive early in the first quarter, Hobart's defense was hit by the big play.

On first and ten from Hobart's 41-yard line, Kmic took the handoff, planted to go left, cut back around right tackle and scored his second touchdown of the quarter.

"[Blocking] is something we looked at Pierre Garcon for," said Mount Union wide receiver Vince Petruziello, who had seven catches for 109 yards and one touchdown. "He was a great downfield blocker. Having him as my roommate and him really talking to me about [blocking] especially when you've got the best running back in the country [was] a big thing."

Kmic added a pair of second half touchdowns in his record-breaking performance.

Gagliardi Trophy finalist Greg Micheli was four of nine for 60 yards at halftime, but turned it around in the second half. He finished the day with 223 yards passing and two touchdowns.

"I really liked what they did in the second half, going to the no-huddle and being able to spread it and run it," Cragg said. "They've got all the weapons. They're tough to control."

"We let the quarterback run the show rather than giving him a play and forcing him to check the play," Mount Union coach Larry Kehres said. "Hobart will try to outnumber you. We let him pick one thing to do and it simplified things. He's capable of that."

If there was one area of concern for Mount Union after the game, it was special teams. Hobart turned a pair of fake punts into first downs. The first was on a run to the left of the line, while the second successful conversion came on a designed pass to the right.

Tyler Vincent's third fake punt attempt went awry when Mount Union's pressure disrupted the plan. Though a pair of Purple Raiders had a hand on Vincent, he launched a 55-yard punt and watched it roll to a stop at the Mount Union 4-yard line.

"Their punter is one of their best athletes," said Kehres. "We were alert to that, but being alert doesn't prevent him from taking advantage of the situation. Athletic punters are hard to prepare for and he made some plays.

"I'm not sure the first one was a called fake punt," Kehres added. "He was in trouble and he reacted like a good athlete, ran out of trouble and made a first down."