OGDEN — Weber State is playing well and winning games in dramatic fashion as of late.

On Saturday night, the Wildcats secured a comeback victory against a rising North Dakota football team by scoring 15 straight points in the fourth quarter and made big plays on defense to give themselves a chance to win the game.

The win moves Weber State to 4-3 overall and 3-1 in conference play. With the win, Weber claims the No. 3 spot in the Big Sky Conference standings. The Wildcats have now won four of their last five games.

These are exciting times for Weber State. Weber has not had a winning season since the 2010-11 campaign under coach Ron McBride. Current head coach Jay Hill has this squad playing well and buying into his program.

Here are my three keys to continuing the success this season.

Limit penalties on both sides of the ball

Weber State is currently ranked first in the Big Sky in most penalties and most penalty yards given up. The team has been plagued by penalties all season on both sides of the ball. The Wildcats are currently giving up 67 yards per game through seven games.

Penalties can kill a drive quicker than it starts, and it makes the game easier for the opponent. It also isn't just yards you give up. You are also giving up first downs on defense, and you are picking up fourth downs on the offensive side.

The margin of error for Weber is very small, and if the Wildcats want to continue winning in the Big Sky, they need to limit the free yards and first downs that they are giving to their opponents.

Penalties are typically due to mental mistakes and lack of concentration. Look for Hill and his staff to press this team hard in practice to reduce the amount of penalties in the remaining games going forward.

Keep the passing game rolling

Jadrian Clark had a monster game Saturday, throwing for a season-high 273 yards and three touchdowns. However, Clark has struggled this year in the efficiency of his passing game. This has put the burden of picking up yards on the running game. While the running back core of Eric Wilkes and Treshawn Garrett have surely answered the bell this season, they need some help from Clark in the passing game.

Clark is currently ranked last in the Big Sky in passing efficiency (101.7), completion percentage (50 percent), and yards per pass attempt (5.46). However, games like Saturday night show us that Clark has the ability to be very successful throwing the ball.

Clark has had several glimpses this year of his potential in the throwing game, including two games this year where he has thrown for over 200 yards. These types of games give a quarterback confidence in himself and his abilities, which is exactly what Clark needs. If Clark can carry the success from Saturday's game throughout the remainder of this season, the ground game will open up, and Weber State will be able to put points up on the scoreboard.

Frustrate the opposing QB

Weber State has been very effective this year in making things hard for opposing quarterbacks. The Wildcat defense is ranked third in the Big Sky in interceptions with six on the year, two of which have been returned for touchdowns.

Sophomore safety Jawian Harrison has been stellar this year eyeing the quarterback and undercutting the passing lanes. Harrison has already tallied three interceptions on the year, earning himself Big Sky Player of the Week honors back in September.

Weber has also found success in getting to the quarterback this year, ranking third in the Big Sky in sacks with 16. Three different players have three or more sacks so far this season.

These two things combine to make things difficult on the other Big Sky quarterbacks. If Weber State wants to be in contention at the end of the season, it needs to keep up the pressure on the opposing quarterbacks and force them into costly mistakes.

Mark Douglas is a graduate of Weber State University and lives in Ogden, Utah. Contact him at markdouglasmail@gmail.com or on Twitter @ThePistolColumn.

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