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No time for rest in Plano’s next high-powered test
BY Matt Welch mwelch@acnpapers.com
Facing arguably its most potent offense this season so far, the brickwall-esque Plano Senior football team’s defense responded amicably to the challenge.
The offense made for a strong ally, improvising without the aid of leading receiver in senior Brandon Hamilton by stretching the Hawks vertically with rushers Kevin Merrill, a junior, and Murat Kuzu, a senior.
The end result was a 33-6 trouncing of the Hawks; their lowest scoring output in four years and Plano’s best defensive performance of the season.
“In this district, your celebrations better be short,” said Jaydon McCullough, Plano head coach said. “Now, we’ve got to turn around and the big challenge this week is: Can you do it again? Can you hold another team that can score over 60 points?”
Doing that has been easier said than done against Jaguars, whose lowest offensive showing has been 40 points this season. By comparison, Plano’s highest has been 35. But like the Wildcats and the Hawks one week ago, Plano and Flower Mound won’t be mistaken for each other as far as what they bring to the table in yet another typical offense versus defense clash.
“Flower Mound tries to get as many snaps as they can,” McCullough said, “so that puts a lot of pressure on your defense.”
Those snaps and rapid-fire efficiency have led to a 50.2 average in points per game and the area’s most explosive offense at 615.8 yards per game; more than 100 yards higher than the next closest offense. Those numbers have netted a 3-2 record overall, with a 1-1 slate in district; the latest coming in an upset of rival Flower Mound Marcus, 52-49. There, the Jaguars compiled 581 yards of offense against Marcus’ relatively solid defense.
Of that yardage, 497 came behind the arm of quarterback Paul Millard, the area’s leading passer at 2,165 yards.
“To run that type of system,” McCullough said, “you have to have a guy who understands the coverages and reads. There’s no telling how much time [Millard] spends studying each week; he’s like Peyton Manning in high school football.”
Millard has lit up opposing secondaries to the tune of 23 touchdowns to just three interceptions. That stat line will make for perhaps the most intriguing dynamic in Friday’s matchup as Millard will attempt to steer clear of a ball-hawking Plano defense that has already intercepted 12 passes this season.
Aiding in the defense’s efforts will be the return of senior Ben Laures, who has been sidelined with an arm injury since Plano’s opener against Garland Lakeview Centennial.
Getting Laures back is just another weapon at McCullough’s disposal, emphasizing the versatility that Laures brings on defense plus the added depth with the recent emergence of senior Kent Bateman at linebacker.
“[Laures coming back] will be a huge shot in the arm for this team,” McCullough said. “He brings such an electricity … We feel good about it because we were able to survive (in his absence), but we also found out that Bateman’s pretty good.”
Those two will be given the task of getting to Millard and paying heed to the Jaguars’ all-purpose workhorse in running back Hunter Lee; a player that McCullough said reminds him of someone very familiar to the Wildcat faithful.
“Their running back reminds me a bit of (alumnus) Rex (Burkhead),” he said. “He can run, he can catch, he can throw and that presents a lot of problems. On the whole, they’re very athletic on offense.”
Locking down receivers Josh Brake, Matt Arend and Brad Bush will also be of note, as Plano aims for similar success with its offense against a Flower Mound defense that has shown vulnerability thus far. For all the accolades lauded for the Jaguars’ offense, some of those wins have been a bit close for comfort with a defense that currently surrenders 47 points per game and is yet to hold an opponent below 28 points.
Schematically, McCullough sees a lot in Flower Mound that he saw against Allen and Hebron with the Jaguars operating primarily out of a 50 front.
“They’re just like the two previous defenses we’ve played,” McCullough said. “We like that we’re getting that kind of carryover and we felt like what we saw versus Allen helped us out big against Hebron.”
While Plano’s offense found itself a bit shorthanded against the Hawks last week, the return of Hamilton – who was absent from the Hebron game due to a bout with tendonitis in his knee – could pay off in spades.
It’ll need to, as McCullough has emphasized a faster start for the Wildcats on offense. Averaging just over 12 points per game in the first half, a strong start against a walking stick of dynamite like Flower Mound could be the break Plano needs.
But if McCullough has it his way, Plano will keep things under a similar scope to the Hebron game.
“I want to see us play a full football game,” he said. “Ultimately, that’s where you want to finish in what’s hopefully the state championship game. That’s everybody’s goal, but right now we’re just focusing on playing the best that we can versus Flower Mound.”
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
wildcatmom28 wrote on Oct 7, 2010 4:15 PM:
" The entire Plano Wildcat defense has played well. They all deserve a shout out, plus a big hand for Coach Stewart and Coach Dailey! "
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