|
|
 |
Monday
February 8, 2010 Since 1922 |
Texas, Louisiana seek Bayou Bowl edge
By Dave Rogers
“Where on most teams, when it’s time to go, you’d have people running from their rooms to the buses, this group here is on time, or early; they’re there waiting for you in the lobby.
“They are focused.”
And what they’re focused on now is nailing down Texas’ second straight win in the Nike Bayou Bowl and reclaiming the series lead for the Lone Star state.
Likewise, Louisiana head coach Durrell Peloquin, Jr., says, “Our guys have a job to do and they’re going to get the job done,” which is to shrug off Texas’ first win in four years and reclaim the edge in games won.
The seventh annual Nike Bayou Bowl starts at 8 p.m. at Baytown’s Stallworth Stadium. Texas tied the series at 3-3 with a 24-14 win last June.
As is the case in any all-star game, the threat level for offensive fireworks is as red as it gets.
Each team’s top two quarterbacks averaged more than 200 yards per game passing last year. And they’ll be throwing to some talented receivers.
But, if past Bayou Bowls are any indication, the presence of passers Cy-Creek’s Austin Pugliese and Southlake Carroll’s Kyle Padron for Texas and Belle Chasse’s Blake Matherne and Barbe’s Eric Cutrera for Louisiana won’t guarantee big yardage.
The only year any team passed for more than 200 yards in this game was the first, 2003, when Baytown Lee’s Drew Tate set the individual passing record with 154 yards and his team had 216.
“It’s a very difficult task to combine guys coming from so many different systems,” Louisiana offensive coordinator Paul Trosclair said. “Timing is such a problem.”
Yet Texas defensive coordinator Troy Aduddell, the Clear Lake head coach, is worried about Trosclair’s schemes, which he scouted by watching game clips on YouTube.
“Pretty much everybody these days run the spread offense,” Aduddell said. “What we’ve seen their offensive coordinator do is run the wing-T.”
Trosclair admits his Eunice team ran for 3,000 yards and passed for 1,000 yards last season.
“We’re not a typical spread offense,” he said, “but we’re going to try to even it out (tonight). We didn’t have two quarterbacks who can throw like these guys at Eunice.”
Louisiana’s running backs are a pair of fullbacks who rushed for 1,500 yards each in Acadiana’s Dvan Anderson and Westlake’s Vincent Collins and 1,000-yard gaining tailback Dalton Hilliard, Jr., of Brother Martin. Capitol’s Bradley Brown (916 yards, 8 TDs receiving) is Louisiana’s top pass catching threat.
Among the receivers Padron and Pugliese will have at their disposal is former Sterling quarterback Keagan Kogut. He was moved to receiver for this game because injuries left the Texans short there.
In Nick Harwell of Elkins, Chance Imhoff of Pasadena Memorial and Ryan Walker of Southlake Carroll they have three receivers who caught between 45 and 50 passes last year.
Texas running back Bo Snelson of Pasadena Memorial averaged 190 yards per game rushing last season while both Pearland’s Kasey Carrier and Hardin’s John Stelly each rushed for just over 1,000 yards.
Texas’ offensive line is led by Channelview tackle Jerel Watkins and Baytown Lee’s Austin Riley. The Lone Star defense figures to be led by defensive end Eric Dago of Houston Westside, linebacker Princeton Jackson of Cy-Ridge and defensive backs Colton Valencia of Hightower and Jarrad Stewart of Pearland.
Defensive backs Ridge Turner of South Plaquemines, Fred Thomas of Lutcher and Bert White of Redemptorist lead the Louisiana defenders.
“Where on most teams, when it’s time to go, you’d have people running from their rooms to the buses, this group here is on time, or early; they’re there waiting for you in the lobby.
“They are focused.”
And what they’re focused on now is nailing down Texas’ second straight win in the Nike Bayou Bowl and reclaiming the series lead for the Lone Star state.
Likewise, Louisiana head coach Durrell Peloquin, Jr., says, “Our guys have a job to do and they’re going to get the job done,” which is to shrug off Texas’ first win in four years and reclaim the edge in games won.
The seventh annual Nike Bayou Bowl starts at 8 p.m. at Baytown’s Stallworth Stadium. Texas tied the series at 3-3 with a 24-14 win last June.
As is the case in any all-star game, the threat level for offensive fireworks is as red as it gets.
Each team’s top two quarterbacks averaged more than 200 yards per game passing last year. And they’ll be throwing to some talented receivers.
But, if past Bayou Bowls are any indication, the presence of passers Cy-Creek’s Austin Pugliese and Southlake Carroll’s Kyle Padron for Texas and Belle Chasse’s Blake Matherne and Barbe’s Eric Cutrera for Louisiana won’t guarantee big yardage.
The only year any team passed for more than 200 yards in this game was the first, 2003, when Baytown Lee’s Drew Tate set the individual passing record with 154 yards and his team had 216.
“It’s a very difficult task to combine guys coming from so many different systems,” Louisiana offensive coordinator Paul Trosclair said. “Timing is such a problem.”
Yet Texas defensive coordinator Troy Aduddell, the Clear Lake head coach, is worried about Trosclair’s schemes, which he scouted by watching game clips on YouTube.
“Pretty much everybody these days run the spread offense,” Aduddell said. “What we’ve seen their offensive coordinator do is run the wing-T.”
Trosclair admits his Eunice team ran for 3,000 yards and passed for 1,000 yards last season.
“We’re not a typical spread offense,” he said, “but we’re going to try to even it out (tonight). We didn’t have two quarterbacks who can throw like these guys at Eunice.”
Louisiana’s running backs are a pair of fullbacks who rushed for 1,500 yards each in Acadiana’s Dvan Anderson and Westlake’s Vincent Collins and 1,000-yard gaining tailback Dalton Hilliard, Jr., of Brother Martin. Capitol’s Bradley Brown (916 yards, 8 TDs receiving) is Louisiana’s top pass catching threat.
Among the receivers Padron and Pugliese will have at their disposal is former Sterling quarterback Keagan Kogut. He was moved to receiver for this game because injuries left the Texans short there.
In Nick Harwell of Elkins, Chance Imhoff of Pasadena Memorial and Ryan Walker of Southlake Carroll they have three receivers who caught between 45 and 50 passes last year.
Texas running back Bo Snelson of Pasadena Memorial averaged 190 yards per game rushing last season while both Pearland’s Kasey Carrier and Hardin’s John Stelly each rushed for just over 1,000 yards.
Texas’ offensive line is led by Channelview tackle Jerel Watkins and Baytown Lee’s Austin Riley. The Lone Star defense figures to be led by defensive end Eric Dago of Houston Westside, linebacker Princeton Jackson of Cy-Ridge and defensive backs Colton Valencia of Hightower and Jarrad Stewart of Pearland.
Defensive backs Ridge Turner of South Plaquemines, Fred Thomas of Lutcher and Bert White of Redemptorist lead the Louisiana defenders.