Carl Albert Offense vs. Guthrie Defense
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
Here we are with Part II of our statistical breakdown of the Game of the Year.
This is where I think the game will be won. The Bluejays’ defensive stats are out of this world. It’s better than Xbox numbers. In eight games, 17 points allowed?? That’s it.
Besides having a stellar and stout defense, you know what else this says?? Guthrie takes care of the football. There’s no turnovers that put the defense in a tough spot; that’s something that can’t be overlooked. For the most part, the same could be said about the Titans but that’s for Part III.
Carl Albert Offense
Any talk about the Carl Albert offense has to begin with David Oku. He’s been dinged up this season, having played in only six games. But when he’s healthy, he’s deadly. Oku is averaging nearly nine yards per carry, has rushed for 983 yards and has found the end zone 12 times.
But Oku is not the lone running stud for the Titans. The trio of Robert Kizer, Joe Stoner and J.T. Realmuto have netted nearly 1,000 yards and have found paydirt 15 times. The Titans are averaging 280 rushing yards per contest.
When Kizer’s not running, he’s throwing the pigskin. What was phenomenal about both teams is the lack of interceptions. Kizer has not thrown one but has seven touchdowns. His “backup” Realmuto has one pick and three scores. C.A. only averages 88 yards through the air, but it’s not the fault of the QBs.
With only 41 completions, it’s tough to find a No. 1 receiver. But Jorel Jasper has definitely emerged with 16 catches and five touchdowns. Joe Stoner and Morgan Christy are close as a No. 2 option while Tre’Vante Porter is close behind.
Guthrie Defense
What’s more gaudy, the just over two points per game or the unreal 68 yards per game the Bluejays are giving up?? Guthrie allows 25 yards on the ground and 43 through the air. Where’s the weakness??
Jack Dumas is anchoring the defense with 88 tackles and two sacks. Justin Chappell is next with 60 takedowns while Korey Burgess is on his tail with 55 tackles.
Josh King is proving to be a dual threat with 52 tackles but also a team-leading five interceptions.
James Day leads the team with four sacks while Israel Escoe trails King by one interception and is second with four.
Breakdown: Playing without Oku twice this season has probably helped Carl Albert in the long run. The Titans have learned to adjust without playing with their star. Nothing should shock Gary Rose’s team.
My real question is with the Guthrie defense. Law of percentages say eventually, someone has to find a kink in the armor. There’s no question the Titans will advance the ball. It’s a question of how the Bluejays will respond to that and when that Carl Albert crowd starts getting a little crazy.
If you didn’t want to read the brief analysis, here are just the stats.
Carl Albert Offense (all per game averages)
Rushing yards: 280
Passing yards: 88
Total yards: 368
Points: 41
Indiv. Rushing:
David Oku – 112 for 983, 12 TDs, 8.78 avg.; Robert Kizer – 59 for 417, 5 TDs, 7.07 avg.; Joe Stoner – 58 for 390, 8 TDs, 6.72 avg.; J.T. Realmuto – 14 for 141, 2 TDs, 10 avg.
Indiv. Passing:
Robert Kizer – 23-38, 391, 7 TDs, 0 Ints
J.T. Realmuto – 18-24, 313, 3 TDs, 1 Int
Indiv. Receiving:
Jorel Jasper – 16 rec. 291, 5 TDs; Joe Stoner – 6 rec. 103, 1 TD; Morgan Christy – 7 rec. 78, 1 TD; Tre’Vante Porter – 3 rec. 67, 1 TD
Guthrie Defense
Rush defense: 25 ypg
Pass defense: 43
Yards: 68
Points: 2.12 allowed
Stars: Jack Dumas – 88 Tkls, 2 sacks; Justin Chappell – 60 Tkls; Korey Burgess – 55 Tkls; Josh King – 52 Tkls, 5 Ints; James Day – 4 sacks; Israel Escoe – 4 Ints.
Coming Thursday: Part III (C.A. Defense vs. Guthrie Offense) and of course, the pick.
Setting the stage: Guthrie at Carl Albert
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
The first of a three-part look at Friday night’s monstrous district battle between the Bluejays and Titans. First a look the scores from both teams 8-0 start.
Carl Albert (8-0, 5-0): W Tulsa Washington (34-14), W Ada (27-12), W Duncan (35-21), W John Marshall (50-0), W El Reno (41-7), W Southeast (63-14), W Harrah (42-7), W Woodward (40-0).
Guthrie (8-0, 5-0): W Shawnee (42-10), W Piedmont (62-0), W Deer Creek (58-0), W Harrah (68-0), W Southeast (69-0), W El Reno (51-7), W John Marshall (69-0), W Noble (69-0).
From this, you can see Carl Albert was battle-tested early. The Titans combined record for non-district foes is a healthy 16-8 with all three (Booker T., Ada, Duncan) looking like they’re playoff bound.
Guthrie is bolstered by Shawnee but is hurt by Piedmont’s lack of success. Add in Deer Creek, and the Bluejays are looking at 9-15 with the Antlers fighting to punch their playoff ticket while the Wolves are in good shape to find the postseason.
Comparing district scores is more nit-picking than even I can fathom. I like to compare scores but when we’re comparing the likes of 41-7 and 51-7 (El Reno) or 63-14 and 69-0 (Southeast), you can discern absolutely nothing.
Special Teams
Not much of a difference here. Both kickers (J Hensley for Guthrie and Craig Turbyfill for Carl Albert) haven’t had a real pressure kick this season. Hensley is 1-for-1 while Turbyfill is 2-for-4. Eh. Both are probably reliable kickers but are on the wrong teams to try to prove it.
Ditto for the punt game. Guthrie’s Hensley has had 2 punts in eight games, averaging 33 per boot. Carl Albert has actually punted 16 times (two per game) and is averaging just under 32 yards.
So one phase of the game seems like it’s all square. No stats are permanently kept for the return game so can’t dissect that, sorry. It will be interesting to see if this is mammoth battle is decided by the kickers though. I’m no Skip Bayless (who thinks kickers aren’t even athletes), but with the likes of David Oku and Kye Staley out on the field, to have someone else determine the game who is not on the field as much would be odd.
Let Showdown week commence…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
As Ryan said in Monday’s paper, do the football gods know something? This week is absolutely loaded. Let’s take a look at a pivotal pairing that may determine District 4A-4: Stilwell at Broken Bow.
Stilwell comes in at 6-2, 4-1, with the two defeats coming to Hilldale and Siloam Springs, Ark. Broken Bow’s lone loss was to 8-0 Tulsa East Central. A clichéd response to any key is controlling the line of scrimmage. But it’s a going to be a pretty big indicator about who is going to win this game.
Stilwell has impressive back Matt Mitchell, who has run roughshod over everyone. Mitchell’s tallied 1,469 yards and 14 scores. Opposing him will be a vaunted Savage defense that has given up 24 points in five district games. Broken Bow is giving up just over 200 yards per game while Stilwell is garnering 345 yards per contest.
Broken Bow is no slouch when it comes to its rushing attack. Instead of one premier player like Mitchell, the Savages are employing a two-back system that equaled nearly as many yards.
Albert Wright and Mitchell Bailey have combined for 1,300 yards and 16 touchdowns. Quarterback Jody Shomo has only attempted 64 passes or in other words, eigh
I was impressed with the way Broken Bow bounced back after the emotional 7-0 win over Idabel. Coming off a great rivalry win can be tough, but the Savages took care of business in a 41-7 win over Poteau.
Coming Wednesday: A stat lover’s dream. A detailed analysis of everything anyone could want to know (statistically) about the upcoming Carl Albert/Guthrie Showdown Friday.
A pair of Thursday night classics
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
Going into last Thursday, I had my eye on a couple of games, namely Weatherford at Anadarko and Chickasha at Ardmore.
Boy oh boy, did those games live up to expectations.
Let’s start in Ardmore where Mike Loyd compared his team’s improbable 34-28 OT win as one of the best games he’s been involved in.
The Chicks and star QB Wyatt Kinnamon dominated early, claiming a 28-6 lead heading into halftime.
But then slowly, the Tigers mounted their charge, led by running back Dominik Williams. No comeback could have happened if not for the defense stepping up its game, something Loyd attributed to as simply “effort.”
Chickasha went for it on fourth-and-one twice and with Kinnamon, why not? However, both times the Tigers were able to stop ‘em.
With 36 seconds left, Reed Downing threw a touchdown pass to Montre Washington, narrowing the gap to 28-27. Fine, make the PAT, let’s go to overtime.
Ah , but as Lee Corso would say, not so fast my friends.
Loyd said three things need to happen: good snap, hold and kick. Well, Ardmore didn’t get that first one as the snap hit the turf. Loyd credited holder Josiah Custer for getting the ball down in time for kicker Fran Guardarrama to get the kick through. It wasn’t smooth sailing as it deflected off the left upright, but it was good.
Williams capped the crazy game with a one-yard splurge on fourth down in the overtime.
It was the second biggest comeback in Loyd’s time at Ardmore, only a 34-7 deficit turned around against Duncan many moons ago topped Thursday.
Ardmore has made the playoffs each year Loyd’s been there and the win has Ardmore in sole possession of fourth with the final two to be played.
Meanwhile, back in Anadarko, the Eagles and Warriors waged their own epic. A back and forth game throughout, Anadarko held a 28-26 advantage heading into the final minutes.
Weatherford QB Sutton Simon led the charge with under three minutes left. Simon threw for 308 yards and three touchdowns, but his arm would not be the difference maker.
Nope, it turned out to be the leg of a sophomore kicker. Facing a fourth-and-six, Weatherford coach Woody Roof elected to send in Kendrick Johnson. Roof’s logic being that the Eagles had no timeouts and were going to be in a precarious position no matter which decision he made.
Johnson drained only his second field goal of his career and has put the Eagles in the driver’s seat for second place (no one can touch McGuinness).
Roof said a change in offensive philosophy has been the catalyst to the Eagles’ success. Weatherford went from a spread to an I-formation. Ironically enough, in the I-form, Simon has found more success.
Here’s to hoping this week’s crazy-good Carl Albert/Guthrie showdown can live up to the hype as well.
The most underrated player I’ve seen this year
by Brandon Chatmon
bchatmon@oklahoman.com
Looking back at the first eight weeks of the season, I decided to try to figure out who I felt was the most underrated player I’ve seen in person this season.
It took a while but it’s become pretty clear to me:
Western Heights running back Will McCullough.
I saw McCullough in his team’s loss to Duncan but he impressed me nonetheless. A big back with power and speed, McCullough’s a guy I think can play at the next level. As of today he has 85 carries for 894 yards (10.5 per carry) and six touchdowns. Impressive numbers for an impressive back.
If you have Friday night free, consider going to Western Heights and watching McCullough play. The Jets are hosting No. 4 Lawton MacArthur, and if McCullough has a great game against Lawton Mac, he can have success against anyone.
Bridge Creek has revenge on its mind
By Jason Kersey
jkersey@oklahoman.com
Last season after Bridge Creek’s 36-21 win over Lexington, a Lexington player put a needle between two of his fingers before the traditional lined-up handshakes. 12 Bobcats were hit by the needle, and all had to be tested.
While senior receiver/cornerback Craig Hill wouldn’t acknowledge that the Bobcats were still bitter, senior quarterback Zane Mellinger was more blunt.
“This gives us a chance to get a little revenge on Lexington,” Mellinger said.
Bridge Creek travels to face Lexington this Friday in a game that could be for a home playoff contest. Bridge Creek (7-1, 4-1) can all but assure a home playoff game with a win.
* Bridge Creek set a school record with its win over Little Axe last Thursday. The Bobcats seventh win of the season broke the school mark for wins (6) which was set last year.
Plainview quietly emerging as a contender
By Jason Kersey
jkersey@oklahoman.com
While the Clintons, Tuttles and Kingfishers of the world get all the attention in Class 3A, this little school down in Ardmore is flying under the radar. No one seems to talk about Plainview, but that is just fine by Indians coach Corey Cole.
Plainview has won only three district championships in its history. The team hasn’t won a playoff game since 1999. But I’m telling you, this team is for real.
Consider this: Plainview is averaging 42.5 points per game, which is just below Clinton (46.62) and just above Tuttle (39.38)
Plainview has outscored opponents this year by an average of just over 29 points per game.
The explosive Indian offense can be traced right to its passing game. The unstoppable combo of quarterback Brandon Allen to receiver Justin Blackmon has created problems for Plainview opponents all year.
Even in the Sulphur game, when Blackmon was contained because of double and triple team coverage, he was used to perfection as a decoy.
This week, the Indians have Marlow (6-2, 4-1). Last season, Plainview won the game, 16-14. Lots of people have forgotten about Marlow after the whooping it took from Tuttle in Week 1, but the Outlaws have quietly climbed back into contention. This game Friday between Marlow and Plainview could be for the District title.
The foregone conclusion that one of the powers from District 3A-1 will win the Class 3A state championship this year needs to be reconsidered. Plainview has a good shot to shock some people.
Healthy Hornets sting Muskogee
By Ray Martin
rmartin@oklahoman.com
Class 6A’s third-ranked Muskogee fell 28-13 at the hands of Tulsa Washington Thursday night. The loss came as a surprise, given that BTW has had a mediocre season at best.
But Muskogee coach Matt Hennesy said the Hornets are better than people think.
“They are healthy for the first time all season,” Hennesy said. “They have some really great athletes,”
Each of Washington’s TDs came on plays of more than 40-yards.
“They just played better than we did,” Hennesy said.
Trae Cook, the states leading passer was sidelined in the fourth quarter with a concussion. He had less than 50-yards passing when he left the game. Hennesy said after watching game film he thinks the concussion took place mid-way through the second quarter.
Standout receiver Jameel Owens took snaps for the remainder of the game. Earlier in the week Owens was selected to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, which will feature the nation’s top 84 high school football players. (See Sunday’s Okahoman for more details on Owens)
Hennesy said Cook could return Friday against Owasso, but Owens will continue to take snaps this week in practice.
“He has a lot of poise and has the best arm of anyone on the team,” Hennesy said. “He wants the ball in his hands all the time.”
Buffaloes bouncing back
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@Oklahoman.com
Here we go again. Now I’ve been wrong about Shawnee numerous times this year, and I’ve been wrong about McAlester. So what happens when two teams get together that I’ve misjudged time and time again? Man, I have no idea…none.
The Wolves have been a different team since Tucker (yeah, no last name needed) has come back. McAlester seemed indestructible until a 44-13 beating at the hands of Bixby. Hmm, the Spartans also pasted Shawnee. Well, maybe not pasted, but the Spartans have defeated both so not much is gained comparing that one.
So who do you like, Tucker and Brett Davis or Justin Klusak and Herman Walters? It’s tough. Thursday games are won on Monday and Tuesday. It’s only one day of preparation being taken away, but that’s a big deal. There’s not much logic to it, just going on gut feeling.
The pick: McAlester 31, Shawnee 29.
Week 8
Midwest City over Westmoore
Tuttle over Kingfisher
McAlester over Shawnee
Norman North over Putnam North
Grove over Miami
Metro Christian over Berryhill
Colcord over Seq.-Tahlequah
Tulsa Union over Broken Arrow
Pond Creek-Hunter over Laverne
Shattuck over Sharon-Mutual
Kersey’s Top 10 picks for Week 8
By Jason Kersey
jkersey@oklahoman.com
Midwest City over Westmoore
Tuttle over Kingfisher
McAlester over Shawnee
Putnam North over Norman North
Grove over Miami
Metro Christian over Berryhill
Seq. Tahlequah over Colcord
Tulsa Union over Broken Arrow
Pond Creek-Hunter over Laverne
Shattuck over Sharon-Mutual
