CTS
08-16-2012, 05:14 AM
La Marque QB, DB challenge each other in practice
By Jordan Godwin
The Daily News
Published August 16, 2012
LA MARQUE — Demun Mercer and Devon Hayward casually walked into La Marque head coach Mike Jackson’s office on Wednesday afternoon.
They were obviously drained from another arduous day of practice, and they both looked like they could use a nap. While most kids are milking their last days of summer by staying up until 4 a.m. and sleeping in past noon, Mercer and Hayward were battling back and forth at 6:30 a.m.
The two incoming seniors are pushing each other as leaders on both sides of the ball.
On Wednesday, Hayward intercepted one of Mercer’s passes. Getting interceptions and making big plays on the ball is what Hayward does, whether he’s playing cornerback or free safety.
Mercer, a senior transfer, doesn’t like turning the ball over.
In fact, he hates it.
He could walk you through every move and muscle twitch in the play that unfurled in practice where Hayward got the best of him. It was the second time Mercer had thrown an interception in more than a dozen practices throughout the first week and a half of training camp.
You can only guess who made the first interception.
“He’s gotten me twice now in practice,” Mercer admitted as Hayward cracked a modest grin. “But I have beaten him, too.”
And when Hayward gets beat, it ain’t pretty.
“D-Bo (Hayward) is just such a fiery competitor, and he hates when someone makes a catch on him,” Jackson said. “He’ll pitch a fit back there, but that’s his competitive nature and attention to detail.”
Hayward and fellow returning all-district defensive back Reggie Franklin are the anticipated leaders of the Cougars’ secondary. They still have the same unmatchable quickness and ball skills that helped La Marque’s pass defense allow an average of just 98 yards through the air in 2011.
They’ve put on more muscle mass in the offseason, and it’s scary to think how physical that defense can be. Defensive coordinator Mike Lawrence, who had a Wade Phillips effect with the Cougars in 2011 compared to the 2010 team, has plenty to work with among seven returning starters.
Perhaps the most intimidating player in the La Marque defense is defensive end Lawrence Montegut. One of District 24-4A’s best pass rushers as a junior, Montegut hasn’t fully introduced himself to Mercer on the field, as the quarterback wears the red jersey of invincibility in practice.
But despite all the hype surrounding La Marque’s defense, Montegut said he won’t let his teammates become complacent.
“We know we have to step up to the expectations and prove what we’re made of,” said Montegut, who has already received several Division-I scholarship offers. “Everyone is doing their part, and we all have to keep improving.”
Under center, Mercer has worked hard to assume the immediate leadership role for an offense that returns just two starters. "We've taken our starting guard from last year who started 14 games and moved him to linebacker so that's one more starting position we have to replace on offense," Jackson said. "The positive thing is that none of our kids go both ways so our younger kids on offense are getting a ton or reps, including going against our defense daily in run and pass skell. That's only going to make them better."
"Our tempo and execution are going to be a work in progress early in the season so we will have to rely on our defense to play solid. As the young kids mature and grasp the up-tempo concept we will be in a better place, but we are definitely not there at this point."
Mercer won’t have the luxury of handing the ball off to a proven running back like 2011 star Tim Wright or throwing the ball to Division-I receivers like Brian Allen or Kendall Hill.
But Mercer, who has also received a plethora of intriguing offers, said he has a chip on his shoulder.
“I have a lot to prove this season, and we have a lot of goals in mind,” Mercer said. “We want to win a state championship with this team, and that’s what we’re focused on.”
Luckily, he won’t have to line up against Hayward or Montegut.
By Jordan Godwin
The Daily News
Published August 16, 2012
LA MARQUE — Demun Mercer and Devon Hayward casually walked into La Marque head coach Mike Jackson’s office on Wednesday afternoon.
They were obviously drained from another arduous day of practice, and they both looked like they could use a nap. While most kids are milking their last days of summer by staying up until 4 a.m. and sleeping in past noon, Mercer and Hayward were battling back and forth at 6:30 a.m.
The two incoming seniors are pushing each other as leaders on both sides of the ball.
On Wednesday, Hayward intercepted one of Mercer’s passes. Getting interceptions and making big plays on the ball is what Hayward does, whether he’s playing cornerback or free safety.
Mercer, a senior transfer, doesn’t like turning the ball over.
In fact, he hates it.
He could walk you through every move and muscle twitch in the play that unfurled in practice where Hayward got the best of him. It was the second time Mercer had thrown an interception in more than a dozen practices throughout the first week and a half of training camp.
You can only guess who made the first interception.
“He’s gotten me twice now in practice,” Mercer admitted as Hayward cracked a modest grin. “But I have beaten him, too.”
And when Hayward gets beat, it ain’t pretty.
“D-Bo (Hayward) is just such a fiery competitor, and he hates when someone makes a catch on him,” Jackson said. “He’ll pitch a fit back there, but that’s his competitive nature and attention to detail.”
Hayward and fellow returning all-district defensive back Reggie Franklin are the anticipated leaders of the Cougars’ secondary. They still have the same unmatchable quickness and ball skills that helped La Marque’s pass defense allow an average of just 98 yards through the air in 2011.
They’ve put on more muscle mass in the offseason, and it’s scary to think how physical that defense can be. Defensive coordinator Mike Lawrence, who had a Wade Phillips effect with the Cougars in 2011 compared to the 2010 team, has plenty to work with among seven returning starters.
Perhaps the most intimidating player in the La Marque defense is defensive end Lawrence Montegut. One of District 24-4A’s best pass rushers as a junior, Montegut hasn’t fully introduced himself to Mercer on the field, as the quarterback wears the red jersey of invincibility in practice.
But despite all the hype surrounding La Marque’s defense, Montegut said he won’t let his teammates become complacent.
“We know we have to step up to the expectations and prove what we’re made of,” said Montegut, who has already received several Division-I scholarship offers. “Everyone is doing their part, and we all have to keep improving.”
Under center, Mercer has worked hard to assume the immediate leadership role for an offense that returns just two starters. "We've taken our starting guard from last year who started 14 games and moved him to linebacker so that's one more starting position we have to replace on offense," Jackson said. "The positive thing is that none of our kids go both ways so our younger kids on offense are getting a ton or reps, including going against our defense daily in run and pass skell. That's only going to make them better."
"Our tempo and execution are going to be a work in progress early in the season so we will have to rely on our defense to play solid. As the young kids mature and grasp the up-tempo concept we will be in a better place, but we are definitely not there at this point."
Mercer won’t have the luxury of handing the ball off to a proven running back like 2011 star Tim Wright or throwing the ball to Division-I receivers like Brian Allen or Kendall Hill.
But Mercer, who has also received a plethora of intriguing offers, said he has a chip on his shoulder.
“I have a lot to prove this season, and we have a lot of goals in mind,” Mercer said. “We want to win a state championship with this team, and that’s what we’re focused on.”
Luckily, he won’t have to line up against Hayward or Montegut.