Scoop27
09-02-2016, 01:17 PM
WEST COLUMBIA — The Columbia Roughnecks are happy with its 24-7 win against rival Sweeny, but they left Griggs Field feeling as though they only got things half right.
“It was great to get the win and we saw a lot of competitive spirit,” Columbia coach Brett Mascheck said of his first game leading the ’Necks. “I do not think we played very clean football offensively in the first half. We had penalties and turnovers that killed drives and prevented us from putting the game away in the first half. We controlled the game in the second half.”
The focus for today with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff start at Tiger Stadium will be a complete-game performance against a Wharton team looking to rebound from a 28-7 loss at Sealy.
The Tigers (0-1) were held to 152 yards of offense by the Sealy defense. The lone bright spot was quarterback Trey Woods, who passed for 117 yards and the team’s only touchdown. He also threw a pair of interceptions in the process.
Still, Mascheck isn’t buying that Wharton will struggle on offense two weeks in a row.
“At the beginning, they were ranked in the top 10 in the state in Class 4A Division II and were picked to go deep in the playoffs,” Mascheck said. “Wharton is so, so scary on film. I think they have a special running back and their offensive line is huge. On defense, they are big and strong up front, and their secondary follows the ball well. Them losing last week will have them coming out with a lot of intensity and focus.
“The key for us will be to match their intensity and competitive spirit because it’s going to be a game, and they’re ready to put their mark in.”
Those weapons to look out for are running back BJ Baylor, who rushed for only 40 yards last week, but is expected to have a better second week. On the outside, the senior receiving duo of Mar’kese Holmes and Robert McGrew are expected to build off last week’s performances in which they went for 45 and 58 yards, respectively.
Defensively, Columbia was solid against Sweeny, holding the Bulldogs to 196 yards of offense and forcing a pair of timely turnovers, including an interception from Chandler Cook, which halted a Sweeny drive at the Columbia 17.
Mascheck is hoping for more of that opportunistic play against Wharton.
“With today’s offenses, you’re going to have to create turnovers because team’s are going to move the ball,” Mascheck said. “Yardage isn’t a big stat anymore. It’s keeping teams out of the end zone, and we did a good job of that. We had a few sacks and got a lot of pressure with our defensive line and linebackers and our secondary also played very well.”
Offensively, Saylaion Dunlap and Keithan Taylor each turned in 100-plus-yard nights. Dunlap went for 149 yards on 17 carries and a pair of touchdowns, while Taylor made the most of his six carries, rushing for 101 yards and a score.
This week, the Roughnecks are going to try and even out their attack.
“It though we did a real good job in the running game, but we need to do a better job in the passing game,” Mascheck said. “We want to be able to throw the ball, but overall the running game was on. Our two backs did an excellent job, as did our offensive line opening up the holes for those guys.”
“It was great to get the win and we saw a lot of competitive spirit,” Columbia coach Brett Mascheck said of his first game leading the ’Necks. “I do not think we played very clean football offensively in the first half. We had penalties and turnovers that killed drives and prevented us from putting the game away in the first half. We controlled the game in the second half.”
The focus for today with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff start at Tiger Stadium will be a complete-game performance against a Wharton team looking to rebound from a 28-7 loss at Sealy.
The Tigers (0-1) were held to 152 yards of offense by the Sealy defense. The lone bright spot was quarterback Trey Woods, who passed for 117 yards and the team’s only touchdown. He also threw a pair of interceptions in the process.
Still, Mascheck isn’t buying that Wharton will struggle on offense two weeks in a row.
“At the beginning, they were ranked in the top 10 in the state in Class 4A Division II and were picked to go deep in the playoffs,” Mascheck said. “Wharton is so, so scary on film. I think they have a special running back and their offensive line is huge. On defense, they are big and strong up front, and their secondary follows the ball well. Them losing last week will have them coming out with a lot of intensity and focus.
“The key for us will be to match their intensity and competitive spirit because it’s going to be a game, and they’re ready to put their mark in.”
Those weapons to look out for are running back BJ Baylor, who rushed for only 40 yards last week, but is expected to have a better second week. On the outside, the senior receiving duo of Mar’kese Holmes and Robert McGrew are expected to build off last week’s performances in which they went for 45 and 58 yards, respectively.
Defensively, Columbia was solid against Sweeny, holding the Bulldogs to 196 yards of offense and forcing a pair of timely turnovers, including an interception from Chandler Cook, which halted a Sweeny drive at the Columbia 17.
Mascheck is hoping for more of that opportunistic play against Wharton.
“With today’s offenses, you’re going to have to create turnovers because team’s are going to move the ball,” Mascheck said. “Yardage isn’t a big stat anymore. It’s keeping teams out of the end zone, and we did a good job of that. We had a few sacks and got a lot of pressure with our defensive line and linebackers and our secondary also played very well.”
Offensively, Saylaion Dunlap and Keithan Taylor each turned in 100-plus-yard nights. Dunlap went for 149 yards on 17 carries and a pair of touchdowns, while Taylor made the most of his six carries, rushing for 101 yards and a score.
This week, the Roughnecks are going to try and even out their attack.
“It though we did a real good job in the running game, but we need to do a better job in the passing game,” Mascheck said. “We want to be able to throw the ball, but overall the running game was on. Our two backs did an excellent job, as did our offensive line opening up the holes for those guys.”