MARLINFAN
12-05-2003, 09:56 AM
Marlin's Tank rolling again
By BRICE CHERRY Tribune-Herald staff writer
When you've got a Tank in your arsenal, the last thing you want is for it to sit in dry dock.
Yet that's exactly where Marlin head coach Jerry Malone found himself just a couple of games into the season. Bruising junior tailback Tank Smith — the Bulldogs’ top rusher in 2002 with 1,483 yards and the Tribune-Herald's Newcomer of the Year that fall — was shelved with a knee injury, and the absence of one of the team's most powerful weapons was felt all over Marlin.
With their Tank sitting in park, the Bulldogs struggled to a 1-4 record against a murderous non-district schedule that included back-to-back games against Class 3A's No. 1-ranked Burnet and 4A No. 1 Ennis. But Smith worked tirelessly during the rehabilatation process to return for Marlin's District 18-3A opener against Rockdale.
Since then, the Bulldogs have won eight straight games.
Coincidence? Well, certainly the schedule proved more favorable to the Bulldogs once district play arrived. But there is also little doubt that Marlin's rushing attack is more dangerous when its Tank is on the field steamrolling defenders.
"He's one of those guys who
can run at you and run over you," said Malone, whose team faces Bellville in the Class 3A Division II Region III final tonight at 7:30 at Kyle Field in College Station. "But he can also stop on a dime, spin and make the turn. It's a different type of runner than any of the other kids we've got. Everybody else is pretty much, 'I'm going to try to outrun you and go,' but Tank can run over you or around you, either one.
"He's a great offensive player, somebody who's as good as any back in the state."
Smith may be as competitive as any player in the state as well. Therefore, the knee injury that sidelined him during non-district play — the first major injury of his life — was akin to Chinese water torture.
"It was rough seeing my team losing and all," Smith said. "I wanted to be out there. ... But if I hadn't done my rehab right, I wouldn't have been back for the first district game. I had to work hard to get back."
Smith said that the time on the sidelined tested his patience, but it was a test that proved beneficial. After fighting to return from his knee ailment, Smith suffered another blow when he sprained his ankle in a 30-14 win over La Vega in the bi-district playoffs. He's played only sparingly in the two games since and says the ankle is about 80 percent healthy now. But he's ready for duty against the Brahmas tonight.
"I'm going to play," Smith said, matter-of-factly.
"No doubt about it, playing somebody like Bellville, we're going to have to have him at whatever strength he's at this week," Malone said. "He'll be back at full speed for us. He'll carry it as many times as he can until we have to go to somebody else."
Fortunately for Malone, Tank isn't Marlin's only weapon — far from it. Heck, the Bulldogs have flamethrowers, bazookas, Humvees, the works. Senior running backs Matterial "Red" Richardson and D'Nerian Wrighter and sophomore quarterback Jeremy Sanders have taken on more of the ball-carrying workload in the past two weeks, and all possess big-play capability.
"Tank, Red, D — they're pretty fast, pretty powerful people," said offensive lineman Jermany Griffin. "We open the hole and they're going to do what they have to do."
"We've got some players who can pick up the load if (Smith) can't play," Malone said.
----Straight and forward----
Yet Marlin is at its best when its Tank is fully functional. Despite his injuries, he leads the team in rushing yards (880) and touchdowns (15), not to mention trampled defenders.
"He really doesn't move or juke too much," Griffin said. "If you're in front of him, he's going to run you over. It's like his name — Tank Smith."
Oh yes, that name. Smith, whose given name is Jerod, said he was christened with the Tank moniker by his parents when he was a small child. Why? "I don't know," Smith said, flashing a gold-toothed smile.
Smith would like nothing more than to show off that golden grin while holding the gold-edged UIL state championship trophy off in two weeks.
"We talk about it a lot," Smith said. "Last time Marlin has been to state was like 1970-something, or 1920-something, one of those. Before I was born, anyway. It would be good to bring state back home to Marlin."
So Smith isn't up on his Marlin football history — so what? (The Bulldogs’ only trip to the state final came in 1964, when they lost to Palacios, 12-0, in the 2A title game). It really doesn't matter — he's more concerned with the here and now, and what he can do to help the Bulldogs’ cause.
"He's one of those guys who can carry it 30 times a ballgame or he can carry it 40 times, if that's what you need," Malone said. "He'll do whatever you want to get the job done."
What else would you expect from a Tank?
By BRICE CHERRY Tribune-Herald staff writer
When you've got a Tank in your arsenal, the last thing you want is for it to sit in dry dock.
Yet that's exactly where Marlin head coach Jerry Malone found himself just a couple of games into the season. Bruising junior tailback Tank Smith — the Bulldogs’ top rusher in 2002 with 1,483 yards and the Tribune-Herald's Newcomer of the Year that fall — was shelved with a knee injury, and the absence of one of the team's most powerful weapons was felt all over Marlin.
With their Tank sitting in park, the Bulldogs struggled to a 1-4 record against a murderous non-district schedule that included back-to-back games against Class 3A's No. 1-ranked Burnet and 4A No. 1 Ennis. But Smith worked tirelessly during the rehabilatation process to return for Marlin's District 18-3A opener against Rockdale.
Since then, the Bulldogs have won eight straight games.
Coincidence? Well, certainly the schedule proved more favorable to the Bulldogs once district play arrived. But there is also little doubt that Marlin's rushing attack is more dangerous when its Tank is on the field steamrolling defenders.
"He's one of those guys who
can run at you and run over you," said Malone, whose team faces Bellville in the Class 3A Division II Region III final tonight at 7:30 at Kyle Field in College Station. "But he can also stop on a dime, spin and make the turn. It's a different type of runner than any of the other kids we've got. Everybody else is pretty much, 'I'm going to try to outrun you and go,' but Tank can run over you or around you, either one.
"He's a great offensive player, somebody who's as good as any back in the state."
Smith may be as competitive as any player in the state as well. Therefore, the knee injury that sidelined him during non-district play — the first major injury of his life — was akin to Chinese water torture.
"It was rough seeing my team losing and all," Smith said. "I wanted to be out there. ... But if I hadn't done my rehab right, I wouldn't have been back for the first district game. I had to work hard to get back."
Smith said that the time on the sidelined tested his patience, but it was a test that proved beneficial. After fighting to return from his knee ailment, Smith suffered another blow when he sprained his ankle in a 30-14 win over La Vega in the bi-district playoffs. He's played only sparingly in the two games since and says the ankle is about 80 percent healthy now. But he's ready for duty against the Brahmas tonight.
"I'm going to play," Smith said, matter-of-factly.
"No doubt about it, playing somebody like Bellville, we're going to have to have him at whatever strength he's at this week," Malone said. "He'll be back at full speed for us. He'll carry it as many times as he can until we have to go to somebody else."
Fortunately for Malone, Tank isn't Marlin's only weapon — far from it. Heck, the Bulldogs have flamethrowers, bazookas, Humvees, the works. Senior running backs Matterial "Red" Richardson and D'Nerian Wrighter and sophomore quarterback Jeremy Sanders have taken on more of the ball-carrying workload in the past two weeks, and all possess big-play capability.
"Tank, Red, D — they're pretty fast, pretty powerful people," said offensive lineman Jermany Griffin. "We open the hole and they're going to do what they have to do."
"We've got some players who can pick up the load if (Smith) can't play," Malone said.
----Straight and forward----
Yet Marlin is at its best when its Tank is fully functional. Despite his injuries, he leads the team in rushing yards (880) and touchdowns (15), not to mention trampled defenders.
"He really doesn't move or juke too much," Griffin said. "If you're in front of him, he's going to run you over. It's like his name — Tank Smith."
Oh yes, that name. Smith, whose given name is Jerod, said he was christened with the Tank moniker by his parents when he was a small child. Why? "I don't know," Smith said, flashing a gold-toothed smile.
Smith would like nothing more than to show off that golden grin while holding the gold-edged UIL state championship trophy off in two weeks.
"We talk about it a lot," Smith said. "Last time Marlin has been to state was like 1970-something, or 1920-something, one of those. Before I was born, anyway. It would be good to bring state back home to Marlin."
So Smith isn't up on his Marlin football history — so what? (The Bulldogs’ only trip to the state final came in 1964, when they lost to Palacios, 12-0, in the 2A title game). It really doesn't matter — he's more concerned with the here and now, and what he can do to help the Bulldogs’ cause.
"He's one of those guys who can carry it 30 times a ballgame or he can carry it 40 times, if that's what you need," Malone said. "He'll do whatever you want to get the job done."
What else would you expect from a Tank?